was propounded to them for their condition was more desperate considered with this meanes then before it being unable to bring them to faith and so to life and yet bringing condemnation on them for their unbeliefe 2 Thes 1.8 Againe God upbraids one people with another Mat. 11.20.21.22 then began hee to upbraid those Cityes wherein most of his mighty workes were done because they repented not Wee untothee Corazin and woe unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty workes which were done in you had beene done in Tire and Sidon they would have repented long agoe in sackcloth and ashes but I say unto you it shall be more tollerable for Tire and Sidon at the day of Judgement then for you c Now God would not upbraid one people with another if there were some speciall meanes afforded to the one and not to the other which made all the difference for without that meanes then Tire and Sidon could not repent and with it Corazin and Bethsaida could not but repent but the words doe plainely manifest that the same meanes that was afforded to Corazin and Bethsaida who repented not would have caused Tire and Sidon to repent and thereupon Christ upbraids those Cities Againe Romans 2.4 5. The Apostle hath these words despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodnes of God leadeth thee to repentance c. Whereby wee see that God labours by the riches of his goodnesse forbearance and long suffering to lead those men to repentance which notwithstanding treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath Now it is a vaine thing and farre from God to exercise forbearance and long suffering in expectation of impossibilities to waite when the Creature will doe that which is impossible for him to performe and then the forbearance of God could not in any sense beè said to lead wicked men to repentance but to distruction and ruine for if God forbeare never so long they cannot repent and the wrath of God comes on them for despising his patience and forbearance and so the for bearance of God instead of being rich in goodnesse is rendred by this doctrine rich in wrath in fire and brimstone and such goodnes might well be despised If a Prince should make great and rich promises to a subject if he would run a hundred miles in one houre and withall threaten to inflict some heavy punishment on him if he doe it not when he knew it impossible for him ever to run twenty and then to waite many dayes on him for his performance hee in his punishment being to pay for every houres forbearance if in the end he did it not might not such pretended goodnes well be despised and he also that should pretend it to be goodnesse But I say it is evident by the forenamed place that whil'st God did exercise his goodnesse long-suffering and forbearance towards them they might have repented and therefore the wrath and indignation of God comes on them for not obeying the truth but obeying unrighteousnes verse the 8. Againe if the gospel were not sufficient to enable men to believe then it were as weake in point of Salvation as the Law for the Law was holy iust and good Rom. 7.12 and if it could have given life righteousnes should have been by it Gal. 3.21 but none could be iustified by the deeds of the Law Gal. 3.11 12. because it was weake through the flesh Rom. 8.3 Now that which was impossible to the Law being weake not in it selfe but through the weaknesse of the flesh GOD sending his Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh to die for sinne thereby condemning sinne in the flesh and supplyed that weakenesse of men in the flesh and so made the way by faith to salvation feasable to the Sons of men verse 3,4 and Gal. 3.22.24 The ministery of the Law is termed the ministery of the Letter of death of condemnation the ministery of the Gospell is termed the ministery of the Spirit of life of righteousnesse 2 Cor. 3.6 7 8 9. Now these different termes doe evidently demonstrate that righteousnesse life and salvation which was impossible for men in respect of their weakenesse to attaine by the Law is made possible by the gospel notwithstanding their weaknesse and if men in the state of nature were unable to believe the gospel when they heare it preached by the Ministers of Christ then it would be the Ministery of life and righteousnesse no more then the Law was for the Law was not the Ministery of death in respect of it self for Moses describes the righteousnesse of the law that the man which doth these things shall live by them Rom. 10.5 but in respect of the weaknesse of men to performe it and Paul putting the gospel in opposition to the law saith that the righteousnesse of faith speaketh on this wise say not in thy heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ downe from above or who shall descend into the deepe that is to bring up Christ againe from the dead but what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which wee preach that if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved verse 6 7 8 9. but if men could not believe it when it was preached to them it could not be said to be nigh them but as unpossible and as farre out of their power as it would bee for them to ascend up to Heaven to bring Christ from above or descend into the deepe to bring up Christ again from the dead And whereas it is said to be nigh it might be more properly said to be farre off so then the gospel is the Ministery of life not in it selfe only but in respect of mens power to believe it when it is preached or declared to them otherwise it would bee all one to bee under the Law and under grace neither would the Gospel bring salvation any more then the law Tit. 2.11 but would unavoydably cause wrath to come upon the sons of men as the Law did Rom. 4.15 and would leave them under the dominion of sin as the Law did Rom. 6 14. for as the Law threatned death so doth the gospel Marke 16.16 and the same power which God puts forth as is conceived to enable men to believe would have enabled them to keepe the Law For it is conceived that besides the preaching of the gospel and Gods bearing witnesse to it by signes and wonders there was a speciall and almighty power exercised by God in all them that did believe which power I say would have enabled them to keep the Law so that there would bee no difference betweene the Law and the gospel and so Christ died in vaine Gal. 2.21 Againe God in the Ministry of the Gospell called all men
every where to repent Act. 17.30 To believe and yeeld obedience to the Gospel upon pain of eternall death Mark 16.16 Ioh. 12.48 1 Thes 1.8.2 10 11 12. Heb. 2.3 10 28 29. 1 Ioh. 5.10 Ioh. 3.18.36 Rom. 2.45 Now I cannot see how it can stand with that goodnes and sweetnes which dwells in God and that fulnesse and riches of mercies which the Scriptures manifest to be in him to require impossibilities of his creatures and then in flaming fire to render vengeance to them for not performance Obâ—ect God may do whatever hee will and who shall question him Answ It 's true God may doe whatever he will but he will do all things like himself suiteable to his nature For though God be infinite in power yet is his power so full of goodnes that it can effect nothing which is not agreeable to his goodnes and those that advance the power of God without his goodnes doe denie both his power and goodnes Now hee proclaimes himself in his Word to be love to the Sons of men love in the abstract to those which doe neither love him nor know him 1 Ioh. 4.8 gracious long suffering aboundant in goodnes and truth keeping mercie for thousands c. Exod. 34.6 7. Jonah 4.2 Numb 14.18 Slow to anger and plenteous in mercy Psal 103.8 ready to pardon and of great kindnes Nehemiah 9.17 31. full of compassion Psal 86.15 he delights to exercise loving kindnes Jer. 9.24 with him is mercy Nehem. 13.22 Psal 57.10.117.2 2 Sam. 24.14 1 Chron. 21.13 Psal 119.156 Dan 9.18 great goodnes Nehemiah 9.25.35 multitude of mercies Psal 5.7.106.7.45 manifold mercies Nehem 9.10.27 Lam. 3.32 a multitude of tender mercies Psal 51.1.69.1 he is rich in mercie Eph. 2.4 aboundant in mercie 1 Pet. 1.3 he delights in mercie Mich. 7.18 his tender mercies are over all his works Psal 145.9 the earth is full of his mercie Psal 119.64 he hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth Ezek. 18.32 on the death of the wicked Ezek. 33.11 but that they should turn and live ver 11. he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 hee would have all men saved and come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 Here is a cloud of witnesses of the riches of the grace and love of God to lost men to miserable men and all the proceedings of God with his creatures are agreeable to it but how unsuteable hereunto it would be for him to require impossibilities of them upon pain of eternall death in Hell fire I leave the Reader to judge Object God is good and mercifull to lost men in that he sends them Raine and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with joy and gladnes Act. 14. â—7 in that he bestowes many outward mercies on them and useth much outward means with them though he afford them not means sufficient to enable them to believe and live acceptably in the use of all Answ God requires these men to imploy all the mercies they receive in his service To feed the hungry cloath the naked visite the sick Marth 25.42.43 he requires an improvement of every Talent that he delivers to them Mat. 25 27.30 and as God accepts according to what men have 2 Cor. 8.12 so will he judge men according to what they have received from him where he gives much he will require much Luk. 12.48 and God requires inward and cordiall obedience where he affords such mercies and means as men call outward mercies which they not performing the curse of God is pronounced against them and so the more mercies and the more means they have had here the greater miseries and the greater torments hereafter the sweeter the blessings the more bitter the cursings for ever every short and fading mercy proves a lasting and eternall misery yea Christ himselfe the guift of God the mercy of mercies is to such men according to this Objection the greatest of all miseries and that of invincible and unavoydable necessity now that is strange mercy and goodnes which doth unavoidably bring misery on them that receive it that man is most happy that partakes least of it there being no fruit to be had therein seeing the end thereof is death Object God required men to keepe the Law which they could not doe and yet hee was as full of love and grace then as now Answ The Covenant of God in Christ was confirmed foure hundred and thirty yeares before the Law was given Gal. 3.17 Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse Gen. 15.6 Rom 4.3 Neither did the comming in of the Law make void the promise Gal. 3.17 but still men were justified by faith during the time of the Law now the Law was holy just and good Rom. 7.12 and God made man just and good Eccles 7.29 Gen. 1.31 but hee falling in Adam from that primitive purity and perfection became prone to all kind of evill and subject to death Now the Law did not bring death upon us but did discover what we were lyable to if it had never bin given it did manifest what the Law of our creation did require It was not ordained to drowne men in Hell but to drive them to Christ Gal. 3.24 It was added because of transgression Gal. 3.19 to keep from sin to discover sinâ— to shew us our weaknes and inability to stand before God in our owne righteousnes Rom. 3.19 20 23. least we should trust in our selves and bee deceived that so we might trust in the mercie and grace of God alone so that Gods end in giving the Law was full of love and goodnes The Law was never alone in the World that a man must needs have stood or fell to that Master We might have appealed from the Law to the gospel but there is no appeal from the gospel the Law did onely pronounce that death upon us which we were lyable to before it was given but the gospel pronounceth eternall death in Hell fire on those that obey is not which punishment wee were not lyable to either in relation to Adams sin or the Law for the sentence on Adam was In dying thou shalt dye the death Gen. 2.17 Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return and so death passed over all men Rom. 5.12 Chap. 3.19 And the Law went no further as the Scriptures doe evidently manifest where the penalties of the Law are expressed Not that I doe conceive that wicked men which dyed under the law shall escape the judgement of Hell but the Law will not pronounce it on them but the gospel Rom. 2.16 For to love God with all our hearts and our neighbour as our selves was the substance of the Law Now though men could not performe this so as to be justified in relation to the Law yet they might so perform it as to be righteous in relation to the gospel and grace of God in Christ even in the time of the Law
Now that we were not to have perished in Hell fire in relation to Adams sinne or the Law Consider we all dyed in Adam and Christ to redeeme nor to prevent us from death suffered death he hung on a Tree and so was made a curse for us and delivered us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 Deut. 21 23. That we through him might receive the blessing Gal. 3.14 And if wee had bin to suffer in Hell in relation to Adam or the Law then Christ also should have suffered in Hell for us to have redeemed us from thence which hee did not The resurrection of the dead comes by Christ 1 Cor. 15.21 22. who by death overcame him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 So that we should for ever have perished in the grave had not Christ dyed and rose againe and never have risen from the dead to receive the sentence of a second death And this may serve for answer to this Objection about our inability and Gods requiring of us to keep the Law Againe if the most of men where the Gospel came were unable to believe then the Gospel or Christ crucified could not be a Gospel of grace bringing salvation to all men Tit. 2.11 and 3 4. nor glad tydings of great joy to all people Luk. 2.10 11. For if men could have no benefit by Christ unlesse they came to him and their condemnation were aggravated for not comming and God gave them not where with all to come the case I say being so with the most of them the love of God towards them in the Gospel was no other then such as the charity which Iames speaks of Iam. 2.15 16. If a Brother or a Sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say unto them depart in peace be yee warmed and filled notwithstanding yee give them not those things that are needfull to the body what doth it profit Now if God injoined them to love in deed and in truth and not in word and in tongue 1 Joh 3.18 It is farre from God himself so to doe if he would not have us to bid a man be cloathed and warmed and not give him wherewithall how much lesse will he in the gospel of his love and grace to the Sons of Men bid them to repent and believe that they may be saved and give them not wherewithall Yea further where it is said God so loved the World Joh. 3.16 It were then more proper to say God so hated the world and whereas God proclaimes himself in the gospel to be love to be gracious and mercifull to lost men this Doctrine proclaimes him to be wrath hatred anger c. to the Sons of men for if salvation were not to be had by Christ but through faith and condemnation came upon them through unbelief and the condition of men were such that they could not believe and God afforded them no power then the eternall ruine and damnation of the most part of them was an inevitable effect of the death of Christ so that this Doctrine tends to the subversion of the free grace of God in the gospel Againe God sent his Son and the Sonne in obedience to the Father came to save men even those which perish Ioh. 3.17.12.47 Act. 3 26. now it were absurd to thinke that Christ was sent and came to doe that which being come he used not meanes sufficient to accomplish for that were to deny the wisdome of God which alwayes maketh choice and use of meanes sufficient to effect the ends proposed by it yet this must needs be concluded if men could not beleeve the gospel when it was preached and published to them by Christ for faith is held as absolutely necessary to salvation as the blood of Christ seeing God requires those that heare the gospel to beleeve it upon pain of condemnation in hell fire now if Christ hath given himselfe for any to whom he hath not given meanes sufficient to beget faith their condition is as desperate as if he had never given himselfe for them according to the old Proverbe As good nothing as never the nearer for if I know two things equally and individually absolute by me to be performed to effect one and the same end if I doe the one and leave the other undone it is as impossible the thing should be effected as if I had done nothing at all but when ever God propounds meanes to effect an end the meanes is sufficient to accomplish the same But God did propound meanes to save those which notwithstanding did perish Therefore the means used was sufficient to accomplish their salvation though they perished through the wilfull neglect of it Ioh. 5.34.40 2 Thess 2.10 but if all the means used with those that perish were insufficient to save them then the end of God in using the meanes could not be to save them as the Scriptures plainly declare it was for that end which the means cannot possibly produce cannot be the end of God in the meanes and seeing God having sent his Son requires all men unto whom he is preached with power to beleeve upon pain of damnation in hell it being unpossible for the most of those that heare him preached to beleeve hell-fire must needs follow the giving of Christ as hath been already declared and therefore the ruine and destruction of the most of men may be more truly and properly said to be Gods end in giving Christ unto them according to this doctrine then the salvation of them as the Scriptures evidently demonstrate Againe men are charged with the neglect of salvation now how can that bee neglected which was impossible to bee obtained Againe those that reject the gospel or meanes of grace are said to be guilty of the blood of their soules Act. 18.6 whereas if the meanes used with them were not every way sufficient to bring them to life their rejecting of it could not make them guilty of their owne death and ruine Again God bemoanes and laments men that perish because they did not make use of the means which he affoorded them for their recovery O that my people had hearkened unto me and that Israel had walked in my wayes but my people would not hearken unto me and Israel would none of me Psal 81. O Ierusalem wilt thou not be made cleane when shall it once be Jer. 13.27 O that thou hadst knowne in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace how often would I have gathered thy children as a hen gathereth her chickens and ye would not Luke 19.41 42. Matth. 23.37 These things have I spoken unto you that ye might be saved and ye will not come unto me that ye may have life Joh. 5.34.40 yea moreover God protests and sweares that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked Ezech. 33.11 in the death of him that dyeth Ezech. 18.32 Now what can uphold the sincerity of God which were blasphemy to question in these
themselves and so their faith is stronger or weaker as they appeare to themselves better or worse men Must be pressed to repentance love and holinesse from the love and grace of God towards them as sinners they must not first beleeve because they are good but they must be good because they believe Paul the chiefe of sinners obtained mercy and so became a patterne of the large extent of the love of God that no man might exclude himselfe from his grace and mercy in Christ and Christ conversed with Publicans and Harlots therby to shew his desire of the good and Salvation of Sinners and to reprove the error of the Pharisees that thought that Christ should save and respect such onely as were Pharisaically holy and reformed whereas Christ tells them that he comming to save sinners the more sinfull men were the more proper it was for him to apply himselfe to recover reform and save them by his grace Secondly all men are called upon to believe that they may have life Acts 17.30 now God would not call upon all to believe if there was not a Christ crucisied for all to believe in Thirdly Unbelievers are threatned with eternall death and ruine for their unbelief Joh. 3.18.36 Matth. 10.14.15 2 Thes 1.8 9. now if Christ died not for all those for whom he did not die should rather be threatened with condemnation for believing then for unbeliefe yea certainly in whatsoever God condemnes them he would justifie them in this that they did not believe that Christ dyed for their sins for to have believed that if Christ did not dye for them had been to believe a lie then which nothing can bee no more contrary to the God of Truth Fourthly those men which perish are chargedwith neglect of salvation Heb. 2.3 and putting from them the word of eternall life Acts 13.46 and for not receiving the truth in the love thereof that they might be saved 2 Thessa 2.10 and for not comming to Christ that they may have life John 5.40 These and the like expressions are used concerning such as neglect and reject the Gopell by which it evidently appeares that there was life and salvation in the Gospell for them for they could not put that from them which was never there for them Christ would not blame them for not comming to him that they might have Life if there had been no life in him for them if they had come and there is life in him for none for whom hee did not die the receiving of no truth whatsoever would save them if Christ had not shed his blood for them seeing without blood there is no Remission therefore it is cleare that Christ hath given himselfe to the death for all and is become a compleat meanes of life to all Object Christ would not pray for the world much lesse would hee die for the same Joh. 17.9 For Answer to this Objection consider these two particulars First who they were that Christ prayed for Secondly what it was that Christ prayed for The persons for whom Christ prayed were those whom God had given him out of the world vers the 6. such as had received the word of God and did know and believe that he was sent of God ver the 8. such as the world did hate verse the 14. such as Christ sent out into the world vers the 18. whereby it appeares that the persons prayed for were such as did at that time be-believe and so were given to Christ for the World loved them aswell as others whil'st they were in unbeliefe and were of the World And it further appeares that it were the Disciples of Christ only which were there said to be given and prayed for if you consider the 12. Verse Those that thou hast given me have I kept and none of them is lost but the Son of Perdition compared with the 20. Vers where it is said Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word Now Christ needs not to inlarge his prayer for those that should afterwards believe if they had beene included in the former words those which thou hast given me for that would have been a vaine repetition Secondly consider what Christ prayed for viz that they might be one and that they might bee kept from the evill of the World now Christ did not desire nor endeavour to make unity betweene believers and unbelievers but the contrary and there was no need of Christs prayer that Unbelievers though elect should be kept from the evill of the World for the World could not discern any thing in the Elect during their unbelief which should cause them to have an evill eye towards them and if by evill wee understand the corruption of the World then they were of those that made the times corrupt and so Christ would have prayed his Father to have delivered them out of the evill or wickednesse of the world rather then to keepe them from it and so the reason is evident by what hath been said why Christ excluded the unbelieving World out of his prayer seeing he tooke occasion from the enmity of the world against his people to make this prayer unto his Father which prayer was in no sense proper for the unbelieving World And moreover hee excepted the world in no other respect but as they were considered opposing their owne Salvation not that he would not have all to bee saved but that the World might not prevaile against his worke in hand the divulging of the Gospel which was to be done by his Disciples therefore is he so earnest for them that the evill of the world might not prevaile over them in their Ministery in his absence that thereby the world might know that he was sent of God vers 21. therefore their Salvation was more implyed in these words I pray not for the World then their condemnation Obj Many men were in Hell that very time that Christ did die and therefore it is a foolish thing to thinke that Christ dyed for them First I Answer that no man is yet in Hel neither shall any be there untill the Judgement for God doth not hang first and judge after and therefore wee see the Scriptures referreth the punishment of men untill the last day so Paul writes to the Thessalouians seeing saith he it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall bee revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and on them that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when hee shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to bee admired in all them that believe 2 Thess 1.6 7 8 9 10. vers so Matth. 25. when the
he hath left the most part of men being fallen in irrecoverable condition That God calls upon men to do that which they are unable to perform and yet damns them in hell fire for not performance That God calls invites and perswades men by his ministers to believe that they may have life and yet hath no life for them nor intention that they should live that the end of God in sending meanes and bestowing mercies on the most part of the Sonnes of men is onely to harden them to make them vessells of wrath to fit them for destruction These things I say caused mee to publish these few lines of the love of God to all for ' its impossible that men should ever bee established in the love of God whiles their minds and consciences are bewitched with such strange conceits of him The glad tydings of the Love and grace of God in Christ is plaine and easie to be apprehended by the meanest capacity and if it were delivered with plainnesse and simplicity it would manifest it self to every mans conscience with power and efficacy But the teachers of the people cause them to erre they lead them in darke and sad waies they possesse them with false and wicked Principles and thereby keepe them in bondage terrifying and comforting them according to the visions of their owne heart They have brought up another gospel I may say other gospels though indeed they be no gospels but onely dreames and delusions whereby they deceive the people leaving them in darknesse filling the World with disputes They instead of revealing the gospel have hid it from the eyes of men for no men are more resolvedly ignorant therof then those which would be thought the most knowne men They are more peremptory in their conclusions then seaven men that can render a reason for what they say yea they despise and trample on reason as low carnall and not to bee exercised in divine things they speake in a dialect that none can understand but such as are like unto them as some of them will affirme as though God would have mens affections run without or before their judgement to believe or doe that which they cannot give a reason of Those that deny the universall love of God are the men that thrust out the gospel and bring in the Law that throw downe Christ and set up themselves that ground their comfort more in their owne humiliation then in Christs more in what they doe then in what Christ hath done more in their owne grace then in the grace of God they bound and limit the love and death of Christ to some few persons onely and therefore they must find out somthing to distinguish them from others which may serve as a ground of their faith that Christ dyed for them and not for others Hence it is that they lay the ground and foundation of their peace and comfort in legall terrors preparations marks signes and qualifications In humiliations they have bend below others and therfore thinke they have ground to exalt themselves above others But whiles the ground and foundation of their comfort is in themselves it must needs be uncertaine and unstable as they themselves are when their spirits are composed and they find themselves well affected they conclude they have faith and are in the love and favour of God It is but a little and they are in another temper otherwise disposed and then they cast away all peace and comfort and will by no means entertain any thoughts of the love and grace of God to such sinfull wretches as they are What is this but to put their preparations qualifications and dispositions in the place of Christ and so to live and die as those appeare or are withdrawne hence it is that so many poore soules are distracted for want of the apprehension of the love and grace of God towards them in Christ that some of them are continually tosled up and downe one day lifted up to heaven and another day cast downe to hell in their owne apprehensions others continually cast of comfort all their daies being so terrifi'd with horror and amazement of spirit that they are unserviceable to God and man of which many destroy themselves and others hardly escape whereof we have wofull and continuall experience many sweet and excellent spirits have beene possessed with those dangerous doctrines which are destructive to the manifestation of the love of God unto them it is time for men now to awake out of sleep and to abandon these horrid opinions and not to suffer themselves to be deluded and led into such palpable and absurd errors the absurdity of them being so manifest that he that runs may read it a child may discover it for to limit the love and death of Christ to some few persons onely and to perswade men to peace from that doctrine is to build without a foundation to shew unto them broken Cisternes that will hold no water so that it is a marvell that all that feare God holding that opinion are not in the like distempers and distractions that others are seeing they are taught to deny that doctrine which is the ground of true peace and comfort the universall love and grace of God in Christ towards mankind I have demanded of some that deny the love of God in giving Christ for all how they know Christ dyed for them they Answer because God hath perswaded their hearts to believe which in effect is they believe because they believe but true faith clozeth immediately with God in his word God hath spoken and therefore I believe is the voice of Faith and not I beleeve and therefore God hath spoken wee must not make a groundlesse faith the ground of our faith for then wee shall multiply fancies instead of faith God is love this love is manifested to all the Sonnes of men in giving Christ that they all might live through him GOD would have all men to confide in and cast themselves upon this his love and goodnesse and it shall goe well with them The foundation is firme the bed is large if we ground our peace here our peace vvill bee firme and stable like Mount Sion which shall never bee moved like GOD himselfe But those that teach that Christ dyed onely for a few take away the true gospel and ground of faith and introduce a false gospel which affords men no ground to believe and hence it is that they have raised another error to maintaine the former that men by all the meanes which was afforded in common where the gospel was preached could not believe And indeed were their doctrine true that Christ dyed onely for some I should agree with them For it would of necessity follow that no man could believe seeing God in the dispensation of the gospel spake to all men in generall but to no man in particular or by name yet they say that they believe and that their faith is fixed on the word of GOD