beleeving except it be in the case of his establishing of persistingly abiding humbled beleevers after some tryall of their faith into the priviledges of the speciall salvation which especiall salvation is set forth in my nineteenth Distinction For we have many examples therein that God doth not so over-power inabled ones before he hath had some tryall of their faithfull constancy to keep the faith which they are by grace inabled to doe Eph. 1.12 13. for observe though it may be said that he compelled the refusing guests to know of the reality of the Feast and his good will therein intended to them by his inviting of them which reality they questioned not much lesse denyed for they in effect confest that by their desiring to be excused for their not comming to it yet you see that God did not by an almighty power further compell those knowing though refusing guests to come to the feast much lesse to seed thereon reither did he compell that party not having a wedding garment to abide at the Feast although he had by command compelled him to come into it Neither do we read that he compelled any other of the guests to feed on the Feast though he had compelledly brought them in to it and inabled them to feed thereon Neither in our Types the Jewes after he had given beasts and other creatures to offer whereby they were by him made able to offer up to him in Sacrifices such of them as he to that end required of them yet did he not then compell them by an Almighty power to offer up those beasts to him whether they would or not Neither though God had used such compulsion by the fire as raised the scum in the seething pot so as men might themselves have taken it off which represents his dealing with all men yet you see he did not use a further Almighty power to take it off himselfe nor to inforce them so to doe Neither when he had given the children of Israel weapons and ability to enter into the terrestriall land of Canaan then compell them by an almighty power to beat out their enemies in Moses time Neither though God made the fallen Angels to receive the possession of their blessed first estate and made them to receive ability in themselves to keep that their first habitation yet you see God did not further than compell those Angels to keep that their estate or first habitation And although it may be in some sort said that he compelled Adam First to enjoy a living being Secondly to receive the actuall possession of his blessed estate prepared for him by the grace of Creation And Thirdly made him to receive an ability in himselfe to have kept that his blessed glorious estate yet you see God did not by a further Almighty power compel him whether he would then or not to keep and continue in in obedience and to keep that his blessed estate although herein in this point he was the great and leading patterne of Gods intention concerning all mankind to the whole succeeding world and al we his posterity by his example are not to expect at gods hands though he doth by Christ inable all men evangelically to keep the second Covenant which is of grace as he did inable Adam perfectly to keep the first Covenant of works by doing that he will furnish his posterity with a more established condition than he did him our grand parent and exemplary patterne And so farre he doth inable all men that they all may or might be obedient for as hath been said and indeed cannot too often be said that our blessed Saviour Christ by a salvation first purchased at a dear rate by himselfe alone by his sufferings and performances upon the earth for al men with out men and then by his resurrection and ascension into Heaven or by his being in Heaven from thence by his spirit operating in all men and thereby inabling all men in the inward man in due season so effectually as that thereby they all by beleeving might obtaine eternall life yet as hath been said and proved no man is compelled by a further Almighty power to abide inbeleeving or obedience to the faith whether they then when being so inabled will or not neither so over-powered that they shall not be able to close their internall eyes againe lest so remaining seeing they should be healed as we see those did Mat. 13.15 Yet God never faileth in due season when he seeth fit to establish persisting abiding humbled beleevers who are found to have some good progresse in the faith by their well using that ability by grace given them these he establisheth in the priviledges of the speciall salvation wherein he sealeth them after they beleeved with the holy spirit of promise Eph. 1.13 and therein affordeth them many gratious spirituall visits as to eate of the hidden Manna and also giveth them a white stone with a new name written in it which no man knows but he that receives it Rev. 2.17 And observe that by this reall ability aforesaid by Christ communicated unto all men from thence he saith without me you can do nothing John 15.5 therewith also exhorting men to abide in that ability by beleeving John 15.4 6. and there also sheweth the danger of those men that will not abide also from that ability received beleeving people doe triumphantly say Not of our selves but by thee only will we make mention of thy name Isa 26.13 and in consideration that some people do willingly and chearfully act in that by grace restored ability given to all men to know the truth which God foreknowing they by him are called Gods people or elect according to his foreknowledge agreeable to the proofes cite in my 17 Distinction and from hence it is said thy people shall come willingly in the day of thy power Psal 110.3 Thus herewith keeping in our memories though God in compassion saith what could I have done more to my vineyard that I have not done Isa 5.4 Which vineyard as in the Type representeth all the men of the world as appeareth 1 Cor. 6.11 yet you see he did not by an almighty power force them to bring forth good fruit but he proceeded only by taking away the obstructions that hindered them so to doe that they might by the benefit of that good means used with them bring forth good fruit and then expected good fruit from them or their owne performances in their good use of that means he had gratiously used with them as fully appears in Isa 5. And whereas God said what could I have done more for my vineyard you know that God could if he had so pleased by his Almighty power have so established them as that they no waies could have brought forth bad fruit but he having in his transcendent wisdome after the counsell of his owne will Eph. 1.11 determined not to invest mankind in genenerall in any further ability in themselves but only by taking away
charge God with disabling them by a decreed preterition delusively affirming that thereby they cannot repent and that they cannot beleeve These men I do exhort to consider that no rationall man except he be justly given up of God to a reprobate mind dare affirme but that God hath at severall times strived with his conscience to convince him of his evill requitall of his gratious favours Neither dare they say that God hath not also all along in their own experience afforded them not only meanes but also much more ability to be humbly obedient to the faith then they ever did or were willing to act in accordingly These men as I doe hereby perswade them to take notice of the large extention of freedome and ability which God by grace communicates to every man as is declared in my 6 and 7 Distinctions hereafter following to take away that conceit of their fallacious sheltring cannots and to cause them to confesse to the glory of God and their own shame that the fault is in themselves that will not repent that wil not beleeve that will not be obedient So also I do perswade those men if they come to bee resolvedly willing to become obedient to Gods convincement then to take heed of building their faith upon the fading sands of their legall reformations For first the Scripture sets forth all men being considered of as meerly naturall to be Atheists the wisdome of this world is foolishnesse with God 1 Cor. 3.19 From hence it is said the fool hath said in his heart there is no Gods Psal 14.1 that being all mens prime condition after the fall And from thence it is affirmed that he that will come to God must beleeve that God is H b. 11.6 with these men whilest they so continue they are without God in the world Eph. 2.12 God is not in all their thoughts Psal 10.4 which is a terrible fearfull condition And Secondly when men are convinced by Gods spirit of their trnasgressions then thereby their atheisme vanisheth away and then they do most ordinarily earnestly presse into Popery to please God whom they have so offended by making him a mens in their future conversation by their doing and walking in any sort of superstition practised in the world rather than by faith to depend upon Gods grace and goodnesse only purchased by Christ which alwaies procures thankfull obedient walking and though some men are without their own desire or seeking nay it may be contrary to their desire by a nationall Law set free from the outward fantasticall trash of Popish Discipline and out ward doctrine of their supposed meritorious observations and are thereby constrained to be Protestants in conceit yet they doe retain inwardly though secretly the papisticall hereticall opinion of merit or justification by works or at best by faith and works mixed in the very fundamentall And although some others by the means aforesaid called Protestants verbally confesse that they ought not nor cannot conclude their being personally justified before God by their works yet also they will affirm as some of them have done that by their works of signs or supposed reformations they may fundamentally know and conclude that they shall be justified by Christ their faith in God being by this fancied tenent more strong or more weak according as their supposed reformations are more lively or dead in their actuall performances and although good actions are chearsully to be continued in yet to have faith strong or weak in the fund amentall according to their variation is a more secret deceit of Popery and therefore more dangerous to be convinced of Those seeming Protestants though they be transformed from the first condition of Atheists into the estate of Papists either in externall profession or internall confidence are still void of the fundamentall to confide only in Gods meer mercy grace and goodnesse purchased by Christ and upon that fundamentall ground to walke humbly obediently and thankfully before God The second direction is to such men as have so far yielded to convincement that in their obedience to the faith they have forsaken all legall confidences as fundamentall and are become earnest seekers to find out the good old way to finde rest to their soules that they doe not provoke God by their immoderate distrustfull importunacy by their not being in the first place contented to be of those who not only by faith but also by patience thereto annexed do attain to inherit the promises according to that exhortation Heb. 6.12 but will at all adventures rashly post over the expressions of the common salvation and Gods gratious generall promises declared therefrom in his written word to sinners and to the ungodly if turning to his grace not excepting one man Which written word the Apostle affirmeth plainly is the sure word of peophecie unto which men ought waitingly to take heed untill the day dawn and Christ the bright morning star Rev. 22.16 or the day star arise in their hearts as is fully proved 2 Pet. 1.19 20. but will by that their distrusting rashnesse aspiringly desire that the day star should arise in their hearts first even before they have patiently walked to and before God in honouring him by consenting to and making use of his abundant mercy and goodnesse declared by him in generall expressions for all men in his written word which inordinate distrustfull hast is reproved of God Psal 27.14 Isa 30.18 he that beleeveth shall not make hast Isa 26.18 and so much the rather I doe advise those so convinced ones though not to abate their importunacy yet to mix confiding waiting and depending patience therewith Because experience hath often presented to our view that diverspersons by their exercising such distrustfull rash importunacy and yet failing of their end by them so sought for that is by an immediate revelation to ascertaine them of their eternall life which being not then granted they have cast themselves headlong into a desperate dangerous and untimely death The third exhortation I humbly present to all such persons who have confidingly and persistingly abided by faith in the comfortable use of Gods generall gratious promises so far in all difficulties and temptations that God having srownd these abiding beleevers persistingly submitted in humble obedience to the faith and in faithfull indeavours in their thankfull walking hath established them in the benefits of the speciall salvation sealing them after they beleeved with his holy spirit of promise according to Eph. 1.13 These blessed people I do humbly intreat that now having their first nurse in the faith the common salvation more clearly unmasked unto them in this tract from whose breasts though they now slight her yet in the infancy of their faith they first sucked the streams of eternall life that now they will be pleased to own their first nurse whilest they were in the cradle concerning faith for the comfortable building and nursing up of Gods Church now comming in or hereafter to come in that by
inferred in the same Chapter as sinne abounded by the Law there grace did much more abound ver 20. and the reason thereof is there given to be this that as sin had raigned unto death even over all men as appears ver 12. by the Law ver 20. even so largely might Grace reigne through righteousnesse by Jesus Christ our Lord ver 21. by his costly establishing the Gospell intended on Gods part for the benefit of all men And to say as the truth is the Apostles very frequently in their Epistles doe lay downe in plain words these and such like generall grounds of a common salvation wherefrom they do very often frame their following discourses though indeed this their generall ground-plot though being declared by them the Apostles agreeable to the Prophets and also our Saviour Christs own plain words hath been by many Godly and Learned men overlooked which oversight hath not only as it were buried the most ready the most sure and most comfortable foundation of faith and repentance which is that Christ dyed for all and hath thereby saved them from the curse of the Law and first death bringing all men to the knowledge of truth inabling all men so that in their good use thereof they might also of ape the danger of the second death all which is herein proved but also it hath bred and nursed up and doth nourish many variable noisome contentions even in the Christian world by men blasting as much as in them lies those plain words that Christ is the Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4.10 that he dyed for all 2. Cor. 5.15 that he is the propitiation for the sins of no fewer than the sins of the whole world 1 John 2.2 But hereto I doe intreat you to take notice that whereas in Scripture is mention made of the Oldman Rom. 6.6 Eph. 4.22 Col. 3.9 and of the New man Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 that the common salvation is in no for hespefull either to the Old or New man nor indeed can be for the Old man is the body of sin Rom. 6.6 the old man is corrupt through deceiveable lusts Eph. 4.22 This corrupt qualification in man is devilish and from the Devill issueth naturaily into all men by Adams fall and is nourished by Sathans continuall operations thereto annexed and cannot nor is in any mannar capable to receive any benefit or be any waies bettered by the common salvation And on the other de the New man is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that Created him Col. 3.10 and after God is crected in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4.24 And by its thus proceeding from God who is perfect perfection it no way needeth neither can it any waies be helped mended or made better by the common salvation or any other meanes Therefore we are to know that the common salvation is by grace in Christ established and by him perfected for all men whether any man doe beleeve it or not that by the help of the holy and good spirituall New man the Rationall man consisting by vertue of the Creation of the substances of soule and body might be assisted on Gods part against the continuall evill attempts and suggestions of the Sathanically deluding Old man for both the New man and the Old man do strive against each other in the person of the Rationall mean to obtaine his consent either to good by the New mans solicitation or to evill by the Old mans instigation From whence the Apostle exhorts not the spirituall new man that needeth no exhortation to good nor the diabolicall Old man that cannot possibly act any otherwise but to do evill but he perswades the Rationall man in whose person they both do strive to get the supremacy in his acceptation and affection to put off the Old man which is corrupt and to put on the New man which is after God created in righteousnesse Eph. 4.22 24. And from hence also the Apostle accounteth our yielding up our bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God our reasonable or rationall service Rom. 12.1 Which Rationall man or substances of body and soule being considered of without the sinne by themselves contracted to and in them are in themselves good for sinne doth not null those created substances which were by Creation good but doth pollute them And not only the good substances of men as in reference to the Creation but of the Devils also are not offensive being considered of apart from the sinne thereto by themselves contracted And further to confirme this necessary point Note what Paul said But I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind Rom. 7.22 Herein the Apostle Paul sheweth distinctly that the Rationall man is the spectator and is the place or person in whom that combate is fought for in effect he saith I see Note that I the Rationall man do see the contest betwixt the flesh and the spirit or the Old man and the New man making war one against the other in me one of them in my mind the other in my members Againe he saith the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh so that ye cannot doe that ye would Gal. 5.17 Herein also the word yee cannot doe the things that yee would because of the strong contest of the Old man against the New man or the flesh against the spirit maintained in their persons sets sorth the Rationall man distinct from the Old and New man which rationality hath reference to Rom. 12.1 before cited And although this combate of the flesh and the spirit or the Old man and New man be very often in the conscience of every man that hath attained to years of understanding and judgement yet this distinction is either not knowne or but little discerned by any untill he become a confiding believer neither doe any yield to the new mans part but such yet I believe that no man being capable of understanding will deny but that he hath often felt such conflicts in his conscience and in his judgement although he hath persisted in resisting the good motions of the holy spirit and hath not followed much lesse accepted of that Gospell-light and so in time it may be his conscience is grown seared and then given up of God spiritually insensible of all accusations or good instructions of the spirit or New man dictated in his conscience therefore we are to understand that by the rationall man is meant every man or the substances of every mans soule and body and their faculties And that every man thus considered is totally by nature corrupt by Adams fall originally and so is Sathanically deluded and captived in darknesse and rebellious dispositions Psal 14.2 3. Rom. 3.10 18. So that before any one of mankind can attaine to be able to know or choose light or life upon necessity he the rationall man must be inabled and set free by grace in the inward man their hearts eies
have not the written Law or Gospell otherwise than the effects thereof are written in their hearts even they by their beleeving and confiding in the goodnesse of him only or of God only that railed up Jesus our Lord from the dead is warrantably according to the scope of that Text accounted to them for righteousnesse which they may doe by their ability received in themselves by Christ in the common salvation by their being all of them brought to the knowledge of the truth of Gods grace and goodnesse as is proved in my last Distinction although the very name of Jesus and particulars of his performances which procureth that goodnesse for them be not discovered unto them and this is made apparant for the unthankfulnesse of the very Heathens as is proved where it is said despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering not knowing or remembring as in some translations that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance Rom. 2.4 As if said dost thou behave thy selfe so unthankfully to God not knowing of his goodnesse will thy conscience say that thou art not acquainted with his goodnesse no no that is not the cause it is the hardnesse and impenitencie of thy heart that treasurest up unto thy selfe wrath ver 5. And that this is spoken of those people that have not so much as the Law written vouchsafed them otherwise than the effects thereof written in their hearts See the 14 and 15 verses following And this need not seem strange to any man For behold beloved that even Christs chosen Apostles and Disciples were ignorant of his sufferings death and resurrection even after they had remained with him a considerable time as appeareth in Mat. 16.21 By his there instructing them that he must suffer and be killed and be raised againe the third day and so also in Mark 8.31 and herewith is very much to be obserued that in the very time of that their great ignorance Christ doth affirme directly that they were blessed as in Mat. 13.16 as also he affirmeth that Peter was blessed even before Peter knew of Christs sufferings death and resurrection as in Mat. 16.17 And more than this for Peter James and John were ignorant what the rising from the dead should mean Marke 9.10 And to prove that they were all by Christ affirmed to be then blessed even in the time of that their ignorance or before they knew of his sufferings death and resurrection compare Mat. 13 16. and 16.17 foregoing wherein they are affirmed to be blessed even in the time of that their ignorance with Mat. 16.20 21 22 23. following wherein is made apparant that Christ at that time before when he affirmed them to be blessed had not then acquainted them with his sufferings death and resurrection and also that then they were utterly ignorant of those particulars therefore it is no strange thing to beleeve that the Heathens may by the effectuall inabling means used with them by the spirit in the visible book of the Creatures beleeve and confide in Gods goodnesse who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead which faith by vertue of that name is imputed for righteousnesse as is before said although they never heard of the name of Jesus nor are made acquainted with the particulars of his sufferings death and resurrection for most of the antient Saints before Christs Incarnation had either none or very little knowledge of Christs name and particulars of his sufferings death and resurrection the knowledge of which particulars now since Christs Incarnation death and resurrection is required where the Gospell comes as main Articles of our Christian Faith And observe herewith yet further that as it said the manifestat on of the spirit is given to every man to profit withall 1 Cor. 12.7 that though some men apply this Text to beleevers only because there spoken to beleevers yet to testifie to the world that the very heathens though not instructed in Christian principles have effectuall manifestations used with them it is said that that which may be known of God is manifest in them and the reason is therewith given for God hath shewed it unto them Rom. 1.19 Which manifestation of the spirit to the Heathen maketh the very letter of 1 Cor. 12.7 to appear in full for every man and also amiably agreeth with that Text where it is said that Christ inlightneth no fewer than every man that commeth into the world so that no lesse number than all men through him might beleeve John 1.7 9. Now you know that every man and all men must needs include all the Heathen men and the bookes wherewith God by his spirit doth teach those Heathens are also made known to us in the word saying For the invisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seen by the Creation of the world so that they are without excuse Rom. 1.20 That whereas all men are brought to the knowledge of the truth of Gods goodnesse as hath been largely proved whereby those persons of those Heathens that having the truth do hold the truth in unrighteousness ver 18. and having the truth do change the truth into a lye ver 25. such of those Heathens though so having the knowledge of God who is truth Isa 65.16 communicated to them yet do not glorifie God as God Rom. 1.21 and having the knowledge of God doe not like to retaine that knowledge ver 28. such are without excuse as verse 20. because God hath shewed these unto them as before by the manifestation of the spirit in the Creature-booke wherein note that if the means were not an effectuall discovery then in equity they were excusable So also the testimony of the Prophet David concerning this very point where he also setteth forth to view by what books God by his spirit doth declare himselfe and his goodnesse even to those very Heathens saying the Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke day unto day uttereth speech night unto night sheweth knowledge there is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard their line is gone through all the earth and their words unto the end of the world Psal 19.1 2 3. which sort of Preaching though Christs name nor the particulars of his sufferings death and resurrection be not discovered to them thereby yet the Apostle Paul from hence doth affirme it to be a Gospell preaching to all Rom. 10.18 saying have they not heard yes verily their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the end of the world alluding here to the same words used in Psalm 19. before recited and the persisting in the abuse of this knowledge of God causeth a delivering up to a reprobate minde Rom. 1.28 Now beloved considering that all the Heathens are so effectually enabled spiritually to heare see and understand and confide in Gods goodnesse as it is proved that all men are in my Last Distinction take notice
by his having to his parent or brother or kinsman such a person whom God loveth And that sometimes in Scripture-phrase hatred is but the expression of a lesser degree of love as there in that saying the elder shall serve the younger And considering that Gods hatred in their sence as applyed to mans eternall reprobation or preterition is so destructively opposite to Gods owne words that he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 and that he desires not or delighteth not in the death of him that dieth but exhorteth them to turn themselves and live Ezck. 18.32 and that he is good to all and that his tender mercies are not onely over some but over all his works Psal 145.9 And that quite contrary to their imagined conceipt that God forsaketh some men eternally before after their infranchisement they actually forsake him God affirmeth that he doth not willingly afflict no nor so much as grieveth the children of men Lam. 3.33 Why then should not we beleeve God rather than men considering the election and hatred there mentioned extends but to an earthly superiority for Jacob and a temporall servitude for Esau and that their fancied preterition from reall means before men doe actually and personally forsake God is in truth if ript open but a disguised reprobation for one that hath power to doe it and doth keep from a man his food may as really kill that man so as if he cut off his head with a sword And considering that it is proved by Scripture in my 14 Distinction that it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth in that darknesse or by that ability which he hath by generation naturally from fallen Adams loines but of God who doth set free all mens wils in due season and so doth enable all men by his free grace that they by their well usage of that ability may acceptably by imputation will and runne by their beleeving And considering that even then also it is of God that sheweth mercy even to beleevers in mercy by Christ opening a way for it and then in mercy forgiving their imperfections both in their faith and in their works also And considering that even beleevers are in themselves ungodly it is only of God that sheweth mercy it is of him that will have it so according to his second Covenant in that he doth predestinate according to his owne purpose who worketh all things after the counsell of his own will not that those predestinated by his absolute will and power only should but that those who in his fore-knowledge first trusted in Christ or before beleeved in Christ as some translations have it or fore-known lovers of God should be to the prais of his glory and that those men should be sealed with the holy spirit of promise not before by Gods absolute will and power only but after they beleeved as the coherence of the Text in plain words rendereth Eph. 1.11 12 13. Thus God will have mercy on him and will impute his faith for righteousnesse that maketh war against sinne and yet in the lively apprehension of his owne ungodlinesse departeth not from the goodnesse of the living God but confidingly doth beleeve in him that justifieth the ungodly according to Rom. 4.5 So by those Scripture-testimonies spunging out that grosse delusive construction from that Text derived that God will have mercy on some men and will harden the residue of men considered of as Creatures only as by his absolute will and power only or for fore-known sin before men do or can actually or personally forsake him And considering of the same impartiality of our faithfull Creator concerning his equall and just dealing with all men according to 1 Pet. 1.17 as is proved in my 15 Distinction and that their mentally conceal'd partiality of God doth destroy his Gospell-grace published which is according to mens performances of his conditions annexed thereto by them to be obtained And considering that it is proved by Scripture in my 16 Distinction that God hardneth no mans heart before he hath persisted in hardning his owne heart and that the very Idolatrous Philistines to the shame of some Christians did apply Pharaohs and his peoples misery to be by himselfe brought upon himself justly by his and his peoples hardning of their own hearts first as exemplary concerning all men so persisting And considering that it is proved in my 17 Distinction that God doth predestinate some men to bee conformed to the image of his Sonne but not according to his absolute will and power only nor as he fore-knoweth men to be of more noble parentage nor as being more wealthy nor as being born in more famous Kingdomes or Nations than some others are nor meerly as Creatures without having respect in his fore-knowledge either to their doing good or bad but that the Scripture affirmeth that God predestinates according as he fore-knoweth men to belovers of God according to Rom. 8. and that in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him Acts 10.34 35. And moreover considering that God doth choose no man but in Christ Eph. 1.4 then you know that no man is in Christ actually by imputation untill he be an actuall beleever therefore he chooseth none to salvation but such as either are or he fore-knoweth will in future be in Christ by actuall beleeving for it is manifest that though God doth choose or set apart some men for himselfe yet that he maketh not that choice according to his absolute will and power only but know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himselfe Psal 4.3 And affirmeth that those men doe turne his glory into shame and do love vanity that do affirm the contrary ver 2. From all these considerations herein mentioned and many more in Scripture we may warrantably and safely conclude that neither predestination election preterition or reprobation do proceed from God upon any one man by vertue of Gods absolute will and power only nor that he doth forsake any one man for fore-known sinnes but doth continue in using good means whereby all men in their well usage thereof might be eternally saved untill that man doth give a just occasion for God to forsake him by his wilfull forsaking of God first personally persistingly and actually after his inlightenment and infranchisement The nineteenth Distinction is briefly to shew what the speciall salvation is mentioned in 1 Tim. 4.10 as distinct from the common salvation which is in that Text therewith coupled HErein we are to take notice that as all men are enabled by and in the common salvation to beleeve and abide in beleeving so the speciall salvation is that condition or estate which after mens turning in at wisdomes reproofe by their abiding in beleeving and depending on Gods goodnesse only shee doth then poure out her spirit unto them and maketh knowne her words unto them according to
Prov. 1.23 being also according to that Text where it is said in whom after yee beleeved yee were sealed with the holy spirit of promise Eph. 1.13 These sealing testimonies and gratious and spirituall gifts are variable in respect of their quantity and are communicated according to the proportion of the first fruits of the spirit which is by grace to any beleever granted as beleevers by experience well know and this speciall salvation issueth according to Scripture naturally from the common salvation which common salvation however it hath been by some men slighted yet the beleeving of the large and effectually efficacy thereof concerning all men as it is discovered in my 26 and 7 Distinctions is by Scripture-warrant the most direct and most sure way to obtain faith and repentance whereby and wherewith the especiall salvation is by grace established to abiding beleevers 1 Tim. 4.10 In that estate beleevers do not only prove overcommers but also perseverers in overcomming according to Rev. 2.26 in this estate beleevers doe enter into rest Heb. 4.3 see the excellency of this estate Col. 2.7 1 Pet. 2.4 5. in this estate they are written in the book of remembrance to be made up with Gods Jewels Mal. 3.16 17. See also Col. 2.9 10. in this estate they by faith approach unto the very throne of grace Heb. 4.16 See Eph. 1. 12 13 14. Rom. 8.20 these men by faith by degrees do enter into that which is within the vaile Heb. 6.19 which place is in the Type called the holiest of all Heb. 9.3 and by faith they are said to see God who is invisible Heb. 11.27 they are passed from death to life John 5.24 to these beleevers he giveth power to be called the sons of God John 1. These in point of confidence therein cease from their own works as God did from his Heb. 4.10 in this estate there is an entrance administred unto them into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Eph. 2.6 and also by faith they do enjoy fellowship with the Father and with his Sonne Jesus Christ 1 John 1.3 These men with open face behold as in a glasse the glory of God and are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 See also their admirable triumph Rom. 8.35 39. And though much more might be hereto proved yet to conclude they are blessed with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ Eph. 3. which estate they doe enjoy even in this restoed second life according to the proportion of the first fruits of the spirit which every beleever by grace receives therein The twentieth Distinction sheweth that as all men lost their peace with God by Adams fall which all Adams posterity had by propriety in him whilest be stood so all men are vertually in Christ and by Christ reconciled to God againe by restoration though some men after their inlightenment abuse that grace of their reconciliation in him and do thereby lose the benefit thereof HErein to pove that reconciliation of all men in Christ we are to note that the eternall curse of the Law is taken away for all men which is proved in my 4 Distinction And also to observe that Christs death was satisfactory for the transgressions not that are but were against the first Testament Heb. 9.15 Rom. 5.20 21. or Morall Law without Limitation to prove which it is said Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law by being made a curse for us for it is written cursed is every one that hangeth on the tree Gal. 3.13 and to prove that by the word us is meant all men observe that that verse is grounded upon the fore going 8 verse where it is said and the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through faith preached before the Gospell unto Abraham saying in thee shall all Nations be blessed according to those unlimited promises often repeated to Abraham Isaac and Jacob that in their seed no fewer than all the Nations and all the Families of the earth should be blessed as you may finde in Gen. 18.18.3.22 18. and 26 4.20.14 and as that 13 verse of Gal. 3. is immediately derived from that generall application in the 8 verse preceding So also the cause why Christ hath redeemed from the curse of the Law is shewed in the 14 verse being the very next verse following to be this expresly that the blessing of Abraham in whose seed as before is shewed that no fewer than all Nations and all Families of the earth shall be blessed might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ which generall promise made unto Abraham is called the Covenant which was confirmed before in Christ which the Law cannot disanul as appeareth plainly in the 15 16 17 18 verses next following in the very same Chapter as a conclusive confirmation of the very same discourse which evidently proveth that the taking away the curse of the Law is so large for all Nations and Families of the earth as to bring in the blessings in Christ abrahams seed over all men See Rom. 5.18 Note also by that his hanging on the tree he tasted death and hereto the Scriputre shews us that thereby and thereon he tasted death for no fewer than every man Heb. 2.9 whereby his hanging on the tree in that Text mentioned he become the propitiation for no fewer sins than the sins of the whole world 1 John 2.2 being the Transgressions against the first Testament Heb. 9.15 Rom. 5.20 21. And as the curse was by his so being made a curse taken away for all men so consider that accordingly as it is said that he is the Saviour of no fewer than all men 1 Tim. 4.10 as is before discovered So also the Apostle affirmeth that Christ dyed for all 2 Cor 5.15 and from that generall ground by him there laid downe that Christ dyed for all he in pursuance of the same discovery coherently gives us to wit in the 19 verse next following that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe not imputing their trespasses to them Herein is cleared to open view that by Christs being therein the worlds publick man and generall representative by hisbeing reconciled to God in the worlds behalfe for the world the world is accounted of as reconciled to God in Christ verse 18. even in him vertually for you see that by the worlds being so reconciled to God and God in his justice and attribute of his truth unto the world in Christ the worlds trespasses are not imputed to them which hath conherent relation unto that unlimited speech immediately going before that Christ dyed for all and upon the same ground it is affirmed God laid upon him the iniquities of us all Is 53.6 against the first Testament Heb. 9.15 Rom. 5.20 And accordingly in the discovery of the reconciliation of all men in Christ it is said that God had purposed in himselfe that in
terrible second death and from hence appears clearly that some men that are really ransomed as is before said yet are not eternally saved Yet though our Saviour Christs offices of Ransomer or Redeemer by a price paid doe but deliver all men from the impossibility to be eternally saved which came over all men by Adams fall yet the Scripture further affirmeth that to those men that by and in that freedome and ability procured by that ransome or price paid that do turne them at his reproofe he will then abundantly poure out his spirit unto them and make known his words unto them Prov. 1.23 yet those and such additionall high favours are not part of the barely Ransomed Condition though that made way for it but is only Gods performing of the grace freely given by a promise to such by vertue of the second Covenant even to all such men as doe walk before him thankfully and obediently by the ability by grace given them in their ransomed Condition or their Redemption by a price paid from the first Covenant or Morall Law God having had experience of their beleeving in the freedome by the ransome procured And now beloved because this cause is very weighty be pleased with patience to take yet further notice how gratiously God doth discover to us the extent of the common salvation and of the strength of ransome and redemption by a price paid by his coupling the offices of Christ as Saviour of all men or ransome of all in one Text together where it is said I exhort therefore that first of all prayers and intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men note this for all men For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth For there is but one Mediatour between God and man the Man Christ Jesus who gave himselfe a ransome for all to be a testimony or to be testified in due time 1 Tim. 2.1 3 4 5 6. Thus you see that God in expresse positive words will have no fewer than all men saved he will have it so But here the question may be how far will God have no fewer than all men to be saved This question is answered by God himselfe in that very Text first that as all men are utterly disabled by Adams fall to know the truth so God absolutely will by Christ the Ransomer have all men saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth which is to know God for God is truth Tit. 1.2 And no man can be brought to the knowledge of the truth but he must also be inabled to beleeve that the truth presented to him is the truth Thus removing the impossibility that came in by Adams fall Secondly the common salvation of all men without accepting any one man mentioned in 1. Tim. 2.4 is so farre there limited in its kinde that it shall be of no larger extent for the benefit of all men in generall then Christs office of a Ransomer will afford or maintaine Thus we finde here that all men in the generality are only so farre really saved in the common salvation according to the 4 verse as his office of a Ransomer by a price paid will extend according to verse 6. that is by his owne performances to recover to all men the knowledge of the truth as is manifest by comparing verse 4 and verse 6 together which ability to know God and the truth of Gods grace and goodnesse all men lost by Adams fall which without Christs assistance would have procured the eternall destruction of all Which truth so to all men made known being by any man thankfully and obediently accepted and faithfully and abidingly confided in will give those men possession of entrance into eternall life here in this life and in the life to come fulnesse of injoyment thereof with all the blessed eternall priviledges and blessings thereto belonging which were all lost for all men by Adams fall Thus by these Texts compated Christ is declared to be for all men a saving Ransomer or a ransoming Saviour by a price paid to take away the impossibility and to bring all men to the knowledge of the truth which is the utmost which those texts maintain to belong to a Ransomer by a price paid But beloved take notice that I doe not insist herein upon any other redemptions which God exerciseth by a strong hand without a consideration given or price paid for so he brought forth or redeemed Israel out of Egypt with a strong hand and so he establisheth confiding beleevers out of the common salvation wherein men may make shipwrack of faith and a good co science 1 Tim. 1. 19. into the speciall salvation keeping them by his power that they shall never perish 1 Pet. 1.5 So he may be said to redeem any man without any price paid from manifold dangers these redemptions or ransomings which God doth without giving or receiving a consideration or price paid are innumerable and though the price of of the pretious blood of Christ hath first made way for all these that they may be in due season afforded to men yet are they not in their single branches acted by God according to mens necessities by a price paid the refore I pray you to observe that I herein doe insist only upon the extent of deliverance of all mankind for whom Christs pretious blood-shed was made the consideration laid down in full pay in hand to take away the impossibility to be eternally saved which unavoidably came over all Adams posterity by his fall that so all men might be made capable subjects to receive at Gods gratious hand all other redemptions ransomings or deliverances without any price paid as God in his heavenly wisdome will communicate Thus beloved we find that although the common salvation perfected by Christ alone for all men barely considered in it selfe doth but remove the impossibility which came upon all men by Adams fall to be eternally saved and doth but estate all men at one time or other in due season in a reall possibility or restored ability in themselves in the inward man to obtaine eternall life yet that it is a reall salvation of it selfe intended on Gods part therein and thereby to inable all men so as in their well usage of that ability they might attaine to enjoy eternall salvation and all the eternall blessed priviledges thereto belonging which ability conferred on all men in the common salvation being by any man beleeved and chearfully and obediently made use of it it doth not only open the door into but also puts such beleeving men into the speciall salvation wherein in due season in their patient and faithfull striving indeavours to keep close in their dependance in God alone they come to be established rooted and built up in him Rom. 1.11 Col. 2.7 with such inlarged knowledge and experience of God and his goodnesse as is
8.12 And lest we should mistake what is here meant by the word world as many men have ignorantly done by applying the word world in this and divers other places to be meant of the elect and beleevers only therefore to prevent that absurdity John Baptist steppeth forth and punctually affirmeth that Christ is not only the light of the world but also that he is the true light that inlightneth not some men only but every man that commeth into the world Iohn 1.9 And to prevent that any man should affirme this generall light to be only a temporary light to some men God no waies intending that thereby those men should beleeve as is required in the Gospell Behold that Iohn Baptist presseth still more forward and tels us thereto plainly that that light by Christ communicated unto every man not one man excepted is of such efficacy that no fewer than all men through him might beleeve compare Iohn 1.7 with the 9 ver And this he doth for all men without price or reward by them paid by virtue of his attonement Isa 45.13 As in the Type no lesse number than all the Jewes were set free by the atonement made in their year of Jubilee without mony and without price Lev. 25.9 Thus according to Gods absolute expresse will 1 Tim. 2.4 Christ doth in due season by his inlightning every man that commeth into the world bring all men out of their natural darknesse unto the knowledge of the truth Now you know that no man can be brought to the knowledge of the truth but first that mans judgement must upon necessity be convinced so farre as that he doth beleeve that the truth so by Christ tendered is the truth for no man knoweth nor can know that to be truth which he first in his judgement beleeveth not to be truth so that Christ by his bringing all men to know the truth of God in his goodnesse and mercy doth thereby also inable all men to beleeve the truth to betruth in which beleeving they might abide which is full to Iohn 1.7 9. and 1 Tim. 2.4 though some men will not retaine that their beleeved knowledge of God Rom. 1.21 and 28. and will when they are inabled to know and also beleeve which cannot be separated that the light is light distinct from darknesse yet will love or choose darknesse which our Saviour saith is the condemnation Iohn 3.19 Thus we find that as God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance that so he doth not only as in the Type lay meat before them by presenting Gods gratious goodnesse to them for them to confide in only but he also taketh the spirituallyoke from off the jawes of all men that they may feed on the reality of that his goodnesse by faith confiding in the same only which simile is teachingly presented to us in Hos 11.4 Now herein we have a fit opportunity to take notice of the manifest dangerous errors that some men have fallen into by overlooking of this imprisonment of all mens spirits under Sathan by the fall and Christ by his spirit inlighteningly preaching to all mens spirits so imprisoned in this life time upon the earth according to Luke 4.18 where our Saviour saith the spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospell to the poore he hath sent me to heale the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind and to set at liberty them that are bruised Now as all men are by nature blinde and captives so this preaching of his by his spirit to the blind and the captives is unlimited for by the mistake of some men in that Christ by his spirit preacheth to all mens spirits so imprisoned in this life time upon the earth The Papists to maintain their painted purgatory have fained that Christ went downe into hell in the daies of Noah to preach to the spirits there in prison grosly abusing 1 Pet. 3.19 20. For Peter did not say that Christ by his spirit preached to the spirits that were in prison in hell no such matter for he saith that Christ by his spirit preached to the spirits in prison which were disobedient when once the long suffering of God waited in the daies of Noah while the Arke was preparing as you know upon the earth never in the Texts mentioning the spirits in hell but at that time by his spirit preaching then upon the earth to those rebellious spirits that were upon the earth while the Arke was preparing And to say as the truth is some godly Protestants by their overlooking the said imprisonment naturally of all mens spirits upon the earth under Sathans captivity by the fall and Christ by his spirit preaching not only in the daies of Noah as the Text saith he once did but that also by his in ightning of every man that commeth into the world he preacheth to all mens spirits all men being by nature imprisoned in the darknesse of that spirituall prison house their judgements also have been dazled with this Text although it be said of Christ concerning even rebellious spirits which all men are by nature thou hast ascended on high thou host led captivity captive Sathan and all his power in captiving al mens spirits in darknesse is by Christs performances and power led into captivity under Christs inlightenment of every man Thou hast received gifts for men or in the man yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell amongst them Psal 69.18 Observe the generality of this free donation and though some rebellious spirits will not yet all men might accept of this freedome for Christ the just hath suffered for the unjust not that he doth infallibly over-powre all men so when he hath brought them to the knowledge of the truth which is God for God is truth that they never can depart from him but Christ the just hath suffered for the unjust not excepting any one man all men being unjust to open a passage with God the Father that he might bring all men to God which is the lively coherence of 1 Pet. 2.18 though some men will rebelliously depart from the living God though so brought to him and so draw back even to perdition Heb. 10.38 39. But now beloved we are seriously to observe that every man must upon necessity be compelled or over-powred to receive the possession in him elfe of his inlightenment and ability by grace given unto him in the common salvation for our Saviour Christ hath a harder taske to accomplish the restoration of all men to the knowledge of the truth then was in the Creation to make man for Adam who was first formed of the earth made no resistance to his Creation but by restoration after the fall Christ hath to deale with a world of men who are all by the fall naturalized in rebellious resistance against Christ his well forming hand upon his
ground yet know that no man though being found well acting by faith and obedience in his infran hisement represented by the seed sowne on all when as some other men being so inabled also are found rejecting those works of grace or seed sown on them also yet as the Angels that never fell nor Adam if he had remained in his created innocency could not have merited reward as due debt from the Creators hand otherwise than he is pleased to maintain his second Covenant by his free grace given so much lesse doth this ground or those men here called or accounted or imputed good merit any reward at Gods hand but as God is pleased by grace according to his second Covenant to account and to impute them to be good that beleeve in him that justifyeth the ungodly Rom. 4.5 by Christ Againe the Kingdome of Heaven is compared to a net cast into the sea which gathereth together every kind which when it was full they drew to shore and sate down and gather d the good into vessels and cost the bad away Mat. 13.47 48. Note herein that all men represented by the fishes good and bad are inforced to receive the word of the Kingdome in this sence here by the simile of the drag-net called the Kingdome of Heaven for all both good and bad will they nill they were compelled to partake of the same condition in the net though some was found in that drag-net compared to the Kingdome of Heaven that in their continued badnesse were cast away Note that no man is or was created bad but as he makes himselfe bad as is often proved in this tract And now consider how lively both these parables represent the common salvation where our Saviour saith and I if I be lifted up will draw all men unto me John 12.32 He will not only by his spirit invite all men to come unto him but he will draw as in the drag-net not only some men but all men unto him not in the least measure on his part for destructive ends to any one of all men so drawn to him but for saving ends on his part for every man for his Father sent not his Sonne into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved John 3.17 Which yet appears more clearely where it is said that God doth reconciledly gather together in one to himselfe not only all men but all things by the blood of his Crosse in him even in him as Col. 1.20 and Eph. 1.10 being compared together doe plainly render Thus this reconciled gathering or drawing together of all men in Chri8st even in him includeth all men good and bad reconciledly gathered to God in him though some men being so gratiously gathered together in him in the common salvation will notwithstanding by their wilfull persisting in the abuse of the benefit thereof be cast out or cast a way But how comes it to passe that no fewer than all men good and bad are in that sence drawn to or are made partakers of the word of the Kingdome or Kingdome of Heaven or the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 In answer to this the means how is shewed by our Saviours comparing the large and secret working of the spirit to Leaven our Saviour saying the Kingdome of Heaven is like leaven which a woman tooke and hid in three measures of meale untill no lesse than all was leavened Note that untill no lesse than all was leavened Herein is the Kingdome of Heaven or the word of the Kingdome as it is called in the same Chapter Mat. 13.19 comparatively set forth to be as Leaven infusing it selfe effectually not only into some part but into all parts of the meale similizing thereby that light and therewith ability to know the truth and choose it is effectually by a secret yet powerfull operation of the spirit infused into all men as in John 1.7 9. and 1 Tim. 2.4 is proved Againe our Saviour saith the Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a certaine King which made a marriage for his sonne Mat. 22.2 Unto which Feast the first that were compelled or made to know thereof by invitation having refused he commanded to gather together bad and good and the wedding was thereby furnished with guests ver 10. Note that this gathering together of all by command is rendered to be no lesse than a compelling of them all good and bad to come into in the aforesaid sence into a terrestriall Kingdome of Heaven or thereto likened compell them to come in Luke 14.23 or gather together good and bad and bring them in no man can conceive that all good and bad were to be brought together into one locall place or into Gods celestiall Kingdome but into one condition of ability to see and to know of the truth and reality of Gods goodnesse and mercy extended by the slaying of Christ the unspotted Lamb that by faith they might feed thereon for none of them were further compelled to feed thereon as by the words of the Text is cleared and the first refusers were so farre compelled by invitation But beloved this compelling or bringing in of all men good and bad to come into the terrestriall Kingdome of Heaven so called or likened to in this Scripture sence or to receive the word of the Kingdome so called Mat. 13.19 doth no way countenance that opinion which some men have vainely hatched from those words affirming that there is no man saved eternally but only such men as are compelled by an Almighty power of God more than some other men are not only to know the truth as is proved that all men are according to 1 Tim. 2.4 But also that those men are compelled to abide in the truth by beleeving so that infallibly whether they will or no they shall not faile nor be able to resist against their eternall salvation in Gods Celestiall Kingdome whereas in truth there is no such matter maintained in Scripture for herein by comparing Scripture with Scripture we find the clean contrary that is that in a common salvation all men good and bad are compelled in and gathered in to receive the word of the Kingdome or the knowledge of the Feast of Gods goodnesse not only intended but also prepared for them by the self same mens as the forcibly inclosing and drawing of all good and bad in the parable of the drag-net doth discover And thereby some gathered together and by command compelled in were found there not having on a wedding garment therefore cast out as those that followed Christ for the loaves sake John 6.2 whereas no bad or unclean person no tpurifyed by faith can be compelled in neither can possibly enter into Gods celestiall eternall blessed habitation represented Rev. 1.8 27. nor any being once there can be cast out and though some men for an evading shift have reply thereto saying that it was but one person that was found there compelled in who had not on
any man first witnesse that famous proclamation 2 Cor. 15.2 And to testifie Gods habituall and accustomable impartiality it is left to our view upon record that although God did foreknow that some Angels would fall voluntarily yet it is evident God did not forsake them first it is they that did first forsake or leave their own blessed habitation which God had given them Jude 6. neither although God did fore-know that Adam would voluntarily fall by hardning his owne heart yet you know that God did not forsake him first but on the contrary part God gave him directions how he might keep that blessed estate of which he was possest and not only so but therewith gave him power also to observe those his directions and to perform them and did not with-draw that power neither untill the very time that he himselfe wilfully expelled and cast off Gods gratious protection And this is much to be noted because he was the great patterne of Gods extention of mercy to mankinde yet to draw neerer to our own condition we finde in our Types that though God did fore-know that the people of the Jews would in future forsake him and harden their hearts against him even unto the height of Idolatry and told Moses so yet it is very observable that God on his part in love used preventing means with them by his word declared and daily mercies extended unto them and did not forsake them untill the very time or that very day as the Text saith in which they actually forsook him first Deut. 31.15 17 18. And hereto you cannot choose but know that throughout the Scripture that although God doth foreknow what men will in future doe yet he neither bestowes his rewards except inabling ones nor actually executes his judgements except gratious teaching ones untill the very time that men are either actually obedient or persistingly and actually disobedient to the Gospell Covenant besides to conclude this point I intreat you to beare in minde what blasphemous desperate resolutions and fearfull effects this their tenent may and often doth beget in the hearts of men thus delusively to tell them that God by his power and will only doth harden all mens hearts first that ever hardned whether they doe harden their owne hearts first or not The seventeenth Distinction is to rectifie some mens mistakes of that Text where it is said For whom he did fore-know he also did predestinate Rom. 8.29 and of that Text where it is said elect according to the fore-knowledge of God 1 Pet. 1.2 COncerning these Texts we are to observe that the very Coherence of these words Rom. 8.29 doth lead us to take notice of something before spoken to be the cause of Gods predestinating according to his fore-knowledge and looking back but to the very next verse we finde that the Apostle affirmeth to and for those Roman Saints saying we known that all things work together for the best unto them that love God ver 28. And therefore from these words let us consider what the object is upon which his foreknowledge doth fasten by which he doth predestinate if you say that God predestinates only some men meerly as Creatures then his power and will so inordinately exalted without his other holy attributes annexed will render all his Gospell-conditions which are in point of acceptation required to be performed of all men Acts 17.30 to be absurd and ridiculous what shall we say then shall we say that his predestination proceedeth accordingly as men are of more noble Parentage then some others no these are denyed 1 Corinthians 1.26 James 2.1 2 3. What then is it in respect of Gods fore-knowledge of some men as bred up in the most famous Kingdomes or Nations no for in this very respect Peter saith that God is no respecter of persons Acts 10.34 What then shall we say that God predestinates according to his fore-knowledge of some mens qualifications in fearing God and working righteousnesse by their well acting in their infranchisement to this the Scripture answereth chearfully yes for in this respect Peter absolutely concludeth even with admiration saying of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him Acts 10.34 35. and as for the transcendent benefits that proceed from that his foreknowing men we have them expresly related in the 29 30 verses Rom. 8. to be in relation to such lovers of God leadingly set forth in the 18 verse preceding in the very same Chapter Thus we finde that Gods predestination and other gratious dispensations doe conjunctively worke together for the best it is not said to those whom he predestinated by his will and power only no no such matter but unto those that love God as the lively coherence of that Text Rom. 8.28 and 29 verses confirmeth Those fore-known lovers of God are those objects or those men which are said to be elect according to the fore-knowledge of God 1 Pet. 1.2 and in further confirmation of this truth behold that Gods gratious predestination proceedeth from Gods fore-knowing of mens actuall first trusting in Christ and that God doth not actually seale men with his holy spirit of promise untill after their actuall beleeving To prove the first of these it s said in whom also we have obteined an inheritance being predestinated note this being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will See here what the counsell of his will is that that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ Eph. 1.11 12. Note this who first trusted in Christ or that we which before beleeved in Christ should be to the praise of his glory as some translations render it See also Psal 4.3 Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himselfe See also John 6.40 Heb. 6.10 12. 2 Thes 1.3 4 5. So that hereby appeareth plainly that Gods gratious predestination of men proceedeth from his fore-knowing them first to be trusters in Christ where the Gospell comes or such as doe trust in Gods goodnesse only where the written Gospell is not vouchsafed as is proved in my 7 Distinction And as for beleeving it is not said after you were sealed yee beleeved but flat contrary note this after yee beleeved ye were sealed with the spirit of promise Eph. 1.13 for in truth their beleeving estates them to be in person imputatively in Christ and they and only they are thereby by their foreknowne abiding in him those men which are chosen in him before the foundation of the world Eph. 1.4 These submissive abiding beleevers and trusters are after their actuall and personall beleeving and trusting in Christ in Gods foreknowledge by him predestinated before time to adoption of children in time yet still according to the counsell of Gods will Eph. 1.5 by Christ although in themselves ungodly and undeserving ones as
is proved in my 14 and 15 Distinctions But it may be some men will say hereto that if God doth by Christ only set all mens wils free and so only enable all men to beleeve and abide in beleeving and doth further by an almighty power over power some men to beleeve and to abide in beleeving but then leaves it to their will as he did to Adam our publick pattern Then God at all adventure did commit his dearely beloved Sonne to suffer death for all men not being sure that any one of them would accept of any benefit there-from so that God was not sure that the glory of his mercy should be magnified by any of the sonnes of men and so you by this your tenent in this respect say Christ might have suffered his agonies and torments of death in vain To which I answer that Gods mercies aforesaid would have been magnified in all men although all men had refused it And for example herein note that even those that doe refuse that mercy purchased for they by Christ shall one day bow the knee to him and not only those that do beleeve in him but every tongue shal confesse even those that in this life time will not that Christ should reigne over them by his spirit Luke 18.14 shall confesse that Jesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God Phil. 2.11 for the wilfull unbeleefe of men shall not make the faith or faithfulnesse of Gods intentions towards them without effect Rom. 3.3 for God shall be justified of all men when he is judged Romans 4.26 Psalme 51.4 And in this point the unrighteousnesse of men shall commend the righteousnesse of God Rom. 3.5 because his operations to for and in them were really and gratiously intended for their salvation though they have abused his mercy and the Apostle to this end affirmeth if wee beleeve not yet he abideth faithfull he cannot deny himselfe 2 Tim. 2.13 which I pray observe Thus we finde that whether men do make good use of Gods mercies or not which as the golden Scepter is holden forth to all men yet not only all men but according to Scripture Luke 2.10 all the glorious Host of Heaven shall or will glorifie God not only in his justice but also for his faithfulness on his part gratiously intended and accordingly extended forth to all men or every man You know beloved that though God did fore-know that the Angels that fell would abuse his mercy yet he estated them in his mercy and also inabled them to remaine therein and he dispossest not them of that blessed estate but it was they that kept not their first estate and left their own habitation Jude 6. You know also that God did fore-know that Adam would not continue in his grace and goodnesse extended unto him by Creation yet you see that God proceeded on and did Create the world for Mankinds use and also gave Adam power to keep that his first blessed estate and forsook not him untill he forsook God first therefore it is no strange thing that God proceeded on and did by Christs performances establish the restoration of all men in inabling them in the inward man though he did foreknow that some men though infranchised and inabled by the restoration would reject his mercy purchased therein for them by Christ But in further answer know that although Adam did rebelliously refuse to continue in Gods grace of Creation yet accordinly as hath been proved that as all men are inabled by Christ so God did fore-know that some men would by that ability given them by their well usage thereof accept of and abide in his mercy by Christ procured for all and did fore-know that some men would chearfully yield obedience to the faith so that I hope you shall not need to be further troubled with that fallacious feare thus knowing that God runs not into any hazard in anything that he hath done doth or ever will doe or suffer to be done Observe herewith that Gods foreknowledge of what mankinde the Creature will in future doe puts no necessity upon any man so to doe but leaveth all men after inablement in a voluntary estate by restoration as our grand patterne ADAM was left by Creation The eighteenth Distinction is a short application of these last six Distinctions for further clearing the cause of election and reprobation FOR the discovery of Election and Reprobation and what is the cause of them if it please you we will take a little review of what to that purpose hath been said in my last six Distinctions In my twelfth Distinction which is concerning the Potter and his Clay it is proved that God maketh no dishonourable vessels unlesse it be by way of just punishment for marring of themselves under his well-intending forming hand and that God doth sharpely reprove such men that do charge him to make an imperfect work or dismembred one or a work that is worth nothing as some translations have it Isa 45.9 and also it is therein proved that Jeremy plainly setteth forth that by that one lump or same lump Rom. 9.21 It is not meant the one totall lump of all mankinde as some men fallaciously to maintaine eternall reprobation would have it but that by that one or same lump is meant the particular lumps of severall Kingdomes distinguished Nations and particular persons which God hath on his part first by Christ put into a good condition and would upon his Potters wheel by good meanes used with them under his well intending hand so preserve them for ever if they the Clay do not persist in resisting his good intent finding fault of and for themselves with his good form put on them by restoration as Adam did for all at the blessed Creation in effect complaining against the former good why hast thou made me thus to be governed by thee and to depend on thee no I will doe the abomination of my evil heart as those very men the Clay answered their gratious exhorting Potter as amongst many places so in Jer. 18.12 wherein the originall description of the Potter and his Clay is recorded from whence Rom. 9.21 is derived and that God doth not forsake any one man before that man doth actually and personally forsake him first And considering that it is proved in my 13 Distinction that God doth no where say that before Esau was born he hated Esau with an eternall hatred but that expression of hatred is only a recitall of what God did speake to Malachi concerning Esau many hundred of years after Esau was born in which long processe of time God had received long and exact experience not only of Esau's prophanenesse but also of all his personall and his posterities tyrannicall injurious behaviour both to himselfe and the posterity of Jacob. And that the expression of God concerning his hatred of Esau mentioned in Mal. 1.2 3. was but exemplary to shew that no mans wickednesse shall be sheltred from Gods indignation
thing and doe despite to the spirit of grace ver 29. which you know no man could be rightly said to doe if they were not so first bought and so drawn to Christ and so reconciledly gathered together in him and first sanctified with the blood of the Covenant in him even before they doe deny the Lord that bought them and before they doe account the blood of the Covenant an ungodly thing with which saith the Apostle if we will beleeve him even those Apostates were sanctified Heb. 10.19 then what need any further proofe in this point The three and twentieth Distinction declareth that all men by restoration are justified in Christ vertually from the curse of the Law and first death though no man is by imputation personally justified untill he be a confiding beleever BUT in this discovery I will first if you be pleased distinguish what the nature or extent of this justification of all men in him is Therefore thus First all men are by Christs performances in the common salvation mentioned Jude 3. and 1 Tim. 4.10 justified vertually in Christ before God from the transgressions against the Morall Law or first Testament and first death according to the scope of Rom. 5.18 20 21. and Heb. 9.15 Secondly that by beleeving such beleevers are by imputation personally justified not only before God but also in their own sence and feeling by a well grounded peace in their consciences by faith setled Thirdly that by good works and words men are declaratively justified in the view of the world In the first of these sences all men are justified in Christ before God by Gods non-imputation of the worlds sins unto them 2 Cor 5.15 compared with the 18 and 19 verses following and with Rom. 5.20 21. In the second sense abiding beleevers are not only personally justified before God by a non imputation of the worlds sinnes as before but also by Gods imputation of Christs righteousnesse unto them they are apprehensively justified by the pacification of their own consciences by the blood of Jesus Heb. 4.3 In the third sence one man is justified in the sight of another as farre as men may judge Mat. 5.16 Now beloved take this for granted that in all causes concerning the common salvation of all men I do alwaies mean in the first of these three senses Hereto note that as all men lost their righteousnesse by the destructive first Adams fall which all his posterity had respectively in him whilest he stood to shew unto us that that great losse is repaired in Christ the restoring second Adam Acts 3.21 Observe that in this point it is said and he shall be called the Lord our righteousnesse Jer. 23.6 So accordingly it is said he hath made him to be sinne for us who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 This is Gods end on his part in him for all men and to make it appeare clearly that the expressions our us and wee in those Texts used are not usually meant of the elect or beleevers only as some men doe vainly imagine but of the world or all men of the world Note that this 21 verse is naturally derived from the 19 verse immediately going before where it is said that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe not imputing their trespasses unto them also that both these verses doe relatively follow in his direct pursuance of his discovery to confirme the largenesse and effectuall extent of Christs dying for no fewer than all as in the 14 15 verses preceding in the same Chapter being his fundamentall foundation of that his large discovery And for further proofe herein the Apostle having shewed that by the Law all the world became guilty before God Rom. 3.19 then from that very ground he saith in the 23 verse all have sinned and come short of the glory of God being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 3.23 and 24. Now note it is not here said all have sinned and the elect or beleevers only or that some men only are justified but the coherence of the Text saith all have sinned being just fied but as in his ground-plat he said that by the Law all the world became guilty before God and in this Text that all have sinned So in clearing that generall guiltinesse he brings in that pretious antidote of Christs the Lambs blood for no fewer than all that as all have sinned and become guilty before God so all are justified all have sinned being justified but still freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus And you know that redemption by a price paid by his pretious blood-shed is no other in effect but a ransome paid then hereto note to shew the largenesse of redemption that he gave himselfe a ransome for no fewer than all men 1 Tim. 2.6 And the genuine sense of that Text Rom 3.23 is utterly destroied if we do not grant that there are as many justified in him before God by that redemption which is in Christ Jesus as have sinned which the Text tels us is no fewer than all men for saith the Text in substance all have sinned being justified freely by grace from the curse of the Law or first Testament Hebrewes 9.15 Romans 5.19 20 21. But note further though all men are thereby so justified in him whether any man doe beleeve or not yet not any man but beleevers do personally injoy the comfortable use of the benefit thereof neither are any imputatively justified in themselves from their sinnes of frailty against grace also but beleevers only Againe to justifie the truth of the justification of all men by and in Christ before God from all the aforesaid transgressions it is said therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life Rom. 5.18 And to make this more plain I finde it in another reformed Bible thus Likewise then as by the sin of one condemnation came on all men even so by the justifying of one commeth the righteousnesse that bringeth life upon all men Here you see fully proved that by Christ the free gift his being given to the world John 3.16 such a justification proceedeth therefrom as doth bring life upon no fewer than all men though some men after their infranchised ability restored doe wilfully refuse life and light and do love and choose darknesse which our Saviour saith is the punctuall cause of condemnation John 3.19 And beloved the litterall Text maketh this truth yet more plaine even to open view for from the same ground in the same Chapter as it is affirmed that the Law entred that the offence might abound so it also restifieth with this reserve But where sinne abounded grace did much more abound ver 20. So hereby is exprest that as sinne abounded