and hearts and words and writings and lives according to the sense of it and not prostitute the sacred word to our spurious fancies and inventions and profanely and sacrilegiously alledge the same for maintaining the beggerly brats of our owne braines The Lord pardon this evill and vindicate and rescue his own blessed word from all corrupt glosses and misinterpretations and make it to shine forth in its owne beauty lustre and brightness that it may dazle and silence those that abuse it to their own fleshly ends The Scripture is a sealed book Rev. 5.1 c. It is sealed with seven seales and till the blessed slain Lambe by the seven spirits open it to us we cannot spiritually comprehend the mind of God therein by all our endeavours and abilities Hence it is that so many in our age err from the truth going forth in the confidence of their own strength and walking or rather wandring in their own light and not humbly waiting on God for his teachings nor comparing spiritual things with spirituall for what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him 1 Cor. 2.10 11. Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God who searcheth all things yea the deep things of God But to come to the Scriptures and Arguments against Universal Redemption ARGUMENT I. MY first Argument or Reason is taken from Rev. 5.9 compared with Rev. 14.3 4. The words are these And they sung a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof For thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every Kindred Tongue People and Nation And no man could learn that Song but the hundred and forty four thousand which were redeemed from the earth These are they which were not defiled with women for they are Virgins These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth These were redeemed or bought from among men c. If the Lord Jesus Christ by his death and blood-shedding did redeem a number out of every kindred tongue people and nation then there is a number of men which is not redeemed by the blood of Christ Suppose a whole Nation were in slavery and bondage to the Turks and some victorious Prince or Captain should by his Valour or Treasure redeem some of the Inhabitants out of this Nation in which they are enslaved will it not then follow that there is a certain number of Inhabitants in this Nation which are not redeemed but are still in bondage Here is plain Scripture against Universal Redemption oh that the Lord would give poor deluded souls to see it in the light of his Spirit and to submit to it by the power of the same Spirit Not every Individual of the sex nation kindred and tongue is bought and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb but some out of every nation sex kindred and tongue These Scriptures will afford another Reason or Argument against Universal Redemption ARGUMENT II. IF they who are redeemed and bought by the blood of Christ be redeemed and bought to God to be his peculiar people zealous of good works so that they do or shall sing a new song they are or shall be virgins and follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth They are such as are redeemed from the earth and from among men to God Then is not every man and woman in the world redeemed and bought by the blood of Christ Because every man and woman no not one of an hundred doth or shall follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth This Proposition is further confirmed by several plain Scriptures Ye are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.20 therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are God's Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 14. being made a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith The Lord Jesus Christ gave himself for us Tit. 2.14 that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church Eph. 5.25 26 27. and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and clense it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish The Redeemed of the Lord shall return Isa 51.11 and come with singing unto Sion and everlasting joy shall be upon their head They shall obtain gladness and joy and sorrow and mourning shall flee away Do not we find here the Lord give us hearts to embrace Truth when it is so clearly held forth that those whom Christ redeemed by his blood he redeemed and bought them to God that they might be a holy and peculiar people which must and shall be accomplished in due time through the vertue and efficacy of his Blood on all them whom he shed his blood for Nor doth that ungrounded contradistinction used by a great stickler for the contrary opinion take place here T. MoorVniversality of God's free grace to Mankind namely of reconciliation which Christ hath wrought by his Blood which as our Adversaries hold extends to every man in the world and that reconciliation which he works by his Spirit in men which is peculiar This distinction I say will not be admitted here for we see that this Redemption which the Text speaks of is a redemption by blood and it is a peculiar Redemption and so held forth in this and other Scriptures Christ as he comes to his people by blood for their Justification so by water namely his Spirit for their Sanctification This is he that came by water and blood 1 John 5.6 even Jesus Christ not by water only but by water and blood and that is the Spirit that beareth witness because the Spirit is Truth ARGUMENT III. MY third Argument or reason is taken from Rev. 13.8 And all that dwell on the earth shall worship the Beast whose names are not written in the book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Or thus it may be rendred Whose names are not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb slain If there be many upon earth that worship the Antichristian Beast whore names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain then did not the Lord Jesus shed his blood or give himself a ransome for every man and woman in the world There are some to whom Christ will say in the last day Matth. 7.23 Depart from me I know ye not ye are not written in my book of love and gracious remembrance Shall we think that the Lord Christ in the immenseness
as for God's command to thee to use the means that thou mayst believe and repent it is not grounded upon Christ's dying for thee in particular but on the connexion and harmony which is between the mean and the end faith and salvation Thirdly there are thousands of precious Saints some alive and some at rest with the Lord who have and had true faith and peace of Conscience and joy in the holy Ghost and yet were meer strangers to the Doctrine of Vntversal Redemption Fourthly I would gladly be resolved in this what more ground of believing to salvation there is from the universality of Redemption then from the universality of the offer of Christ in the minstry of the word unless men will hold an Vniversal Salvation for seeing Christ died for many thousands that shall be damned may not I question whether I be not one of that number and whether Christ died for me so as that I should in the event believe to salvation The Unive salists will not acknowledge that Christ hath merited and procured faith for all them whom he died for This must needs be uncomfortable to a poor soul that finds it impossible to believe from creature strength and ability but blessed be the Lord who puts it out of doubt in his word that Christ hath merited faith for us and that we have faith through him and for his sake 2 Pet. 1.1 To them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Christ To you it is given for Christ's sake Phil. 1.29 Rom. 8.32 not only to believe on him but to suffer for him He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shal he not with him freely give us all things Faith and repentance and a new heart I hope are good things here we have an argument from the greater to the lesser If God hath given Christ which is the great gift for poor sinners he will then freely give to them a spirit of faith and repentance Let me ask our adversaries this question what men are bound to believe for the peace of their Consciences when they take it for granted already that Christ died for them being comprehended in the world of mankinde To conclude this smal Tract which I desire the good Lord to bless to the Reader we declare unto you in our Ministry that Christ died for all for the world for every man and woman that shall believe on him and accept him and close with him upon the terms of the Gospel and is not here incouragement to poor sinners be their sins never so great Thou art not excluded by name why shouldst thou exclude thy self through unbelief Suppose a company of passengers be ready to sink and a rope is let down from the ship will they stand to question whether the rope was let down with a purpose to save them from drowning wil they not rather strive who shal be most forward to take hold of it and come up by it If a pardon be published that whoever will accept of it be his rebellion and treason never so hainous he shall find mercy is not here incouragement to the worst of rebels to come in and accept of pardon and not question the secret intention of the magistrate whether he propound the pardon in general terms only for tryal conviction or for their actual deliverance There is not any one sin except the sin against the holy Ghost which is therefore unpardonable because they that commit it have not grace to repent but some that have been guilty of that sin and have committed it have found mercy Paul Mary Magdalen Peter Manasseh Sampson Solomon Zacheus c. are now glorious Saints in heaven And is not here ground and incouragement for thee to believe If the Lord give thee a heart to believe for it is his gift By grace are ye saved through faith Eph. 2.8 and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Doubtless there are many precious saints that can witness to this Truth tell you by experience that God gives true faith peace of conscience in such a ministry as this breathing by his spirit thereon for the Spirit breaths where it pleaseth as the wind bloweth where it listeth and thou knowest not whence it cometh nor whither it goeth So is every one that is born of the Spirit Now the Lord lead his people into truth and by the light of his Countenance and the brightness of his glorious appearance let error and darkness be dispelled and all Antichristian Doctrines and opinions suppressed certainly as the glorious God hath in a great measure already so he will much more ere it be long vindicate his own spirit his Sons Blood his Truth his Ministry his Ordinances his Saintes his own great and glorious Name and testifie more clearly and convincingly against the mysterie of Antichrist which now worketh in this Nation under another vizard and by other Instruments then formerly it hath wrought but shall have no better success then it formerly had FINIS
But if the Covenant of grace I say should externally belong to all to whom the Gospel is preached yet this will not extend to every man and woman in the world for God doth not afford the outward dispensation of his Gospel much less the estectual powerful operation of his Spirit to every one Psal 76.1 2. In Jud his God known his name is great in Israel In Salem also is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Sion Psal 147.19 20. Ier. 10.25 Eph. 2.11 Mar. 11.52 26. Acts 14.16 Acts 16.6 7. He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and judgments unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation At that time ye were without Christ aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel strangers from the Covenants of promise without hope without God in the world In times past he suffered all Nations to walk in their own ways Paul was forbidden of the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia and estaying to go into Bythinta the Spirit suffered him not The Lord God according to the pleasure of his own will sends the Ministry of the Gospel to one place and people and with-holds it from another makes known his Covenant of grace to some and hides and conceals it from others I might further argue thus that all those whom Christ dyed for he dyed in their stead as their surety and representative personating and representing them in his death and sufferings and if so how can the Lord God in justice and wisdom cast them of and reject them for whom his dear Son was a surety and undertaker and that by his own eternal decree counsel and appointment The Lord Jesus saveth his people from their sins Matth. 1.21 and then who can lay any thing to their charge It is Christ that dyed It is the son of God that shed his blood Rom. 8.31 34. who can condemn If Christ the eternal God be for us who can be against us If God spared not his Son but delivered him to death for us How shall he not with him also freely give us all things I shall not insist upon the nature of Redemption reconciliation atonement and propitiation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2.14 Rev. 5.9 10. Rev. 14.3 4. Col. 1.21 22. 2 Cor. 5.18 19. and the import and signification thereof in scripture phrase which comprehends and takes in not onely merit and impetration but also particuler application as to the persons so redeemed and reconciled by Christs blood I could also argue against universal redemption from the analogy and proportion between the type and the antitype doubtless the typical sacrifice was not slain and offered for every individual person nor did the antitype the substance of those shaddowes lay down his life for every man and woman in the world And lastly I would commend this to the consideration of the Christian reader that they to whom Christ is a redeemer and Savior Iohn 1 5. 1. Eph. 1.22 23. he is also a spiritual Root a spiritual head and principle of life to communicate the spirit of grace and holiness to them Redemption by Christ's blood and adoption by the spirit of grace though they may and ought to be distinguished yet they cannot be so divided and separated but that the same persons that are capable of the one are also capable of the other and shall partake thereof Gal. 4.4 5 6. God sent forth his Son to redeeme them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons and because ye are Sons namly by election and redemption God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Psal 68.18 Christ as he suffered for the fins of men so he received spiritual gifts for them yea for the rebellious Iohn 3.34 Iohn 1.16 Heb. 8.10 Zac. 12. Iohn 12.32 33. Phil. 1.29 Eph. 1.3 2 Pet. 1.1 Acts 5.31 Heb 12.2 that the Lord God might dwel among them that they might have communion and fellowship with God He received the spirit without measure as head and mediator that of his fulness we might receive grace for grace If God have given his Son to die for us he will also give us faith repentance holyness newness of heart and life If he so loved all men as to part with this pretious Jewell and Pearle of great price out of his bosome for them he will then give all men a hand to take it with and a casket to keep it in But for these and other argument which might be alledged against the General redemption they are managed by other godly and reverend men in their printed books to whom God hath given more skill and ability advantageously to handle spiritual weapons then I have only I cast in my poor mite into the Lords treasury desiring the Reader humbly and seriously to weigh and examine the scriptures in the margent 1 Tim. 2.6 1 Iohn 2.1 2. Iohn 3.16 Heb. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After I had propounded my arguments against universal redemption I did briefly as the Lord enabled me answer the most considerable objections of the adversarie Taken from those general and indefinite expressions and phrases of Scripture all every the world the whole world for as for these words i.e. Christ dyed for all men or for every man they are not to be found in the original Text of Scripture but are supplyed in the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an challaâ—…e of the number for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all sons heirs For all and every one that shall believe not only Jews but Gentiles So 1 Tim. 2.6 Iohn 12.32 Translation which hath given occasion to the venting of this erroneous opinion But if these words were sound in scripture yet there is no necessity for us to expound them of every individual person but with restriction and limitation as is usual in Scripture for not only these words a Col. 1.28 1 Cor. 12.7 Rom. 5.18 Ier. 29.31 Gan. 3.8 1 Cor. 4.5 Iohn 1.9 1 Cor. 7.2 20 Rom. 1.5 Rev. 18.3.23 Psal 118.10 1 Chron. 14.17 Iohn 8.26 Iohn 12.19 Luke 2.1 2 3. 2 Cor. 5.19 Rom. 4.13.16 Ioh. 3.17 Ioh. 6.33 Ioh. 16.8 17.21 Heb. 2.5 Psal 22.27 Ioh. 1.29 1 Tim. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated by See Mar. 5 34 35. 1 Iohn 5.19 Rev. 13.3 Rom. 1.8 Luke 2.1 Rev. 12.9 all men every man all Nations but also these words the world the whole world are in more places then one limited and restrained to a part of the world and a certain number of men and women Such general phrases are therefore used by the Spirit of God in much wisdom because the proud Jews were so apt ever after the breaking down of the pactition wall to appropriate the benefits of the Messiah and the priviledges of the Church of God to themselves and to exclude the world of the elect Gentiles as dogs and aliens