AN ANSWER OR CONFVTATION OF Divers Errors Broached and Maintained By the Seven Churches of ANABAPTISTS Contained in those Articles of their Confession of Faith Presented to the PARLIAMENT and other grosse Opinions held by them against the cleare light of the GOSPELL By THOMAS BAKEWELL 2 TIM 3.8 9. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith But they shall proceede no further for their folly shall be manifest unto all men as theirs also was Imprimatur John Downham LONDON Printed for Henry Shepheard and William Ley and are to be sold at the Signe of the Bible in Tower-Streete and at Pauls-Chaine neare Doctors Commons 1646. The Contents of this Boooke CHAP. I. THis Chapter containes a confutation of many errours mentioned by the Anabaptists in their Articles of faith defended against me by one of their Teachers CHAP. II. This Chapter containes other wicked errours of the Anabaptists mentioned against me First that the bodies of men consisting of flesh and bones is their soules and that they have no other Secondly that the breath of men and beasts is their spirits and that it is immortall and liveth when their bodies are dead Thirdly they hold that in the Resurrection the bodies both of men and beasts shall rise againe and their breath shall be againe infused into them CHAP. III. This Chapter containes wicked errours mentioned against me by the Anabaptists who hold an Universall Redemption by Christ if not of beasts as was mentioned in the former Chapter yet of all men although they be already in hell torments CHAP. IV. In this Chapter they hold it unlawfull to use that Prayer of Christ Math. 6.9 as a Prayer by the godly and the ungodly with a briefe confutation of that errour CHAP. V. This Chapter containes a disputation with the Anabaptists about the Magistrates power in commanding those of a contrary judgement to conforme in publicke worship or to punish them in case of refusall To the Reader CHristian Reader The Apostacy of others should be as a warning to us that as we have set our hand to the plow of profession we may not looke backe Luke 17. but goe on unto perfection and presse toward the marke and for the joy that is set before us we should endure the Crosse and runne with patience the race that is set before us and never turne to the right hand nor to the left but goe on thorough the narrow gate along the straight way to Zion with our forces thitherward and encourage our hearts to the Lord by that everlasting Covenant that shall never be forgotten and we shall obtaine if we faint not the end of our faith shall be the salvation of our soules if we hold out to the end we shall be saved being faithfull to the death we shall have the Crowne of life then I say Good Reader take heede of Apostacy doe not beginne in the spirit and then end in the flesh for then your former righteousnesse shall never be remembred but for your sinne you shall dye but to those that persevere in the way of righteousnesse all their former sinnes shall be forgiven and never remembred more but they shall be cast into the bottome of the sea and blotted out of the book of remembrance and they shall be esteemed as perfectly righteous having no spot nor wrinckle nor any such thing then keepe thy garments for thou must walke with Christ in robes made white in the blond of the Lambe pure religion will keepe thee from being spotted by the world and that thou mayest so doe keepe thy selfe from the fornicatours of the world yea from both scandalous and erroneus persons doe not inquire saying how doe they serve their Gods Deut. 12.31 Come not among any erronius persons Israel living amongst them soone learned their workes Psal 110.35 enter not into their paths goe not with with wicked men avoyde it passe not by it turne from it and come away Prov. 4.14 15. If they say loe here is Christ or there beleeve them not for there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets that if it were possible would deceive the very elect Wherefore if they say behold he is in the desart goe not forth behold he is in the secret chambers beleeve it not Math. 24.24.26 If they preach any other Gospell then that the former Saints have beene taught let them be accursed Their new Lights is but Satans delusion when he transforms himselfe into an Angel of light The old way is the good way our Fathers walked therein and were not confounded Psal 22.44 Then if they bring not this doctrine receive them not into thy house nor bid them God speede 3 Jon. 3.10 Pertake not of other mens sinnes keepe thy selfe pure and he not carried about with every winde of doctrine The slight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in waite to deceive with fairs words They deceive the hearts of the simple and carry away captive unstable soules into destruction then it is a good thing the heart be established with grace Be ye rooted and built up in Christ and stand fast against all the wiles of the divell be not like the Athenians desiring to hearâ— have not itching cares after novelties labour to have godlinesse with content and a setled minde upon the truth of the Gospell so shalt thou stand in these perillous dayes When iniquity abounds and the love of many waxes cold labour to love the truth and thou shalt not be given up to beleeve liâ—s labour to doe the will of God and thou shalt know his doctrine whether it be of God and receive nothing for truth till thou hast weighed it in the ballance of the Sanctuary let not thy affections be fastened on any thing before thou hast tryed it receive nothing for the love of men nor respect of persons but search the scriptures and see whether those things be so and follow Paul but as he followes Christ and if sinners entice thee consent thou not if they say come let us heare such a Trades-man preach goe not with them least thou be snared to thy destruction Then doe not tempt the Lord nor presume of thine owne strength to stand in such temptations but take heede least thou fall be ever jealous of thine owne heart for it is deceitfull above all things keepe it with all diligence and leane not to thine owne understanding and if thou desirest satisfaction in any point in controversie acquaint thy Pastor with it before thou give consent to any thing new come up or to walke in a way not cast up from the ancient pathes reads this Book and let the Scripture be thy Judge and if it satisfie thee in any thing give God the prayse and let me be remembred in thy prayers and I shall remaine thine in all Christian duties to be commanded THOMAS BAKEWELL A CONFUTATION OF Divers Errors of the Anabaptists contained in their
be made alive but every man in his order 1 Cor. 15.21.22 23. So then although we beleeve the resurrection of men we dare not beleeve the resurrection of beasts But they say That when the Lord hath takeâ— the breath of all creatures and they are dead and turned to dust then he sends forth his spirit and they are created and so he renues the face of the earth Psal 104.29 30. this they say is a plaine resurrection of all the creatures from death to life I answer Here in this place they are said by the Spirit of God to be created and so in Gen. 1. The Spirit of God moved upon the waters in the work of Creation And saith Job The Spirit of God made me Job 33.4 all this I grant yet this will not prove a resurrection unlesse you make the worke of Creation to be a resurrection from death to life But they say this was spoken after they were dead and returned to dust Psal 104.29.30 I answer this is frequent in scripture For things that were done first to be set downe last 1. Sam. 15.35 There is mention of Sauls death and Samuels mourning for him and then Chap. 17. Saul conferres with David about his going to fight with Goliah and afterwards he persecutes David But was all this after his death because it is set downe after it Againe thou renuest the face of the earth this cannot be meant of the resurrection from death to life but rather it is to be understood an enlarging of strength and comfort after some great scarcity with a new supply of plenty But here is nothing concerning resurrection from death to life Thirdly the Saints of God never expected any resurrection of beasts that ever I read of before these Anabaptists but they have alwayes expected a resurrection of men for saith Job Job 19.25 When wormes have destroyed this body yet in my flesh I shall see God And Martha saith I know that he shall rise againe in the resurrection of the just Iohn 11.24 and saith David My flesh shall rest in hope Psal 16.9 And besides the Saints in all ages embalmed the dead and buried them in coffins and sepulchers and cleane linnen to declare that they expected that they should rise againe but I reade of no such thing done to beasts and they that expect their resurrection might doe well to bury them more decently that the world may see that they beleeve a resurrection of beast Fourthly there is no example in Scripture that any beast ever did rise from death to life but we have many examples of men and women received their dead raised to life againe Heb. 11.35 and the man that was buried in the Sepulcher of the Prophet and touching his bones he revived and stoode upon his feete 2 King 12.21 And in the New Testament one newly dead and another in the coffin and another dead foure dayes and many came out of their graves at the death of Christ then if we have so many examples of men that arose and not one of beasts we must beleeve the one and reject the other as an abominable errour Fifthly beasts can neither dye the death of sinne nor suffer the death of eternall punishment neither can they rise to the state of grace nor to the state of glory which were a most miserable and shamefull thing for any to affirme therefore there is no resurrection for beasis Sixthly To rise from death to life at the last day is called the resurrection of the just and the unjust Acts. 24.15 Now if they say that beasts have done evill they shall come forth to the resurrection of damnation Iohn 9 25. or if some have done good and some evill then some of them shall be saved and some damned and then they must come before Christ the Judge on the Throne to receive either the sentence of absolution or condemnation These abominable errours are not fitting to be named amongst Christians much lesse to be embraced and defended by any and it would seeme incredible that any should be so blinde as to harbour such errours where the light of the Gospell comes but onely we know at the downefall of Antichrist The divell will stir up all the old heresies that ever was to uphold that tottering Babell But to come againe to the argument the covenant of workes was not made with beasts but with man onely then it was not the beasts but man onely that sinned against that Covenant of workes and man onely was punished for the breach of it and not the beasts although his punishments was not only upon his person but upon his whole estate and so accidentally the beasts were punished but not as their punishment for their sinne but as mans punishment for his sinne Then if beasts have neither sinne nor punishment from what should they be redeemed but they say if all men were not redeemed how should they rise again I answer Although all men are not redeemed neither doe they all rise by vertue of redemption yet Christ by his power will raise those that are not redeemed to partake of that punishment that is due to them for acting in that sinne with their soules when the whole man broke Covenant with the Eternall God But they say it is sufficient to punish the soule eternally although the body rise not I answer if they had kept that Covenant the body should have had the benefit of it to eternity therefore because it sinned with the soule it must suffer with it eternally But they say the body riseth without sinne I answer yet if it did so the soule being filthy and comming out of hell will defile it as a just requitall to the body which defiled the cleane soule as soone as it was infused into it but I suppose the bodies of reprobates shall not rise without sinne But as the tree falls so it lies there is no repentance in the grave but the same body and no other shall arise Job 19.26 For sin shall lye downe with him in the dust Job 20.11 and having the guilt of sinne upon it As a Part of the curse it shall be raised to partake with the soule in punishment for the whole man sinned and the whole man shall be punished eternally But they say As by the sinne of one man death came upon all men and beasts so by one man came the resurrection of the dead For in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15.21 22. Answ Beasts were but the goods of men it was man onely that sinned and was punished for all men being in Adam sinned and died for their owne sinne for it was theirs as soone as they were in him by nature so also those that are in Christ shall rise againe to grace here and to glory hereafter CHAP. III. Turne thee yet againe and see greater abominations They hold an Vniversall Redemption if not both of men and beasts yet of all men although they be already
stand to their courtesie whether any will bee saved or not what miserable arguing is this Seventhly They say Christ dyed for all and yet all not saved because His Father made him Iudge of all John 5.27 28 29. I answer as before by this Argument he dyed for Devills and Angels that never sinned for he is the judge of all but if Christ shall slay those that will not have him to rule over them and cast unprofitable servants into utter darknesse Luke 19.22 27. and render vengeance on these that obey not the Gospel 1 Thes 1.7 8 9. Is this sufficient to prove that Christ hath bought them with his heart bloud when hee shall thus condemne nhem let all wise men judge But then they say if Christ should condemne these that he dyed not for in that he would be unjust I Answer as before If this were so then Christ were unjust to condemne the Devills or else they must prove that Christ dyed for Devills but men and Angels were all condemned for their sin against the Covenant of works and hee was not bound to send men a Saviour to redeem them and to establish those Angels that did not sin This may suffice to prove that Christ did not die for all and every man in the world CHAP. IV. They hold it unlawlull to use that Prayer of Christ Matthew 6.9 at a Prayer both by the godly and ungodly THey say the godly must not use this Prayer of Christ because the fift petition is forgive us our trespasses when as they are forgiven already and therefore ought not to pray for pardon of sin being pardoned already I Answer David a man after Gods own heart when Nathan the Prophet told him that the Lord had put away his sin yet he prayed the Lord to deliver him from bloud guiltinesse 2 Sam 12.13 Psal 51.14 and in his old age he prayed the Lord not to remember the sins of his youth and to pardon his iniquity for it is great Psal 25.7 11. And although the Lord will cleanse the house of Israel from all their uncleannesse yet for this he will be enquired of by them Ezek. 36.25 26 29 97. And they must take up words and say take away all our iniquity Hos 14.2 and the Apostles by Christ were taught daily to say forgive us our sins because we sin daily and our assurance is but for the time present and who knows how soone he may lose it and say with David and Jeremiah I am cut off Psal 31.22 Lam. 3.54 and with Iob Though thou holdest me for thine enemy and settest me as a mark for thine arrow Iob 7.20.13 24. But they say if any man lack assurance of Gods favour let him pray for it rather then for pardon of sin being done already I answer assurance of Gods favour is employed in that prayer for pardon of sin for it is sin onely that separates betweene us and our God Esay 59 2. and we should more desire the pardon of sin being an offence to God then our own comfort that comes by that pardon again the way to get assurance and to keepe it is by praying for the forgivenesse of sins for suppose we have at the present our comfortable assurance that all our sins past are forgiven yet we sin continually and every new sin is as a cloud betweene God and us and darkens our assurance of it now by this prayer we disperse and dispell these clouds which would soon deprive us of all our comfortable assurance of Gods favour therefore David prays to be clensed from all his secret sins although unknown Psal 19.12 for all sinnes will cause the Lord to hide his face from us more or lesse Esay 54.2 but they say Christ taught his Disciples to pray for pardon of sin before hee suffered because hee had then appeased the wrath of his Father yet afterward hee required no such thing but if Christ had not satisfied the wrath of God before he came in the flesh and suffered in it then I would know what became of all the Patriarks and Prophets that died before but I have often said that God made a Covenant with Christ from all Eternity to give him all the Elect as they fall in the severall ages of the World upon condition that he should give his life a ransome for them and so the Father set him a day and trusted the Son for the payment of it and gave him all the elect according to their Covenant that fell in those ages before the day of payment for the purchase and then in the fulnesse of time he paid for the purchase and now the Son trusts the Father to give him all the Elect that fall in those ages since the purchase was paid so then the death of Christ was vertuall to save those before his comming as well as those after for God was in Christ reconciling the World or multitude of the Elect in every age of the World from the first to the last to give them to Christ and so by vertue of the Covenant he was slaine from the foundation of the World Revel 13.8 Therefore it is said by Isaiah unto us a child is born Esay 6.9 And Abraham saw his day and was glad Joh. 8.58 And Christ was as pleasing to his Father before he came in the flesh as after for sayth he I was set up from everlasting then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight Prov. 22.23 30. Therefore if Christ say in Jobs time I have found a ransome then he will deliver his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see the light Iob 33.24 28. so then in every age when the Father gave any to Christ his death did vertually satisfie for them they being in Christ by faith with whom the Covenant was made but they say before Christ suffered all power to forgive sins was in the Father and afterward given to him Mat. 28.18 And then and not before he got the keyes of hell and death Revel 1.18 I Answer Christ had power to forgive sin before he suffered Mat. 9.5 6. for he was King of his Church ever since that promise was made to Adam Gen. 3.15 and had the keyes of hell and death ever since although he never made it known to the world till then Rom. 16.25 and if that covenant had not been made before the covenant of works was broken by Adam all creatures had perished eternally but they say although Christ taught remission of sins after his death yet then he did not teach to pray for pardon of sinne I Answer that prayer which he had taught before was to remain to the worlds end for sayth he When you pray say forgive us our sins and to denie this were to renounce all those truths taught by him before his death and to confine our selves onely to what hee taught afterwards Again then the Doctrine of resurrection was most in question to be resolved on
world Iohn 17.9 Sixthly This word World is sometimes taken for all the elect that ever were or â—ver shall be Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Iohn 1.29 Iohn 2.2 Seventhly This word World sometimes is meant the wicked of the world who are in present being The world hateth you Iohn 15 19 Eighthly The World is sometimes meant the godly in present being Behold the world is gone after him John 12.19 Ninthly This word World is sometimes taken for the elect in present being before conversion Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Sonne to be a Propitiation for our sinnes 1 Iohn 4.10 God that purpoased to love his people from all eternity loves them actually as his creatures as soone as they have being in the world so God loved Adam and Eve when they had sinned as not to hate his owne worke in them but loved it and therefore sent them a Saviviour God so loved the world those in present being yet not as his children till he hath sent to them his Sonne and hath given them saith to receive him then as many as received him he gave power to become the Sonnes of God to them that beleeve in his name Iohn 1.12 Now let us trie whether Christ died for all these worlds if not let us see for which of these worlds he died First if Christ died for the universall world then he died for divels and for Angels that never sinned and for the creatures in the whole world yet I deny not but the Angels that never sinned and all mortall creatures have some benefit by his death in respect of establishment Isai 49.8 but I utterly deny that Christ died to redeeme any creatures but mankinde only He tooke not on him the nature of Angels but the seede of Abraham to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people Heb. 2.16 17. To save his people from their sinnes Math. 1.21 neither can it be understood that Christ died for the world of Gentiles onely For he was sent to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Math. 14.24 and the Angels told the Jewes saying Vnto you is borne this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord Luke 2.10 And for the world of the elect I know none that makes question of it whether called or uncalled to the estate of grace yet in Gods due time they shall be sure to finde the benefit of it So then here lies our controversie they affirme that Christ died for all the wicked and reprobats in the world but I affirme the contrary upon these grounds First Christ died for the elect onely for saith Paul From the beginning God hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and beleefe of the truth 2 Thes 2.13 He saith I have chosen and ordained you that you should goe and bring forth fruite Iohn 15.16 Christ was ordained for you who doe beleeve in God seeing you have purified your soules in obeying the truth 1 Pet. 1.20 21. As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Acts 13.48 that is called the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1 1. Those who are predistinated he calleth justifieth and glorifieth Rom. 8.30 But Heaven is not appointed for all it shall be given to them for whom it was prepared Math. 20.23 Some stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto they were appointed 1 Pet 2 8. Some of old were ordained to this condemnation Jude 4. And some are called to inherit a Kingdome prepared for them and some are charged to depart into everlasting fire prepared for them Math. 25.34 41. Some are vessels of mercy prepared for glory and some are vessels of wrath fitted for destruction Rom. 9.22.23 Those unnaturall brute beasts were made to be destroyed 2 Pet. 2.12 Then are some ordained to salvation and others to damnation and some ordained to the meanes 〈…〉 and not others and for some heaven is prepared and for others hell is prepared then sure Christ did not dye for all and every man in the world and that world whose sinne Christ taketh away and is a Propitiation and for whose persons he is an Advocate is onely the elect which may be called a world for multitude Iohn 12.19 Revel 19.6 But then they scornfully answer saying they will reade world alwayes where they finde the word elect and elect alwayes where they finde the word World then thus saith Christ I pray for them I pray not for the elect but for those that thou hast given me out of the elect and I am no more in the elect Iohn 17.9.11 And this is condemnation that light is come into the elect Iohn 3.19 Thus changing the signification of the word World they bring in this damnable conclusion in scornfull derision of the truth of God But they say if Christ died for none but the elect then unbeleefe is no sinne and some would sin in beleeving Christ hath died for them when it is not so I answer God gave man faith at the first to beleeve that it he had done as he commanded he should have lived for ever and although man hath lost this grace of faith yet God hath not lost his power to command man to use this faith Man is to beleeve in Christ and if he doe not he sinnes against the Gospell no man can sinne in beleeving that Christ hath died for his sin when it is not so for if he truly beleeve he shall be saved and then it is so Secondly Christ did not die for all and every man in the world for he died for none but those which his Father gave him He came not to doe his owne will but the will of his Father that sent him He must doe his Fathers businesse Luke 2.49 And he must finish the worke he gave him to doe Iohn 17 4. But it is the Fathers will that all which he gave him that he should lose none Iohn 6.39 but all was not given to Christ not the world but those that thou hast given me Iohn 17.6 and God gave him no reprobates for Christ gave his eternall life to all that his Father gave him verse 2. And the Father commanded him to lay downe his life for those that he gave him Iohn 10.17.18 But if Christ had died for more then his Father gave him then it seems Christ would have more then was agreed by the Father to give him but this would fasten sinne upon Christ in not being content but to will have more then his Covenant then Christ died not for all and every man in the world but then they will grant that Christ died for no more then his Father gave him for say they All things are delivered unto him of his Father Math. 11.27 Psal 2 7.8 I answer It is true divels and reprobates are under his Regall power to rule them with a rodde of iron but none are under his Scepter of grace and glory but his elect
therefore he died for 〈◊〉 Thirdly Christ died not for all and every man in the world for He was the good shepheard who gave his life for the sheepe Iohn 10 11.15 but all are not the sheepe of Christ neither by election nor calling For at the day of Judgement Christ will divide the she perfrom the gâ—â—tes and sar to the sheepe Come ye blessed and to the goats Goe ye cursed Math. 25.33.41 then Christ did not die for all and every man in the world but they will grant this saying Christ died for all and therefore for his sheepe but I say againe that they must be sheepe either in election that shall be brought into this folde Iohn 10 16. or else they are already in the folde by calling but this will not prove that he died for the goates and dogges that shall Fourthly Christ dyed onely for them that he knows The Lord knows who are his 2 Tom. 2.19 And Christ knows his sheep John 10.27 and as the Father hath his book wherein the names of all his are written Luke 10.20 So the 〈◊〉 hath his book of life Revel 13.8 But some at the last day will neither be found written in the book of life nor in the Lambs book therefore he will professe unto them that he never knew them Mat. 7.21 22. Luke 13.17 So that if Christ knows his sheep for which he died and yet at the day of judgement there shall be some that he never knew then Christ did not die for all and every man in the world Fifthly Christ dyed for no more then he prayed for and now makes intercession but sayth he I pray not for the world John 17.9 and not to make intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Rom. 8.27 He makes intercession for all that come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 And sayth he I pray not for these alone but for them also that shall beleeve through the Word John 17.2 Thus Christ prayed for all the elect that shall come unto God by him and that shall believe in him but some he would not pray for but sayth I pray not for the world Joh. 17.9 for then if Christ would not vouchsafe to pray for all and every man in the world shall we thinke that he would die and spill his bloud for all But say they all were given to Christ and if he prayes for all those that were given to him then he prayes for all I answer all reprobates are given to his power to be ruled by his rod of iron these are under his regall government that they shall not doe what they list he hath a bridle for their lips and a hook in their nose these hee rules with rigour and because they will not doe his will they shall suffer this displeasure But the other he rules with sanctifying and saving grace but to the other hee will neither give grace not glory therefore he neither prayed nor dyed for them Sixthly Those for whom Christ dyed it was to redeem them from all iniquity Titus 2.14 The precious bloud of Christ redeemed us from our vain conversation 1 Pet 1.18 19. The bloud of Christ shall purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 He washed us from our sins in his bloud Rev. 1.5 But some shall never have their sins purged Ezek. 24.13 Some their sins shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Mar. 12.31 Then if Christ dyed to redeem from sin and by his death to reconcile some to God Rom. 5.10 and yet some shall never be forgiven neither sin purged then Christ did not die for all and every man in the world But they say Christ takes away the sins of the whole world yet they believe that he justifies none from their sins till they behold and believe it John 1.29 I Answer If none be justified till they believe that Christ takes away the sins of all and every man in the world then they shall never be justified for as I said before some shall never be forgiven nor their sins purged then if all sin shall he token away by Christ and yet the Father will not justifie them this were to taâ—e God to bee unjust Again shall not I be saved unlesse I make CHRIST a lyer Doth hee say some shall never bee forgiven and cannot I bee justified unlesse I believe that he taketh away the sins of every man in the world Again If Christ takes away the sins of every man in the world I would know what else can hinder their justification or salvation Is not God true in his word to CHRIST to save them that hee hath freed from sinne â—â—s For this is the Fathers will sayth Christ That all which hee hath given mee I should lose nothing but that I should raise it up at the last day John 6.39 Then doth the Father want power to keepe those that Christ hath redeemed No My Father is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand John 10.29 Then did Christ lose them again no hee saith All those that thou hast given me I have lost none but the sonne of perdition who was onely given to him by office but not by grace and favour then what is the fault are their sins forgiven and taken away by Christ and yet they will not bee saved this cannot be for sayth the Father to the Sonne Thy people shall bee willing in the day of thy power Psal 110.3 Then let Popish Arminians bee ashamed to say CHRIST taketh away the sinnes of every man in the World and yet the greatest part of it damned For nothing but sinne separates between us and our God Esay 50.2 Then they say it is not the death of Christ that makes any difference of men For he gave his life a ransom for all and would have all saved 2 Tim. 6.1 2. And it is predestination and faith that makes the difference I Answer It is true It was decreed that CHRIST should die for the elect and their faith believes that hee hath done it and so they are justified and shall be saved But then they say there bee two elections one generall for all men But the other is not decreed till men believe and is particular for beleevers For say they if God should make some men which hee doth not elect to be saved he would be the positive cause of sin in them and then for that sin he caused to damne them which would be miserable Truly I answer God is not the positive cause of sin in any hee never infused sinne into them hee made man righteous yet mutable and hee was not bonnd to support him therefore hee fell yet God did not make man to damne him nor desires hee the destruction of any creature but hee desires the glory of his justice and better all creatures should perish then hee should lose the glory of his justice as in our own case
better the creatures die then wee should want food yet wee doe not kill them as desiring their destruction but to satisfie our hunger so doth the Lord for the glory of his Justice But they say God doth not decree to damne them till hee hath tryed and found that they will not be saved but I say again God never decreed to damne any but onely he decreed to glorifie his justice and for that he need not stay to see what man will doe can any deliver out of his hand if he worke who can let it Esay 43.13 Seventhly Those for whom Christ dyed shall be justified and saved for The free gift came upon all to justification of life Rom. 5.18 and Whom he justified shall be glorified Rom. 8.30.33 Who shall condemn if Christ hath dyed for them ver 34. The ransommed of the Lord shall come to Sion with everlasting joy Esay 35.10 But some shall neither be justified nor glorified but condemned and punished everlastingly therefore they are none of those that Christ dyed for nor none of those ransomed of the Lord then Christ did not die for all and every man in the world But they say the death of Christ for all and every man in the world is the foundation of justifying faith I Answer That cannot be but this is rather a ground of it that Christ hath not dyed for all but for some of mankind and then with a speciall faith to believe that he hath dyed for me in particular and this faith instrumentally justifies us but when we believe with a generall faith that Christ dyed for all men this cuts off a speciall faith for our selves are one of the whole world and so wee shall apply it to our selves no more then to any reprobates Then they say If all shall be saved for whom Christ dyed then none of them could perish but some shall perish for whom Christ dyed and are damned that he bought 1 Cor. 8.11 2 Pet. 2.1 I answer It was but in the judgement of charity that Christ dyed or bought them but they say Christ came not to judge the world but to save the world Iohn 12.47 48. Therefore he dyed for all I Answer while Christ is mediator he is come to save the world and not to judge them that believe not but at the last day his words shall judge them and condemne them So then his first comming is to save the world not the universall world but the multitude of the elect which may well be called a world being so great a multitude Revel 19. And as the Iews said The world is gone after him Iohn 12.19 Then they say God so loved the world that hee gave them his onely begotten Son and yet none are saved but they that believe in him Iohn 3.16 Hence say they Christ is given to all and yet faith makes the difference and hath the promise of eternall life and not the other although Christ dyed for them and Gods love to all and yet not all saved But if God love them I would know what could hinder their salvation shall Gods beloved ones perish so then their conclusion is this not he whom God loves shall be saved but he that will of himselfe believe shall have eternall life but it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie for his will shall stand and hee will doe all his pleasure Then they say Christ came to his own and his own received him not Iohn 1.12 but that is not his fault for he comes unto them but it is their own fault for they will not receive him so they conclude they are his by purchase and yet they will not be saved I answer they were his own visible Church by a Nationall Covenant having his Ordinances and distinguished from other Nations by circumcision and not by any true work of grace in their heart and so others might goe to heaven when those children of the Kingdom are thrust out Mat. 8.12 Or if it be spoken of any of the elect that were his own and yet would not receive him it was but onely at that present yet after they had crucified him at Peters Sermon they received him Act. 2.41 Then they say put the case that Christ taketh away the sins of the world and this world is the elect then it must needs follow that some of the elect shall perish but what a damnable inference is this Christ taketh away the sins of the elect therefore some of the elect must needs perish I answer It is true if wee should maintain as they doe that God hath elected everyman in the world which would be no election to take all but the elect is a certain number chosen of God and given to Christ whose sins he hath taken away or at least is taking them away and when that work is finished they shall be glorified and that world meaning the multitude of the elect that Christ came to save shall certainly be saved For the Lord hath laid help upon one that is mighty Psal 89.19 He is mighty to save Esay 63.1 And he hath finished the work his Father gave him to doe Iohn 17.4 and still he is his Son in whom he is well pleased then how shall they miscarry when Christ takes away their sins to this they have a bundle of arguments together as if they would prove that Christ dyed for all and every man in the world although the greatest part be not saved but damned 1 They say Christ dyed for all those that are damned that he might get the victory over sin death hell and the Devill by his own death and triumph over all Mat. 28.18 1 Pet. 3.2 Iob 2.9 Ephes 1.19 20 21 22 23. Philip. 1.10 I Answer Is it a signe of victory over hell death sin and Satan when they shall take from Christ those that he hath bought with his heart bloud if Christ hath paid for them shall death and hell sin and Satan take them out of his hand when as he sayth no man shall pluck them out of his hand and his Father is greater then all and no man shall pluck them out of his Fathers hand Joh. 10.28 29. then shall the devill and sin doe it to get victory to your Saviour but it seems by this that the Devill is your Saviour and not Christ for if Christ have the keyes of hell then none shall perish that he hath bought and this is his victory that he will save them in spight of all his enemies Psal 110.2 But they say if all the Sins in the world had not been laid on Christ but the sins of the elect onely then he had not gotten the victory over all sin but over some sin I answer all sorts of sins are in his people which he hath overcome that it dies daily in them and for the sins of reprobates they shall be restrained by him and at lest all things that offend shall be taken out of
and further I say that our positive laws binde our Magistrates and people as strongly being grounded on the morall law being the law of nature as the Jews positive laws bound them although theirs was written in the Word and ours are not Thirdly He would know whether the matter and forme of the worship of God under the Gospel lies not in as plain precepts and commandements as the matter and forme of the Jews worship and whether to urge and compell men to any other be not sin Here I shall first grant that the matter and forme now is in as plain precepts and commandements as the Jewes was and to compell men to any other is sin But here lies not our controversie for our Magistrates neither command other things then CHRIST hath appointed to bee the subject matter of the Church although themselves most abominably brought a Cat to the Sacrament Neither doe wee admit Infidels or Turks unlesse they leave their Religion and become Christians neither doe wee take away the bread or the wine or change them or add any thing else to them not doe we take away or change any other ordinance but themselves have cast away much of the subject matter of the Church being esteemed of them but as reprobates although many of them be the deare children of GOD unlesse they please then humours and they have cast away the Ordinance of singing of Psalmes and all family instructions admonitions prayers watchings over one another in love and building up one another in faith Thus they have almost cast aâ—â—y both matter and forme of the true visible Church when as they cannot taâ—e us as wanting any Ordinance nor of having any supersluous of our own devising Then if Magistrates should command any other matter or forme they would sinne in to doing yet it will not follow that when Magistrates command the same that CHRIST hath set up that then they should sinne The Lord said to Moses ' The Magistrate gather the people together both men women and children and the stranger that is within the gates that they may heare and that they may learne and feare the LORD thy GOD and observe to doe all the words of this Law Deut. 31.12 and saith Christ compell them to come in that my house may be filled Luke 14.23 then I hope it will not trouble your consciences to be compelled to heare the word which is the onely way to know the Covenant between God and Christ in our nature and when it is known it will bereceived They that know thy name will trust in thee Psal 9.10 yet the Magistrates will not command you to believe they are not Lords of your faith but they may be helpers of your joy but saith is the gift of GOD the Magistrate onely commands to come to the paths of wisdoms doors that we may be blessed Prov. 8.33 this is the way to come in to the Covenant of Christ the Lord of the Church and when this is done we need not make another Covenant with the members as they dâ—e at New England and if they were in Covenant with Christ as they pretend the members neede not make such soldering for a Christian hath right to all Churches as well as to one Church and needs not wayâ— for the members adâ—mttance although their Lordly pride besuch while they pretend humility that they will not allow of it Lastly he would know whether any people under heaven have power to frame the outward government of the Church so perfectly that it shall neither have sin nor failing in it iâ— not then saith he where is there power to command obedience to that which is sinful I answer It is true none have power to frame such a government that hath neither sin nor failings in it therefore the Parliament doth not take upon them to frame any government for the Church because as I said before their power is not in the Church nor over the Church but in relation to the Church as lending their power to assist it therefore they have called the assembly of Divines to search the Scripture to see what government Christ hath appointed for his Church who is the Lord and King of it then there businesse is onely to search this our and then the Parlinment by a positive Law of the Land will command that this government shall be observed and no other but when all the Assembly or the greatest part shall conclude upon one way of government and the Parliament hath established that Government by a Law of the Kingdom then I say although there shall be some failings in it yet it being as neer the rule as all our Divines upon diligent search can finde out and the Parlianâ—ent hath made it a Statute to bee observed it must bee obeyed and all those Scriptures and Reasons before alledged serve to confirme it and those that will not doe the Law of GOD and the Law of the King let judgement be executed speedily upon him whether it be to death or banishment confiscation of goods or imprisonment Ezra 7.25 26. and then it will be but a weake excuse to renounce a positive Law of the Land upon this ground saying It is not perfect without sin or failing therefore I will not obey it by this argument they may renounce all our Laws and Magistrates for no humane Ordinance nor Magistrate can be without sin or failing then by their argument both must be cast away and so live like sons of Belial without any government but this shews how unsufferable that faction is to be among Christians But suppose they should have free leave to frame their own government what they would have upon condition it should be confirmed by an act of Parliament I am confident they would not agree to have it done because they all seeke to have a gap open to turne to what Heresie they please This also shews how unsufferable they be amongst us But suppose they were willing to have such a government established as they should like of then I would know why a whole assembly of faithfull learned wise godly and pious men should be denyed that which they will grant to a few and some of them factious and others hereticall nay why will they not grant our Assembly so much as they grant to one single man who setteth up what government he pleaseth and they all freely obey him when he aymes at his own ends to gather Churches that he may vent his Heresie and faction which is a thing to be abhorred of all godly Christians being more enslaved to him then ever they were to the Prelates if they had but eyes â—o see it The meane time all may see how these men despise the Magistrates power in relation to the Church when they command obedience to it or punish the opposers of it FINIS