yet he bare the curse of the Law for such as are not elect which if he did hold according to Scripture he must proceed with St Paul and affirm that which is peculiar to the elect Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ Gal. 3. 13 14. Behold here a Gospel-blessing comes upon all those who are freed from the Legall-curse and if then the non-elected by this mans doctrine have the one he must yeeld the other also if freed from the curse they are blessed justified and saved ones this is worse then non-sense even impure blasphemy against the truth That world is here meant from whom sin in the latitude and utmost extent is taken away viz. Sin originall sin actuall sinne in the guilt and sinne in the power and who shall certainly be saved perfectly as inchoatively But all men never had nor shall have their sin originall and actuall in the guilt and power and in all it's dimensions and damnable consequences taken away therefore not all and every singular person in the world is here understood Take the true meaning of the words thus as I conceive 1. That which is the common sinne of the world so it be not the sin of the holy Ghost totall and finall apostacy and the sinne of the devils and damned totall and finall despair Christ taketh away from whom from those to whom he is a lamb and for whom he was sacrificed And he totally and finally giveth out this vertue of his death to any one in the world who takes hold of him as an All-sufficient expiation 2. And again there is not any one sinne taken away but by him there much of the emphasis lieth nor any one sinner in the world pardoned but by his satisfaction to the Father Look not upon me as if Iohn Baptist should have said nor upon the water of Baptisme as if the Minister or sacramentall sign did or could take away sin but behold and behold him with the eye of faith as of sense who taketh away the sin of all who have their sins taken away in the whole world Object It may be replied 't is of the world not in the world Answ And why because in themselves they are exceeding many whose sinne Christ taketh away reckon them up if you can in all ages and countreys c. so the world is used Ioh. 12. 19. Obj. It may be argued and urged further the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who beareth and so Christ bare all the worlds sinne though all be not saved by him Answ 1. Christ so bare the sins of men as he takes them away from them by pardon mortification salvation and that is the full signification of the word he so beareth sin as a Surety another mans debt which he taketh off the debtours shoulders and sets him at liberty Christ so bare the sin of men upon the Crosse as to abolish guilt and enmity and to obtain eternall redemption for us Heb. 9. 12. 2. His bearing of the worlds sin mentioned here in Iohn is limited to the sin of many Isa 53. ult though being very many in themselves they are called the world here and elswhere This Scripture we see favours not the errour of universall atonement but the truth of Christs bearing away the sins only of his people and of no more A third followeth Joh. 4 42. We know that this is indeed Joh. 4 42. answered and cleared the Christ the Saviour of the world what say you to that Answ Beloved the light we have given you into the fore-cited Texts might suffice for answer here and save me a further labour but that the Expositour bestowed much pains to pull down the truth and it were a shame if I should not work as long and longer then two hours to build up the breaches which this plunderer of the Scripture hath made amongst you I observe also that some are staggered at his glosses upon one Scripture some upon another First then Consider who spake these words Samaritans newly converted to the faith who if they had not apprehended him to be the Saviour of more then beleeving Jews could not tell where to have set their foot but we Samaritans of the Gentiles have heard him and doe know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of Iews and Gentiles all over the world Secondly The Saviour they call him what an imperfect or perfect one If he saveth all the world take it in the Arminian sense yet it is but imperfectly and what blasphemy is this again to render him but an imperfect Saviour yea but a titular Saviour not so in truth For thus I argue Either he saveth in truth and perfectly and that is but some or all in title and shew and that is not at all and so in making him a generall Saviour they make him none at all Thirdly I cannot see though I desire to be as charitable as I may but that the Arminians and their followers in alleadging this place must fight against their own light for they say though Christ died for all yet he saveth not all why then is this Scripture mentioned which speaketh not of Christs death but of the fruit of it Salvation to Iews and Samaritans and to any other of the world who shall hear and believe as they did A fourth place Luke 2. 10. Fear not for behold I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be to all people that Luk. 2 10. vindicated a Saviour is borne c. How could it be great joy to hear that Christ was come and yet not dye for all people Answ 1. To the shepherds of Bethlem being Iews is this Gospel of Christs birth and of salvation by his birth and death published as Act. 10. 36. The word which God sent to the children of Israel and sent and spoke it first to them Act. 13. 46. Yet not only to them but to all people or to all Nations afterward in Asia Africa Europe France Spain England As Saint Iohn enlargeth Caiaphas Joh. 11. 51 52. speech when he prophecied that one man should die for that Nation viz. of the Jews and not for that Nation only c. Where I beseech you observe his limitation with his enlargement his enlargement in these words Not for that Nation only but that also he should gather together in one his restriction or limitation in these the children of God that were scattered abroad Whence a second answer Though the Gospel or good tidings comes to all people yet it comes with this limitation that Christ died intentionally and only for the children of Gods election scattered in all Nations Whosoever of any Nation hearing this Gospel shall beleeve it will be matter of great joy and because there will be some of every Nation that are the chosen of God and believers who shall finde this true Treasure and precious Pearl it shall
wealth honour and riches poor f Turcicum imperium quantuÌ„ quantum est mica tantum est Luth. crums or if you conceit it great morsels gobs and cantels upon the men of this world Gods great house now turned into a prison and appoints them ordinary relief out of the common basket of his bountifull providence which might lead them to repentance or will leave them without excuse and all this he doth for his Spouse the Church of the elect for whose sake he ordereth all men in the world or these common prisoners to be serviceable to her whom himself serves in not only with grace but with all outward mercifull supplies how mean or course soever in the great silver Charger of the Covenant as a Brother * M Tho. Case his Model of Thankfulnes in a Ser. before the Parl. upon Psa 107. 30 31 expresseth it Now who may not discerne a vast difference between the New-gate prisoners common basket and the Princes silverplates and chargers and who that will not shut his eyes seeth it not one thing to be reprieved and spared under the dominion of God's and Christ's power which is all the Serpents seed are capable of and another thing to be redeemed and bought out of the hands of sin and Satan into the Kingdome of Christs grace and glory yea and to have all things here come in by purchase and promise one thing for God to be the Saviour of all men or preserver of man and beast in the waies of his generall providence as Psal 36. 6. Another thing for God in Christ to provide for believers and his chosen ones from speciall purchase to serve them in with all things out of speciall love and to convey all unto them by a speciall promise 1 Tim. 4. 10. 6. Although this reprieve of the wicked is for the elects Demon. 6. sake and for Christs sake yet it follows not that it is by purchase for all that is for Christ and for the elect is not by purchase as to instance the creation of the world was for Christs sake All things were created by him and for him Col. 1. 16. yet he purchased not that creation The elect Angels are for him and he makes use of them for the good of elect men yet he purchaseth them not And the Reprobate Angels the devils are serviceable in the Kingdom of his power for the good of his Church to afflict and try them yet are they farre from being purchased so God can shew many drops of mercy to further on his Sons designes in a common way of providence and yet not put his Son to shed one drop of bloud for a reprobate mans preservation or livelihood that drop would make it too pure and shiere mercy which no serpentine seed tasts of but hath a cup of wrath and justice with every drop of mercy Lastly which may serve for our last demonstration and Last Demonstration and Answer last answer also to the grand Objection As Christs Kingdom of power and grace must not be confounded so his Redemption by price and his Redemption by power may not be separated They are only bought for whom the price is laid down 1 Cor. 7. 23. Ye are bought with a price who are there distinguished from men as men for whom the price is not so much as tendered but they who are bought with a price are h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1. 13. brought out by a strong hand from the power of darknesse and are translated into the kingdom of love and of the Sonne of Gods love yea and the creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Rom. 8. 21. As it shall be the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God to give homage and service of praise to God and their Father Redeemer and Sanctifier for ever So it shall be the glorious liberty of the creature to minister matter of praise to the elect who shall improve the creature to its full and perfect use and raise it up to its honour and dignity for which it was made to be instrumentally helpfull to mans praising and glorifying of his Creatour as the nurse i Wâ—llet upon Rom. 8. qu. 34. out of Chryso to a Kings sonne and heit-apparant to the Crown when the Prince comes to his fathers Kingdom the is made partaker of some choice preferment with the Prince she nursed But what is this to Christs purchase of the world for the men of the world or of all men in the world for worldly enjoyments When as 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the creature it self Rom. 8. 21. or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every creature ver 23. or totus mundus conditus as Beza the whole substantiall structure and frame of the heaven and the earth is not there to be understood of every individuum or singular of every kinde nay 't is disputable whether every species shall be restored and continued And 2. not one individuall-non-elected man woman or childe hath any part of spirituall liberty here which they had if they were under the liberty of Christs purchase nor shall have any share in the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God and of the creature hereafter but as they are now in the common prison of this great house the habitable earth so they shall be all shut up in the close prison of hell their souls at death till the day of generall judgement and their bodies with their souls after that great day for ever and ever No ground can I finde for asserting that Christ hath purchased heaven or earth or any saving or any temporall benefit at all for any of the sonnes of men whose bodies and souls are not purchased as the elect-sonnes and daughters of God All is theirs not the menâ— of this world whether things present or things to come by purchase by promise by firm title and everlasting possession in Christ or all in all while here and in God our all in all in heaven for ever Object If any offer to object yet further The world 1 Cor. 3. 22. is the Saints and wicked men are a part of the world and so a part of Christs purchase as the chaff is purchased with the wheat for the wheats sake which when the wheat is severed from it is burnt up and cast into the fire I shall offer this Answ 1. Mans similitudes prove not a truth of God but illustrate onely and Gods similitudes Christs Parables as those of our Text or that of wheat and chaffe Math. 3. 12. have no such scope and they prove nothing beyond their scope 2. There is no Basis by any firm proposition of the Word to build such an illustration upon for all the world and even wicked men may be the Saints for use and benefit and yet they are not purchased but the benefit by them As death 1 Cor. 3. 22. is said to be the Saints i. e. at their
Scripture Testardus with all of that opinion will be to seek for generall Redemption Secondly Such a generall Covenant he holds forth as agreeth 2. Not a generall Covenant not with the Scripture-tenour how loud soever may be the sound 't is a jarring string or instrument when brought into Gods quire and consort 1. The Scripture-Covenant of grace is founded in that seed of the woman Christ Jesus and in him made with the woman and a speciall rank or company contradistinct to the seed of the serpent Gen. 3. 15. Gal. 3. 16 17. But q The. 54 77 112. Testardus represents it as made not only with Adam but in Adam with all mankinde with Noah and in him with all mankinde 1. How doth it appear by Scripture that the Covenant of grace was made so much as with Adams person with Eve it was expressely enmity being put between her and the Serpent and therefore actuall reconciliation between her and God promised and obtained but grant it that as he had the conditionall offer of the Mediatour then preached so he had grace given him to accept it 2. How made in Adam who is no more a publike person representative after his fall but as a sinner and a broken bankrupt not entrusted with the new stock All the new stock is put into Christs hands 3. As for that Covenant made rather then renewed with Noah Gen. 9. 't is not the Covenant Gen. 9. 9 10. of Grace and that made in him again as Testardus exprest it of Adam with all mankinde but a Covenant of a terrene and common benefit made with beasts and every animal in the air or upon the earth v. 9. 10. as well as with men And though to beleevers every earthly benefit is an appendix to the promise of Christ and so was that blessing to Noah r Dei benedictio erga Noaâ—hum filios ejus i. e. erga ecclesiam cujus causa mundus restitutus est Jun. Aâ—al in Gen 9. 1. and that for the Churches sake yet what is this to prove the Covenant of universall Redemption and that in spirituals as far as Testardus carrieth it 2. The Scripture-Covenant of Grace is absolute entire and unchangeable in all Gods agreements and transactions with Christ as a surety to pay the debt forfeiture and principall also And as a publike person or root to provide a new stock and give a new nature and to lose none of those whom God and Christ have agreed upon to be saved God saith Psal 2. 7. Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee Christ saith I will declare the decree God saith Thou art a Priest Psal 110. 3. Thou shalt be the Sacrifice Thou shalt be my salvation Isa 49. 6. And I will give thee for a Covenant a Covenant-founder and ratifier by thy bloud Heb. 13. 20. Christ agreeth Psal 40. 7 8. Loe I come Joh. 17. 19. I delight to doe thy will Joh. 17. 19. For their sakes I sanctifie my self I addresse my self to â—uffer for them and as it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell Col. 1. 19. So it pleaseth the Son that all that God hath given him to die for Be sanctified through the truth and receive out of his fulnesse grace for grace Joh. 1. 16. This is the Fathers will that of all which he giveth his Son nothing i. e. none of the elect Jewels be lost Joh. 6. 39. And this is the will of the Son Joh. 17 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be where I am c. Thus stands the sole and absolute agreement between God and Christ but Testardus will have the Covenant of Grace Å¿ The. 102. conditionall and t The. 112. Mox sinens c. changeable and that u The 93. as made in Christ with all men or with Christ for all men although he yeeldeth an absolute agreement about the elect yet the would have another agreement and that between God and Christ about the rest of mankinde Qui non sunt Christi oves who are not the sheep of Christ for whom x The. 75 76 77. Christ is Vaâ— sponsor a surety and undertaker but not as for the elect a pledge but no sure pledge an undertaker but no absolute undertaker in the worlds behalf which is as good as none at all I am sure the Scripture doth not thus disparage Christ his suretiship but it makes him a compleat righteous person for whom Christ is a surety As sure as Christ was his surety and took the sinners debt upon himself so the sinner is and must be accounted righteous in his surety And as much Testardus a The. 56. somewhere seemingly affirmeth according to that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. ult He hath made him to be sinne for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him But b The. 65. in his sense of these words he first wresteth and stretcheth the meaning of the Apostle and would have the sin of all the world imputed to Christ as to a surety and undertaker for every man by reason of his Sacrifice propitiatory and satisfaction of divine justice And afterwards straimeth the meaning of that place and applieth it only to c The. 194. beleevers who only have Christs righteousnesse imputed to them as if the Father and his Son had agreed that Christ should have an universall imputation of sin or the sins of all men charged upon him to expiate and satisfie for but only some men should have the particular or speciall and sole imputation of his righteousnesse which must needs make an Argument or Paralogisme of quatuor termini in the Apostles reason For he hath made him c. taking the persons for whom he was made sin us in a larger sense of all mankinde and the persons who are made righteous we in a stricter of beleevers and elect But let God be true and every man in his own unbeleeving sense aliar 3. In the Scripture covenant of grace as Gods justice is satisfied on Christs part so nothing but meer mercy without any revenging wrath fals to be the portion of them that are reconciled and for whom a price is paid that all their trespasses being forgiven Col. 2. 13. they might have knowledge of their salvation thereby Luk. 1. 77 78. through the tender mercy of our God But Testardus draught of the Covenant is such as that notwithstanding the death of Christ and satisfaction for all yet d The. 150. justice and wrath seizeth upon a world of sinners in their just hardening to all eternity and that e The. 280 294. according to a decree of justice 4. The Scripture covenant of grace is altogether of grace hangs nothing upon works Rom. 11. 6. nothing upon the will of the creature Rom. 9. 16. Testardus makes a mixture of grace and works grace and will and so confounds the Covenant of grace and of works
founded in him but in the seed of the woman the Lord Jesus nor is Adams enmity with Satan and reconciliation with God there mentioned but only the womans and her seed partly exprest partly implied 3. All died as they sinned in Adam before this promise but the promise is not made of or to all mankinde who died vertually in him only of and to the woman is it spoken and her seed the principall whereof should be the redeemer and the rest of her seed the redeemed ones of the Lord between whom and the old Serpent Satan and his seed there should be irreconcilable enmity 4. If you would know who and who only and what number they are for whom if you speak of the certain individuals the Lamb was a ransome from the beginning you must wait till the Lambs book of life be opened of which we read Revel 13. 8. and 17. 8. where plainly you may learn That 1. He was not slain for any first or last but for such whose names are in his book 2. Comparing those Texts with Rev. 13. 3. there are a world of people whose names are not written in his book therefore not slain in the Arminian sense for all the world nor must this last place in Timothy nor any of the former be so understood We have now done with the Scriptures alleadged and abused by him and vindicated by us which I desire you to hold fast in the true sense not in a perverted interpretation these were his out-works which we have taken and possesse we them for the Truth Come we at length to batter down the enemies Forts and strong-holds of his carnall-reasonings and confident arguments Two Reasons and two Arguments were brought to prove his Doctrine That Christ gave himself for the whole world Now such as have studied Logick or artificiall reasoning know no difference between Reasons and Arguments for it they be Reasons and do not argue they are irrationall Reasons and if they be Arguments without reason they are unreasonable Arguments But to follow him in his own method and to deal with him at his own weapon If we have taken the Scriptures out of his mouth we shall not doubt but to take his weaponâ— of Reason and Argument out of his hand or leave him a bare Sceleton of reason without flesh or substance much lesse having any soul or life of faith or divine truth in his assertions And first of the two Reasons Reason 1. Reasons disproved The whole harmony of the Scriptures such as he had proved his point withall are they not enough and do they not sound all one way Answ 1. Call to minde every of those Scriptures but remember their sense as well as their sound He is a foolish man who thinkes as the bell tinks Nor yet do the Scriptures give an uncertain sound but in opening and examining of them with the context and scope and with other Scriptures you hear with one consent they speak not absolutely of Christs dying for all but of and for such an all and such a world as is the all and the whole world of believers elect Gods people his true Israel some of all sorts of people out of all Nations some 2. Search and consult with other Scriptures which neither he nor I have yet mention'd and you will be more fully convinc't that we have the truth with us and that this Doctrine of Christs dying for the whole bulk of men is another Gospel from that which Christ and his Apostles or we from them have ever preached I shall instance but in three places the first in Joh. 15. 10. Greater love hath no man then this that a man lay down his life for his friends and presently to shew whom he laid down his life for he addeth v. 11. Ye are my friends c. It is most true what the Apostle saith Rom. 5. 10. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne But 1. What We meaneth he there Not all men but such as are justified by faith and have peace with God by faith v. 1. 2. Though the elect of God are enemies as considered in themselves and in their naturall estate yet being loved of God from eternity with the love of good pleasure they have a price laid down for them by Christs death to bring them under the love of friendship and when they do actually believe they are actually reconciled and of enemies are made friends so that Christ laid down his life for such as were in Gods choice and love his friends and by Christs death and the fruits of it brought into a state of actuall friendship A second follows John 10. 15. And I lay down my life for the sheep whom in the verse precedent he had called his sheep See here I beseech you ye that love the truth and love not to be seduced though that is a weak property of sheep to wander yet if you be Christs sheep hear the voice of the good shepherd and not of strangers for whom doth Christ himself say that he died he best knows and is only able to resolve this doubt why if you will believe him who is truth it self I lay down my life for my sheep he doth not say for goats at all but for the sheep behold and hearken after the harmony 'tween this and the fore-alleadged Scriptures certainly where Christ or his Apostles speak in larger tearms of all and world and whole world must not these tearms be limited to Christs sheep It was a subtill counsel your new Lecturer gave you that other Scriptures which he cited in the second place as but favouring his opinion should be expounded by the positive Scriptures but be you as wise as he was subtle and learn to reduce all his positive Scriptures which yet had Synecdoches in them of the whole for a part or of the generall for the speciall to and by this main Position of our Lord a fundamentall truth Let this be first laid down I lay down my life for my sheep and whosoever shall after so plain a foundation laid by Christ himself in his Word and by his Spirit in your hearts teach universall Redemption or Christs dying for the bulk of mankinde tell him he doth nothing else but build hay and stubble upon the foundation nay he doth yet more wickedly even lay another foundation with Christ or besides his purpose A third and last is in these words Ioh. 17. 19. For their sakes I sanctifie my self Christs sanctifying himself is his preparation for death setting himself apart to die for whom for their sakes his eleven Apostles not Iudas v. 12. and for those which should and shall believe on him through the Apostles doctrine this is not for the sake of all men that he so much as prepares to die much lesse that he died for them for whom he fitted not himself to die in their behalf So as you see to make up the harmony and consent
8. 10. his soul and spirit is void of the life of God and of the sense of Gods love he is under the power and regiment of sinne and Satan disabled to all spirituall good This spirituall death is the harbinger of eternall death to him an hell upon earth it was when God arraigned him he had no other I conceive then the sentence of death and hell in his conscience till the promise comes Gen. 3. 15. but observe it before that promise is revealed God is just and patient also just in bringing the degrees and pains of death upon Adam patient in forbearing the immediate and full execution even as God was and is just to the Angels that sinned 2 Pet. 2. 4. yet patient in that he reserveth them to a further judgement and gives them not all their torment before their time Math. 8. 29. and yet this patience is exercised to devils without a purchase or death of a Mediatour so God might deferre from Adam and doth from his posterity keep off judgement though not in and for Christ quâ Mediator And what though Gods dispensations towards Angels is not a rule in all cases for us to collect his transaction about man fallen and his dispensations towards him yet in this case the Apostle b 2 Pet. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 9. makes a clear inference If God spared not them but reserveth them unto judgement he knoweth v. 9. how to reserve the unjust to the day of judgement the same verb being used in ver 4 and 9. for reserving in the Passive and Active voice where he speaks of Angels and men as coming from the same act of Gods just patience and patient-justice And though we know not how this should be he knoweth how to be just and patient too how to be patient in wrath and justice Rom. 9. 22. and how to be just in his patience 2. The threatning Gen. 2. 17. against Adam and all men sinning in him is not taken off by the promise Gen. 3. 15. which is only to the woman and her seed nay that is a threatning too in reference to the Serpent and his seed which are not only evil Angels but wicked reprobates amongst men and that which is threatned is irreconcilable enmity with and conquest over Satan and all his serpentine brood which necessarily infers death and damnation to them as to himself it were strange then if vertually in and for Christ patience should be afforded to Adam and all in him before the promise is actually promulged when at and in the actuall promulgation here is nothing but wrath and enmity between the woman and the serpent Christ and the devil the devils brood and the generation of the righteous true Adam stands by trembling and hears this but if he gets any peace or patience or pardon of his first sinne 't is a personall favour only for himself not to descend upon all his posterity but such as should be the womans seed from their interest in a second Adam Christ Jesus not from any relation to him as the first Adam All therefore who are yet but in the first Adam and as branches of that root are under the sentence of death for that first sinne Christ hath not obtained pardon nor patience that I know for them one moment 3. No man denieth but all was forfeited upon Adam's fall his very life and all creature-comfort and subsistence but God takes not the forfeit for when Christ the promised seed steps in for that part of mankinde who are with Christ the seed of the woman the elect of God the patience mercy and bounty of God steps in for the rest of mankinde even the seed of the serpent and reprobates with whom yet he will carry on a Covenant of works and justice the foundation of which covenant Christ cannot be as Mediatour for then he should be the foundation of two Covenants contradistinct works and grace no a Reprieve only comes forth for them yet under and ever to be under a Covenant of works and justice this is no Redemption 4. This Reprieve is but for a very short time to many not at all to some of the serpents seed who being conceived in the guilt of the first sinne are stifled at first conception â—â— or being born in that guilt and the corruption of nature succeeding in the room of Gods image dead in sinnes and trespasses die corporally the day they are born or soon after in tender infancy and in their immortall souls die eternally as the children of the Sodomites then in the womb or newly crept out who with their parents or fathers of fornication an unclean diabolicall brood Jude v. 7. are suffering the vengeance of eternall fire Others live out their time allotted them in just-patience but are accursed in life and death Isa 65 20. And die as e Morte morieris Hebraismus est qua verboruÌ„ reduplicatione vehementia certitudo significatur morie morieris i. c. certissimè morieris Paulus Fagius in Gen. 2. 17. certainly step by step as they that drop into hell out of their mothers womb And as malefactours who are but reprieved not redeemed and pardoned stay they never so long in Gaole yet they die the death or doe most surely suffer death at the day of full execution being dead men in law long before 5. What Christ the Sonne of God doth in this reprieve of the serpents seed as indeed he doth all that is done 't is as he is God and Lord of all in the Kingdom of his Power which he makes subservient to the Kingdom of his Grace for the saving benefit of the heirs of grace and glory As some great Lord intending to redeem one captive among and out of many prisoners in his fathers great house that he might marry her and make her his beloved Spouse and for whom he laies down a ransome to his father out of his generous and noble disposition common to him and his father also as a Lord and great Prince not as Husband or Bridegroom should throw away little and great summes of money with sutes of cloth upon the common prisoners and appoint them relief out of a common Almes-basket all to this end that these common prisoners might doe some service in the great family for his Spouses advantage So the Lord God and our Lord Iesus Christ so stiled Iude v. 4. being the only Lord God to all men and the Lord Iesus Christ but to a few he comes in the first promise and in the old Prophecies types and shadows and in the fulnesse of time in the substance of our nature among a world of Captives to wooe his Church his â—pouse and Bride to redeem and save her and her only by the ransome of his bloud paid down to his Fathers justice and out of his naturall pity and bounty being God and the Son of God and Lord of all like himself and his greatnesse he casts away life and health
service by Christs over-ruling power and for their advantage and yet not death it self but that service and advantage which death brings to them is purchased So not the wicked and the reprobate of the world but the benefit which the truly-godly have by them comes within the purchase And as for any benefit which the wicked have themselves by life or in life riches honour c. 1. It is a benefit in it self to live c. but not to them but as they make the better use of it 2. What is beneficiall to them comes in as we have shewed by a legall-Reprieve wherein there is justice all along predominantly mixed with mercy and patience and shier judgement or most just execution intended at the last not by a Gospel-Redemption which holds out every where especially in our times of the new Testament pure compleat free mercy and grace in Christ and brings in the accomplishment of an absolute free Covenant made with Christ for the free effectuall compleat salvation of all and onely God's chosen who being his chosen are his only redeemed ones his only espoused ones his reconciled ones his adopted ones his sanctified ones his glorified ones k Ephes 1. 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath accepted them in his beloved I Had thought here to have taken breath espying no enemy in the field but presently there meets me * Paulus Testardus de Natura Gratia a Champion Authour one who is for peace and sweet harmony of truth and hath happily cleared it in many particulars yet in this controversie of universall Redemption his musick jars and he holds up the weapons of an unhappy warre and thinkes to carry all before him because he is not point blanke of Arminius judgement in the stating of the Question For a Thes 95. he maintaineth that Christ died for all and every singular but he will not assert that he died aequè or alike for every one Christ died b The 78. he saith for all to prepare â—n apt and sufficient remedy and for the elect to apply to them what he had prepared for all Nor did he die c The 95. only that God might enter a Covenant with mankinde upon any condition but that he might most surely covenant with Christ the Surety under the condition of the Elects uniting and growing up by faith in him nor that salvation might only be possible for all but certain for some a seed to whom Christs bloud should be applied so as all are redeemed but not alike redeemed Christ died pro omnibus singulis that every one might be redeemed from the necessity of perishing for the infringed legall-covenant of nature in Adam and the want of satisfaction c. And that some certain ones beloved in Gods good pleasure above the rest might be actually freed c. still for more d The. 81. then for the sheep of Christ he would have Christ to die out of a more generall intention which he endeavours e The. 81 82 84 86 87. to prove from the generall expression world Joh. 3. 16. from the Parable of the Feast Math. 22. from 1 Tim. 2. 6. 2 Pet. 2. 1. 1 Joh. 2. 2. to all which places alleadged and improved by Samuel Oates we have given our answer * In the SermoÌ„s long before Paulus Testardus came to our view what he writes in this case and how much wiser and more foundly he hath improved those Scriptures and what greater strength there is in his Arguments I shall leave to the full examen and censure of able judgemâ—nts and learned Pens But may I passe my vote without offence of the weak or strong it is this Amicus Testardus in his pursuit of peace and truth and in many excellent notions and harmonicall notes of free effectuall grace c. but in this plea Magis amica veritas for while he pleadeth that Christs death is for all and every singular he doth as I understand the Scripture and him nec sibi nec Scripturae constare neither agree with himself nor the Scripture And first to shew how inconsistent his Tenet is with Scripture Testardus tenetâ— inconsistent or that which will not stand with Scripture he neither doth nor can maintain it without the Assertion of such a generall intention such a generall Covenant such an universall call and such universall Grace as have no footing in all the book of God First For his generall intention I conceive it is not the 1. Not generall intention Inteâ—â—ere proprie est velle per aliquiâ— aâ— aliud pervenire Amesius Scripture intention upon these grounds 1. All the intention of Christs death which the Scripture holds forth is a proper and single intention by such a medium or mean to come to such an end viz. by Christs death wherein mankinde or the nature of man is made salvabilis to save some or many and bring them to perfect grace in glory this was the Fathers single and sole end Heb. 2. 10. And this was Christs Joh. 17. 19. Testardus f The 80. renders this intention double by making it common to all and every singular and yet speciall to and for the elect 2. The Scripture intention is absolute and strong for the justification and life of all those for whom Christ was sent and for whom he died 1 Joh. 4. 9. In this was manifested c. that we might live through him not a naturall but spirituall life of justification sanctification and glory Testardus g The. 102. makes it partly absolute partly conditionall a very weak intention in effect and irrationall if Christs death should be for those who never have a will to apply it to themselves nor that Christ meaneth to apply it unto 3. The Scripture intention is so successefull as to be satisfactory to the Father and the Sonne Isa 53. 10 11. The pleasure of the Lord about Christs death shall prosper in his sonnes hand He the Lord Jesus shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied Yea and to the som that hearkens after the Gospel-intention as well as invitation Isa 55. 2. 't is and shall be bread and marrow and fatnesse But Testardus generall intention is not satisfying to God himself and the Father or Christ unlesse God and Christ be satisfied when they complain and he h Ibid brings them in complaining Isa 5. 4. Math. 23. 37. for all this generall intention And if God complains and Christ mourneth this common intention will not settle the conscience Conscience will not be satisfied but with what God is satisfied When a poor soul hears that Christ died for all by a generall intention to prepare a remedy for all and or the elect by a speciall intention to justifie and save them he hath a stumbling block laid before him to reason thus I know not whether I be of the number of them that Christ more
Or though it leads to repentance all are not of Testardus minde that the Apostle meaneth it of saving repentance but if he doth as I rather incline to thinke so because it is the most significant and full word for repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in the new Testament how the goodnesse of God leads a sinner to it is worthy our understanding Verily not as an ordinance instituted of purpose which I gather from Act. 17. 30. the times of meer goodnesse and patience in the midst of Gentilish ignorance God winked at but now commandeth now that his word is sent amongst the Gentiles now the goodnesse of God is an inducement to repentance when once Christ is discovered in the Gospel for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did not in any age of it self reveal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that goodnesse and bounty of God in providence never revealed Christ and that which revealeth not somewhat of him of it self and directly by some order from God cals not to him To such the Apostle speaketh whether Jew or Gentile as had the Gospel preached to them even at Rome where affluence and abundance of the creature was conferred upon them Now presuppose a pardon published in the Gospel and Christ revealed in the Word then Gods common goodnesse out of Christ invites to Christ or is a great motive to a poor sinner would he know would he consider it thus to reason with himself What have I taken and what have I forsaken God hath offered me the creatures in his ordinary providence and I have greedily fastned upon them but he hath offered Christ among a company of lost undone sinners whereof I am one and I have to this day carelesly refused him And how have I taken the creatures not only meat and drink but husband wife childe friends wealth successes of labours c. with unclean hands with an impure conscience came they in never so lawfully before men and with outward temporall right before God yet while my minde and conscience is spiritually defiled through unbelief all is unclean to me But did I goe to Christ I might have all clean to me and be accepted in all that God who freely giveth me the creature without Christ would as freely bestow Christ upon me if I did take him he that gives food and raiment for the body would as freely give Christ for food and raiment to the soul he that lets the Sunne shine upon good and bad will give the shines of his favour to one to me coming in to Christ he that gives a reprievall to all for a time by common patience doth give to some and will if I beleeve the Gospel to me give out a pardon under seal by speciall and singular grace Why should I not beleeve Why should I not repent Thus I say occasionally as a poor sinner meets first with the Gospel-tidings he may and ought to be induced to faith and repentance from the consideration of what common benefits he shares in although he cannot nor can I tell him his warrant why he should look upon Gods ordinary or extraordinary bounty in the creature as purchased by Christ and his death till he beleeveth nor can he have any such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or change of minde which is an act and part of sanctification till he hath faith as u The. 211. Testardus also most rightly ranketh repentance in order after faith and justification so as according to his judgement that the Apostle in this place of Romans intendeth the best and choisest repentance and that repentance not to be repented of coming in after faith the common goodnesse of God must first lead to faith before it leads to repentance but that it cannot without a former discovery of the Word the Gentiles therefore who had no word or promise of Christ discovered had no call to Christ and saving repentance by the creatures and a naked providence nor can the Apostle be construed or interpreted as intimating such a generall call by the creatures extra verbum without the Word as x The 121. Testardus would have it and that grounded upon a generall Covenant as the Covenant is grounded upon generall redemption and that upon a generall intention but the ground-worke and the superstructure already shaketh we go on to weaken this frame a little more I shall desire others that succeed or shall assist in this work may not leave a stone upon a stone a The. 119. c. It is pleaded for this calling universally by the creatures that it agreeth with the call by Gods Word and Spirit in seven particulars Object 1. As the call by the Word and Spirit depends upon the merit of Christs most sufficient death so the present well-being of the creature for without that death of his there had been no place for long-suffering and patience towards sinners which appeareth from the punishment of devils c. but the present world had been upon Adams sin turned into a hell in an instant Ans To what b Pag. 32 33. hath been answered before I adde 1. The world was made by Christ and for him Col. 1. 16. and as 't is kept and upheld Heb. 1. 3. by him so for him and his glorious ends viz. to raise up the humane nature first into personall union by assumption of it into the unity of himself the second person and then into mysticall union by redemption of all their persons from sinne and wrath whom God had chosen and given him to redeem Joh. 17. 2. Now that these may be redeemed the Father and his work of Creation and Providence must go on nor did sin destroy the being of the creature the elect must have time to be and breathe And as Sodom should have been spared for ten righteous mens sakes so for the elects sake as sometimes evil daies are shortned time is lengthened out the Sunne and all things in it's revolution have natures course the reprobate have their being preservation allowance of earthly commons c. 2. What necessity of this worlds being turned into a hell immediately upon the coming in of sin If Christ had not mâ—rited for all c Or what necessity of Christs generall satisfaction that the elect might have this world to live and breathe in His sole and single satisfaction for the elect will purchase time and all other needfull creatures for them and the world shall stand and continue for them while God hath provided a hell in another place for those that Christ hath not ransomed 3. What if God willing to shew his wrath and the more to manifest his justice after patience and bounty endureth with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction and a world of them never called to salvation so much as by an outward call Obj. 2. But the Apostle takes away all scruple and puts it quite out of doubt and question when as Rom. 2. 1. with 4. charging and accusing the
of torment to have wit and will and discursive faculty c. about them therefore a meer non destruction of nature or natural powers in the soul is not grace nor a call of and unto the grace of God in Christ This brings us to the fourth inconsistency of Testardus with Scripture touching general grace but before I can discover it something I finde as a stronger string to his bow then the call by the creatures namely Object 8. The calling by the Word which will surely evince Christs death to be more general then we make it t The. 88. for there is none so forlorne and farre gone whom a Minister of the Gospel may not call and that seriously unto repentance and salvation by faith in Christ in this manner Christ died for thee be hath prepared life for thee in his death Beleeve Repent and thou shalt be saved c. And again v The 89. there is none of whom justifying faith is not required both in our publike Sermons and private exhortations therefore Christ must needs die for more at least then for his sheep Aâ—s 1. Aâ—â— poor sheep of Christ what envying at your peculâ—ar priviledge that more must needs be redeemed then youâ— As if Gods love and Christs were not great and infinite enough in the redemption of a little flock what straining what yeelding and giving in So that more then Christs sheep may be but purchased but 1. This is not all and every â—ingular 2. This is asserted but with an ira and a saltemâ— he so died and he died at least to procure life c. take these expressions in Testardus sense and they are extenuating but who taught him or any Minister to preach with such extenuations I had thought the Gospel should be preached fully with a tantùm dilexit so and so greatly God loved the world c. as himself hath it x The. 81. elswhere And indeed there is as much in these words tatenus and ita he so died and so farre as to procure life or prepare it as I would desire for sâ— to die is as * Pag. 57. I have urged it before to prepare efficacy with sufficiency of grace And the tenour of the Gospel is to offer and give power where God pleaseth of justifying faith as to command faith for justification But 2. To enlarge this offer and call to any individuals yea and that absolutely to every singular man in Testardus words Christ died for thee c. Beleeve is a preaching of his own and makes his Argument to be no other then PeÌ„titio principij a begging of the Question For as the Scripture speaks to the elect themselves but conditionally If thou bâ—lâ—evest thou shalt be saved and tels him not Christ died for any individual person before he beleeveth â—ho it is a presumption for any preacher of the Gospel to say he knoweth not what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to expresse himself in absolute terms Christ died for thee for thee unbeleever drunkard adulterer what 〈◊〉 Christ died for thee a fine easie cradle it is to rock the 〈◊〉 asleep but no proper and right evangelicalâ— call out of his sinnes 3. It doth not follow although the Word be preached never so warily rightly and indefinitely â—s in 1 Tim. 1. 15. Christ died for sinners and all sinners who 〈◊〉 of that proposition are commanded to beleeve in Christ who died for sinners that therefore Christ died for all and every of these no more then it followeth that all those are chosen of God from eternity because they have an external call in time God hath other ends of his outward calling of men by the Word â—s our acute and exquisite Indagator veriâ—â—ris a Coronis ad Col Hag. Art 1 de elect c. 6. Dr Anies hath lâ—id them forth 1. For the elects sake whose eyes are opened and hearts drawn by the Word while as the 〈◊〉 are bearing upon blinde men the same Word doth but outwardly beat upon then on elected and after a manner iâ—â—diate them 2. Because the non-eleâ—t converse in common with the elect in the world and in publike Assemblies 3. That the elect and true beleevers might learn by seeing others who partake of the same outward call yet left in sin that their faith is not of themselves or of humane strength but of free grace and divine peculiar power 4. That the non-elected by such a call may be rendered the more usefull to humane societies as to the Church in external services 5. God would hereby manifest bâ—th his own grace and mans guilt guilt that he cals many but outwardly grace that he cals others effectually which me thinks should serve for abundant satisfaction to the mindes of all elect ones â—s for the rest they will never be convinc't of Gods proceedings till Christ comes with ten thousands of his Saints as St Jude from Enoch's prophesie to execute judgement upon them all and to convince all that â—â—e ungodly of all their hard speaches which they have spoken against him The fourth inconsistency with Scripture followeth 4. Not universall grace Our Authour to shore up his tenet of universal Redemption or to grace the building and make it seem very fair doth varnish it â—ver with the doctrine of an universal Grace which the Scripture knoweth not for Gospel grace viz. b The. â—5 The Grace of universal satisfaction to justice c The. 125 155 â—6â— 277. The Grace of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posse the ability given to all men Et abundanter datum and abundantly given to all under the Word to be saved if they would c. d The 143. The Grace of outward kindenesses life food and raiment c. e The. 155. The Grace of reasonâ— light and of natural powers Ans 1. The Scripture-grace of Christs satisfaction to divine Justice is 1. But for some of mankinde Isa 53. ult Heb. 9. ult He was offered to bear the sinnes of many 2. That which obtaineth or meriteth eternal Redemption Heb 9 12. for all those for whom he died 3. Such a grace as is wrought out vice loco in the room and stead of the sinner Rom. 5. 8. Christ died for us that is in our room and stead as v. 7. to die for a righteous man is to die in his stead as when David said Would God I had died FOR THEE O Absolom my sin the meaning is In thy place and stead that thou might'st have lived 4. Such a satisfaction it is as never leaveth them to revenging justice or to be dealt with by God in a Covenant of justice and according to a decree of justice for then were the satisfaction doubled and twice paid by Christ the surety and by the sinner yet in debt notwithstanding the sureties engagement and paiment no such matter They for whom Christ was made a curse are redeemed from the curse Gal. 3. 13. The whole curse Yet Testardus f The. 95.
putting off First Here is the beleevers consent to part with what should be parted with for Christ implied in the mans going he goeth vers 44. And vers 46. in that 't is said of the merchant he went The word in v. 44. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subducit sese he withdrew himself Clam discedit as Beza noteth he went away secretly which can hold forth nothing better nothing else then the tacite consent of the minde and will to be at any 〈◊〉 for the purchase of what was found he goeth he is not thrust on and forc't he went of his own accord he is not driven â— Such an expression we have at Zacheus conversion He stood forth c Luk. 19. 8. which showed his consent and willingnesse before he fell upon action And St Paul no sooner hath Christ met with him and he with Christ upon the way to Damascus but he is at that point of consent d Act. 9. 6. Lord what wilt thou have me to doe Secondly This consent is brought into act the man and the Christian Merchant here he revoketh not his consent or steps back when a going but he gooth and selleth viz. â—â—â—ally pâ—â—teth with as God calleth and enableth what is to be parted with This actuall sale is actuall self-deniall and soul-impoverishing or soul-emptying and the liberty and limits or the free bounds of this mart is as God proclaims it and cals to it and strengthens in it which in some things that a Christian hath is presently done and in other things at certain times and by certain steps and degrees as opportunity is offered which better will be understood by opening Secondly The matters vendible or things here to be sold â— Matters vendible or to be sold that a man hath and all that a man hath He went and sold all that he had all that a man hath is either that which is his own from his own workings and earnings and that is sinne and the effects of it or that which is given him of God which is no part of the Treasure or Pearl or if it be it is but by way of evidence and sign which he lets go in some respeâ—â— for the thing it self especially when that which he hath â—â— but in supposition he put 's off all for Christ for whom I have suffered e Phil. 3. 8. saith Paul the losse of all things c. that is all things which stand in direct opposition to or comparative competition with the Lord Jesus Christ So the merchant here sets upon selling 1. All his sinnes he consents to let them goe would be rid of originall inherent corruption and is willing to part with all actuall iniquity whether open or secret of thought word or deed and he doth endeavour hereunto because God presently cals for it 1. By inward mortification of the old man from the power or Christs death through faith applied and by grief hatred and self-judging improved 2. By outward cestation and forsaking of those sinfull waies and courses wherein formerly he lived and traded as â—â— clear in Paul who was a persecutour is no more so 1 Tim. 1. and in the Corinthians they werâ— so and so f 1 Cor. 6 9 11 but are washed sanctified c. And in the Colossians who had put off the body of the sinnes of the flesh * Col. 2. 11. inward habits in their regency and strength and for outward acts they sometimes had walked g Col. 3. 7. with in fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evil concuplscence and covetousnesse h vers â— and But now you i vers 8. and 9. also put off all these saith the Apostle anger wrath malice blasphemy filthy communication lying seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds what they had done already in part about some sinnes more eminently he exhorts them to go on in this work of repentance as touching all sin whatsoever yea and they are resolved upon it For they have put on the new man k vers 10. which being acted and set on work will further mortifie and disable the old man In every true Christian the purpose love and practice of sinne is laid a side he trades not in it but by putting off off as last as he can he laies not in provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it as his consent holds on so his endeavours hold out to be selling selling all this old lumber to his dying day 3. All his gifts of nature and morality wit and parts learning and knowledge in nature civil or humane affaires yea whatsoever is beneath the knowledge of Christ 1. From these his heart it removed in case of love confidence or high esteem he doâ—es not upon them affects them not confides not in them for one piece of his happinesse or that which will contribute in the least to help to Christ or his knowledge but as denied and subordinated to him and it 2. He is farre from using them against the Lord or against his Scripture and the understanding thereof nay 3. He is willing that their property and use should be â—ltered and converted from himself to the Lord and for the Lord and the best service he can doe him with such parts and gifts as he hath now receiving a new stamp by sanctifying grace St Paul is a most eminent example for us He was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers emploied before his conversion as a man of parts against Christ but after he hath found that Pearl he fels all his parts and abilities to and for Christ denies his wisdome and learning where it opposeth the knowledge and spreading of the Gospel When be came to the Corinthians He came not with excellency of speech or of wisdome l 1 Cor. 2. 1. His speech and his preaching was not with the entising words of manâ— wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and power m vers 4. He preached Christ crucified in a crucified phrase he preached not to shew himself but the Spirit Although when there was some fruitfull and necessary use of it he could and did to convince the ignorant erring and gain-saying hearer or inform the teachable produce the testimonies of forraign Authours as of Aratus n Act. 17. â—8 Menander o 1 Cor. 15. 33. and Epimenidâ—s p Tit. 1. 12. yet he is very rare in such quotations and when any other way men would set up their humane parts and abilities in competition with the plain preaching of the Gospel he did wholly cry them down 1 Cor. 1. 19 20. Yea and as touching spirituall gifts of tongues and miracles c. when among the Corinthians some used their knowledge and gift of tongues in an unedifying way he reproveth them for it 1 Cor. 14 26. And when some with their working of miracles among the Galatians would being in
name of the Lord was magnified b Act. 19. 17. with joyfull admiration of free-grace what followed They came and confest their deeds c ver 18. and parted with their curious gainfull arts and though they counted the price of their books worth fifty thousand peeces of silver d ver 19 yet that was no price to the Pearl and Treasure of the Gospel their joy of that which was so transcendently above any reckoning or arithmeticall accounts among men constrains them to undervalue their old profession and magicall practices and burn all their books to ashes Reasons speciall Now the joy of the treasure c. constrains to self-selling three waies First From it's strength The joy of the Lord is his servants strength to deny their sins to mortifie their lusts to cashiere their corruptions and abandon all wicked inclinations and acts Spirituall joy as it is a preservative from false carnall sinfull pleasures so it hath a purgative and expulsive faculty to banish that which will damp and hinder it's exercise where joy of the Gospel and a sinfull lust meet together in one heart there will be a conflict in which conflict spirituall joy will be too hard for carnall corruption and must give way to it I protest saith Paul that by the rejoycing which I have in Christ Iesus I die daily that is as worthy Dr Preston opens the place e Preston of mortif p. 41. That spirituall joy which he had in Christ of justification and remission of sins and that sight of glory which he saw by faith mortified sin in him made him basely to esteem of his corruptions He that findeth the Treasure and Pearl joyeth so in the excellency and worth thereof that he gathers and grows in a strong hatred of what would deprive him of it what ever in self or creature of parts profits honours c. would stand as competitour for a room in his heart therewith this heart the more riseth up against it and is alienated and weaned the more from it for nothing it knows doth or can minister that joy that peace that comfort to the soul which Gospel-treasure doth it must needs therefore bid farewell to all which shall hinder or interrupt this joy In a word there is strength from this joy to doe the will of God in all points of self-deniall if there were a 1000 lives to part with for Christs sake or would the soul go through a 1000 deaths to enter into more joy Secondly From it's free and royal nature when the treasure is found and rejoyced in the man is truly enabled and elevated to a holy magnanimity or greatnesse of spirit whereby he is carried above not only base lusts but all the royalties in the world which he esteemed out of a pure judgement and now from a pure joy much more reckons but as drosse and dung and can most willingly resign up for this one pearl you heard of Zacheus free and noble spirit before whence came it from his joyfull f Luk. 19. 6 8. entertainment of Christ The Primitive Christians were full of joy this made them empty their purses and sell their lands and the Primitive Martyrs yea all of them for these sixteen hundred years have out of their royall spirits filled with joy parted with husbands wives children lives and all As the Jews when they rejoyced they could offer up more then Hecatombes even multiplied Myriads in Solomons g 1 King 8. 63. Hezekiah's h 2 Chron. 30. 24. and Josiahs i 35. 7 8. time so Christians feasted with the joy of the Lord can willingly sacrifice up multiplied and dear contentments as God cals for them he shall be honoured with wit learning goods and priviledges and with whatsoever is naturally morally spiritually dear it is all dedicated to him and set apart for him Thirdly From it's sincerity purity and holinesse which makes the soul willingly active and passive in any thing to please him whose Treasure it is whose Kingdome and pearl it is originally Gods and Christs The soul who findes Christ hath faith and hope to have the treasure sure his own upon agreement with the owner of the field the God and Father of Christ who sets out this treasure in precious promises yea and amen in Christ to such as come up to his terms of assuring it further to the soul Joy I say would please him that hath pleased the soul God hath discovered that which gives the beleever full content and the beleever being contented would give God the owner of the treasure and field content and that is by coming into the possession lawfully steal he must not this treasure the field is not his but the Lords of the Mannour And this Lord of the Mannour is well pleased if he will but sell all that stands in opposition to or competition with this purchase he shall have it Why saith the soul if that be all I agree and consent all that I have or can have as mine what is it to the worth of this Pearl this Treasure and field All my sins are worse then nothing all my duties and qualifications be they for duties and qualifications never so good and usefull in relation to a sinners justifying righteousnesse they are just nothing all my parts and gifts they will stand me in no stead at all but as refined and spiritualized All my advantages in the world so farre as they are hinderances to Christ or baits to sin they are vanity and vexation All my priviledges in profession are without Christ empty things my glory with men vain-glory my strength is weaknesse my wisdome folly my end and self an idol and I know that an idol is nothing my life is but a vapour a breath a shadow I surrender up * Non quod tātum valet sed quod plus dare non possumus Aug. all to thy dispose and use O Lord I am willing thou shouldst take my sins to kill and destroy them Doe justice upon them with all speed and for all supposed worth or excellency 't is none at all I have found Christ and desire only to be found in his righteousnesse in his strength wisdome humility c. If any doubts arise why but is this all God requires that a man deny himself and take up his crosse sell all and follow Iesus Christ 'T is answered All All why then 't is done the bargain is concluded as from the strength and liberty so the sincerity and purity of a Christians joy I will be nothing that Christ may be all I will be poor that Christs riches may appear in me I will be foolish that Christs wisdome may shine in me I will be weake that Christs strength may be perfected in me I will lose in temporals that I may gain in spirituals and eternals Vse 1. Use 1 Of Instruction two waies For information two waies First See from hence one reason why Satan is such an enemy to true joy
is affirmed by our Lord Every man presseth into the Kingdom which compared with Mat. 11. 12. you will finde but to be equivalent with the indefinite the violent or so many as are violent not every singular man and woman for it was but from Johns time there was such crouding and even then many of the Pharisees and Scribes gave way stood at a distance were farre from pressing in for they despised c. Luke 7. 30. but numbers and all those and only those numbers of the violent who by faith offered violence to their carnall reasonings and corrupt hearts and took hold of the promise of the Kingdom pressed into it and yet the expression is every man So here Christ tasted death or died for every man that is every one of the number of those many whom God bears a speciall favour unto and in due time endueth with his speciall grace of Sonneship and sanctification unto whom God is and will be a father Christ a Captain and Elder brother Now judge ye who have any enlightened reasons and consciences whether this his first positive Scripture speaks positively and peremptorily of Christs dying for all the world and not rather respectively of every one whom God intends salvation unto and of those only who are very many in themselves and peculiar ones by themselves A second Scripture followeth 1 Joh. 2. 2. He is the propitiation 1 Joh. 2. 2. opened by the scope for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sinnes of the whole world that is said the Expositour for the whole bulk of men For answer whereunto And context 1. The Apostle writes not of no more then to every singular man in the world but of and to all believers among the Jews as is demonstrable from v. 7. where he saith Brethren I write no new commandment unto you but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning and have heard from the beginning Now though the Gentiles had something of the Commandment written in their hearts before Christs coming yet only the Jew had it written in books and had heard of it by teachers sent of God 2. Lest it should be thought that Christ died only for the believing Jews The Apostle enlargeth his assertion as farre as Christ himself enlargeth it Joh. 10. 15 16. to the Gentiles spread all over the world farre and near or as Calvin whose Exposition you may take assoon as a Catabaptists the death of Christ belongs not to Jews only a part of the Church but toti Ecclesiae to the whole Church or the Church in the whole world in all ages Nations c. And I shall prove it to be the true sense of the words and the Arminian sense a false one by these four Reasons And vindicated by reasons 1. From a parallel acception of the word world Rom. 11. 12. where the phrase Gentiles in the later clause explains the phrase world in the former If the fall of them the Jews be the riches of the world viz. of Gentiles and yet when S. Paul cals the Gentiles the world he doth not mean every singular Gentile much lesse every singular man and woman what or wheresoever no more doth S. John here in the place we are opening and vindicating but he meaneth that Christ is a propitiation for the sins of all that did or should believe or were of Gods number among the world of Gentiles as also the phrase is used in the same sense 1 Tim. 3. 16. preached unto vers 1. the Gentiles believed on in the world 2. The Apostle speaks here of that world for which Christ is an Advocate as well as a Propitiation Now he is not an Advocate for all the world or the whole bulk of men but for those that shall beleeve Joh. 17. 20. and that come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. Nay he praied not for the world at all being contradistinct to those that God had given him Joh. 17 9. 3. As the whole world in some places is taken for the worser Cùm mundus totus pejorem hominum partem solam denotat 1 Joh. 5. 19. Apoc. 12. 9. Cur non ad potiorem etiam applicari possit ego quidem nullus video Ames Cor. p. 139. part of men alone by themselves 1 Joh. 5. 19. Revel 12. 9. why may it not why ought it not be applied in this and other Scriptures to the better part or sort of men alone by themselves 4. The immediate scope of the Apostle is to comfort believers falling into sin which comfort is peculiar to them not of one Nation only but of every Nation under heaven If any man sin vers 1. We have an Advocate for whom for all no for any man of us the children of God begotten by the Apostles Ministery who is our and all others propitiation and Advocate that are come in by the Ministery of the Gospel as we are Thus you see that this Scripture which seemeth to be most positive and point blank for the Arminian-Anabaptist is a blank and saith nothing in true interpretation but what is destructive to their errour of universall Redemption A third witnesse must be heard speak and that is 2 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15 vindicated 14. 15. Because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again This Scripture was set upon the rack the other day and made to speak for that which it doth not intend by putting a new scope upon the words as if they came in to answer such a question as this Whether all were dead or no A new fancy where findes he it that the Corinthians were in such mistakes But in his own fancy-full opinion that all were not dead in sinnes by Adam even the elect as well as others The Arminian saith all did not die in Adam nor are they dead in sins c. The Apostle saith All were dead and his scope is from vers 9. to excite others with himself to be ambitious of pleasing God though it be with the displeasing of our selves one reason hereof is drawn from the generall judgement ver 10 11. A second from the speciall constraining love of Christ who died for those that were as dead as others even all of them that Christ died for were dead that is not question'd but taken for granted what then shall Christs death for any that he died for be fruitlesse No a two-fold fruit comes forth 1. They live a new life 2. That life is no more to themselves but unto him which died for them They must needs deny themselves and the carnall applause of men as we do saith the Apostle and study to be pleasing to God So that if you take the scope of the words along with you it is not to hold forth a generall atonement but speciall
mortification or dying to a mans self and living unto Christ who died for him and I adde what the Apostle addeth and rose again implying he hath no purpose to extend Christs death for any further then he doth his resurrection the fruit whereof goeth along with the fruit of his death the proper and immediate fruit of his death being to kill and crucifie self-esteem and to die unto creature-applause vers 12. 16. And the proper and immediate fruit of his resurrection in all that he died for being to make them non-Creatures and to live to him which died and rose again for them A fourth Scripture-witnesse called in was Rom. 5. 14. Who viz. Adam is the figure of him that was to come Now Rom. 5. 14. vindicated Adam was an universall person and all died in him therefore the second Adam Christ redeemed all else the type was greater then the substance Answ 1. Every man and woman sinned and died in Adam because they were all in him as in a common root and stock and accordingly all and every one who are in Christ the common root and stock of branches truly ingraffed into him and so you must understand vers 18. The free gift comes upon all who are in Christ the second Adam to justification of life 2. In this true sense of the Apostle The figure is not greater ver 20. then the substance for take the Apostle not only as he meaneth but as he speaketh and it is a sure truth That where sinne abounded grace did much more abound though it abounds not to moe persons nor reacheth to half so many yet in this Christ redeemed as much and more then Adam lost that Adam lost but the righteousnesse of the Law and of a meer man Christ restoreth his own righteousnesse the Gospel-righteousnesse of him that is God we are condemned by the sinne of man but justified by the obedience and bloudshed of God Act. 20. 20. And all who are in Christ receive this abounding grace Rom. 5. 17. Thus you see these four positive Scriptures called in as witnesses speak nothing for but rather much against universall Redemption It is a strange boldnesse to call forth Scripture to witnesse against it self may any man take that boldnesse No let their mouths first be stopped and silenced for ever who are such false criers and intelligencers as to bring an evil report upon the Scriptures Now let us examine those which are like the former and seem as he said to favour that which he cals truth and we errour and heresie too First That in John 3. 14 15 16. The Question was whether Moses did lift up the serpent to all or not if to all then Joh. 3 14 c. Christ not dying for all the type will be more then the substance therefore it cannot be but he must die for all Answ 1. The scope of that type is given by the Lord himself the Serpent was lifted up to hold out Christ lifted up vindicated on the crosse and in the Gospel and as the Serpent was lifted up to all who should lift up their eyes and look upon it to be healed So Christ is lifted up to and for all which shall lift up the eyes of their faith that they may be saved we here agree that as none are healed but those that looked up so none are saved but such as believe still as in all such Scriptures take it for the adulâ—i or those of years and in this respect the type is not more then the substance 2. What gets he by saying The Serpent was lifted up to all in the wildernesse Were not all in the wildernesse the Church typicall And who denieth that Christ gave himself for the Church or his whole body mysticall Ephes 5. 23 26 Act. 7. 38. This text then in John favours beleevers and Christs dying for them not the c. of all the world But to v. 16. what doe we say even what we have said before unto 1 Joh. 22. that the world of Iews and Gentiles are so loved that whosoever he be Iew or Gentile and beleeveth he shall not perish c. Suppose it so will some say as our adversary said in his discourse in granting that there is nothing lost Yes but there is on his part 1. In that he gets nothing for the upholding of his opinion by such an Exposition he loseth 2. He loseth by being convinc't this is an Exposition stands with good sense the Noun partitive whosoever strengthening and attending the distributive sense of the word world into Iew and Gentile whosoever viz. of the world be he Jew or be he Gentile and beleeveth And if this be good sense and most agreeable to other Scriptures neither he nor any man is forc't for the avoiding of non-sense to run to the Arminian interpretation of world for every singular man of every kinde or sort of men for it is neither said nor meant that God loved every man and gave his son for him but God so loved the world or common nature and kinde of men or mankinde indefinitely taken and found among Jews and Gentiles that he gave his Son that every believer or every one that beleeveth so the Greek strictly in him should not perish c. Observe it Gods love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in order and reference to the gift of Christ and the gift of Christ in order and reference to the gift of faith and that in reference to salvation there is no separating of these links of the golden chain which they do who would make Gods love and the gift of Christ common to those to whom faith and salvation is not common A second favourable Scripture which the man imagined to smile upon his opinion is in Ioh. 1. 29. Behold the lamb of Joh. 1. 29. vindicated God which taketh away the sinne of the world Yet this is a place of as great fears to him as hopes for putting forth the Question What is meant here by the world he answered himself thus If not as we exprest before that is for the whole bulk of men we are left in the briars Now to examine and answer to it a little first take notice that in this Scripture Iohn Baptist speaketh not of Christs death expresly but of the fruit thereof Taking away sin So that if any will prove Christs dying for all from hence he must hold with all that by that death of his the sin of all men is expiated and satisfied for and here indeed the man hath brought himself into the briars get out how he can for he did peremptorily affirm That though Christ did not bear the unbelief of any but of the elect * Nor is he stedfast in that faith but is of opinion unles he be changed since he was here that all the satisfaction the father demands and accepts for the elects sinnes against the Gospel is the sense of his wrath upon their consciences