those who do not believe and obey him therein shall be damned these being the great parts of the Gospel faith therein and obedience thereto must needs be the faith of the Gospel to which the salvation thereof is promised More distinctly as to the restitution world to come and the eternal kingdom of Christ therein tho all founded in that one sacrifice is so great and fundamental a part of the Gospel as that short of it without it is no Gospel nor glad tidings at all 1 Cor. 15. 19. all the promises both of grace and glory Issuing here and as it is the great doctrine of the Gospel so it sometimes was the common faith of saints tho through the Apostasie now almost lost out of the world that it was the common faith appeareth from these following grounds 1. It was the faith of Abraham the father of the faithful and very probably so called from his believing this general promise to the world denoting that our faith must be the same or else we are not his children that this was his faith see Rom. 4. 13. the promise that he â—â—ould be the heir of the world was not to Abraham and his seed through the Law but through the righteousness of Faith This his heirship to the world to come was through his faith in the promise which faith he had before he was circumcised v. 10 11. and on this faith it was he became the heir of the world and father of all that do believe We may well suppose that if he had not believed God in his promise of a Son and Seed in whom all the Families of the Earth should be Blessed he had not arrived to that Blessing and Dignity of being the Heir of the World and Father of all that Believe Which must likewise be our Faith if we will prove our selves to be his Children and Heirs with him of the same World according to promise Rom. 4. 16. Gal. 3. 29. viz. To believe the truth of the promise relative to the World to come and that the Son and Seed is come by whom all shall be effected 3. It was the common Faith of the Prophets the Restitution of all things was spoken of by all the Holy Prophets since the World began Act. 3. 1. And as I understand by the Learned Readers of the Jewish Rabbies that the Restitution and World to come was the common Faith of the Jews expected to be effected by their Messias 3. It 's apparent that in the Primitive time of the Gospel it was the Faith of all both Ministers and People Ministers according to the Commission Preached it Act. 3. 21. Rom. 8. 19 20 21. Eph. 1. 10. And the People believed it this is plain and apparent 2 Pet. 3. 13. Nevertheless we according to his promise look for a new Heavens and Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness Vers 14. Wherefore Beloved seeing ye look for such things c. Here is all both Ministers and People we and ye all looked for this new World and they could not look for what they did not Believe 4. It 's the Faith that 's stated by our Lord in the Commission for Preaching the glad tidings Mar. 16. 15 16. Go ye into all the World Preach the glad tidings to all the Creation So the word is tho some be so bold as to make a mock thereof and yet would be accounted Gospel Preachers it 's to all the Creation And dare any to conclude there is nothing of Divine Wisdom in the Lords Words or to charge him with having so little respect to his Church as to state the Gospel Commission both for Preaching Faith and Salvation in so dark and dubious terms as to need their help to alter or amend it and so making themselves Wiser than the Lord. Christ Can you demonstrate this kind of Preaching to all the Creation from the Scripture viz. That to Preach and speak thereof is a true Preaching of the Universal Restitution and glad tidings to all the Creation and that to which Christ in his Commission had relation to if you can I desire it that Men may learn not to mock Min. As the whole Gospel is and shall be the fulfilling of the Prophets Joh. 4. 38 Act. 3. 31. Rev. 1. 7 10. It 's all stated by the Prophets Act. 26. 22. So the Commission for publishing thereof must be as large as the Prophesies that went before thereof and a substance very near the same expressions the promise was that in him all Nations of the Earth should be blessed Gen. 22. 18. Which includes the whole Restitution and World to come Rom. 4. 13. The promises made to Abraham being the Basis and Foundation of all the Prophesies and Promises that followed about this matter and the Commission of Christ sutes this Promise i. e. Of glad tidings to all the Nations of the Earth See Ps 96. 98. calling to the whole Creation to rejoice in the Lambs Restitution and Rev. 5. 13. is in Vision the effecting thereof to John as it shall be done when the time comes So Ezek. 36. 1. to 15. Which relates to the same time and state tho more distinctly to the Restitution of the Tribes of Israel and of the Land of Canaan their promised Inheritance where the Prophet is commanded to Prophesie unto the Mountains and to the Hills c. Not that he was to speak to the Mountains and Hills but to the People and this is called a speaking to the Mountains and Hills And Act. 3. 21. asserts That the Restitution of all things was spoken of by all the Holy Prophets since the World began and the sutableness of the Commission of Christ hereunto is most plain to Preach the Gospel to all the Creation that Men might understand and believe it and be saved and the Practice of the Apostles was sutable to the Commission which should be our Practice likewise Act. 3. 21. Rom. 8. 19 20 21 22. In all four Verses in the Greek it is the Creation vers 19. The expectation of the Creation vers 20. The Creation was made subject to vanity vers 21. The Creation it self shall be delivered c. Vers 22. The whole Creation groaneth c. See Eph. 1. 10. Rev. 5. 13. And as this was the Doctrine of glad tidings by the Commission from the Lord thereof to be Preached them what must be the Faith but to believe the Doctrine He that Believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Believeth what The Doctrine of the Commission the glad tidinge to all the Creation the Restitution of all things by Jesus Christ Rev. 21. 5. So that in the Commission we have the Doctrine and Faith of the Gospel to which the life thereof is promised which is the general Restitution and glad tidings to all the Creation this being the Doctrine and Faith that was once delivered to the Saints and for which we ought garnestly to contend Jude vers 3. The sum of all is to believe That Jesus is
used to prove that which it does not at all intend it being so apparent that the Apostle speaks of the givings down of the Spirit in it's mighty works after believing and not in the first work of conversion it being the promise and was performed that the spirit should be given down abundantly upon believers after believing as clearly distinct from it's sacred work in the Gospel in begetting souls to the faith see for this Joh. 7. 38 39 Act. 2. 38 39. Eph. 1. 13. so that to apply the giving down of the Spirit according to promise after believing to the first work of faith and conversion is a very great weakness and mistake 2. The Apostle in that place intends not the giving down of the Spirit upon the Ephesians to whom he wrote much less to persons in the first work of faith it being evident that the Apostle throughout this chapter keeps the distinction between himself the ministers with him and the Church as was usual in his other Epistles from v. 1. to 13. he speaks to but not of the church but of themselves distinguished by We Us and Ye and v. 13. speaks of the church and from v. 16. to 19. speaks of themselves and lets the church to know the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe i. e. to the Apostles in the mighty gifts of the spirit and works done by them for confirmation of the truth of the Gospel according to Mar. 16. 17 18. Heb. 2. 3 4. 3. I conclude that the work of faith and conversion of sinners is so far from being a mâ—racle as some pretend that it 's rather a marvel that so few believe and are converted certainly our Lord would not have marvelled at their unbelief Mar. 6. 6. nor grieved for their hardness of heart if they could not have believed without a miraculous work which he was able to have effected Mar. 3. 5. It 's true many believed on the sight of miracles done without them but we read not of any miracle done within them to work faith nor is the work of faith and turning to God at all called a miracle 4. And from the whole we have great cause to fear that the Spirit is much more talked of by us all than known and enjoyed either in it's operations in the Gospel to conversion or in its gifts according to promise and cause we have to mourn in the sense thereof that he should be so much amongst us in word and so little in Power If the Spirit of the Gospel were a spirit of Ignorance errour and pride a spirit of Worldlyness oppression envy hatred and division Were this the Spirit of the Gospel we have enough and too much of this But if the Spirit of Christ is indeed in its operations and effects the Spirit of Power of Love and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1. 7. If it be the Spirit of Love Joy Peace long Suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith â—eckness Temperance Gal. 5. 22. 23. Then surely we have cause to complain as the Prophet Isa 24. 16. My leanness my leanness wo unto me Christ What think you of the work of Regeneration relative to the matter in hand I desire to enquire 1. What it is and 2. How it is effected Min. Without doubt it carryeth the sum of the matter in it and includes Faith Repentance and the whole of Gospel Conversion and turning to God But more particularly 1. Negatively what it is not it 's not any Conversion then a Conversion only from â—in might be it there may be many Convictions and Conversions too that may be far short of Regeneration and Persons may be and it 's to be feared that many are deceived herein 2. Affirmative what it is the word Regeneration I find but twice used in the New Testament in the terms thereof and not at all in the Old it being most proper to the New tho I doubt not but that the true sense thereof is often exprest Joh. 3. 3 5. And it implyeth and importeth a renewing returning or restoring to a new Estate And those two Scriptures in which it 's mentioned teâ—ds much to give us a tight understanding therein The 1. I shall mention is Tit. 3. 5. According 〈◊〉 his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit Which Regeneration here consisteth in our being by the Power of the Gospel begotten to believe the Truth of the glad tidings thereof relating to the Restitution and World to come our Faith must be in the Regeneration to come or else it 's none of the Faith of the Commission or of Regeneration Mar. 16. 15 16. Nor brings us under the promise of a share in the Regeneration to come it not being the Faith of Regeneration Regeneration begun here being a preparation to the Glory of the perfect Regeneration of and in the new and restored World The 2. Scripture is Mat. 19. 28. Ye which have followed meâ—n the Regeneration when the Son of Mâ—â— shall â—it on the Thâ—one of his Glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thâ—â—nâ—â— uâ—â—gâ—â—g the twelve Tribes of Israel That this Regeneration relates to the New life in the New World at and after the Resurrection I think is by the Learned generâ—â—ly owned that the true reading and sense of the Words is ye that have followed me shall in the Râ—genâ—â—aâ—â—en sit upon twelve Thrones c. That is in the new and restored World see Wilson's Scripture Dictionary on the Word the day and time of the last Judgment when our whole Nature being restored both Body and Soul shall enjoy the Heavenly inheritance Mat. 19 28. You which have followed me shall in the Regeneration sit upon twelve Thrones and the English Greek Lexicon on the Word the last day of the World and it 's so called because in it God will create a new Heaven and a nâ—w Earth and will perfectly ingender again a Man that is chosen Mat. 19. 28. And indeed this is properly the Regeneration time and state when all things shall be renewed restored and return to a new and better estate So that Regeneration may be thus defined When a Man doth truly believe the truth of the glad tidings reported in the Gospel by Jesus Christ Crucified for our sins raised and ascended into Heaven and shall come again from thence to perfect the Redemption viz. The Resurrection Regeneration and new World and to perfect his People with Himself therein and is in this Faith effectually turned to the Lord in heart and life according to the Gospel This iâ— Regeneration begun here which if persevered in will certainly issue in the perfect Regeneration and Glory in the World to come 2. How it 's effected and that is 1. For us by Jesus Christ Crucified Raised and Ascended in and by him the whole work is and shall be effected Act. 3. 21. Rev. 21. 5 12. 2. In us here the Lord begets us by the word of his Grace to
can be no worse among the Heathen yet â—â—d will in time be pacified towards them and return â—â—â—n when he returns his sinning People Judah and Isâ—â—â—l Ezek. 16. 53 61. Zeph. 3. 8. Where is declared â—â— universal Judgment of the World and when that â—â— finished verse 9. Then will I turn to the People a â—â— Language that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord and serve him with one consent The same Judged People shall afterward serve the Lord he saith not my People but the People which fully agreeth with other Scriptures of the same import Psal 102. 22. When the People are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord and 22. 27. 86. 9. And many more that might be mentioned and Luk. 12. 48. The servant that miscarried through ignorance shall be beaten little so the word is tho much in it self yet little compared with wilful Transgressors and little fully imports an end of beating and Eternal beating and striping can in no sense be said to be little or few stripes so that an end of or Redemption from the penal part of the second Death though not of loss to the generality of the World both of Jews and Gentiles in times to be effected is most apparent from the Scriptures of truth and I verily believe it 's nothing else but a Traditional Reception contrary thereunto that makes it so strange unto us And as for the threefold state of the World at that day by some so much stumbled at it 's likewise as apparent not only from Psal 64. 8 9 10 verse 8. are the Eternally Condemned ones verse 9 the generality of the World all men verse 10. are the Righteous with the Lord and Isaiah 66. is first a description of the Church in its Glory with Christ verse 10 11 12. 2. The gathering of all tongues and all flesh to worship verse 18 23. 3. The Eternally Condemned ones verse 24. But if our eyes were but half open we might read as much in Mat. 25. 32 c. Where we may necessarily understand three states two mentioned and a third not mentioned but implied 1. All Infants so dying are not there mentioned not being capable of such a sentence either to life or death viz. on the same â—â—ounds for feeding or not feeding the Members of Christ which are not a small part of the World 2. All the Heathen World that never heard of Christ or his â—embers and as they have not been nor are capable to â—ew mercy to Christ in his Members so are they â—ot capable of such a sentence it being proper only to Gospel-Professors but indeed that World may not only admit of a threefold state but of three thousand â—a infinite as to us if it be true according to Scriâ—ure that God will render to every man according to â—s Works 1 Cor. 5. 10. Rev. 22. 12. Christ Some cry out against this Doctrine as grieâ—â—â— Heresie and scandalous to the Gospel Min. To this I shall say but little tho I could say much 1. For truth to be accounted Heresie is no 〈◊〉 and therefore no strange thing 2. After the â—â—y they call Heresie so believe I and worship God 3. I â—eartily desire they may repent of this in time it being â—â—oful sin to call good evil and evil good 4. To â—nder it Heresie and scandalous is to render the whole â—ord and design of God by Christ in the Gospel to â— Heresie and scandalous relative to the Judgâ—ent and World to come according to the true declaraâ—on thereof as has been plainly and plentifully proâ—d before 5. Suppose it true that it were Heresie â—hich it 's far from I query of them whether it â—ould possibly be any more than as a drop to the Ocean â—â— respect of the Errours and Heresies held by themâ—â—ves as has been before unvailed 6. And as for â—â—s being scandalous to the Gospel I say 1. If to asâ—â—t that God will Judge the World in Righteousness by 〈◊〉 Christ and render to every man according to his â—â—rks penal punishment both for measure and time sutable to the Facts of men that he will punish none without a cause nor more than is deserved if this be in good earnest scandalous either to God or Man then I acknowledge I am guilty of this scandal and shall I hope till I dye I conclude this with the saying of Tertullian which I think is true viz. Good things offend none but such as have ill minds Christ Some say suppose all you say about these matters be true yet they question what advantage may be supposed in publishing thereof especially it being an offence to many Min. 1. If there were no worth at all nor advantage in the knowledge of the Glorious design of God to the World by Jesus Christ in the Restitution and World to come certainly he would not have filled his word with the discoveries thereof as he has he would not have made it the work of all his holy Prophets since the World began to speak thereof but to the end that we might understand and believe it to his praise things revealed belonging to us Deut. 29. 29. There being no truth in the Scripture more fully and frequently declared than the Restitution and World to come with the Glories thereof I think I may say the Scriptures abounds and excels in this Act. 3. 21. And what may we conceive from hence but the greatness of the truth thereof and the greatness of our concern to understand and believe it 2. If it be the Faith to which the promise of life in the World to come is made as has been before proved then certainly it concerns us to understand and believe it and the publishing thereof should be no oâ—ence unto any but rather their joy and though Christ sometime said Joh. 16. 12. I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now which is by some urged in this matter To this I say that the times before and after the sufferings of Christ much differed afterwards Christ did not forbear the publishing of that to them which they were not capable to bear before he suffered nor did the Apostle forbear the publishing of further truth to them that were dull of hearing Heb. 5. 11. with ch 6. 1 2 3. And the Apostle complains that he was become or esteemed an Enemy because he told them the truth Gal. 4. 16. And indeed a sin and a shame it is that any profest Christians should be offended at the Doctrine of the Restitution of all things the World to come with the Glories thereof it being the Crowning part of the Glorious Gospel of the Blessed God And if men will now be offended at the truth I know no help for it Christ Some say that the World to come is a Mystery and none are capable to understand the perfection of the Glories thereof yet you have undertaken to declare what it is and so have presumed beyond
Holiness Justice Mercy and Wisdom as is inconsistent with that Holy Name and as I may safely say is such as neither Men nor Angels can reconcile and therefore is not likely to be either true or safe 4. That there is a sufficiency of power in man given to him by the Lord to will and to do what he requireth under his several Ministrations with the helps afforded Gen. 3. 6. Prov. 1. 23. especially under the Gospel this stands in unity with the whole scope of Scripture which lets us to know that mens condemnation is of themselves and is and shall be for wilfulness and not for weakness for what they might have done and would not and not for what they could not else their damnation could not be just this being most scriptural and most rational is therefore most likely to be both true and safe But to believe and teach that Men have no power at all to believe and obey the Gospel with the common means and helps afforded without a Miracle and yet that God will damn them eternally for not believing for not doing what they could not is both unscriptural and irrational tending to null both the Truth of the Gospel and the Righteousness of God in the Judgment and therefore is not likely to be either true or safe 5. To understand Justification by Faith and Worâ—s as the holy â—terms thereof on which God freely justifieth by his Grace in Christ Jesus and as that without which men can have no right thereunto Faith without Worâ—s nor Works without Faith bringeth us not under the Gospel-promise Jam. 2. 20. to 26. Rev. 22. 14. And so it is because God designed to save men by his Son in the way of holiness Heb. 12 14. And this stands â—â— unity thorugh the whole Gospel of this salvation without any contradiction at all and therefore is most likely to be both true and safe But those who affirm Justification to be either from Eternity as some say otherwise than a purpose to justifie in time on the Gospel terms as declared in the Gospel or actually at the death of Christ as others say otherwise than the general justification of all from the first death to be effected in time Rom. 5. 18. Or by Faith without Works as others say or by Works without Faith or Faith and Works yea through Gospel Faith and Works as the meritorious and deserving Cause as others say are all contradictory not only one to another but to the whole Scripture that speaks thereof and therefore is not likely to be either true or safe 6. To understand the Scripture so as that believers may and some shall be preserved in the Gospel way of faith and holiness to the glory promised and yet believers may and some have through their own default miscarried and so come short of the glory This stands in unity through the whole Scripture and therefore is most likely to be true and safe 1 Pet. 1. 5. 1 Tim. 1. 19. 2 Pet. 2. 20. But those who affirm an impossibility of falling from saith and grace it being contrary to the whole Scripture that speaks thereof and dangerous unto men to beget in them carnal security carelesness fearlesness and presumption contrary to Rom. 11. 20. Heb. 3. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 17. And therefore is not likely to be either true or safe 7. To understand the eternal Judgment so as may comport with the truth of all the Promises relating to the World in the World to come and the glory of Christ's Kingdom therein and so to understand the Promises as may comport and agree with the Judgment and not to understand either so as to violate and make null the other this stands in unity and holds the Scripture in unity and therefore is most likely to be both true and safe But to understand the eternal Judgment so as to contradict and null all the great Promises relating to the World in the World to come and the glory of Christ's Kingdom therein as has been explained in â—â— 8. and so as to derogate from the glorious undertaking of Christ in the restitution in bringing in a â—ew State Life and World seems to hold the Scripture greatly in contradiction and to out and end the great revealed glory of the Gospel and design of God and Christ therein and therefore is not likely to be either true or safe That the Judgment shall be eternal upon all wilful transgressors against the Gospel according to the Scriptures that speak thereof and that Judgment shall be executed upon the World in general according to the Scripture Zeph. 3. 8. Rev. 3. 10. Act. 17. 31. And yet those manifold Promises to the World in the times of the restitution to be accomplished by the Woman's seed the seed of Abraham in whom all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed to stand firm and unviolated renders the whole Scriptures in these things to stand in unity suits with the whole name of God rendering it to be honourable and glorious in the restitution â—ork and capable to be understood by Christian men But those Notions which for the most part are contrary thereunto setting the Scripture at an irreconcileable variance and contradiction are unlikely to be either true or safe and therefore it concerns us to relinquish them and to adhere to Principles of Truth Unity and Safety CHAP. X. Sheweth That God intendeth what he speaketh and will perform it and that it 's his Perfection and not his Impersection to speak and do after the manner of Men. Christ IN as much as God in his Word has made known his mind to Men and therein speaketh much after the manner of Men I desire to inquire Whether we may understand that he thinketh and intendeth what he speaketh and is what he has declared himself to be and will really perform what he has promised and threaâ—nâ—d â—n his Word Min. I shall answer you in the words of Dr. Usher in his S. C. or B. D. pag. 71. 1. He thinketh as he speaketh 2. He doth both as he thinketh and speaketh 3. There is no one part of his word contrary to another 4 He loveth truth and hateth those that are lyers Christ If this be true then his Word is a sure and stable Ground and Rule for us to fix upon and cleave unto in all matters of Gospel Faith and Practice according to Psal 93. 5. Thy Testimonies are very sure And Psal 119. 140. Thy Word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it And Joh. 17. 17. Thy Word is truth Min. That the Word of God is true and a sure Ground and Rule both for Faith and Practice is that which I suppose but few profess'd Protestants will in word deny and that in his Word he has condescended to us declaring his will and mind therein sutable to our capacities and understandings but that we are to understand and believe him as he speaketh is in substance denyed by many Christ In what particular
A Compendious DISCOURSE About some of the greatest matters of Christian Faith propounded and explained between a MINISTER and an enquiring CHRISTIAN designed for clearing the truths of the Gospel the honour of Christ and advantage of men And also may serve for an answer to two books one called The practical Discourse of the Sovereignty of God the other called The Death of Death by the Death of Christ written by J. O. Whereunto is annexed a very brief Appendix Written by T. Collier Gal. 〈…〉 To whom we gave place by subjection no not for an hour that the truth of the Gospel might 〈…〉 tinue with you 1 Tim. 6. 3. 4. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine which is according to godliness he iâ— proud knowing nothing but doting about questions and strife of words whereof cometh envie strife railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds destituâ—â— of the truth c. Zec. 8. 19 Therefore love the Truth and Peace London Printed by H. H. for Tho. Fabian at the Sign of the Bible in St. Paul's Church-Yard a Corner sho◠〈◊〉 Châ—â—â—â—â—dâ— 168â— The Authors desire and end in the ensuing Discourse GO forth my Muse take Wings and flee Speak plain and true that all may see For none can see without a light Nor can they see without some sight All have some sight within them so As to discern what light do shew And when discerned to make choice Of what is spoke by the Lights voice But without Light no man can see Nor can in Truth instructed be Most true it is that God is Light The Fountain clear in whom 't is bright And from that Fountain it doth shine In ways of his that are Divine The Eye within in the true sence Has had three Books to learn from thence The Works the Law the Gospel pure The Book of Life that shall endure To turn away from this clear Sun Is the right way to be undone This is the Light discoursed on And calleth for reception It calls aloud and cries to men Let it not be rejected then And if that some do thee traduce That thou returnest with abuse Be not afraid what e're do come Nor yet dismaid for any doom 'T is Gospel Light does in thee shine Therefore none can thee undermine Thy Dress is plain thy Language sharp 'T is that thou mayst speak to the heart If the good end design'd by thee Shall in some part effected be Which is the common good of men Let God have all the glory then And then again my heart shalt sing With joy the praise of Sion's King And this also thy work shall be And that unto Eternity The Epistle DEDICATORY To the Learned Doctors Masters and Students of the two Universities of Oxford and Cambridge and to all the Learned in the Nation Learned SIRS IT 's the saying of the Wise man Prov. 4. 5. Get wisdom get understanding forget it not v. 7. Wisdom is the principle thing therefore get wisdom with all thy gettings get understanding v. 8. Exalt her and she shall promote thee she shall bring thee to honor when thou dost embrace her and chap. 16. 16. How much better is it to get wisdom than gold And to understanding rather to be chosen than silver Then surely it is not wisdom to get gold and silver but that which is far above it Which will give to thine head not a Crown of gold and silver but an Ornament of grace a Crown of glory shall she deliver to thee They are the great things of Divine wisdom as revealed in the Scriptures of truth that I have been exercised about and of which it 's said 2 Tim. 3. 15. They are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus And therefore I have no reason to suppose you 'le count it strange or presumption that I present the Dedication of the ensuing discourse to your learned and serious consideration 'T is true it 's a plain English Christian Discourse yet the things discoursed on are the great and high things of God and the Gospel and therefore am not willing to doubt but you will readily grant are such things as concern your most scrious Studies Though with some their Studies may be much if not too much about things of a lower and terrene concern as indeed all things are beneath the glorious Gospel of the blessed God yet I doubt not the lawfulness of endeavours for attainments in human learning and that both as to the Languages â—â— Philosophy both in the rational natural and moral parts thereof though my self have little or none of either in its artificial parts Yet it 's radically in all rational men though it has been and is too much debauched and defaced in most by sensual lusts Your learned and Philosophical studies may tend to make you men of parts and of use among men in things of torrene concern if not abused and if kept subject in its place may prove no hindrance to you but a help in your Divine studies though I acknowledge not Philosophy to be the Mother of Theology as some say Gal. 4. 26. yet this I dare say that without rational Philosophy in its root we could not be rational men and then we could not be Christian men without a miracle indeed as some say it being to the rational understanding part in man that the Gospel comes and by which it 's understood and believed Learned Sirs Whatever ends you design in your studies it concerns you all to take in Theology and the glory of God as the chief and glory of all things of Gospel concern being of highest of best and eternal concern and this I am sure your learning simply considered in it self will not hinder but help you in while you keep humble and improve your acquired Talents for God The blessed Gospel of his grace by Jesus being very much suted to the rational capacities of men or else it were in vain to publish it unto them Though the Gospel in it self being the Ministration of Peace by Jesus properly relating to the general restitution new world new state and life with all its Ordinances of divine worship faith and holy life in order to preparing us for and obtaining of the glory and as so is above the reach of reason and all the human Philosophy in the world without the Divine revelation thereof Rom. 10. 14. 1 Cor. 1. 21. 2. 7 8. but being by the Gospel revealed and brought down and opened 〈◊〉 Rom. 10. 6 7 8 9. to those who believe the Scripture to be the Divine Revelation it 's rational as well as divine to believe God in his word and love and cleave to him therein which is the great and saving Faith of the Gospel though over and above our rational capacities He has of his own grace ordered the Gospel which is the Divine Revelation thereof to be
the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. and to minister the Spirit for our help therein Gal. 3. 2. Rom. 8. 26. yet it s so far from the Gospel to destroy our rational and moral capacities that it tends to help and lighten us therein though in a more Spiritual and sublime way Some talk of losing or laying aside our reason as if Christianity were an irrational thing if we lay aside our reason we must lay aside our humanity and our Christianity too Others talk of reasons being sanctified and that I like well it stands with the truth of the Gospel reason sanctified by the word and spirit of the Gospel Joh. 17. 17. Sanctifie them through the truth thy word is truth chap. 15. 3. Ps 119. 9. and I understand reason then to be sanctified when it understands believes loves and obeys the truth of the Gospel which I take to be regeneration begun here which being persevered in will issue in the perfect Regeneration in the world to come But I am afraid that under the notion of sanctified reason two evils are come in upon Christianity like a torrent even to the spoiling thereof 1. Some under the notion of the Spirit and sanctified reason do out and end the greatest part of the glorious Gospel of the blessed God in the great matters of Faith narrowing and denying thereof in the largeness of its extent contrary to the very letter and scope of Scripture alone from their supposed sanctified reason as will appear in the following discourse 2. And others make additions and change the Ordinances according to their own devices and all by supposed sanctified reason corrupted Philosophy and vain deceit after the will of men and not after Christ The Christian religion in it self as it 's the most divine so it s he mostrational Religion in the world or that ever was in the world being opened to us by the Divine Revelation though there are some things in it above the reach of reason to comprehend even with the Divine Revelation and Teachings of God therein yet we may understand the truth thereof and it 's rational for us to believe it because God has said it to instance in some particulars 1. That God should so love the world as to give his only begotten Son for its redemption and Christ so love the world as to give his Flesh for the life thereof are incomprehensible mysteries of grace Joh. 3. 16. 6. 51. Eph. 3. 17 18 19. 2. The Incarnation of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is in it self an incomprehensible mystery 1 Tim. 3. 16. 3. The Resurrection Judgment the greatness terribleness righteousness and justice thereof the restitution new world with the diversities of the glories and punishments thereof are all incomprehensible mysteries till the times come of effecting thereof 1 Cor. 13. 9. 10. 1 Joh. 3. 2. Ps 9. 11. yet by the Divine Revelation we may understand the truth of these unsearchable mysteries and it 's very rational as well as divine that we believe the truth thereof So that I say the Christian Faith and Religion is the most rational and to render it unreasonable in any of the parts thereof does open wrong to God Christ the Gospel and to men When in truth in its own simplicity and purity there is nothing irrational in it in this matter we may and must say if we say right as Prov. 8. 8 9. All the words of wisdoms mouth are righteous there is nothing froward or perverse in them they are all plain to him that understandeth and right to them that find knowledge ch 14. 16. a scorner seeketh wisdom and findeth it not but knowledge is easie to him that hath understanding God having given to men large Capacities that if rightly exercised about the works of God and word of life they might attain to the excellent knowledge of the most holy and to the precious faith and life of the Gospel through the Divine teachings therein which shall not be wanting to those that really desire and seek it Prov. 2. 1. to 6. Luk. 11. 13. Jam. 1. 5. God having in his wisdom and grace stated the things of the Gospel both in matters of Faith and Worship plain to the rational Capacities of men to the end that they might through a right industry obtain the saving knowledge of his will therein And it s only the irrational devices additions and contrary interpretations of men both in matters of Faith and practice that hath filled the world with irrational errours divisions and confusions which the Scripture if cleaved to in its own light and language which is but reason it should be so as well as divine would be the alone blessed way for us to arrive to unity in the great things of Gospel concern reason misled by Tradition Blind-zeal or captivated by sensual lusts has and doth make bad work in the world See from Scripture how reason and Christian Religion unites 1. It 's both rational as well as Religious that we believe God in the word of his grace 2 Thess 3. 2. where unbelievers are rendred to be unreasonable men as well as irreligious and 1 Pet. 3. 15. we are to give a reason of our hope to every one that shall ask Which can never be if our reason be useless nor can meerly rational men understand it when it is given them 2. It 's rational as well as Religious that we should serve and worship God according to his own revealed will in the Gospel and not after our own wills or the inventions and Traditions of men Rom. 12. 1. 2. the contrary is irrational as well as irreligious 3. The increase of divine grace received by faith in the Gospel is by the rational exercise of our selves therein Mat. 25. 29. with Heb. 5. 14. 4. The holy and honourable terms of the Gospel on which the life and glory thereof is promised and without which we may not expect it renders it to be very rational and credible to men no man in his right reason can conclude that God should seek to save a people in so wonderful away but in the way of holiness the contrary would render the Gospel incredible to all rational men 5. It 's rational as well as Religious that we abhor all moral evils sensual and brutish lusts and to love all moral vertues and duties and the contrary is irrational and immoral as well as irreligious The Moral law or Ten Commands given by Moses is commonly understood to be the same for substance as is written in nature or rational and moral Philosophy in men Rom. 2. 14 15. Which the Gospel destroys not but tends to perfect it in us as it 's administred to us by Christ Rom. 3. 31. and 8. 4. 1 Cor. 9. 21. not as from mount Sinai but as from mount Sion Heb. 2. 18. 22. the sum and substance of the Law and Prophets is to teach men to love God above all and their neighbours as
any impartial person may understand in my healing Word or endeavour for peace annexed to my additional word tho hitherto I may truely say as the Apostle 2 Cor. 12. 15. the more I love the less am I loved and as Ps 120. 7. I am for peace but when I speak thereof they are for War I think I may safely say that those manifold divisions and by reason thereof through pride enmities and contentions for only by pride cometh contentions Pro. 13 10. ariseth from mens being wiser than what is written not submitting to the plain testimony of the Divine record but make human and harsh interpretations and inventions both in matters of faith and practise and then quarrel with those who in conscience to God dare not believe and do as they would impose upon them I think I may safely say that this has been and is the cause of almost all the contentions divisions enmities and persecutions among profest Christians ofttimes self-interest viz. profit honour and applause concurring therewith attended with pride and an itching desire after domination And the alone way for Christians to obtain more unity love and peace is humbly to submit themselves to the plain and express terms of the Divine record especially in all fundamental matters of faith and life without human inventions and interpretations in which way they might easily come to unite and if in any thing they conscientiously differ to bear with each other in love allowing the same liberty to each other as every one for himself rightfully claims the contrary being irreligious irrational and brutish My method in the ensuing discourse is in dialogue wise by way of Question and Answer as it were between a minister and an enquiring Christian the reason thereunto moving me is because as the things are in themselves of weighty if not of weightiest concern and that which many are inquiring into so in this method I have had the advantage to make things plain and familiar to the weakest capacity as likewise to answer such questions and objections about these maâ—ters as are most usual among men And my humble and earnest desire is that you kick not nor winch either at the instrument or the matter for the instruments sake God being at liberty to make use of whom he pleases in his work if the instrument has been running to and fro it may be more than some others and has been it may be sometimes out and sometimes in don't reproach it may be his industry has been blest of God with increase and may judge those who lie still being full as if they had obtained all judging and passing the sentence of Heresie on all that 's new to them tho it may be the good old truths of the Gospel My dâ—sign in the plainness and closeness of the ensuing discourse is not reproach to any but to ingage all concerned herein to search and trie and where they find just cause to turn from their errours to the truth Its Scripture light I have been prying into and that not dark harsh and forced interpretations nor from any single text of Scripture but the plain testimony of Divine record compared and united in the true harmony and unity of it self as I am yet greatly satisfied Yet notwithstanding I shall readily and thankfully imbrace any sober offers of information of any mistake if any be or of further light in these or any matters of Gospel concern and so I commit it to the judicious Reader praying the Lord he may not sin in rejecting truth nor in receiving errour desiring the God of all light and grace to lead into all needful truth Amen The things discoursed on in the ensuing treatise are as followeth Chap. 1. OF the sovereign power of God as exercised over men opened and cleared in opposition to the dishonourable abuses thereof Ch. 2. Treateth of Election Ch. 3. Of the Extent of the love of God to and death of Christ for the World Ch. 4. What the Gospel is and what is the faith of the Gospel to which the life thereof is promised Ch. 5. Of the power and will of Man to believe the Gospel Ch. 6. Of the Nature of man and the original defilement thereof and whether it brought us under the first death only or under the second death also as some affirm Ch. 7. Of the Apostasie from the Faith what it is and wherein it consists Ch. 8. Treateth of the General restitution and Salvation in the World to come and of the Kingdom of Christ therein Ch. 9. Sheweth that to hold truth in unity is honourable to God and safe for our selves Ch. 10. That God intendeth what he speaketh and will perform it and that its greatly dishonourable to him for any to speak or think the contrary Some of the greatest matters of Christian Faith propounded and explained by way of Question and Answer as it were between a Minister and an enquiring Christian CHAP. I. Of the Sovereignty of God as exercised over the World ever since the creation opened and cleared in opposition to the dishonourable abuses thereof Christ HAving this opportunity I desire to be enquiring into some of the great things of Christianity and matters of Faith that concerns the glory of God and our own eternal welfare if your time and opportunity will admit a discourse about such things as are of weighty concern Min. As for time and opportunity I think we cannot improve it better than for the glory of God and our own eternal welfare that being the great end of our Creation and Redemption and therefore I freely imbrace your motion What are the things you desire to enquire into Christ The things I desire to enquire into I think are of weightiest concern and yet are differingly understood and believed by men into which I desire to enquire really for satisfaction it being in my understanding of so great and weighty concern as that without steering right therein we can neither honour God nor be safe our selves Min. If it be so as its worthy our time which cannot be better spent so according to the best of my understanding in the word of lâ—ght and truth I shall endeavour your satisfaction what is the first thing you desire to enquire into Christ The first thing is about the Sovereignty of God over mankind whether it be a truth that God has Sovereign power over all and does dispose of all according to the counsel of his own will Min. That Sovereign power belongeth to God i e that the great God bleâ—sed for ever the great Creator of all hath the absolute right and power over all his creatures to determine and dispose of them as seemeth him good is without all juâ—â— ground of doubt that as he is the great Creator and God alone so he must needs have the Sovereign right and power to dispose of all according to the Counsel of his own will Isa 46. 9 10. Christ As for the Sovereign right and power in God
understand it as I have said unless they will have the Roman unity to be the matter intended Which such as it is is maintained by persecutions massacres and blood a union more suting brutes than christian men But we shall one day know that the dreadful divisions among profest Christians is not for wans of a mediator but from our own sinful selves Christ I am well satisfied in the truth of what you have said about this matter in all the parts thereof I desire you to give me some further instructions by way of inference for my learning herein Min. 1. You may learn what bad and sad work they make who deny the general grace of God to men and the general sacrifice of Christ for the world casting contempt and reproch thereupon calling and accounting them adversaries that believe and own it when themselves it is that teach a doctrine and lay a foundation the Scripture knows not viz. that God loved but a few only in the gift of his son and that Christ died only for a few and reprobated all the rest to eternal destruction so denying the Scripture and root up the foundation of Gospel faith and salvation 2. Of the impossibility for any person thereby to have any gospel ground of faith and hope of salvation tho they talk high from fancy and imagination but not from Scripture grounds for from that notion no man can have a Scripture ground of hope it being so exceeding contrary to the gospel and saith thereof the saith of the gospel being that to which the promise is made as I shall shew in the next Chapter there can be no grounded hope of salvation out of the faith thereof 3. It justifieth the practice and taketh off the reproach cast upon such as are instructed in the doctrine of the general grace of God to men viz. that they are adversaries to the truth and are all for that doctrins and discourse as if their religion consisted wholly therein I say it 's no marvel it is so being the foundation of all Gospel faith and without it can be none in the truth thereof even those who oppose it are beholding to it if they held to their own principles without contradiction it would appear to be the most irreligious and ridiculous in the world called Christian but they cannot preach to the world without the help of general grace tho they preach it in the highest contradiction to their own principles which if plainly preached to the people as held and printed would affright the people and shame themselves out of their work If they should tell the people that they bring them tidings of great joy to all people that Christ dyed for the World but it was but for a very few the elect World only and that all the rest were reprobated before the world was that they were made to sin and be damned and that they have no more power to believe unto life than brute Beasts than a stock or a stone or a dead corps and yet for all this it 's their duty to believe and they must be damned the deeper in hell if they do not believe and yet if they do believe if they be not Elect they are but Hypocrites and must be damned This being the spirit and life of that principle and of their gospel in the plain truth thereof which if they dealt honestly with their hearers they ought to preach it being their gospel and faith as in Print and discourse is fully manifest so that did they not mix their doctrine with general grace tho not in love thereto standing in direct opposition thereof to make it savory without which it would appear to be loathsome unto all And therefore the doctrine of the general grace of God by Jesus Christ being the alone foundation savory and saving doctrine of the gospel Christians instructed therein have no cause to be ashamed of the reproach thereof but to glorifie God in this behalf and others may learn to be silent for shame and will when they understand the truth and worth of this glorious doctrine 4. You may learn from hence where the difference about salvation and damnation lyeth and why all are not saved a matter it is of great and weighty concern unto all and that is in believing or not believing the gospel it 's faith and unbelief that makes the difference and not the eternal decrees of Election and Reprobation and want of a Saviour as some unjustly and untruly assert to the dishonour of God the Gospel and wrong of men The condemnation will not be for want of love in God or for want of a sacrifice and Saviour â— but for mens wilful and chosen wickedness and that they shall one day know Joh. 3. 16 19. And therefore let the fomenters of this unholy doctrine be ashamed any more to lay the sin and damnation of the World on the holy and righteous God it being so apparent from the word of the God of truth that it's obedience and disobedience to the Gospel that makes the difference and not the want of a sacrifice and Saviour 3. It gives us to understand the vanity of that doctrine that teaches Justification and Salvation by an inconditional Covenant It 's true that the general parts thereof are wholly inconditional both in promise and performance as before has been shewed and that part only that assureth salvation to sinners with Eternal glory is conditional which is alone pleaded for to be inconditional I may safely say there 's no man on Earth can shew any promise of salvation in the Gospel that is wholly inconditional but that the condition iâ— either exprest or implyed Mar. 16. 15 16. which is the commission for gospel preaching and salvation and carryeth in it the sum of the whole according to which all promises may and should be understood and was so by the Apostles Act. 2. 38. 16. 31. Jam. 1. 25. Rev. 2. 7 11 17 26. 3. 5 12 21. 21. 7. 22. 14. so that this inconditional covenant in the sense pleaded for is that which the doctrine of the Gospel is altogether unacquainted with Christ Some will grant that there are conditional promisses in the Gospel but withal there are absolute inconditional promises for performance thereof as Sovereignty Pag. 295. called conditional promises and promises of the condition those named are Ezek. 36. 25. Jer. 31. 32. Ezek. 11. 19. 36. 26. with others of like import Min. I doubt not but fully believe that God grants a sufficiency of power for performance of what he requiers or I must be like that evil servant that said he was a hard Master Math. 25. 24 28. Yet 2. I believe it to be a great mistake in the application of those absolute promises to the present time and state which are all promises to the house of Israel and to be performed at their restitution and redemption in the World to come when they shall all return to the Lord
as I shall fully shew in Chap. 8. to make the promises that are proper to that people and to be performed in their restitution applicable to us gentiles before that time and state as it has been common is dangerous being a perversion of the intent and design of God therein And further it 's ridiculous to apply those promises made to the house of Israel as such to unconverted persons among the gentiles under the notion of Election as promises of conversion So that if any will yet apply those promises to the present time and state which in the largeness thereof cannot truly be yet the persons to whom they are thus applyed must be of the house of Israel viz. true Jews either by nature or grace before any of these promises can be applyed to them they are not to the sinners of the gentiles who by nature before conversion are children of wrath and not of the house of Israel to whom these promises belong nor can they take place according to the true intention of them till the time of Israels redemption is come it 's true they are grounds of faith and consolation to true believers that such a time shall come Christ It 's usually objected that if there is any condition for us to perform on which salvation depends it renders the salvation not to be of grace makes it uncertain tends to destroy free grace and turns the Gospel into a covenant of works Min. 1. We may not to satisfie our own imaginations turn away from the whole and holy word of God in this or any other matter if the Lord has so stated it as is undeniable let men be silent before him and learn to know there duty looking to God for divine assistance in which way the certainty of obtaining is assured Jam. 1. 5. Math. 10. 22. 2. The performance of the holy terms of the Gospel on which salvation is dispensed no whit derogates from the freeness of the grace and salvation thereof it 's a vain if not a prophane imagination so to think What now maketh the difference in all sober mens apprehensions but faith and unbelief obedience and disobedience holiness and unholiness If there are no conditions on which Gospel Grace and life is dispensed Why then are not the unbelieving prophane and unholy as freely and fully enrighted therein as any Which 〈◊〉 contrary to the Scriptures and the common principles of all sober men 3. The holy terms of interest in and obtaining of the salvation of the gospel no whit derogates from the freeness thereof nor renders it to be a covenant of works because there is something for us to do in order to the obtaining thereof and this is fully demonstrated from the parable of the marriage of the Kings son Math. 22. 1 2. c. which is apparent and I think by most is so understood does intend the tenders of the Gospel first to the Jews and their invitation to the Gospel marriage supper with their refusing the invitation Act. 1â— 46. Now the question is 1. Whether God and Christ were real in this invitation or did mock with them Which I suppose none will be so graceless as to deny the one or affirm the other but that if they had accepted the invitation there was life for them and in their wilful refusal they lost it 2. Then whether the life being tendered to them on the terms of their acceptance thereof did any whit derogate from the grace of the Gospel Or cast any cloud thereon Or render it to be a Covenant of works because it was tendered to them on terms of their acceptance thereof It 's a wonderful mistake among men not to allow that to be free grace which the Scripture so calls viz. that which is free for all commerce Rev. 22. 17. whoever will let him come and take of the water of life frely Joh. 7. 37. This is free grace if the Scripture may determine what ever God worketh in some more than in others Is a secret and comes rather under the muchness of grace than the freeness thereof Rom. 5. 17. while he does enough for all and as one saith more 〈◊〉 enough viz. more than men could in reason deâ—â— his grace being open and free to all that will accept 〈◊〉 The holy terms no whit derogate from the freeness â—â—ereof but renders it the more credible to all rational â—ersons It no whit derogates from a Princes grace in â—â—doning Malefactors on terms they accept thereof and become good subjects for time to come so it derogates not from the freeness of the grace of God by Jesus â—â—rough faith and holiness as the terms thereof it being â—â—e holy prudence of God to have it and the contrary would render it irrational and incredible unto men Christ I thing you have spoken fully to this but some 〈◊〉 that your self was sometimes of another mind in these matters Min. 1. It 's easily granted which demonstrates that we are men and liable to failings in the great things of the Gospel 2. We have read and heard of the apostasie from the faith foretold in the Scripture 2. Thes 2. and as it 's our great concern so it will be our great mercy to get see therefrom which is not so easily nor suddenly arrived to as is by some supposed it being learnt by tradition and so is become habitual and natural to us 3. As it 's no loss the change of a bad principal for a â—â—tter and errour for a truth so in it self it 's no shame or dishonour but a virtue and a glory And I am greatly of the mind that there are very many that need such a change and I pray it may be before it is to late if men change not both in principle and practice in these â—â—d the like matters what will be the issue I leave to the Lord and Judge to determine CHAP. IV. What the Gospel is and what is the faith thereof to which the life and glory therein is promised Christ I Desire to make some further enquiry about the Gospel and 1. I desire to know what the Gospel is Min. To this I think I may say it 's generally understood that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intends a joyful message glad or good tidings and so it 's frequently translated as Luk. 2. 10. Rom. 10. 15. from Isa 52. 7. Nah. 1. 15. so Act. 3 33. And we declare unto you glad tidings c. which is commonly translated Gospel i. e. glad or good tidings and the truth is that there is no sad or bad tidings in the Gospel till rejected or neglected or not believed and lived to according to the truth thereof and design of God therein Christ What is the glad tidings of the Gospel and wherein does it consist Min. That God sent his Son in love to the World to all people Joh. 3. 16. Luk. 2. 10. the entrance of this glad tidings lay 1. in promise Gen. 3. 15. 12. 3. 22. 18.
And now in performance Gal. 4. 4. 2. That Jesus Christ being sent for that end Joh. 6. 38. Heb. 10. 7. did in love freely lay down his life a sacrifice for the sins of the World Joh. 1. 29. 6. 51. 1 Joh. 2. 2. and this is called Gospel or good tidings 1 Cor. 15. 1. the Apostle calls it the Gospel that he preached unto them ver 34. explains this Gospel what it is i. e. that Christ died for our sins and was raised again the third day according to the Scriptures and indeed if he had not been raised again there had been no glad tidings in his dying for our sins Christ How shall we account it glad tidings Was it not sad tidings rather that the prince of life the Lord of Glory should be crucified and killed for our sins Min. 1. It 's true it was sad that man by sin was faln into such an estate of sin and death as that nothing short of the life and blood of the Son of God the Prince of life and Lord of Glory could help him out thereof the due sense of which it concerns us to keep duly and daily upon our hearts to keep us humble and thankfully to prize the mercy 2. It was sad that when he was come into the world that the World viz. both Jews and Gentiles should be so bad as to unite to put him to death Yet 3. It stands true that it was and is the best tidings that ever came to the world that God should so love the world as to send his Son and that Christ should so love the World as to give himself for the life of the world is the greatest Mystery of grace and the best tidings that possibly could come to the world so that it may well be called glad tidings it being the foundation of all Gospel doctrine and so of all Gospel faith of all Gospel grace and of all Gospel glory it 's all built on this one Sacrifice for sin on this foundation all is built pardon peace acceptation in service preservation too and the glory to come it 's all founded here Rom. 1. 16. Eph. 1. 14. 3. And as the effect of this foundation glad tidings of the fathers love and the sons giving himself for the life of the world as the glad tidings of the restitution of all things which was the great design of God and Christ in this wonderful undertaking the recovery of mankind out of that state of death faln into by the first transgression Act. 4. 2. 1 Cor 15. 21 22. and with man the whole creation shall be restored Act. 3. 21. Rom. 8. 19 20 21. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Which shall be the new and restored world called in Scripture the World to come Heb. 2. 5. Rev. 21. 1 5. in and over which the Kingdom and Government of Christ shall be eternally Rev. 11. 15. And from hence is the Gospel so frequently called the Gospel of the Kingdom Mat. 4. 23. 9. 35. 24. 14. Mar. 1. 14. so called not only because it opens the Kingdom to us and prepares us for it but because the restitution new world and the kingdom of Christ therein is so great a part thereof as that all before it and without it can be no glad tidings at all Cor. 15. 19. Christ Is there nothing else in Scripture called Gospel the word seems to be general and to be given to the whole Scripture of the New Testament especially the four Evangelists which contains precepts and threats as well as promises and soâ—â— say that it 's all Gospel Min. Although the grace the blessing the restitution the glory is properly the glad tidings yet in a right and true sense all things concurring thereunto may be called Gospel viz. the holy precepts directing us in the way to obtain the glory and the threats of Judgment and damnation to those who reject or neglect it considered as designed to prevent the damnation and as a help to obtain the salvation viz. so far as it 's designed to work us from sin to Christ and a constant cleaving to him it 's Gospel and good tidings that being the Prime and proper end thereof viz. Salvation and not damnation but to deliver and preserve from it and mens destruction is and will be of themselves by wilful transgressing the good Laws of the Gospel which 〈◊〉 not the prime design of those Laws but salvation yet the penalties must be executed on the wilful transgression thereof It 's human good tidings when those in human poâ—er make good laws with strict and severe penalties for preservation of human society order and property among men their design in so doing is not punishment primarily but the peace preservation and safety of all if men wilfully transgress and come under the penalty the fault is in themselves and not in those good laws and so it is in the present case Hos 13. 9. Christ I desire you would speak something of the faith of the Gospel viz. what faith it is to which the salvation thereof with eternal glory is promised Min. True faith ever has been and still is to believe God and to cleave to him and obey him sutable to the ministration under which men have lived in all ages This was Abrahams faith Rom. 4. 3. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness Jam. 2. 22. this being Abrahams faith the father of the faithful the faith of his children must needs be the same So then to believe the truth of the doctrine of the Gospel in all its parts and to cleave to the Lord therein is the faith of the Gospel to which the life thereof is promised What the Gospel preacheth to us that we ought to believe and that is the faith thereof The doctrine of the Gospel consisteth especially in these particulars 1. That Jesus Christ is the Messias promised the Son of God and the son of man the son of David of the seed of Abraham according to the Scripture Luk. 1. 32. Joh. 20. 31. 2. That God in love to the World sent him Joh. 3. 16. and that he in love gave himself a sacrifice and ransom for the life of the world Joh. 6. 51. 1 Tim. 2. 6. 3. That by virtue of his death and resurrection all shall be raised and restored to a new life and world when he shall come again to raise and judge both the quick and dead 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. 2 Tim. 4. 1. at which time or times shall be the restitution of all things Act. 3. 21. the new and restored world to come in and over which with his saints shall be his eternal Kingdom and glory which will be the finishing of the Mystery spoken of by the holy Prophets and then the time of this world shall be no more Rev. 10. 6 7. with chap. 11. 15. 22. 5. 4. That those who believe and obey the Gospel of this his grace and glory shall be saved and
of our Nature thereby whatever it be without act or consent to sin shall bring under the guilt and punishment of the second Death the contrary being unscriptural and irrational to be imagined CHAP. VII Of the Apostasie spoken of in Scripture Christ I Desire to enquire into the Apostasie spoken of in Scripture what you understand it is and wherein it does consist Min. That there is an Apostasie from the Faith prophetically foretold in Scripture I think is that which few do doubt or question but what it is and wherein it does consist I fear but few do rightly enquire into but all are willing to excuse themselves and put it upon others as Adam upon the Woman and the Woman upon the Serpent so it is put all upon the Pope and upon the Devil far enough from our selves neither Papist nor Protestant will have any share therein but put it upon each other thou art the Man and not I. Christ The case being so on what particular Sort or Sect of People by Name may it be fixed Min. I shall not fix it only on any particular Sort or Sect of People by name but give some account what it is and wherein it consists and where the Marks thereof are found there it 's likely to be tho I cannot leave out the Turkish Alkoran and Mahometan Religion nor the Papal profession as chief and head in this Apostasie the one professing to own Christ but only as a great Prophet but Mahomet to be greater the other to own Christ really in word but the Pope â—â— be his Vicar great High Priest and head of the Church and so truly and really in act and deed to be above him as is manifest by all his doings but in as much as it has spread it self so universally and containeth such variety of parts I shall only endeavour its discrimmation leaving the application to all concerned therein 1. Then I conclude that the Apostasie spoken of in Scripture consists in departing from the truth of the Gospel both in matters of Faith and practice but chiefly in matters of Faith because Faith includes practice and practice followeth Faith and that it 's stated in these and the like Scriptures 2 Thes 3. to 12. Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come except there be a falling away first c. Which falling away as it 's explained to relate to the Man of sin so it is to believe lies vers 3 11. 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the Faith 2 Tim. 3. 1 to 9. This know also that in the latter days perillous times shall come and vers 8. They are reprobate or of no judgment concerning the Faith ch 4. 4. They shall turn away their Ears from the truth and be turned unto Fables Now our search must be to find out where these things really are and there the apostasie is where ever lies are believed in stead of truth and the truth thereby denyed such are in the apostasie that consisting in believing lies 1. Whosoever denieth Jesus Christ crucified for our sins raised and ascended to be the Son of God and the Son of David truly God and man and as so to be the alone foundation of Gospel faith grace and glory denyeth the gospel and the faith thereof and is in the Apostasie 1 Cor. 3. 11. 2. 2. 15. 3. 4. Luk. 2. 32. 2. Who ever denyeth in word or deed Jesus Christ crucified raised and ascended to be the alone head Lord and Lawgiver of and to his Church and that subjection in all things does not of right belong to him is deeply in the apostasie Eph. 5. 23 24. Col. 1. 18. Act. 3. 22. Luk. 19. 14. 27. Christ But few profest Christians will in word deny these things but all profess to own him as the Foundation Head and Lord of his Church Min. Notwithstanding persons may in word confess him so to be yet whoever layeth any other foundation of faith and life than Jesus Christ crucified or chooseth to themselves or submitteth to any other Lord or Law giver in things truly divine and Spiritual viz in matters of Gospel saith and Worship besides Christ the Lord whether Papal or others do really and indeed deny Christ to be the foundation of Christian faith or to be the Head and Lord of his Church and whoever accepteth such a headship Executing thereof usurpeth his Authority of whom the papal Head has been chief and leader in this matter the exercise of human coercive power in things properly belonging to Jesus Christ viz. all matters of faith and worship wherein conscience toward God and our Lord Jesus Christ alone is concerned being that which does really out and end his Lordship and rule in this matter and in this the Scripture seems to place the head of the apostasie at which door most of the errours both in faith and Worship has been ushered in 2 Thes 2. 4. gives us a full discription of this Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is Worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God viz he setteth himself and sitteth where God alone should rule viz in and over the conscience in divine things which is proper only to Jesus Christ giving Laws to men on this account which must be submited to whatever Jesus Christ the Lord has said to the contrary and wherever and as long as this Spirit liveth and worketh the Pope nor Apostasie will not die 3. Who ever denyeth the Holy Scriptures to be the alone ground and rule of Christian faith in all matters of Gospel faith and Worship and that it is not sufficient in it self to wise and instruct us therein without mens inventions additions and harsh interpretations is deeply in the Apostasie The reasons there of are 1. Because it being the divine Revelation of the will of God it 's sufficient in it self for our instruction To make us Wise unto Salvation Isa 8. 20. Ps 119. 98 99. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. 2. Because otherwise our faith and obedience must depend on human Authority and not on the divine word and will of God and so must be a human faith and Worship and not divine and how far this is from the Popish faith to believe as the Church believeth and Worship as the Church requireth is easie to be understood by a weak capacity 3. Because without the divine Revelation of the will of God in these matters we must have been as other Gentile Nations that are without it and never heard thereof and therefore in reason we ought to submit thereto in all things according to our knowledge therein having no other rule to submit unto that is divine in things of Gospel concern so that if we turn away from this we turn away from Christianity it self in the truth thereof thereby declaring our selves
what is written both in the Book of God and in the law of Nature especially when it tends to pervert and overthrow the express Letter and Truth of Scripture and the foundation of all our Faith and comfort God can and doth love and distinguish therein or we are all deceived who have believed his Word 1 Joh. 4. 16. We have known and believed the love that God hath to us But this principle saith in effect John thou art deceived in believing a lie there being no such thing as love in God out I believe he never did nor never will hate any either Angels or Men but for sin Christ This seems to be greatly contrary to Scripture indeed that there is no love in God to men tending to break the hearts of Christians and to destroy their Faith in God and in the truth of his Word but what say you to the truth of his Laws and will to men doth that likewise suffer violence under this abuse Min. It 's a common avowed principle in effect that God commandeth one thing and has Decreed another contrary thereunto which they call his revealed and his secret Will the secret they call his Absolute Decreed Will which must be done he commands men by his Word to believe and repent but Decreed the contrary Death of Death saith about the proffers of Grace pag. 190. If by proffers they understand his commands and promises Who told them that these things were declarations of his will purpose or intentions I thought always that Gods commands and promises had revealed our Duty and not his intentions what God would have us to do and not what he would do And in the same pag. So they think of all that 's new to them viz. That as Gods proffer is so is his intention that he intends what he saith in his Precepts and his Promises And indeed this is new Doctrine and needs some more than ordinary new miracles to confirm it it overthrowing the Doctrine of the Gospel that was confirmed by Miracles if neither his Precepts nor Promises be his purpose or intention but only declare our Duty and not his purpose or intention what he commands us to do not what he will do they being not declarative of his will purpose or intentions then we know not when we have the will or intention of God either in Precept or in Promise a secret will and intention may be contrary thereunto and if this be good and true Doctrine farewell all Scripture and Christian Religion Christ I desire you to proceed to other things wherein you apprehend the truth wronged for I think it 's of weighty concern to believe that God thinketh as he speaketh and that his Precepts and Promises are his intentions and that he will do what he has promised as he expects that we should do what he has commanded and that whoever saith the contrary are liers Rom. 3. 4. Or else our Faith and Religion is yet in vain it being fixed on God his Truth and Faithfulness in his Word which if it be not his Purpose nor intentions I think our Faith therein is ended Min. There are many things in Scripture affirmed and that God therein affirms of himself of Which men say there is no such thing as not only what has been already mentioned the Scripture not only saith that God is Love and doth Love but that he is angry with the wicked every day Psal 7. 11. And that he was angry with Moses Deut. 1. 37. And very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him Deut. 9. 20. And angry with Solomon 1 King 11. 9. And very angry with his People Psal 79. 5. The Scripture frequently declares God to repent Gen. 6. 6. Exod. 32. 12 13. Jer. 18. 7 10. Joel 2. 14. Jona 3. 9 10. Pittying and bemoaning his People Hos 11. 8. And wishing they had done otherwise when they sinned against him that so it might have been better â—ith them Psal 81. 13. Isa 48. 18. That God does â—â—ar and see that Heaven is his dwelling place and â—hrone with many other like sayings of which men say â—here is no such thing in God but words spoken to our â—pprehensions which if they are not true our appreâ—â—nsions are deluded thereby which we may not â—â—agine Christ Some say that if we apprehend such things â—â— be in God according to the Letter of the Scripture â—â— must then suppose him to be a Man like our selves subâ—â—ct to passions which is dangerous Exod. 15. 3. It 's â—â—d God is a Man of War and take it according to the atter it is not so Min. As for this saying Psal 78. 65. Isa 42. â—â— Explains it viz. He is like to or as a man of â—â—ar doing mighty things and so may Exod. 15. 3. be â—â—ry properly read is being added read as instead â—f is and then you will read it the Lord as a Man of â—â—r the Lord is his Name viz. He has done like a Man â—â— War verse 4. Pharoahs Chariots and his Hosts hath â—â— cast into the Sea And for all those Anthropical expressions in Scrixure with many more of like import it behoves us to â—elieve the truth thereof and not to say it is not so in â—â— doing we give God the lie All which we may betâ—â—â— understand than to suppose him to be a Man yea â—ight we not in all these Anthropical and manlike exâ—essions better understand him than to say it is â—ot so When God is said to love to hate to be angry â—â— repent to be grieved to pity and to bemoan for â—iscarriages to wish it had been otherwise to require â—nd desire that which may never be to hear and see â—â—at Heaven is his dwelling Place and Throne c. And that there is a truth in all and no delusion of our understandings and you does none of all these things as men do them and so be far enough from imagining him to be a man it being his perfection that he can do all these things with many more as God-like properties essential to him and therefore in a God-like way and not as created qualities and passions as in men and tho we cannot understand how it is as indeed is not meet we should yet let us not deny it and say it is not so in so doing we give God the lie Christ What may be the reason that men thus deny alter and change the express Divine and revealed declarations of God in his Word And what may be the danger thereof Min. We may well suppose the cause to be ignorauce and pride not liking to receive or to retain the knowledge of God as he hath made known himself in his Word unto us and to maintain some unscriptural Notions received by Tradition will be wiser than what is written supposing to get up into God to know him in his essential being and so deny him in his own revelation of himself in his Word unto us 2. As for the danger thereof
themselves to do to others as they would they should do to them and the Gospel teaches the same Mat. 22. 37. to 40. and 7. 12. and this is written in all men by nature and is true rational and moral Philosophy and true Gospel Divinity and where it 's not effected it 's by the souls captivation by irrational immoral and sensual lusts and how would the Divine Law of Christ and in the Gospel united to our understandings and reason effect it if taken heed unto A sin and shame it is and dreadful will be the issue thereof that many Learned men who account themselves above others both in Philosophy and Divinity and yet are more immoral than many moral Heathens And as both moral Philosophy and Gospel Divinity unites in teaching the abhorrency of all ungodliness with the practice of all the contrary vertues and duties so would it teach us to abhor all persecution for Conscience sake if attended to it would teach us in this matter to do to others as we would they should do to us the contrary being not only unchristian but irrational No man in his right reason would be content to be forced to believe and worship God as others do contrary to his own light and conscience such in Justice reason it self and light of nature abhors and it 's likewise contrary to the Protestant Doctrine and Faith which is to make the Scriptures our rule in all matters of Faith and practice and not to be compelled to believe as the Church believeth which is condemned by Protestants to be the Popish Faith and not the Faith of Christ And strange it seems to be that Learned men who profess themselves to have most both of Philosophy and Divinity should be so great miscarriers herein I think it may be said without all just occasion of offence that throughout all ages of Christianity Learned men has lien at the bottom of most of the persecutions for Conscience sake surely it came not from their Philosophy or Divinity but from their enmity pride and prophaneness Ps 10. 2. or from some carnal and corrupt ends within themselves must be irrational and irreligious or at best from blind and ignorant zeal Joh. 16. 2. Phi. 3. 6. It 's true the Scripture warns us to take heed of being spoiled by Philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men and the rudiments of the World and not after Christ Col. 2. 8 i. e. When our reason turns us aside from the Gospel either in matters of Faith or practice being corruptly exercised and so becomes vain and deceitful and is not pure reason that submits it self to the Divine Law of Christ in all things so far as it understands it And although Rational and Moral Philosophy was and yet is excellent in its time and place and in itself in its degree spiritual being of and from God yet the Gospel is more spiritual and by it men formerly arrived to much of the knowledge of God and themselves and so to a good life in moral virtues and yet might arrive to the same and doubtless were then accepted of God and may yet be so where the Gospel is not known yet where the Gospel comes it will not serve or avail us without the true faith and life of the Gospel but if it being captivated by sensual lusts reject or neglect the Grace of life it renders such the more liable to the Judgment and damnation threatned therein Learned Sirs The Reasons of my dedicating the ensuing Christian discourse unto you are 1. Because the things discoursed on are matters of great if not of greatest concern to the name of God and Christ the glorious Gospel of the blessed God and the spiritual and eternal good of men and therefore of weighttest concern to have the precedency in your meditations 2. Because most of the things discoursed on are not Novel but the controverted things of the past and present times the Doctrine of the Sovereignty of God as exercised towards men the Doctrine of Election and reprobation the general and special grace of God c. being the substance of the discourse and that on which all depends The eighth chapter may at first probably with some seem most difficult yet I doubt not but is founded in and fully comports with the universal design of God and undertaking of Christ in the general grace to the World in the restitution and world to come in times to be effected and seems to be of very great weight to be understood and to have room in our Christian Faith as the top-stone and glory thereof and without which we shall lose the understanding of and Faith in the greatest if not the most glorious part of Scripture and Gospel truth In the discourse I sometimes mention what some others have said about some of the things discoursed on and especially two Books viz. The Practical Discourse of the Sovereignty of God and The Death of Death by the Death of Christ Not designing a particular answer to them nor had I at all mentioned them had they not been sent in by some designedly to lead us aside from that which we believe to be the truth of the Gospel but have stated the truth about these matters to the best of mine understanding from Scripture light which if true the substance of both are answered and must fall to the ground And let none count it strange or tautologies that I so often go over the same things in the discourse it is to shew the incongruity of those invented principles and practices with Scripture light and right reason in all the ways mentioned it likewise being the method of God in Scripture frequently to mention the same things over and over again designedly thereby to inculcate it on the memory and heart that it might not be forgotten 3. Because I think we have ground enough at least to suppose that the Apostasie from the Primitive faith as it was then delivered to the Saints has been too much ushered in by learned â—â—â—en I suppose that it will easily appear that in all the parts thereof whether the Papabor others some learned man or men lieth at the bottom thereof And likewise has been chief actors in its propagation and therefore it greatly concerns you now at last to be at work for God Christ the Gospel and good of men in good earnest for discovery thereof and reformation therein O that you might have your share in this matter how might you honour God and season the Nation with the truth of the Gospel both in faith and life having the greatest opportunities and advantages in order thereunto in the sincere endeavours of which you may expect Divine direction assistance and blessing and O that this little Essay may tend to encourage herein it being the common advantage and good of all I really design I hope I have not I am sure I would not follow cunning devised Fables for the world and if I am in any
thing mistaken I would gladly be informed therein from Scripture light and right reason Isa 8. 20. the things being of great if not of greatest concern and if I mistake not are all of them the revealed things of Divine wisdom and therefore it belongs to us to be enquiring thereinto and on these grounds I am not willing to doubt your ready and inoffensive reception of my poor endeavours in these great matters with this my Dedication Considering first that you know though all men are not skilled in the Langudges nor in artificial Philosophy yet it is radically in all rational men without which they could not be capable either of artificial attainments or of Divine teachings 2 That you know God is at liberty in his teaching and always has been so and therefore may as formerly he has done led the unlearned into truth asson as the learned and sometimes before them Luke 10. 21. 1 Cor. 1. 26. to 29. Therefore let not the Learned despise the unlearned nor the unlearned judge the learned but prize and own the teachings of God in each other let us be humble and self denying let us own truth and reject error where ere we find it and thus it will be where Christ and Grace rules O that none of us all may give the Lord cause to say of us as of his people of old Hos 8. 12. I have written to him the great things of my law and they were counted as a strange thing I desire that none of the great things God has written to us in his Gospel law of grace may be accounted strange by us And thus not to detain you any longer in this Dedication I commit the ensuing Discourse to your most serious considerations and the like unto all into whose hands it may come if any thing therein carry not Scripture authority in it let it not be credited but if it do take heed and beware how you contradict it this and no other is expected by him who longeth for the manifestation of the Gospel in its truth purity and power the glory of God and the good of all men Fare ye well T. C. THE PREFACE TO THE READER Christian Reader THis ensuing Treatise or Christian discourse as it s brought forth by special occasion so it s really designed for thy special profiting and spiritual advantage the name of God and Christ the truth of the Gospel the spiritual and Eternal good of men being greatly concerned in the matters discoursed on altho its true that by reason of the Apostacy and other occasions we may truly say that darkness yea gross darkness hath covered us and the vail and covering spread over all Nations hath very much bewildred us and that in the great things of the glorious Gospel of the blessed God And that which is most of all to be lamented is that we are willing to have it so if any glimmerings of light but begin to appear out of the darkness we cry out upon it as if some prodigious Comet or foul spirit had appeared and that it may be before we so much as admit of a serious search and due consideration whether it be true or false A wonderful perverse spirit seems to be in us on this account Many I am perswaded crying out on that they never saw and others on that they never read with deliberation and judgment seriously pondering it in the balance of the sanctuary and so speak evil of the things they understand not which necessarily may tend to bring under that wo. Isa 5 20. Wo to them that call evil good and good evil that put darkness for light and light for darkness If we are so averse in our minds as not to have patience to ponder ought but what our selves indulge be it right or wrong and cry down all that seems contrary thereunto we may cry down truth for errour and cry up errour instead of truth it s an old and known proverb the burnt child dreads the fire the sence of which laid to heart would tend to make us more wise For help and cure in this matter I shall premise a few things to serious consideration 1. That its a matter of highest concern to us all to understand believe and obey the truth to love the truth and peace it being truth that must intrest us in Gospel freedom and without the saving knowledge thereof we may not expect to obtain it Joh. 8 31 32. 2. That we all come short in our knowledge and understanding of the great things of the Gospel and may and must say if we say right even in this very matter that in many things we offend all and need the mercy of God in our Lord Jesus to pardon and cover our ignorances if not our wilfulness which on our repentance he is ready to do 3. That notwithstanding this vail of darkness and ignorance too much of wilfulness yet in the due and true sence thereof and as it s our great concern if we be duely and diligently searching and enquiring after the knowledg of the mind and will of God as revealed in the word of his Grace and that in all things relating to matters both of Faith and practice it s his promise that in this way knowledge shall be increased And then shall they know if they follow on to know the Lord. Dan. 12 4. Hos 6 3. 4. And as an encouragement herein and as it s generally in word acknowledged that matters of fundamental concern are plainly and not darkly stated in the Scriptures which is or should be of encouragement to us all to be enquiring thereinto and to strike dead that spirit and practice of putting harsh interpretations on the plain revealed will of God in the Gospel so darkening if not outing and ending even the fundamental truths thereof the divine revelation being the alone ground and rule of our faith and practice in all matters of Gospel concern 5. And yet that we are moderate in our notions and not impose our apprehensions and supposed light on others no otherwise than the apprehended truth thereof takes place in the understanding and conscience imposition any other ways being the Babylonish apostatised spirit and is far from the spirit of the Gospel where is most of Gospel light and truth obtained such are furthest from an imposing spirit on others 2 Cor. 1. 24. Phil. 3. 15 16. 1 Pet. 5. 3. and those who are most in the flesh and involved in darkness are ordinarily the greatest imposers of their supposed light upon others Joh. 16. 2. Gal. 4. 29. 2 Thes 2. 3 4. 6. And yet it concerns the children of light as to concrete in so earnestly to contend for the faith as it was once delivered to the Saints Jude v. 3. Tho all should be done in the Gospel spirit of love and peace which I hope I can say has been my design in all and would be my joy to see more of love and peace among all profest Christians as
not only Glory but a Glorious place it 's impossible it should be otherwise And why should we be so incredulous herein the place being so plainly revealed in the Scripture 3. That this City the new and Holy Jerusalem shall come down from God out of Heaven into the new and restored World and shall be the Glorious habitation of God in and with Christ and the Saints Eternally in which shall be the Throne of Christ's Kingdom as the Son of David whose Throne was in or very near unto the old Jerusalem a Figure of this Glory which shall be the Glory and Joy of the whole Earth Psal 48. 1 2. 97. 1. The same as Ezek. 48. 35. Which will be the finishing of the Mystery of Gods Gospel-Grace and Glory to Men Rev. 10. 7. with chap. 11. 15. We find not the coming down of this City mentioned till the new Heavens and the new Earth were finished and therefore it must be in the new World Rev. 21. 1 2. Christ Do we not find it mentioned chap. 29. That God and Magog did compass the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City between the Thousand Years and the Judgment by which it seems the City was on Earth before the new Heavens and new Earth or else that the Church was the City Min. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more properly read Holy they compassed the Camp of the Holy and beloved City and indeed the Saints are the Camp of the Holy and beloved City i. e. They belong to it and so were and are all the Saiuts interested therein and seeking after it Heb. 11. 10 13. 14. And therefore might well be called the Camp of the Holy City tho that was in Heaven true believers are said by Faith to be come to it and probably 't is the place of the Spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12. 22 23. And are all of the Camp that belong to it and shall with Christ dwell therein when all others shall be without Rev. 21. 27. 22. 14 15. and hence may be and are called the City or have the name of the City called upon them Rev. 3. 12. Christ I shall enquire no farther about these matters but desire you to give me some instructions for my further learning by way of inference som the whole Min. 1. You may learn to understand the great mistakes that have been and yet are about the great matters of the Gospel and the designs of God therein the Restitution of all things the World to come and the Kingdom of Christ therem the Holy City new Jerusalem that shall come down from God out of Heaven all truths of greatest weight and worth and all plainly stated in the Scripture yet almost lost out of our Faith and not only so but we are ready to give them the names of Error and Heresie the Heathens that never heard of the Divine Revelation thereof as is by some observed do generally own another being after Death than in this World in another World but â—â—â—ows not what it is nor where it shall be some fancy â—â—â— thing and some another whether this expectation â—â— them be from some Divine instinct in Nature or from â—adition or both I shall not undertalâ—e to determine â—â—t a wonderful shame it is that God having given us â— open a Revelation thereof in Scripture and that as â— a effect of Christs undertaking and the most Gloriâ—â—â— part of the Gospel that Persons in highest proâ—esion should be almost as ignorant in these great â—aysteries as the Nations that are without the Gospel of â—â—â—s Grace and Glory and you may learn the greatâ—â—ss of your concern to come right in these things 2. You may learn hence to understand the mistaâ—en notions about the Eternal Judgment which renâ—ers God and Christ to be gone beyond all mercy in â—he Judgment to execute Judgment without mercy upon all sorts of People that come short of the special Salvation and Glory Which is 1. Contrary to all rules of Justice that himself has given to men which rules of Justice are to allot a just recompence of reward for every transgression Heb. 2. 2. And only presumptuous sinners and despisers of the Law died withâ—at mercy Heb. 10. 28. Psal 19. 13. And as for thers that come under the Judgment of stripes the utmost number for the greatest offence might not exceed forty fewer they might give not more Deut. 25. 2 3. To which it 's likely Christ relates Luk. 12. 48. And as for sins of ignorance no stripes were appointed for such whether it was a particular Person or the whole Congregation Lev. 4. 2. 13. They were to offer a Sacrifice and the trespass should be forgiven because it was ignorance And was it thus among tâ—â— Jews and not among the Gentiles also No verily Act. 17. 30. The times of this ignorance God winked at c. And may we not as safely conclude that he does and will â—â— do where the People are altogether without and aâ— ignorant of the Gospel as the Nations were before Christ came in the Flesh and the Gospel published to â— the Nations calling them to Repentance and that as â— Sacrifice for sins of ignorance satisfied under the Law so that one Sacrifice for the sins of the World under the Gospel may be sufficient to expiate all sins of ignorance and in times to procure some Favour Blessing and Peace to the World after they have past the Judgment according as it is written in the Volume of the Scripture that speaks thereof 2. It 's contrary to his own proceedings with men throughout all ages 1. With Adam the first sinner against God of Mankind and we in him it 's true he justly executed the Judgment threatned yet not without mercy both to him and us in that he even in the Sentence of the Judgment set both him and us on the promise of a Restitution and Recovery by the Womans seed Gen. 3. 15. And afterward when he executed Judgment without mercy upon the World by the Flood it was as they were obstinate and presumptuous sinners resisting the Spirit of God and the Preaching of Noah abusing the long suffering and patience of God 120 Years Gen. 6. 3. 1 Pet. 3. 20. And further I think no man durst affirm that that Judgment did include in it the second Death I shall not mention any more particulars but how frequent was it with him in the execution of Judgment both upon his own People and upon the Nations to leave them under the promises of Mercy 1. His own People Isa 1. 26. 4. 4 5 6. 43. 25. Jer. 23. 5 6. But in this the Scripture abounds I need mention no more 2. And as for the Nations Isa 19. 18 22 23. Jer. 12. 15. 48. 47. â—39 With many the like that I might mention It 's contrary to what he has promised both to â— People and to others viz. To be pacified in â—â—gment Ezek. 16. 63.
Come Lord Jesus come quickly but such as are prepared for him nor can any assure themselves that they love him if they long not and wait not for his appearing that they may be with him and then when he comes you shall be able to say as Isa 25. 9. Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him we will rejoyce and be glad in his salvation This has been the long look'd for day by all the Saints instructed therein Tit. 2. 13. Looking for the blessed â—ope 1 Thess 1. 9 10. It will be the day of Marriage to the Saints Now is the day of Espousal 2 Cor. 11. 2. Then will be the day of Marriage Rev. 19. 7. It will be the day of joy and gladness to the Church who shall â—e and reign with him eternally in the World to come â—â—ho that loves him doth not say with John Rev. â— 20. Amen even so come Lord Jesus Does the â—â—ole Creation wait for and groan after this time of â—â—rty and restitution Rom. 8. 22. and shall not those â—o profess to be the Children of that glorious liberty â— shall say no more but this Prepare rightly for it â— always ready love and look for his appearing be â—â—stant therein to the end and you shall inherit the â—ory when the time is come 2 Tim. 4. 8. Christ Some say that if all these things be truth â— they are too high that you exercise your self in â—ings that are too high for you contrary to the sayâ—g of the Prophet Psal 131. 1. he did not exercise â—mself in great matters or in things too high for â—m Min. 1. In one sense it 's true consider we the matâ—ers themselves and consider we our own weakness and â—worthiness they are indeed too high for us even the â—â—h things of God and so is the Gospel in all its â—rts of which these are not the least yet others do â—ddle about the high things of the Gospel without â—uple or offence 2. They being the revealed things of God and in â—s sense they are not too high reâ—ealed things beâ—ging to us and so it 's our concern to inquire thereâ—â—o Deut. 29. 29. And as it was God's end in revealâ—g thereof that we might understand and believe â— so it 's our duty to be humbly inquiring thereinâ—â— 3. The Prophet who spake those words I think I â—â—y safely say pryed into and was exercised about â—â—se very things viz. The Mysteries of the World to come The General Grace and Glory thereof withâ— the Kingdom of Christ therein as much as any if noâ— as all the Prophets besides and obtained as great and â— large an understanding therein and probably God would have it so because his seed and Son was by promise to be the Heir universal King Lord and Governour thereof Psal 72. 1 2 11 17. Heb. 1. 2. CHAP. IX Sheweth That to hold Truth in Vnity is honourable to God and safe for our selves Christ WHat think you of the harmony and unity of the Scriptures do you suppose it to hold unity and harmony with it self without any contradiction if so then whether it do not concern us so to understand it as may hold in unity and not in contradiction Min. The Scripture being the Word of one God given by one Spirit and one Lord Jesus stands in unity and so it concerns us to understand it to hold truth in contradiction being next of kin to holding it in unâ—â—ghteousness If any thing I have herein said or do hold stand not in unity with the body of Scripture or with it self I shall gladly understand it and lay it down as an Error my desire and design being so to â—â—derstand the Scripture and mine own Principles from â—â—â—ce as may stand in unity it being that which is â—â—th honourable to God and satisfactory and safe for â—â— self and accountable to others This is really my â—â—re tho I dare not say or think that I have in all â—â—gs so obtained nor deny or hide what I have through â—â—ce obtained Christ Wherein stands the unity of the things â—â—ursed on with the Scripture and the contradiction â—â— the other notions thereunto I desire to understand â—â— something further about this matter Min. 1. As touching the Sovereign Power and Will â— God so to understand the exercise thereof towards â—â— as is before declared viz according to his own â—â—s in that behalf proved from the Creation to the â—â—gment stands in unity with the whole truth of â—â—ripture and Name of God and to understand it â—â—erwise viz. That God from his own decreed Will â—â—ore the World was determined the greatest part of â—â—n by far to no other end but to sin and be damned â—ttradicteth not only the plain revealed method of â— proceedings in this matter but the substance of his â—â—ealed Will in his Word Ezek. 33. 11. Joh 3. 16. â— 12. 47. 1 Tim. 2. 4. and therefore is not likely to be â—her true or safe 2. To deny the general love of God to the World â—â—d Christ giving himself for the life of the World beâ—â—use the Scripture saith he laid down his life for the â—â—ep for the Church which is in it self a truth conâ—adicteth the whole Scripture in this matter as has been â—â—ly proved and therefore is not likely to be either true â— safe But that he died both for the World and for the â—hurch is the truth of Scripture which being understood holds Scripture and Truth in unity and harmony without any contradiction at all but what men devise from their own heads at a distance from any Scripture ground or right reason the general and special grace of God to men being thereby understood and therefore is most likely to be both true and safe 3 To understand the Scripture so as to render not only the Scripture but the holy Name of God to stand in unity is most likely to be true and safe viz. to understand and believe that he loved the World in the gift of his Son and that Christ died for the World and will save all thaâ— do believe and obey the Gospel and judge and condemn those that obey him not as the just and deserving cause Rom. 6. 23. and not from his decree of reprobation as the first cause of sin and damnation this stands in unity with the whole Name and Word of God without any contradiction at all and therefore most likely to be true and safe But to understand the Scripture so as to limit the love of God to a very few only and the death of Christ to as few and yet that he will damn people for not believing that which was never intended to them nor was it possible for them by any means to obtain being reprobated therefrom is so great a contradiction to the whole Word and Name of God in all his attributes which stand in unity viz. his Goodness Love Truth
1. It derogates from the perfection of God from which they pretend thereby to escape denying him to be capable to be what he hath said he is and his Throne and dwelling Place to be where he hath said it is and to do what he hath said he doth and will do which is his perfection in a God-like way to do 2. It 's that which tends to end the Scripture revelation as the truth of God tending to make us wholly at a loss concerning his mind and will relating to us rendering him to have two Wills contrary to each other and that he intends not what he speaks and so leaves us wholly at a loss about the Divine revelation â—â—ich is exceeding dishonorable unto God and perniâ—â—rs unto men Christ Christ saith in the institution of the Supâ—â— Mat. 26. 26 28. Of the Bread this is my Body â—â—â— of the Wine this is my Blood c. And if we take â—â—ccording to the Letter we know it is not so And it â—â—â—ise justifies the Popish Transubstantion Min. Much might be said to this but I shall in this â—â—ce only say this unto it viz. That both Christ and â—â— Apostle Paul fully explains these Words to be a fiâ—â—ative Speech 1. that Christ explains it Luk. 22. â—â— This do in remembrance of me to let them and us â—â—w that he did not intend that it was he himself but â—â— Ordinance instituted and left to the Church in reâ—â—mbrance of him viz. Of what he had suffered for â—â—m so the Apostle likewise from the mouth of â—hrist explains it 1 Cor. 11. 24 25 26. This do in â—â—membrance of me and this do in remembrance of me â—â—â— as often as ye Eat this Bread and Drink this Cup â—â— do shew the Lords Death till he come it was Bread all even when they eat it and the Cup viz. the â—ine was Wine still and it was to shew the Lords â—â—ath and not the Lords Death so that it 's fully exâ—â—ained in the Divine Record to be a remembrance a â—â—ure a shew and not the thing it self so that Tranâ—â—bstantiation is not only irrational but unscriptural and so irreligious Christ I shall at present enquire no further but deâ—re you to draw up the sum of the whole as briefly as you â—â—n and so to conclude the present discourse Min. I shall but before I so do and in order thereunto I shall briefly promise five things 1. That the Scriptures are the divine and revealed Word and Will of God and as so are our rule in all matters both of Gospel-Faith and Practice Isa 8. 20. 2 Tim. 3. 15. 1 Joh. 4. 6. and that whoever denieth this denieth the ground of all Christian Faith and Religion as likewise those who affirm that the promises and precepts are not God's intentions or purpose 2. That all matters of Faith especially of things fundamental viz. things to be believed and deâ—â— without which we cannot be saved are plainly set down in the Scripture and are to be understood according to the express Letter of the Scripture or the plain Scope and Reason thereof and not to build our Faith on mens interpretations and additions otherwise our Faith must be built on mens interpretations and additions and not on the Word of the Lord which must needs be an uncertain and unsafe building and if we so build our Faith how far we shall be from Rome in this matter is easie to be understood by the weakest capacity 3. That had we not had this Divine Revelation of Gospel grace by Christ we should have been as ignorant thereof as the Nations that are without it 4. And therefore it much concerns us to believe it on its own authority and to prize it and cleave to it without adding or diminishing by interpretationâ— or additions of failable men especially in things fundamental 5. I add That what I have said in this Discourse or shall further say is not so much by way of interpretation otherwise than by comparing and uniting the Scripture in its own light language and reason so as that I doubt not but the meanest capacity being wilâ—â—g may easily understand and the belief thereof impose on none further than it 's apprehended truth â—â—d worth takes place in the understandings and conâ—â—ences of men Having premised these things I shall result the whole â— briefly as possible I can in which if I am not very â—â—ch mistaken is comprehended most of the Fundaâ—entals of Gospel Doctrin and Christian Faith and â—â—ligion in order to salvation united in the plain â—â—ds sense and truth of Scripture as a golden â—â—in of which not one link may be broken without â—â—ger to the whole 1. That God is Heb. 11. 6. and that there is but one â—â—d the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 8. 6. â—â—d that this one God is an infinite incomprehensible â—â—rious and eternal Being most holy wise just good â—â—d gracious almighty omnipresent merciful and true â—â—d faithful in his sayings Deut. 33. 7. Isa 40. 28. 1 Sam. 1 Psal 139. 7. 2. That this almighty wise and good God made all â—â—â—ngs by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. 1 2 3. with Ephes 3. 9. â—â— 1. 16. Heb. 1. 2. and that he made all things good his own content Gen. 1. 31. and made man best of â—â—l viz. in his own Image or likeness Gen. 1. 26 â— 28. and so did not nor could not make any deâ—rdly to sin and be damned it being contrary to the â—â—dness of his nature and name and the truth of his â—ord and so impossible for so wise holy just and good God to make any of his Creatures designedly to so â—â— an end 3. That man by transgressing the Law of his Makerâ— seil from that good estate in which he was made into an estate of sin and death Gen. 2. 16 17. and 3. 6 and that death threatned and inflicted was only the first death Gen. 3. 16 17 18 19. 1 Cor. 1â— 21 2â— and that this death came into and passeth upon all men Rom. 5. 12 18. 4. That God of his own free goodness and mercy immediately aftâ—r the sin and fall set him upon promise of recovery and restitution out of this falâ— state by the â—â—â—d of the Woman that should brouâ—â— the head design of the Serpent Gen. 3. 15. and afterward frequently renewed the promise of this Gracâ— to Mankind Gen. 22. 18. and 26. 4. and 28. 14. Psaâ— 72. 11 17. Joh. 1. 45. with Act. 3. 21. 5. That according to the promise of this grace who the fulness of time was comes God sent forth this promised Seed and Son made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. thâ— Seed of Abraham the Son of David and the Son God truly God and Man Matth. 1. 1. Luk. 1. 32 3. Rom. 9. 5. as a real demonstration of love to the World according to the foregoing promises thereof Luk. 2. 1 Joh. 2. 16. 6. That this Son and Saviour being come into â— World for this
first cause of that which is bad is worst of all as a bad Life has a worse Heart because both Words and Works flow from and shew the badness of the Heart which is the first cause Mar. 7. 21 22 23. And then whether it do not deeply concern men principally concerned in these Notions speedily to relinquish them Quer. 14. And tho probably the persons concerned in these things may deny some of the bad things so essentially included therein yet whether it does not very greatly concern them now to consider and deeply to ponder that if to deny one fundamental truth of the Gospel namely that of the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 12. did by consequence end all Faith and Christian Religion vers 13. to 17. tho very probably they intended it not nor understood the dangerous Consequences couched in their Opinion till the Apostle informed them therein then whether to deny or at best corruptly to hold almost all the Principles of Christian Faith and Religion is not more abundantly dangerous to the persons concerned herein and whether it concerns not all to look well to themselves in time about these great matters of Faith to come right therein seeing no man can rightly claim an interest in the grace of life from Gospel grounds whose faith is not right in the substantial things thereof And although I take most of the things mentioned to be in themselves deeply heretical yet I shall not pass the Sentence of Hereticks on those that hold them nor dare I have so foul a Mouth let themselves look to that I had rather they pass the Sentence of Heretick on me than I on them tho I desire neither because I really desire the good of all and I know it will not be to their honour in the end but I hope I have learned better things from Christ I find none in Scripture stigmatized with that foul Name but those that denied the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. and that too after they had profess'd Faith in him it 's a black Name and let them use it that delight in it I think it 's learnt from the great high Priest and Apostate at Rome who stigmatizeth all for Hereticks that believe not as his Church believeth and well were it if those who profess to be come quite away did not walk too much in the same steps Quer. 15. Whether we have not cause well to consider whether those manifold and great Miscarriages in the greatest matters of the Gospel arise not very much from Traditional Receptions from Forefathers by reason of which our Eyes are blinded that we cannot see into the great and plain things of the Gospel it being most apparent that not only the Jews in general but the better sort of them even the Disciples of Christ received by tradition that Christ was to come as a King to restore the Kingdom to Israel which was a truth in it self and shall be effected at his next coming by reason of which they understood not his first coming and suffering in order thereunto nor could they believe it being blinded by their former received Notion tho true in it self viz. that he should reign but not suffer tho Christ instructed them therein at least three times and if it be so that the reception of one truth may through corruption blind persons in another part of truth which I fear is too common Whether it do not concern us all to look well to our selves in this matter lest we for ever miss of truth and spend our time and strength to maintain our Traditional Receptions the devices of others that have gone before us directly contrary to the Word of Truth and so endanger to lose our selves eternally Quer. 16. Finally Whether those Scriptures that exhorts us to lay up our treasure in Heaven and that the inheritance is reserved in heaven for believers will not all be performed in the new Jerusalem that shall come down from God out of Heaven and Heaven shall be on Earth viz. in the new Jerusalem in the new Earth and World And so the Scriptures stand in unity in this matter and Peter explains it 1. Pet. 1. 5. It 's ready to be revealed in the last time i. e. revealed from Heaven v. 13. 2 Thess 1. 7. which fully agrees with Rev. 21. 2. 2. I shall give some Account of the General and Particular Expressions in the Scripture about the General and Special Grace of God to Men. 1. Of the General 1. OF the General Love of God to the World in the Gift of his Son Luk. 2. 10. Joh. 3. 16. Tit. 2. 11. 1 Joh. 4. 14. 2. The General Sacrifice of Christ for the World Joh. 1. 29. and 6. 51. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Heb. 2. 9. 1 Joh. 2. 2. 3. The General Reconciliation and Peace effected by this one Sacrifice Rom. 5. 10. 1 Cor. 5. 19. Col. 1. 20. 4. The General Justification unto Life thereby in the Resurrection and Restitution Rom. 5. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. 5. The General Judgment at and after the Resurrection Joh. 5. 28. Act. 17. 31. Rev. 3. 10. Chro. 20. 12. Matth. 25. 32. 6. The General Restitution and Uniting in and under Christ the Head and Lord and the General Salvation that shall follow Act. 3. 21. Ephes 1. 9 10. 1 Tim. 4. 10. Rev. 22. 2. 1 Joh. 4. 14. 7. The General Commission for Publishing this glad Tydings to the World grounded on the General Love and General Sacrifice Mark 16. 15. Luke 24. 47. 8. The General Worship and Service of the World in the World to come Psal 22. 27 28 29. and 72. 11. and 86. 9. Isa 66. 23. Phil. 2. 9 10 11. Rev. 5. 13. and 21. 24. 2 Of the Particular Expressions of the Special Grace of God to Men. 1. THat God gave some to Christ as a Particular and certain Reward of his Undertaking before his Suffering for the World Joh. 6. 37 39. Rom. 8. 29 30. 2. Christ laid down his Life for the Sheep for the Church Joh. 10. 15. Act. 20. 28. Eph. 5. 25. 3. A Special Justification by Faith in Christ Rom. 5. 1. Act. 13. 38 39. Rom. 4. 5. 4. A Special Reconciliation and Peace with God Rom. 5. 1. 11. 2 Cor. 5. 20. Eph. 2. 13 14. Col. 1. 21. 5. Special Relation to Christ as his Spouse and Members of his Body 2 Cor. 11. 2. Ephes 5. 23. 1 Cor. 12. 27. and to the Father in Christ as his Children Gal. 3. 26. 1 Cor. 6. 17 18. Joh. 1. 12. 6. Special Preservation to the Glory promised in the way of Gospel-Faith and Obedience 1 Pet. 1. 5. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Jude v. 21. Joh. 10. 27 28 29. 7. Special Salvation and distinct Glory with Christ in the World to come 1 Tim. 4. 10. 2 Tim. 1. 10. Mark 10. 30. Coloss 3. 4. Rev. 14. 4. Thus have I mentioned some of the Expressions in Scripture relating both to the General and Special Grace of God to Men by Jesus Christ in the Gospel of his Grace that the prudent may consider whether it be not safe for us to conclude that there is something of Divine Wisdom in these multitude and varieties of Expressions in both cases and whether we may not both rationally and religiously conclude that it declares the manifold Wisdom as well as the manifold Grace of God to men Ephes 3. 10. Tit. 2. 11 12. Ephes 1. 10. 1 Tim. 4. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 10. And then whether it may be safe for us to inâ—rpose our own Wisdom and Devices in these â—eat Matters so as either to null and make â—oid the General Grace by the Special or to â—â—trench upon the Special Grace by the Geneâ—al knowing that we may so own one truth â—s to out and end another as the Jews did and â—et do as before I shewed and therefore whether it 's not our Wisdom and Safety as well as Honourable unto God and that whereâ—n we shall shew our selves to be Wisdom's Children to let these and every Truth of God stand in the Latitude of the Scripture's own Expressions so Justifying Divine Wisdom as Wisdom's Children Luke 7. 25. And whether the contrary may not be deemed presumption in a high measure to alter and change Wisdom's Words according to our own Will and Wisdom as if the Lord knew not best how to utter his own mind but needs our Wit and Wisdom to alter and change it as we please making it speak what it does not and whether we may not fear of falling under that Judgment threatned for adding to or diminishing from the Worâ— of God Rev. 22. 18. and that Sin anâ— Judgment Rom. 1. 22. professing themselveâ— to be wise they becâ—me fools but that it be ouâ— greatest care to glorifie the Lord now in this day of Gospel-Grace in believing the truth thereof in all its parts and living sutable thereunto that so we may live and reign with him in the day of glory Amen FINIS â—hese BOOKS following are Printed for Thomas Fabian at the Sign of the Bible in St. Paul ' s Church-Yard THE Works of Josephus with Cuts Folio The Packet of Letters Quarto The Gentleman's Recreation with Cuts Octavo Drummond's History of Scotland Containing the Lives and Reigns of James the First the Second the Third the Fourth the Fifth with several Memorials of State during the Reigns of James the Sixth and Charles the First with their Effigies Oâ—tavo A Discourse of Friendship Octavo Vincent's Discourse of Christ's certain and â—uddain Appearance to Judgment Octavo Flavell's Navigation Spiritualized Octavo Esop's Fables in English Twelves The Downfal of several Great Men or Popish Plottings not to be parallel'd in forme Ages being a Seasonable Warning foâ— the Times Twelves Robinson's Learning-Foundation teaching to Spell and to Read English Twelves A Sermon Preached at the Ordination of â—â— Elder and Deacons in a Baptized Congregation in London By. N. C.