will of God here spoken of is an effectuall will For the Greeke word here used holds forth not onely the will of God but also his counsaile even that counsaile of his will according to which he effectually worketh Therefore the Apostle here speakes onely of those whom God effectually saves 2. The Apostles scope here is to shew the cause why it was and should be so long before Christ did and should come to judgement viz that none might perish but that all might come to repentance Even this shewes that the Apostle hath here respect to none but the Elect of whom none shall perish but all of them shall come to repentance before Christs coming to judgement 3. When he here saith The Lord is long suffering to us-ward by us he meanes the Elect and more particularly the elect of the Jewish Nation of whom he and they to whom he now wrote were a part And when he addes not willing that any should perish he in like manner meanes not willing that any of us his chosen people should perish And in that which followes But that all should come to repentance by all he likewise meanes All of us his Elect and specially All of us his Elect of the Nation of the Israelites But the objection seemes stronger that is made from Ezek. 18.32 and 33.11 30. Object From Ezek 18.12 33.11 answered I therefore now hasten to those places Ezek. 18.32 I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth saith the Lord God Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live For answer whereto these things are to be minded 1. God sometimes speaketh of himselfe after the manner of men and yet those speeches of his are to be understood after the manner of God Thus it is when God ascribes unto himselfe anger sorrow and the like As in Gen. 6.6 It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart And in 1 Sam. 15.11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be King Yet Samuel there saith in vers 29. The strength of Israel will not lye nor repent for he is not a man that be should repent And thus it is when the Scripture ascribes to God a taking pleasure in any thing done by man or any fruit thereof as namely when it holds forth God as having pleasure in this that the wicked turne from his way and live 2. When the Lord saith I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked he declares indeed that he hath no pleasure in the misery of his creature in it selfe considered Yet it is not contrary to the pleasure of God to set forth the glory of his righteousnesse and power and just wrath against sinners in the destruction of the vessels of wrath see Rom. 9.22 Prov. 1.26 Prov. 16.4 3. The Scripture holds forth Gods greatest delight to be not in a sinners destruction but in the conversion and salvation of sinners This is plainly held forth in these places And elswhere the Scripture manifests that the destruction of sinners that perish is purposely ordered of God to the commendation of his infinite and glorious mercy towards those whom he saves Rom. 9.22 23. 4. The scope of these places is to declare Gods readiness to accept and save those that sincerely turne to him and so to move and encourage sinners to such conversion unto God In all this there is no opposition against our doctrine In the next place through the helpe of God 31. Object From Luk. 24.47 Act. 13.38 answered I shall returne answer to an objection drawne partly from Luk. 24.47 And that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem And partly from Acts 13.38 Be it knowne unto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgivenesse of sinnes From hence some doe thus argue Remission of sinnes was to be preached to all men even to unbelievers Therefore sinnes are remitted to all men I answer 1. In Luk. 24.47 observe this expression Among all Nations We readily grant that the true doctrine of the Gospel concerning remission of sinnes was to be preached among all Nations and is to be preached among all men Some object that the Greeke words here signifie Vnto all Nations Wee deny not that the Greeke Praeposition here used doth sometimes signifie unto properly it signifies into and sometimes among And this last signification doth best agree in this place 2. If we here translate Vnto all Nations yet so this Scripture will make nothing against us This doctrine Through Christs Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Acts 10.43 was to be preached to all Nations and is still to be preached to all And here in Luk. 24.47 note how the preaching of repentance and of remission of sins is joyned together importing that the Gospel that was to be preached testifies remission of sinnes onely to those that repent or are changed in their mind believing in Jesus Christ Acts 3.19 3. Those that are spoken to in Acts 13.38 were professours of faith in the Messiah as he was hold forth by the light of the old Testament and were now so looked upon Acts 13.16.26 4. Yet the preaching of remission of sinnes unto them that was here spoken of was onely the preaching of that doctrine expressed in the next verse By Jesus the Saviour all that believe are justified from all things The particle And in the beginning of that verse doth there import as oftentimes it doth a declaration of that which was before spoken of But it is objected that every one is bound to believe that Christ presented a satisfaction to divine justice for his sinnes 32. Object From 1 Joh. 5.10 11. and that his sinnes are remitted Therefore this is true And some conceive that this objection is strengthened by that in 1 Joh. 5.10 11. He that believeth not God bath made him a lyar because be believeth not the record that God gave of his Son c. My answer is this Answ What every man is commanded of God to believe that I grant to be true For the God of truth commandeth no man to believe a lye But God commandeth every man to believe what he affirmes and declares and no more This then he declares to be truth and so commands every man to believe it That through Christs Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Act. 10.43 This I say God commands every man to believe and to receive it as the true and good word of God and so to rest upon it and obediently to depend upon Jesus Christ held forth in this word as the Prince and Saviour exalted of God Mark 1.15 Joh. 12.36 c. When a
in the use of the Supper to shew the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11.26 Is not then the word of the new Testament concerning the use of the Ordinances of the new Testament now in force Let us take good heed that we doe not diminish from the word of Christ nor make voyd the same Deut. 4.2 Rev. 22.19 Psal 119.126 And so I passe to the ext inquiry which is this Whether the new Testament whereof Christ is the Mediator Qu. 5. be not of equall authoritie with the old Testament whereof Moses was the Mediator to command obedience and holds not forth a rule for the same as the old Testament did This will appeare to be an undeniable truth that the authoritie of the new Testament is equall with if not above the authoritie of the old Testament 1. The instituter and Law-giver of the new Testament is of equall power and authoritie with the instituter of the old being the Sonne of God who is Lord over all Heb. 1. Rom. 10.12 James 2.1 2. The Mediator of the new Testament is higher and of greater authoritie then the Mediator of the old Testament Heb. 3.1 6. 3. The whole state Lawes and Ordinances of the new Testament are of a higher and more heavenly nature then the state and Ordinances of the old Testament Heb. 9.2 Cor. 3. Heb. 12. and given with greater authoritie and therefore the neglect of obedience thereunto is by the holy Spirit laid under the greater punishment Heb. 2.1 4. Heb. 12.25 4. The old Testament was confirmed by the bloud and death of Buls Goats and the like but the new Testament is confirmed by the bloud and death of Jesus Christ the Sonne of God the Lord of life and therefore of greater authoritie then the old Hereby it is manifest that the authoritie of the new Testament is equall with if not above the authoritie of the old Testament to command obedience And touching the rule of the same obedience this is cleare also being of the same nature with the Word or Testament it selfe for that which commands a thing shews also what it commands That command by which a mans wayes shall be tryed judged justified or condemned that is the rule given by God of mans obedience unto him and this is the word of Christ as he is the great Prophet of the new Testament and consequently the Scriptures of the same new Testament Act. 3.22.23 Mat. 28.20 Christ thus commanding obedience with authoritie in the new Testament and holding forth the rule thereof in the same dispenseth neither with things nor time nor persons Act 17.30.31 Heb. 2.1 2 3. Heb. 12.25 The new Testament requires obedience onely of such as are under the same Object 15 The Gospel that declares the authoritie Answ and government of Christ is sent out into all the world and holds up him to be Lord of Lords and King of Kings before all Nations and commands and requires obedience and subjection of all without exception and makes neither age time person gift nor qualification the condition of mans obedience to the Gospel and subjection to his Crowne If all in generall are to obey the Gospel Object 16. then all that come at the outward call are to be admitted to fellowship and communion All that may be judged to come in obedience and faith are to be admitted to fellowship and communion And all ought to come and submit and tender themselves and their service that their Lord and King might receive them who doth not receive any but such as come in faith neither did he otherwise intend in the call but to sever between the good and the bad Matth. 25.6 7.10 11 12. Mat. 13 48. For though many are called yet few are chosen Mat. 20.16 And it is one thing to command subjection and another thing to bid a man immediately and directly to believe he shall be saved By refusing subjection unto Christ men pull upon themselves heavie judgements and dreadfull destruction and this their destruction shall be from the power and just sentence of Christ Mat. 11.23 Mat. 23.34 35.37 38. 1 Cor. 10.5 11. Heb. 3.17 18. Isai 60.12 2 Thes 1.8 9. The Lord Christ hath a Lordly right and power in and over all creatures and though the same doth not yet fully appeare in the effects of it yet in due time it shall Heb. 2.8 with Rev. 11.15.17 In the meane time Christ the Lord demands his right of all men and will judge the disobedient for their disloyaltie to him Jude 15. Luk. 19.27 Yea he requires all both persons states and powers to be under subjection who also shall acknowledge him to be Lord to the glory of God the Father who subdued all things under him Psal 72.8 9 10 11. 1 Cor. 15.24 25. Phil. 2.9 10 11. Thus the holy Scriptures hold forth Christs power and dominion and call for subjection to the same of all persons without exception Psal 2.12 And when Kings and Nations shall acknowledge this and submit themselves thereunto then shall they fit downe in peace one with another and learne to warre no more Isai 2.4 Zech. 9.10 And so shall be delivered from those many heavie miseries and destructions which they suffer one from another for their rejecting and opposing the Scepter of Christ their Lord and King as the Jewes of old did And whereas some conceive that Christs kingly office to rule and command is of no larger extent then his Priestly office to redeeme and to save from sinne and wrath I doe believe that Christ by his kingly power commands and rules over both Angels and Devils and all his enemies for whom he was never a Priest to redeeme them and save them from sinne As David a type of Christ was in some respect King onely of Israel and yet in the exercise of his kingly power for Israels good commanded rules over many heathen Nations and Kingdomes so Christ is indeed in some sense and in some respect King of his own peculiar people only who onely are they that obey him willingly and sincerely and over whom he reignes for their eternall good to make them Kings reigning with him and yet in the exercise of his kingly power for their good he rules with might over all the world and justly punisheth all the disobedience of the whole world And now I come to consider of the last enquiery thus Whether Christ requires not a publick confession of him Qu. 6. by all that believe in him and if he doe then what the same is and the Rule for it Now that Christ requires a publick confession of him by all such as believe in him is so cleare in the Scriptures that I suppose none that believe the Scriptures will deny it Mat. 10.32 33. Joh. 12.42 43. Rom. 10.9 10. 1 Joh. 4.2 3. But for the more full clearing of this truth two things must be minded 1. What we meane by believing in Christ 2. What by confession of Christ
worker of miracles or extraordinary Prophet in that time though the Prophet Isaiah was then living but from the Law of Moses and the Word of God by the Prophets that were in Davids dayes 2 Chron. 29.25 So Zerubbabel and the Jewes in his time erecting againe at Jerusalem first the Altar and after that the Temple and so restoring there Gods appointed worship had not their authoritie from miracles or extraordinary Prophets then raised up nor from any Priest that then stood up with Urim and Thummim see Ezra 2.63 but from the Scriptures before written Haggai and Zechariah did indeed prophecy unto them but they did not first give unto them their Commission and authoritie but did reprove them for their slacknesse and encourage them in the worke see Ezra 4.24 and 5.1 sharply reproving those that said then as some doe now The time is not come that the Lords house should be built Haggai 1.2 The like is to be noted concerning the restoring of the right observation of the feast of Tabernacles which had been intermitted from Joshuahs time see Nehem. 8.13 17. If question be yet made whether the Saints have now authoritie to restore the solemne worship of God appointed in his Word for the time of the Gospel then mind that they are a royall Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people 1 Pet. 2.9 And that as John the Baptist was greater then the Prophets that were before him so he that is least in the kingdome of heaven is greater then John Mat. 11.9.11 Here also let it be considered that though all the labour of Hezekiah seemed to fall to the ground in the dayes of Manasseh and Amon and all the labour of Josiah seemed to be lost in the dayes of his sonnes and in the time of the captivitie yet God looked not upon it as a lost labour And though after the captivitie the proceedings were slow being retarded by many difficulties and distractions yet the rebuilding of the Altar and Temple and the restoring of the solemne instituted worship was pleasing to God and profitable to his people notwithstanding that many of the Jewes did fall off unto unjust and irreligious practises and many stayed still in the territories of Babylon and did not come to assist in that building yea though the glory of the second Temple was farre short of the glory of Solomons Temple and there stood not up at that time any Priest with Urim and Thummim This well considered will easily answer many objections that are now made against those that have laboured and still labour to revive the use of Christs Ordinances and to set up againe his pure instituted worship If many baptized persons doe now fall to errours and some to irregular practises and there be among them such divisions as ought not to be even so also it was in the Apostles dayes yet no godly person will hereupon condemne the gathering of Churches and the use of Christs Ordinances in those dayes And if some godly persons have not had like experience with others of Gods effectuall blessing following the use of the Ordinances it may partly be imputed to some weaknesse of their saith and partly to their ascribing to the Ordinance somewhat belonging onely to Christ And sometimes God here tryes his children whether they will live by faith and waite on him in obedience even against present sense And some Saints have had experience sometimes of the like deadnesse in and after prayer and hearing and conference yet these things are neither to be resused nor neglected Let it also be minded that the same salse principles whereby men are now taken off from obedience to Christ in the use of his Ordinances if they be followed home will also take men off from obedience to all Christs commands for upon what ground any one command of Christ may be disobeyed upon the same all may be disobeyed see 1 Tim. 5.21 And if the authoritie of Christs new Testament be weakened in one thing it is weakened in all To come to particulars The same principles will take men off from preaching the Gospel and from hearing the Gospel preached to be edified thereby and from assembling themselves together and from joyning together in prayer and thanksgiving yea from meditation and studie of the Word of God for all these are Ordinances of Christ and are no more appointed in the Word for these times then Baptisme and the Lords Supper Many that receive not these Ordinances Object yet doe not resuse all Gospel-preaching conference prayer c. 1. Answ This shewes that they are not constant to their principles which discovers their great weaknesse to receive such principles as they may not in all things walke up unto 2. Though they doe not yet resuse these things yet are they in the ready way to the refusall of them Minde also that as these principles carry men to the denying of a Church and Ministry which deniall is most contrary to the Scripture see Ephes 3.21 and almost the whole Booke of the Revelation and the promise in Matth. 16.18 and 28.20 so they carry them by degrees to the rejecting of all the Scripture and to the denying of faith and salvation as lamentable experience hath shewed in some And some upon the aforesaid principles have with as much ease and as faire a colour as the no-Church-men dispute from any Scriptures against Ordinances though with as grosse fallaciousnesse hitherto wrested our Saviours words in Mark 16.17 18. The answer whereunto doth fully overthrow the maine arguments of the opposers against Ordinances Indeed if any one of those three witnesses in 1 Joh. 5.8 were to be excluded and slighted then were they all to be in like manner slighted and so all were lost But we know that they are all to be regarded and made use of It is also observable by what contrary wayes the enemy endeavours to make men refuse the right use of Christs Ordinances Sometimes he perswades men that Gods people are not yet fit for the use of these Ordinances because their light is so dim because they have so small a measure of gifts of knowledge of faith c. And sometimes againe he perswades men that they are above ordinances He might as well tell them that they are above Jesus Christ who commands the use of his Ordinances and communicates himselfe unto his in his Ordinances Thus any thing shall serve the turne whereby believers may be diverted from the right use of the Ordinances of their Lord and Master and from obedience unto him Surely the enemy is mindfull of the great advantage that he thus gets over believers and how much he makes them herein to sin against Christ robbing him what in them lyes of the glorie and themselves of the comfort and benefit of his Mediatorship O that the Saints were more sensible of the depth of this mysterie of iniquitie I am constrained in my conscience now to speake with earnestnesse conceiving the cause to be great and
our adversaries here and the principall refuge to which they fly is this Christ say they hath not presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the unbeliefe of any But the falshood of this appeares by the places now alledged as I shall also easily manifest if our adversaries will answer directly whether our unbeliefe be a sin or not I conceive they dare not say it is no sin in as much as it is disobedience against the Gospel and against the command of God in Matth. 17.5 and that whereby so farre as it workes in us we cast upon God the imputation of lying trusting him no more then wee would trust a lyer 1 Joh. 5.10 and our adversaries affirme it to be the onely damning sinne Now if it be a sin the bloud of Jesus Christ doth wash us from it 1 Joh. 1.7 I further demand Is our unbeliefe remitted unto us or not If it be not remitted unto us our case is most miserable If it be remitted unto us it is then done away by the bloud of Christ for without shedding of bloud is no remission Heb. 9.22 Whereas some say that we have already suffered punishment for it in the want of that comfort and joy that faith brings I demand Doth our sin of unbeliefe deserve no other punishment If they say No it shews that they neither know the nature of this sin and its ill deserving neither yet the glorious righteousnesse of God and the declaration thereof in his Word But if they say yea it deserves eternall destruction but for all that it is neither remitted unto us with the rest of our sins as being washed away by the bloud of Christ neither shall we be so punished for it then they will be found to utter manifest contradictions Whereas they plead that our unbeliefe doth not continue but is broken off I answer Indeed it doth not continue in the reigne of it but it is enough that it did once reigne in us and that there is a remainder of unbeliefe still rebelling in us And the same and no more is to be said of the rest of our fins and corruptions also for which notwithstanding wee must have been punished with everlasting descruction if the bloud of Jesus Christ shed for us for the remission of sinnes did not clense us from the same Whereas they object that there could not have been that unbeliefe whereby the Gospel is refused if Christ had not dyed that he might send forth his Gospel and that therefore this unbeliefe could not be looked upon before the death of Christ and the declaration of his Gospel I answer 1. That Christ foreseeing this sin as he did all other sinnes and all the fruits thereof in his Elect did accordingly provide a remedy for the same otherwayes he had not been unto them a perfect and effectuall Saviour 2. That the condemnatory sentence of the Law takes hold on men for this sin also and for all the fruits of it because it binds men to obey every command that God shall give and to believe every word that he shall speake without which obeying and believing no man can have the Lord for his God according to the meaning of the affirmative part of the first Commandement Therefore Christ had not taken us off from the Lawes condemnation if he had not presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for this our sin as well as for our other sinnes 3. The Passeover a type of Christ was not killed for any uncircumcised but onely for the Israelites and those that were joyned unto them Exod. 12. Neither were the Priests to offer sacrifice for any other All this was appointed of God to signifie that when the Messiah through the eternall Spirit should offer himselfe without spot to God he should present unto divine justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of the Israel of God and none other Whereas it is objected that many of the Israelites for whom the Passeover was killed and sacrifices were offered were unbelievers and perished I answer So also the high Priest himselfe might be an unbeliever and perish yet in his Priestly office he was a type of Christ notwithstanding that disparitie So the whole Nation of the Israelites separated from the world to be a peculiar people unto God were a type of Gods chosen Israel 4. When Christ prayed unto his Father that they for whom he laid downe his life might receive the benefit of the same he expresly affirmed that he prayed onely for the Elect and for none other Joh. 17.9 Whereby he sufficiently declared that he did not then present to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the sins of any other but onely of these 5. The highest degree of Gods love to man is set forth by his Sonnes being given and giving himselfe to dye for mens sinnes that so he might present to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for their sinnes Joh. 10.11.15 Joh. 15.12 13. Rom. 8.32 1 Joh. 3.16 and 4.9 10. Rom. 5.8 If then we shall say that Christ in his death presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of all men we shall be found to extend the highest and choicest love of God as well to hated Esau as to beloved Jacob as well to the seed of the Serpent as to the seed of Christ which doctrine the Scripture will not endure 6. The whole doctrine of the Gospel of Jesus Christ being delivered unto us in the Scriptures it is a sufficient ground for us not to believe that Christ presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of all men because the Scriptures doe no where declare this to be a truth as through the helpe of God shall be made to appeare by our answers to the objections of our adversaries For the more easie discovery of the weaknesse of which objections I lay downe these ensuing Propositions 1. The word All in Scripture doth many times signifie onely some of all forts as appeares in these places Mat. 4.23 Act. 10.12 Mat. 3.5 6. In Mat. 4.23 it is said that Christ healed every sicknesse and every disease among the people yet the meaning is onely this That he healed every kind of sicknesse and disease see Mark. 6.5 and Joh. 5.3 c. In Acts 10.12 it is said wherein were all foure-footed beasts c. that is All kinds of foure-footed beasts c. In Matth. 3.5 6. it is said There went out to him all Judoaea c. And in Mark 1.5 it is also expresly said that they were all baptized of him c. Yet this was true onely of all orders and degrees of men coming to John from all the parts of Judaea 2. The word All must sometimes be understood with limitation unto the present subject spoken of As in Heb. 12.8 whereof all are partakers not all persons but onely all sons 3. The word All doth sometime signifie onely the greater part as in Philip. 2.21 All seeke their owne c. and in Luk. 6.26 Woe
unto you when all men shall speake well of you Here All cannot take in all the godly but onely the wicked which are the greater number There was not this woe to that Demetrius which had a good report of all men 3 Joh. 12. that is of all godly men that knew him 4. The word World in like manner doth not alwayes signifie all persons without exception but sometime onely the worser though greater part of mankinde as in Joh. 17.9 where the world is put onely for persons not elected Yea and when the word whole is added to it as in 1 Joh. 5.19 5. Sometimes the word World is put for the Gentiles opposed to the Jewes yea and with manifest limitation unto those of the Gentiles which did or should believe which were onely the Elect see Rom. 11.12.15 These Propositions being thus layd downe and proved the answer to the objections will be the more easie and cleare The objection that I will take notice of in the first place 1. Object is taken from Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world Whereto I thus answer 1. Answ Let this be minded that Christ is here called the Lambe of God as being typified by the Paschall Lambe killed for Israel not for the uncircumcised 2. It is here declared that it is Christ and no other that taketh away the sin of the world He is the onely Redeemer and Saviour The Father saveth us no otherwayes but in and by Christ 3. The sin which Christ takes away is the sin of the world being that sin which is derived to us and so to all the world from Adam and in which all the world hath layen But the persons from whom Christ takes away this sin are onely they that doe or shall believe in him and so they are indeed that world spoken of in Rom. 11.12.15 but not that world spoken of in Joh. 17.9 and 1 Joh. 5.19 Our adversaries confesse that Christ takes not away the unbeliefe of that world and the Scriptures declare that world to have no part in the blessednesse of those to whom the Lord will not impute sin see Rom. 4.6 7 8. A second objection is drawne from 1 Joh. 2.2 not for ours onely 2. Object but also for the sins of the whole world My answer hereto is as followes 1. Answ Note well the force of the word rendred propitiation both is this verse and in 1 Joh. 4.10 As in these places it is used it imports that Jesus Christ makes the Father to be gracious unto us in the free and full pardon of our sinnes Here it is used to cleare and prove Jesus Christ to be for us an acceptable and effectuall Advocate with the Father though we have sinned against him And in 1 Joh. 4.10 the highest manifestation of the Fathers love unto us is set forth by his giving his Son to be the propitiation for our sins This shews it to be the peculiar blessednesse of Gods beloved children whom he saves for ever to have Jesus Christ to be the propitiation for their sinnes 2. In 1 Joh. 1.7.9 it is clearly signified that they onely are the persons whom the bloud of Jesus Christ doth clense from all sin and to whom the Father according to his faithfulnesse doth forgive their sinnes and whom be clenseth from all unrighteousnesse who shew their faith by walking in the light and by confessing their sinnes This also confirmes that Jesus Christ is the propitiation for their sinnes onely 3. By our sinnes the Apostle here meant the sinnes of us believing Jewes for to these the Apostle here immediately wrote as may be gathered from 1 Joh. 2.7 and Gal. 2.9 Yea all the generall Eplstles of which this was one were written to these and by the sins of the whole world he meant the sinnes of all those that did or should believe among the Gentiles see Rom. 11.15 The words of our Saviour in Joh. 3.16 17 18 19. 3. Object From Joh. 3. 16 c. are also objected unto us as if they made against us wee will-therefore diligently consider them Here first were must minde that the same word is sometimes used in divers senses in the same sentence Answ examples hereof are to be seene in Joh. 3.6 Rom. 9.6 Gal. 4.21 and in other places Yea this very word World is so used in Joh. 1.10 And now let us see how this word is used in this Scripture and consider whether this Scripture do indeed make any thing against us vers 16. God so loved the world By the World here seemes to be meant mankinde in generall and Gods loving the world in his dealing lovingly with the world This then is the sense God dealt so lovingly with mankinde that be gave his onely begotten Son c. All this makes nothing against us for it is not said that he gave his onely begotten Son to present a satisfaction to his justice for the sins of all men but that be gave his mely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternall life Herein surely God dealt lovingly with mankinde 1. Making a great part of mankinde to receive the benesie hereof 2. Gracionsly sending this Gospel to mankind Believe in the Son of God and yee shall be saved eternally This Gospel shews that God is gracious and deales lovingly though men left to themselves reject this Gospel and so receive no benefit by it in the end 3. Sparing mankind a long time and affording unto them many benefits by the hand of Christ for the Elects sake whiles he graciously waits and effectually provides for their conversion by the Gospel and so for their salvation according to the same None of which benefits had been afforded to mankind if God had not given his Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish see Prov. 8.15 16. Joh. 1.9 Mat. 24.22 Acts 14.17 Yet unbelievers still lye under all their sins as I have already proved and as farther appeares in Rom. 9.22 and 2 Pet. 2.9 It follows in vers 17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemne the world God then sent his Sonne into the world when he gave him to be made flesh and to dwell among us as it is said of him in Joh. 1.14 Then he sent him not to condemne the world nor to judge the world as the Greeke word is said here to signifie But at his second coming he shall be sent to judge the world and to condemne all unbelievers But the new doctrine of our adversaries makes Christs first coming to be coming to condemne the world in a sense quite contrary to the Scriptures whiles they teach that if Christ had not come and dyed for all none could have been damned Mr. Den in his Dragnet p. 85. It follows but that the world through him might be saved 1. Here mind that the pleasure of the Lord did prosper in Christs hand Isaiah 53.10
in vers 1. and 4. Neither the coherence or context neither yet the matter will suffer us to understand it otherwayes For whosoever they are for whom Christ gave himselfe a ransome the same are certainly redeemed from destruction and shall for ever be saved For where a ransome is paid and accepted for any the ransomed is thereby freed and made safe Exod. 21.30 Exod. 30 12.-15 Psal 49.7 Jer. 31.11 12. And the everlasting salvation of the ransomed of the Lord is clearly held forth in Isai 35.9 10. and 51.10 11. Hos 13.14 with 1 Cor. 15.54 55. Therefore these AB for whom Christ gave himselfe a ransome are onely as aforesaid men of all orders and degrees even those many spoken of in Mat. 20.28 Mark 10.45 Those whom Christ hath redeemed to God by his bloud out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation Revel 5.9 It follows To be testified in due time compare this with 1 Pet. 1.20 21. but was manifest in these last times for you who by him doe believe c. Consider also how the words there aforegoing doe declare that they which are ransomed or redeemed with the bloud of Christ are redeemed from their vaine convensation 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Yea Christ gave himselfe for them that he might redeeme them from all iniquitie and purfie them unto himselfe a peculiar people Tit. 2.14 And this is the summe of the gospels testimony concerning Christ that being made perfect be became the another of eternall salvation not to all persons in the world but unto all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 having given himselfe for them Ephes 5.25 26. Thus this Scripture is so farre from being full and strong against us that it doth not oppose us in any thing Now becanse the objection from this Scripture seemes to our adversaries to be backed and strengthened by the saying of Peter in 2 Pet. 2.1 therefore that place shall next be looked into 2 Pet. 2.1 There shall be false teachers among you 5. Object From 2 Pet. 2. 1. answered who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction We grant the persons here spoken of to be Reprobates but minde that though the Lord be here said to have bought them yet it is not said that he gave himselfe a ransome for them Between these two there is a great difference The Lord Christ hath authoritie and power given unto him of the Father over all men see Psal 2.8 9. Yea over all creatures Heb. 2.7 8. over the Angels in heaven 1 Pet. 3.22 And the Devils that hate him are yet under his power In the exercise of this power and authoritie he shall at the last day judge all both men and Angels Joh. 5.27 Acts 17.31 Then every knee shall bow to him of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and every tongue shall confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord Isai 45.23 Phil. 2.9 10 11. This Lordship the man Christ hath obtalned by his death Phil. 2.8 9. In that by his death he hath obtained his kingly power and authoritie over his Church and consequently this power and authoritie over all that as King of his Church he may use it to his Churches good Ephes 1.20 21 22 23. and the Church may enjoy the glorious benefit of it see Revel 2.26 27. 1 Cor. 6.2 3. Psal 1 49.6 7 8 9. Dan. 7.27 The Father also being pleased thus to shew his gracious approving and accepting of Christs dying for his Church even by giving him this power and authoritie over all for his Churches good In this sense and in this sort Christ hath bought all creatures yet it doth not follow nor is it true that Christ hath given himselfe a ransome for all creatures or presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of all creatures We are put in mind that the Lord having bought these sinners this was a great aggravation of their sin in denying him We acknowledge this to be true But let it be considered 1. In what fort they did deny Christ 2. How their being bought by Christ was an aggravation of this their sin 1. They did not deny Christ openly saying expresly that Jesus was not the Christ for they brought in their damnable heresies privily and made merchandise of Christians with fained words 2 Pet. 2.1.3 and were admitted to their love-feasts Jude 12. But their denying of him was like unto that which Paul spake of in Tis. 1.16 being rebellion against his commands 2. It was a great aggravation of their sin of rebellion that they denyed the Lord that bought them 1. Because Christ having bought them had power and authoritie to command them therefore they ought to have obeyed him and not to have rebelled against him 2. It was for the present very beneficiall unto them that Christ had so bought them For Christ in the exercise of that power and dominion over the world which by his death he hath obtained conferres upon men all the benefits that they receive It was therefore an aggravation of their sin that they did rebell against such a benefactour 3. Christ having obtained by his death this dominion over all for the good of those that believe in him the consideration of his being the Lord that hath so bought all should perswade sinners to believe in him This therefore was an aggravation of their sin of unbeliefe and disobedience 4. Thus the Apostle did also reprove their madnesse in rebelling against the Lord that bought them who therefore could not want power to punish them Now although the Lord in that sense and in that sort that we have taken notice of hath bought these yet will he truly say unto them in the day of judgement I never knew you Mat. 7.23 A sixth objection is presented to us from Heb. 2.9 That be by the gract of God should taste death for every man 6. Object From Heb. 2. 9. answered Whereto I thus returne answer 1. I deny not but have already declared that every man without exception of any doth in this life receive benefit by the death of Christ And what Christ effecteth by his death the same was intended both by the Father and by Christ 2. I am informed that the word man is not here expressed in the Greeke Text but suppâ—yed by the translators Whereupon I would have it to be considered whether they might not as well have supplyed the word Son because of that which follows in vers 10. For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings 3. Though we here reade for every man yet considering what here follows in vers 10. and what went before in Chap. 1.13 Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation I conceive by every man we
expected some opposition considering how a carnall heart and the large and flesh-pleasing doctrine falsly called Gospel which we now oppose doe easily agree and close together as experience also maketh manifest But in as much as Caiaphas now spake not of himselfe but being high Priest that yeare did prophesie we shall certainly find nothing against us in his speech The saying of Caiaphas was this Tee know nothing at all nor consider that it is expedient for us that is for us Jewes for the Nation of the Jewes that one man should dye for the people and that the whole Nation perish not Hereupon John gives this note He prophesied that Jesus should dye for that Nation c. The dying of Jesus for that nation was his dying for the redemption of all the children of God of that Nation yea of all the children of God wheresoever scattered abroad of what Nation soever they were of all which children of God that Nation in the separation thereof from the rest of the world to be a peculiar people unto God had hitherto been an appointed type For so John further explaines it in vers 52. And not for that Nation onely but that be should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad This onely holds forth that Jesus was to present unto the justice of God his Father a satisfaction for the sins of all the children of God of what nation soever and that hereby their salvation should be effected So it confirmes the same truth that wee maintaine But yet our adversaries seeme confident that by the words of our Saviour in Matth. 12.31 32. 16 Object From Mat. 12.31 32. answered they shall prove that all sins against the Law considered as sinnes against the Law are forgiven to all men and consequently that Christ hath presented a satisfaction to his Fathers justice for the sins of all men Let us therefore with all seriousnesse and in the feare of the Lord consider that place also and diligently mind both what is said and also what is truly to be said concerning it The words of our Saviour there are thus rendred All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men And whosoever speaketh a word against the Sonne of man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come Here let these things be considered 1. Whereas our adversaries find fault with the last translation in the former part of vers 31. contending that the words ought there to be thus rendred Every sin and blasphemie I have already * Pag. 43. proved that the word All or Every doth sometimes signifie onely some of all sorts or of every sort 2. Whereas they bring this place to prove the forgiving of all sins against the Law to all men but not of any sins against the Gospel which they acknowledge not to be forgiven to all men let it be minded that Christ here speakes of sins against the Gospel as well as of sins against the Law unlesse it be no sin against the Gospel to speake against Christ 3. Observe that Christ doth not here say every sin and blasphemie is forgiven unto men and whosoever speaketh against the Son of man it is forgiven him But he speakes with manifest and expresse reference unto time to come It shall be forgiven Even as he saith of the blasphemy against the holy Spirit with reference to the same time to come It shall not be forgiven neither in this world neither in the world to come But by the doctrine of our adversaries every sin and blasphemy that they understand to be here so spoken of is already forgiven to all men yea and they would have this place to seeme to prove it I suppose they will say that Christ did here thus speake of the time to come because he had not yet suffered for mens sinnes But this reason is insufficient For though Christ had not yet actually suffered yet his sufferings were already accepted of the Father and so effectuall for the putting away of the sins of all those that were partakers of him see Dan. 9.19 1 Sam. 12.13 Matth. 9.2 And this saying of Christ in Matth. 12.31 32. doth as well belong to the time after his passion as to that particular time in which Christ so spake it as also appeares in 1 Tim. 1.13 compared with Heb. 10.26 27. and 1 Joh. 5.16 4. Whereas our adversaries conceive or take it for granted that the sin against the holy Spirit here spoken of which shall never be forgiven is nothing else but finall unbeliefe in this also they doe greatly erre For they which doe fall into this sin doe fall into it in their life-time yea sometimes long before their death Thus it was with those Pharisees that had now committed this sinne see Matth. 12.24 25. with vers 31 32. and Mark 3.22.28 29 30. This also appeares in Heb. 6.4 5 6. and Heb. 10.26 27 28 29. Moreover there are multitudes yea millions of unbelievers that goe to eternall destruction without committing this sin And here I conceive it will neither be impertinent nor unprofitable to shew what this sin is This sin against the holy spirit is the sin of those that wittingly and wilfully oppose with odious blasphemies the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ himselfe as he is the author and subject of his Gospel 1. This sin is an opposing and rejecting of the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ and of Jesus Christ himselfe as he is the author and subject of his Gospel Therefore the committers of this sin are not onely said to fall away but also to crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and to put him to an open shame Heb. 6.6 Yea they are said to tread underfoot the Son of God and to count his bloud an unholy thing and to doe despite unto the Spirit of grace Heb. 10.29 2. This sin is not committed ignorantly but against a great and cleare light of knowledge 1 Tim. 1.13 Heb. 6.4 Heb. 10.26 Mat. 21.38 3. This sin is not committed through infirmitie but wilfully in the exercise of a full and setled malice even against Christ not onely knowne but also minded to be Christ and against his Gospel both knowne and minded to be his Gospel and against the commands and invitations of the Spirit of grace though knowne and minded to be his commands and invitations and accordingly this Devilish malice caries on the sinner to abominable blasphemies and makes him alwayes to hate all thoughts of repentance though he expect nothing but fiery indignation All this is to be seene by the light of these places of Scripture viz. Heb. 6.6 and Heb. 10.26 27.29 And this sin is called The sin or blasphemie against the holy Spirit because it is so committed against the worke of the
holy Spirit giving such a light of the knowledge of the Gospel and calling upon the sinner to obey the Gospel so revealed 〈◊〉 is sin a man falls into when he is onely enlightened by the worke of the holy Spirit with the knowledge of the Gospel and called upon by the same Spirit to yeeld obedience thereunto and God doth not adde a further powerfull worke giving unto him a new heart and putting a new spirit within him And thus is discovered the desperate wickednesse of mans heart and his hatred of the Gospel which would in like manner appeare in all if all were dealt with in like fort By this it may be discerned how grosse the errour of our adversaries is who account this sin and blasphemie against the Spirit to be nothing else but finall unbeliefe 5. The scope of our Saviour here was to shew that this sinne against the holy Spirit shall never be forgiven to any person that once falles into it and that herein this sinne differs from all other sinnes that men commit For there is no sin but it may be forgiven and is or shall be forgiven to some that have committed it this sin onely excepted there being no sin save onely this which may not be repented of and is not repented of through Gods mightie grace by some that have committed it Our adversaries doe notwithstanding straitly presse us with these words Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him Whereto I answer That this clause It shall be forgiven him doth here signifie no more then it may be forgiven him As in 1 Cor. 3.15 this clause He himselfe shall be saved doth signifie no more then he himselfe may be saved For it is not of necessitie that every one must be saved that builds hay and stubble on Christ the foundation that is brings false professors of faith into an outward union in Church-fellowship with others that are built on Christ the Rocke Thus it still remaines firme that no sin is indeed remitted to unbelievers And thus this place makes not against us Some of our adversaries doe also object against us 17. Object From Jer. 31.33 34. answered Jere. 31.33 34. affirming that God hath now made the Covenant there spoken of with all men and consequently that all mens sins are forgiven This therefore shall next be inquired into The words of that Scripture are these This shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel Aster those dayes saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquitie and I will remember their sin no more Touching which Scripture I affirme and undertake to prove that God hath not made the Covenant here spoken of with all men but with his Elect onely 1. The Scripture doth not teach us by the house of Israel to understand all men 2. This Covenant God keepes and performes with all those and unto all those that he hath made it with otherwise God were not faithfull but rather false and deceiving which to imagine were odious blasphemy But God performes this Covenant onely to his Elect. 3. It is manifest from the latter part of vers 34. that God performes this Covenant both to all those and onely to those whose iniquitie he will forgive and whose sin he will remember no more This place therefore is so farre from speaking for our adversaries as that it overthrows them altogether But they object that all of the house of Israel are not Gods Elect. I answer that Israel notwithstanding did typifie the whole companie of Gods Elect as also is intimated in Psal 135.4 and accordingly they who are declared to be Gods Elect are called Israel and Israelites indeed Rom. 9.6 Psal 73.1 Joh. 1.47 Gal. 6.16 They further object that God puts his Law in the inward parts and writes it in the hearts of some at the least that are not his Elect. I answer that the Law here spoken of is the very doctrine of the Gospel and that Gods putting this Law into mens inward parts writing it in their hearts is his making them to understand and to love to believe and to obey this Gospel And this God workes onely in his Elect whom he makes his own people and he is found to be their God For this see Jere. 24.7 Jere. 32.38 39 40. Ezek. 11.19 20. Ezek. 36.26 27 28. It being a cleare and most manifest truth though some of our adversaries are so blind that they cannot see it that that precious promise in Isai 54.13 is made onely to the Elect. Some endeavour to frame an objection against us from Dan. 9.24 18. Object From Dan. 9. 24. answered where we thus read Seaventie weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy Citie to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquitie and to bring in everlasting righteousnesse c. But all this is spoken with a manifest reference and restriction to Gods Elect. Thy people that is The people of Israel who are thy people after the flesh thou being one of that separated Nation viz. as they are a type of the Israel of God and no otherwayes Or rather Thy people that is The Israel of God to which thou appertainest So also Thy holy Citie that is The Citie Jerusalem as it typifies the heavenly Jerusalem Or rather Thy holy Citie that is Jerusalem which is above which is thy mother Here also observe that everlasting righteousnesse is the portion of all those whose transgression is finished to whose sinnes an end is put and for whose iniquity reconciliatiō is made This then is peculiar to Gods Elect who onely are heires of everlasting righteousnesse who onely are that remnant of Gods heritage whose iniquitie he pardoneth and whose transgression he passeth by whose iniquities he will subdue and all whose sinnes he will cast into the depths of the Sea Micah 7.18 19. These onely are that Jacob the Lords servant and that Israel whom he hath chosen Isai 44.1 whose transgressions he blotteth out for his own sake and will not remember their sinnes Isai 43.25 These onely are that Jacob which the Lord bath redeemed and that Israel in which he hath glorified himselfe whose transgressions he hath blotted out as a thicke cloud and as a cloud their sinnes Isai 44.22 23. These are they to whom the Lord proclaimed himselfe not onely mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth but also keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitie and transgression and sin Exod. 34.6 7. See also Psal 103.10 11 12 13. As touching the rest he proclaimes himselfe
to be that Lord that will by no meanes cleare the guilty Exod. 34.7 who will take vengeance on his adversaries and reserveth wrath for his enemies Nahum 1.2 who repayeth them that hate him to their face to destroy them Deut. 7.10 Their owne iniquities shall take them and they shall be holden with the cords of their sins Prov. 5.22 The reward of their hands shall be given them Isai 3.11 Their iniquity shall be remembred with the Lord and their sin shall not be blotted out but the same shall be before the Lord continually Psal 109.14 15. Some endeavour to confirme the objection that I have now answered by another objection from Isai 40.1 2. 19. Object From Isai 40.1 2. answered where it is thus written Comfort yee my people saith your God Speake yee comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquitie is pardoned c. But they should here take notice that by my people the Lord clearely meanes his chosen people and none other This therefore is to be applyed to the Elect onely They object that this was spoken of Jerusalem which then was That believers in that Jerusalem were even then to make use of it is acknowledged But it is manifest that as this was onely meant of believers so it was specially meant of believers which should be in the time of the Gospel more fully declared and of Jerusalem which is above which should then be more clearely discovered and gloriously enlarged This is made evident partly by this clause in vers 2. that her warfare is accomplished partly by that which follows in vers 3 4 5. The voice of him that cryeth in the Wildernesse Prepare yee the way of the Lord c. And here mind the saying of Peter in 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12. Of which salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow Vnto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you Our opposers now seeme to fly to that which is written in Isai 53.5 6. 20. Object From Isai 53.5 6 answered He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed All wee like sheepe have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laydon him the iniquitie of us all But here they will find as little defence or helpe as they have found in those places to which wee have already followed them They conceive that all men are brought in here speaking or atleast some speaking as in the name of all whereas indeed onely believers doe here speake Onely that people of God for whose transgression Christ was smitten vers 8. Onely that seed of Christ which is spoken of in ver 10. Onely those many whom by his knowledge Christ doth justifie having borne their iniquities vers 11. Onely those transgressours for whom Christ made intercession vers 12. which are onely those that come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 Joh. 17.9.20 Who are healed by the stripes of Christ but onely believers To these onely according to the promise in Malach 4.2 the Sun of righteousnesse did arise with healing in his wings Consider also How this is applyed unto believers and unto believers onely in 1 Pet. 2.24 25. Who his owne selfe have our sinnes in his own body on the tree that wee being dead to sinnes should live unto righteousnesse by whose stripes yee were healed For yee were as sheepe going astray but are now returned unto the Shepheard and Bishop of your soules Here take notice both of the end that Christ propounded unto himselfe when he so bare our sinnes and also how he was not frustrated neither did faile of the same Moreover I demand this of our opposers whether this confession being sincerely made doe not shew a man to be a believer viz. Christ was wounded for my transgressions he was bruised for my iniquioies c. They dare not answer negatively How then dare they affirme that any other beside believers doe here make this confession Though many unbelievers did esteeme the Lord Jesus in his passion to be stricken smitten of God and afflicted according to that saying in Isaiah 53.4 yet onely those that were afterward converted to the faith did come to such a fight and humble acknowledgement of that their sinfull errour as is there held forth But possibly it will be objected unto us that it is written in Matth. 8.16 17. They brought unto Jesus many that were possessed with devills and be cast out the spirits with his word and healed all that were sicke That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet saying Himselfe tooke our infirmities and bare our sicknesses Which hath cleare relation unto that in Isai 53.4 Surely he hath borne our griefes and caried our sorrowes Which makes it seeme probable at least unto some that this is to be extended farther then to believers onely Hereto therefore I thus answer 1. The Prophet Isaiah there manifestly speakes of Christs bearing our sinnes which are there called our griefes and our sorrowes because they are causes of griefe and sorrow Here in Matth. 8.17 they are in like manner called our infirmities and our sicknesses because they are causes of infirmitie and sicknesse for it is sin that hath brought in all griefe and sorrow infirmitie and sicknesse 2. The love and compassion that Christ effectually shewed in casting out the Devills out of those that were possessed with them and healing the sicke did prove him to be that promised Saviour which should so beare and carrie the griefes and sorrowes of his people And all the good which he did to men by such his workes was the fruit and so also the evidence of that his bearing the sinnes of his people And therefore I conceive the Evangelist said that he did this That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet c. that is That the fulfilling thereof might be manifest 3. The persons to whom Christ so shewed compassion were either indeed Gods chosen ones or at least of the nation of the Israelites which were the appointed type of all Gods Elect. See Matth. 9.2.22 Joh. 4.53 Luk. 7.9 Mat. 10.5 Mat. 15.24 c. And thus it was intimated who they were whose griefes and sorrowes Christ came to beare and to carrie viz. Gods peculiar and chosen people There is also an objection made from Genes 12.3 21. Object From Gen. 12.3 answered and other like places where God said unto Abraham In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed But this is fully taken off in Galat. 3.8 9.