from death which by the Law of God ought to die with many the like which have proved snares of dishonour and of danger unto them otherwise in like manner some men desirous to commend themselves unto God as men zealous for his glory more then others study and invent Notions and Senses of some Scripture expressions to bestow upon him in the name of Prerogatives which they presume are much for his honour and glory in the World which yet upon due consideration are found most unworthy of him and of a broad inconsistency with his glory indeed For what relish or savour of honor or glory unto God can there be in bringing him upon the great Theater of the World speaking thus I will cast out of my favour and devote to everlasting burnings to torments Endlesse Easlesse Intolerable Insupportable thousand thousands and ten thousand times ten thousands of my most excellent Creatures Men Women and Children though they never offended me otherwise then Children may offend many thousands of yeers before they are born yea though I thus in the secret of my Counsell intend to leave them irrecoverably to the most exquisite torments that can be endured and these to be suffered by them to the dayes of eternity without all possibility of escaping though they shall do the uttermost they are able to please Me and to reconcile themselves unto Me yet will I in words speak to their hearts Proclaime and Professe my Self unto them to be a God mercifull and gracious long suffering and abundant in Goodnesse and Truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sinne a Exod. 34. 6 7. I will entreate them with bowells and great compassions and Professe my Self aggreived in Soul because of their impenitency I will allure them to Repentance with all my great and Precious Promises of Pardon of sin of life and glory and all the Great things of the World to come yea I will most seriously and solemnly Protest and Sweare unto them by the greatest Oath that is even by my own Life and Being that I desire not their Death b Ezek. 33. 11 Can Men indued with reason and understanding or that know in the least what belongeth to matters of honour and glory resent or savour any thing in such Proceedings as these that is like to make a Prerogative worthy the Name Glory and Super-Transcendent Holinesse and Excellency of God Most certaine it is that there is nothing in God nothing that proceeds from him but what is both Divisim and Conjunctim and that according to the Principles of Reason and that light of understanding which Himself shineth in the hearts and consciences and inward Parts of Men just matter of Praise Honour and Glory unto Him of which more ere long But 2. That Prerogative or Prerogative-Will as some call it which §. 36. God stands upon in the Scriptures and claimes to Himself as a Royalty annexed to the Crown of Heaven and Earth either in the ninth to the Romans or elsewhere in reference to the condemnation and eternall destruction of his Creature standeth not in any Liberty or Power claimed by him to leave what Persons he pleaseth to inevitable ruine only upon consideration of Adams sin much lesse before or without any such consideration but to make the Lawes Terms and Conditions as of life so of death as of Salvation so of Condemnation and these indifferently and equally respecting all Men not such as Men are apt to think meet and fitting for him to doe but what Himself Pleaseth i. e. Such as the Counsell of his own Will adviseth and leadeth Him unto For He is said not to act or Worke all things or any one thing simply according to his own Will but to work all things according to the Counsell of his own Will c Eph. 1. 11. So that in whatsoever God acteth or willeth we are to look not only for Will but Counsell i. e. Wisdom and Tendency unto ends worthy of him and these discernable enough as was lately said by Men to be such if they were diligent and impartiall in the consideration of them As for example the Jewes thought it most equall reasonable and best becomming God that he should constitute and ordain the observation of Moses his Law to be the Law of Justification Life and Salvation unto Men and the neglect or non-observation of this Law to be the Law of condemnation and of death God here interposeth with his Prerogative and declares to them that his Will and Pleasure is otherwise and that he Constitutes and Ordaines Faith in his Son Jesus Christ to be the Law of Justification and Life whether joyned with the observation of Moses Law or without it and on the other hand unbelief to be the Law of condemnation and of death though in conjunction with the strictest observation of Moses Law This Prerogative indeed God Himself pleads and asserts to Himself with a majestique and God-like authority speaking thus to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion an whom I will have compassion a Rom. 9. 15. as if he should say Men shall not prescribe unto Me Lawes or Terms of shewing Mercy I will not be advised or obliged by them whom i. e. what manner of persons or how qualified I shall justifie and save I mean to follow and to keep close to the Counsell of mine own Will in these great and most important affaires which concern the Life and Death the Salvation and Destruction of my Creature The same prerogative The Apostle also vindicateth unto him afterwards in the same Chapter in the similitude of a Potter Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one Vessell unto honour and another unto dishonor b Rom. 9. 21. meaning that God had a like equitable Power or Prerogative over the great masse of Man-kind in Adam to make what Lawes of Life and Death unto them he pleased and to appoint who or what manner of persons should be saved and what manner of persons should be condemned which the Potter hath over the lump of Clay which is before him to make what Vessells he pleaseth for honour and what again he pleaseth for dishonour But of this passage as also of that vers 18. we shall speak more at large towards the close of the Discourse where we intend an intire Explication of the 9th to the Romans from the beginning of vers 6. to the end of the 23. In the mean time let this be taken along by way of caution about what hath been delivered in this Section viz. that though the Jewes thought it most equitable and most beseeming God to justifie Men by the works of the Law rather then by Faith in Jesus Christ which notwithstanding was the Counsell and good pleasure of God about Justification yet this Counsell and good pleasure of God especially being from time to time so signified unto them by
desire and endevour in the Parent for the comfort and well being of it By vertue of this Promise it is that as the Apostle inform us Parents stand bound to provide and lay up for their Children b 2 Cor. 12. 14. And Parents who do carefully perform such ingagements as these unto their Children may well and properly be called Faithfull Parents So the Relation of a Mother promiseth unto the Infant born of her and that with much asseveration and naturall solemnity of protest all care and tendernesse for the well being of it In respect of this solemn promise it is that God himself demandeth Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that shee should not have compassion on the Sonne of her Womb c Esa 49. 15. implying that such Women are very unnaturall and unfaithfull that can Yea God himself speaking thus of the Ostrich shee is hardened against her young ones as if they were not hers Job 39. 16. cleerly implies that this Creature only excepted there is an universall tendernesse and care in all others towards their young ones In like manner every Creature hath a very great and rich assurance from that very relation wherein it stands unto God as a Creator that upon a regular deportment of it self towards him and such as any wayes becomes a Creature towards the Creator or Maker of it it shall receive protection preservation and every good thing from him Yea the Scripture plainly implieth that there must be a very great breach on the Creatures part in point of degeneration and unworthinesse before God lookes upon himself as discharged from that care for the preservation and well being of it which he promised as it were unto it in his being the Author of Being unto it Consider that passage in the Prophet Esay For it is a People of no understanding therefore he that MADE them will not have mercy on them and HE THAT FORMED THEM will shew THEM NO FAVOVR a Esa 27. 11. Doth not this cleerly imply that had not this People been very enormously and intolerably corrupted and degenerated as it were into the spirit and actions of bruite beasts suffering the glory of the Work of God in their Creation utterly to sink within them had they but quitted themselves like a People of any competent reason or understanding the relation of a Creator in God towards them would have wrought so effectually in him on their behalf that he would have shewed them mercy and favour in delivering them The Creature must depart and go astray very far from the Creator and grow in a manner quite out of kinde before the Creator will or can cease to know love and respect it as his Creature Hence it is that we finde God himself so frequently mentioning and insisting upon his Relation of a Creator unto his People when he seekes to satisfie and comfort them as touching his love towards them and care over them Thus saith the Lord that MADE thee and that FORMED thee from the womb which will help thee Feare not O Jacob my Servant b Esa 44. 2. c. So again Hearken unto me O house of Jacob and all the remnant of the house of Israel which are borne by me from the belly which are carried from the womb And even to your old Age I am He and even to hoare haires will I carry you I have MADE and I will beare even I will carry and will deliver you c Esa 46. 3 4. Thus saith the Lord the Holy One of Israel and HIS MAKER d Esa 45. 11. c. Once more to passe by many other places of like import But now O Lord thou art our Father we are the Clay and thou our Potter and we are all the work of thy Hand e Esa 64. 8. As in the former passages God strengthened the Faith of this People by remembring them that he was their Creator and Maker and consequently bare the affection and love of a Creator towards them So in this last they themselves declare how effectually that consideration viz. of the Relation of a Creator in God towards them had wrought upon them to the strengthening of their Faith in his Love towards them and care over them and accordingly plead the same in their requests to him Nor is it prejudiciall in the least to that demonstration which we intend §. 40. to make from the said passages with their fellowes viz. of the love and care of God as a Creator to all the Works of his Hands to pretend that in these places and the like God speaks only to his Church and his Elect ones For 1. The Relation of a Creator in God is uniform one and the same towards the Elect Believers and towards Reprobates or Unbelievers the one being the workmanship of his hands as well as the other and therefore as promising to the one as to the other if they understood or considered the voyce of this promise 2. If God notwithstanding the Relation of a Creator in him were likely to have reprobated his Creatures from eternity especially had this people believed that he had de facto so reprobated millions of them it had been a very slender support and incouragement to their Faith that he should remember them of his relation unto them as their Creator For might not they upon such a supposition as this have replied unto him Lord why dost thou so much inculcate into us the consideration of thy Being our Maker and Creator as if there were any thing in this to comfort us or to relieve our Faith concerning thy love to us or care for us Do we not know that thou art a Creator to many thousand thousands in the World whom notwithstanding thou hatest and casted'st out of thy Love without any cause given on their parts from eternity Therefore what assurance of grace and favour with thee can we receive upon any such account as this that thou art our Maker and Creator So that evident it is that God himself doth acknowledge a gracious tie and ingagement upon him as a Creator to love respect and take care for his Creatures untill they voluntarily renounce and disclaime their relation unto him as his Creatures by walking rebelliously against him or suffering the God of this World to deface the glory of his workmanship in them And whereas he compareth himself in tendernesse and care over his Creature unto an Hen which gathereth her Chickens under her wings they who make him like unto the Ostrich which leaveth her Eggs in the Earth and forgetteth that the foote may crush them or that the wilde Beasts may break them and is hardened against her young Iob 39. 14 15. ones as if they were not hers which astorgy God himself imputeth to want of wisdome and understanding in her have the greater sin representing him altogether unlike unto himself Other Scriptures there are exceeding many which testifie aloud the grace §. 41. and love and goodnesse of God as a Creator towards his Creatures The Lord saith David is good to all and his tender mercies are
Valdè indignum est sanguinē Christi qui Sanctificationis nostrae materia est profanare Hoc verò faciun◠qui desciscunt à fide Sed modum confirmationis notat quùm dicit nos Sanctificatos quia nihil prodesset fusus sanguis nisi nos per Spiritum Sanctum eo irrigaremur Vnde expiatio Sanctitas with much more to like Purpose in this Commentary Whereby evident it is that this Author by the Sanctification mentioned in the Text understands no other then that which was in himselfe and which is wrought by the Spirit of God in the Saints by Watering or Sprinkling them with the Blood of Christ. By which he was Sanctified i. e. say our English Divines in their Annotations upon the Place by which their sinnes were pardoned in regard of that meritorious sufficient satisfaction purchased by it sending us backe to their Note on Vers 10. of this Chapter where they interpret the word Sanctified as signifying our being freed from the guilt of our sinne and consecrated to Gods Service So that there is little question but that these also understand the Place to speak of a true Sanctification indeed and which either is or flows from justification it self And long before them both Chrysostome interpreted the Place as speaking of such a Sanctification which appertaines to a Son or Child of God God saith he hath made thee a Son and wilt thou be willing to be made a Servant * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The last of the Scriptures Produced to Prove that Christ Died even §. 54. for those also who Perish as well as others was Mat. 18. 32. 34. The tenor and carriage of this is of like consideration with the three last opened excepting only that whereas those speak of Sanctification this speaks of Justification The passages now to be insisted upon lie in the Body of a Parable which is somewhat large the Reader may please to peruse the whole in the Evangelist The Particulars in it for our Purpose are contained in these words Then His Lord after He had called Him said unto Him O thou wicked servant I forgave thee all the debt because thou desiredst Me Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant even as I had pity on thee And His Lord was wroth and delivered Him to the Tormentors till He should pay all that was due to Him So likewise shall my Heavenly Father doe also unto you if yee from your Hearts forgive not every one His Brother their Trespasses In these words we heare of a Servant to whim his Lord and Master had freely forgiven all that debt which he owed unto Him which as we finde in the former part of the Parable was a vast sum of ten thousand Talents fit to typifie or represent that great debt of eternall sufferings which every Man owes for Sinnes and Trespasses unto God And yet we hear also that this same Servant by provoking this gracious Lord and Master of His by unmercifulnesse and cruelty to one of his fellow-servants forfeited his former Grace and Mercy which he had received from Him in the forgivenesse of his great debt and that this forfeiture was taken by His Lord and he delivered by Him to the Tormentors or Prison-keepers untill He should pay the whole debt i. e. for ever in as much as He had not nor was ever able to procure wherewith to make such a payment What was intended and signified by all this is cleerly expressed by our Saviour in those last words which containe the application and are the close of the Parable So likewise shall my Heavenly Father c. From which words the cleer and direct scope and intent of the Parable sheweth it self to be this viz. to give the World to know and understand that if Men who have obtained forgivenesse of sins by the meanes and Grace of Jesus Christ shall so far sin against the excellency and richnesse of this Grace as to deale cruelly and unmercifully by Men this act of Grace towards them shall be cancelled and revoked and the debt of their sins shall returne and recoyle againe upon them Yea he plainly tells his Disciples themselves for this Parable was in speciall manner directed unto them as appears from the beginning of the Chapter that they themselves must not looke to be exempted from this Law of the righteousnesse and equity of God So likewise shall my Heavenly Father doe also unto you or even unto you notwithstanding any Priviledge you may seeme to have above other Men by being My Disciples he will neither deale better nor worse with you but just as this Lord did by that wretched and most unthankfull Servant of his if you Provoke him after the same manner i. e. if yee from your Hearts forgive not every one His Brother their Trespasses That great Grace of forgivenesse of sins under which you now stand will be reversed and called in again by him that hath given it you if you shall so far tread and trample the glory of it under your feet as not in consideration and acknowledgement of the greatnesse of it to be open and free-hearted in forgiving one another such Injuries and Trespasses as are done to you This is the righteous and royall way of that God with the World who as Peter saith without respect of Persons judgeth according to every Mans work I shall not need I suppose to caution that which hath been delivered §. 55. upon this account with any such Item or Explication as this that it was far from our Saviours intent to threaten either his Apostles or any other Man that they should incur the sore judgement mentioned the losse of the forgivenesse of sins or be cast into the Prison of hell by every passionate or sudden heat conceived against a Man upon a Provocation or Offence given If this were so the whole World of Saints in a manner might cry out as the Apostles upon occasion of another Doctrine taught by Christ sometimes did Who then can be saved But his meaning clearly was and is that if they should harbour or nourish thoughts or desires of revenge against any Man that should at any time offend or injure them and remaine implacable not admitting of a clear and cordiall reconciliation with him and should live and die in this hatefull and revengefull Posture that then God would deale no better with them then the Lord in the Parable did by that Servant to whom he had forgiven a great debt upon his unmercifull dealing by his fellow servant when He delivered Him to the Tormentors to be cast into Prison untill He should pay the whole debt Nor doth any thing that hath been asserted concerning the returne of the §. 56. debt of sin upon any Man after forgivenesse upon occasion of cruell unmercifull and revengefull dealings by their Brethren beare at all upon that of the Apostle the gifts and calling of God are without Repentance a Rom. 11.
over all his works * Psal 145 9. erga omnia opera ejus as Piscator i. e. are extended and shewen unto all his Creatures But had he intended from eternity to abandon the far greatest part of the best of his works Men to the vengeance of eternall Fire could his tender mercies in any tolerable sence be said to be over these Especially can those men justifie David in such a saying as this who conceive and teach that whatsoever God doth in a providentiall way for such Men so abandoned as in causing his Sun to rise or his Raine to fall upon them in filling their hearts with food and gladnesse in giving them Health Wealth Liberty Peace c. he doth all with an intent to harden them and so to bring that heavy destruction upon them with the more severity and terror in the end whereunto they were predestinated and appointed from the beginning Will Men call Health Peace Liberty Meats Drinks c. given with an intent to become snares unto Men and to bring inevitable damnation upon them the tender Mercies of God The holy Man Job being conscious to himself of no signall departure from God by unrighteousnesse in any kinde looked upon that dispensation of God in so severely afflicting him as very strange and that only upon this account that he was his Creator Thy hands have made me and fashioned me together round about meaning that he was the sole Author of Being unto him yet thou dost destroy me Remember I beseech thee that thou hast MADE me as the Clay and wilt thou bring me into the dust againe a Job 10. 8. 9. If Job thought it strange that God being the Author of Life and Being unto him should without any grand offence or provocation given him handle him with so much severity as he conceived in the outer Man how incredible would the Doctrine of those Men have been unto him who teach that God from eternity hath irreversibly consigned over to the mercilesse torments of Hell fire millions of millions of Men who never offended or provoked him in the least The same Author doth elsewhere also notably assert the universall Love Care and Respects of God as a Creator towards men alledging the consideration of these as a grand ingagement upon him to deale justly and equally with his Servants If I did despise the cause of my man servant or of my maid servant when they contended with me what then shall I doe when God riseth up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him Did not he that made me in the womb make him and did not one fashion us in the womb b Job 31. 13 14 15. Cleerly intimating a tender care and regard in God towards Men even the poorest and least considerable of them After the same manner Elihu also advanceth the poore into equall respects with Princes before God viz. because they as well as these are the works of his hands How much lesse to him who accepteth not the persons of Princes nor regardeth the rich more then the poore FOR THEY ARE ALL THE WORK OF HIS HANDS a Job 34. 19. cleerly implying that that relation wherein every Man standeth towards God as his Creature is a pledge of security unto him that God tenderly Loveth and Respecteth him excepting only the case before excepted From the Scriptures lately produced unto which double their number confederate in the same Truth with them might be added it manifestly appeares that such an hatred or rejection of the Creature by God from eternity as is commonly taught and received amongst us is broadly and wholly inconsistent with that Love Tendernesse and Respect which the Relation of a Creator to a Creature every where imports and consequently is not to be looked upon as any Prerogative worthy of him CHAP. V. Foure severall Veynes or Correspondencies of Scriptures Propounded holding forth the Death of CHRIST for all Men without exception of any The first of these Argued THe Premises considered me thinks it is one of the strangest and most §. 1. importune sayings that to my remembrance I ever met with from the Pen of a learned and considerate Man which I finde in the Writings of a late Opposer of Universall Attonement I know saith he no Article of the M. S. R. Gospell which this new and wicked Religion of Universall attonement doth not contradict That which he calls a new and wicked Religion the Doctrine of Universall Attonement I shall God assisting and granting life and health for the finishing of this Present Discourse evince both from the maine and cleer current of the Scriptures themselves as likewise by many impregnable undeniable Demonstrations and Grounds of Reason to be a most ancient and Divine truth yea to be none other but the Heart and Soul the Spirit and Life the strength and substance and brief sum of the glorious Gospell it self Yea I shall make it appeare from ancient Records of best credit and from the confessions of moderne Divines themselves of best account adversaries in the point that Universall Attonement by Christ was a Doctrine generally taught and held in the Churches of Christ for three hundred yeares together next after the Apostles And if I conceived it worth the undertaking or were minded to turne the streame of my Discourse that way I question not but I could make it as cleer as the Sun shining in his might that there is no Article of the Gospell as this Mans dialect is I mean no great or weighty point of the Christian Faith can stand with a rationall consistency unlesse the Doctrine of Universall Attonement be admitted for a Truth Yea upon a diligent and strict iniquiry it will be found that if any Man holds such a limited Râ—demption as is commonly taught and believed amongst us and yet withall â—â—â—es holily and like a Christian he acts in full contradiction to such a Principle and happily denies that in practice which erroneously he holds in judgement God in such cases as these makes Grapes to grow on Thornes and Figgs on Thistles nor doth there want any thing but Sence and Visibility of the disproportion between the cause and the effect to make the lives and wayes of such persons miraculous Neither doth any thing nor all things that I could ever yet meet with either from the Tongues or Pens of the greatest Patrons of particular Redemption deliver me from under much admiration that consciencious and learned Men professing subjection of judgement to the Scriptures should either deny universall or assert particular Redemption considering that the Scriptures in particularity plainnesse and expresness of words phrase do more then ten times over deliver the former whereas the latter is no where asserted by them but only stands upon certaine venturous consequences and deductions which the weake judgements of Men so much
suspensions and interruptions Therefore there is nothing in the last Objection against that exposition of the Scripture in hand which hath been asserted both the feet upon which it stands being weak and lame There is yet another Objection colourable I suppose in some Mens §. 47. eyes against the said interpretation The substance of it this If the links of that chaine of Divine acts described in this passage of Scripture may be severed or broken by the miscarriages or unworthinesse of the Saints in any kinde then had the Apostle no sufficient reason to build the Saints so high upon it in Confidence Exultations and Triumphs as He doth in the Verses immediately following What shall we say to these things If God be on our side who can be against us And the reason is because the Saints are children of many infirmities and of much unworthinesse apt to sin against God every moment Therefore if their Peace and Salvation depend upon their own regular and worthy walkings with God they are in a condition of no good security to be saved and what ground then have they to rejoyce and triumph at any such rate as the Apostle seemes here to invite and incourage them unto To this I answer that the Heart of this Objection was broken in the last preceding Chapter where we shewed upon severall considerations and grounds that the Saints have cause in abundance to rejoyce yea and to triumph under the hope and expectation of Salvation notwithstanding any possibility they are subject unto of declining or perishing The Reader I presume will be satisfied in this Point upon a serious perusall of what is there Written from Section 21. to the end of the Chapter I here add 1. That the friends and favourers themselves of the common interpretation §. 48. of the place in hand and which contradicteth the exposition given generally grant and teach that the Saints themselves cannot have any Peace or Comfort in their Faith or assurance of Salvation whilest they walk prophanely loosely or unfaithfully with God So that these Men themselves doe suspend the Peace and Comfort and much more the Joy and Triumph of the Faith of the Saints upon their Christian behaviour and Regular walkings with God Therefore judging the Exposition given upon such an account as this they condemne themselves and their owne Doctrines 2. The assureance of the continuance of Gods Love to them and of His care over them whilest they in any measure walke worthy of it is a Regular and due foundation unto the Saints of every whit as great a confidence Exultation and Triumph as the Apostle in the words mentioned intitles them unto Yea 3. The very particular and expresse ground upon which He buildeth up Himself and the Saints with Him in such a Triumphant Confidence as we heard is this the sence or assureance of Gods Love towards them meaning whilest they walk with Him as becommeth Saints because being out of this posture they can neither have sence nor assureance of His Love as our adversaries themselves acknowledge and teach as we lately heard not any assureance of the continuance of His Love to them how profane wicked or abominable soever they can or shall be What shall we say then to these things if God BE with us who can be against us Therefore 4. And lastly such a supposition or Doctrine as this that they that are at present justified may possibly sin themselves out of the Grace of Justification and so never come to be glorified is upon due consideration no bridle at all to check the holy and humble confidence or boastings of the Saints in God or in the Lord Jesus Christ they may in the face and presence of such a Doctrine though acknowledged and admitted for truth lift up themselves upon the wings of a blessed security unto Heaven and rejoyce that joy which is unspeakeable and glorious But of these things we spake liberally in the last Chapter Some may yet possibly imagine that they discover a ground of confutation §. 49. of all that hath been said upon the Context of Scripture yet in hand Verse 29. in those words That he might be the first-borne amongst many Brethren For from hence they may reason thus If this be Gods End or Designe in Predestinating those whom he knew before or pre-approved to be conformed to the Image of His Son in glory that He might be the first borne amongst many Brethren i. e. might have the honour of bringing many into part and fellowship with Himself in His own blessednesse and glory then must all they who are thus Predestinated of necessity attaine or come to injoy such a conformity with Him otherwise God shall be frustrated in His Designe and Jesus Christ be defeated and disappointed of that excellent honour which His Father projected for Him For if one or some thus predestinated may miscarry and never come to enjoy an actuall conformity unto Him in His glory why may not others of them miscarry likewise and consequently all and so the Great Counsell or Project of God for the honor of His Son Iesus Christ be laid in the dust To this I answer 1. Suppose that Iesus Christ should have no Brethren conformable unto Him in glory yet would it not follow from hence that the Counsell or Designe of God to make Him the first borne among many Brethren should be made void or miscarry For the Counsell or Designe of God in this behalf stood Mainely and Principally in this viz. in casting this honour upon Iesus Christ that He should be a Person every wayes fitted and accomplished should act and doe or be ready and willing to act and do every such thing whereby many of his Brethren i. e. of the children of Men if they were not most shamefully and grossely neglective of themselves and their own greatest concernments might come to partake with him in His great Blessednesse and glory And in case Men should prove thus neglective of themselves and so as voluntarily to deprive themselves of that great Salvation which Iesus Christ out of His great Love and with the sore travell of his Soul hath prepared and made ready for them yea and invited and called yea and pressed upon them to accept at his hand yet the honour and glory of a signall Benefactor and great Saviour shall remaine intire unto Him nor is there the least colour or pretence why He should suffer the least disparagement or prejudice in the thoughts either of Men or Angells because of the wilfull folly and madnesse of Men to forsake their own mercies and destroy themselves Himself owned and built upon this consideration when He spake thus by the mouth of one of His greatest Prophets Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength a Esa 49 5. In the former Verse He speaks thus in his Representor Then I said I have laboured in vaine I
of such things which are simply and absolutely necessary to the effecting of any such end which He desireth especially when His desire in this kinde is raised and built upon foundations of Righteousness and sound Wisdom which is not questionable in or about any the desires of God Now then if God intends He must needs also desire the increase of guilt and punishment upon wicked men or the generality of men if He desires this He hath no cause to be offended with these men for their unthankfulness or for any such abuse of His Mercies or good things conferred upon them without which it was unpossible for Him to attain His desired end viz. an increase of guilt and condemnation upon them as was asserted The Reason is because according to our late asserted principle no man hath cause to be offended with another for doing that which is directly and absolutely necessary for the bringing to pass of any such end which is maturely and according to sound Principles of Wisdom and Righteousness projected and desired by Him Nor is there the least question to be made but that if God intends and consequently desires the increase of guilt and condemnation upon the generality of men both His Intentions and Desires in this kinde are most regular in respect of all regularity that either Wisdom or Righteousness can give unto them Not will it much if any thing at all here help to say that though God §. 6. doth not intend the Salvation of the generality of men in giving unto them the good things of this life to enjoy so abundantly as for the most part he doth but the increase of their guilt condemnation yet in as much as no particular man knoweth but that God may intend His spiritual good and Salvation in such Dispensations all aâ—e bound to conceive this Hope of themselves and consequently every man standâ— bound to be thankful unto God for what He receiveth from Him in this kinde and to seek more after Him And if any man shall be found neglective of what is His duty herein or shall turn the Gâ—ace of God towards Him even in these outward things into wantonness and not into thankfulness He deserveâ— to be punished so much the more severely for it For to this I answer No man stands bound to beleeve that or to conceive Hope of that which He hath no sufficient ground of belâ—eving or why He should beleeve it much less to beleeve that which He hath much more Reason to question or doubt of then to beleeve Solomon informeth us that it is the property of a fool to beleeve every thing or every word a Prov. 14. 15. viz. as well that which He hath no ground or reason to beleeve as that which He hath And it is commonly said and taught amongst us that in matters of Religion and of Salvation nothing ought to be beleeved by any man but what He hath a sufficient ground in or from the Word of God to beleeve If so if no man ought to beleeve in matters appertaining to Salvation but what He hath a ground or warrant in the Word of God to beleeve much less ought He to beleeve any such thing the truth whereof the Word of God administers much more ground to doubt question and suspect then to beleeve So that if this be a Truth revealed in the Woâ—d of God That God doth not intend the spiritual good of the generality or of far the greatest part of men in their outward mercies and good things but the contrary certain it is that every particular man at least that hath no sufficient proof of His Regeneration hath ten twenty if not an hundred times more reason to doubt and question whether His spiritual good be intended by God or no in the things we speak of then to beleeve that it is intended As in the business of a lottery where there are fourty it may be an hundred blanks for one prize no man hath so much reason or ground to hope that He shall draw a prize in case He should adventure his money this way as that He shall draw a blank And upon this account lotteries have still been accounted little better then cheats or unworthy devices contrived gin wise to catch the money of simple and inconsiderate people men of understanding easily discerning the fraud and so keeping their foot out of the snare And whether that Doctrine which teacheth that God intendeth onely the Salvation of a few but the condemnation of many and yet commandeth all to beleeve that they may be saved doth not make the glorious Gospel of God like unto one of such lotteries I leave to all understanding and unprejudiced men to consider In the mean time evident it is that this Opinion that Christ dyed not for all men but for some few onely is as it were calculated and the face of it bent and set to make the distance between Heaven and Earth between God and His creature Man greater and wider then yet it is to multiply jealousies and hard thoughts in the hearts and mindes of men and women concerning God where they are more then apt enough to engender and multiply without the irritation of such a Doctrine Yea whereas God hath put Himself into His Christ God was in Christ saith the Apostle as we heard formerly a Cap. 5. sect 28. reconciling the World unto Himself that by the means of Him and by the Tender and Promise of Forgiveness of sins unto men through Him upon the gracious terms of beleeving He might prevail with the World to love Him to think well and honorably of Him this Doctrine seeks to put Him out of His Christ again at least in reference to any such glorious design as that of reconciling the World unto Him yea and saith in effect unto the World it self Beleeve Him not though He speaketh never so graciously unto you when He promiseth you Life and Salvation upon the fairest and freest terms He hath War in His Heart against you and intendeth to destroy you If it be yet objected that upon the same ground no particular Person §. 7. should have any sufficient ground or Reason to beleeve that He is one of those that shall be saved in as much as the number of those that shall be saved is affirmed to be but small I answer True it is no man is bound to beleeve simply and absolutely that He is one of those that shall be saved but conditionally onely viz. in case He shall beleeve and persevere beleeving unto the end All that a man is bound to beleeve in this kinde positively is that He is one of those that may be saved and the Doctrine asserted by us viz. that Christ dyed for all men without exception administreth a fair ground and full footing for such a Faith as this unto every man Whereas the Doctrine opposite hereunto which affirmeth that Christ dyed for the Elect onely leaveth no foundation or ground
by a Physician in order to his health as to call it His LIFE or the emphatical means of his preservation in case his life would certainly have been preserved without it So neither have the Elect any competent reason or ground to call or count the long-suffering of the Lord towards them SALVATION i. e. a signal means or opportunity of Salvation to them in case this their Salvation might and certainly should have been obtained by them or conferred on them whether any such long-suffering had been vouchsafed unto them or no. If it be said That as the Salvation of the Saints is infallibly decreed so is it with the like infallibility decreed to be effected by the long-sufferance of God towards them as the means and opportunity thereof and in this respect they may properly enough be required to count or esteem the long-suffering of God towards them Salvation I answer If the Decree of God concerning the Salvation of the Saints be absolute and infallible in the sence asserted and contended for by our Opposers then cannot the execution of this Decree the actual saving of the Saints be suspended upon any fallible or contingent condition such as is the Saints accounting the long-sufferance of God to be Salvation to them or their managing this long-suffering of his in due order to their Salvation no more then the standing or continuance of an house that is well and strongly built upon a rock depends upon those weak or rotten shores or props which are applyed unto it to support it Nor can God be said absolutely and infallibly to decree the coming to pass of such things which are essentially in themselves and in their own Natures contingent it being a Maxim generally granted by our Adversaries themselves That the Decrees of God have no real influence upon their objects or things decreed at least no such which altereth their Natures or essential properties of their Beings It is a common saying amongst them that Praedestinatio nihil ponit in praedestinato i. e. Predestination putteth nothing in or into either the thing or person predestinated And if Predestination putteth nothing in or into the things or persons predestinated there is no reason to judg that any other of his Decrees doth any whit more And if the Decrees of God relating unto contingent events should have any such influx upon them which alters their Natures and changeth the fundamental Laws of their Beings transforming them into things absolutely necessary or necessary with any such necessity which is unavoydable contingency would be onely a name or matter of meer speculation God having with the same infallibility and absoluteness of Decree as say our Adversaries decreed things contingent and things necessary and consequently made all things as to matter of event and coming to pass necessary So that the Salvation of the Saints is not absolutely decreed by God to be effected by His long-suffering towards them Nor could this long-suffering be reasonably by them accounted Salvation in case their Salvation were so absolutely decreed unto them as our contrary-minded Brethren suppose Therefore 6. And lastly when the Apostle saith that the Lord is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all c. his meaning must needs be that he is long-suffering towards men simply and indefinitely considered or towards mankinde and that this long-suffering of his towards them proceeds out of a gracious and merciful disposition in him which inclineth him not to will or desire the destruction of any Person or Soul of them but that they may generally one and other by the advantage and opportunity of his goodness and long-sufferance towards them be so overcome as to repent unfeignedly of their sins and turn unto him that they may be saved This Interpretation 1. Perfectly accords with the words in their genuine proper and best-known §. 12. significations whereas the other as we lately proved requires such a sence and signification of the two Particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any and all wherein they are not to be found throughout the Scriptures 2. The series and story of the Context falls in much more genuinely and fairly with this then with that other interpretation the scope of the words being as we formerly likewise shewed to vindicate the delay which the Lord Christ maketh in not performing His Promise of coming to Judgment with so much celerity and expedition as some conceive it meet that He should perform it from any Pretence or Plea that can in a way of Reason render it offensive unto any man Now look out of how much the greater richer and larger mercy and goodness towards the poor children of men this Delay of His shall be found to proceed and by how much greater the number of those are whose benefit and blessedness shall appeaâ— to be intended by it and concerned in it it must needs be conceived to be proportionably so much the further off from being any just matter of offence unto any man then it would be in case it should be occasioned by any straitness of bowels or the good intended by it be conceived to relate onely to a few 3. The sence of the words and place which this Interpretation exhibiteth is more clearly parallel and consistent with the minde of the Holy Ghost in other Scriptures then that which is issued by the other The Scripture no where at least no where so much commendeth the Patience or long-sufferance of God determinately towards his Elect or towards Beleevers in reference to their Repentance or Salvation as towards the generality of men and more especially towards those that are wicked and ungodly But we are sure saith the Apostle Paul that the Judgment of God is according to Truth against them which commit such things And thinkest thou this O man that judgâ—st them which do such things and dost the same that thou shalt escape the Judgment of God Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth THEE to Repentance But THOV a Rom. 2. 2 3 4. c. And God Himself by His Prophet Ezekiel speaketh thus to the wicked and stiff-necked Jews in general Turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine And further For why will ye dye O House of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of Him that dyeth saith the Lord God wherefore turn your selves and live ye b Ezek. 18. 30 32. And elsewhere by the same Prophet Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his ways and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye dye O House of Israel c Ezek. 33. 11 Our Apostle himself speaking of the wicked generation of the old world and of Gods Patience towards them saith thus Which sometimes
Principles i. e. to do any thing uncomely or imprudently so may it truly be said of God in the matter of granting means of Faith and of Salvation unto men that he cannot in the ordinary and standing course of his Providence or Dispensation of such Means rise so high give Means of that transcendent Nature Efficacy and Power which he can and doth give now and then in some special cases and in order to some great and special end As for example God was able no Principle of his Wisdom opposing to vouchsafe unto Paul that extraordinary means of beleeving or for his Conversion which we spake of a glorious Vision from Heaven But it doth not follow from hence that therefore he is able we still speak of his Moral ability or of the ability of his Will to afford the like Vision or any other means like unto that for efficacy and converting Power ordinarily or unto all other men When he demands thus concerning his ancient Church and People of the Jews What could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it c Isai 5. 4. He had not done any such thing in it or for it as he did afterwards for Paul nor had he multiplyed those Miracles and great works of wonder some Particulars whereof he did work for them and amongst them to such a number or with such frequency as by his Power simply considered and without relation unto his Wisdom he was able to have done and yet he might truly say and profess unto them as his demand mentioned imports that he could do no more for them to make them fruitful to bring them to Repentance and so to make them a prosperous and happy People then He had done i. e. He had done the uttermost which his Wisdom in such a case as theirs was permitted him to do So when he vouchsafeth a greater sufficiency of means to one City then he doth to another as he did to Capernaum above Tyre and Sidon to one Nation then to another to one age or generation of men then to another the Reason of this difference is to be resolved into the same infinite uniform though manifold Wisdom of God as the Apostle calleth it or which is the same into the Counsel of his Will d Ephes 1 11 not simply into his Will but into the Counsel of His Will i. e. that infinite Wisdom or Prudence by which his Will is as it were steered and directed in all the motions and actings thereof according unto which counsel he is said to work all things e Eph. 1. 11. And it may be as truly and as properly said of him when he vouchsafeth the least and lowest sufficiency of means unto some men as when he affordeth the greatest and richest of all unto others that he did or doth what he could or what he is able to do as well for the one as for the other And in such cases of difference as these that admiration of the Apostle lately mentioned is most seasonable and proper O the depths of the riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledg of God! How unsearchable are His Judgments and His ways past finding out f Rom. 11. 33. By his Judgments in this place we are not I conceive to understand onely his penal inflictions upon men in one kinde or other but his dispensatory Administrations as he is the Judg and great Ruler of the World indefinitely considered as well such as are Munificent as those which are Penal and so the word Ways in the latter part of the Verse added it is like for explication indifferently implies as well the one as the other But how or in what respect are his Judgments or Ways of Administration in the World said to be unsearchable or past finding out The former part of the Verse clearly informeth us of this as viz. that they are unsearchable in respect of that abundance of Wisdom and Knowledg by which and according unto which they are first ordered and contrived and then executed by him First they are unsearchable viz. unto Men yea and to Angels too in respect of that most absolute and perfect Knowledg which God hath of every particular circumstance from the least to the greatest of all the actions and ways of all the Men in the World and so of all Cities and of all Nations in all succeeding generations from the Morning of the World until the present hour thereof upon which actions with all and every their respective circumstances compared and layd together by God as by Reason of his perfect Knowledg of them they readily may be he builds and forms by means of his Wisdom of which presently that entire series or Tenor of his Administrations as well Munificent as Penal which from day to day and from age to age take place in the World amongst the Sons and Daughters of Men. Now because neither Men nor Angels are capable of knowing or considering all that infinite and endless multitude and variety of actions with all their circumstances respectively which are done in the World upon which and according to the exigency of which not any one of them from the greatest to the least omitted or left out the Providential Administrations of God in the World as well of Justice as of Mercy and Goodness are founded and framed hence it is that the Apostle concludes in a posture of admiration that the Judgments of God are unsearchable and His Ways past finding out in respect of the depths of the riches of that Knowledg which he maketh use of in forming them meaning that no Creature who knoweth not as much as God himself knoweth concerning the Grounds and Reasons why he ordereth the Affairs of the World of Persons of Cities of Countries of Ages as he doth and not otherwise can possibly understand or comprehend the absolute exactness and accurateness of them how ever he may apprehend somewhat yea much of them I mean chiefly concerning the Equity and Righteousness of them Again 2. These Judgments and Ways of God are unsearchable and past §. 17. finding out in respect of the depths of the riches of that Wisdom which is in God according unto which also they are all calculated and formed by him For look as in a Judg who is to administer Justice and to give sentence in the Causes of Men that are brought before him there ought to be these two things 1. A perfect Knowledg of the respective Cases wherein he is to give sentence in all circumstances relating to them before he doth give sentence 2. A Principle of Wisdom to weigh and ponder aright every of these cases in all their circumstances respectively that so he may be able to form such a sentence wherein every circumstance great and small relating to every case may have its due consideration and weight So there are and of necessity must be in God to make him an absolute Judg as he is of all the World 1.
him partly from the Promises made unto all Men who shall beleeve on him partly also from the encouragements which are administred by God unto all Men to beleeve in him First it is evident that God commands all Men without exception to beleeve on Christ And the times of this ignorance saith Paul preaching to the Idolatrous Gentiles at Athens God winked at but now He commandeth ALL MEN EVERY WHERE to Repent a Acts 17. 30. if to repent then certainly to beleeve in Christ without which there is no true Repentance The Reader for his further satisfaction in this Point if he be in any degree yet unsatisfied may at leasure peruse and ponder the Scriptures noted in the Margent b 1 John 3. 23. Mat. 16. 5. Rom. 10. 16. 3. Luke 14. 23. Secondly As God commandeth all Men to beleeve on Christ which is indeed sufficient to prove that they are bound to beleeve on Him so doth He severely threaten all those that shall not beleeve on Him But He that beleeveth not shall be damned c Mark 16. 16 The Scriptures likewise abound with Passages of this import a first-fruits whereof are presented in the Margent d John 8. 24 3. 36 Acts 3. 23 Thirdly As God commandeth all Men to beleeve on Christ and threateneth all with Death which shall not beleeve so He promiseth Life and Salvation unto all without exception who shall beleeve on Him This assertion I conceive is no mans question the Scriptures being so particular and express in the frequent delivery of it e John 3. 16 11. 25 26 1 Pet. 2 6 Fourthly and lastly As God commandeth all Men to beleeve on Christ threateneth all with Death who shall not beleeve promiseth Life and Salvation unto all who shall beleeve so doth He encourage all to beleeve on Him my meaning is He tendereth and suggesteth Reasons and Motives of an encouraging and sweetly-perswading nature and import unto men to beleeve For otherwise the Commands and Promises of God made unto those who shall beleeve are grand encouragements in a large acception of the word unto Men to beleeve and his Threatenings are more engaging to the servile tempers and dispositions of Men to beleeve then any encouragements whatsoever But my meaning in the Particular in hand is this that besides Commands and Promises God lays before the Hearts of Men such Considerations which are apt and proper in a sweet and encouraging way to induce Men to beleeve on Christ or on Himself through Christ for Salvation As for example Sometime He presents them with his great Love to them as Joh. 3. 16. Tit. 3. 4 c. sometimes with his Mercy and his Compassions the greatness and tenderness of these as Exod. 34. 6. Luk. 1. 72 c. sometimes with his delight or pleasure-taking in shewing Mercy as Mica 7. 18. Ezek. 33. 11 c. sometimes with his Faithfulness as Hebr. 10. 23. 1 Cor. 10. 13 c. sometimes with his Oath for their greater security in his Promises as Heb. 6. 17 18. Luk. 1. 72 73. otherwhile with his desire of their Salvation as 1 Tim. 2. 4. Ezek. 33. 11. otherwhile again with the grief and trouble of his Soul at their stubborn courses and that because they are and will be destructive unto them as Ezek. 18. 31. Jerem. 44. 4. Sometimes with the abundant provision He hath made for their Salvation and Peace as Mat. 22. 4. Heb. 9. 14. Sometimes likewise to omit many other Particulars in this kinde with the consideration of that special glory which will accrue unto himself and to his Grace by their beleeving and Salvation thereupon Ephes 1. 6 12. and elsewhere Now to think or say that under all these Commands Threatenings Promises and all this great variety of encouragements directed unto all Men to beleeve yet all Men are not bound to beleeve is to me the thought and saying onely of such a man who is resolved to stand by his own thoughts and sayings against any light or evidence of Truth whatsoever A fourth Argument evincing the Death of Christ for all Men is this §. 10. Argum. 4. If God really and unfeignedly intends or desires the Salvation of those who perish then He really intended the Death of Christ for all Men. This Proposition we shall not need to prove but onely by this brief account All Men without exception are either such who are saved or such who perish and that God really intended the Death of Christ for those that are saved is no mans doubt or contest Therefore if He really intended the Salvation of those also who perish in or by the Death of Christ He intended this Death of Christ for all This Proposition then being undenyable I proceed and assume thus But God really unfeignedly intends or desires the salvation of those who perish Therefore he intended the Death of Christ for all Men. This latter Proposition That God really and unfeignedly desires the Salvation of those that perish is clearly proved by this consideration viz. that God so frequently so fervently and pathetically in the Scriptures professeth his desires of the Peace and Salvation of such men yea and an holy regret of Soul in Himself when they will stubbornly run courses destructive to their Salvation contrary to his desires and endevors with them in this kinde Let us give instance in some Passages of such an import as we speak of O that there were such an Heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always that it might be well with them and with their children for ever a Deut. 5. 29 saith the Lord himself concerning the great body of the children of Israel whose carcasses soon after fell in the wilderness through unbelief as the Apostle speaketh So again by David Psal 81. O that my people had harkened unto me and Israel had walked in my ways I should soon have subdued their enemies and turned my hand against their adversaries b Psa 81. 13 14 c. Thus the Lord speaks concerning those whom as he had immediately before said He had given up to their own hearts lusts and who walked in their own counsels That expression also of the Lord in Isaiah is of the same character Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way thou shouldst go O that thou hadst harkened unto my Commandments then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousness as the waves of the Sea c Isai 48. 17 Whereunto this also in the same Prophet may be joyned I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people which walketh in a way that is not good after their own thoughts a people that provoketh me to anger to my face that sacrificeth in gardens d Isai 65. 2 c. By spreading forth the hands saith Calvin Englished upon the place he
accordingly once and again already or that this Covenant is not made upon the same terms and conditions with all those interessed or included in it which is a conceit of no whit better an accord either with Reason or Truth Secondly If all Men have not a sufficiency of Means granted unto them §. 28. by God then God dealeth with the generality or far greatest part of Men more rigorously and with less mercy and this under the Covenant of Grace then He doth with the Devils themselves The Reason is plain because in case Men have not a sufficiency of Means whereby to be saved they have onely Means given them whereby to increase their Condemnation yea such means and so and upon such terms given them that they cannot but use them to their greater and more heavy Condemnation then that whereunto they should or could have been liable had no such Covenant of Grace been made with them or tendered unto them For if they be not enabled by God to Repent and to beleeve the Gospel they must needs be subjected to an absolute necessity of despising or neglecting it there being no medium between accepting the great Salvation brought unto them therein which is done by Faith and the neglecting of it which is always accompanied with Unbelief Now a neglect of the Gospel and of the great Salvation tendred therein by God unto men is the first-born of Provocations in the sight of God and maketh men sevenfold more the Children of Wrath and of Death then otherwise they would have been How shall we escape saith the Apostle if we NEGLECT so great a Salvation z Heb. 2. 3 c. implying that this sin is unquestionably more exasperating incensing enraging the Almighty against His Creature Man then any other sin or sins whatsoever Yea if a man by means of the Gospel and the Grace offered unto him therein be not brought to Repentance and to a forsaking of ways and practices of sin the sins themselves which he shall commit under the Gospel will turn to a far deeper and more dreadful account in condemnation unto him then the like sins without the Gospel would have done So that it is clear on every side that in case men be not enabled by God to Repent and beleeve the Gospel the exhibition and tender of the Gospel unto them must needs be an heaping of coals of fire upon their heads by God a project and design â—o render them two-fold or rather an hundred-fold more the Children of Hell Misery and Torment then otherwise they had been Whereas most certain it is that God hath designed nothing acted nothing in one kinde or other to increase the Punishment or Condemnation of the Devils especially in any way of an unavoydable Necessity above the demerit of their first sin Thirdly If God doth not vouchsafe sufficient means unto all Men whereby §. 29. to repent beleeve and so to be saved then will He condemn and destroy or at least increase the Condemnation and Destruction of far the greatest part of Men for that which is no sin I mean Impenitency and Unbelief For 1. I suppose that it is no sin at all in the Creature not to perform or do any such act which is proper onely for God Himself to do or which requires the lighting down of His Omnipotent Arm to effect it 2. I suppose that which hath been both lately and formerly proved that God doth and will condemn and destroy men for Impenitency and Unbelief So then if to Repent and to Beleeve be such acts or works in the Soul which cannot be produced raised or performed by men by means of that strength or those abilities which are vouchsafed unto them but absolutely require the Omnipotent Power of God to effect them it is no ways more sinful in the Creature not to exert or perform them then it is not to be God and consequently if God should punish men for the non-performance of them He should punish them for that which in such a case and upon such a supposition would be no sin Yea if God should punish men for not endevoring or not doing that which is in their power to do in order to Repenting and Beleeving He should punish them for not attempting to make themselves equal in Power unto God Fourthly If God hath not vouchsafed a sufficiency of Power to beleeve §. 30. unto those who notwithstanding do not beleeve then did our Saviour without any ground or cause in the least wonder at the Unbelief of many in the Gospel yea and at the Faith of others And He could there do no mighty work save that He layd His Hands upon a few sick folk and healed them And He MARVFLLED BECAVSE OF THEIR UNBELIEF a Mark 6. 6 On the other hand When Jesus heard it i. e. the Answer of the Centurion He MARVELLED and said unto them that followed Verily I say unto you I have not found so GREAT FAITH no not in Israel b Mat. 8. 10 First there is not the least cause or occasion why any man should marvel that Creatures or second Causes should not act above their sphere yea though there be the greatest conjunction of such means which are proper and helpful unto them in order to such actings which lie within their sphere As for example though the year be never so seasonable and fruitful yet there is not the least occasion to marvel or think it strange that the Thorn should not bring forth grapes or the Thistle figs. So in case there be twenty great lights shining in a room it is no matter of wonder at all that a blinde man seeth nothing at all that is before him In like manner in case it be supposed that men are utterly destitute of a Power of Beleeving there is not the least ayr or colour of an occasion why any man should think it strange that they should not beleeve what helps or advantages soever for oâ— towards beleeving they have otherwise So again when causes or means which are known â—o act necessarily uniformly and constantly in their way do move and act accordingly there is not the least occasion given why any man should marvel or wonder at it When the Sun shineth or fire burneth when birds fly or fishes swim no man is tempted or provoked to the least degree of admiration Nor is there any whit more reason or cause of marvel that any Person at any time should beleeve though under the greatest disadvantages for beleeving in case it be supposed and known that that Cause which worketh or produceth Faith in Men as viz. the Power of God by which Faith is always produced in Men when they do beleeve should always work or act necessitatingly or irresistibly in the production of it Possibly the Grace of God by which men under signal disadvantages are according to our Adversaries Principles necessitated to beleeve may be just matter of admiration unto men but the vouchsafement of such grace
but to prevent the sin of Unbelief in all Men in order to their Non-damnation and that they may be saved 3. And lastly The Doctrine which avoucheth that Christ dyed for all Men clearly resolveth the Reprobation of all that are or ever come to be Reprobated into themselves or their own voluntary and deliberate course of sinning or persisting in Unbelief as the cause thereof and so fairly dischargeth God and His Decree as no ways accessary unto it Whereas the adverse Opinion resolveth it into the meer Pleasure or peremptory Will of God in His Decree of Reprobation affirming this to be the principal if not the sole and adequate cause of it So that there is a very vast difference between the one Opinion and the other in their respective representations of God unto his Creature in point of Grace Goodness and Loveliness on the one hand as of Rigor Hardness and Unloveliness on the other hand It is true God is very severe terrible and unrelenting in the Execution of His Penal Decrees upon those who voluntarily expose themselves to the doom and dint of them in which respect the Scripture speaketh oft of His Severity but in the framing of them His Primary Intentions were as hath been said gracious no ways inconsistent with or repugnant to the Peace and Comfort of any of His Creatures but calculated with dueness of proportion and respects for the advancement of them Yet 2. Against the main Argument last insisted upon it may be further objected §. 15. Object 2. They who deny that Christ dyed for any but for the Elect only represent God altogether as gracious and lovely unto His Creature as they who affirm that He dyed for all Because the former hold and teach withall that God really intends that all those for whom Christ dyed shall be actually saved hereby Whereas the latter hold that though Christ dyed for all yet He dyed onely so or upon such terms for them that notwithstanding His dying for them they may all perish Now doth it not argue as much or more grace and goodness in God to provide certainly and above all possibility of miscarrying for the Salvation of a few then to provide a bare possibility onely of Salvation for all or for the Salvation of all after such a manner and upon such terms onely that all notwithstanding this Provision made for them may very possibly perish To this also I answer 1. That they who teach that Christ dyed for all Men do not teach that Answ He dyed to make Provision onely for a bare Possibility that all may be saved but such a Provision which is fully and richly sufficient for the Salvation of all Men yea so sufficient that all Men if they be not intolerably and unexcusably negligent and careless in a matter of so transcendent a concernment unto them may and most certainly shall be saved The Provision which God hath made by the Death of Christ for the Salvation of all is so redundantly plentiful that there is no place or possibility left for the miscarrying of any man but by a neglect of it onely How shall we escape saith the Apostle if we NEGLECT so great a Salvation a Hebr. 2. 3 c. clearly implying that if they did not neglect it but seriously and diligently minde and look after it they should escape viz. the Wrath of God and the vengeance of Hell fire and consequently be saved Otherwise in case their regarding or esteeming of this Salvation should be accompanied with the same danger or destruction which their neglect would bring upon them the Apostle might as well or indeed rather have said How shall we escape whether we neglect this great Salvation or no 2. There is no comparison for matter of grace goodness or bounty between such a Provision for the Salvation of all Men without exception whereby all and every Person may if they be not wilfully bent upon their own destruction be saved and between such whereby there is no possibility save only for a few a number inconsiderable compared with the whole to be saved Nor is that certainty or necessity of the Salvation of a few which is pretended to be consulted or intended in this latter Provision being accompanied with the exposure of so many millions of millions of precious Souls to inevitable Damnation any ways considerable in point of Grace with that great and Blessed Opportunity which by the former Provision is put into the hand of the World and of every Person of Mankinde without exception to escape the vengeance which â—s to come if they please and withall to be crowned with an incorruptible Crown of Glory especially if it be considered withall that He that makes such a Provision for a few had wherewithall in abundance and this disposable contrivable to no other use or purpose to have provided upon the same terms for all and that all the reason He had for His non-disposing of it this way I mean for the benefit and blessing of all was onely His meer Will and Pleasure Suppose a man had a thousand quarters of Wheat or the like which he knows not what to do with or to what use to convert it but onely to the relief of a company of poor indigent creatures ready to be affamished and perish through hunger in case this man should actually relieve onely two or three Persons in this distress with part of this abundance there being a thousand before him in the same extremity and in no possibility of being relieved from any other hand but should rather chuse to cast the residue of his grain into the Sea or bury it under ground or some ways or other destroy the serviceableness of it unto man then dispose of it towards the relief of any of the rest would not such an act as this by reason of the unnaturalness and affectate unmercifulness of it quite drown the grace and loveliness of his Charity in relieving those few In like manner they who pretend the exaltation of the Grace and Love of God towards Men in giving Christ to dye for them whose Death they grant to be sufficient in point of merit to save all Men without exception and yet teach that God intended onely the Salvation of a few the whole lump or body of Mankinde standing in the same need of Salvation with these few and that He chose to suffer the merit of this Death of Christ rather to vanish into the air or to be like water spilt upon the ground excepting onely the Salvation of those few by it then to accommodate and relieve thereby the residue of Mankinde in their saddest and utmost extremity what do they less then bury all that which is lovely in that Act of Grace or Mercy towards a few under the imputation of so great an unmercifulness or hardness of bowels towards many At this turn it is commonly pleaded that God is no Debtor to any of His §. 16. Object Creatures and
consequently that He is and was at perfect liberty whether He would shew Mercy unto any or make Provision for the Salvation of the smallest number of all Upon which account it could not have been termed an Act of unmercifulness in Him in case no Provision had been made by him for the Salvation of any much less that He should not make Provision for all As it argues no unmercifulness at all in Him that He hath made no Provision at all for the Salvation of the Devils because He was no ways bound to it Whereas upon Men in case they have means and opportunity to relieve the necessities of those that are in misery and neglect to do it the imputation and charge of unmercifulness justly lieth because they are under a Law in this behalf So that the Grace of God in his merciful Provision for the Salvation of a few is no ways obscured or disparaged by his non-providing for all To all this I answer 1. That neither the Argument yet in hand nor the Answer given to the Answ former Objection intermeddle little or much with the liberty or rightfulness of power vested in God to deny Mercy where He pleaseth as to shew it likewise where and to whom He pleaseth but the one and the other insist upon the demonstration of this viz. that they who ascribe unto God reality of Intentions to make Provision for the Salvation of all Men without exception in and by the Death of Christ upon those gracious terms for the enjoyment of it which have been specified render Him far more gracious lovely and attractive to the Hearts of Men then they who present Him with Intentions of providing onely for a few thereby upon what terms soever with the hardening of Himself against and neglect of all the rest being incomparably far the greater number in their greatest extremity And this I suppose we have made good against all rational contradiction But 2. Whereas we reflected upon such an Act which our Adversaries imagine to be in God whereby they say notwithstanding a sufficiency of merit before Him in the Death of Christ for the Salvation of all as well as of a few yet He rather suffered this precious sufficiency in respect of the redundancy of it over and above the Provision made by it for a few to vanish or be spilt then to intend any help or healing by it unto the generality of Men whereas I say we censured such an Act as this as ill consisting with or obscuring the beauty and loveliness of that gracious Act of God in providing for the Salvation of a few we did not herein reflect prejudice in the least upon any liberty or rightfulness of Power truly competent unto or vested in God but onely shewed and asserted the deformity or moral contradictiousness between two Acts which notwithstanding our Adversaries ascribe as well the one as the other unto God 3. Concerning that liberty of shewing and denying Mercy where and to whom He pleaseth which the Objection in hand asserteth unto God we answer that how absolute soever this liberty in Him may be conceived to be simply or in respect of any engagement from Men or any Creature Yet 1. it is confined and subjected unto such Declarations and Promises which Himself hath freely made so that for example He is no more at liberty nor hath He any more right of Power to withhold or deny Mercy from and unto any of those to whom He hath promised Mercy or to whom He hath Declared that He will shew Mercy however otherwise they may seem unworthy or unmeet Objects of Mercy He hath no more liberty I say to do either of these then He hath to lye deal unfaithfully unjustly and the like Upon this account the Prophet David acknowledgeth it unto God as a signal engagement upon him to praise and worship Him that He had still magnified His Word above all His Name a Psal 138. 2 meaning that what ever Attribute of His which is either in whole or in â—art His Name at any time seemed to oppose or stand up against the performance of any Promise or Declaration of Mercy made by Him yet he always magnified his Promise by giving real full and seasonable performance thereunto He passeth not for the vailing or obscuring any other part of his Name so that his Truth and Faithfulness in his Word may be advanced 2. As he hath no liberty as some men count liberty of shewing or denying Mercy contrary to his Word so neither hath he any liberty of acting in one kinde or other and consequently neither of shewing or denying Mercy in opposition to his Wisdom which is as it were the steerage of all his Dispensations in one kinde or other according to that of the Apostle formerly considered b Cap. 4. Sect. 36 Who worketh all things ACCORDING TO THE COVNSEL of His Will c Eph. 1. 11 i. e. according to the exigency or requirement of that most absolute infinite Wisdom of his by which his Will and consequently his Power which is always exerted and moved into action by and according to his Will is directed and led forth in all the movings and actings of it In so much that as we lately argued and proved d Cap. 16 Sect. 15 God is at far less liberty to decline in any his ways and actions the most district Rules and Principles of the most accurate Wisdom that is then any Creature whatsoever Man or Angel Therefore to conceit or plead for such a liberty in God of shewing and denying Mercy to whom he pleaseth which is inconsistent with that determination of himself in either kinde which He hath declared in his Word is to conceive and speak unworthily of him yea and to shake the foundations of that Hope upon which the Saints and sound Beleevers are built by the Gospel For if God be at liberty to deny Mercy contrary to his Word or Will revealed therein what assurance can the best Beleevers have that they either are or shall be justified or saved by Him So that until our Adversaries have first proved that God hath made no such Declaration in the Gospel as that He hath made and is still willing to make Provision for the Salvation of all Men without exception by the Death of Christ which hitherto they have not done it is in vain for them to pretend a liberty in Him of denying Mercy to whom He pleaseth by way of proof or confirmation of their Opinion 4. Though it would have been no Act of unmercifulness in God but of §. 17. districtness of Justice onely in case no Provision had been made by Him either by the Death of Christ or otherwise for the Salvation of any yet such an Act as this would not have rendered Him so gracious and lovely in the eyes of his Creature or so attractive of their Hearts and Souls and consequently not so Evangelical as that Act of Grace hath now done and doth whereby