Proof X. Because Gods general goodness in the creation of the world is to all his creatures and also in his ordinary dispensation is towards and for the whole Universe of mankinde he hath provided room enough for all men and creatures and all good things for all the profit of the earth is for all Eccles. 5. 9. God hath commanded us to doe good to all he that hath two coats is to impart to him that hath none and he that hath meat must do so likewise Luke 3. 11. all which doth hold forth Gods good will and care to mankind he that would not have them suffer the torment of misery and want that taketh care to prevent that little and short misery will not impose a far greater never to end Proof XI Their opinion lesseneth the goodnesse of God and limiteth to a few whereas the Scripture declares it to be to all Romans 5. the creature it selfe shall bee delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Romans 8. 19. the whole Creation and every creature is Angels and men Jewes and Gentiles verse 20. Mark 16. 15. in bondage to corruption subject to vanity Idolatry and delusion of the Devil that know not nor partake of the glorious liberty of the sons of God shall be delivered from this bondage into the said liberty for God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself 2 Corinthians 5. 19. this is spoken to perswade them to be reconciled to God verse 20. which shewes it to concern mankind the Protestants in Poland understand by every creature Angels and men they say there will come a time when the Angels and wickedest men shall be freed Origen one of the Fathers held that at last all should be saved men and Devils the generality of the Fathers held that all souls shall be purged by fire of the last Judgement and so passe to salvation Moulin pag. 135. see Rom. 11. 22 23 27. All flesh shall see the salvation of God Romans 8. 19. see 1 Timothy 2. 3 4 5. Isaiah 47. 17. The glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it Isaiah 40. 5. the times of the restitution of all things God hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets since the world began Acts 3. 21. they shall in time be delivered from their bondage for which deliverance they groan are not all Angels and men obedient or disobedient the creation of God if so the worst shall partake of the liberty of the Sons of God as the whole creation came from God or rather is in God for in him we live it shall be taken up into the same glory a good the larger it is the better if it be good to shew mercy to some is it not more good to have mercy on all Romans 5. 18. Plato could say God being a supreme good there was no envy in him to any of his creatures but rather a desire that all might be made like him this is so great and glorious a discovery of God and that all men are in God for in him we live and move and have our being as certain also of your own Poets have said for we are all his off-spring Acts 17. 28. I have wondred how the Heathen Poets came to know this truth sure God did manifest it to them if all men are in God all men are in Christ for Christ saith I and my Father are one John 10. 30. also if all men are in God for in him we live and move c. if so then all men are in Christ for God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself 2 Corinth 5. 9. all confess that all that are in Christ shall be saved as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Corinthians 15. 22. I see God is good and doth good and that it is suitable to the being of God to do good to all and that no such torment of such continuance any way agrees to the mind and will of God Romans 5. puts the second Adam in opposition to the first in saving to his sinning if all Nations be blessed as Gen. 22. 18. every pâ—rticular is comprehended in the generall word All it is a great lessening of the greatness and glory of the fulness and riches of Gods grace to say that God hath made this world for all who are many and the best world to come but for a very few shall the fruit of Christ the Son of Righteousness be more narrow and confined than the Sun in the firmament whose excellency is that its bright raies and beams are dispersed into every corner of the Universe Proof XII It doth no way agree to the spirit of a Saint we may know the mind of God by the mind of a Saint we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2. 16. He that is turned to the Lord is one spirit 1 Corin. 1. 17. God is in them of a truth 1 Cor. 14. Christ in us Coloss. 1. 27. Stephen when stoned cryed Lord lay not this sin to their charge Acts 7. 58. Saints they are ever mercifull Psalm 36. 17. The desire of the righteous is onely good Prov. 11. 22. such torment of such continuâ—nce in the least agree not to the gracious mind and mercifull heart of a Saint he desires not any man nor creature to be in such torment an hour therefore it doth no way agree to the mind of God we find the more the Lord manifests himself in any the more their minds and spirits are humbled the more loving and mercifull they are even to their enemies and can do them good for evil Proof XIII Such torments do not in the least agree to the mind and will of Christ Christ is full of love and mercy to the worst men it was truly said of Christ He was a friend to Publicans and Sinners He the best friend to them that ever was when they crucified him he said Father forgive them Luke 23. 34. when the Disciples would have had fire to come down from Heaven to consume Christs enemies he rebuked them Luke 9. 54. he that will by no meanes suffer his enemies to suffer a short deâ—th by fire will not inflict upon them a more terrible fire never to end ye may know the mind of God by the mind of Christ for Christ is God a like equall Acts 28. Heb. 1. 3. and as one I and my Father are one Joh. 10. 30. Proof XIV Such punishments agree not to the fruits of the holy and blessed God the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace goodnesse c. Galatians 5. 22 23. the fruit of the spirit is in all goodnesse Eph. 5. 9. The words of the Lord are pure words Ps. 12. 6. The words of the pure are pleasant words Prov. 15. 25. good words comfortable words the holy Spirit is calâ—ed a Comforter not a tormenter the pure spiâ—it of love sends forth only love and sweetness Proof XV No
the undoubted word of God there can be no errour but in the translation there are and may be errours the Bâ—ble translated therefore is not the undoubted word of God but so far onely as it agreeth with the Original the writings of the prophets and Apostles and in as much as our English translation as he saith is not the undoubted word of God what is that preaching worth that is proved by it the false glosses and interpretations which are put upon the scriptures by men learned in the languages who have made inconsiderate and bold assertion without proof in not keeping to the true and proper signification of the words thereof hath caused many errours and great trouble and confusion they put the word LUCIFER for the day-star Isa. 14. 12. They have forsaken the fountain and digged to themselves cisterns as Jer. 2. and we see the people are willing to give up themselves to a Ministry of fables 2 Kings 4. 4. 2 Pet. 1. 16. that makes the scriptures say and unsay which being interpreted is to make them say just nothing the force of education and the custome the country-men live in is such as ordinarily ingageth them to a prejudice and evill opinion against all principles contrary thereunto though of divine inspiration hence the Papists Turks and severall sorâ—s of Protestants cry down and censure each others judgment and opinion as abominable Errour Heresie and Blasphemy The third Pillar that upholds hell torments are fond Expositors that interpret sheol for hell-torments so Dr. Fulk calls them in his defence pag. 90. I would know why interpreters understand and translate a hell of torments from the Hebrew and Greek as is not in them as themselves confesse as hath been shewed they will take sheol figurâ—tâ—vely and say by Tophet hell is figured which is a fancy a fable and delusion that is strong in many that expound scripture without sense or reason it is as improper to interpret sheol for a place of torment as to interpret the word house to signifie a horse the scripture is not of private interpretation a sense arising out of the brain of an interpreter is a private interpretation and as the Scriptures are not of man but of the holy Spirit so the interpretation of them is not to be of man but of the holy spirit oracles signifie the answer of God Rom. 3. 2. see John 12. and how readest thou Luke 10. 26. to interpret words figuratively that are to be understood literally and words literally that are to be understood figuratively is licencious and destructive to the faith of the Gospel we are not to interpret any place figuratively unless that figurative sense be expressed in a plainer place of scripture if a man will have an erroneous perswasion whatsoever the scripture saith to the contrary he will have it to be a figurative sense they will be left in the clouds of their own perswasion so instead of proving their hell of torments never to end by the scriptures Ruffinus and others say they that will not believe it shall seal it which is no proof but a meer shift as very a lye as Nurses use to still children by telling them of a great Bulbegger and that a man will come downe the chimney and carry him away but not any but children and fools will be scared with such Bulbeggers The fourth pillar that upholds their Hell-torment is the consent of their Preachers their learned and godly men agree herein but their weak and various and uncertain grounds declare that they have not studied the point but when teachers and hearers are ignorant any thing will serve and pass for truth the simple believe every word all sorts of Priests agree and abuse the people the Mahometan Priests blow a powder into their eyes that come to see Mahomet hang that maketh theÌ„ quite blind that for ever after they are led and the Priests say that the glory of the sight of Mahomet is so great that it taketh away their sight for ever after and about Easter-time for ten dayes there is great joy about a great fire for their Priest Mahomet and those that cast themselves into the fire and are burnt to death are counted Martyrs and once a year the tomb of Mahomet is carried abroad upon a cart and his Priests say that those that put themselves under the wheel of that cart and are crushed to death they say to dye Martyrs and some are so simple to do so that so they may dye Martyrs so the antichristian-priests and aâ—l sorts of Priests have greatly deluded and deceived the people blowing something into their eares that for ever after they are not able to hear and receive the truth but as M. Beza did detest the Papists Limbus and purgatory so do I their dreams of hell it being a device of man without scripture with all their uncertain brain-sick fancies for the imaginations of men have no end The 5. pillar of hell is their wresting the scripture to uphold their hell of torments this cozeneth and deceives many under colour of divine authority when it s but humane though they are not pleased publickly to say so because it streams not to their purpose the Scriptures they alledge to prove it is above considered if any say I wrest Scripture I appeal to the learned in the Languâ—ges for to them concerneth the decision of the signification of words who as I have shewed testifie with me The sixth pillar of Hell is their Arguments and Reasons they bring to prove Hell-torments which have been considered The seventh pillar of Hell is a strong Perswasion that is in men that the believing Hel-torments is a great means to leave sin and to live a holy life and the not believing Hel-torments is a means to commit all sin with greedinesse and to live as they list for they say men live as though there were no Hell Carnal hearts of men taketh offence of every thing except the Law of Workes doing to be saved the Doctrine of Eleâ—tion Gods free Grace and Salvâ—tion only and alone by Christ without Woâ—kes Rom. 4. 6. is changed to be one of the greatest Doctrines of liberty to â—in that ever was and is by the ignorant made a stumbling-block and rock of offence and a cause of carelesness in many Ludovick said if I be saved I be saved If I be damned I be damned the Papists say if good works save us not to what purpose shall we doe them then we may live as we list if we be appointed to life we shall be saved though we sin never so much if we sin we have an Advocate 1 Joh. 2. 1. not any thing can separate us from the love of God Rom. 8. if we be not appointed to life we cannot be saved though we should doe never so much good ye see how this truth is turned to wantonnesse the Apostle exhorts not to turne this grace of God into wantonness Rom. 6. 1. 15. the corrupt
us so to conceive p. 1014. also they say in Hell is inward and outward darknesse 2. A lâ—ke of Fire and Brimstone 3. Fire unquenchable 4. Worm and prick of Conscience 5. Malediction 6. Desperation second death Christ suffered none of these therefore Christ suffered not the torments of Hell to be ever in these in that place they will not say Christ is how in if Christ had suffered the pains of the damned yet unlesse he suffer them without end Christ suffered not the punishment of the damned in Hell which they say we were to suffer also they say they suffer not those torments without sinne and desperation will any say Christ so suffered also they say in Hell they shall see the story of their sins before their eyes the wrath of God lying upon them for their sinnes cruell indignation horrible outcries blasphemies fretting for horrible torments endlesse pains without all hope or comfort who dare say Christ suffered any of these some that are for the torments of Hell confess that it stands not with the dignity and worthiness of Christs person nor with the holinesâ—e of his nature nor the dignity of his office to suffer in that locall place eternally finall rejection with desperation with the worm of conscience agreeth not to the holiness of his person finall rejection Christ suffered not nor eternall flames nor the second death for Christ to suffer these were to destroy the work of our Redemption Christ could not be subject to destruction Willet Synops p. 1009. Christ suffered none of these punishments therefore he suffered not the torments of Hell Christ was heard in that he feared Christ did not fear the torments of Hell therefore he did not partake with us nor deliver us from them Christ did not deliver us from any thing which he suffered not eternal fire in Hell he suffered not nor are the pains of this life the paines of Hell therefore if there be any such Hell or punishment Christ suffered it not and therfore we must suffer it see ye not whither this their Doctrine tends to overthrow the sufficiency of Christs suffering and our comfort in leaving us to suffer the said torments our selves Christ leaving his suffering an example if we suffer with him c. Rom. 8â— 17. Must we suffer the torments of Hell I believe Christ hath born the whole punishment of sinne in it I am saitisfied and desire no more but how Christ suffered the torments of Hell I nor them selves see not they say Christ being God made an infinite satisfaction paying at once upon the Crosse that which we should have been ever a paying I grant Christ is God but the Godhead did not nor could not suffer if the Godhead of Christ was to make satisfaction to God is to say God satisfieth God and if Christ as God was to make satisâ—actâ—on to what purpose was Christ to be made man and die if ye say Christ was to make satisfaction in both his Godhead and Manhood doth the Godhead need the help of the Manhood to make satisfaction It is not proper to say God was to be satisfied for he was never unsatisfied God is perfect infinite happy unchangeable how is he so if he were ever unsatisfied to say God is or ever was unsatisfied is in effect to deny the being of God to say he is not happy for satisfaction and content belong to happiness where there is no satisfaction there is no content because no perfection God is one to us there is but one God God was in Christ reconâ—iling the world to himselfe 2 Cor. 5. 21. that is Father Word and Spirit God is one not one Divine Nature in Christ satisfying and another in the Father satisfied but the Father in the Son God in Christ the essence of God is one and the same reconciling the world to himselfe God was never unreconciled to the world its onely man that is at enmity and unreconciled therefore it is said he reconciled them to him the change is in the Creature not in God Mal. 3. 6. if the Manhood of Christ was to make satisfaction to God how can man that is finite satisfie that which is infinite unlesse you will affirm the Godhead of Christ did suffer there was not any thing to suffer but the Manhood of Christ can the suffering of man satisfie God man is finite so is all he doth sin is a transgression of the Law sin is a disorder of the Creatures first and chiefe being which stands in righteousness and is an eclipse of the glory of man Sinne is a defect and discovery of the weaknesse and mutability of the reasonable Creature sin cannot impeach God If thou sinnest what doâ—st thou against him or if thy righteousnesse be multiplied what doest thou unto him if thou be righteous what givest thou unto him or what receiveth he at thy hand thy wiâ—kedness may hurt a man as thou art and thy righteousnesse profit the Son of Man Job 34. 6 7 8. God hath all satisfaction in and from himself not from any thing without or besides himself God gave not a Law to himselfe to satisfie but to man the Law belongs onely to the humane nature therefore Christ was a man He took on him the form of a servant and became obedient to death the deaâ—h of the Crosse Phil. 2. 7 8. a body Heb. 10. 10. obedience belongs to the humane will The man Christ made a curse for us hee was bruâ—sed for our iniquittes and with his stripes we are healed Isa. 53. 5 10. it was blood that washed away our sinnes Rev. 1. 5. therefore it is said By the obedience of one man we are made righteous Rom. 5. 10. the word saith not by the obedience of God nor of God Man God is satisfied but by the obedience of one man we are made righteous the man Christ Iesus 1 Tim. 2. 5. the worthinesse of Christs person did not abolish the equity of the Law of God and exempt him from suffering that he ought to suffer Luke 24. 25. Some say the suffering of Christ was infinite but the Word saith not so the punishment of sin is death he tasted death he died for us it is no infinite thing to die they reply the sin of man is infinite because against an infinite God to say sin is infinite in a strict sense is to attribute too much to sinne and too little to God to give that to sin which is proper to God to equall sin with God is in effect to deny the being of God because there can bee but one infinite also to say sin is infinite is to make all sin alike equal for there is no degrees in that which is infinite sin not being infinite needs not an infinite satisfaction they say infinite Majesty offended infinite punishment imposed but it 's but their say so because it is without and besides the Word of God the punishment of sinne is not to be taken from the inâ—initenesse of God