MANKIND'S JUBILEE OR Good Tidings of great Joy for all people plainly discovered by Scripture Texts And the Angel said unto them Fear not For behold I bring you good Tidings of great joy which shall be to all People For unto you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord Luke 2.10 11. And this famous general proclamation of Grace for all People was also then published by a multitude of the Heavenly Host ver 13. Thus Christ was from Heaven declared to be the Saviour of all Men or all People agreeable to 1 Tim. 4.10 who accordingly hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law by his being made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 By his tasting death for every man Heb. 2.9 wherby he became the propitiation for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2.2 Shewing That there is a Common Salvation of all Men from the Eternity of the Curse of the Law and first death and that in that salvation such reall Ability is communicated through our Saviour Christ his performances to all men as that no one man hath done doth or shall eternally perish by any obstructions which came over all men by Adams Fall but onely by his own actuall and wilfull persisting in the abuse of the Ability by grace in Christ conferred unto him Written by Christopher Wade An. Dom. 1658. LONDON Printed for the use and benefit of Thomas Gibbs Gent. 1658. The INTRODVCTION FOrasmuch as it is evident that some men even Christian men yea even some godly learned men by casting in their owne scholasticall glosses upon many excellent plain Texts of Scripture have as much as in them lyeth buryed the comfortable use of the firm foundation on which faith and repentance ought in Gods ordinary way primarily to be builded even the common salvation mentioned Jude 3. which the Scripture if it be permitted to speak for it selfe in its owne litterall language with the assistance of the spirit thereon attending being submitted unto will of its selfe evidently set forth to publick view From the vanity of which practice men are necessitated being thereby cast into confused conceptions and conclusions arising from various humane expositions to propound these and such like questions how it can be rightly affirmed that Christ is the Saviour of all men according to 1 Tim. 4.10 except all men be eternally saved or by whose means it comes to passe that although Christ tasted death for every man according to Heb. 2.9 and dyed for no fewer than all 2 Cor. 5.15 that yet some men do suffer in an eternall death How that although our Saviour Christ be by his death the propitiation for no fewer sinnes than the sins of the whole world according to 1 John 2.2 that yet some men doe perish eternally in and by their sinnes How Christ can be truly said to be not only tidings but good tidings not only of joy but also of great joy not only to some but also to all people according to Luke 2.10 11. when as notwithstanding some people doe perish in eternall sorrow These men thereby though it may be unawares do intimately charge God to reserve dubious ment all reservations in himselfe In answer whereto that I may procure aright understanding separate from these and such like fancied doubts let it not be tedious I intreat you to take notice that in Rev. 2.11 and 20.6 and 21.8 being compared with Rev. 20.10 15. and Mat. 25.41 46. there is an expresse discovery of an eternall second death into which men may fall which second death doth unavoidably intimate the extinguishing of a preceding first death into which all men without Christ considered should have fallen into as is further proved in this tract which first death and second death being considered of together doe fairely present to our apprehension a first life which was once incident to men and relatively foregoing a first death and also a second life procured by Christ's performances only which extinguisheth the first death and is also relatively foregoing the second death before mentioned for without a foregoing first life there can be no first death nor without a foregoing second life there can be no second death But for aready discovery herein the Apostle Jude inferreth that the first l fe and first death and the second life and the second death either hath doth or may prove incident to some one and the same man the first life by Creation and the restored second l fe by Christ being considered of for he affirmeth that some persons by their turning the grace of God into wantonnesse and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ Jude 4. that deny the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2.1 from the eternall danger of the first death as is proved he hath done for all men in my 5 Distinction These men saith Jude are twice dead and then also plucked up by the roots to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever Note this not only once dead but twice dead and then also plucked up by the roots that is to say First once alive by grace of Creation then Secondly dead by Adams fall Thirdly alive againe by Christs reconciliation made and Fourthly dead againe the second time by their wilfull personall persisting in the abuse of grace after their inlightenment and then and not while then plucked up by the roots Now beloved by my shewing that by the first Adams offence the first life by Creation was lost for all men and that death even the first death thereby pissed upon all men and by my proving that our Saviour Christ the restoring second Adam Acts 3.21 doth estate by his performances all men by a reall common salvation into are stored second life which doth extinguish the aforesaid first death for all men and that therein and thereby Christ doth confer such effectuall light freedome and ability in due season upon all men in their inward man mind and will so that in their well usage thereof they might escape the second death also and by my having proved what the second death is and the cause why it is executed upon any man I shall thereby make it appear clearly in full answer to the former queries and such like that it is not from God but by some mens wilfull personall defaults brought about that some men doe perish by their own personall acting and persisting after inlightenment in disobedience against the second Covenant which is of grace by their resisting the gratious dictates of the Holy Ghost To the READER Three directions according to three severall conditions of men FIrst to all such men who though being by our Saviour Christ in due season inabled to know the truth and confide in Gods goodness only and faithfully to indeavour to walk answerably as is proved that al men are in my 6 and 7 Distinct yet do prophanely if not blasphemously not only slight Gods grace but also in effect do
and eares must be opened Acts 16.14 Job 36.11 Psal 146.8 For which end God gratiously hath perfected in and by our Saviour Christs performances only a common salvation whereby the naturally inchanted and deluded judgements of all men occasioned by Adams fall are set so free in the inward man in due season as that they may thereby if they make good use thereof choose light and life as is proved in my 6 and 7 Distinctions And if any man do imagine that the salvation of all men this cause of great joy for all people the blessings appropriated by and in him Abrahams feed to all Nations and all the Families of the Earth are intended to be of God but as temporall blessings to some part of men to be injoied by them in this life only then see the misery that inevitably fals to those men thereby for the Apostle saith If in this life onely we have hope in Christ then we are not only of some men but of all men not only miserable but most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 So that in that sence those temporall blessings intended to some part of men are extended forth only to aggravate their eternall woe and misery which once the Scripture cryeth down and affirmeth that God is good not only to some but to all and that not only his mercies but his tender mercies are over not only some but over all his works Thus farre that there is a common salvation perfected by and in Christ intended on Gods part to procure the eternall salvation of all men if they persist not in resisting the operations of the Holy Ghost gratiously tendred therein to every man The second Distinction declareth what the common salvation is and the extent thereof for the benefit of all men whereby is set forth in good part the excellency of the restored second life of mankinde gratiously intended by Christ on Gods part to preserve all men from the eternall second death WEE are to effect this discovery feriously to treasure up in our memories what in Scripture is fet forth to be a generall losse or common inbondagement that befell all men by the destructive Adams fall and we shall finde that one extraordinary great and common losse which befell all men thereby was such that as considered in its own nature it did utterly deprive all mankinde for ever of that estate of possibility to be eternally saved which Adam had given unto him by grace of Creation in himselfe or in his own power as the publick trust for all his posterity and though by no constraint of God as is cleared Eccle. 7.29 yet by his own perverse behaviour against his faithfull Creator under his gratious hand working by his finding fault with his good condition then given him he in effect rebelliously faying Why hast thou made me thus that I must depend on thee and not subsist upon or by mine owne inventious So marring himselfe under his gratious Creatours hands as is instanced Rom. 9.20 Thus by his forsaking of Godsirst he himselfe wilfully lost the freedome of will possibility and ability in himselfe to continue in his injoyment of the blessed use of which he was possest by Creation by which one losse was then lost all the unexpressible blessings thereto belonging And also he then and thereby lost the reall possibility which all his posterity had by propriety in him whilst he stood to injoy all those blessings Yet notwithstanding I beseeth you further to note that he lost thereby no more for himselfe and his posterity in reference to the point in hand but only a possibility to be eternally saved for more than a possibility to be eternally saved he could not lose neither for himselfe nor any one of his posterity for he himselfe though being the great and publick patterne for mankinde in whom God did set forth the extent of his gratious intentions to all men as concerning the Creations yet even he was thereby possest of no more nor of any firmer established Condition in himselfe than a possibility only that he might be eternally saved for in reference to this cause by the utmost extent of his estate which was given him by Creation as you know it was possible that by his well acting in that freedome of his will he might have been eternally saved So also you know on the contrary part that he by his evill acting in that his freedome of his will he might lose that his blessed estate for ever which he hath done and by his fall did unavoidably overwhelme all mankinde in an utter impossibility as of themselves to be eternally saved Note therefore that Christ the restoring Second Adam by virtue of a salvation first wrought by his Death Resurrection and Ascension in himselfe for all men to make way for his gratious operating by his spirit in all men as is proved he doth in may 6 and 7 Distinctions by that means helping all mankind out of that impossibility as of themselves to be eternally saved so as that all mankinde shall in due season injoy by free grace in their owne particular personall possessions a restored ability where by in their well using of that ability to them by the spirit communicated by beleeving they might obtaine eternall life and all the unutterable priviledges mercy and blessings thereto belonging This is the common salvation of all men and is an effectuall salvation of all men from their imposibility in which they were all involved by Adams fall Although men may and some men doe by their wilfull abuse of that their restored freedome and ability by grace given them of themselves Adam-like forsake their owne mercies Jonah 2.8 of themselves choose their owne destructions Hos 13.9 of themselves draw back to perdition Heb. 10.39 and so of themselves by their owne particular personall choise refuse and so for ever lose eternall life Now to make it appeare visibly by Holy writ that our Saviour Christ his restoration of free do me and ability to all men in a common salvation where by they might or may in their well usage thereof attaine to the enjoyment of eternall life and all the blessed priviledges thereto belonging is for all men an effectual salvation or ransomed condition although some men through their own wilfull defaults by abusing that freedome are not eternally saved I pray you let us consider what extent in this point the Scripture alloweth to Christs offices as Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4.10 or Ransomer of all 1 Tim. 2.6 For which end observe that Jude in his extraordinary diligence clearly to discover the common salvation expresly called so by him in ver 3. used the antient types for exemplary proofes according to the frequent example of our Saviour Jesus Christ and his Apostles as appears in Luke 7.29 John 3.14 John 6.48 Gal. 4.22 26.1 Cor. 10.1 12. and many other places So Jude to expresse his meaning concerning the common salvation by him so called in ver 3. brings in the
ground yet know that no man though being found well acting by faith and obedience in his infran hisement represented by the seed sowne on all when as some other men being so inabled also are found rejecting those works of grace or seed sown on them also yet as the Angels that never fell nor Adam if he had remained in his created innocency could not have merited reward as due debt from the Creators hand otherwise than he is pleased to maintain his second Covenant by his free grace given so much lesse doth this ground or those men here called or accounted or imputed good merit any reward at Gods hand but as God is pleased by grace according to his second Covenant to account and to impute them to be good that beleeve in him that justifyeth the ungodly Rom. 4.5 by Christ Againe the Kingdome of Heaven is compared to a net cast into the sea which gathereth together every kind which when it was full they drew to shore and sate down and gather d the good into vessels and cost the bad away Mat. 13.47 48. Note herein that all men represented by the fishes good and bad are inforced to receive the word of the Kingdome in this sence here by the simile of the drag-net called the Kingdome of Heaven for all both good and bad will they nill they were compelled to partake of the same condition in the net though some was found in that drag-net compared to the Kingdome of Heaven that in their continued badnesse were cast away Note that no man is or was created bad but as he makes himselfe bad as is often proved in this tract And now consider how lively both these parables represent the common salvation where our Saviour saith and I if I be lifted up will draw all men unto me John 12.32 He will not only by his spirit invite all men to come unto him but he will draw as in the drag-net not only some men but all men unto him not in the least measure on his part for destructive ends to any one of all men so drawn to him but for saving ends on his part for every man for his Father sent not his Sonne into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved John 3.17 Which yet appears more clearely where it is said that God doth reconciledly gather together in one to himselfe not only all men but all things by the blood of his Crosse in him even in him as Col. 1.20 and Eph. 1.10 being compared together doe plainly render Thus this reconciled gathering or drawing together of all men in Chri8st even in him includeth all men good and bad reconciledly gathered to God in him though some men being so gratiously gathered together in him in the common salvation will notwithstanding by their wilfull persisting in the abuse of the benefit thereof be cast out or cast a way But how comes it to passe that no fewer than all men good and bad are in that sence drawn to or are made partakers of the word of the Kingdome or Kingdome of Heaven or the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 In answer to this the means how is shewed by our Saviours comparing the large and secret working of the spirit to Leaven our Saviour saying the Kingdome of Heaven is like leaven which a woman tooke and hid in three measures of meale untill no lesse than all was leavened Note that untill no lesse than all was leavened Herein is the Kingdome of Heaven or the word of the Kingdome as it is called in the same Chapter Mat. 13.19 comparatively set forth to be as Leaven infusing it selfe effectually not only into some part but into all parts of the meale similizing thereby that light and therewith ability to know the truth and choose it is effectually by a secret yet powerfull operation of the spirit infused into all men as in John 1.7 9. and 1 Tim. 2.4 is proved Againe our Saviour saith the Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a certaine King which made a marriage for his sonne Mat. 22.2 Unto which Feast the first that were compelled or made to know thereof by invitation having refused he commanded to gather together bad and good and the wedding was thereby furnished with guests ver 10. Note that this gathering together of all by command is rendered to be no lesse than a compelling of them all good and bad to come into in the aforesaid sence into a terrestriall Kingdome of Heaven or thereto likened compell them to come in Luke 14.23 or gather together good and bad and bring them in no man can conceive that all good and bad were to be brought together into one locall place or into Gods celestiall Kingdome but into one condition of ability to see and to know of the truth and reality of Gods goodnesse and mercy extended by the slaying of Christ the unspotted Lamb that by faith they might feed thereon for none of them were further compelled to feed thereon as by the words of the Text is cleared and the first refusers were so farre compelled by invitation But beloved this compelling or bringing in of all men good and bad to come into the terrestriall Kingdome of Heaven so called or likened to in this Scripture sence or to receive the word of the Kingdome so called Mat. 13.19 doth no way countenance that opinion which some men have vainely hatched from those words affirming that there is no man saved eternally but only such men as are compelled by an Almighty power of God more than some other men are not only to know the truth as is proved that all men are according to 1 Tim. 2.4 But also that those men are compelled to abide in the truth by beleeving so that infallibly whether they will or no they shall not faile nor be able to resist against their eternall salvation in Gods Celestiall Kingdome whereas in truth there is no such matter maintained in Scripture for herein by comparing Scripture with Scripture we find the clean contrary that is that in a common salvation all men good and bad are compelled in and gathered in to receive the word of the Kingdome or the knowledge of the Feast of Gods goodnesse not only intended but also prepared for them by the self same mens as the forcibly inclosing and drawing of all good and bad in the parable of the drag-net doth discover And thereby some gathered together and by command compelled in were found there not having on a wedding garment therefore cast out as those that followed Christ for the loaves sake John 6.2 whereas no bad or unclean person no tpurifyed by faith can be compelled in neither can possibly enter into Gods celestiall eternall blessed habitation represented Rev. 1.8 27. nor any being once there can be cast out and though some men for an evading shift have reply thereto saying that it was but one person that was found there compelled in who had not on
a wedding garment and therefore little notice can be taken of that man being but one I answer thereto that that one being there so found compelled in is sufficient to confute that their fancyed imagination But behold that our Saviour maketh a farre larger application thereof for as there was some bad found compelled in to this condition called or counted like the Kingdome of Heaven whereas no bad person can be compelled in nor enter into Gods heavenly habitation And our Saviour affirmeth upon that very example of the casting out of that one man though there be but one mentioned that as he had said before that all were gathered or compelled together both good and bad so accordingly even from that one his being cast out he concludeth that though many are called yet but few are chosen in the very next ver 14. Now taking but a few out of the many called this sets forth a greater number of men who though called in to receive the word of the Kingdome and know the truth and reality of Gods goodnesse prepared for them by the Feast yet by their wanting their wedding garments there of thankfull loving obedient acceptance and faithfull indeavours to walk humbly therein they are all of them cast out and few are chosen Hereto if you will be pleased to owne it that no fewer than all is very often in the Scripture comprehended in the word many as is fully proved in my 8 Distinction and that all men are called by Christs inlightning no fewer than every man that commeth into the world so that no fewer than all men through him might beleeve as in John 1.7 9. and that by him all are so farre called that they are all in due season made to come unto the knowledge of the truth according to the 1 Tim. 2.4 by Gods owne shewing it even to the Heathens also Rom. 1.19 and 2.14 15. From hence and many such like Texts we may warrantably conclude that all men are by the spirit invited or called and inabled though none be chosen but such men only as do make good use of their infranchisement and inlightenment and by their ability received in the call do themselves abide in beleeving and so are not only called or compelled in as all men are but are accounted to be faithfull and are chosen Rev. 17.14 And the sence of the Greek word Biazetai used Luke 16.16 as the Learned say is to be read the Kingdome of God is preached and every man is pressed into it which can bee but by infranchisement to receive the word of the Kingdome for no man is further so compelled than as Adam was to be inabled by grace in himselfe to obtaine eternall life though some men so inabled by their persisting in and abiding in obedient beleeving after some tryall of their faith are by Grace established in the priviledges of the speciall salvation as is elsewhere said and is proved in Eph. 1.12 13. 1 Tim. 4.10 And considering that all men are utterly disabled by Adams fall and so by nature cannot be obedient to the faith then if all men be not inabled by Christs spirit to become obedient to the faith and abide therein but as they are compelled by a surther Almighty power of God then that tenent being maintained doth cast a grosse soile in the face of our just dealing impartiall faithfull Creator and all his serious exhortations dehortations reproofes promises threatnings rewards and punishments which is recorded in the holy Scripture to be proceeded in for or against men according to all mens own actuall and personall obedience or disobedience to the faith for by that tenent obedience is required of some men and promises and threatnings are declared to be dispensed to them according to their personall obedience or disobedience whereas they are utterly disabled by Adams fall and by Gods withholding means of inabling them from them it proves totally impossible for them to perform the least part of the obedience required and if that tenent were true then also obedience to the faith is required of some men and promises and threatnings declared to them also to be dispensed according as they personally do prove obedient or disobedient to the faith whereas those men by a surmounting power of God granted more to them than to the other men shall not nor cannot possibly be able to doe or act otherwise than to be savingly obedient to the faith neither can they be able to resist against their eternall salvation But to rip open the bowels of this fallacy we see it is here proved by Scripture that all men are in due season so inabled by Christ by a common salvation savingly to beleeve and repent and thereby those strained extreams are vanished and that thereby the perfect holinesse of all the attributes of God is unitedly cleared whereby also no lesse than all occasion for any one mere man to boast before God is totally destroyed and that no man is in the least measure wrorged although God doth not only require but also command no fewer than all men in all places to repent as he doth in Acts 17.30 and to recover themselves 2 Tim. 2.26 and to give an account of himselfe to God Rom. 14.12 and to be obedient to his reproofe Prov. 1.23 and to humble themselves Mat. 23.12 1 Pet. 5.6 purge themselves as in 2. Tim. 2.21 and to turne themselves Nehe. 19. and that hereby it doth plainly appeare that considering all mens inablement by Christ not any one man is in the least measure injured although God doth actually proceed in judgement with every particular man according to that which he himself hath actually and personally done in his body whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 for God doth not judge every man nor any man according to works inforced to be done in his body by the corruption that unavoidably came over him by Adams fall nor according to unbeleeving works which any man is necessitated to doe by a decreed reprobation or preterition of God by his withholding means of inabling from them as some men grosly imagine neither doth he judge any man according as he is inforced to act beleevingly whether he will or not by an over-ruling Almighty power of God by God wrought in his body but being inabled of God by Christ he judgeth every man according to the things he himselfe hath done in his body whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 as hath been touched or according to works not inforced by God or Adams fall but according to their works Rev. 20.13 being as is said first inabled by God to be obedient then God proceedeth strictly without partiality or any respect of persons 1 Pet. 1.17 Acts 10.34 all which particulars are proved and is one maine drift of this whole tract And further to prove that God doth not by a surmounting Almighty power compell any man after that he is inabled to beleeve so that then unalterably he shall abide in
Prov. 1.23 being also according to that Text where it is said in whom after yee beleeved yee were sealed with the holy spirit of promise Eph. 1.13 These sealing testimonies and gratious and spirituall gifts are variable in respect of their quantity and are communicated according to the proportion of the first fruits of the spirit which is by grace to any beleever granted as beleevers by experience well know and this speciall salvation issueth according to Scripture naturally from the common salvation which common salvation however it hath been by some men slighted yet the beleeving of the large and effectually efficacy thereof concerning all men as it is discovered in my 26 and 7 Distinctions is by Scripture-warrant the most direct and most sure way to obtain faith and repentance whereby and wherewith the especiall salvation is by grace established to abiding beleevers 1 Tim. 4.10 In that estate beleevers do not only prove overcommers but also perseverers in overcomming according to Rev. 2.26 in this estate beleevers doe enter into rest Heb. 4.3 see the excellency of this estate Col. 2.7 1 Pet. 2.4 5. in this estate they are written in the book of remembrance to be made up with Gods Jewels Mal. 3.16 17. See also Col. 2.9 10. in this estate they by faith approach unto the very throne of grace Heb. 4.16 See Eph. 1. 12 13 14. Rom. 8.20 these men by faith by degrees do enter into that which is within the vaile Heb. 6.19 which place is in the Type called the holiest of all Heb. 9.3 and by faith they are said to see God who is invisible Heb. 11.27 they are passed from death to life John 5.24 to these beleevers he giveth power to be called the sons of God John 1. These in point of confidence therein cease from their own works as God did from his Heb. 4.10 in this estate there is an entrance administred unto them into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Eph. 2.6 and also by faith they do enjoy fellowship with the Father and with his Sonne Jesus Christ 1 John 1.3 These men with open face behold as in a glasse the glory of God and are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 See also their admirable triumph Rom. 8.35 39. And though much more might be hereto proved yet to conclude they are blessed with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ Eph. 3. which estate they doe enjoy even in this restoed second life according to the proportion of the first fruits of the spirit which every beleever by grace receives therein The twentieth Distinction sheweth that as all men lost their peace with God by Adams fall which all Adams posterity had by propriety in him whilest be stood so all men are vertually in Christ and by Christ reconciled to God againe by restoration though some men after their inlightenment abuse that grace of their reconciliation in him and do thereby lose the benefit thereof HErein to pove that reconciliation of all men in Christ we are to note that the eternall curse of the Law is taken away for all men which is proved in my 4 Distinction And also to observe that Christs death was satisfactory for the transgressions not that are but were against the first Testament Heb. 9.15 Rom. 5.20 21. or Morall Law without Limitation to prove which it is said Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law by being made a curse for us for it is written cursed is every one that hangeth on the tree Gal. 3.13 and to prove that by the word us is meant all men observe that that verse is grounded upon the fore going 8 verse where it is said and the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through faith preached before the Gospell unto Abraham saying in thee shall all Nations be blessed according to those unlimited promises often repeated to Abraham Isaac and Jacob that in their seed no fewer than all the Nations and all the Families of the earth should be blessed as you may finde in Gen. 18.18.3.22 18. and 26 4.20.14 and as that 13 verse of Gal. 3. is immediately derived from that generall application in the 8 verse preceding So also the cause why Christ hath redeemed from the curse of the Law is shewed in the 14 verse being the very next verse following to be this expresly that the blessing of Abraham in whose seed as before is shewed that no fewer than all Nations and all Families of the earth shall be blessed might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ which generall promise made unto Abraham is called the Covenant which was confirmed before in Christ which the Law cannot disanul as appeareth plainly in the 15 16 17 18 verses next following in the very same Chapter as a conclusive confirmation of the very same discourse which evidently proveth that the taking away the curse of the Law is so large for all Nations and Families of the earth as to bring in the blessings in Christ abrahams seed over all men See Rom. 5.18 Note also by that his hanging on the tree he tasted death and hereto the Scriputre shews us that thereby and thereon he tasted death for no fewer than every man Heb. 2.9 whereby his hanging on the tree in that Text mentioned he become the propitiation for no fewer sins than the sins of the whole world 1 John 2.2 being the Transgressions against the first Testament Heb. 9.15 Rom. 5.20 21. And as the curse was by his so being made a curse taken away for all men so consider that accordingly as it is said that he is the Saviour of no fewer than all men 1 Tim. 4.10 as is before discovered So also the Apostle affirmeth that Christ dyed for all 2 Cor 5.15 and from that generall ground by him there laid downe that Christ dyed for all he in pursuance of the same discovery coherently gives us to wit in the 19 verse next following that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe not imputing their trespasses to them Herein is cleared to open view that by Christs being therein the worlds publick man and generall representative by hisbeing reconciled to God in the worlds behalfe for the world the world is accounted of as reconciled to God in Christ verse 18. even in him vertually for you see that by the worlds being so reconciled to God and God in his justice and attribute of his truth unto the world in Christ the worlds trespasses are not imputed to them which hath conherent relation unto that unlimited speech immediately going before that Christ dyed for all and upon the same ground it is affirmed God laid upon him the iniquities of us all Is 53.6 against the first Testament Heb. 9.15 Rom. 5.20 And accordingly in the discovery of the reconciliation of all men in Christ it is said that God had purposed in himselfe that in
the death of Christ as is fully proved in my 11 Distinction for Christ dyed only to take away the transgressions which were against the first Testament Heb. 9.15 Romans 5.18 19 20 21. Yet whilest these sinnes against grace are not so farre persisted in as is before said but do remain as Paul's sins and others before inlightenment 1 Tim. 1.13 Acts 12.17 which though indeed being sinnes against the very Gospell of grace yet being sinnes through ignorance infirmity and frailty acted Though the Law of Moses be much more unable to justifie those transgressors for those transgressions yet they have been are and shal be all pardoned as men being so restoredly inabled as before is proved that all men in due season are do faithfully indeavour to perform the condition annexed in the second Covenant which condition is beleevingly to confide in God and his mercy and goodnesse in Christ where the Gospell is vouchsafed and where it is not to confide in his grace and goodnesse only as in my ninth Distinction Notwithstanding the strictnesse of the Law of works and mens apparant and abundant falling short in the performances thereto required and notwithstanding their failings through frailty against the Covenant of grace also yet if they fixedly do confide in this only that God is good and gracious unto sinners and ungodly ones strivingly indeavouring to walk before God accordingly they are accepted of which goodnesse of God the Holy Ghost doth by one means or other discover to every man in due season 1 Tim. 2.4 6. Rom. 1.19 John 1.7 9. Yet further note that this faith though it be in beleevers yet also being considered of as in reference to themselves is defective and unworthy yet God is pleased by free grace to account them worthy and although their works also are accordingly imperfect yet he is pleased to impute righteousnesse unto them according to his new treaty made with the world by the application of the vertue of Christs blood as if it had been actually shed at the fall of Adam as hath been said and proved 1 Pet. 1.19 Rev. 13.8 So by this means it appears plainly to our apprehension not only how farre and from what all men even whilest they doe remaine in unbeliefe are fully and freely by Christs performances justified before God from all that from which the Law of Moses could not justifie them this justification remaining accomplished for ever for all men whether any man doe beleeve it or not That is to say from the eternity of the curse of the Law and first death from which the Law of Moses could not justifie them but also it is hereby made manifest that those that doe beleeve are justified not only from the curse of the Law and danger of the first death which was due for the transgressions against that Law of first Testament as it is proved all men are in my 4 and 5 Distinctions but also abiding beleevers according to that Text 3.39 are justified also from all other things or offences which never were or are nor can be punishable by that Morall Law or Covenant of works called here the Law of Moses neither could nor can nor shall the Law of Moses justifie them from those offences in any measure Yet as is said the obedient humble beleevers are with Paul and others justified by grace even from their failings by ignorance frailty or infirmity past present or to come by them so acted against the Covenant of grace also But this justification is peculiar to beleevers only in the speciall salvation expresly so accounted of in 1 Tim. 4.10 And the generall justification of all men by Christs performances from the eternity of the curse of the Law and first death are gratious effects issuing from the common salvation mentioned Jude 3. and accomplished by Christ for all men who by removing of the impossibility to be eternally saved which came over all men by Adams fall is the Saviour of all men and so stiled in the same verse 1 Tim. 4. Yet even the humble obedient beleevers though being by faith so justified before God and by grace imputed and counted just men before God yet even they must live by faith by the forsaking all selfe-conceited justification which sheweth us the meaning of that place where it is said that even the just man shall live by his faith Hab. 2.4 which is also affirmed in Rom 4.5 The twenty fourth Distinction wherein is proved by plaine Texts of Scripture that as all men by Adams fall were blotted out of Gods book of life that came in with the Creation so all men are in and by Christ and his performances alone againe written in the book of life that came into the world by Christs restoration and that no one man hath been is or shall be blotted out thereof but by his owne personall default shewing also herein the fundamentall eause of the hereticall errour of the Papists doctrine hinting herein also what the Lambs booke of life is HErein we are to consider that all men were by Creation respectively in the first Adam untill his fall innocent righteous and blessed of God Gen. 1.27 29. Eccl. 7.29 and also that God affirmeth that he blotteth none out of his book but in respect of their not fore-seen but actuall sinne as appeareth in Exod. 32.33 being compared with the 23 30 and 31 verses in the same Chapter preceding and with Ezek. 18. being in this point the scope of the whole Scripture testifying that God forsaketh no man whatsoever he foreknoweth that men will in future doe untill they doe personally and actually forsake him first as is also fully proved in my 16 Distinction And you know that before Adams fall no man had sinned nor actually forsaken him so that Adam himself and all his posterity respectively in him were all then overcommers in Gods estimation Hereto God promiseth saying of him that overcommeth I will not blot out his nome not of the book of life Rev. 3.5 But upon Adams being overcome by sinne he being the publick man of whom the Scripture saith the first father hath sinned Isa 43.27 and so was the procurer of wrath whereby he lost in that effect his fatherly place whereupon Christ gratiously accepts of that general government and is called the everlasting father the Prince of peace Isa 9.6 which hath been all along in this tract clearly testified that by the fall of the first father Adam who sinned no fewer than all men were blotted out of that book of life for although none of Adams posterity had then personally and actually sinned as appeareth by Jacob and Esau Rom. 9.11 who are said to have done neither good nor evill before they were born yet by the then comming in of sinne the earth and all the inhabitants thereof would even then have been dissolved if Christ the everlasting Father and Prince of peace had not assisted which dissolution would have plunged all Adams posterity in a non-being and would
have also separated Adam for ever from Gods blessed presence as is proved in my 9 Distinction and then by all mens being blotted out of that book of life thereby the blessedness intended of God for all men by Creation was extinguished and the blessed first life therewith was ended and then the first death entred which without Christ the everlasting Fathers gratious performances considered would have been eternall even over all men for there by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and death passed over no fewer than all men Rom. 5.12 and that this death was the first death antecedent to the second death mentioned in Rov 2.11 and 20.6 14. appeareth plainly in this that this death passed over all men Rom. 5.12 but the second death set forth in those texts in the Revelations neither hath done doth nor shall passe over all men for there are some men are blessed by having a part in the first resurrection on whom the second death hath no power Rev. 20.6 Thus we find that the spirituall book of life pertaining to the observation of the first Testament established by God as appertaining to the very act of Creation was by the shall of Adam into sinne and rebellion utterly nullified so that all men by the fall of Adam as before is said were blotted out of the same But now beloved we may easily discerne that of free grace by Gods fore-knowledge of the fall the shedding of Christs pretious blood for a propitiation for those sinnes of no fewer persons than the sinnes of the whole world 1 John 2.2 John 1.29 was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1.18 19 20. And that also by that unspotted Lamb of God his being in Gods acceptation and estimation accounted of as if he had been slaine from the foundation of the world Rev. 13.8 And also that by vertue of the same generall reconciliation made Col. 1.20 Eph. 1.10 by that prepared pretious antidote its being so timely and seasonably applyed to the contagion to expell the poison of those sinnes even at the very entrance of sinne into the world that by that same efficacious meanes the sinnes of the whole world 1 John 2.2 or transgressions against the Morall Law or first Testament Heb. 9.15 Rom. 5.20 or sinnes directly against the Father as in my 9 Distinction were perfectly not imputed to them the world 2 Cor. 5.18 for God laid upon him the iniquity of us all Isa 53.6 even of us all men considering hee tasted death for no fewer than all men 2 Cor. 5.15 or every man Heb. 2.9 Thereby abolishing the curse of the Law and the eternity of the power of the first death even for all men as it is proved in my 4 and 5 Distinctions Thus Christ who is the everlasting Father and Prince of peace is the light of the world John 8.12 and the truth and the life John 4.6 the infranchising restoring Adam Acts 3.21 who swalloweth up the first death in victory as is fully proved in my 5 Distinction by that means he did bring in a restored life and immortality to light through the Gospell 2 Tim. 1.10 whereby appeareth why it is peculiarly fixed on him that in him we live and move and have our being which is not that condition of life which came in by Creation for in that respect it s said In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth and in the plurall number let us make man in hiding the blessed Trinity Gen. 1.26 that life and being was to have stood by the perfect obedience to the Law of works but that blessed first life intended for mankinde being nulled by the fall of Adam for all men then this Gospell-restored living moving and being of all men as you see is appropriated to him our Lord Christ and his restoration for all power is given unto him in Heaven and in Earth Mat. 28.18 who in restored immortall life at the finall resurrection will fully take possession of all men good and bad beleevers and unbeleevers though wilfull unbeleevers will turne the blessednesse of that immortall life formerly intended for them into a curse as appeareth by those differing sentences pronounced concerning all men where it is said when the Sonne of Man shall come in his glory come yee blessed of my Father c. and depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire Mat. 25.31 34 41. which saying fully proveth the immortality of that cursed life which is called the second death and although some men doe thus wilfully perish in the second death though being by Christ and his performances perfectly delivered from the first death yet wee finde as is before proved that life and immortality is brought againe to light through the Gospell by his restoration from the first death for and to all men to secure not only those Apostates but all men from perishing in that grisly cursed condition of the first death which otherwise would have been eternall to all By which means accomplished by Christ the everlasting Father and Prince of peace for all men the restored book of life wherein all men were then againe according to Scripture-language written entred into the world for from this very ground as I finde said the free gift came upon no fewer than all men unto justification of life in Rom. 5.18 So also I finde it thus verbatim in some reformed Bibles said Likewise then as by the sinne of one condemnation came on all men even so by the justifying of one commeth the righteousnesse that bringeth life upon all men Rom. 5.18 Thus the grace of God that bringeth salvation unto no lesse number than all men hath appeared Tit. 2.11 And hereby we find that there is a restored book of life brought into the world by and with Christ the free gift his being given to the world John 3.16 wherein by him and his costly gratious means used all men were againe written and also accordingly we finde God gratiously appearing to the world againe with this restored book of life by Moses his desiring of God for the preservation of the Jewish Nation saying blot me out of the book that thou hast written Exod. 32.32 Also there is expresse mention made of his book of life Psal 69.28 but we need no further in this cause to traverse those records for as hath been somewhat touched so more fully to satisfie the world in this very point it is plainly said he that overcommeth I will not blot his name out of the book of life Rev. 3.5 Is not this a cleare testimony of Scripture to maintain this canse we cannot shut our internall eyes so close if we be but rationall men but that we must needs know hereby considering the book of life which came in by Creation was extinguished by Adams fall that even those mens names which do not overcome were once again written in this book of life that came in by Christs restoration for else how is it possible
peace with God by Adams fall which all Adams posterity had by propriety in him whilest he stood so all men are virtually in Christ by Christ reconciled to God againe by restoration though some men after their inlightenment doe abuse that grace of their reconciliation in him and doe thereby lose the benefit thereof p. 86 The one and twentieth Distinction proveth that whereas all men were involved under the curse of the Law by the destructive first Adams fall so all men are againe blessed virtually in Christ the restoring second Adam though some men will after inlightenment voluntarily lose the eternall benefit of that blessendesse p. 89 The two and twentieth Distinction sheweth that all men are by restoration sanctifyed in Christ vertually though some men doe abuse the same and so wilfully lose the benefit of that sanctification p. 91 The three and twentieth Distinction declareth that all men by restoration are justified in Christ vertually from the curse of the Law and first death though no man is by imputation personally justified untill he be a confiding beleever p. 94 The twenty fourth Distinction wherein is proved by plaine Texts of Scripture that as all men by Adams fall were blotted out of Gods book of life that came in with the Creation so all men are in and by Christ and his performances only againe written in the book of life that came into the world by Christs restoration and that no one man hath been is or shall be blotted out thereof but by his owne personall default shewing also herein the fundamentall cause of the hereticall error of the Papists doctrine hinting herein also what the Lambs book of life is p. 101 MANKINDS JVBILEE The first DISTINCTION The first Distinction which sheweth that as all men lost their blessed first Life of Creation by the Fall and thereby fell all of them into the first death that there is a common salvation wrought by Christ warranted by Scripture which doth relieve all men from the eternall danger of the first death and from that impassibility to be ternally saved which came in by Adams Fall shewing also the difference be wixt the Old man and New man and Rationall man NOw herein I doe humbly beseech you that you will not undervalue extenuate nor deface the fulnesse of the litteral sence expressed in divers places of Scripture by the Holy Ghost in its speaking of Christs performances on his part intended for the eternall salvation of all men as these following and the like That as God is not willing that any should perish but that no fewer than all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 That even so accordingly because all men are cast into unability to know the truth by the fall therefore God will have all men saved and come unto the the knowledge of the truth Note that it is not here said that God desires it only or would have it so or that he will have but some men saved but absolutely God will have no fewer than all men saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 And againe it is said of Christ who gave himselfe a ransome for all men 1 Tim. 2.6 Herein Christs obedience to performe that expresse will of his Father appeareth to be by Ransome a Saviour for no fewer than all men Also it is said that by the Grace of God he should taste death for every man Heb. 2.9 Here is the fundamentall means of effecting that absolute gratious will of God set forth to be for no lesse number than all men Also a believer hath testified unto beleevers in the word saying And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for our sins only but also for the sins of the whol world 1 John 2.2 By this the extent of Christs being a propitiation by his tasting death for every man is discovered to take full effect with God for the sins that were against the first Testament Heb. 9.15 Rom. 5.20 for no fewer than the sins of the whole world or every man Also it is said that God had purposed in himselfe that in the dispensation of the fulnesse of time to gather together in one not only all men but all things in Christ whether they be things in Heaven or things on Earth even in him Eph. 1.10 And to shew that this was a reconciled gathering together of all men in Christ it is said that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe not imputing their trespasses to them 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20 but he laid upon him the iniquity of us all Isa 53.6 And yet further plainly to shew that this reconcilsiation was not made onely for the world of the elect as some have vainly fained It is further affirmed that it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell and having made peace by the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile not only all men they being his choice earthly thing by Creation but also by him to reconcile all things to himselfe By him I say whether they be things in Heaven or things on earth Col. 1.19 20. Thus you see God in the attribute of his Justice and Truth reconciled to all men in Christ by free mercy and from this generall mercy of God in Christ towards all men in a common salvation that famous discovery of the Angell was publikely proclaimed and unanimously consirmed by a multitude of the Heavenly Host saying with a remarkeable ecce Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people that this day is born unto you in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord on earth peace good will towards men Luke 2.10 11. herein not excepting any one man Thus is Christ proclaimed to be a Saviour for no fewer than all people or all men And the Apostle Jude in his diligent course to maintain that salvation which he expresly calleth the common salvation exhorteth that we should earnestly contend for the faith that was once given to the Saints which appears to be given to those Saints Abraham Isaac and Jacob which was by promise often repeated to them that in their seed should no fewer then all the Nations and Families of the Earth be blessed as in Gen. 18.18 and 26.4 and 28.14 without excepting any one man and accordingly Paul did so highly esteem of I it us in this respect that he called him his owne sonne after the common faith Tit. 1.4 And accordingly further teached him that the grace of God that bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared Tit. 2.11 And all this generall mercy extended as in Romans 5. by the free gifts comming upon no fewer than all men unto Justification of Life or as I finde it in a reformed Bible in the same Chapter thus that as by the sinne of one condemnation came on all men even so by the justifying of one commeth the righteousnesse that bringeth life upon all men by which means as is
terrible second death and from hence appears clearly that some men that are really ransomed as is before said yet are not eternally saved Yet though our Saviour Christs offices of Ransomer or Redeemer by a price paid doe but deliver all men from the impossibility to be eternally saved which came over all men by Adams fall yet the Scripture further affirmeth that to those men that by and in that freedome and ability procured by that ransome or price paid that do turne them at his reproofe he will then abundantly poure out his spirit unto them and make known his words unto them Prov. 1.23 yet those and such additionall high favours are not part of the barely Ransomed Condition though that made way for it but is only Gods performing of the grace freely given by a promise to such by vertue of the second Covenant even to all such men as doe walk before him thankfully and obediently by the ability by grace given them in their ransomed Condition or their Redemption by a price paid from the first Covenant or Morall Law God having had experience of their beleeving in the freedome by the ransome procured And now beloved because this cause is very weighty be pleased with patience to take yet further notice how gratiously God doth discover to us the extent of the common salvation and of the strength of ransome and redemption by a price paid by his coupling the offices of Christ as Saviour of all men or ransome of all in one Text together where it is said I exhort therefore that first of all prayers and intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men note this for all men For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth For there is but one Mediatour between God and man the Man Christ Jesus who gave himselfe a ransome for all to be a testimony or to be testified in due time 1 Tim. 2.1 3 4 5 6. Thus you see that God in expresse positive words will have no fewer than all men saved he will have it so But here the question may be how far will God have no fewer than all men to be saved This question is answered by God himselfe in that very Text first that as all men are utterly disabled by Adams fall to know the truth so God absolutely will by Christ the Ransomer have all men saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth which is to know God for God is truth Tit. 1.2 And no man can be brought to the knowledge of the truth but he must also be inabled to beleeve that the truth presented to him is the truth Thus removing the impossibility that came in by Adams fall Secondly the common salvation of all men without accepting any one man mentioned in 1. Tim. 2.4 is so farre there limited in its kinde that it shall be of no larger extent for the benefit of all men in generall then Christs office of a Ransomer will afford or maintaine Thus we finde here that all men in the generality are only so farre really saved in the common salvation according to the 4 verse as his office of a Ransomer by a price paid will extend according to verse 6. that is by his owne performances to recover to all men the knowledge of the truth as is manifest by comparing verse 4 and verse 6 together which ability to know God and the truth of Gods grace and goodnesse all men lost by Adams fall which without Christs assistance would have procured the eternall destruction of all Which truth so to all men made known being by any man thankfully and obediently accepted and faithfully and abidingly confided in will give those men possession of entrance into eternall life here in this life and in the life to come fulnesse of injoyment thereof with all the blessed eternall priviledges and blessings thereto belonging which were all lost for all men by Adams fall Thus by these Texts compated Christ is declared to be for all men a saving Ransomer or a ransoming Saviour by a price paid to take away the impossibility and to bring all men to the knowledge of the truth which is the utmost which those texts maintain to belong to a Ransomer by a price paid But beloved take notice that I doe not insist herein upon any other redemptions which God exerciseth by a strong hand without a consideration given or price paid for so he brought forth or redeemed Israel out of Egypt with a strong hand and so he establisheth confiding beleevers out of the common salvation wherein men may make shipwrack of faith and a good co science 1 Tim. 1. 19. into the speciall salvation keeping them by his power that they shall never perish 1 Pet. 1.5 So he may be said to redeem any man without any price paid from manifold dangers these redemptions or ransomings which God doth without giving or receiving a consideration or price paid are innumerable and though the price of of the pretious blood of Christ hath first made way for all these that they may be in due season afforded to men yet are they not in their single branches acted by God according to mens necessities by a price paid the refore I pray you to observe that I herein doe insist only upon the extent of deliverance of all mankind for whom Christs pretious blood-shed was made the consideration laid down in full pay in hand to take away the impossibility to be eternally saved which unavoidably came over all Adams posterity by his fall that so all men might be made capable subjects to receive at Gods gratious hand all other redemptions ransomings or deliverances without any price paid as God in his heavenly wisdome will communicate Thus beloved we find that although the common salvation perfected by Christ alone for all men barely considered in it selfe doth but remove the impossibility which came upon all men by Adams fall to be eternally saved and doth but estate all men at one time or other in due season in a reall possibility or restored ability in themselves in the inward man to obtaine eternall life yet that it is a reall salvation of it selfe intended on Gods part therein and thereby to inable all men so as in their well usage of that ability they might attaine to enjoy eternall salvation and all the eternall blessed priviledges thereto belonging which ability conferred on all men in the common salvation being by any man beleeved and chearfully and obediently made use of it it doth not only open the door into but also puts such beleeving men into the speciall salvation wherein in due season in their patient and faithfull striving indeavours to keep close in their dependance in God alone they come to be established rooted and built up in him Rom. 1.11 Col. 2.7 with such inlarged knowledge and experience of God and his goodnesse as is
of grace if by men persisted in against the dictates of the Holy Ghost which second death is also the reserve for punishment at the last judgement day in relation to mens soules and bodies united by the resurrection to preserve from which Christs death hath no relation to diminish much lesse abolish as is fully proved in my 11 Distinction Thus far to prove that it is the first death which together with the first Testament is abolished This recovery of all men from the eternall curse of the law and first death is a salvation purchased by Christ himselfe alone without men for all men whether any man doth beleeve that Gospell-tidings or not and no man enjoyeth the comfortable use thereof personally in his conscience but beleevers only The sixth Distinction sheweth that as Christ hath by the said salvation first wrought in himselfe laid the foundation of the common salvation of all men by his personall performances upon the earth without men so herein is declared how he finisheth the same by his spirit in all men by his resurrection and ascension into Heaven and by his their being IN which point we are to observe that our Saviour Christ having out of his love to mankind by that costly price paying of his pretious blood shed purchased and obtained of the Father the dominion and Lordship over all men both the living and the dead for which very end expresly Christ dyed rose and revived Rom. 14.9 So to make it appear to all men notwithstanding the hard conceit which some men against Scripture will harbour against him that he is no hard Master in his dominion nor intendeth no destructive ends therein to any one man by reaping where he soweth not and gathering where he stroweth not which he rejecteth Mat. 25.24 He will make it appear to publick view that he will charitably be to all men as the tender hearted dresser of the Vineyard who would not have the barren tree cut down although it had been a long time barren before he have digged about it and dunged it and also waited upon it a convenient time to make tryall what good effects would proceed therefrom by the sufficient means which he lovingly and diligently had therewith used according to Luke 13.7 8 9. He will have the world see that he will not put impossibilities upon men to be performed by them by putting yokes upon their necks which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare as some tyrannically did upon the Disciples Acts 15.10 No no my beloved there is no such matter to be found in him wee have experience of his faithfull and tender dealing with all men in our Types the Jewes for God required no oblation of beasts or other Creatures to be by them rendred to him untill he first inabled them to perform those his Commandements by giving them those Creatures so required by him Also God commanded them not to go forth in warfare against their enemies but as he gave them and assisted them with sufficient means that they might thereby become victorious God expected not that the fallen Angels should keep their first created blessed estate untill he had first inabled them to keep that their first habitation But more especially we are to keep in memory Gods just and gratious dealing with our grand parent Adam who was the publick generall pattern of Gods intention in this point to all mankinde for we shall assuredly finde that though God did not in the counsell of his own immense widome establish him by Creation so as he could not fall yet we find that God gratiously did not require his obedience to perform the keeping of those first precepts he gave him to observe untill he had first given him ability in himselfe whereby he might have been exactly obedient thereto Now considering this grace granted to and in our exemplary parent shall we once perfidiously question or suppose that God who commandeth no fewer than al men not only in some particular places but every where to repent Acts 17.30 doth require of any one of mankind their obedience of faith and repentance to be performed by them according to the second Covenant which is of grace as to be eternally punished for their di obedience thereto before he hath notwithstanding their by the fall naturall unabilities inabled them in the inward man minde and will to perform the same If any man be still possest with such false surmises of God then for satisfaction let us read and seriously consider of our Saviour Christs Commission Concerning the large extent of Gods love in Christ not only to some men but to all mankind Did Moses though but the servant to whom Christ in conduct and other respects was to be like him Deut. 18.18 Did he in the Type by his Commission conduct and instruct and bring no fewer than all the Children of Israel out of the prison house of the Egyptian bondage from under the tyrannicall hand of cruell Pharaoh the Type of the Devill his captiving all men at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 whilst they doe remaine in that naturall darknesse that came over all men by Adams fall Then observe what Christ the obedient Sonne doth by the strength of his Commission for all men being all by nature imprisoned Captives spiritually captived under Sathans tyranny Wherein first note that as all men in their naturall estate are so imprisoned and captivated by the Devils works originally that for this purpose the Sonne of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devill 1 John 3.8 And accordingly God saith concerning Christ I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou maiest be my salvation unto the ends of the earth Isa 49.6 This in reference to the common salvation is without limitation and that this salvation is for the benefit of all men or all mankinde observe what God further saith my righteousnesse shall be for ever and my salvation from generation to generation Isa 51.8 Thus is the promise performed that was divers times promised to Abraham Isaac and Jacob that in their seed should no fewer than all the Nations and all the Families of the earth be blessed Note that these expressions of salvation and blessednesse are not limited either in respect of time place or person Again I will give thee for a Covenant of the people the Jewes and for a light of the Gentiles to open the blind eyes to bring out the prisoners out of prison and them that sit in darknesse out of the prison house Isa 42.7 This is more than the opening of the prison doors of Sathans spiritual inthralment that all imprisoned mankind may go out for by this his mission he is to bring out the captives out of that captivity and darkness This grace is unlimited yet this doth not prove but that some men may wilfully and voluntarily after their inlightenments return to that captivity againe And our Saviour faith I am the light of the world John
beleeving except it be in the case of his establishing of persistingly abiding humbled beleevers after some tryall of their faith into the priviledges of the speciall salvation which especiall salvation is set forth in my nineteenth Distinction For we have many examples therein that God doth not so over-power inabled ones before he hath had some tryall of their faithfull constancy to keep the faith which they are by grace inabled to doe Eph. 1.12 13. for observe though it may be said that he compelled the refusing guests to know of the reality of the Feast and his good will therein intended to them by his inviting of them which reality they questioned not much lesse denyed for they in effect confest that by their desiring to be excused for their not comming to it yet you see that God did not by an almighty power further compell those knowing though refusing guests to come to the feast much lesse to seed thereon reither did he compell that party not having a wedding garment to abide at the Feast although he had by command compelled him to come into it Neither do we read that he compelled any other of the guests to feed on the Feast though he had compelledly brought them in to it and inabled them to feed thereon Neither in our Types the Jewes after he had given beasts and other creatures to offer whereby they were by him made able to offer up to him in Sacrifices such of them as he to that end required of them yet did he not then compell them by an Almighty power to offer up those beasts to him whether they would or not Neither though God had used such compulsion by the fire as raised the scum in the seething pot so as men might themselves have taken it off which represents his dealing with all men yet you see he did not use a further Almighty power to take it off himselfe nor to inforce them so to doe Neither when he had given the children of Israel weapons and ability to enter into the terrestriall land of Canaan then compell them by an almighty power to beat out their enemies in Moses time Neither though God made the fallen Angels to receive the possession of their blessed first estate and made them to receive ability in themselves to keep that their first habitation yet you see God did not further than compell those Angels to keep that their estate or first habitation And although it may be in some sort said that he compelled Adam First to enjoy a living being Secondly to receive the actuall possession of his blessed estate prepared for him by the grace of Creation And Thirdly made him to receive an ability in himselfe to have kept that his blessed glorious estate yet you see God did not by a further Almighty power compel him whether he would then or not to keep and continue in in obedience and to keep that his blessed estate although herein in this point he was the great and leading patterne of Gods intention concerning all mankind to the whole succeeding world and al we his posterity by his example are not to expect at gods hands though he doth by Christ inable all men evangelically to keep the second Covenant which is of grace as he did inable Adam perfectly to keep the first Covenant of works by doing that he will furnish his posterity with a more established condition than he did him our grand parent and exemplary patterne And so farre he doth inable all men that they all may or might be obedient for as hath been said and indeed cannot too often be said that our blessed Saviour Christ by a salvation first purchased at a dear rate by himselfe alone by his sufferings and performances upon the earth for al men with out men and then by his resurrection and ascension into Heaven or by his being in Heaven from thence by his spirit operating in all men and thereby inabling all men in the inward man in due season so effectually as that thereby they all by beleeving might obtaine eternall life yet as hath been said and proved no man is compelled by a further Almighty power to abide inbeleeving or obedience to the faith whether they then when being so inabled will or not neither so over-powered that they shall not be able to close their internall eyes againe lest so remaining seeing they should be healed as we see those did Mat. 13.15 Yet God never faileth in due season when he seeth fit to establish persisting abiding humbled beleevers who are found to have some good progresse in the faith by their well using that ability by grace given them these he establisheth in the priviledges of the speciall salvation wherein he sealeth them after they beleeved with the holy spirit of promise Eph. 1.13 and therein affordeth them many gratious spirituall visits as to eate of the hidden Manna and also giveth them a white stone with a new name written in it which no man knows but he that receives it Rev. 2.17 And observe that by this reall ability aforesaid by Christ communicated unto all men from thence he saith without me you can do nothing John 15.5 therewith also exhorting men to abide in that ability by beleeving John 15.4 6. and there also sheweth the danger of those men that will not abide also from that ability received beleeving people doe triumphantly say Not of our selves but by thee only will we make mention of thy name Isa 26.13 and in consideration that some people do willingly and chearfully act in that by grace restored ability given to all men to know the truth which God foreknowing they by him are called Gods people or elect according to his foreknowledge agreeable to the proofes cite in my 17 Distinction and from hence it is said thy people shall come willingly in the day of thy power Psal 110.3 Thus herewith keeping in our memories though God in compassion saith what could I have done more to my vineyard that I have not done Isa 5.4 Which vineyard as in the Type representeth all the men of the world as appeareth 1 Cor. 6.11 yet you see he did not by an almighty power force them to bring forth good fruit but he proceeded only by taking away the obstructions that hindered them so to doe that they might by the benefit of that good means used with them bring forth good fruit and then expected good fruit from them or their owne performances in their good use of that means he had gratiously used with them as fully appears in Isa 5. And whereas God said what could I have done more for my vineyard you know that God could if he had so pleased by his Almighty power have so established them as that they no waies could have brought forth bad fruit but he having in his transcendent wisdome after the counsell of his owne will Eph. 1.11 determined not to invest mankind in genenerall in any further ability in themselves but only by taking away
hereby what pregnant speaking voices and preaching manifestations as the Text saith fitted for all languages are communicated by Gods spirit by the Creatures to every one of them Heathens and all the world to make manifest the goodnesse of God to them and all other men and in their conscience to cause them to confide therein if they resist not also it is said he that beleeveth in him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Rom. 4.5 Now you know it is God that justifieth Rom. 8.33 though Christ be the only means of justification propitiatory here also you see that faith in God justifieth by Christ although Christ by name in his performances be not discovered Againe all Kings of the earth and all people are called upon to praise his name Psal 148.11 Then certainly although many Kings and people have not Christ crucified or them revealed to them yet there is a true reall cause besides acfcountable temporall mercies whereby they are all obliged to praise his name and ability given them whereby they may so doe else that command were injurious and fallacious which is the highest degree of blasphemy to affirme those to be in God But if we will be ruled by the Apostle he tels us that there is no difference between the Jew and the Greeke for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him Rom 10.12 though Christs name be not discovered to some men and though in outward Ordinances they differ and this he affirmeth in a leading way to discover the generall Creature teaching in the 18 verse of the same Chapter and as fully Acts 10.34 35. Also our Saviour commendeth and incourageth men in that sort of beleeving in God where the knowledge of himselfe is not obteined saying for their incouragement that so confide in God Let not your hearts be troubled ye beleeve in God beleeve also in me John 13.1 Thus though confirming their faith which they were in yet thereby gently instructing them to beleeve in him also where he is made known Thus the grace of God bringeth salvation unto no fewer than all men Tit. 2.11 and by this means aforesaid we find how that the Gospell was and is preached to every Creature that is under Heaven according to Col. 1.23 And why should the Christians stumble at this truth shall their eye be evill because God is good Mat. 2.15 or why should any Christian offer to part those whom God hath joyned together in the great and good Gospell-tidings Luke 2.10 and in the generall blessing in Christ promised often to Abraham Isaac and Jacob that in their seed should no fewer than all the Nations of the earth and all the families of the earth be blessed But what now beloved hath God lest us without evident examples of this his gracious dealing even with the heathens also to confirme this Scripture Doctrine Hath he not for our further confirmation therein set forth Lydia who is honoured with respect to to be one that worshipped God even before shee closed in with the religious principles either of the Jewes or Christians Acts 16.14 Also Rahab the Harlot a Gentile is ranked amongst those worthies Heb. 11. her faith being only a confiding in the God of Israels power and goodnesse Joshua 2.9 10. there being no mention of her faith in Christ for she was then no proselyted Jew much lesse a Christian We have also the example of Job and his godly friends which were neither Jewes nor Christians Also the Centurion the Roman Officer who though he was no Jew nor then joined to the Christians yet our Saviour exceedingly commends his faith Mat. 8.10 Also we have for example a woman of Canaan having also no knowledge of Christ as a Saviour by his sufferings death and resurrection and yet our Saviour did not only approve of her faith but rather admires at it saying O woman great is thy faith Mat. 15.23.28 Also we have for example Cornelius whose prayers and almes same as for a memorial before God Acts to 4. he being then no proselyted Jew and before he was by Peter made acquainted with the vertue of Christs sufferings death and resurrection Whereupon Peter after he was instructed by an efficacious vision that he should not call any man note that he should not call any man common or unclean Acts 10.28 then by way of admiration he opened his mouth and said of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him hereby including any person in any Nation whatsoever whether they be Christians or not that fear God and worke righteousnesse as Cornelius was found to doe before he was instructed in Christianity And further to clear Gods impartiality amongst very many other places peruse Deut. 10.17 Romans 2.11 1 Peter 1 17. And considering that Paul was instructed of God not to call any man common or uncleane I hope it will be a sufficient caveat for all Christians to be wary of slighting or undervaluing of such multitudes of Heathens which have been and are or probably may hereafter be in the world As if God hath not nor doth not afford them effectuall means whereby in their good use thereof they might be eternally saved because he doth not afford them the outward priviledges of Christianity for from this number of godly Heathens by Scripture nominated we cannot but in all probability conclude that there hath been is and will be great multitudes of such godly Heathen Saints from the beginning of the world to the end thereof Thus as before I gave you a hint what Christ did by his personall performances upon the earth by his descension from Heaven by that salvation wrought in himself for all men to plant the foundation of the common salvation of all men So now herein I have presented to you a taste of what our Saviour Christ hath done and doth in men by his being ascended and sitting at his Fathers right hand from thence by his spirit finishing the common salvation of all men whereby also considering that all men are therein inabled with a possibility or ability in themselves whereby in their well usage thereof they may obtaine eternall life A great part of the excellency of the restored second life of all mankinde by Christ procured by his swallowing up mankinds first death in victory which came over all men Rom. 5.12 by Adams fall is laid open to publick view and without this ability of grace on all men even on them that doe choose darknesse rather than light those refusers could neither know saving truth from falfhood nor light from darknesse nor could not depart from the faith 1 Tim. 4.1 they never had neither could any man make ship wrack of faith and a good conscience as some did 1 Tim. 1.19 and so their refuall of grace would be in the ballance of justice and equity excusable Especially considering that all
actuall and personall persisting abuse of grace and so are twice dead and not only so but plucked up by the roots also to whom is reserved blacknesse and darknesse for ever Jude 12 13. This is the second death so much mentioned in Scripture Rev. 20.6 14. and else where And now for the clearing the cause of Election and Reprobation these six objections next following are distinctly answered The twelth Distinction wherein the wrong application of the simile of the Potter and his clay is discovered OBserve herein that whereas it is said hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one vessell unto honour and another unto dishonour Rom. 9.21 Wherein the mistakes arise because the same lump herein mentioned hath by some men been understood to be the whole Creature lump of mankinde whereas in truth God doth not challenge any more or larger prerogative to himselfe in that aforesaid Text of Rom. 9.21 than he doth in that antient president of his concerning the Potter and his Clay plainly recoded in Jer 18. From which antient Scripture Grancouther or lively description what is meant by the Potter and his Clay that Text of Rom. 9.21 is punctually derived which antient exact platforme exemplarily doth make manifest unto any man in all the world that desire to know the truth that by the Clay on the Potters wheel is not meant the generall Creature Lump of all mankinde considered of as in one lump out of which one lump God takes some men and refuses others by his will and power only as some men have vainly imagined but that by the same lump is meant as in Ier. 18. the house of Israel vorse 6. or the Lump of a nation-or a Kingdome verse 7. or the severall lumps of particular mens persons in their individuals verses 11 12. where is much to be observed however some godly men have overlooked this true sense that though all men were made dishonourable vessels by Adams fall yet that God hath by the Grace of restoration made all men honourable vessels virtually in Christ by Christ as appeareth that not only all men but all things are reconciled to God gathered together in one in Christ even in him as by Scripture is fully proved in my 20 Distinction and hath made all men all Nations or all families of the earth blessed in him as is proved in my 21 Distinction and hath sanctified all men in him as is proved in my 22 Distinction and hath by reconciling the world unto himselfe in him by non-imputation of the worlds sinnes unto them justified all men in him vertually from all their transgressions against the first Testament as is by Scripture proved in my 22 Distinction And though all men by Adams fall were blotted out of Gods book of life which came in with the Creation yet he hath by Christ written all men in his book of life againe which came in by Christs restoration as is by Scripture proved in my 24 Distinction By this means by him making all men honourable vessels vertually in him though no man be in himselfe actually and personally reconciled or blessed or sanctified or justified or doth unalterably remaine written in Gods restored book of life untill he be actually and personally thankfully contented with Christ the Potter his so well forming him upon his restoring Potters wheele and doe patiently abide in thankfull beleeving and because all men are unable to beleeve by nature therefore he enableth all men to beleeve as is proved in my 6 Distinction primarily intending to preserve all men on his Potters wheele of restoration that they being so by grace inabled might by their complyance to his well-forming hand thereon be so farre honourable vessels as to be eternally saved as is by holy writ fully proved in my 6 and 7 Distinctions which I doe intreat you to peruse Thus it evidently appeareth that God is so farre from marring any people Nation Kingdome or particular person before they persistingly doe marre themselves as that on his part his tender care is so great over every one of them lest they should contrary to his gratious prime intention marre themselves under his gratious hand upon his Potters wheele and so by their rebellion provoke him their gratious intending and inabling Potter justly to make of them the same particular lumps or persons dishonourable vessels that to prevent their marring themselves he by his spirit gratiously sends his Prophets Apostles and Word and Ministers and glorious creatures throughout the world Dinstinction 6 and 7 as he did his servant Ieremy not only to that Nation in generall but also to every one of them to perswade every one of them to turn from their evill waies but those persons the similized clay said we will walk after our evill devises and we will every one note every one doe the imagination of his evill heart as those that refused to hearken and did stop their ears at the gratious counsels of God and not God by reprobation but they themselves doe make their hearts as an adamant stone lest they should heare the Law and the words which the Lord of Hosts hath sent in his spirit Zech. 7.12 to those persisting rebellious people Thus finding fault with God not for his making them dishonourable vessels first as some men have vainly imagined but for finding fault for themselves with Gods care over them and good means used with them as Adam did once for all men by their in effect saying to him that so well formed them why hast thou made me thus yet no doubt God doth for gratious reproving ends put men into many hard afflictions and conditions which some men by making a wrong use thereof doe rebelliously struggle against God and do wrongfully charge him to have made them dishonourable vessels even in the time of his mercifull chastisements to purge and refine them Such men the Apostle doth advise to take heed as Ieremy had done for example to the Jewes for feare that though God hath made them honourable vessels vertually in his Son as in my 20 21 22 23 24 Distinctions Yet for their resisting or finding fault with the well-forming hand of their Maker as Adam did he doth then and not till then justly make of those lumps of particular mens persons dishonourable vessels Which truth is fully and particularly maintained in this sence in that antient patterne of the Potter and his Clay in Jer. 18. And herein I do intreat you to note that if the same lump herein mentioned be taken for the whole lump of Mankinde then behold how injurious that sence is both to God and man for from thence they say though I passe by mens grossest application that God foreseeing all men or that whole lump to be polluted with sin by Adams fall that God by his prerogative royall power and absolute will only did then by preterition passe by or did decree to leave some men without any hope of effectuall means
is proved in my 14 and 15 Distinctions But it may be some men will say hereto that if God doth by Christ only set all mens wils free and so only enable all men to beleeve and abide in beleeving and doth further by an almighty power over power some men to beleeve and to abide in beleeving but then leaves it to their will as he did to Adam our publick pattern Then God at all adventure did commit his dearely beloved Sonne to suffer death for all men not being sure that any one of them would accept of any benefit there-from so that God was not sure that the glory of his mercy should be magnified by any of the sonnes of men and so you by this your tenent in this respect say Christ might have suffered his agonies and torments of death in vain To which I answer that Gods mercies aforesaid would have been magnified in all men although all men had refused it And for example herein note that even those that doe refuse that mercy purchased for they by Christ shall one day bow the knee to him and not only those that do beleeve in him but every tongue shal confesse even those that in this life time will not that Christ should reigne over them by his spirit Luke 18.14 shall confesse that Jesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God Phil. 2.11 for the wilfull unbeleefe of men shall not make the faith or faithfulnesse of Gods intentions towards them without effect Rom. 3.3 for God shall be justified of all men when he is judged Romans 4.26 Psalme 51.4 And in this point the unrighteousnesse of men shall commend the righteousnesse of God Rom. 3.5 because his operations to for and in them were really and gratiously intended for their salvation though they have abused his mercy and the Apostle to this end affirmeth if wee beleeve not yet he abideth faithfull he cannot deny himselfe 2 Tim. 2.13 which I pray observe Thus we finde that whether men do make good use of Gods mercies or not which as the golden Scepter is holden forth to all men yet not only all men but according to Scripture Luke 2.10 all the glorious Host of Heaven shall or will glorifie God not only in his justice but also for his faithfulness on his part gratiously intended and accordingly extended forth to all men or every man You know beloved that though God did fore-know that the Angels that fell would abuse his mercy yet he estated them in his mercy and also inabled them to remaine therein and he dispossest not them of that blessed estate but it was they that kept not their first estate and left their own habitation Jude 6. You know also that God did fore-know that Adam would not continue in his grace and goodnesse extended unto him by Creation yet you see that God proceeded on and did Create the world for Mankinds use and also gave Adam power to keep that his first blessed estate and forsook not him untill he forsook God first therefore it is no strange thing that God proceeded on and did by Christs performances establish the restoration of all men in inabling them in the inward man though he did foreknow that some men though infranchised and inabled by the restoration would reject his mercy purchased therein for them by Christ But in further answer know that although Adam did rebelliously refuse to continue in Gods grace of Creation yet accordinly as hath been proved that as all men are inabled by Christ so God did fore-know that some men would by that ability given them by their well usage thereof accept of and abide in his mercy by Christ procured for all and did fore-know that some men would chearfully yield obedience to the faith so that I hope you shall not need to be further troubled with that fallacious feare thus knowing that God runs not into any hazard in anything that he hath done doth or ever will doe or suffer to be done Observe herewith that Gods foreknowledge of what mankinde the Creature will in future doe puts no necessity upon any man so to doe but leaveth all men after inablement in a voluntary estate by restoration as our grand patterne ADAM was left by Creation The eighteenth Distinction is a short application of these last six Distinctions for further clearing the cause of election and reprobation FOR the discovery of Election and Reprobation and what is the cause of them if it please you we will take a little review of what to that purpose hath been said in my last six Distinctions In my twelfth Distinction which is concerning the Potter and his Clay it is proved that God maketh no dishonourable vessels unlesse it be by way of just punishment for marring of themselves under his well-intending forming hand and that God doth sharpely reprove such men that do charge him to make an imperfect work or dismembred one or a work that is worth nothing as some translations have it Isa 45.9 and also it is therein proved that Jeremy plainly setteth forth that by that one lump or same lump Rom. 9.21 It is not meant the one totall lump of all mankinde as some men fallaciously to maintaine eternall reprobation would have it but that by that one or same lump is meant the particular lumps of severall Kingdomes distinguished Nations and particular persons which God hath on his part first by Christ put into a good condition and would upon his Potters wheel by good meanes used with them under his well intending hand so preserve them for ever if they the Clay do not persist in resisting his good intent finding fault of and for themselves with his good form put on them by restoration as Adam did for all at the blessed Creation in effect complaining against the former good why hast thou made me thus to be governed by thee and to depend on thee no I will doe the abomination of my evil heart as those very men the Clay answered their gratious exhorting Potter as amongst many places so in Jer. 18.12 wherein the originall description of the Potter and his Clay is recorded from whence Rom. 9.21 is derived and that God doth not forsake any one man before that man doth actually and personally forsake him first And considering that it is proved in my 13 Distinction that God doth no where say that before Esau was born he hated Esau with an eternall hatred but that expression of hatred is only a recitall of what God did speake to Malachi concerning Esau many hundred of years after Esau was born in which long processe of time God had received long and exact experience not only of Esau's prophanenesse but also of all his personall and his posterities tyrannicall injurious behaviour both to himselfe and the posterity of Jacob. And that the expression of God concerning his hatred of Esau mentioned in Mal. 1.2 3. was but exemplary to shew that no mans wickednesse shall be sheltred from Gods indignation
by his having to his parent or brother or kinsman such a person whom God loveth And that sometimes in Scripture-phrase hatred is but the expression of a lesser degree of love as there in that saying the elder shall serve the younger And considering that Gods hatred in their sence as applyed to mans eternall reprobation or preterition is so destructively opposite to Gods owne words that he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 and that he desires not or delighteth not in the death of him that dieth but exhorteth them to turn themselves and live Ezck. 18.32 and that he is good to all and that his tender mercies are not onely over some but over all his works Psal 145.9 And that quite contrary to their imagined conceipt that God forsaketh some men eternally before after their infranchisement they actually forsake him God affirmeth that he doth not willingly afflict no nor so much as grieveth the children of men Lam. 3.33 Why then should not we beleeve God rather than men considering the election and hatred there mentioned extends but to an earthly superiority for Jacob and a temporall servitude for Esau and that their fancied preterition from reall means before men doe actually and personally forsake God is in truth if ript open but a disguised reprobation for one that hath power to doe it and doth keep from a man his food may as really kill that man so as if he cut off his head with a sword And considering that it is proved by Scripture in my 14 Distinction that it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth in that darknesse or by that ability which he hath by generation naturally from fallen Adams loines but of God who doth set free all mens wils in due season and so doth enable all men by his free grace that they by their well usage of that ability may acceptably by imputation will and runne by their beleeving And considering that even then also it is of God that sheweth mercy even to beleevers in mercy by Christ opening a way for it and then in mercy forgiving their imperfections both in their faith and in their works also And considering that even beleevers are in themselves ungodly it is only of God that sheweth mercy it is of him that will have it so according to his second Covenant in that he doth predestinate according to his owne purpose who worketh all things after the counsell of his own will not that those predestinated by his absolute will and power only should but that those who in his fore-knowledge first trusted in Christ or before beleeved in Christ as some translations have it or fore-known lovers of God should be to the prais of his glory and that those men should be sealed with the holy spirit of promise not before by Gods absolute will and power only but after they beleeved as the coherence of the Text in plain words rendereth Eph. 1.11 12 13. Thus God will have mercy on him and will impute his faith for righteousnesse that maketh war against sinne and yet in the lively apprehension of his owne ungodlinesse departeth not from the goodnesse of the living God but confidingly doth beleeve in him that justifieth the ungodly according to Rom. 4.5 So by those Scripture-testimonies spunging out that grosse delusive construction from that Text derived that God will have mercy on some men and will harden the residue of men considered of as Creatures only as by his absolute will and power only or for fore-known sin before men do or can actually or personally forsake him And considering of the same impartiality of our faithfull Creator concerning his equall and just dealing with all men according to 1 Pet. 1.17 as is proved in my 15 Distinction and that their mentally conceal'd partiality of God doth destroy his Gospell-grace published which is according to mens performances of his conditions annexed thereto by them to be obtained And considering that it is proved by Scripture in my 16 Distinction that God hardneth no mans heart before he hath persisted in hardning his owne heart and that the very Idolatrous Philistines to the shame of some Christians did apply Pharaohs and his peoples misery to be by himselfe brought upon himself justly by his and his peoples hardning of their own hearts first as exemplary concerning all men so persisting And considering that it is proved in my 17 Distinction that God doth predestinate some men to bee conformed to the image of his Sonne but not according to his absolute will and power only nor as he fore-knoweth men to be of more noble parentage nor as being more wealthy nor as being born in more famous Kingdomes or Nations than some others are nor meerly as Creatures without having respect in his fore-knowledge either to their doing good or bad but that the Scripture affirmeth that God predestinates according as he fore-knoweth men to belovers of God according to Rom. 8. and that in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him Acts 10.34 35. And moreover considering that God doth choose no man but in Christ Eph. 1.4 then you know that no man is in Christ actually by imputation untill he be an actuall beleever therefore he chooseth none to salvation but such as either are or he fore-knoweth will in future be in Christ by actuall beleeving for it is manifest that though God doth choose or set apart some men for himselfe yet that he maketh not that choice according to his absolute will and power only but know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himselfe Psal 4.3 And affirmeth that those men doe turne his glory into shame and do love vanity that do affirm the contrary ver 2. From all these considerations herein mentioned and many more in Scripture we may warrantably and safely conclude that neither predestination election preterition or reprobation do proceed from God upon any one man by vertue of Gods absolute will and power only nor that he doth forsake any one man for fore-known sinnes but doth continue in using good means whereby all men in their well usage thereof might be eternally saved untill that man doth give a just occasion for God to forsake him by his wilfull forsaking of God first personally persistingly and actually after his inlightenment and infranchisement The nineteenth Distinction is briefly to shew what the speciall salvation is mentioned in 1 Tim. 4.10 as distinct from the common salvation which is in that Text therewith coupled HErein we are to take notice that as all men are enabled by and in the common salvation to beleeve and abide in beleeving so the speciall salvation is that condition or estate which after mens turning in at wisdomes reproofe by their abiding in beleeving and depending on Gods goodnesse only shee doth then poure out her spirit unto them and maketh knowne her words unto them according to
infirmities though by them acted against Christ in or under the Covenant of grace as is proved in my 10 14 and 15 Distinctions but covereth them in and by Christ From hence it is said by the Apostle Paul from the Prophet David blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sinnes are covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lordwill not impute sinne Psal 32.1 2. Rim. 1.8 Thus though all men are blessed in Christ from their transgressions against the first Testament which unavoidably comes upon them by Adams fall by their being not imputed unto them as in my 4 10 and 11 Distinctions Yet some men will as hath been touched by their wilfull persisting in unbeliefe transforme all their actuall sinnes into sinnes against grace and so against the Holy Ghost and thereby never obtaine a personall blessednesse in themselves by a non-imputation of those their sinnes against the second Covenant or covenant of grace which they might have escaped if they had well used their ability given them in the common salvation or blessed condition where with all men are infallibly blessed in Christ vertually as is proved not only in this but also in my 4 5 6 7 10 11 20 22 23 and 24 Distinctions The two and twentieth Distinction sheweth that all men are by restoration sanctified in Christ vertually though some men doe abuse the same and so wilfully lose the benefit of that their Sanctification HErto note that in our Types Moses with the blood of Calves and Goats sprinked the people Exod. 4.8 and he sanctified not only some but all the people of the Jewes for none is excepted Exod. 19.14 which are our examples or Types 1 Cor. 16.6 11. Also note that the bodies of those beasts that were brought in by the High Priest for sinne were burnt without the Camp Heb. 13.10 11. therefore note here that as all the people were sprinkled with the blood of those beasts not one man excepted Heb. 9.19 that from this very ground the Apostle to perfect this his discourse concerning that generall sanctification saith Therefore even Jesus that he might sanctifie the people with his owne blood suffered without the gate ver 12. Thus when he satisfied Justice for the sinnes of the people he suffered without the gates of Jerusalem but yet the question may be how many people be thereby sanctified by his so suffering death without the gate to which question the Scripture answers readily saying he dyed for all 2 Cor. 5.15 and that he tasted death for no fewer than every man Heb. 2.9 and that thereby he became the pacifying propitiation for the sinnes of no fewer people than the sinnes of the whole world 1 John 2.2 By these undeniable testimonies is proved that our Saviour Christ sanctified in himselfe as many people with his owne blood by his suffering without the gate as he there dyed for which is all or there tasted death for which is no fewer than every man as those Texts maintaine And considering that his body is the typified Temple John 2.19 20.21 for sanctifying uses to the world as the Jewes Temple was to that whole Nation we ought not to grudge to give our consent with the Scriptures that by his suffering death without the gate for all men or every man that even so all men or every man were thereby sanctified in him although some men doe prophanely abuse that their sanctification in him as in the Type some sanctified Priests and vessels that were once sanctified in the Jewish materiall Temple and set apart for holy uses yet notwithstanding were many waies many times so by them abused and prophaned as that thereby their former sanctification was nullified Againe for our satisfaction in this very point it is said the unbeleeving wife is sanctified by her beleeving husband and also that the unbeleeving husband is sanctified by his beleeving wife whiest they doe willingly abide together as in the 1 of the Corinthians 7.13 16. Now beloved can we beleeve this in the Creatures nay even in as considered of themselves ungodly Creatures and will we not yield to our blessed unspotted Saviour who is not only as in the speciall salvation more peculiarly the head of his Church but also in the common salvation by restoration the head of no fewer than every man as in 1 Cor. 11.3 shal we not yield him the honour to acknowledge that by his pretious blood-shed for every man that thereby all men are sanctified vertually in him by his restoration and should so continue if they after their inablement did abide in him as the unbeleeving wife doth not lose the vertue of her sanctification that shee hath in her beleeving husband if shee depart not from him especially considering that our Saviour Christ affirmeth saying and I if I be lifted up will draw all men unto me John 12.32 not accepting any one man and hee draweth no man for destructive ends Luke 9.56 And considering that not only all men they being in reference to Creation Gods choice earthly things but also all things both in Heaven and in Earth are not only gathered together but also reconciledly gathered together to himselfe in one in Christ even in him as you may see they are by the peace made by the blood of his Crosse if you will be pleased to compare together Col. 1.20 Eph. 1.10 and 2 Cor. 5.15 18 19 20. And even as the beleeving husband and the beleeving wife are in that Text exhorted not to put away the unbeleeving wife or unbeleeving husband except the unbeleever doe wilfully first make choice to depart from the beleever so christ putteth none away from him nor doth forsake any one man before that person maketh choise to depart and doth first actually forsake him as is by Scripture proved in my 16 Distinction But to take away all stumbling in this very cause the Scripture very fairely steps forth and plainly tels us that there are are some men though by grace drawne to him and reconciledly gathered together in one in him as aforesaid yet notwithstanding being not able easily to go back will put to more sathanicall strength and wilfully draw back even to peridition Heb. 10.39 and though bought by him do deny the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2.1 and thereby not God by preterition but themselves doe bring upon themselves swift destruction and that there are some men that although they are brought unto the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 Rom. 1.19 that will sinne willingly after they have received the knowledge of the truth Heb. 10.26 And also the Scripture sheweth us that there are some men that although they be by Christ drawn to him and reconciledly gathered together in him even in him as before said that notwithstanding will tread underfoot the Sonne of God and although they be also with his blood sanctified in him yet will count the blood of the Covenant where with they were sanctified note this where with they were sanctified an unholy
over no fewer than all men as in this Text Rom. 5.12 and Rom. 3.19 so answerably this Text affirmeth that grace did much more abound where sinne abounded by these Texts compared it is hereby proved even in the very litterall sense that as all have sinned even so grace did much more abound over all men which is the same still as before only further strengthned that all have sinned being justified freely by his grace And the reason why this justification in and by Christ is extended to all men is therewith given to be this in the same Chapter Rom. 5. That as sinne had reigned unto death even over all men ver 12. even so largely and timely might grace reigne through righteousnesse unto eternall life by Jesus Christ our Lord ver 21. and as it is here said that even so might grace reign So observe that it is said as hath been touched That he hath made him to be sinne for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Note that to set forth how many men is meant by the word we it is said in verse 15. that he dyed for all for the world verse 19. From thence is granted though not that all men are made but that all might be made in this life by beleeving if they resist not imputatively the righteousnesse of God in him and might be made at the resurrection of the body inherently and perfectly righteous in themselves Note herewith that no one of Adams posterity either had or shall have an inherent personall righteousnesse either in him by him or from him the first Adam yet by Creation it was possible that they all might have proceeded from him by generation inherently righteous but that possibility being lost by his fall we finde that there is a restored possibility in and by Christ the second Adam procured though not that all men are made but that by the good meanes by Christ performed for all men and in due season communicated to and in all men according to the Text as all men are by and in Christ made righteous before God by a non-imputation of their sinnes against the Law So thereby in their well usage of that ability given all men might be made imputatively personally righteous before God in this life time by their beleeving and in their so abiding might be all made as inherently righteous at the resurrection of the body as Adam was by Creation For beloved our Saviour Christ hath been and is but upon the work of eternall safety which he hath on his part intended and doth intend to finish for all if so be that men do not mar themselves wilfully upon his well-forming Potters wheele of restoration after ability given them to doe the contrary as Adam did for himselfe and all his posterity contrary to Gods gratious prime intent in the Creation For considering that a reconciliation is by Christ made to God for the sinnes of all men or the whole world so that thereby their sinnes against the first Testament Heb. 9.15 Rom. 5.18 20. are not imputed to them as is fully proved in my 20 Distinction This doth undeniably prove the justification of all men from all those sinnes by Christ before God and from this gratious justification of all men by Christ the transgressions against the first Testament Heb. 9.15 Rom. 5.18 or the sinnes accounted to be directly against the Father as in my 9 Distinction which sinnes are called the sinnes of the whole world 1 John 2.2 are called the sinnes past or the sinnes which are of God passed by Rom. 3.25 and from that reconciliation made they are called old sinnes from which some men are said through their wilfull unbeleefe to forget that they are purged 2 Pet. 2.9 and by that reconciliation those sinnes are counted transgressions not that are but which were under the first Testament Heb. 9.15 And from that reconciliation made those sinnes are said not to be sinnes that doe reign but that had reigned unto death Rom. 5.21 although some men doe by their wilfull unbeleefe and disobedience though having so escaped those pollutions yet doe returne with the dog to the vomit and with the sow that was washed to the wallowing in the mire of transgressions against the second Testament or Covenant of grace gratiously prefented to all men in due season by the Holy Ghost But notwithstanding this rebellious Apostacy of some men from God by their wilfull unbeleefe after their inabling abidingly to beleeve as is in my 6 and 7 Distinctions proved that all men are in due season Yet beloved we are to observe this still that all that doe beleeve are justified not only from the curse of the Law and the eternall power which would have thereby seised on them by the first death as all men are whether any man do beleeve it or not but also in a further sense they are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13.39 For the clearing of which Text I intreat you to take notice that notwithstanding Christs so effectuall and timely taking away the eternity of the curse of the Law or first Testament and abolishing the first death due for the transgressions against the covenant of workes even for all men as it is proved that he hath done in my 4 and 5 Distinctions from which the Law of Moses could not justifie any man so that no sinnes of that nature against the Covenant of works or the Fathers Covenant written with his owne finger on Mount Sinai Exod. 31.18 are imputed to the world 2 Cor. 5.18 Col. 1.20 Rom. 5.18 19 20 21. because God hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all Isa 53.6 even us all men and although this remission is effectually procured by Christ to remaine for ever for the benefit of all men whether any man do beleeve or do not beleeve the same Yet notwithstanding mens actuall sinnes even to an idle word Ma. 12.36 are ever since Christs ransoming all men by the Fathers estimation and application of the vertue of his blood as if it had been actually shed at Adams fall as is shewed in my ninth Distinction Sinnes not against the Law but against grace procured by Christ for all men from which also the Law of Moses cannot justifie any man which sinnes whilest they remaine in any man to be only sins of ignorance frailty and infirmity as Christ hath purchased a power to himselfe to forgive those sinnes as Sonne of man Mat. 9.6 Mark 2.16 So he hath promised that verily all those sinnes shall be forgiven unto the sonnes of men Mat. 12.32 Luke 12.10 even untill they prove sinnes persisted in against the Holy Ghosts gratious dictates as those Texts do manifest for then those men by those sins so far persisted in doe totally exclude from themselves the benefit of the Covenant of grace and those persons have then thereby no relation to receive pardon by
that their names should or could be blotted out of the book of life for their not overcomming But as you see that this is proved in the negative so for further satisfaction behold the same truth also confirmed in the affirmative where in Scripture it is said If any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecie God shall take away his part out of the book of life Rev. 22.19 Hereby we are inforced to grant that even such offenders have a part in the book of life untill it be taken away even out of that book of life for their offence For you know those offenders parts cannot be taken away out of the book of life if even those so transgressing men had not formerly a part even in the book of life And whereas at the last great judgement Rev. 20.11 12. there is mention made of books opened in the plurall number These manifold books may be fitly understood to be every particular mans book of his own conscience and whereas it is said another book was opened in the singular number which is the book of life from hence it appeareth that those books of the secrets of every particular mans conscience their consciences bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing or else excusing one another according to Rom. 2.15 shall be then and there opened together with that one book of life in the daies of that great judgement aforesaid or in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men according to the Gospell ver 16. whereby will manifestly appeare as it were by a true paire of tallies that there is no more mens names cut off from that tally nor blotted out of Gods book of life then that the book or tally of their owne Consciences being comparedly put together to that tally of Gods book of life shall clearly make manifest that God hath not blotted out any one mans name out of his book of life nor taken away any one mans part out of that book but only the names and parts of such men as have first on their parts personally and actually given a just occasion for God to deale so with them the books of every mans conscience then and thereto clearly justifying God in all his proceedings And from these Scripture-discoveries aforesaid being considered of together it appears plainly that the Lambs book of life also mentioned Rev. 13.8 21 27. and 10.15 is composed of those and only of those over-commers names which are then found written in that book of life not blotted out this the Lambs book of life is the book of remembrance which by that means proveth the book wherein Gods jewels are recorded Mal. 3.16 17. But how far this Scripture-modell of the discovery of the common salvation in this tract set forth to view doth vindicate the glorification of our gratious God in all his holy attributes united How it presenteth the amiable consent and concord of Scripture agreeing and declaring it selfe by it selfe with out humane glossing or interpretation or jarring with it selfe as some men would enforce it to doe by interposing humane art And by proving the extent of the common salvation how excellent faire comfortable and sure foundation is thereby rendered in Christ for all distressed consciences to procure repentance and to build their faith and hope upon as upon a rock or the sure word of prophesie untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts in the mean time by their patient waiting for their establishing in the speciall salvation depending on the comfortable generall promises proceeding from God in a common salvation expressed in his written word when as on the contrary all rotten sandie foundations of faith built up upon mens altered qualifications or legall reformations doe either beget doubting with unsatisfied unbeleeving Thomas concerning the extent and gratious effects of Christs actuall death and personall resurrection especially as in relation to their own eternall happinesse or else for want of their election being discovered to them from Heaven supernaturally confirming their acceptation with God to eternall life they do either drown themselves in superstition or else they doe desperately cast themselves headlong into a dangerous untimely death How far this tract by proving the infranchisement or setting free of all mens wils in the inward man minde and will in due season doth take away from men the occasion of these and such like blasphemous speeches by their saying or at least in their secret thoughts concluding thus or in the like manner if God doe bestow the ability to repent and beleeve but upon a few men and hath decreed accordingly who be those persons as I am by some learned men taught Then why should I wast my selfe with melancholy dispute about my acceptation with him for if I be elected then how carelesse soever I be on my part yet I shall be saved and if I be reprobated then how industrious soever I am for safety yet I shall be damned therefore why should I strive for my salvation as if I could and would alter or hinder Gods decree To prevent which evils how farre the beliefe of this Scripture-modell concerning the infranchisement of the wils of all men in due season will inable all men experimentally to confesse to the glory of God and mens own shame that the fault is not in the supposed preterition of God as some men imagine but in themselves in that they will not repent and in that though they being by God inabled thereto yet will not beleeve or be obedient whereas otherwise by their being taught that God decreedly withholdeth saving means from some men they are ready to make advantage of that desperate doctrine and to satisfie carnall affections to lay the fault on God and his partiality affirming that they cannot repent and that by the operation of his decree they cannot beleeve and so become carelesly desperate And although indeed this tract doth by Scripture maintaine that no one meer man hath freedome of will so much as to think one good thought much lesse to act in the least measure as savingly acceptable to God no not by imputation as he is naturally descended from polluted Adams loins Yet how firmely this tract proveth by Scripture contrary to the Protestant tenent who do limit the ability given of God but to some men that God doth by the grace of the generall propitiation mentioned 1 John 2.2 effectually set free every man in the inward man minde and will in due season so that no one man shall perish eternally by Gods preterition for fore-seen sinners before act as some men have vainly imagined that some men as meer Creatures or for foreseen sins do by Gods eternall reprobation or preterition but only through his own personall default actually committed after his inlightenment and infranchisement From hence how far God is hereby glorified and justified in all his promises threatnings rewards and punishments exhortations and dehortations being frequently spoken to all
men for them themselves to do or leave undone who will have by Christ in due season their wils and apprehensions freed as is by Scripture proved in my 6 and 7 Distinctions so that thereby they are inabled spiritually to heare and understand and feare and love and be obedient to the faith How far this tract discovereth what fallacious scholasticall shifts some erroneous Protestants are in many considerable Scripture points inforced to use by reason of their not being guided by the litterall sense of the plaine Texts of Scripture which doe unanimously confirm the common salvation or infranchisement of all men in the inward man in due season and that thereby some of them have and doe confirm that God did by decree by his absolute will and power only reprobate some part of mankinde without any respect by him had to their doing evill merely as Creatures without any cause done or fore-seen to be done on the creatures part Thus they charging God contrary to his own word with palpable tyrannicall partiality and respect of persons or else with some other Protestants that dare not stand to that horrid and hideous affirmation do say that God did not so tyrannically reprobate any man But they thinking to moderate the businesse yet by being deluded also by humane art do as fallaciously maintaine that God fore-knowing all men fallen into Adams sinning did only by preterition passe by some men so as decreedly they should not have any such means used with them whereby they might be inabled in their good use thereof to obtaine eternall life but that some men of Adams posterity must upon necessity eternally perish though it then could not be in their own actuall sinnes yet in those sins which unavoidably as a violent irresistible inundation overwhelmed them originally by another mans offence to which sins they never actually consented and to which transgressions they much lesse personally acted it being committed by Adam before they had a being or before they were born They by that means rendering our good God who is a faithfull Creator unfaithfully forsaking some men of Adams posterity even whilest they were as concerning their own personall consent or act innocent Creatures and also before they were after the fall inabled to depend on him and also before they had actually or personally forsaken him which tenent is proved by Scriptures to be absolutely false in my 16 and 17 Distinctions which preterition by them imagined if you doe but view the intrals of it you shall finde it to bee in effect no other than a disguised or masqued tyrannicall decreed reprobation for as hath been said he that hath power and doth keep from a man his sood of lively-hood may as really kill that man so as if he cut off his head with a sword How far this tract doth detect the error that is in the protestant tenent concerning Christs giving himselfe a ransome for all men by their affirming that Christ doth not effectually ransome any man except that man be eternally saved which fallacy is ripped open to view in my 2 6 and 7 Distinctions wherein is proved that Christ doth effectually ransome all men and save all men from the impossibility to be eternally saved that came over all by Adams fall and estates them by himselfe with a possibility in themselves to be eternally saved How far also though not medling with the impertinent tradition of popery this tract doth shew plainly that the many hereticall errours of the Papists upon which the whole rabble of their false destructive doctrine and fantasticall ceremoniall discipline doth depend was hatched and is nursed by their not making use of the large and true Scripture extent of the common salvation of all men in setting free all men in due season in the inward man minde and will by free grace so that in their well usage of that meanes they might beleeve and might be eternally saved for by the Papists casting away this Scripture-truth confirming the gratious setting free of all mens by the fall diabollically captived wils they do fallaciously affirm that man hath free will by nature or by originall descent from Adams loines which naturall freedome of will by its consenting to good is the disposing cause of our justificarion For as I finde recorded they say that works Congruo are the disposing cause of our justification Andrad in Conc. Trid. Ses 6. which as they say is of mens selves and standeth of the assent of mens wils and reason and this faith say they is Catholike and perfect but yet unformed and as soon as works are thereto joined they call it formed and then say they it is meritorious condigne and justifieth for say they we are justified by faith and charity together as the disposing cause of our justification as a necessary cause to obtaine at Gods hand the grace of justification but rather by charity Conc. Trid. Ses 6. than by faith because say they that charity goeth before our justification as a necessary cause to obtaine at Gods hand the grace of our justification and adoption of his children Thus by the Papists rejecting the Scripture-testimony concerning the setting free all mens wils by free grace by Christ procured in the common salvation as is proved in my 6 and 7 Distinctions they are so wildred an deluded that they doe heretically appropriate the disposing power to act meritoriously well unto mens well acting in the freedome of their natural wils Conc. 6.9 And because the Scripture doth maintain so strongly that no mere man hath freedome of his will by nature and that as in the tract is proved that no mere man whatsoever no not Adam if he had stood in his estate of innocency much lesse any beleever who are all as concerning themselves defective cannot nor could not have the least footstep at any time in any one thing to challenge the least reward as due of debt to them from their Creators hand otherwise than he by whom they are what they are and from whom they have received whatsoever good they have is pleased according to his Covenant made by his owne free grace to account them worthy and that though all beleevers are not in themselves in this life righteous yet by Christ to impute righteousnesse unto them that doe beleeve in him that justifieth the ungodly But this Scripture-truth is so mortally destructive to their fancied meritorious life with God that rather then they will lay down their bosome-imbraced delusions and humane traditions they will venture at one stroke desperately to hazard to deface the Holy writ it selfe and as I find recorded that some of their deceived Grandees have thrust into the world this blasphemous conceit that the written Gospell is but as a nose of was Vita Pont. which may be set or turned divers waies as it best pleaseth the humours of men that steer the course for their doctrine and discipline or as some of them have said the written Gospell
inferred in the same Chapter as sinne abounded by the Law there grace did much more abound ver 20. and the reason thereof is there given to be this that as sin had raigned unto death even over all men as appears ver 12. by the Law ver 20. even so largely might Grace reigne through righteousnesse by Jesus Christ our Lord ver 21. by his costly establishing the Gospell intended on Gods part for the benefit of all men And to say as the truth is the Apostles very frequently in their Epistles doe lay downe in plain words these and such like generall grounds of a common salvation wherefrom they do very often frame their following discourses though indeed this their generall ground-plot though being declared by them the Apostles agreeable to the Prophets and also our Saviour Christs own plain words hath been by many Godly and Learned men overlooked which oversight hath not only as it were buried the most ready the most sure and most comfortable foundation of faith and repentance which is that Christ dyed for all and hath thereby saved them from the curse of the Law and first death bringing all men to the knowledge of truth inabling all men so that in their good use thereof they might also of ape the danger of the second death all which is herein proved but also it hath bred and nursed up and doth nourish many variable noisome contentions even in the Christian world by men blasting as much as in them lies those plain words that Christ is the Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4.10 that he dyed for all 2. Cor. 5.15 that he is the propitiation for the sins of no fewer than the sins of the whole world 1 John 2.2 But hereto I doe intreat you to take notice that whereas in Scripture is mention made of the Oldman Rom. 6.6 Eph. 4.22 Col. 3.9 and of the New man Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 that the common salvation is in no for hespefull either to the Old or New man nor indeed can be for the Old man is the body of sin Rom. 6.6 the old man is corrupt through deceiveable lusts Eph. 4.22 This corrupt qualification in man is devilish and from the Devill issueth naturaily into all men by Adams fall and is nourished by Sathans continuall operations thereto annexed and cannot nor is in any mannar capable to receive any benefit or be any waies bettered by the common salvation And on the other de the New man is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that Created him Col. 3.10 and after God is crected in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4.24 And by its thus proceeding from God who is perfect perfection it no way needeth neither can it any waies be helped mended or made better by the common salvation or any other meanes Therefore we are to know that the common salvation is by grace in Christ established and by him perfected for all men whether any man doe beleeve it or not that by the help of the holy and good spirituall New man the Rationall man consisting by vertue of the Creation of the substances of soule and body might be assisted on Gods part against the continuall evill attempts and suggestions of the Sathanically deluding Old man for both the New man and the Old man do strive against each other in the person of the Rationall mean to obtaine his consent either to good by the New mans solicitation or to evill by the Old mans instigation From whence the Apostle exhorts not the spirituall new man that needeth no exhortation to good nor the diabolicall Old man that cannot possibly act any otherwise but to do evill but he perswades the Rationall man in whose person they both do strive to get the supremacy in his acceptation and affection to put off the Old man which is corrupt and to put on the New man which is after God created in righteousnesse Eph. 4.22 24. And from hence also the Apostle accounteth our yielding up our bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God our reasonable or rationall service Rom. 12.1 Which Rationall man or substances of body and soule being considered of without the sinne by themselves contracted to and in them are in themselves good for sinne doth not null those created substances which were by Creation good but doth pollute them And not only the good substances of men as in reference to the Creation but of the Devils also are not offensive being considered of apart from the sinne thereto by themselves contracted And further to confirme this necessary point Note what Paul said But I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind Rom. 7.22 Herein the Apostle Paul sheweth distinctly that the Rationall man is the spectator and is the place or person in whom that combate is fought for in effect he saith I see Note that I the Rationall man do see the contest betwixt the flesh and the spirit or the Old man and the New man making war one against the other in me one of them in my mind the other in my members Againe he saith the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh so that ye cannot doe that ye would Gal. 5.17 Herein also the word yee cannot doe the things that yee would because of the strong contest of the Old man against the New man or the flesh against the spirit maintained in their persons sets sorth the Rationall man distinct from the Old and New man which rationality hath reference to Rom. 12.1 before cited And although this combate of the flesh and the spirit or the Old man and New man be very often in the conscience of every man that hath attained to years of understanding and judgement yet this distinction is either not knowne or but little discerned by any untill he become a confiding believer neither doe any yield to the new mans part but such yet I believe that no man being capable of understanding will deny but that he hath often felt such conflicts in his conscience and in his judgement although he hath persisted in resisting the good motions of the holy spirit and hath not followed much lesse accepted of that Gospell-light and so in time it may be his conscience is grown seared and then given up of God spiritually insensible of all accusations or good instructions of the spirit or New man dictated in his conscience therefore we are to understand that by the rationall man is meant every man or the substances of every mans soule and body and their faculties And that every man thus considered is totally by nature corrupt by Adams fall originally and so is Sathanically deluded and captived in darknesse and rebellious dispositions Psal 14.2 3. Rom. 3.10 18. So that before any one of mankind can attaine to be able to know or choose light or life upon necessity he the rationall man must be inabled and set free by grace in the inward man their hearts eies
Adams posterity is unavoidably involved in an utter unability by another mans offence even by Adams fall unto which act they never gave any actuall or personall consent much lesse did ever act in it for they were all unborn See what is said of Jacob and Esau considered of as unborn Rom. 9. which is that then they had done neither good nor evill But hereby we finde from these aforesaid apparant over-powring manifestations by Christ strongly though gratiously acted to discover God and his goodnesse to all men by bringing all men to the knowledge of the truth proceedeth that saying directed to men to perswade them to lay hold on that strength saying Let him observe let him take hold of my strength that he make peace with me and he shall make peace with me Isa 27.5 Note that the man must lay hold and from the same ground it is said that those that forget God shall be turned into hell Psal 9.17 Job 8.13 not said those that never knew God but those that after knowing forget God but that even the Gentiles also may know God in his grace mercy and goodnesse Christ is appointed to be a light unto even unto those the Gentiles that he should be for salvation note this that he should be for salvation not only for Christians but also unto the ends of the earth Isa 49.6 This Christ doth by his spirit by inlightning not only the heathens but also every man or all men so that not only the Gentiles or Heathens but also all men might beleeve as appears in John 1.7.9 And for this end Paul was sent unto the very Gentiles also to open their eyes though not powerfully to turn them but as in most translations that they might or may thereby turn them from the power of Sathan unto God Acts 26.18 by the means aforesaid faith is afforded not only to the heathens but also to all men Acts 17.31 though some men make ship wracke of it 1 Tim. 1.19 this grace bringeth salvation to no fewer than all men Tit. 2.11 though some men refuse it Thus is the Gospell preached to every Creature which is under Heaven Col. 1.23 though some men reject that preaching The eighth Distinction which sheweth the mistakes of some men concerning divers very considerable expressions of Scripture which hath bred and doth nurse up many vaine contentions even amongst Christians about the gratious extent of the common salvation THE expressions of Scripture which are very often by some men misapplyed are these us wee our ye and such like and also the word many is much wrested for where it is said Christ or the Sonne of Man came to give his life a ransome for many Mar. 10.45 This Text from the word many is by some men applyed as if Christ gave his life a ransome for the elect only and so consequently but for some part of men But what saith the Scripture many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt Dan. 12.2 Herein it cannot be denyed but that the word many doth include all that sleep in the dust for the grave delivereth up all that are in it to judgement Rev. 20.13 Note here that all sleep in the dust one way or other except in the case of Enoch and Eliah Againe many are called but few are chosen These word are spoken comparatively of all men who are all in due season called or sent to the worke 1 Tim. 2.6 by the knowledge of the truth received only those are not chosen that then murmure at Gods gratious dispensations Mat. 20.1 15. And also those words are spoken againe by Christ of those invited to the Feast Mat. 22.9 10. where the charge given unto the fetchers in was to bring in no fewer than as many as they could finde and accordingly they were gathered together all as many as they found good and bad This is a simile of Gods dealing with mankinde and you know that God can finde out all men to call them to the Gospell-Feast therefore considering that according to the Parable he calleth as many as he can finde consequently by inlightenment he calleth no fewer than all men as is proved 1 Tim. 2.4 6. John 1.7 9. Also by Christs accordingly not only inlightning but also inabling all men or every man to know the truth of Gods goodnesse and imbrace it and confide in it as is proved in my two last Distinctions it doth evidently appeare that by many are called is included that all men art called Though through some mens owne wilfull defaults when being called and all drawn to Christ John 12.32 by their drawing back few are chosen all the rest being of that number that draw back to perdition Heb. 10 39. So also it is said for as by one mans offence many were made sinners Rom. 5.19 and as agaire it is said if through the offence of one many be dead ver 15. so in full satisfaction what the number is which is here meant by the word many it is said in ver 12. in the same Chapter as by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death passed over all men Here you see plainly that in the word many all men are included for the Text saith that all men were made sinners by one mans offence Rom. 3.19 and that thereby death passed over no fewer than all men Rom. 5.12 Also as our Saviour Christ is said to give his life a ransome for many Mat. 20.28 and Marke 10.45 So to set forth fully what the number is there meant by the word many it is also written that he gave himselfe or his life a ransome for no lesse number than all 1 Tim. 2.6 And considering the expression us where it is said unto us a child is born unto us a sonne is given Isa 9.6 These words are applyed by some men as if appertaining to the elect or beleevers only which is contrary to the Scripture for the good tidings of great Joy which is appropriated to that holy child Jesus being born and given is proclaimed by the Angels to be good tidings of great joy for no fewer persons than all people Luke 2.10 And further concerning that his Son given it is affirmed that God out of his love to the world gave his Sonne and sent his Sonne not to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved John 3.16 17. And whereas some have rendred the word world to meane only the world of the elect or beleevers the Evangelist St John doth utterly denie that limitation saying of Christ and he is the propitiation for our our sins and not for ours as beleevers only but also for the sins of the whole world Hereby that word only as applyed to beleevers only is utterly by strength of Scripture cast out as fallaciously abusive And also if Gods giving his Sonne to the world as in John 3.16 be