and this appeareth by what is written Iohn 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeved in him should not perish but have everlasting life God so loved the World that is all mankind that hee gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever of them beleeved in him should not perish but live eternally 1 Obj. By World is meant the World of the Elect I Answer that the Elect in their owne sense shall all believe but this word whosoever intimateth that many of this world here meant may not beleeve for if by World here you will understand the Elect onely then this will bee the sense of the words God so loved the world of the Elect that whosoever of this world of the Elect beleeves in him should not perish c. 2 Obj. By World is meant the whole lumpe of mankind but those that are not elect can never beleeve for God will never give them faith and therefore though God doth thus proclaime his love to all yet seeing it is impossible that any other then the elect should beleeve this Text doth not hinder but that the death of Christ may still bee limited to the elect Answ Then the love of God to the greatest part of the world may bee thus expressed such and so great is the love of God towards you that when you doe that which is impossible for you ever to performe viz. believe then you shall obtaine that from him which he cannot in justice bestow upon you viz. remission of sins and eternall life And that I may illustrate the absurdity of this Objection consider what is written in Rom. 3 25 26. whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes that are past through the forbearance of God to declare I say at this time his righteousnesse that he might be just and the justifier of those that believe in Jesus in which words we may perceive that God doth proceed in the Gospel in such a way as hee may declare his righteousnesse in justifying of sinners and moreover that that God could not bee just and the justifier of the ungodly but through the death of his Sonne for without blood there is no remission Heb. 9.22 Now if God hath so loved the world that he hath given his Sonne that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternall life then the Son must die for all otherwise if those hee did not dye for should believe an hundred times yet must they die in their sinnes yea they are as farre from Salvation as ever they were and so this opinion doth contradict the word of God denying that God hath so loved men or so given Christ that all men may have life through saith for God is able no more nor no further to extend the glad tydings of life peace and remission of sinnes then the death of Christ which is the ground of the Gospell doth extend For he may as well pardon and remit the sins of all Men without relation to the blood and Sacrifice of his Son as he way preach and proffer remission of sins or eternall life to all or any man for whom Christ did not shed his blood but as God will not do that which is unjust so neither will he profer to doe it for in him justice and mercy are inseperable that is he is mercifull justice and just mercy therefore his mercy in proclaiming salvation to all must be just in the execution which could not be if offered not intended to all the justice of his mercie must extend as farre as the mercy of his justice so that he which maketh him mercifull to offer unto all and not as just to give where as he offereth destroies both justice and mercie which is a flat deniall of God Therefore I say that as the Serpent was lifted up in the Wildernes so must the Sonne of man be lifted up in the Ministery of the Gospel as a universall ground and object of faith for all men Ioh. 3.14 Another Text for this purpose is 1 Cor. 15.3 where the Apostle speaking to the Corinthians saith For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received how that Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures In which words consider first what it was that he delivered to these Corinthians and that is that Christ dyed for their sins And secondly when he delivered this unto them and that was first of all Now if Christ had not died for all Paul could not have concluded that Christ had dyed for them for they were at that time Gentiles carried away with dumb Idolls 1 Cor. 12.2 Fornicators Adulterers Theeves Drunkards and the like 1 Cor. 6.9.10.11 And Paul spake not from any speciall Revelation of God concerning these men in particular but he spake according to the Scriptures which foretold the death of Iesus Christ Now if it be objected that Paul doth not say for your sins but for our sins joining himself with the rest who were believers at that time or with the Elect I answer First that this could be no glad tydings to the Corinthians that Christ dyed for Paul and others if they were not included if Paul were not able to prove by the Scriptures that Christ dyed for them whilest they were sinners then they could not receive it nor stand in it nor be saved by it as the former verses expresse for faith comes by hearing hearing by the Word of God for wee cannot believe that of which wee have not heard Againe 2 Cor. 5.4 It is said that if one dyed for all then were all dead Paul with the rest that sent that Epistle having in the former Verses spoken of being besides themselves towards God and sober for the Corinthians cause tells them that the love of Christ did constrain them and why so because they did judge that they were dead and how do they prove that they were dead they tell them that all were dead and therefore they were dead and that all were dead appeares in that Christ dyed for all and this I conceive to be the meaning of these words If one dyed for all then were all dead 1 Tim. 2.1 Wee are exhorted to make Prayers and supplication for all men the reason is declared in vers 4. God would have all to be saved that his desire is that all should be saved he hath fully manifested in giving Christ a ransome for all Vers 6. Now it is not the will of God that any should be saved for whom Christ did not die and our Praiers must be made according to the will of God therefore if Christ dyed not for all we cannot pray in faith for any much lesse for all If we have a ground in the Scriptures to pray for the Salvation of all men then if we do pray in faith for all or any man they or
had knowledge as that was which Paul spake of in that place but the place speaks not of faith in Christ onely it would have men to be fully perswaded in their hearts of the lawfullnes of what they doe and likewise to refraine things lawfull in themselves rather then to be a stumbling block to their weak Brother and so much for this Objection Object Christ dyed for all but not intentionally he taking the nature of man upon him his death must needs extend to all of that nature in the sufficiencie of it but neither God in giving Christ nor Christ in giving himself ever intended the benefits of his death remission of sins and eternall life to any but the Elect. Answ First I answer by way of concession that God never intended the benefits of Christs death to any but the Elect if we take Election according to the Scriptures for it is the will of the Father that those and none but those that believe should have eternall life and believers only are the objects and Subjects of Gods Election for Election looks not on men in Adam but in Christ I speak only of such as have the Gospell plainely and powerfully preached to them but seeing most men doe conceive that God doth elect some men to life in unbelief and leaves the rest we shall state the Question thus Whether God did ever really intend that those men which perish and are damned should have believed and so have come to life And to this I answer affirmatively for it was shewed before that God commanded all men to believe in his Son that they might be saved Mark 16.15 16. Ioh 12.36.37 That he threatneth all those which believe not with everlasting destruction from his presence and the glory of his power 2 Thes 1.7 8. and that because they belive not Joh. 3.18 and because they received not the truth in the love thereof that they might besaved but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse as 2 Thes 2.10.12 That hee pittieth those that perish through the abuse of his grace extended towards them Psal 81.8.13 Matth. 23.37 Luke 19.41.42 Therefore it evidently appeares that he intended the benefits of his death viz. remission of sins and eternall life to those who by trusting inlying vanities for sake their own mercies Jonah 2.8 and drawing back to perdition Heb. 10 39. as well as to those who believe to the saving of their souls Heb. 10.39 But yet further consider these Scriptures Joh. 3.17 God sent not his Son into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved This Scripture which sets forth the act of Gods love in sending his Son into the World declareth also his end and intention therein negatively not to condemne the World affirmatively but that the World through him might be saved Againe Iohn 12.47 If any man heare my words and believe not Iudge him not for I came not into the world to judge the world but to save the World Why will not Christ judge those men that heare his words and believe not because he came to save them Againe Ioh. 5.34.40 Christ speaking to the obstinate Iewes saith unto them these things speak I unto you for what end that yee may be saved And yee will not come to me that yee may have life Neither doth Christ herein expresle his owne desires and intentions of the salvation of those obstinate Iewes but the will and intention of his Father also For he came not downe from Heaven to doe his owne will but the will of the Father which sent him therefore it appeares that as the death of Christ was extended to all so likewise the benefits therof were both by the Father and the Son intended for all Object If God sent his Son and it be his desire to save all men and yet all men are not saved then God misseth his end and is disappointed of his desire which is very unsuiteable to him Answ If God had sent his Sonne with an absolute and peremptory resolution to save all men whether they did receive him or reject him then all must be saved or God disappointed which cannot be for he doth whatsoever he will and if he work in this sence who can hinder but God in sending of his Sonne did intend he should be a sufficient means to save all and so to save them if they did not resist and dispise this grace of his which if they did he resolved to condemne them and not to save them by his Sonne And whereas it is said that God is unwilling that any should perish and that he desires the salvation of all I conceive it is thus to be understood he is not willing that any should perish for want of sufficient means of recovery and he desires the salvation of all as they are in a lost condition unable to helpe themselves but not as they are considered malicious contemnen of all grace and savour means and mercies for that were to set his attributes at variance and divide God in himself the mercy of whose justice is to afford means of help to that which cannot help it self and the justice of whose mercie is to condemne him that refuseth such helpe and to save him that receiveth it so that his mercie cannot desire the salvation of all but his justice must afford the means of accomplishment and when his justice affordeth means his mercie is said to desire for as what men desire they use means to accomplish so what God useth means to accomplish he is said to desire neither is God disappointed if men neglect this means for the justice of Gods mercie is to render to every man according to his deeds whether good or evill as the mercie of his justice is to provide means of life or salvation so that God is not disappointed in the condemnation of any for his mercie affordeth them means and his justice condemnes them for contempt thereof so that as God cannot worke against himself so therein he is neither crossed nor contradicted but remaineth in his attributes intire and compleat The next thing I shall speak of is the sufficiencie of the means of grace or the sufficiencie of the means which God affords to worke grace or faith in every man That the Gospell was never published to men with plainesse and power but they were thereby enabled to believe and yeeld obedience That God doth enlighten invite perswade and draw all men to himself so farre and so sufficiently that did they improve the Talent and price that God puts into their hands they should certainely come to life and glory It will be needfull before I proceed further to declare what I meane by grace and what I meane by the sufficiency of the meanes of grace Grace I conceive to bee an humble and thankefull apprehension of the free love favour and goodnesse of God and when I speake of the sufficiency of the meanes which God affoords to worke grace in every man I meane
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
THE FULNESSE OF GODS LOVE Manifested OR A Treatise discovering the Love of God in giving Christ for All and in affording meanes of Grace to All Wherein also the 9. Chapter to the Romans and other places of Scripture usually urged against the universality of Gods Love to Mankind are cleared And divers Objections of the like nature answered By L. S. 1 John 4.8 9. He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love In this is manifested the Love of God toward us because that God sent his onely begotten Sonne into the world that we might live through him Printed in the yeare 1643. To the READER MY endeavour in this little Treatise is to manifest to thee both by Scripture and Reason the full free universall and individuall Love of God to Mankinde is giving his Sonne to death for then that they might live and in affording abundant meanes to discover himself full of Love Grace and Goodnesse to them And notwithstanding many Bookes have beene written wherein this Love of God hath been evidently manifested yet doth this truth still finde many enemies and opposers even of such as have a zeale of God but not according to knowledge and the ground of this their errour I finde to be a mis-understanding of certaine places of Scripture which seemingly contradict this Doctrine which Scriptures have not beene answered in any Booke that I have seene written on this subject of Gods Love Therefore according to my abilitie I have not onely proved this Doctrine by the testimony of divers plaine places of Scripture but have also cleared those other places which are more difficult from being confederate with the opposers of the fore mentioned truth Not that I assume any infallibility in the expesition of those hard places of Scripture but onely declare my thoughts And therein I have not onely satisfied the Letter and I hope the scope and meaning of the places which the contrary expositions have failed to doe but have also done it without any the least derogation from or impeachment to the Excellent Nature and most glorious Attributes of the Almighty God as his Mercy Iustice sincerity Love grace and goodnesse all which the contrary Expositions and Opinions doe directly fight against For there is an inseparable unity betweene the Attributes of GOD which men not considering and so going about to advance one without the rest destroy all For instance to advance power without justice goodnesse love and mercy is not to advance the power of God but to attribute that to God which neither is nor can be in him And the like may be said of all his Attributes And as they all are inseparable in God so doe they inseparably concurre in all his actions and dispensations towards his creatures Now I desire thee for thine owne good seriously to peruse this ensuing Treatise without prejudice or partiality too much in use in these times for generally men see with other mens eyes and heare with other mens eares and not their owne yet wee know that every man must give an account to God for himselfe and therefore that every man should try and judge for himselfe is necessary equall and excellent Wee should not prostrate and debase our understandings to the judgements and opinions of others and thereby suffer them to bee adulterate and corrupted Wee should preserve in our selves a naturall freedome and Nobilitie of spirit in this respect like the noble Bereans unto whom though Paul preached a new Doctrine a Doctrine every where spoken against and persecuted yet did they with all readinesse of minde receive it and searched the Scriptures daily whether the things were so as Paul had told them If wee receive or beleeve any thing because it is in authority credit or practice in the countrey or place where we were borne or bred or reject any thing from the contrary reason it matters not what wee beleeve or what we reject Doe any of the Rulers beleeve in him was the old and corrupt Plea of the proud and hypocriticall Pharises who would neither receive the truth themselves nor suffer others they would seeke and receive honour one from another and reject that truth which had the testimony and honour of God alone The world was never unfurnished of men possest with this Antichristian spirit that having concluded certaine Principles and prescript Formes would subject all other mens judgements consciences and practices thereunto upon the greatest penalties without further triall or examination it being ever a marke and politicke practice of false Religions so to doe for they know that upon due tryall their Doctrines would bee found vaine and groundlesse therefore tryall is to them as the shadow of death Whereas it is proper naturall and Christian-like for us to weigh try and examine all things all the reasons for and against with freedome and ingenuity of spirit and hold fast that onely which is good and nothing is good to us but what wee finde good upon tryall Therefore I say try all things and so try what is here written and embrace or reject it as thou shalt finde it consonant or dissonant to truth which is the desire of him that desires thy increase in the truth and thy good in all things L. S. THE FULLNESSE OF GODS LOVE Manifested in giving Christ for All. THat God is infinite in Love in Goodnesse and in Mercy the Scriptures plainely declare the daily dispensations of God towards his Creatures manifestly demonstrate and all Men confesse but if the love of God be limited to a few it is far from being Infinite he that doth good or shewes mercy to one in misery and passeth by another in the like condition in every respect the defect must be in his heart or in his ability now we know that it is not for want of ability of God shew not mercy to all and to ascribe it to his heart his disposition will or pleasure is to blaspheme his excellent name and nature for what God is in his attributes or what wee attribute to bee inseparable from his nature as Justice mercy love sincerity faithfullnes and goodnesse he must be to all he that is love it selfe goodnesse it selfe must needs be loving and good to all So that it is not suitable to God to pick and chuse amongst men in shewing mercy for he may as well cease to be as to withhold mercy from any one in misery so farre as it is consistent with his other attributes this universall love of God is that which I intend to Write of which I shall manifest by proving these two particulars First that God gave his Sonne to death that all through him might have life And secondly that he affords all men sufficient meanes to discover himself good and gracious to them thereby to beget goodnesse and grace in them And first I shall begin with the first of these That the love of God manifested in giving his onely begotten Son to death was to the whole lump of mankind
that taketh away the sinnes of the word and divers other places there are to the same effect Further consider these reasons or arguments God hath commanded that the Gospel be preached to all men Mark 16.15 Goe preach the gospell saith he to every creature and the Gospel is glad tidings of good things Rom. 10.15 viz. remission of sinnes Luk. 24.47 Salvation Heb. 2.3 and everlasting life Ioh. 5.40 Now if the glad tidings which are to be preached to every creature be the Gospel in beleeving which we have life and for refusing of which we perish then Christ must dye for all for there is no reconciliation without a propitiation without blood no remission without death no life for sinfull creatures for God hath no peace nor remission for that man for whom Christ did not dye and God would not proffer with reverence be it spoken more then he hath to bestow Therefore seeing the gospel is to be preached to all God hath strengthened himselfe in Christ accordingly in giving him for all Againe if God command the gospel to be preached to all and Christ dyed onely for some the gospel being Christ crucified for their sinnes 1 Cor. 15.1 3. then God commands a lie to be preached to the most part of men which were blasphemy to affirme Againe if Christ dyed not for all and God doe not discover for whom he did die then the Gospel viz Christ crucified canot be preached to any man Object The Gospel is to bee preached among all but not to all nor any in particular in unbeliefe wee must tell them Christ died for sinners and no more Answ If Christ died for sinners and by sinners wee understand onely some selected ones then no man hath ground from the Gospel of grace to believe that Christ died for him and so cannot establish his soule in the love and grace of God For Faich comes by hearing and if the Gospel say no more but Christ died for some then all wee can believe is but that Christ died for some which may be and we perish in our sinnes now how shall we believe the grace of God in the Gospel if the Gospel give so uncertaine a sound for as we cannot believe that of which we have not hear'd so neither can we believe more of any thing then what we have heard Obj. Its further objected that we may tell them all that if they believe they shall bee saved Answ Then I would desire an answer to this one Question what men are to believe Some say that we are to believe that Christ died for us if so then as the blind-man said to Christ Joh. 9.36 who is hee that I may believe in him so may wee say where hath God so spoken that Christ hath dyed for us that we may believe They tell us that if we believe that he died for us then he did die for us as if faith did beget truth and not truth beget Faith The thing to be beleeved must be true before I believe it for it is the Gospel of truth that begets faith in us and it alwaies begets a faith in its owne likenesse therefore although Christ died for Sinners if all be not included there is no sufficient ground for any man from the word of truth to believe that Christ dyed for him and so whereas the Gospel is to bee Preached to every man this doctrine will not enable the Ministers thereof to preach it to any man for the Gospel being Christ crucified extends no further then the Crosse extends and when they come to a company of people without faith to preach Christ to them they know not whether Christ dyed for any one of them or not and therefore are unable to say to any one of them that Christ died for their sinnes and there is no other name given under Heaven whereby men can have life therefore this Doctrine of Christs dying onely for some shuts up the Gospel of grace from the World and stops the mouthes of men from declaring the same Obj. The Gospell must not be preached to men absolutely but with this condition if they be converted and repent for before they repent wee must presse the law upon them and tell them that the benefit of Christ doth not pertaine to them Answ We find in the second of the Thessalonians 1. and 8 that Christ in flaming fire will render vengeance to such as obey not the Gospell and Joh. 3.18 he that believeth not is said to be condemned already and that because he doth not believe in the name of the onely begotten Sonne of God and so when Christ gave Commission to Preach the Gospell to all the World Marke 16.16 he addes he that beleeveth not shall bee damned now if such men as are never converted are to bee condemned for not believing then certainely the Gospell belongs to them and is a truth in reference to them before they repent and be converted and what they are bound to believe the Ministers of Christ-are bound to declare to them and besides the Gospell is to convert men and to turne them from darkenes to light to teach them to deny ungodlinesse and worldlines and therefore is to bee preached to men unconverted men in blindnesse and darknes Besides if it told men that if they repent they may and ought to believe that Christ dyed for them it is all one in effect as if they should be told that they may and ought to believe that Christ dyed for them though they never repent for what Christ did was done before they repented and their repenting makes it never the more to be and if Christ did not die for them when they were unconverted it were a vaine thing for them to believe in him though they should repent and be converted Obj. If men were able to repent when they would then we could not preach the Gospell to all men upon this condition if they repent and be converted but repentance is the guift of God and men cannot turne themselves therefore wee may tell them that if they repent and be converted they may believe that Christ dyed for them seeing we we know that God will give Repentance to none but such as CHIRST dyed for Answ Then we should speake to the most of men to this effect doe that which is impossible for you ever to performe to wit Repent and then you may believe that which is not true to wit that Christ dyed for your sinnes a very poore incouragement to or ground of repentance And for pressing the Law on men unconverted I would faine know how they can presse it upon others and exempt themselves from the sentence of it for if the Law be alive considered alone without reference to Christ then all must perish small sinners as well as great seeing all are sinfull and unjust and this pressing the Law before Faith and exhorting penitents only as penitents to believe doth teach men to lay the ground and foundation of their faith in
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
Son of Man shall come in his glory and all his holy Angels with him and shall sit upon the Throne of his glory then he shall pronounce the sentence of death on the wicked Goe yee Cursed into everlasting fire c. And that place Luk. 16. where Dives is said to be in Hell fire is a Parable and proves no more that there was any such thing then that which is written Iudges 9. doth prove that the Trees did walke and talke one to another or that which is written 2 Esdras 4. doth prove that the Trees tooke Councell to war against the Sea to make them more woods or the Floods of the Sea to subdue the Woods of the plaine to make them another Country And besides if wee reason from that parable of Dives that proved his body also to bee in Hell which all grant to remaine in the grave untill the Resurrection But the scope and end of a parable is onely to bee Considered and Reasoned from But if it should be granted that many men were in hell at that very time that Christ dyed yet were it not a foolish thing to believe that Christ died for them as some affirme for Christ was a Lambe slaine from the foundation of the world and all that grace meanes and mercy which God ever since the fall did extend to Adam and his posterity was in reference to Christ and the death of Christ doth declare the righteousnesse of God in all his love and goodnesse to sinfull men that are dead that hee was just though gracious loving and mercifull to them And besides seeing that men doe likewise affirme that there were many righteous in Heaven when Christ dyed as there were many wicked in Hell they may aswell affirm it to be a vaine thing to believe that Christ dyed for those that were in Heaven before as for those that were in Hell before but neither of these is true yet if they were both true the Objection from thence will vanish if we consider that the life and death of all men ariseth from the well using or abusing that mercy and favour which is afforded them in reference to the Blood of Christ Obj. If Christ had shed his blood for all surely he would have afforded the Gospel he would publish this glad tidings to all seeing without faith in his blood all men shall perish for whom he died for hee that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 and there is salvation in no other neither is there any other name under Heaven given among men wherby we must be saved Acts 4.12 and without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 and whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Rom. 14.33 First I Answer that Faith in Christ is not required of those that never heard of Christ for the justice of Gods mercy requires no man to doe that which is impossible for him to performe for in so doing God would be a hard master expecting to reape where hee hath not sowne and to gather where he hath not strawed now no Man can believe that of which hee hath not heard nor never could if he be considered in reference to that perfect state and condition wherein hee was made and if God should condemne men that never heard of Christ for not keeping the Law then hee would require most where he hath bestowed least contrary to that which is written Luke 12.48 where much is given much is required and to that Act. 17.30 where God is said in the times of ignorance to winke at that vanity and superstition which upon the preaching of the Gospel he required all men every where to repent of When I say men shall not be condemned for not keeping the law my meaning is that they shall not bee condemned because they are not perfectly holy just and good as the Law is for hee that failes in one tittle is uncapable of Justificaon by the Law so that the Law condems all men in that all are sinners and the Law admits of no repentance if it be considered alone without reference to Christ yet men are to be judged by the Law as it is qualified by the love and grace of God in Christ so the Iewes were to be judged by the Law which was given them of God and the Gentiles by the Law written in their hearts Rom. 2.12 for when God hath by the meanes which he affords discovered what is good and what is evill what is just and what is unjust if men apply themselves with sincerity and uprightnesse of heart in love and obedience to God and his truth to that which is holy just and good they shall surely bee accepted for God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse shall bee accepted with him and the mercy of Gods Justice and the Justice of Gods mercy in Christ to lost men requires of them according to what he affords them and not according to what they have not although they once had it and in what hee affords them also If hee were not rich in mercy and ready to pardon no man would ever be justified or saved by him and for that which is written Marke 16.16 if we take notice of what precedes we may easily perceive that these words hee that believeth not shall be damned have respect only to such as have the gospell preached to them for in the former Verse hee gives commission to his Disciples to goe into all the World and preach the Gospell to every Creature and then when the gospel was plainly and powerfully declared hee that Believed and was Baptized should bee saved and hee that believed not should bee damned he that believeth not shall bee damned as he that believeth not makes God a lyar 1 John 5.20 novv hee that never heard of the Gospell doth not make God a lyer though hee doe not believe no more shall that man be condemned for unbeliefe that never heard of the gospel And for that which is written Acts the 4.12 that there is Salvation in non but Christ and that there is no other name under Heaven given amongst men whereby they must be saved the Apostles were to preach where ever they came Salvation by Christ alone neither was or is there salvation in or by any other name though men might and may be saved by that name that never came to the knowledge of it for that Hebr. 11.6 it speakes not of faith in Christ but of faith in God as the latter part of the vers doth evidently demonstrate the words are these for hee that commeth to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him so that without faith in God no man can be saved for that Rom. 14.23 the Apostle there concludes that whatever a man acts or performes conceiving it unlawful he sins in what he doth though the thing be lawfull in it self and might be done by a man that
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
were to declare by Gods loving Jacob and hating Esau that God had elected some men to eternall life and reprobated others to eternall death without relation either to good or evill in them and that this objection ariseth from thence Is there unrighteousnesse with God then I would faine know what satisfaction Paul gives in his answer God forbid for he saith I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy c. The objection is whether God be not unrighteous in so doing The answer is No for he saith he will so doe It was as well proved before in shewing that God did it as it was after in shewing that he said he would doe it In the 16. verse hee sums up what he had spoken in this conclusion so then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy that is though Moses did and I doe desire your salvation and though you desire and seeke salvation in your owne way yet that will not effect it for for it is not of him that willeth and though you labour never so much to establish your owne righteousnesse that will not doe for it is not of him that runneth but it is of him that is mercifull even of God and therefore you must seeke after the righteousnesse of God which is by faith then Paul proceeds further to manifest and demonstrate the truth of what he had spoken for the Scripture saith unto Pharoah even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my name might bee declared throughout all the earth Verse 17. In these words wee may consider first the end propounded Gods shewing of his power and the declaring of his Name throughout all the Earth then the way and meanes by which hee brought this to passe hee raised up Pharoah God would manifest his power and name to all the world that there was none like unto him in all the earth so great and so mighty a God that hee would destroy all such as did despise and harden their hearts against him though hee might beare long with them therefore God raised up Pharoah a wicked man one that he knew would harden his heart against him Exod. 3.19 and brings plague after plague upon him and then at last when no meanes would prevaile with him he cuts him off and this hee did that all men should take notice of his power and feare his great name and not despise and harden their hearts against his word least he destroy them in like manner Exod. 15.26 and seeing God would have this thing taken notice of throughout all the Earth Paul concludes that hee would have the Jewes take notice of it aswell as others that if they hardened their hearts against him they also should be destroyed though they were the naturall seed of Abraham but if God did necessitate Pharaoh by an inevitable power or providence to doe what hee did then hee would declare himselfe to all the world by such a name as this that hee was a God that did harden the hearts of mente doe evill and then punish them for so doing but this is very unsuitable to what God professeth of himselfe Then in the 18. verse Paul drawes this conclusion therefore hath hee mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom hee will hee hardeneth that is therefore it is manifest by what hath been said that those that feare him and seeke him in his owne way as he should be sought shall find mercy but those that follow their own wayes and resist him shall be hardened and perish bee they Jewes or Gentiles As concerning the manner of Gods hardening I shall declare that in another place Then he makes another Objection vers 19. Thou wilt then or therefore say unto me why doth he yet find fault for who hath resistea his will that is let it be granted that God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and that whom hee will he hardeneth why doth he yet complain of us for he hath made his Covenant with us and his promises belong to us we being Abrahams seed and he hath given us Carcumcision and other Ordinances to be observed by us and therefore in resting herein for life we doe not resist his will this Paul answers in the 20 21. verses c. Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God as if Paul should have said doest thou demand of me who it is that doth resist the will of God doe but consider who thou art that doest make the question and thou hast answered thy selfe thou that doest labour to establish thine owne righteousnesse and dost rest in the Law when the law it self condemnes thee thou dost resist the will of God for doth or shall the formed say to the forming why hast thou made me thus hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one Vessell to honour and another to dishonour yet you will not allow me to doe with you as the Potter with the Clay to destroy such of you as goe about to establish your owne righteousnesse and oppose the righteousnesse that I have ordained and therein you strive with and resist your Maker though it be a sinfull and a woefull thing for you so to do Isa 45.9 and this is plainely illustrated in Ier. 18.1 c. to the eleventh vers unto which place the Apostle hath reference The word which came to Ieremy from the Lord saying arise and goe down to the Potters house and there I will cause thee to hear my words then I went down to the Potters House and behold hee wrought a worke on the Wheeles and the Vessell that he made of clay was marred in the hands of the Potter so he made it again another Vessell as seemed good to the Potter to make it Then the word of the Lord came unto me saying O House of Israel cannot I doe with you as this Potter saith the Lord behold as the clay is in the Potters hand so are yee in mine hand O House of Israel at what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdome to pluck up and to pull downe and to destroy it if that Nation against whom I have pronounced turne from their evill I will repent of the evill I thought to doe unto them and at what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdome to build and to plant it if it do evill in my sight that it obey not my voice then will I repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit it In which words we may see that God pleads for no other Power or Prerogative over the House of Israel then the Potter doth exercise over the clay That vvhen a Vessell is marred in his hand he makes it again another Vessell as seems good unto him So vvhen God speaks concerning a Nation or concerning a Kingdom to build and to plant
but vvhosoever hath not from him shall be taken away even that hee hath vers 12. And againe vers 13. not because seeing they might not see but because seeing they did not see nor understand that is they closed their eyes and would not see as it is expressed vers 15. so that this doth not prove any inability in men to believe the gospel vvhen it vvas preached to them but rather the contrary seeing they vvere blamed for not believing and counted unworthy to partake of further light who vvere so perverse and obstinate against the light they had Againe 1 Sam. 2.25 the latter part of the verse notwithstanding they harkened not to the voice of their Father because or for the Lord vvould or was willing to slay them Here it is conceived that Gods desire of their destruction vvas the cause of their not harkening unto the voice of their Father but this is contrary to what God professeth Ezek. 33.11 and the 18.32 that he hath no pleasure in the death of the vvicked in the death of him that dyeth but that he turne from his sinnes and live now if the repentance of a sinner be more pleasing to God and more vvilled and desired of him then his death then Gods desire or will to slay a sinner cannot be the cause of his not repenting but this word for or because is spoken only by way of demonstration of the truth of what preceeds like unto that which is spoken of Mary in the gospell that much was forgiven her for shee loved much Luk. 7.47 Not that her love was the cause or reason that her sins were pardoned but her love did demonstrate that she apprehended the pardon of many sins for to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little so in this place they harkened not to the voice of their Father because or for the Lord would or was willing to slay them this is the desire willingnes and resolution of God to destroy them vers 34. notwithstanding their Father had reproved and councelled them doth evidently demonstrate that they did not hearken unto their fathers voice for if they had harkened and turned from their wickednes they should have lived they should not have been destroyed according to Ezekiel 33.12 13 14 15 16. verses Againe it is objected from certaine places in Exodus viz. I will harden Pharaoh chap. 7.3 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you vers 4. And the Lord hardned the heart of Pharaoh that he hearkened not unto them chap. 9.12 From those and the like places men do conclude that God doth positively harden the hearts of some so that they cannot believe and obey the truth for say they God was so farre from enabling Pharaoh to do what he required of him that on the contrary he hardned his heart that he might not do it For answer whereunto consider that as God tempts no man to sin so much lesse doth he harden any man in sin Againe where it is said I will harden Pharaohs heart chap. 7.3 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you vers 4. It may as truly and more properly be read And I shall hearden Pharachs heart But he will not hearken unto you for shall and will in this place are only signes of the Future Tence serving to expresse somwhat to come For God did not exercise any coercive power upon Pharaoh that kept him from hearkening to his word or from letting the people goe but only did declare what effect the meanes which God intended to use with Pharaoh would take upon him even to harden his heart though the means used did properly and naturally tend to soften it and so God might be said to harden Pharaohs heart because he did that for or before him whereby he knew Pharaoh would take occasion to harden his owne heart as appeares in this that when God sent Moses to Pharaoh to require him to let the people goe God tells Moses that he was sure that Pharaoh would not let them goe but by a mighty hand God knew that instead of obeying his command he would be hardened by it and yet bids Moses to goe and doe the Message Object How can this agree with that love and goodnesse in God which hath bin pleaded for for if God doe that which he knowes will indirectly or by accident make us worse and harden us he might with as much love and goodnes directly doe it Answ The case is farre different for if God had positively or directly hardened Pharaohs heart then so farre Pharaoh had been without fault because God did it and he could not help it and for God to have hardened him in this sence and then to punish him for his hardnes was inconsistent with the justice and goodnes of God But if God do that which is just and good which properly and naturally leads men to do the like is his goodnesse ever the lesse or should he forbeare to doe good because he sees that men will abuse his goodnesse then God must not act like God when men will not act like men but must goe out of his way and doe things unlike himself or cease to do what is suteable and agreeable to his excellent nature to comply with their wickednesse and stubbornesse and so instead of converting evill men and making them like himself he himself would become like to them But let us a little further consider what is here done to Pharaoh Pharaoh doth oppresse afflict and grieve the people of God and their cry and their groaning by reason of their bondage came up unto God and God had a respect unto them and resolves to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them into a good and large Land flowing with Milke and Honey according to his Covenant and promise Now God sends Moses to Pharaoh to desire him to let the Hebrewes goe three dayes journey into the wildernesse to worship yet God knew that he should harden Pharaohs heart thereby or that Pharaoh would harden his heart thereupon which is all one should God have suffered his people to remaine in slavery and sorrow under their Task-masters and not have sent to tell Pharaoh of it because he knew hee would not hearken but be hardened Againe when Moses had delivered his message to Pharaoh and received that answere from him Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice and let Israel goe I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel goe should God now have lest Pharaoh and not by his miracles have manifested himselfe to be the Lord because he knew Pharaoh would be hardened and not set his heart to consider it or when the judgement did soften Pharaohs heart and he desires a removall of it promising to let Israel goe should God refuse to shew mercy to him on his repentance knowing that he would be hardened upon the receipt of it should God cease to bee or doe good because Pharaoh would abuse his goodnesse and thereby take
came not to bring peace but the sword and so Simeon saith of Christ that hee was set for the fall of many in Israel But I shall now speake somewhat of those Scriptures which are urged to prove that God in the publication of the gospel withheld that meanes from some men without which they could not believe and first I shall begin with that which is written Joh. 6.37 all the Father giveth me shall come to mee c. hence it is inferred that God looking upon the lumpe of lost men chose out some of them and gave them to Christ leaving the rest meerely of his will without consideration of their imbracing or rejecting the gospel and those thus given he by a speciall and allmighty power causeth to come which power being not exercised toward the rest of the Sonnes of men they cannot come to Christ First consider that this word shall in this place doth not signifie any power or compulsion exercised by God to cause these men to come to him but is meerely a signe of the Future Tense and may as well bee read will come to me Secondly I deny that God doth put any such difference between the sons of men in unbeliefe but of this in another place Thirdly the scope of the place carries it another way for in the 26 verse Christ reproves those persons for that their end in seeking of him was low base and sinister In the 27 vers he exhorts them first negatively not to labour for the meat which perisheth then affirmatively but for that meate which endureth to everlasting life which saith he the Sonne of man shall give unto you you unbelievers which seeke me for the loaves vers 26. which did see and yet did not believe vers 36 which did murmure at Christ vers 41. unto you will I give that meat which doth endure to eternall life for to that end am I sent and sealed of the Father and this meat or bread was his Flesh which hee was to give for the life of the World vers 51. In the 28 verse the Jewes demand of him what they should do to work the workes of God that so they might bee partakers of that meat which he was sealed of the Father to give unto them Christ tels them that they were to believe on him whom God had sent vers 29 they pretend a willingnesse to believe if they saw any ground or foundation for their faith and therefore they say unto him vers 30. what sign shewest thou that we may see believe what dost thouwork Moses manifested himself to bee of God for hee gave our Fathers bread from Heaven vers 31. but what dost thou Christ tells them in the 32. 33. vers that Mosis did not give them that bread from heaven but saith he my Father doth give you the true bread from heaven for the bread of God is he which commeth down from heaven and giveth lise unto the world The Jews then desire to have that bread given them evermore vers 34. Christ tells them that he was the bread of life and if they did come to him they should never hunger and if they did beleeve on him they should never thirst but saith Christ whereas yee pretend that if yee did see yee would believe you also have seen and believed not vers 35 36. Then Christ proceeds further vers 37. and tels them that all that the Father giveth him that is to give eternall life unto which the Jewes desired ver 34. will come to him and him that commeth hee will in no ' wise cast out for hee came not down from heaven to do his own will but his Fathers and this is his Fathers will that of all that hee had given him hee should lose nothing but should raise it up againe at the last day and that every one that see'ch the Son and believeth on him should have everlasting life vers 40. but seeing ye have seene and believe not the bread of life which you desire belongs not to you you are not of those which the Father hath given or commended to me to that end I have no commission from the Father to bestow life upon you but only to such as come unto me as believe on mee and this I conceive to be the meaning of this place all that the Father giveth me will come to me Here is one Objection needfull to be answered to take off a seeming contradiction which some may apprehend from what hath bin said viz. that in opening of the 27 vers I say that Christ was appointed of the Father to give eternall life to those which believe not and in opening the 37 vers I say Christ was appointed of the Father to give life only to those which should believe To which I Answer that God gives all men eternall life in Christ 1 Joh. 5.12 or he gives Christ a sufficient meanes to bring all men to life Christ by his death hath purchased life for every man he declares this in the gospel to the Sonnes of men now those that will not believe it receive it nor live to it in the day of grace and mercy which is all that God requires ut is not his will that they should partake of it at the last day the day of Judgement Againe Joh. 6.43 44. murmure not among your selves for no man can come to mee except the Father which hath sent me draw him whence it is inferred that the reason why those murmuring Jewes did not come to Christ was because they could not that meanes being wanting which caused others to come For the opening of this Scripture consider that this word draw hath an equivocall acceptation some times we are said to draw when wee use meanes to remove a thing though it be not moved by the means some times we are said not to have drawen notwithstanding the meanes vvhen the means so used doth not take effect as thus we say I have drawne such a man but hee will not come and yet of the same person wee say vve cannot draw him in like manner wee say I have perswaded such a man and yet vve say of the same man when our perswasions take not effect that I cannot perswade him so that he is perswaded and yet he is not perswaded hee is drawne and yet hee is not drawne therefore wee must consider hovv the drawing of the Father is to bee understood in this place whether thus none can come to me except the Father use meanes to draw him or thus none can come to mee except the means used by the father prevaile with him Now both these are true but the first is not to be understood in this place for the Argument of the place is that those that are so drawn by the Father as the place intends doe all come Novv all that the Father doth use meanes to dravv doe not come for some dravv backe Heb. 10.39 some resist and oppose Act. 18.6 Act. 7.51 and God having
them or beneficiall to them yea they were not only empty of good if wee consider them in every respect but the end of them was full of bitternesse and death And besides if the words should bee so taken then God could not bee said to doe all those things for and before them that they might know him to bee the Lord their God as it is verse 6. for God never propounds meanes insufficient to effect the end for which hee propounds it therefore it must needs be taken according to the first interpretation and in the same sense must those words bee taken 2 Tim. 2.25 In meeknes instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure shall give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth that is if peradventure the means which God useth may prevaile with them to repent and to acknowledge the Truth Againe Phil. 2.13 For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure whence it is inferred that it pleaseth God to worke in some men to will and to do and not in others and that men cannot will nor do more or lesse but according as God works in them But this interpretation is not suteable to the scope of the place for he exhorts them to worke out their salvation with feare and trembling vers the 24. urging this reason it is God which worketh in you both to will and to doe but according to this explication hee might rather have exhorted them to sit still for it is God that doth all it is he which worketh in you both to will and to doe but the meaning of the place is this worke out your salvation with feare and trembling for it is God which of his goodnes and mercie worketh in you both to will and to doe as if hee should have said he is not wanting to you he enableth worketh and disposeth you and therfore be incouraged and be very carefull that you are not wanting to your selves in working out your owne salvation with fear and trembling 1 Cor. 1.26 For yee see your calling Brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many Noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things c. For the better understanding of these words let us a little consider the scope of the place Paul declares that he was sont to preach the Gospel vers 17. that the gospel had a different acceptation among men some did esteem it foolishnesse and others the wisdome and power of God vers 18. and those that did esteem lightly of it were such as had much of the wisdome and understanding of this world the disputers of this world wise men after the flesh vers 19 20.26 And the reason was because God in saving men by the Gospel went in such a way that he did destroy bring to nothing and make foolish their wisdome vers 19 20. For the gospel told them that Jesus the Sonne of Joseph a Carpenter was the Sonne of God that by his death he had purchased remission of sins and being now alive whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life and if they would be his Disciples they must deny themselves forsake all and follow him they must have the same mind in them towards others that he had towards them who though he was rich yet for their sakes he became poor that they through his poverty might be made rich so should they be full of bowells of mercie visiting the fatherlesse and Widdowes in their affliction doing good to all giving to every man that asketh loving their enemies as themselves returning good for evill blessing for cursing not resisting evill but overcomming evill with good not to lift up themselves above their Brethren not to mind high things but to condescend to mean things to men of Iow estate esteeming others better then themselves carrying themselves towards the meanest and poorest both in word and deed as to their Brethren and fellow-Servants striving more to minister unto others then to be ministred unto or served by others not being solicitous what to eate or what to drinke and wherewith to be clothed but to cast all their care on God who careth for them and knoweth they want these things and having Food and Raiment therewith to be content to look upon all they have and all that they are as Christs who hath bought them and to imploy all in his service using all to his glory and honour promoting whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report though with the losse of all they have and are counting all things but drosse and dung that the love of Christ may be manifested and the will of Christ performed in doing these things though men did despise them God would honour them though men did hate them he would love them and though they did forsake and lose all here they should find and enjoy all hereafter to all eternity even a Kingdome a Crowne of life with unspeakable riches and glory But their wisdome taught them to love the World to live unto it to walke by sence imbracing things present and despising things that could not be seen felt nor tasted judging all things according to outward appearance esteeming it a vaine thing to lose or forsake the life present the life in possession for a life which doth not appeare heaping up riches and trusting in them striving to partake of the pompe and greatnesse of this World to be admired served and worshipped of men to Lord it over their Brethren to look on them at a distance to sort themselves with men like themselves to love and feast their friends and rich neighbours doing good to those that doe good to them to crush their enemies to meddle no more with truth or religion then will stand with the pompe greatnesse and credit of this word not to be singular but to doe as the most and those of most esteeme doe to with-hold their hands from giving lest they should want themselves to preferre the lust of the flesh and pride of life before doing good and shewing mercy Now though the Gospel were the wisdome and power of God yet the wise men the rich men and mighty men did esteeme it foolishnesse and madnesse for saith the Apostle when God had manifested his wisdome evidently by the workes of Creation which things did appeare to the wise men of the World so that therein they might plainly see the eternall power and Godhead and yet by this they did not so know God as to worship him as God neither were thankfull then it pleased God to save men by preaching and declaring things which doe not appeare which the World accounts foolishnesse and that this is so saith the Apostle you may see by the men that embrace the Gospel for you see your calling brethren hovv that not
raised up Christ sent him to blesse the Iows in turning every one of them from their Iniquities though few were turned Act. 3.26 and God leaves the very Heathen without excuse in respect of meanes Rom. 1.20 Act. 14.17 therefore it must bee understood in this place according to the latter acceptation none can come to mee except the meanes used by the Father prevaile with them and this appeares more plainely if you consider the 45 verse Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father commeth unto me plainly shewing that no man is drawn according to the intent of the spirit of God in this place but such a one as hath heard and learned of the Father and that every one so drawn doth come For God the Father declares that there is peace reconciliation remission of sinnes and eternall life in his Son for all men and thereupon invites and perswades them to come to the son to believe to heare to obey to follow the Sonne in whom this fullnesse is that so they may be partakers of it and if they do not believe in him they shall die in their sinnes Now if men believe GOD that there is such safety and security such fullnesse of blessednesse in his Sonne then doe they immediately cloze with him follow and observe him in all things and this I conceive to bee the meaning of this place none can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him as if Christ had said murmure not concerning my Father and mother for except the word testimony and witnesse of God prevaile with you you will not you cannot come unto me Againe Ioh. 6.68 and he said therefore say I unto you no man can come unto me except it be given him of the Father This verse hath reference to what Christ spake in the 44 vers no man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and is but a repeating of the same thing in other words so that the former interpretation serves for this place also no man can come to me except it were given him that is unlesse the means used by the Father to that end prevaile with him unlesse it take effect in him and the reason why Christ spake these words was to shew that he was not ignorant of the hypocrifie of those who professing themselves his Disciples did not he doth not say could not believe neither was he ignorant who would betray him neither how they would neglect frustrate the means which God afforded them now a thing may be said to bee given in respect of the giver and yet not in respect of the receiver to wit the thing given not received by him to whom it is given and so not given in respect of the end for the end of giving it to possesse another of something which he hath not which end not being obtained the thing is said not to be done not to be given as when we are demanded whether wee have given such a man such a thing we answer when the thing is refused no he will not receive it and so it is not given in the effect though wee did as much in respect of the act done by us as if it had been received and there are other Scriptures like this which must receive the same Answer Deut. 29.4 yet the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see unto this day that is they had not a heart to perceive eyes to see and eares to heare notwithstanding all the meanes which God used with them to that end for Moses in the 2 3.4 5. 6. verses reasons thus with them yee have seene all that the Lord did before your eyes in the Land of Egypt to Pharaoh and to all his servants and unto all his Land the great temptations which thine eyes have seene and signes and those great miracles having lead you forty yeeres in the Wildernes your clothes waxed not old upon you neither did your shooes waxe old upon your feet he preserved you in strength and health without the ordinary meaâ—es of bread or wine or strong drinke and all this was done to the end that yee might know that he was the Lord your God as is expressed in the latter end of the 6 verse Now the speech of Moses to the unbelieving Jewes is to this effect God hath not bin wanting to you to give or worke in you a heart whereby to know him to be the Lord your God and so to love and feare him accordingly yet all this great rich and abundant meanes which God hath afforded you hath not effected that end for which it was intended and therefore are you worthy of blame seeing a heart is not given you to perceive unto this day ver 4. butwheras it is said the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive c. if the defect in them should be considered in relation to God the giver then first the Jewes were not to bee blamed for not having an heart seeing it was not given them unlesse they themselves could have procured it some other way for God requires no more of men then hee hath given Object God gave them an heart in Adam therefore he might blame them for not having a heart Answer Then the blame would lie upon them in relation to or by reason of what God had given but here they are blamed from this reason that God had not given it yet God hath not given you an heart c. Now no blame can be fastened on them for not having a heart from such a reason that God had not given it to them there being no other way to obtaine it though it had been given them in Adam Againe if this 4. vers should bee taken as a declaration of what God had not done for them in respect of himself as the former verses are of what hee had done then it takes away all the life and vertue of the Argument of Moses in the place for hee endeavours to set forth the goodnesse of God toward the Jewes in the great meanes which he had afforded them to cause them to know him to bee the Lord their God but the 4. verse according to this latter acceptation he makes all nothing yea worse then nothing for then Moses speakes after this manner God hath done much for you but hee hath not given you that without which all that hee hath done can doe you no good without which all his mercies and meanes will but aggravate and inercase your woe and misery and this would be no apt argument to perswade the people to enter into further Covenant with the Lord to which purpose hee calls upon them vers 12. seeing that whilst they were in Covenant with him the great things which hee did before them and the great mercies which hee bestowed on them were but shadows without the substance emptie shells outward meanes without spirit and life to make it fruitfull in