will gainesay this that Adam had his life continued through a crucified Christ or Lamb slain c. Secondly See the end why God created or made all Nations by through or of one blood or blood of one not that they should be disobedient or to damn any as some say but that they should seek him which doth further illustrate what I lately wrote concerning Gods chusing of mankinde when they were all lost in one to serve him so in this case when mankinde might have been banished for ever to the dust he found a ransome to keep him from going down to the pit and by that ransome granted life to Adam and all his posterity 1 John 4. 9. But as there is a special election of such as obey to eternal Salvation so is there a special creation in Christ of such as seek him of which I come next to speak This you may read in many places of Scripture where mention is made of the new creature the new man c. especially 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature c. Now the depth of this point lies in this to finde how a man comes to be a new creature Some hold that a man is meerly passive in this work as he was in the universal creation and some say that there are others who teach that man makes himself a new creature if there be any such I am sure that they are both in extreams and far from the truth of God That which I have found true in the Scripture and by experience is this That God having appointed or chosen and created or made man to seek or serve him when his creatures become able to understand the difference between good and evil and to be cheer'd in the doing of one and checkt in the committing of the other comes to instruct and teach them even when they are dead in sins and trespasses stretcheth forth his hands to them inviteth them beseecheth them and sheweth them his love convinceth them of sin by the light of the Lord manifest in the heart or by his word and they who learn of the Father lay to heart his love consider their misery see the filthiness of sin follow the light hearken to his voice and so receive his Son To these who were his off-spring before in the first or general creation doth he grant power to become the children of God even to such as believe on his name John 1. 12. and so become the workmanship of God created unto Christ Jesus in good works they are begotten and borne againe by the Gospel that immortal seed of the word which liveth and abideth for ever They that hear his voice and hearken to it do live and then Christ gives them life Hear and your soul shall live Isa 55. 2. Such as receive the truth in the love of it the seed into an honest and good heart become thereby quickened and in time to be born again of water and the Spirit and so are ingraffed into Christ or added to the Church old things errors in judgement and life pass away all things become new they being conformed to Christ the new Man in all obedience And thus the new Creature is formed and the new Creation framed and fitly compact to be an habitation of God through the Spirit I confess that these things to a carnal heart and a poor deluded soul will seem strange yet do but consider whether this work of special creation in which only some share hath not alwayes been thus carried on first the Lord called and spake presented light to the soul by which he discovered his love and mans enmity his purity and the creatures iniquity his goodness and sins sinfulness yet still some turned away the ear pull'd away the shoulder despised his reproof set at naught his counsel vexed his holy Spirit believed not his report but delighted in sin and so remained dead in sins and trespasses but such as hearkned and heard rejoyced in the light consider'd the word and entertain'd it though before carnal and so not discerning spiritual things became thereby spiritual as the Apostle Paul cleerly demonstrates Gal. 3. And whereas some have a fond conceit that a man must be spiritual before he can receive the word it 's a gross mistake for there was never yet a spiritual man but before he received the teachings of the Lord was carnal and by receiving the instructions of the Almighty became spiritual But their mistake is grounded upon a worse foundation even their low thoughts of the Scriptures and they reason to this effect The word say such may be preached a thousand times but except God come by the power of his Spirit to over-power our hearts we cannot receive his words not considering that the word is Spirit and life John 6. 63. and the power of God to salvation to them that believe Rom. 1. 16. Secondly Upon a conceit they have that a man is like a stock or a stone in and under the work of the new creation not considering that although God in the first creation did the worke wholly and absolutely himself yet in the second or new creation he comes to a creature that he hath furnished with abilities to do what he requires and then gives it his commands according to that ability requires them to hear know and receive his truth and they that obey him in these things live they are quickened and so the new creation is begun Object If any aske why all do not receive the truth I answer They resist the Spirit of God Act. 7. 51. But lest I should leave this obscure I desire the reader to weigh these things First That the new creation hath not it's compleatness at once Secondly That the Lord doth ever so begin the work and every part of it that what is by us to be done he leaves very plain and easie before us First It is not at once compleated for first the Lord commands to hear Isa 55. 3. Secondly to seek vers 6. Thirdly to know Act. 2. 36. Job 5. ult Fourthly to believe 1 Joh. 3. 23. Fifthly to repent Act. 17. 30. Sixthly to be baptized Act. 2. 38. and so they are planted into Christ Gal. 3. 27. Rom. 6. 3 4. Added to the Church Act. 2. 41. which is Christs body Eph. 1. 22. 23. To the Apostles fellowship Act. 2. 42. Thus souls are joyned to the Lord. And this word or doctrine which was from the beginning remaining in them they remain in the Son and in the Father 1 Joh. 2. 24. and abiding in the doctrine of Christ they have both the Father and the Son Joh. 2 Ep. v. 6. He doth not first command men to enter into Church-fellowship as the Papists Prelates Presbyterians and some others doe for the first thing that these practice is to put all those that are born in their Church as they call it into Church-membership as soon as they are born and sprinkled with
world began and in some measure of light or other hath been is or shall be manifest to all men Of this justification by faith the Scriptures of truth speak much as Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God from whence I gather that though God be at peace with us in relation to the first transgression yet no man can have peace with him in their own souls in reference to those many sins that themselves have committed but by believing or laying hold of his strength as you may see if you will but considerately weigh Isa 27. 4 5. Of this Justification which believers onely are sharers in mention is also made in many other places as Gal. 2. 16 3. 8. 24 c. As for justification by works as the Papists plead for it the Scriptures own no such thing only as they serve to justifie our saith before men shewing it to be such a faith as worketh by love and is agreeable to the word of the Lord. The next in order to be spoken of is Justification in treating of iâ— I shall first with the aide of God shew you by the Scriptures how all are sanctified and then how onely some are sanctified by the blood of Jesus First there is a sanctification of all men and that is by the blood of the Lambe slain from the foundation of the world poured out or shed for them For the full discovery of this I would desire the reader to consider what sanctification is according to the Scripture and he shall finde that it is either a cleansing purging or a separating somthing to an holy use and this is either by blood or by the word of truth or Spirit of God A word or two of the former of these when all mankinde were polluted and unclean through the offence of one and in him banished from the presence of God and condemn'd to the dust our dear Redeemer by his blood freely purged away that spot or filthiness which would have kept men out of the presence of God for ever that so all men and women are through him separated or sanctified to serve the living God and for proof hereof search the Scriptures and see Heb. 13. 12. Wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his own â—lood suffered without the gate And if any shall say that the text proves not that he sanctified all men with his blood Answ first There are none excluded Secondly His suffering without the gate argues that his blood was shed to sanctifie both Jews and Gentiles which are all the people that the Scripture makes mention of Thirdly If Christ had not by his blood sanctified whole mankind from the filth of Adams fault they had never had life or liberty to serve God And if any shall say that God hath not through his Son given all men liberty to serve him then it seems that they who shall be damn'd perish because God would not give them liberty or leave to obey him or else because Adam did eat the forbidden fruit either of which is absurd yea horrid to a knowing spiritual heart But more clearly is the evidence given by the same Apostle Heb. 10. 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done dispite to the Spirit of grace Whence without violent wresting of the Scripture a thing that many use to serve their turnes we may clearly conclude that they who trample under foot the Son of God and do despite to the Spirit of grace and count the blood of the Covenant as an unclean or unholy thing were sanctified by that blood which they so lightly regard Now all will grant that they who prize Christ obey the teachings of the Spirit and highly esteem the blood of the Son of God were sanctified by it and the Scripture here evidently testifies as before mention'd that others even the worst of men as I may so say were likewise sanctified who then is excluded or are there any more sorts of men and women but such as obey the Spirit and such as resist it Is it not most evident that all were sanctified by the blood of Christ even they that trod it under foot and flight it and despise the Spirit of grace and Son of God I am not ignorant of the many poor shifts which I and others have had to evade the truth of God so plainly revealed in this pretious place of Scripture but I judge they are not worth the taking notice of Object But some may enquire happily What is my end in endeavouring to prove that ungodly men who tread under foot the Son of God c were sanctified justified reconciled and redeemed by his blood Answ That when I meet with such I may declare unto them the righteousness kindeness and goodwill of God convince them of their ingratitude perswade them to love Christ and believe on him to leave their evil learne to do well demanding of them how they can have the heart to live so wickedly and abuse the mercy of God in Jesus Christ by whose blood they were justified from that one offence and sanctified or set apart to serve God how they can be so unkind to their Saviour and to tread him under foot that bought and sanctified them with his dearest heart-blood That in case they refuse they be left without excuse so as they shall not be able to say in the last day Lord when did we hear of thy love or that thou didst redeem and sanctifie us by thy blood and so it being manifest that their destruction is of themselves the Lord may be clear when he judgeth And whereas it may be demanded How it comes to pass that all serve not God in holiness I answer first negatively It is not because God did appoint them to unholiness and disobedience as some blasphemously say but because they resist the holy Spirit or the teachings of truth or light of Christ shewing good and evil excusing them in doing the of one and accusing them for the other for they who receive the instructions of the holy God and turn at his reproof shall have his Spirit poured out to them Prov. 1. 23. Turn you at my reproof I will pour my Spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you and so the Lord giving out his word and Spirit and they receiving it become partakers of that special or peculiar sanctification of which I made mention but even now of which a word or two in the last place When the posterity of Adam once sanctified as I have shew'd you by blood or set apart to serve Jehovah which priviledge had all lost in one come to know good and evil to receive vain thoughts to lodge in their hearts and so vain words proceed from their lips and vain traditions from their Teachers and
confess that the Saints i. e. they who receive the word whereunto they were appointed are partakers of this special calling or vocation I shall onely add this That as they who are called but contemn the call of God partake not of his choice mercies taste not of his supper but bring upon themselves destruction so Behold what manner of love the Father hath shew'd us such as receive the word the light of Christ that they should be called the sons or children of God! 1 Joh. 3. 1. compared with John 1. 12. And so I come to the last term propounded to be treated on Salvation which is a delivering of the creature from danger death and destruction and is general or special as you may see 1 Tim. 4. 10. For this cause we both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all men specially of them that believe But say some to this as to what hath been spoken before this is not meant of Christ but of the Father I answer hereto first consider what Christ saith John 5. 19. Whatsoever things the Father doth the same doth the Son likewise 2. That the Father gave Christ his work to do John 17. 4. so that the Father redeemeth reconcileth and saveth by Christ and Christ redeemeth reconcileth and saveth by laying down his life and humbling himself to death 3. Jesus Christ is not a dead God but God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. and received into glory 1 Tim. 16. and one with the Father and they that deny it deserve to be blamed And if any shall say that the word in the Original signifies not a Saviour but a preserver and so conclude that the Father is the preserver of all men I Answer first that the Father doth preserve by the Son who beareth up the pillars of the earth Psal 75. 3. and by whom all things consist and to whom all power in heaven and earth is given Matth. 28. Of him and for him are all things For consider God without a Christ and you cannot see safety or preservation for any creature onely justice and swift destruction for sin It s manifest then that the preservation and subsistance of all men through a crucified Christ the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world so that if the gloss which men put upon this pretious truth were truth yet it makes nothing against that holy truth of God which I desire to vindicate but it 's as notorious an untruth and falsehood as ever came from the mouth or pen of any man for wheresoever you finde the word Saviour used in the New Testament relating to Jesus Christ you shall finde the same word for it in the Original as is here used by the Apostle and which is used Eph. 5. Tit. 2. 3. and all they that can but read greek will testifie the same Neither is the greek word Soter ever rendered preserver in the whole book of God but alwaies Saviour Lastly It is the common practise of the enemies of the truth when any thing crosses their tenents to make people believe if they can that either the Scriptures mean otherwise then it speaks or that the Translation though given by men of their owne judgements is not right as for example where the word of truth saies that Christ dyed for all and that God would have all men to be saved and that the free gift came unto all men to the justification of life they say it means otherwise and that the text Heb. 2. 9. He by the grace of God tasted death for every man and this word who is the Saviour of all men c. are not well translated for say they it should be for every Son and he is the preserver or saviour of some men c. But I would propound two or three questions to such men First If these things be not truly but falsely Translated why have they many of them an hundred times at least read such false things to us Secondly Why do not they read them to us according to that which they say is the true Translating of the word viz. that Christ dyed but for some and the free gift came only upon some men to the justification of life and that God would have some men to be saved that Christ tasted death only for every son and that the Father is the preserver of some men Thirdly and lastly Whether we shall be judg'd by that which some in a slight way and through mistake call the letter or by that which the Papists Prelates Presbyterians in their Councels Comments and Synods say is the meaning of the word But leaving to speak of the fancies of these men I come by Gods assistance to shew how God in Christ and Christ through God for these in the great work of mans salvation must not be severed is the Saviour of all men And that I may perform this I shall endeavour as in those things before treated rightly to divide the word of truth which holds forth salvation to us under several considerations there is salvation as to this life as Exod. 14. 13. Stand still and see the Salvation of God so Acts 27. 20. and 31. All hope that we should be saved was taken away There is salvation preached Act. 28. 28. The salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles and they will hear it But more plainly Hebr. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at first began to be spoken or preached by the Lord himself And there is salvation promised called eternal salvation Heb. 9. 5. and salvation to the uttermost Heb. 7. 25. The first is a deliverance from that death that came by Adams sin the second is deliverance from death in sins and trespasses by reason of every mans actual sins the last is that great deliverance from the wrath to come or second death The former of these onely is universal and hath in it two things considerable First what all men are delivered or saved from Secondly what they enjoy First our gratious God hath saved all mankinde from that death which came by Adams offence in that he by the ransome which himself found out delivered Adam and so all men then in his loynes from present going downe to the pit so that by Jesus Christ we subsist and by him also he wrought our resurrection or deliverance from the grave from which all men shall one day be freed and made alive by Christ 1 Cor. 15. 22. But some it may be will say If Christ hath saved all men from the grave how comes it to pass that any dye I answer first Christ was never sent to prevent men from going to the grave but to deliver or save them out of or from it from the power of it Secondly If the resurrection from death be a deliverance or saving from the power of the grave which I think none that fear God will deny and some onely partake of
lye down in the grave and sleep in the dust yet they shall all live again in the day of the Lord. But may some say is he so the Saviour of all men that none shall be damn'd in the second death I answer No for though he be the Saviour of all men as I have proved yet especially of them that believe as I shall now also briefly shew you by the Scriptures Prov. 3. 35. The wise shall inherit glory Dan. 12. 3. They that be wise shall 〈◊〉 as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousâ—â—ss as the stars for ever and ever Mat. 13. 43. Then shall the righteous shine 〈◊〉 as the Sun in the kingdome of their Father Mat. 26. 46. But the righteous 〈…〉 Luk. 12. 32. Fear not little flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to givâ— you thâ— Kingdome Whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but 〈…〉 Joh. 3. 15 16 18 36. My sheep hear my voice and I know 〈◊〉 and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall not 〈◊〉 Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand Joh. 10. 27 28. See Joh. 5. 28 29 All that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good to the resurrection of life c. Mar. 16. 16. He that believeth and 〈◊〉 baptized shall be saved Rom. 2. 7. 10. Glory honour peace and eternal life to every man that patiently continues in well doing Mat. 10. 22. He that indureth to the end shall be saved Rev. 2. 23. Be thou faithful unto the death and I give thee the crown of life See vers the 11 17 26 27 28. Rev. 3. 5 12 21. He is made the Author of eternal salvation to those that obey him Heb. 5. 9. If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him 2 Tim. 2. 12. But the wicked shall be as stubble Mal. 4. 1. He that calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10. Blessed are all they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and enter in by the gates into the holy City Rev. 22. 14. with many other pertinent texts of Scripture whereby we may demonstratively evidence that there is a special salvation for some viz. such as hear know believe and obey God and that as all men are and shall surely be saved from the first death and all that came on them through the offence of Adam yet they only who receive the truth in the love of it shall be saved from the second death and they who are contentious and do not obey the truth through their neglect of so great salvation as was purchased by his blood and preached in the word or light of Jesus though they shall be raised up at the last day from the first death yet for their wickedness they shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death All the Objections and Queries that usually men bring in here about the creatures believing and acting in all kind of obedience I have handled in the precedent part of this treatise where I have proved that God never requires any duty of any of his creatures but at some time or other he furnisheth them with ability to fulfill his commands And all our obedience merits not eternal life in the least seeing God might justly have deprived us of a being or have given no more but this life and yet have laid upon us much more work then he hath but it was the good pleasure of his will to give eternal life through his Son to all such as serve him in their generations according to the light manifested to them For which free mercy all praise honour service and obedience is due to Jehovah for evermore Amen THE REASONS OR ARGUMENTS Which illustrate The truth of Christs dying for all men together with the grand absurdities which unavoidably follow the contrary Doctrine with the answer to the Objections or Arguments of M. Trough M. Wood and others HAving thus by the Scriptures proved that Christ died for all men and what he hath done for all or what benefit all men have by him I come in the next place in the strength of the Lord to illustrate the truth of this assertion by Reasons or Arguments drawn from the Scriptures which may easily evince to sober spirits and convince the gain-sayers of this soul-establishing Fundamentall Doctrine of the Gospell and they are these First the coming of our Saviour into the world is glad tidings of great joy to all people Luk. 2. 11. which could never be if Christ had done nothing for the greatest part of mankind but it would have been sad tidings to most men who must therefore die eternally because there was no Saviour for them or at least because they obey not him who never paid a price for them Secondly the Word that is to be preach'â— is the Gospell to every creature Mark 16. 15. the Ministers of the Lord Jesus are to declare peace unto every house where they come Luk. 10. 5. and that can never be done if they are not able by the Scriptures to preach a Saviour to them without leaving any doubts upon their spirits Thirdly God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2. 4. and is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance Now if Christ died not for all then God would have more men to be saved then Christ died for as some have said which is absurd to imagine or what good will repentance do those for whom Christ-never died Fourthly they that are damn'd Jo. 3. 18. with ver 36. are damn'd because they believe not in the only begotten Son of God therefore the only begotten Son of God died for those or else how shall they be damn'd because they believe not in him except men shall be damned for not believing on him that never died for them Fifthly they that shall be damn'd might have been saved if they had received the truth in the love of it 2. Thes 2. 10 11 12 13. therefore Christ died for them or else they had no probability of salvation seeing there is no name given unto men under heaven whereby they must be saved but only the name of Jesus Christ Acts 4. 12. Sixthly they for whom Christ died may perish and be destroyed see 1 Cor. 8. 11. with Rom. 14. 15. Seventhly some deny the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves destruction 2 Pet. 2. 1. so that if Christ died for those that shall be saved and those that shall be destroyed he died for all Eighthly the Apostle commands that prayers and supplications shall be made for all men 1 Tim. 2. 1. surely prayers will do but 〈◊〉 good to those for whom Christ never died or how can we pray in faith for all men if Christ
that Infants are to be baptized and added to the Church before they either repent or believe and that God doth decree the unbelief and disobedience of men and that he will damn some eternally for Adams fault and others for not doing that which since they came to discern betwixt good and evill they had never ability from the Lord to perform therefore are we call'd Heretiques and because we are willing that our Doctrine should be tried by the word of truth both publikely an privately and desire by the same Touchstone to prove what others teach for doctrine and will not be deluded by Philosophy and vain deceit not stung with the tail of the old Serpent I mean the Prophet who teacheth lies Isa 9. 15. with Rev. 12. 4. therefore are we counted the troublers of Israel such as turn the world upside down ring-leaders of Sects c. as our Brethren of old were neither are we grieved by these things for our sakes but for theirs even our countrymen and brethren after the flesh who rage at us and incense the Rulers against us because we believe and speak what is written and will not receive nor practise the Doctrines and Traditions which are not written witnesse M. W. T. who though he hath not one word of Scripture speaking that which he affirms yet he raves and rails publikely and privately because his Arguments are not held Authentick accounted Canonicall and received as Maxims of divine truth when indeed they are but the thoughts of his own heart and collections thaâ— he hath made from men that must die If I should go from place to place and say Christ did not die for all and he died only for a few men and women and God commanded men to do no more then he hath enabled them to do and that he hath appointed some even from the beginning to be disobedient to his commands might not men say where is this written might they not justly say that here is no light in these things and that these things not being written are not for our learning doubtless they might Ob. But if Christ died for all then all shall be saved All are and shall be saved or deliver'd from the first death as I have declared and iâ— shall be testified in due time 1 Tim. 2. 6. only the Elect the Saints that is such as receive the light held forth to them shall escape the second death they that believe and obey him shall enjoy eternall salvation through him Rev. 2. 11. 1 Thes 1. 10. Heb. â— 9. Ob. All prophane ignorant persons will say that Christ died for them I answer first they speak truth though they know not what they say for put such prophane persons to prove it by Scripture and to give you the text in which their evidence is contained and they come short of assurance then they say they believe he died for them and at last when they are put to shew the ground of their faith or what their faith was built on they will tell you they hope he died for them and he died for all that believe on him and serve him Secondly I answer 't is one thing for a poor soul to say that Christ died for him and another thing to know it by an infallible testimony and therefore we endeavour to prove this to every man by the Scriptures which hold forth the dying of Christ for all that so they may know certainly that Christ shed his bloud for them and by the knowledge hereof either be drawn to love and live to the Lord Jesus or be left vvithout excuse Ob. But cannot men be left without excuse without the preaching of this Doctrine to them Ans They cannot when and where this doctrine may be preached and heard indeed where the Scriptures are not people shall not be accused for not reading searching and preaching them or for their not knowing the vvords that are vvitten in them for God will at the last day require according to what he gave Luk. 12. 48. but vvhere this is fully made knovvn that Christ tasted death for every man they vvho imbrace it and bind it to their hearts by believing find abundance of consolation and they vvho receive it not shall not at the last day be able to plead ignorance Oh then hovv sad vvill it be at that time for such Preachers as deny preach vvrite pray and rail against this foundation truth of the Gospell Ob. Is it not said Rev. 5. 9. 14. 3. 4. Thou hast redeemed us is God and these were bought from amongst men c. Ans These precious texts are true but yet they do not say that there vvere no more bought to God from amongst men for if vve vvill 〈◊〉 the Apostle Peter there are some that dâ— deny the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. to say that because 144000. vvere redeem'd or bought from amongst men therefore there vvere no more redeemed is bad Logick and vvorse Divinity and is 〈◊〉 one â—s â—f a man had redeemed a thousand men out of Turky meeting vvith three or four of them should receive an acknowledgment of their deliverance that he had redeemed them the standers by should argue that he redeemed no more Ans Secondly I have before shew'd that redemption is consider'd two ways first by the effusion of the bloud of Christ from the first sin or originall offence secondly by the application of that bloud by which the Elect such as walk in Gospell-obedience receive Redemption or deliverance from their sins which they have committed in their own bodies since they knew good and evill for no sooner is the bloud of Christ closely laid to the heart of a sinner but he presently begins to loath and leave sin and at length by a constant application of it becomes fully redeemed freed or delivered from his bondage of these later the texts by M W. T. alledged are especially to be understood and so the word of truth being rightly divided is kept from clashing and seeming contradiction all men left without excuse and the justice and mercy of God cleared against the calumnies of imperious sinners But there are some whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world It 's most certain that these words Rev. 13. 8. are a prophecy of the great Antichrist vvho shall exercise his power for a time times and the dividing or half of time Dan. 7. 25. two and forty moneths or 1260. dayes Rev. 11. 2. 3. with chap. 3. 5. or three years and a half and many shall follow his pernitious ways idolizing him and worshipping him as a God and it is as certain that such as worship him are not written in the Book of Life for God hath of old ordain'd to condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of God unto wantonnesse and all Idolatâ—rs but this proves not that Christ never died for them but rather that he did die
them would Christ ever have been grieved for the hardnesse of the Jewes hearts had he not laid down his life for them we account it folly to grieve for that which cannot be helpt so men ignorantly tax Christ of no lesse when they say God had appointed them to be har hearted and disobedient and yet Christ grieved for it Object Oh but God could have softned their hearts if he would have had it so Answ But I say God never did purpose to soften any hearts otherwise then by the teachings of his Spirit and Prophets and his Son these being rejected he leaves men to themselves and they bring upon themselves destruction Doth it suit with the wisdom justice and love of a man to command his servants to do that which he knows they cannot or are not able to performe Mr. Troughton confesseth that God commands all to repent and believe and 't is certain many shall be damn'd for unbeliefe yet he sayes that its impossible that all should believe nay he saies That God appointed them to be disobedient if this were true as it is most false where were the wisdome justice and goodnesse of God when he shall command them to believe whom he had appointed to unbelief yea damn men for being such viz. disobedient as he had appointed them to be but especially doth not this traduce the unfathom'd boundlesse love of God when men shall say as Mr. Troughton doth that Christ did not die for all and yet the greatest number of men and women shall be damned for not believing on him who payed no ransome for them and doth not this highly impeach the power and truth of God the holy Word of the glorious Gospell when men shall so andaciously affirme that Christ dyed onely for some and but for a few and that he dyed not for all And whereas the word of Faith saith plainly that Christ dyed for all gave himselfe a ransome for all for every man for the sheep and those that deny him for the living and for the dead for the world yea the whole World When men I say denyes these plain texs and like the Papists suffer not poor souls to read them but by their Gloss what do they but vilifie and falsifie the Scriptures and give the truth of God the lie The good Lord judge between us for his own truth sake Let Mr. Troughton produce but one Text of Scripture for all his assertions and wee 'l believe him but the Reader may see he hath not one but instead of Scriptures brings his own reasons and sophisticall Arguments Object But sayes Mr. Troughton if Christ dyed for all then Christ is but halfe a Saviour and man must actually save himselfe c. I Answer first I have proved already that he is the Saviour of all men and how he is so in that he hath saved and delivered all men by his death and resurrection from the Grave so as that none shall die there eternally for Adams sin Secondly He hath prepared and propounded eternall life or salvation freely when none desired it of him and hath provided and given lawes for every soul that will be saved to walk in as the Ministers about B. Castles in their namelesse Paper confesse and through Christ bestowed light to walke and work by and what could God do more except you would have him repent and believe or force some to obey and decree others to disobey and to be a respecter of persons which he will never be I mean to respect persons personally considered the Lord is good to all and extends his goodnesse to all and thereby they who turn to him shall be built up Of a truth God is no respecter of persons saith Peter Act. 10. But in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him Cornelius never heard of Christ as some heard of him yet he was accepted with God serving him according to the light he had which was not without Christ though as yet he knew him not for none are accepted without him But Mr Troughton finds fault with us that we should ever thinke that Christ shed his blood for those that never heard the Gospel To which I answer If by the Gospell he meanes those precious sayings and writings of Christ and his Apostles as he doth for he calls it the voice of the Gospel and word of Faith I think he hath no reason to except against us for none of the Patriaks Prophets and holy men of old so heard it much lesse did Jethro Ruth the Eunuch and many more mentioned in the Scriptures yet I hope Mr. Troughton will confesse that he dyed for them I doubt not but that servant who imployes his one Talent well shall receive the reward of one Talent Thirdly The Scripture sayes Save your selves from this untowardly Generation Act. 2. 40. and worke out your salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2. 12. which I understand to be but thus repent believe obey or use the meanes which God hath appointed you for salvation and this no sober man will deny to be our duty yet when we have done that and if it were possible ten thousand times more we are but unprofitable servants and do no more merit or procure salvation then a poor begger stretching out his hand to receive a purse of Money if any were so free as to give it doth merit procure or coyne that Gold or Silver which is given him as I have before shewed God might have required all dutifull obedience from us and yet at last have sent us to the Grave for ever and as for universall salvation which Mr. Troughton terrifies himselfe and others with I have often shewed how I hold it to wit that all were saved or delivered by Christ dying rising from the miseries that came by Adam so that they shall not for ever lye under them and for any other universall salvation of fallen Angels and Reprobates I know nothing for Christ dyed not for Angels and as for Reprobates that deny the Lord that bought and resist the spirit of God and violate the Law of Nature that know not God and obey not the Gospel they shall be destroyed for ever yet I beleeve that for want of a right dividing and so of a right understanding of the word of truth in the things by me insisted upon many have runne into grosse absurdities about universall salvation not being able to distinguish between salvation or deliverance which is by the death of Christ from Adams sin and sufferings for it and salvation which is through believing on him or comming to him Heb. 7. 25. from our sins which without repentance will damne man eternally in the second death They thought and that rightly that all are and shall be saved or delivered from something but not seriously weighing the word and distinguishing concluded that none shall be damned or consumed forever at the last day of Judgement which is most absurd and such a Doctrine
Scripture-Redemption freed from Men's Restrictions Being An ANSWER TO A Book lately published by Mr. William Troughton who stiles himself a Minister of the Gospel at Onlep in Leicester-shire INTITULED Scripture-Redemption restrained and limited As also the substance of several Conferences and Disputes had in England Wales and Scotland With Mr. Heath Mr. Bartley Mr. Powel Mr. Sam. Rutherford and Mr. James Wood Two Rectors of the University of S. Andrews and many others About the death of our most dear Redeemer and the Controversies which are the constant concomitants of it Together with a brief Reply to Mr. Troughton's rayling accusations in his Introduction By J. Brown sometimes of Oriel Coll. in Oxford afterwards a Priest of the Church of England and Vicar of Tenbury in Worcester-shire but now through mercy a Preacher of the faith which once he destroyed YE are my witnesses and my servant whom I have chosen that ye MAY know and believe me Isai 43. 10. London Printed by J. C. for Will Larnar at the signe of the Blackmoor neer Fleet-bridge 1653. To all those precious souls who receive the Gospel and follow the Lord Jesus in the way of righteousness to whose view this small Treatise shall by providence be presented Increase of all spiritual riches from the Father of mercies are unfeignedly desired IT is no new thing blessed souls for the God and men of this world to call the sweet saving and most soul refreshing doctrines of the Gospel Heretical opinions and the way of God even that way of Worship which Christ and his Apostles walked in Heresie that so by raising foul though false reports against the Truths of the true and eternal God they and their false Merchandise corrupt Doctrines I mean may seem fair in the eyes of their followers Let it not then seem strange to you neither be discouraged if it be so in our generation but as our God hath imparted to you a great measure of the knowledge of his love in the Lord Jesus let it be your care I beseech you by the mercies of God to walk worthy of the Lords love in all well pleasing and abounding in every good work that you may shine as lights in this world and in the world to come as the sun in the kingdom of our Father for ever and ever You have known and believed the love of God to your souls you know and are assured by the Scriptures that Christ died for you when other poor creatures going about to prove it by their qualifications a most inconstant and crooked rule are oft-times at least very uncertain whether Christ died for them and so through the instability of their sad minds either hurried away by dangerous presumption or hurled into deep despair and other soul-distracting distempers Their condition I much commiserate having my self been somewhat buffeted by Satan under it for at best they are frequently tossed to and fro by doubts and fears whether ever God gave his Son to lay down his life for them and so are kept from the enjoyment of that abiding consolation which you partake of by believing what is plainly written in the Word of Truth and rejecting the dark consequences and deductions of men Oh pity those that are ignorant of that truth which you are acquainted with endeavour to impart it to them but despise them not in that you know Christ died for them Be not weary of well doing The Lord is at hand and if you persist in holiness he will requite your short pains with everlasting pleasures and your work in the day of grace with an eternal and exceeding weight of glory And now brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up to make you wise unto salvation to make you perfect and throughly furnished to every good work desiring the Lord of glory to preserve you blamless in body soul and spirit till he appears the second time without sin unto salvation that you may be presented faulâ—lest before the throne of his glory with exceeding joy and be made partakers and possessors of that rich and glorious Crown and those precious promises which now by saith and patience we inherit in which most blessed state I trust on the Lords day to meet you and in the mean space whilst the Lord holdeth my soul in life here shall remain Your faithful servant and brother though unworthy in the way and work of Christ J. Brown To all the people in the world who shall peruse this plain Discourse especially such as setting their faces towards Sion have their souls sadned through the uncertainty that is in them about Christs dying for them the Author sincerely wisheth those cordial consolations which which flow from the knowledge and acknowledgment of the Truth in this point according to the Scriptures KNowing by sad experience what a miserable condition they are in who are ignorant of the love of God and how chearfully they are drawn out to serve him who know and are assured that he gave his Son to be a Propitiation for them I have here presented to each impartial Reader a familiar Discourse concerning the death of our Redeemer wherein I shall by the help of Jehovah prove 1. That Jesus Christ did die for all and every man 2. How far this extends to all or what he hath done for all men dying for them and this I shall do by the express Word of the Lord as it is ministred to us by his own Spirit without sophistical Syllogisms dark Deductions Consequences and Inferences the onely proofs of those who assert the contrary 3. I shall also by the assistance of the Lord produce the reasons which I have found in the Scripture confirming this truth 4. I shall as I have met with them answer the Objections brought against it 5. I shall make some Application of the whole wherein I shall take opportunity to shew the soundness and profitableness of this Doctrine the sad consequences and absurdities of the contrary and endeavour to discover some reasons why so few receive it and why there is so great opposition made against it I confess they lie deep but the Lord in time will help us to a more full manifestation The occasion of my undertaking of this work was partly from a nameless Paper received from some Parish Ministers living about Bishops Castle in Shrop-shire to which because I knew not to whom to write I was not careful to return any Reply But especially from the reading of ten printed Arguments set out by one M. Troughton though suckt from others together with several Conferences had providentially with many learned men as they are accounted in England and Scotland about the death of Christ and the controversies which are the constant concomitants of it My resolution is to be plain without Rhetorical flourishes and the wisdom which man teacheth The glory of God is that which I chiefly aim at my conscience bearing me witness and
perceives it will make to his disadvantage and stick to that grand error that Infants are visible Church-members I shall onely add this 1. That they who were such in the Apostles daies gladly received the word and were baptized Act. 2. 41. 2. That to every Church-member every ordinance of Christ doth belong as breaking of Bread Act. 2. 42. preaching of the word Col. 3. 16. reproof Mat. 18. 15 16 17. judging of points of difference among brethren 1 Cor. 6. 4. c. I wonder why Mr. Troughton doth not preach to them break bread with them reprove them and set them to judge at least in the things of this life which are the smallest matters For we would gladly know who dares add to diminish from or alter the practice of Jesus Christ and his Apostles in the constituting of the Church of God or hinder any of his members of their priviledge Secondly He saith but he saith falsly that we hold none to be Saints Disciples or Believers but such as are grown persons and rebaptiz'd Here he misrepresents our expressions For first we are not so silly as to lay down such negative propositions we say indeed that as in the dayes of Christ they that did repent and believe the Gospel were baptiz'd and added to the Church so we are sure they who thus walk now are visible Saints Church-members and Disciples in that they follow the precepts and practice of Christ and his Apostles we account them sheep of Christ or Christians who continue in the word of Christ and keep the Ordinances as they were delivered to the Churches by the Son of God when they may so enjoy them and that they who neglect and despise them when they so may be had and practise Baby-sprinkling are disobedient to Christ and followers of the Pope In a word they which faithfully follow that light which God layes before them are the beloved of his soul and pretious in his sight As for his tearm rebaptize we neither know nor do we practice any such thing neither can he prove his accusation against us except he can prove that the sprinkling of Babes in the face with a little water be the Ordinance of Baptisme appointed for us by the Lord Jesus in his word of truth and then we shall owne it and Mr. Troughton also in it Thirdly He accuseth us for baptizing believers into this Faith that Christ died for all c. To which I answer If the Scriptures say Christ dyed for all I hope Mr. Troughton hath no just cause to finde fault with us for believing it except he can prove it to be a crime to believe as the Scripture saith which kinde of beleiving Christ hath made a pretious promise to Joh. 7. 38 39. And whereas he taxeth us for not joyning with others which he calls in derision Anabaptists I wish Mr. Troughton not to speak evil of what he knows not Mr. Jessey Mr. Kiffin Mr. Patience so far as they practice Gospel-Ordinances do as closely follow Jesus Christ as Mr. Troughton and others in their Baby-sprinkling do Antichrist In a word we are to joyn with the Lord Jesus the head of the body not with men nor follow them further then they follow Christ Fourthly He accuseth us saying that we owne such as Christs Disciples who are baptiz'd into our opinion be they never so ignorant and vain c. This is a meer scandal for first we baptize none but such as in some good measure know their miserable state by sin the love of God by a Saviour c. And as for such as walk in a vain conversation they are cast off if they refuse to hear the Church And whereas he saies we unchurch all that differ from us though never so spiritual heavenly experienced Christians I say first as before that they that walk up to the light which God allows them are his Congregation 2. That they who have the word of God and follow Christ and his Apostles in Gospel-obedience are the Church of Christ his Disciples and experienced Christians according to the Scripture computation see Joh. 8. 31. To the fifth Accusation where he saith we refuse to hear the ablest and most approved Ministers of the Gospel except it be to cavil against them I answer It is not so for those that are approved Ministers of the Gospel I mean such as yeeld obedience to to Jesus Christ in his commands and follow him in life and doctrine we freely hear But we do not judge them who reject the counsel of God and teach otherwise then Christ and his Apostles taught able and approved Ministers of the Gospel though they talk long and loud yea though they could speak with the tongue of Angels As for Tithe-takers Baby-sprinklers and Parish-Ministers their practice declareth them to be at least in some things Popish Levitical Priests acting contrary to the precepts and practice of Jesus Christ and so Antichristian By the word cavil I judge he means reason out of the Scriptures and in this we desire to do as we would be done by for we never deliver any Doctrine publickly but we are willing publickly to give an account of what we declare to them And for the serviceableness of those whom Mr. Troughton counts able Ministers to the state I shall at present be silent onely adding that most of us whom Mr. Troughton traduceth in the margin of his book have adventured our lives in the service of the Commonwealth and shall again when thereunto called Sixthly He accuseth us as overthrowers of Magistracy and for accounting the Parish-Priests Antichristian persecutors when they call for the civil power to punish such as would publickly dispute their Doctrine and Ministery he calls it the keeping of order and peace in the Congregation whilst they are about the worship of God and to prevent cumbustions c. I answer This is a meer fiction they are sure the Magistrates most faithful friends who desire them to wait on that office which God hath called them to and they are enemies to the civil powers who call to them to do that which is not appertaining to their duty Now we desire the Magistrate as a Magistrate to exercise his power in its proper place as for example if any had been at Odeby or are elsewhere stickers or breakers of the peace by any means God hath ordained the powers that are for the punishment of such evil doers But if any do desire to reason out of the Scriptures about the worship of the most high God they that call to the Magistrate to punish such or by the civil Sword to stop their mouths are Antichristian persecutors yea Tyrants over the consciences of their fellow creatures and those Magistrates who shall at the request of such Tyrants exercise their Authority against such as seek to finde out the truth by disputing with the false Ministery if they take not heed betimes will be overthrown by the might of the Lord as they have been before
we quarrel with them for praying before and after Sermon To this I have given satisfaction in my answer to his tenth charge In his thirteenth are many gross slanders together for whereas Mr. Trough chargeth us with an absolute denyal of original sin we teach that Adams offence in the garden was the first sin and that we being all in his loines who sinned became subject to corruption yea judgement came thereby on all men to condemnation And as for Gods absolute decree which he most falsly sayes we scoffe at we hold that God hath from the beginning chosen to salvation such as obey the truth through the Spirit and of old ordained to condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of God into wantonness even all such as by the goodness of God are not led to repentance What he means by free-will I know not But we hold that God hath given to his creatures out of the riches of his free mercy ability and liberty one time or other to performe whatsoever he requires them to believe and do And whereas he sayes we preach for falling away to use Mr. Trough own tearms it is most untrue for we preach for holding fast by Jesus Christ and warn admonish and beseech the Saints to take heed lest any of them fall from the grace of God or by an evil heart of unbelief depart from him Heb. 12. 15. To the fourteenth where he taxeth us for bringing the Saints into bondage by disswading them from frequenting the Parish-assemblies and exercises I answer Most of those whom he in derision calls our followers have heard him and other Parish-preachers till they were weary of their soul-distracting and self-contradicting doctrines Neither is it we but the Lord who commands both us and them to come out from Babel to be separate and to avoid and turn away from them that cause divisions contrary to the doctrine delivered by Christ and his Apostles not to receive to house nor bid such God speed yea and though he were an Apostle or an Angel from heaven to hold such accursed as bring any other Gospel or doctrine then what hath been preached by the Lord Jesus And such I am sure are our tithe-taking mercenary Parish-Ministers who teach men to sprinkle babes and to believe that Christ dyed not for all c. Gospel and Doctrine which never came out of the mouth of our blessed Redeemer yet we will hear you if you will but give a reason of what you say to dissatisfied spirits otherwise we should bring our selves into bondage if you will neither answer us nor let us go Blessed be our God we can hear Christ and his Apostles preach search the Scriptures prove their doctrine and receive satisfaction and they are not offended at us The fifteenth Article of Mr. Troughtons charge against us is a meer cavil and groundless surmise upon his own mistake for he using some vilifying and contemptful language to one that had been a souldier and commander in the States service after long silence and bearing his imperious checks the party told him he had shewed his face in the defence of his Country where Mr. Trough durst not appear But if ever I finde Mr. Trough charging an enemy for his Nations just liberty I shall assure him of all submissive satisfaction But upon this he chargeth us of giving out threatning language And by this you may see the weight of Mr. Troughtons complaints His sixteenth accusation is a gross falsity For he saith that we are ready to make insurrection upon them when they fight against our opinions with Scripture-weapons and that some of us have beaten some of their hearers which till Mr. Trough prove and bring the offender to condign punishment I shall only say this that The religion of that man who bridleth not his tongue is but vain Jam. 1. 26. The contrary to Mr. Trough 17 accusation is true for whereas he sayes our design is to pull down the powerful Ministry of Christ our desires and endeavours are and shall be by the Lords assistance to set it up even such Ministers as are obedient to every command of Christ keep the ordinances as they were delivered by him and are enabled by the Spirit of God through the Scriptures to preach the Gospel without stealing the word from their neighbors and scraping and scribling their Sermons out of Popish Postillers ancient Fathers as they call them and commentators but as for all national parochial tithe-taking hireling baby-sprinkling-Ministers we know they are plants which our heavenly Father hath not planted and will be rooted up The Lord is mercy by his word root them up out of the dunghil of their errors that they may be rooted and built up in Jesus Christ In the last place Mr. Trough accuseth us for holding the truth in love though he alter our expressions For t is true we do deny that any can infallibly prove that Christ dyed for him or her in particular but by the testimony of the Spirit of God in the Scriptures if they can let them bring forth their witnesses I am sure that 's an infallible evidence being the witness of God and all other spirits qualifications and witnesses are fallible false without foundation and are built upon the bottomless pit And we do affirme that they who can and do by the Scriptures prove that Christ dyed for them are built upon a sure foundation even the Doctrine of the prophets and Apostles They may by such a Testimony if profane come to be convinced and converted if of a sadned spirit to be comforted some come thus to be delivered out of the bondage of sin others out of the bands of sorrow It puts a check to the presumptuous sinner and lifts up the head of the despairing soul and though Cain Pharaoh Judas and millions of men deny the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction yet that no whit abateth the comfort of the Saints who know and believe the love that the Father hath to them I'ts but a fleeting inconstant comfort for a man to believ that which he hath no assurance of to believe that Christ dyed for him before he know it beyond the reach of doubting for of necessity it must be that he believes he knows not what When we say that men cannot certainly and comfortably conclude that Christ dyed for them but by the word of the living God which says Christ dyed for all and for want of this proof are in any kinde of bondage and trepidation of spirit we do it not to upbraid them but in love and tenderness of soul to free and refresh them and therefore Mr. Trough did very ill as I judge to bring in this as a crime against us but hatred for goodwill is the portion of such as follow Christ And withall you may see the spirits of men how they seek a knot in a rush any thing to make the persons of men odious Surely they that shew their teeth
against those that love them would if they had power bite yea devour such as they hate and count enemies for telling them the truth And if Mr. Trough did not hate us he would never cry out so to the Magistrates and bring railing accusations against us and shun conference with us but would endeavour to debate soberly the points in difference render a reason of his hope and hear ours But I leave this to the Lord and the impartial readers consideration because I hasten to the work only I shall add a saying of Solomons He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him Prov. 18. 17. Pag. 41. through a mistake called pag. 40. lin 7. for Justification read Sanctification The literal or figural faults I desire the Readers to pass by or correct with their pens SCRIPTURE-REDEMPTION freed from Restraint I Have heard and read some Conferences and Controversies concerning the death of Christ and the effects of it but remaining dis-satisfied in part with what men have said and written on both sides I have put forth this to publike view that so they who have any thing to say for or against what I have held forth may publish also their approbation or dislike in order to the investigation of the clear and soul-establishing truth in this point For my part I am satisfied that we shall be judged at the last day by the Word that Christ hath spoken which some call the Letter of the Scriptures and which I say are able to make us wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. and not according to the Comments and Glosses which men have put upon them I know also that Christ died for our sins according to be Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 3. and therefore by the conduct of that Spirit which gave them to us shall begin to prove by these That Christ died or tasted death for all and every man and after give my Reasons why I so judge Yet before I come to lay down these I shall shew you how I hold this point and what Christ dying hath done for every man The first Scripture which I shall present to your consideration is Isai 53. 6. All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Now indeed if there be any that have not gone astray or any that have not turned to their own way then Christ bare not their iniquity But if the contrary be true and all men yea all mankinde have gone out of the way it will undoubtedly follow that the burden of their iniquity was laid on Jesus Christ A second text of Scripture is Joh. 1. 29. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh or beareth away the sin of the world By iniquity of us all and sin of the world in these two texts mentioned I understand the sins against the first Testament sins of ignorance sins committed before conversion or before we knew good or evil the one or first offence of Adam which some call Original Sin as I shall in this ensuing Discourse by the Lords assistance endeavour to make plain to each impartial and humble soul Another text for the proof of this is Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal life Compare this with Acts 10. 34. A fourth plain and positive proof of this truth is Joh. 6. 51. latter part And the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world Sutable to this is that 1 Joh. 4. 9. The next place of Scripture to be considered is 2 Cor. 5. 14. 15. The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but to him that died for them and rose again Where it is evident that the great love of Jesus Christ constrained the Apostle to judge two things viz. that All were dead and that he died for all The Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 2. 5. 6. says thus There is one God and one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransome for all to be testified in due time The seventh place of Scripture plainly proving the truth of this glad tidings is Tit. 2. 11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared A clear proof of this we have also Heb. 2. 9. later part That he by the grace of God should taste death for every man or every one In the ninth place you have an evident testimony to this truth 1 Joh. 2. 2. Who is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but for the sins of the whole world The tenth and last positive proof of this great love of God in Christ lies in two texts viz. Joh. 10. 15. I lay down my life for the sheep and 2. Pet. 2. 1. But there were false prophets among the people as there shall be false teachers among you who shall privily bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction And thus in stead of fallible Arguments which men make by mis-understanding the Scriptures I have produced ten positive Proofs which we finde written in the Word of Truth in express terms declaring that Christ died laid down his life tasted death for and bought all and every man the world the whole world the sheep and those that deny him and shall be destroyed And whether you that read these things will believe Mr. Troughton's ten Arguments or the express Word of the eternal God chuse ye But perchance some may say Though these Scriptures say that Christ died for all c. yet they mean otherwise I answer first by a Querie Whether we shall be judged by the Word as it speaks or as men say it means Secondly if the Word in this means otherwise then it speaks we make God like the worst of men which God forbid and withal men are to blame for reading it to us otherwise then it means Object But all and every man do not always signifie every individual Answ Although the words all and every man do not everywhere intend every individual yet in many places it doth and that it so signifies when the death of Christ is treated of I shall hereafter by the assistance of Jehovah prove by undeniable Reasons Secondly although all and every and the word world are sometimes taken for a part of the whole yet the whole world is never taken but for all sinners as 1 Joh. 2. 2. and 1 Joh. 5. 19. But how comes it to pass may some say if this be so clear a truth that so many godly learned men are of another opinion and maintain that Christ did not die for all
Answ Letting alone their godliness and learning I answer That they who hold the truth in righteousness are and ever were the smaller number Secondly some have taken up their judgements on trust without searching the Scriptures others have searched them partially to maintain an opinion before taken up from others And some few searching seriously and sincerely have been mistaken in that they have not rightly divided the word of truth neither distinguished betwixt the first and second man the first and second Testament the offence of Adam and our actual sins the first and second death but affirm that by Adam's one offence the second death came on him and all mankinde they divide not betwixt life and life justification and justification sanctification and sanctification nor have they opened the nature of Election Redemption Reconciliation and Salvation according to the Scriptures I shall therefore by the help of God endeavour as briefly as possibly I can to discover what death came through Adam's offence and to handle these Scripture-terms Election Redemption c. so as that men may come clearly to see the foundation of that darkness ignorance and errour that hath been amongst the sons of men about the death of Christ for most men following the steps of their fellow-creatures have jogged on in the common road of Tradition not weighing well what the Word of Truth speaks concerning these most weighty matters And that I may the more profitably clear up these things and make the way to them the more plain I shall desire the Reader to consider what by all is acknowledged who truely confess the Deity That there is a twofold manifestation of the love of God to and amongst men the one universal and the other particular or special answerable to his general and special presence and providence the former is called the good will of God Sutable to this is that Luk. 2. 14. Good will towards men and that Psal 145. 9. The Lord is good to all c. not willing that any should perish 2 Pet. 3. 9. The other is that love by which he is said to delight and take pleasure in some as Prov. 11. 20. The upright in their way are his delight and Psal 147. 11. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him and such as hope in mercy The first is called the good will or his love of good will the later his delight or love of delight The former is every way free and every man and woman as the Scripture and experience shews are partakers of it the latter is conditional and onely they that fear the Lord have interest in it According to the former there is Election Creation Redemption Reconciliation Justification Sanctification Vocation and Salvation of and to every man and woman according to the latter onely of and to a part of the sons and daughters of Adam And let me desire the Reader to forbear rash censures and prejudice till he hath considerately perused and pondered what I shall here present concerning these things But before I come to treat of these precious words I shall endeavour according to that light and strength which the Lord hath lent to me to remove one grand obstruction which doth hinder many from understanding how Christ died for all and that is that conceit and received opinion that for the first offence God condemned Adam and all his posterity to the second death which is the lake of fire and brimstone For the doing whereof I shall lay before you the principal proofs that men produce for their judgement in this point Secondly their mis-interpretations of those proofs contrary to Scripture and sound Reason Thirdly what the Word of the eternal God saith concerning the sin of Adam in eating and the punishment that was inflicted for eating the forbidden fruit The first testimony they bring forth is Eph. 2. 1 2 3. You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience among whom also we all had our conversation in time past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the minde and were by nature children of wrath even as others From whence some conclude as formerly I have done that Adam and all his posterity through his eating of the forbidden tree were condemned to the second death And to confirm this their conclusion they say that by Nature is meant nativity or birth and by wrath the second death not considering that wrath is often taken for the anger of God denounced and inflicted here against sin and sinners as Psal 78. 49. and so 't is used above fourty times in Scripture or that nature is never taken for nativity neither is it mentioned as a thing that is evil vile or sinful of it self but a help to the doing of things contained in the Law Rom. 2. 14. a teacher of good things 1 Cor. 11. 14. I confess men do corrupt and abuse Nature sin against it and transgress her laws so they do the Word of God 2 Cor. 2. 17. yet the Word of God is not therefore evil because it is corrupted by men And truely if Nature had been so vile a wicked thing as some say Christ would never have taken our natures upon him Take briefly what I judge the Scriptures hold forth clearly for the opening of this text which in the least props not up their opinion By wrath I understand Gods anger or displeasure against sin so Heb. 3. 11. And by nature I understand partly the substance or the matter of which God hath made us and the members of which are written in his book which though through Adam's sin they are subject to corruption death or perishing in the grave yet they are not vile and wicked in themselves for even the matter and form of them being from God by way of creation and appointment are good But principally by nature the Scriptures hold forth the light which God hath placed in man as it 's clear from Rom. 1. 26. they did things against nature and Rom. 2. 14. when they do by nature the things contained in the Law that is by that light or law which is written in their hearts And withal considering that the text now under consideration speaks of some dead in trespasses and sins wherein they had walked following the devil and fulfilling their lusts we may conclude that by nature is not meant birth neither can it comprehend all mankinde forasmuch as infants have not so walked But this may be evidently seen in the text that whilst Paul or the Ephesians or any others walked in sins followed the course and counsel of the devil fulfilled the desires of the flesh and of the minde they were dead in trespasses and sins children of disobedience and by nature children of wrath even as others Nature
or the light set up in their hearts by the Lord did accuse them and present to their understandings the anger and displeasure of God and speak wrath to them even as it did and still doth to others so that as the Law worketh wrath Rom. 4. 15. to them that transgress it so nature worketh wrath to those that do things against her and maketh their consciences to accuse them Rom. 2. 15 16. yea doth not your own experience tell you that when you do evil there is a light within that discovers it into you yea that chides and checks you yea that terrifies you and flasheth wrath in your faces this is nature and when you find it is thus with you Know that ye are by nature children of wrath Thus you see how the first text which they produce to prove that all men were condemn'd to the second death for Adam's sin called the one offence speaks no such thing The second text which I have heard alleadged for their opinion is Rom. 6. 23. For the wages of sin is death whence I and others have concluded but very absurdly That for Adams one offence he and all his posterity were adjudg'd to the second death But consider what is written in the 16 verse As ye have yeelded your members servants to unrighteousness and in the 21 verse What fruit had ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death and then let any sober soul that is not wise above what is written judge whether the Apostle doth in the least mind the Romans of Adam's offence or whether he doth not wholly treat of the sin done in their own bodies and thence conclude that the wages of sin is death and implies that if they had gone on in such sins they should have had eternal death their wages Object But if it be yet objected that the wages of any sin is death Answ I grant it But the wages of any sin is not every kind of death for by Adam's offence comes the first death or mortality over all for Adam by his offence becoming mortal could not beget an immortal creature for he begat a son in his own likeness Gen. 5. 3. mortal mutable and the sins which men commit against that gracious God who giveth life and breath and all things through his Son not confessed and forsaken bring the second death So you see also how this text of eternal truth wrested of men and forced to speak what they would have it doth not prove what they affirm viz. That Adam and all mankind were for his own offence condemn'd to the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death but speaketh wholly of that which we usually call actual sins The third and last text which hath been alleadged for this conceit is Rom. 5. 18. As by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one came the free gift upon all men to the justification of life Whence they conclude as I have done in the dayes of ignorance That Adam and all his sons and daughters that ever were are or shall be for the eating of the forbidden fruit were condemned to the lake of fire c. but very falsly as you shall soon see for 1. If condemnation here be to the second death and justification of life endless glory as they say it is then none shall be damned at the appearing of Jesus Christ for the text says As by the offence of one c. condemnation even so by the righteousness of one c. life But to avoyd this they have devised this shift That though all men in the former part of the verse signifies the whole lump of mankind yet all in the latter part of the verse intends only some of them But how they found out this witty speculation I do not know for-the words are plain and clear as the Sun in the brightest noon-day As by the offence of one All men to condemnation even so c. all men to the justification of life I judge therefore that the ground of their mistake is the same which once was the cause of mine in this point even the want of skill rightly to divide the word of truth and to distinguish between Justification by blood and justification through faith and betwixt the life that now is and that which is to come as I shall plainly demonstrate when I come to treat of justification according to the Scriptures and as I have before promised In the mean space I confess I cannot but admire how I was and some yet are so besotted as to say that All in one part of the text is shorter then in the other when the Spirit of God says even so c. Surely to make that odde I mean longer or shorter which God hath made even to add to or diminish from his word is dangerous presumption What I understand by this Scripture I shall therefore breifly lay before you thus As by Adams offence all men were condemn'd to dye so by Jesus Christ being justified from that offence they do all live and shall rise againe from the grave and this agreeth with other Scriptures Col. 1. 17. By him all things consist compared with 1 John 4. 9. 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. For since by man came death by man came the resurrection of the dead for as in Adam all dye even so by Christ shall all be made alive Rom. 5. 19. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous by which I understand that many even all mankinde were made sinners by the imputation of Adams sin and by Christ's obedience even to death on the Cross Phil. 2. 8. many even all mankinde were made righteous i. e. cleared and acquitted from that which was imputed to them in Adam and this shall be testified in due time when all men shall rise again from the dust freed from their sin and stand before the Lord to give an account for the things done in their own bodies I do believe that if we had not had a Ransome the whole lump of mankinde had perished for ever in the first death But there is not one text of Scripture that speaks any thing of punishment in the second death for Adam's fault men may endeavour to prove such a thing by dark consequences but there can be found no plain text or sound reason for it for first of all God did not threaten it Gen. 2. 17. speaking thus In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die or dying thou shalt die Secondly God when he came to give sentence upon disobedient Adam makes no mention of it certainly he pronounced that judgement which he threatned Gen. 3. 17. to the 19. onely thus Because thou hast hearkned to the voice of thy wife and hast eaten c. dust thou art and to dust thou shalt
return When a Judge shall condemn a man to be burnt in the hand for some offence if the standers by shall go away and report that he condemned him to be burnt at a stake to ashes it would be both bold and ridiculous yea perhaps punishable and if so to mis-report the judgement of a man that must die how much more to mis-interpret or mis-represent the Sentence of a righteous and immortal God Thirdly we read Rom. 14. 12. Every man shall give an account of himself to God and 2 Cor. 5. 10. All must appear before the judgement-seat of Christ and receive according to the things done in their own body according to what they have done whether good or bad Read and consider Joh. 5. 29. 1 Pet. 1. 17. Rev. 20. 12 13. Fourthly the Lord hath sworn that the childe shall not die for the iniquity of the father Jer. 31. 29. 30. Ezek. 18. 4. In the resurrection we all believe that infants even dying a day old shall have their part who cannot be said by any sober spirit to have any sin to answer for but what was through Adam imputed to them and if they shall then die the second time or second death for that sin then the Lords oath is in vain which God forbid I had rather believe the Lords oath then mans vain words yea let God be true and every man a lyer who by their ignorance hold forth as if God doth condemn infants twice for Adam's sin first to the grave then to the second death Fifthly from the second death there is no redemption or deliverance see Luke 16. 26. Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed so that they who would pass from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence which quite crosseth that fond opinion of some who think that at the day of judgement men shall come out of the place of torments to stand in the presence of God to receive their doom I know that hell i. e. the grave shall then give up her dead and the dead shall rise and stand before the throne but it 's not said they shall come out of the second death to be judged Sixthly if Adam and all his posterity were for the first offence by some called Original sin condemned to the second death then to redeem him from it Christ must die the second death or by his death prevent something that Adam brought upon himself and his posterity The one he could not the other he did not and I challenge the whole world to prove either of them by Scripture though I know there be that boldly affirm such things viz. That Christ to save the world endured the torments which the damned shall for ever endure in hell Lastly the Scripture doth nowhere make mention of any other death for eating of the prohibited tree but the first death and therefore the second death comes not for that transgression That which is written is for our learning but men not content with this have sought out many Arguments to prove their judgements and so have clouded up the truth from themselves and others and have affirmed that Adam was a spiritual man his paradise spiritual his state spiritual and a state of salvation the tree spiritual and many such unwritten things contrary to the Scriptures which affirm that the first man was natural or earthly 1 Cor. 15. 46 47. and that there is no salvation in any other but Christ Acts 4. 14. who was not promised when Adam fell with many other places directly opposing their fancies However some that would fain be wise above what is written have raised so much dust and darkness that they cannot see how it 's possible that Christ should die for all men seeing all receive not spiritual life and eternal salvation by his death which they think Adam lost And indeed I see not how they can until they see what Adam was a natural man and what he lost a precious pleasant garden and whither he was condemned viz. to the dust And if they would but open their eyes to see these things they might easily discern the truth of the other although spiritual life and eternal glory be not enjoyed by all Adam's posterity And for the further clearing up of this I proceed by the help of God to shew you as before resolved what the Word of Truth holds forth concerning Election Creation c. under a twofold consideration Universal and Special Cast not away these things because strange but prove them whether they be true I begin first with Election which is God's loving regarding or setting his heart upon lost mankinde and ordaining or appointing them to serve him and such as serve him to be saved and is General or Particular General thus When Angels and Men were fallen from their first estate he chose neither the disobedient Angels in whom folly was found nor any other creature but he set his heart upon man Job 7. 17. and Psal 144. 3. What is man that thou takest knowledge of him or the son of man that thou makest account of him Now what account did he make of man Why thus he so regarded that poor lost creature that he chose or appointed him to live in this world to stand in his sight and serve him but withal mark this that the affection he bare to him and the account he made of him was by and through Christ the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world in or by whom he chose man to be holy and without blame before him in love If any shall say that that 's spoken of the Apostle Paul and the Saints at Ephesus I grant it but withal I would willingly know whether he hath chosen appointed or ordained any man to be unholy and blameable c. or whether there be a middle choice or appointment of God If there be shew it Sure I think there is no man that hath not parted with his Reason that will so far dishonour him that gave it to him as to say that God hath fore-ordained chosen or appointed any to be unholy or unclean as they were men and women onely when they reject his counsel he gives them up to their own hearts lusts and leaves them many times to themselves having waited long to be gracious yea upon some a very long time But some have I heard affirm most confidently that God did appoint men to be disobedient that as he appointed some to the means of salvation so he appointed others to the means of damnation which is sin and that all the unbelief and disobedience of men is committed by the decree and appointment of God as well as foreknown to him To whom I answer Surely these are some of those hard speeches and ungodly words spoken of Jude vers 15. which God will one day come to convince men of and punish for if they repent not For first I querie Whether unbelief and disobedience
God hath given to his Son to give to whom he will and he will give it to such as hear his voice and follow him so that it is plain to me and many thousands more that there was before time an election or appointment of all men to the means of grace and also of such as in time do believe through the Spirit to everlasting glory Object But faith is the gift of God and men cannot believe except God give Faith Answ In this poor souls lye sadly in the dark because their Teachers have not rightly divided the word of truth to them That I may therefore shew you how faith is the gift of God I must desire you to consider that faith is taken chiefly two wayes in the Scripture First For the doctrine of Christ the Gospel so 't is taken Jud. 3. ver Contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints so t is taken Gal. 1. 23. so also Gal. 3. 23. Before faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith that was afterwards to be reveal'd Rom. 10. 8. the Apostle speaking of the Gospel sayes This is the word of Faith So it is taken Eph. 2. 8. By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works c. As if he had say'd Our salvation is not by the Law of works but by the Gospel which is the gift of God and is called the Gospel of our salvation Eph. 1. 13. and salvation Act. 28. 28. God hath given three great gifts to men Christ Faith and Life and these three are as fully and freely the Gifts of God one as the other onely by faith so taken as a gift I understand the truth or Gospel of God Secondly Faith is taken for the duty of believing as Heb. 11. throughout Rom. 10. 17. Jam. 3. 2. with many other places and it imports the act of the creature enabled by the Lord to believe Obj. Is it not said To you it is given on the behalf of Christ not onely to believe but also to suffer for his sake Answ I know God doth give or grant men to believe and suffer he gives the power or ability to believe or suffer or else it were impossible that men should do either all our sufficiency is of God he gives the object of Faith Christ or the Word of Truth and he gives power or ability to believe this truth But to say that God gives the duty or act of faith is not common sense for that were all one as to say that God believes and obeys for he that acts a thing is said to do it and he that acts faith is the believer He worketh in his creatures to will and to do and then it 's their duty to work out their salvation with fear c. not with fear lest God should fail them but lest they should come short c. For the fuller discovery of this consider seriously what is said Isai 43. 9 10. Let all the nations be gathered together let all the people be assembled who amongst them can declare this and shew us former things let them bring for their witnesses that they may be justified or let them hear and say It is truth Ye are my witnesses saith the Lord and my servant whom I have chosen that ye MAY know and believe me and understand that I am he Before me there was no God formed neither shall there be after me Whence I see first when men hear truth they may and must acknowledge it Secondly that all Nations may know and believe God and that there is none but he c. Thirdly that all people are and shall be witnesses against themselves and Christ is and shall be witness that they MAY know and believe God and indeed nothing hinders men from doing these things but self-will the Devil and false Teachers who say that God hath not given all men ability and understanding to know and believe God and people are very glad of such doctrine that they may lye in their sins and yet lay the fault upon God and say that he doth not give them power to do what he requires of them and if he would give them more grace then they would do better and so blessing themseves in their hearts go on in their wickedness hoping to finde an excuse in the last day that God was wanting to them contrary to Isa 5. 4. where the Lord enquires What could have been done more to his Vineyard which he had not done for it to which Mr. Troughton and the rest which hold such principles might reply that God might have done more for he might have brought forth good grapes for them or force them to bring forth good grapes by an unresistable power which he never did nor ever will though poor ignorant creatures have so taught and believed contrary to Rom. 1. 19 20. and chap. 2. 15 16. where it's clear that God hath furnished every man with so much means for the knowledge and obeying of him as will leave them without excuse which is granted by all Object But say they though it may leave them without excuse yet it may not be sufficient to salvation Answ This is most unbeseeming the mouth of a sober man for if the means of grace extended by the Lord to men be sufficient for the glorifying of him it is not too little for the glorifying of them Againe those means which men afford their servants for the doing of their work will not leave them without excuse if not sufficient to effect that which is expected from them through those means and will men still make God an austere master reaping where he did not sow God forbid He was called a wicked and slethful servant Mat. 25. 26 27. that taxed the most High with such dealings And the hard speeches of men who say that God expects more from men then he gives them ability to do and that he will punish them with eternal damnation to whom he gives not means sufficient to salvation will one day be rewarded as that servant was Matth. 25. 28 30. if they repent not Shall not the judge of all the earth do right Gen. 18. 25. I beseech the Reader to weigh well that which the Spirit of God speaks Job 34. 23. for he will not lay upon man more then right that should enter into judgement with God Surely if all men shall be left without excuse it shall be by having sufficient means for the doing of that which God expected from them in their generation and for not doing whereof they shall be damn'd Read Matth. 25. 45 46. and 2 Thes 1. 8. chap. 2. 10. 11 12. But if they had not what was sufficient for enabling them to know God and believe the truth unto salvation they will have an excuse viz. that now they must be damn'd but it is because God gave them not sufficient means to know him and believe his
water in the face though they be but a day old Neither doth he command men and women first of all to be baptized nay he doth not expect men to repent till they are warned by his light or word discovering sin to them nor to believe before they know what nor to know any more then he declares but first hear then know after that believe repent and be baptized and by this they come out from Babel are separated and distinguished from the world and made manifest to be professors of truth and members of the body of Christ for men are not fitted for Church-membership according to the primitive pattern and Scripture-account till they are baptizâ—â— consider Acts 2. 41 42. neither are they fit to be buried with Christ in baptisme till they repent i. e. turn to God from errors in judgement and practice yea are dead to them neither will men ever do this rightly till they believe that which is written in the law and in the prophets apply it to their own souls and cast themselves upon God for life and salvation through Christ alone Neither can they ever thus believe till they know by an infallable testimony what God hath done for them by Christ and till men come to search the Scriptures and hear the Spirit there speaking to their souls and give up themselves to that eternal truth and perfect teaching of the Spirit which only is for our learning they will never know that certainly Qu. What shall they do that have not the Scriptures I answer as Christ did to Peter in another case yet much like this Joh. 21. 22. What is that to thee follow thou Christ in the light that is given thee he knows what he laid down and what to require and how to reward every man according to his works Thus as by the steps of Jacobs ladder men ascend to the Lord attaine to the measure of the stature of Christ come to have fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus and to walk with God who as I hinted but even now doth begin the work and every part of the work of the new creation leaving man to do nothing but what he hath enabled him to do and so without all excuse in case of neglect yet many do neglect their duty which God hath left them to do which together with the committing of that which God hath declared to be evil is counted sin and shall be the onely cause of mens condemnation in the last day Read Mat. 25. 45. 2 Thes 1. 8 9. Doth God command men to hear which is the first duty required of us in order to the new creation he gives ears Psal 94. 9. Neither doth he call upon little Infants to hear Deut. 11. 2. to 8. Doth he command men to see consider and understand he gives eyes heart and understanding Obj. But is it not said Deut. 29. 4. that God had not give them eyes to see a heart to perceive and ears to hear unto this day It is so said and it is true as it is written onely men consider not where the sound and force of that saying is for most place it in these words the Lord hath not given and I finde by the Scriptures that it is to be placed in these words Vnto this day for once they did see the Lords wonders and sang his praises as you may prove Deut. 11. 5 6 7 8. compared with Exod. 15. Psal 106. 12. But they forgat his works and God withdrew his light they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit so he turned to be their enemy Isa 63. 10. they once knew and understood that it was the Lord that delivered them but for their rebellion he forsook them and continued not that light with them Ye have seen the wonders that God did before their eyes c. Deut. 29. 2 3. Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive c. VNTO THIS DAY v. 4. And indeed God hath nowhere promised that he will continue Light and understanding to a people that still disobey him The Lord is with us while we are with him if we forsake him he will forsake us 2 Chron. 15. 2. There have been many in our age who neglecting to follow the light which they saw have been left in darkness and though God did once give them a heart to perceive and eyes to see c. yet he hath not given these to them VNTO THIS DAY By this you may perceive that God is not wanting on his part to carry on the new or special creation but men are wanting to do their duty when the Lord calls them from sin they refuse to come and delight still in their carnal state till the Lord forsakes them and will no longer wait on them nor suffer his Spirit to strive with them You may also see that the Reason why there are no more new creatures is this they hearken not to the teachings of him that gave them their being in the general creation but reject the counsel of God against themselves as the Scribes and Pharisees did Mat. 21. 31. Luk. 7. 30. And by this Lastly you may see that creation is General and special General of all men by Jesus Christ special of such as receive the word and obey it in Jesus Christ In the former is nothing required of the creature in the latter so much is justly expected as the Lord enables him to do Obj. But is it not said 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth or comprehendeth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he knew them because they are spiritually discern'd Answ For the better understanding of the minde of God in this place we must first consider what is meant here by the things of the Spirit of God which the Apostle shews us in the 9 and 10 verses to be those things which God hath prepared for them that love him even the spiritual treasures of grace and glory which shall be brought to the Saints at the revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 7. 13. Secondly What is meant by the natural man which also the same Apostle explains in the 15 chapter of this same Epistle vers 44 45 46. There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body as it is written The first Adam was made a living soul the last Adam was made a quickning spirit Howbeit that it is not first that be spiritual but that which is natural c. Adam or man as man by general creation is this natural man beware then lest you affirme that Adam was created a spiritual man Thirdly What God hath prepared and that is a Kingdome Matth. 25. 34. A place or mansion John 14. 3. A city Heb. 11. 16. an inheritance undefiled 1 Pet. 1. 4 c. Fourthly Who they are that love him such as keep his commandments Joh. 14. 21. i. e. such as observe all Christs commands and his commands onely
will yea Oath of God I have already shew'd Secondly all rational and unbyassed men that fear God know that the world in Scripture-phrase is opposite to the Lords chosen ones as John 15. 19. John 17. 9. Thirdly It is inconsistent with the Tenents of Mr. Tro. and others with him for they say the Lord chose a certain number of men to everlasting life without reference to any faith and obedience from which Election they could never fall and if so what need of reconciliation therefore it must needs be of some that were not in favour for it 's very improper to say that God was in Christ reconciling the beloved of his soul to himself which never did nor ever could lose his favour But this will be more plain when we consider into what state mankind was bought and brought by the blood of Christ and that is not to eternal life for he did not buy all men or any man that by the pouring out of his blood only without faith repentance they or any one of them being come to yeers of discretion should be saved for if redemption and reconciliation had been such and so fully absolute as to this what need the Apostle have besought the Corinthians so earnestly that they would be reconcil'd to God 2 Cor. 5. 20. And if some men shall be saved in glory onely and alone because Christ dyed for them then those many melting invitations tender intreatings with all the exhortations admonitions reprehensions instructions and other teachings of the Lord might have been spared But therefore I hold that men even all men were delivered redeemed or bought out of the hands of their enemies that they might live through Christ here in this world Secondly that they might live to him that dyed for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5. 15. i. e. through him believe Joh. 1. 7. and serve God in holiness and righteousness before c. Thirdly That they who for nought had sold themselves to death and the devil might rise again from the dead In a word as God through Christ chose or appointed all men to serve him and by Christ created or made all Nations of men to seek him as the Scriptures say so by the blood of his Son he bought again or redeem'd lost mankinde And if it be true that all men without a Christ were once dead and now living by him are bound in duty to live to him it 's as true that he dyed for or bought all And that these things are true you may clearly see if you read and seriously consider 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. where the Apostle being proving that all were dead a thing it seems somewhat strange to the Corinthians doth it thus If one dyed for all they were all dead And that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but to him that dyed for them and rose againe It seems that they onely are bound to live to Christ for whom he dyed and rose againe That all are bound to live to him none dare deny that all men shall be rais'd by Jesus at the last day is true as I have before shew'd And that Christ bought or redeemed all men See John 10. 15. and 2 Pet. 2. 1. Now none will deny that he bought the sheep that is such as confess him hear his voyce and follow him and Peter saies There shall be false teachers c. denying the Lord that bought them so that he bought them also who deny him and are destroyed Object But the Lord that bought them is not the Lord Jesus say some Answ They that shall say so and teach men to say so are in this some of those false teachers who deny the onely Lord even our Lord Jesus Christ If they shall say 't is the Father Answ Christ and his Father are one shew another Lord. Object But saith the Objector The price wherewith they were bought was some other price then the blood of Christ Answ 1. When he shall shew me what that other price is with which false teachers are bought I shall believe him and not before for it 's not exprest in Scripture 2. He may as well say that the Saints at Corinth were not redeem'd or bought by the blood of Christ because it s not mentioned 1 Cor. 6. 20. and 7. 23. Object But the word in the Original signifies to buy without a price or acquire men into the Profession of Gods service I Answer first This is utterly false and though it be not alwaies meant to buy or acquire with blood yet whatsoever men purchase buy or acquire they lay out study labour industry health friends strength mony or some other means or price by which they get or compass their desires Object But is it not sayd Come buy c. without money and without price Isa 55. 1. Answ First we cannot buy spiritual things with mony or silver as some Translations render it But Secondly He that comes to the Lord to obtain any mercy if he come without the blood of Christ upon his soul be sure he will acquire or get none And whereas it hath been said that Christ doth acquire men into the profession of his service I demand whether he doth acquire them to serve him or profess his service really or seemingly If really then it 's the same that I say Christ did really buy men that they might really serve him and because some serve Satan and others serve God in hypocrisie they shall together have their portion with their Father and Master the Devil in the lake of fire If seemingly then Christ by their doctrine acquires or gets men to be Hypocrites for seeming service or the profession of service which is not real is all one and both abhor'd Hypocrisie The Lord in mercy yet grant men space to repent of these their hard sayings Object It s true say some that Christ dyed for all and bought all in a sense but dyed not for all alike I Answer The question is not in what sense Christ dyed for all or bought all but whether the thing be true and if he dyed for all in any sense as you call it it is true that he ransomeed all But say others All were bought by Christ to live by him and shall rise by him But not as a Mediator These poor cavils and senseless shifts are not worth answering I shall onely say this to them That when the Objectors can prove what they say by the Scriptures viz. that Christ dyed two waies I shall heed their sayings in the mean space such expressions are so far from the form of sound words that I fear they flow rather from a critical then conscientious spirit that seeketh truth in the love of it I have shew'd you what the Scriptures say and how according to them Christ dyed for all so that all live by him and ought to live to him I desire not to be wise above what is written I come
calls forth any soul he furnisheth that creature with every thing necessary for the doing of what he expects from him For the better understanding of this consider that for the enabling of creatures to act there is a twofold power requisite yet both from God through Christ The first is that he hath given to men and women as they are his creatures for as such they can hear see know understand walk c. And the second comes forth from him to them when they are able to discerne betwixt good and evil and this is the law light or motions of the Spirit of God presenting his goodness love or grace to them by this to lead them towards him forbidding them to do evil and bidding them do well The former fits us to do or act the latter to do well and till this latter I mean the law light or teachings of God come in some dispensation or other the creature cannot neither is it required to act according to the rule of Obedience to God but when this is come and the Lord layes truth before them they may know and believe him cease from evil and learn to do well according to the light law or power appearing as I have before shewed from Isa 43. 9 10. But some perhaps may say that I detract from the free grace of the Creator and attribute something to the creature as if he could contribute somthing towards his coming to God and his eternal happiness I hear there are many that talk much of free grace understanding neither what they say neither what they affirme for though the love grace mercy goodness or kindness of Jehovah being all but one and the same be ever free yet it is not alwayes without a conditian for Gods appointing of creating redeeming justifying sanctifying and calling of all men to live here to seek and serve him be so free that God required nothing of the creature to do these things for him he ask't no price made no bargain no man sought to him in the business but he alone moved by his own love towards a miserable lost creature finished the fore-mentioned works from the foundation of the world for all mankind yet they that believe not shall not enter into rest For the Lords sake read and consider Heb. 4. 1 2 3. so that now if men will injoy further manifestations of the love of God they must fulfill the conditions which God requires of all such as would have such enjoyments for therefore hath the Great Jehovah done all those things for men freely that men through consideration had of his love might love him that loved them first and hereupon he will yet love them and shew more of his kindness to them Weigh the words of our Saviour well Joh. 14. 21. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and my Father will love him and I will love him and will manifest my self to him It is not to be doubted but the Father and Christ did love those that keep his commands before their Obedience yea before they were born yea so well as to redeem sanctifie and justifie them by the blood of the Lamb from the power or extent of suffering that came by Adams sin or else they had never been born and so could never have been obedient yet here he says My Father will love him and I will love him c. according to that Psal 147. 11. His delight is in them that fear him This further manifestation of love is upon condition and this was the way and purpose of God from the beginning If thou dost well thou shalt be accepted The Lord is with you whilst ye are with him and if seek ye him he will be found of you 2 Chr. 15. 2. He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall finde mercy Pro. 18. 13. Hear and your soul shall live Isa 55. 3. see vers 7. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16. 16. Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open unto me I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me Rev. 3. 20. And if any man doth his will he shall know the doctrine shall be the mother brethren and sisters of Christ God will hear him and he shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Joh. 7. Mark 3. 35. Joh. 9. 31. Mat. 7. 21. But can the grace of God be said to be free when there is a condition of something to be done by us for the obtaining of it I answer Very well it may be free though it be our duty to receive and obey the giver For first God shews man what he would have done Mica 6. 8. and made all the promises of grace freely none moving him thereto nor any as men excluded from them Secondly It is he that gives all the ability by which we do what he layes before us Thirdly He might require us to do more then he hath yet have made no promises of further grace or of eternal life which is the gift of God and if this last were well understood and explained it would overthrow all the Popish doctrines of merits both of condignity and congruity for without controversie all the obedience of the whole race of mankind is not able to conterpoise much less deserve the least of the mercies which we enjoy as to this life and if God had laid more labour upon us and yet given us only what is here below we could not have said he had been a hard master If he had not pleased to have declared unto us by his Spirit the grace that shall be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ we should never have heard or thought of it It must of necessity be then that the mercy of God to eternal life and his continued manifestation of grace in Order thereunto are most free for Fourthly Hearing the word of God faith repentance baptism prayer praising of God and other works of Gospel-obedience which God enables us to do stand us in nothing they are not like the costly and Burdensom ceremonies of the Jews the Lord onely requires that we should worship him in Spirit and in truth that is as the word of Christ which is Spirit and truth and life teacheth us Lastly our receiving or believing of light truth love and mercyes of God is so far from making it not to be a free gift that this makes it to be so to each particular for though God gave his Son the Gospel and eternal life freely yet no man hath either of these to himself as his proper right to his everlasting happiness except he receive it If a man leave as a legacie two hundred pound to be divided equally by his steward between twenty persons by him named the steward sending for those persons declares his Lords love and gift offers it to them and to their benefit who reject what was bequeathed it becomes a free gift
it then I confess that God by Christ hath not saved all men but if all shall rise again then he is the Saviour of all men as the Scripture saith and as I from that word of truth have declared But some say T is not Christ but the Father that raiseth them up Others say That they rise by the power of Christ but not as a Mediator These weak Objections and many other silly shifts men have devised to evade the truth and prop up an opinion but being not worth taking notice of referring the reader to what hath been before said I come to answer one Objection with which men fly in the face of God which is this T is true say they God will raise up all men in the great day by Jesus Christ but it were better they were let lye in the grave for ever for he delivers them out of a bad to a worse condition First I deny that the principal end of Gods raising up men from the grave is to damn them but that all ungodly men may see what great salvation they have neglected and that for the neglect thereof they must now be punished Read I beseech you 2 Thes 2. 8 9. Heb. 2. 2. And that all godly men and ungodly too may see the clear impartial righteous judgement and pure justice of Jehovah the one declaring it by their praises of God in their mouths as Revel 16. 5 6 7. the other by their speechless silence when they shall not be able to open their mouth or hold up their faces before him that sitteth upon the throne and in the presence of the Lamb whose love and waies they have despised And lastly that after the righteous sentence is passed every man may receive according to their works 2 Cor. 5. 10. Secondly this Objection is contrary to many maximes of truth which declare that life in it selfe is a blessing and that annihilation or totall deprivation of a being is one of the greatest plagues but especially it vilifies the Principal doctrine of the gospel even the doctrine of the resurrection without which no man could have any sound comfort or incouragement in any service or sufferings for the sake of Christ Thirdly It teacheth men to reproach and upbraid God for his kindness to them They may as well say that God is the Author of their sin in that he through his Son created them as that he is the Author of their damnation in that he raiseth them up by the same Jesus Christ What you might truly say of that Servant who shall murder the onely Son of his Master who redeemed him out of a most miserable slavery and gave him liberty to serve him in the nearest relation that shall upbraid his Lord bringing of him to a just tryal and say it had been better for me to have abode still in slavery then to be tormented for my wickedness or wish that he had not brought him out of his bondage c. we justly say of those men who fancy the forementioned Objection yea the damn'd themselves will not dare to speak such words before the throne of God but shall be convinced by their owne amazed consciences that they shall then suffer for the doing of that wickedness which they should and might have avoided and the not doing of that good which God gave them ability and opportunity to do and not because God made them or raised them But say some God appointed them to be disobedient and to commit those sins for which he will damn them I confess if that were true then the poor damn'd wretches might hope to have something to plead with the great Judge for an excuse but it 's most untrue as it hath been shew'd I confess this is the great objection which the devil and ungodly men ever raised which brings the greatest advantage to Satan the greatest encouragement to sinners the greatest discomfort to the Saints and the greatest dishonour to God of any thing that ever shall or can be uttered by the mouth of any mortal man being contrary to all Scripture which declares against all the unrighteousness of men and appearance of evil shews us that our God is of purer eyes then to behold vanity and reason which will surely tell us that God would never appoint men to do that which he abhors or condemn men for doing what he had appointed them or at least for not doing that which he never gave them either ability or call to perform But say some what if it were the pleasure of God to make a thousand worlds and to destroy them all I answer first That is not nor ever will be the pleasure of God to do that which he hath not revealed for he will do nothing but he will reveal his secrets to his servants c. Secondly These are unlearned questions and it argues that when men are put to such shifts they have nothing to say from the word of truth for their opinions and therefore I shall forbear to follow them in their foolish curiosities when they presume to be wise above what is written Lastly God is so far from taking pleasure in destroying one whole world that he is not willing that any should perish 2 Pet. 3 9. Neither doth he willingly afflict noâ— grieve the children of men Lam. 3. 33. Yea he hath sworn that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his wicked way and live Ezek. 33. 11. Object Yet the Lord hath made the wicked for the day of evil Prov. 16. 4. I answer first But that doth not say that he hath made any men as they are men for the day of evil neither doth it say that God made men wicked as many say now a dayes But he hath appointed and ordained that wicked men shall be destroyed such as refuse and rebell Isa 1. such as turn the grace of God into wantonness Jude 4. they that believe not Heb. 3. 18 19. neither repent of their wicked deeds Luk. 13. 3. but rejecting the Gospel not considering nor laying to heart the loving kindness of the Lord go on in their whoredome lying swearing stealing drunkenness revilings heresies covetousness and all abominations these shall be turned into Hell with all the Nations that forget God Psal 9. 17. but that God did ever make or appoint men to be whoremongers lyars theeves or hereticks c. that so he might destroy them is most abominable to imagine In a word God is so far from making men wicked or destroying them as they are his creatures that when Adam had destroyed himself and the whole world of men in him by original or the first sin the Lord freely through Christ forgave it and delivered or saved him and in him all his posterity for had Adam at that instant dyed all had perished for ever with him but they are so far saved from that destruction that he giveth life to the world Joh. 7. 33. and though men
14 15. but all and every man and woman in the world are not the Sheep of Christ therefore he died only for the Sheep I besâ—ech the Reader to behold the fallacy of this sophisticall fillogism by a parallell thus out of Gal. 2. 20. Christ loved the Apostle Paul aâ—d gave himselfe for him but every man and woman in the world is not the Apostle Paul therefore he gave himself only for the Apostle Paul whether this be good Logick let the godly Reader judge yet this is as good as M. Troughtons as any man that is not byassed by partiality may easily discern and of this Nature all his Arguments are if you search them to the bottom But he thinks to help himself by saying that though Christ says not his Seeep only yet he means so and he endeavours to prove his conception by saying that though the Scripture sayes not we are justified only by faith yet it means so I answer the Scripture neither â—ays so nor means so for then all infants must be damn'd which I think M. Tro. will not affirm though I confesse he is very positive in matters of the greatest improbability for all those infants that shall be saved were never justified â—y faith yet justified by the bloud of the Lamb or they shall never enter into life and here let the wise and godly judge whether M. Troughton leaning to his own wisdome and the wisdome which is from above hath not brought in an evidence to provâ— his cause that speaks directly against him and for the truth of God and besides I have before shewâ—d how all are justified sanctified and redeemed and therefore shall here spend the lesse time to answer these reasons which he thinks impregnable though others see they are but ropes of sand But sayes he those that Christ died for shall live eternall life and shall never perish but all men have not eternall life but many shall perish eternally therefore he died not for all I answer first this Sophistry is like all the rest of M. Troughtons reasons and though it be finely span and cunningly woven yet it 's but a spiders web and truth will tear it in pieces for the Scriptures say that they deny the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves destruction and so thy weak brother perish for whom Christ died 1 Cor. 8. 11. with many other places I know that Christ layed down his life for his sheep and for the Apostle Paul and all the Saints but not as sheep or Saints for no Scripture sayes so but for sinners for the ungodly for the world which are in opposition to sheep and Saints And again as it 's true that he died for the sheep so it is as true that he bought those that do deny him if the Scripture may decide the controversie Secondly I answer such fallacious consequences as these do even strike at the root of the Gospell of Grace and free love of God and quits the divell and all ungodly men of bringing destruction upon themselves and implies that men shall be condemn'd for want of a Redeemer neither will that thred-bare shift that men shall be damned because they fell in Adam serve any mans turn especially M. Tro. who hath acknowledged in his sixth Argument as he calls it that God will not take double payment for the same sin now all must once die by reason of that offence and if after they shall be raised again they shall be damn'd for it again then there is a double punishment inflicted for one offence which God will never do but if it be because Christ never died for them as M. Tro. and thousands of deceived souls seem to say let them produce a text of Scripture or els we shall not believe them if they say for unbelief and disobedience which is most true and sometimes these men will say so then there is a Christ to be believed in and obeyed by them But says M. Tro. There is a higher cause why men believe not to salvation and have not eternall life then the stubbornesse of mens hearts but shews not what only adds ye believe not because ye are not my sheep i. e. saith he in another place because ye are not elected if that be his meaning he hath made the remedy worse then the disease and andeavour'd to help himselfe by a text that speaks truth against errors for Christ doth not say ye believe not because ye are not elected Ioh. 10. 26. but because ye are not my sheep i. e. because ye hear not my voice as you may see in the next verse and I desire to know how men can believe if they hear not his words as they are laid before them seeing as the Apostle sayes faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 17. but if he mean the cause is Gods decreeing of their unbelief as many hold I have through the Lords assistance disproved such opinions before and only here pray that the thoughts of his heart may be forgiven him if his day of mercy be not past But he subjoyns another text which he thinks also makes for his purpose Deut 29. 2 3 4. ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eys in the Land of Aegypt unto Pharoah and to all his servants and to all his Land the great temptations which thine eys have seen the signs and those miracles yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eys to see and ears to hear unto this day from whence as I perceive he would perswade men to believe that there are some men to whom God did never afford ability to perceive see and hear his words and wonders and this viz. Gods not giving these things is a higher cause of their unbelief then the stubbornnesse of their own hearts and so the dirt must still be flung at Gods door but such thoughts are all vain and abhominable for the spirit speaks expresly twice in the second and third verses that their eys had seen all that the Lord did the great temptations signs and miracles c. I desire to know who gave them those eys if it was not the Lord who made the seeing eye and hearing ear but it 's true he continued not light to them unto that day viz. the time that Moses spake these words to them but took away their wisdome their light their understanding their counsell as a man may do many courtesies for his friend or servant if they prove false and rebellious he discontinues his courtesies so the Lord dealt with the Israelites he bare them as on Eagles wings and carried them in the daies of old and said surely they are my people c. but they rebelled and vexed his spirit so he was their enemy and fought against them Isa 63. 9. 10. see a further reason of their Lords withdrawing his light from them and leaving them to their own counsells Psal 81. where the Lord recounts his
mercies verse 6. and 7. layes before them his Law 8 9 and 10. but my people would not hearken to me Israel would none of me so I gave them to their own hearts lusts they walked in their own counsells ver 11 12. to this purpose read heedfully Psal 78. 10. to 54 and Psal 106. throughout who so curseth his father his light shall be put out in obscure darknesse Pro. 20. 20. how much more they that despise the counsell of God and murmure against him the candle of the wicked shall be put out Pro. 24. 20. see also Job 17. 5. 6. ch 21. 17. the spirit of man is the Lords candle searching the innermost parts of the belly Pro. 20. 27. did not the Lord take away this candle light or lamp from Saul Nebuchaduâ—zzar â—ea the famous Asian Churches and left them who had rejected the light in obscure darknesse and hath not given them eys to see ears to hear or an heart to perceive unto this day and here there are many in this Island which once saw the great wonders of Iebovab and believed his words and sung his praise as Israel did Psal 106. 12. who rejecting further manifestations of light and forgetting the rich mercies of the Lord will have their light obscur'd their wisdome turned to foolishnesse and be laid aside as unprofitable uselesse plants rememeber what one of your Prophets hath said Men may be saved wanting many truths but rejecting any they cannot What then they shall be cast one day into utter darknesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth But may some say if this be so God is changeable if he takes away the light he once gave I answer it is no such thing but clearly the contrary for the Lord hath every where in his word declared that he will be with us whilest we are with him if we forsake him he will forsake us if any draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10. 38. Ezek. 10. 24. 2 Chron. 15. 2. with many other places Now when men rebell against God reject his commands and turn from righteousnesse and the Lord casts them off it shews his great constancy to his own Councell and Decrees whereas if God should still continue light and delight to Apostates and such as still gain-say the truth presented to them this would argue God variable from himself in that he declares that he will desert back-sliders and yet continues his favour and liking towards them continuing in sin without repentance as some would fain flatter themselves and others and this also leads to the tenets of the Ranters and is of all other doctrines the greatest enemy to godlinesse and encouragement to wickednesse that can be but men will find it otherwise the Potter hath power over the clay to do as he pleaseth with it and what that is he hath shew'd us Jer. 18. 9 10. At what time I speak concerning a Nation to build and plant it if it do evill in my sight that it obey not my voice then will I repent of the good wherewith I said I will benefit them so he can do with the Inhabitants of this Island and so he will do if they repent not and thus you see how fully this text witnesseth against M. Tro. conceit that Gods not giving men grace or light is the highest cause of their unbelief yea so fully that it shews they did once see his great signs c. but their sins hid these things from them and removed their lights that it was not continued with them so it is said of the Jews they once saw Christ and his miracles and had the things belonging to their peace revealed to them but now says Christ they are hid from thine eys it is just with God when men will be wise in their own eys to hide from them the mysteries of the Kingdome of heaven and reveal them to Babes turning their wisdome into foolishnesse 't is just with God to leave M. Tro. to himself even to limit and restrain Scripture-Redemption he having fiercely set himself to oppose it the great and gracious God yet grant him time and space to repent but though he hath never a Scripture yet he hath another argument against Scripture Redemption which is this All those for whom Christ died are redeemed from the wrath to come But all men are not redeem'd from that wrath to come Therefore he died not for all First I desire the Reader to consider whether there be any difference between this argument and the former and what there is between this they shall never perish but have eternall life and this they are delivered from the wrath to come Secondly I answer his first Proposition is a meer fallacy and falsity for there is not one Scripture to prove it and the consequence that he would draw from it is that if Christ died for all then all shall be saved which doth not follow and I have answer'd this objection fully already and shew'd by the Scriptures that though Christ died for all yet many perish because they will not come to Christ Io. 5. 40. because they believe not and if you would know how they who were bought by Christ come to perish or fall under wrath to come it is for denying the Lord that bought them and treading under foot the bloud of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified as I have shew'd from Heb. 10. 24. 2 Pet. 2. 1. it is for their holding the truth in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 18. for their uncleannesse foolish talking covetousnesse idolatry whoredome lying and all manner of disobedience as the Apostle plainly shews Ephes 5. 3 4. 5 6. and therefore M. Tro. might have spar'd this Logick except he hath a mind still to make God the Author both of the creatures sin and suffering and turn that truth of God which sayes thy destruction is of thy self into a lye and say oh Israel thy destruction is of me and indeed he may as well charge the Scriptures expressions as limit and restraine the Scriptures redemption But he objects further Christ did not die for all because he did not pray for all and in this he doth so confidently triumph calling it his strong argument as if it were impossible to answer the fallacious deductions which he draws from the pure word for he concludes that because Christ did not at the same time Jo. 17. 9. or in the same terms pray for all therefore he did not die for all to which answer first if it should be granted that Christ did not pray for all yet it doth not of necessity follow that he did not die for all for there is no Scripture that sayes these words Christ did not die for those for whom he did not pray and M. Tro. bare word is no sufficient proof yet he is very bold this way and sayes in 34. page of his book that Christ sayes thus to his Father there is a world that I pray
nor for for there is a world that is not thine a world that then diâ—st not give me to die for and therefore a world that I must not pray for I wonder that any man who pretends tendernesse of conscience and love to the Scriptures should dare to add to them but they that dare to restraine the Scriptures will dare also to add to the Scriptures and in time do any thing if they repent not But Secondly though Christ prayed not for the world in the same words and at that time when he prayed for his Disciples both not being in the same capacity yet afterwards and elswhere he doth and to clear up this let us search the Scriptures Job 17. which M. Tro. says is the patern of his prayer in heaven and to prove this he quotes Arminius for my part I never read his works as the searcher of hearts doth know but seeing M. Tro. thinks him authentique in this point I shall desire to shew this patern to all those that shall read this work that so we may be as well acquainted with the intercession of Christ as his Oblation of himself to God for us Observe then first that Christ from the 6. ver to the end of the 19. makes mention only of his Disciples in being as any considerate soul may see if they do but read and mind what is written In the 20. and part of 21. he prays for all that should believe through the word of truth and in the later part of the 21. and in part of the 33. for the world that they might believe and know that the Father sent him And if any shal say as they often do that by the world is meant the Believers Saints Elect or the Disciples of Christ they mistake much for Christ sayes ver the 8. they his Disciples have surely knowne that I came out from thee and have believed that thou didst send me and besides all impartial spirits will confesse that the world and the Saints are always oppos'd to each other Secondly that Christ made intercession for the transgressors Isâ— 53. 12. and Luk. 23. 34. he prays for his persecutors Romans Israelites Jews Gentiles Father forgive them for they know not what they do and Christs precepts and practise are not contradicting one to the other nay he commands us to pray for them that persecute us Mat. 5. 44. for all men 1 Tim. 2. 1. Christ did pray for his friends and he prayed for his enemies for Saints and for sinners though not in the same expressions for if he had prayed for the world I mean wicked men in the same terms as for his Disciples he had prayed rather against them then for them when he petition'd that they might be one for unity in iniquity is as bad as unity in piety is good every one that prays with understanding is apt to pray for the Saints that God would keep them in peace and unity that they may continue in the way that they are 〈◊〉 and for all people and Nations that God would disperse the beams of truth amongst them that so they may know and believe and be converted they desire that God would preserve their friends and pardon their persecutors but do not usually pray that God would keep the men of the world in the way that they are in onenesse of mind c. or that the Saints may be converted neither did our Teacher the Lord Christ do thus but that the Disciples who had known and believed might be preserv'd in one and kept from evill and that the world might know and believe him whom the Father had sent and sealed Thus you see if this prayer of Christ in the 17. of Iohn be the patern of his prayer in heaven as M. Tro. from Arminius hath asserted that then our dear Redeemer hath not left out one man or woman for there are but two sorts of people nor ever were there any more believers and unbelievers Saints and sinners the Elect and the world and for both these he prays though in different expression as you have heard before Ob. But will some say that that if Christ had ever prayed for the world that they might believe and know him then they should have so done because Christ was alwayes heard by the Father but say they we see that all do not believe and know Christ therefore he need not to pray This argument is very deceitfull and grounded upon a false supposition that because men do not therefore they cannot nor ever could know the Lord and believe him but this supposall being false the argument is so to as I have largely proved before in this discourse But secondly I answer Jesus Christ did never pray in vain but obtain'd what he prayed for the works of redemption and intercession c. being finished from the foundation of the world and all men may know and believe the Lord as the Prophets and Apostles have testified and as from them I have before shew'd out of Isa 5. 4. Isa 43. 9 10. Jo. 1. 7. Rom. 1. 19. 20. with many others I beseech you read and consider them and from them you will clearly see that God hath not been wanting to reveal light and knowledge of himself through Christ but men may know and believe 't is possible for them and nothing hinders them but the devill and themselves their self-will and their sins which cause God to leave them and hide good things from them Christ prayed that the world might believe and know him and it 's granted all men through him may believe Joh. 1. 7. 't is true as hath been formerly shew'd that God doth not enable all men to know and believe with the same measure of light but every man hath sufficient according to his ability neither shall all men be accountable for the same proportion of talents yet he that had but one must reckon for that and they that have been faithfull in a little shall be Rulers over much And let this be considered well by all men that as Christ died for all yet none that are men and women shall have eternall life only by his powring out his bloud for them without obedience to him according to what he reveals to them so though Christ prays for all men yet none are saved to the uttermost meerly through his intercession except they being invited by the spirit come to God through him as you may see Heb. 7. 25. wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them and this being true that all men may know and believe the Lord I conclude that this ability is obtain'd for them through the intercession of Christ without whom we never had enjoyed any thing no not a being and that Christ in this was heard in that he desired all men through him according to his request may know and believe the world through him may be saved yea
they who shall be damn'd might have been saved had they received the love of the truth if the Apostle may be believed 2 Thes 2 11 12. Ob. But saith M. Tro. many dangerous consequences will follow if we should grant that Christ died for all as first it riseth up against the power of God as M. Tro. says that he should give his Son to die for the salvation of thousands and yet all not be saved Ans 1. To which I answer first by waâ— of the distinction used by the Apostle 1 Tim. 4. 10. he is the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe and from hence observe that God who gave his Son and Christ who gave himself a ransome for all hath saved or delivered every man from the power of the grave but God never gave his Son to save or deliver any from the wrath to come or to bring any to eternall glory but such as believe and obey as I have often proved Ans 2. Secondly it doth not impeach the power of God in that we maintain that what God did intend to bring to passe by his own sole soveraign power through the death of his Son is effected viz. the breaking of the Serpents head the continuance of life to mankind here making way for light and salvation and the raising up all men from the grave but that God did ever purpose to bring men to eternall life whether they believe or no by an absolute power we deny for the Saints themselves are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. Ob. But says M. Tro. it makes the salvation of the creature to depend on the contingency of his own will and naturall ability Ans 1. Answer first that salvation I mean everlasting glory with God or eternall life is Gods gift as I have formerly proved by the Scriptures Ans 2. Secondly that none shall enjoy this gift of his but such as walk as he hath injoyned them in that Law which he manifested to them is the eternall infringeable and unresistable Decree of God and M. Tro. page 45. confesseth that though the precepts of God do not shew what God hath done for us yet they determine mans duty and the rule of his obedience what God approves as good in it self and what is our duty to do there being a sweet harmony and connexion between the end and the means which is fully as much as I hold in this point viz. that they who would be saved which is the end they must believe and obey as God hath enabled them which is the means or at least one means But says M. Tro. it s contrary to the wisdom justice and love of God that he should give his Son to die for all and not give them faith and repentance c. Ans 1. To which I answer as before that indeed if God had given his Son to die for all with an intent to save all that is give eternall life to all or any without faith and obedience then if any had come short of it it might have seemed to reflect on the wisdom justice and mercy of Jehovah but the Scriptures never reveal any such purpose in God as you may see by Joh. 3. 16. Hâ—b 5. 9. with many other places Ans 2. Secondly so far as God did intend by his Sons death to save or deliver men he did doth and will fully effect â—t and whether men believe it or no they shall one day be saved from the grave by him that died and rose again Ans 3. Thirdly that God so put men in a savâ—â—ble condition that if any come short of eternal life their destruction is of themselves their rejecting light and loving darknesse will be their condemnation Ans 4. God doth not give faith and repentance as M. Tro. dreams viz. make men to believe by an irresistable power for I have shew'd before that God is said to give faith and repentance when by his Word or Spirit he perswadeth men to believe and repent or depart from evill when he gives the Gospell which is the Word of Faith and frequently in the Scriptures is called faith thus Faith is the gift of God and so when by the Gospel or goodnesse of God any soul is led to repentance God is said to give repentance yet the act or duty of believing and repenting is never call'd Gods gift work or act for then they that shall be damn'd for unbelief and impenitency shall perish because God gave them not the means yea because God did not perform his act or work in the creatures contrary to all the revealed will of God so that it appears to me and thousands besides that M. Tro. doctrine doth highly scandalize and impeach and restrain the power wisdom justice and love of God For if Christ did not die for all or redeem all from the power of the grave at least which is that I hold and which M. Tro. cries down under the name of universall redemption it was either because he could not or because he would not I am certain it is not the later for he will raise up all men at the last day 1 Cor. 15. 20 21 if M. Tro. says it is because he could not wise men will aâ—hor such savings both therefore are true he is willing and able and also will do it all mankind are and shall be freed in due time from whatsoever Adam brought on them and whosoever affirms the contrary debaseth the power of the omnipotent God seen â—spâ—cially in raising up Iesus from the dead Eph. 1. 20. that so he might be Lord of the quick and dead as hath before been manifelled of which domâ—nion Lordship or power M. Iro and others though I hope not knowingly have endeavoured to devest Jesus Christ except they will say that our Lord will exercise authority over those whom he never purchased the very thought whereof is abominable to every knowing sincere hâ—aits seeing the Scriptures â—re so pâ—ain that to this 〈◊〉 Christ both died and rose again and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living they that oppose this disparage the power of Christ scandalize his Scepter which is a Scepter of righteousness and make Christ an arbitrary usurper the name whereof 〈◊〉 amongst all and at least in words exploded by us in this Island And as for the wisdome of the Lord which is infinite Mr. Troughtons Doctrine detracts from it for he confesseth that the tenders of mercy by the Lords commands are and must be to all where the Gospel comes though not really and in good earnest as one saith yet Christ dyed not for all saith Mr. Troughton Now I beseech thee O impartiall soul that readest this judge what is right and see whether it suits with the wisdome of God to invite perswade beseech and stretch out his hands unto stubborn gain-saying wretches having never given Christ for them nor Christ any right to
was but for my part I think such Doctrine is most horrid and dismall the sinck of sinne and the enemy to all close walking with God the decay and ruine of the power of godlinesse and a little will reconcile the brochers of it to the Ranters I am of Christ's mind Except ye repent ye shall likewise perish Luk. 13. 3. And of the Prophet Ezekiel's When a righteous man tnrneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity c. all his righteousnesse which he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespâ—sse that he hath trespassed and his sin which he hath sinned in them shall he die Ezek. 18. 24. And of Pauls mind If any man draw back the Lord will have no pleasure in them Heb. 10. 38. Lastly I do not say that Mr. Troughton may fall from a state of grace but I pray with all my soul that he may come up to it and continue in it therefore he need not be offended and I am certaine no soule that truly feares God will dislike that Doctrine which perswades to perseverance and disswades from carelessenesse and Apostacy Object Lastly sayes Mr. Troughton if we hold that Christ dyed for all this may be an occasion to vilifie and debase the Scriptures for they that so hold do affirme that the Sun Moon and Stars and fruitfull seasons reveale Christ as a mediator savingly c. Ans 1. God hath given unto men three principall wayes of Teaching nature teacheth 1 Cor. 11. The heavens declare or preach Psal 19. 1. and his written Word declared by Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles Now there are no men upon the face of the earth but have the two former and where the Lord affords those onely he expects obedience accordingly these leave men without excuse for mans eternall wel-fare stands not upon how much light or truth is manifested but how that which is manifested is obeyed and followed Ans 2. Where these are if the word of truth and peace preached by Jesus Christ may be enjoyed and is rejected then the others will not suffice Ans 3. As under the Law there was a dark discovery of Jesus yet sufficient as to that dispensation so in the teachings of nature and the creatures there is some discoveries of mercy and goodnesse in and from God which is not without Christ and will be found sufficient to those who have no other means For God accepts where there is a willing mind not according to what men have not but acâ—rding to what they have 2 Cor. 8. 12. and will require according to what he gives if Christ may be judge Luk. 12. 43. I see some very inquisitive what shall become of Heathens Turks and Jewes c. others insulting over them judging and censuring them as a people of whom God hath no regard but who art thou that judgest another mans Servant look not how little they have and what shall become of them but how much thou hast and what is required of thee and know that God will expect of thee a suitable improvement taking this withall for the debellation of thy haughty thoughts of thy riches that as he that hid his one Talent is condemned and he that imployed well his ten Talents commended so whoever makes his own Talent two shall be rewarded when thou that boastest with thy great light and many Talents if not improved according to the Doners will and bounty maist be receive the greater condemnation it shall be easier for Tyre Sidon Sodom and Gomerrha at the great day of the Lord then for Chorazin Bethsayda and Capernaum Neither let any man think that anothers improvement will excuse him or that he may build his faith or what men have written in these things of which I have treated but on the Rock of ages and the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles whose pure rule and perfect prophesies discover to us the truth of these things wherein men differ Mr Troughton would perswade men that it s but a fiction to say that Christ dyed for all because it is not said in the Scripture that Christ dyed by name for thee John Thomas Robert c. their is no such particular Scripture revelation I grant there is no such particular revelation and therefore we affirme with the Scripture that Christ dyed for all that to John Thomas Robert or any other man may have a ground to believe that Christ dyed for every one of them 't is true if Christ did not dye for all then no man can certainly know that Christ layed down his life for him except he could finde both his names written in the Scpriptures And I appeal to every wise and impartial man whether Mr. Troughtons Argument doth not evidently conclude against himselfe for what need is there that every mans name should be recorded in Scripture seeing Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all But if that were true that Christ bought only a small number then its requisite that their names should be expressed or else no man can positively conclude that Christ dyed for him as for example If a pardon should be sent to all the prisoners in a prison there is no need of nominating them but if it be onely for two or three amongst many their names being not mentioned in the pardon the bringer of the pardon cannot tell who to call for nor the Keeper of the Prison whom to release nor the prisoners to whom it relates for if a man should come to a place where a thousand prisoners lay bound and should pretend that he comes with joyfull tydings to them and then at last tell them that two or three of them are onely redeemed though every one of them may have some hopes yet no man can know who it is till their names are manifested but if the act of Grace be sealed to them all every one hath a certaine ground of serious rejoycing by this you that love the truth and peace may see the bottome of Mr. Troughtous errors and depth of his wisdome Who teacheth men in the next place to argue thus Whosoever beleeveth on Christ shall be saved But I beleeve in Christ therefore I shall be saved For Answer hereto Consider how improper it is for men to tell men they must beleeve in Christ before they know who he is and what he hath done for their soules except you would have men beleeve they know not what and to walk by an implicit faith as Mr. Trovghton doth and then you will soon be reconciled to Rome The Scriptures teach us another Doctrine Ye may know and believe Isai 43. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee Psal 9. 10. we have knowne and believed the love that the Father hath to us Jo. 4. 16. Let all the house of Israel know assuredly c. Act. 2. 36. after they have escaped the pullutiont of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour 2 Pet. 2 20. I know
to wife may sometimes be at peace and quiet in his minde and have some hopes of attaining his desires but when he knows that he is beloved by her whom he loves his joy is more solid and his minde more setled Answer 4. I and many more who have knowne both states can testifie that our joy peace love to God faith and knowledge c. were very weak low and mercenary when we the Doctrine of Christs dying for all although some of us profited above many our equals set a good face upon the businesse and were able to say much against the truth and for my owne part I disputed so long against Christs dying for all that at last I could not tell whether he dyed for me and would have given a thousand worlds if it had been possible to have knowne it by the Scriptures wel knowing that no other evidence can poâ—sibly satisfie a doubting heart except we shall decline them and incline to Enthustasmes and spirits that are to be accursed For if any brings glad tydings to us any otherwise then the Scriptures declare them he is so to be accounted Gal. 1. 8. 9. What he sayes about Christs meriting faith for men is a wild Popish-assertion no where found in the Scriptures having no savour of the forme of sound word is very inconsiderable and contrary to what he sayes in page 45. of his Book that the commands of God of which that we should beleeve is one of the chiefest 1 Joh. 3. 23 shew not what God or Christ hath done for us but what is our duty to do But for M. Trough and all men of his judgement to contradict themselves is is no new thing as I know by sad experience in my former ignorance But I shall through Gods helpe answer his question which is this Let me aske our Adveasaries this question What men aâ—e bound to believe for the peace of their Consciences when they take it for granted already that Christ dyed for them being comprehended in the world of man-kind I Answer 1. That he is raised and ascended up without which we had been in our sins 1 Thes 4. 14. Jo. 20. 17. Act. Answer 2. They ought to believe that he is the Sonne of God the Christ i. e. the onely Anointed King Priest and Prophet who alone is to mediate gives Lawes and teach the feare of the Lord who and none else is to be heard in matters appertaining to Gods worship and the gathering and govering the Church or Congregation of the Lord Jo. 6. 66. Act. 2. 36. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Isai 9. 6. with 33. 22. Heb. 7. 17 Jo. 6. 14. Answer 3. We must beliive all the Commandements Psal 119. 66. Yea All things that are written in the Law and the Prophets Act. 24. 14. Now by beleeving his precepts I doe not meane that we should onely believe that they are his and that they are true and righteous c. Although this be truth and must be first believed and relates to that which some call faith of assurance in that we beleeve and are sure that they are the commands of Christ But we must adhere to them apply them to our hearts and apply our bodyes and soules to the practise of them And hence it is that all Gospel obedience is sometimes concluded under the name faith as Rom. 16. 26. and all disobedience of times is comprehended under unbeliefe as Heb. 3. 19. compared faithfully with Rom. 10. 16. And without this obedience of faith or faithfull obedience to the Gospel or will of God or light revealed to us there is no peace of conscience to any man or woman in the world Disobedient persons may close their eyes stoppe their ears and harden their necks and yet blesse themselves in their hearts saying they say shall have peace they may for a space be a sleep in sin insensible of wrath yea perswaded that they are children of the most high and in favour with the Almighty that they are Disciples Saints Christians and the chosen of God but ere long again their consciences being awakened considering how far they differ and stand at a distance from the commands of Jesus their hearts condemne them or at least are full of doubts feares and flashings of terrour they question their present and future state and are amazed at the wrath which the light or Law of nature presents to their soules the turth they oppose the errors they maintaine and practise their bosome darling closet sinnes stare them in the face but above all their continuall incertainty about Christs dying for them and their election c. do so perplex their spirits that there is no peace to them whereas they who know and so believe that Christ dyed for for them are by that love of his constrained to love him compelled to come iâ—to his wayes and obey his commands and thereby they have the answer of a good conscience before the Lord 1 Pet. 3. 21. 4thly They are to believe all the promises of the Lord both in this life and that which is to come Luk. 11. 13. Such as these Act. 2. 38. Repent and be baptised c. and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Act. 10. 43. Whosoever beleeveth on him shall receive remission of sinnes Mark 16. 16. he that beleeveth and is baptized shal be saved 10. 22. He that endureth to the end shall be saved 1 Jo. 1. 9. that if the Saints confesse their sinnes he will forgive them and the blood of Christ shall clense them c. That the Lord Jesus shall come the second time Heb. 9. 28. that he shall raise up the just and unjust Act 24. 14. yet toe dead in Christ shall rise first this is the first resurrection 1 Thes 4. 16. Rev. 20. 5. that Christ shall raigne and prosper and execute judgement and justice in the earth Jer. 23. 5. yea he shall reigne till he hath put all his enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15. 25. that he will give the Kingdome to the Saints of the most high the little flocke that heare his voice and follow him Luk 12 32. that they who do his commandements shall have right to the tree of life and enter in by the gates into the holy City Rev. 22. 14. where they shall see his face behold his glory be like him and with him for ever where they shall know as they are knowne see him as he is and rest with him under the crown of everlasting peace joy and righteousnesse to all eternity In a word They are to believe that he who dyed for them hath so justified and delivered them from the one offence of Adam and the miseries that came by it that they shall not for ever lye under them and that they shall never be accoâ—â—able or punished for that sinne after they are raised from the Grave 2dly That if they repent and turn from their sinnes be they never so many great open secret old festred sinnes God
but to exhort such to hear to seek or inquire after God hear read and search the Scriptures that so they may come to know believe and repent is suteable to the direction of the Spirit through the whole book of God who hath enabled men and women come to years of discretion so as to discern betweene good and evil thus to do To call them to baptism and so make them members of a visible Church who never heard of God is ridiculous and M. Tro. himself in his Epistle to the Reader confesseth it under his own hand That visible title to and interest in the Covenant of Grace consisting in a sâ—rious profession of the Christian faith accompanied with a suteable conversation is that which constitutes a member of the visible Church of Christ whence two things are considerable 1. That infants are not whilest infants visible Members of the Church of Christ in that they make no profession of the Christian Faith neither is their conversation suteable to the holy precepts of the most high for they speak and act as children neither doth God require that it should be so for he speaks not to children 2. This discovers the folly of Baby-sprinklers who require more of poor creatures then they are able to perform which shews that their Ministery in this as in other things is not of God who never exacts that of any which he of his own free mercy and goodnesse hath not given them ability to bring to passe yea they are contrary to God and palpably contradict themselves After this short digression a sixth use that may be made of this doctrine is this that seeing God hath appointed set apart or chosen all men to serve him and enabled them so to do this should teach Ministers to take heed that they add not to neither diminish from the precepts which God hath given to mankind by laying more or lesse upon persons then they are able to perform which is a usuall thing for they say of infants that they must be baptized and be Church-Members though they have done neither good nor evil nay know not their right hand from their less and tell men that are 20. 40. 50. years of age that they cannot believe nor repent nay that they must not be baptized c. Lastly this may serve for a triall and examination to every man whether he hath done all that good which God enabled him to do and avoided that evill which he by the light manife-fested from God might have shunned that so he may through a certain knowledge of his actings in these things be comforted in his obedience through Christ the strength and arm of the Lord or repent of his non-performance of that which through that light or power he might have performed And now let the judicious Reader judge whether these things being very profitable do not freely flow from that doctrine which men call heresie Thirdly seeing some departed from the faith Hymeneus and Alexander put away faith and a good conscience all they in Asia turned away from Paul others deny the Lord that bought them and some tread under foot the Son of God and count the bloud of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified an unholy thing and doing despight to the Spirit of Grace and seeing the Holy Ghost sayes it is impossible to renew them again by repentance who fall away after they are inlightened and are partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come therefore we admonish the Saints in the language of the Lord nay the Lord warns them by us to beware and take heed lest they fall and leâ—t there be in any of the brethren an evill heart of unbelief to depart from the living God and to beware lest any man deceive them and lest any of them fall from the grace of God as some did Gal. 5. 4. to beware of false Prophets and take heed lest they fall away from their own stedâ—astnesse c. which precious words of the eternall God were of no use if the Saints were not in danger even in their best estate here below We exhort them to watch and pray and stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free and to beg of God that he would hold up their goâ—ngs in his paths that their footsteps may not slide and to keep them from falling and turning back from him and knit their hearts to him pray one for another to him that is able to build them up that he would preserve them blamelesse in body soul and Spirit to the coming of Jesus Christ all which and thousand such like Petitions were frivolous if there were no danger and all those â—recepts and promises he that endureth be thâ—u faithfull he that overcometh 'T is true we do not exhort any to beware but such as walk in that way as those Saints of old did to whom those words we use were written and spoken that were improper and one means it hath been to deceive the poor â—ouls in this Island and make them think they were all Saints according to the Scripture account when they were exhorted not to fall away from their present sâ—ate whereas it had been happy for many thousand if they had fallen from it so they had fallen down and worshipped God according to his Word We do not exhort the Parish-Ministers of Great Britain much leste those poor blâ—nd creatures who follow them idolize them and are led by an implicite faith to hold fast their profession for it 's very bad and Antichristian or to continue in the way where they are for it is not good nor to take heed that they depart not from the way of God for they are not in it or from the living God for they are not with him But we beseâ—ch them to repent and turn to God that so they may be baptized and added to the Church and enjoy the precious priviledges that pertain to such as worship Gâ—d in spirit and truth i. e. according to his word which is spirit and truth well knowing that men may as well â—e destroyed for resisting the power of God and putting from them the Word of God and eternall life as for deserting the way of righteousnesse add turning from the holy Commandement delivered unto them and therefore they have no just cause to be angry against us as they are for the searcher of hearts is witnesse that we deâ—ire earnestly their conversion and salvation and therefore for my part I shall in love tell them this that if they shall still oppose Christ and call his way heresie take part with the Pope and Prelates in their Nationall Churches Baby-sprinkling forced maintenance c. none of which are according to the testimony of Jesus within few years they will be driven to darknesse but as many of them as imbrace the Gospell and walk in the way of righteousnesse which men call heresie whether they have
little or much life or death they shall rejoyce in the God of their salvation say to the righteous it shall be well with them And if any shall say that if they should quit their forced maintenance peoples hearts would be so hard that they would allow them nothing I answer 1. Through the power of the word many would be converted and then they cannot withhold their carnall things from those who minister spiritualls to them then the love of Christ would constrain them to do willingly that at least which before the Law of men compell'd them to by that uncouth force of treble damages And 2. They shall find that a little which the righteous hath is better then the grrat revenues that come with hatred strife and contention 't was the saying of Elies sons thou shalt give it us or we will take it by force and they were sons of Belial who knew not the Lord. I hope the Ministers of England and Scotland who term themselves the Ministers of Christ will not conforme to such Ministers if they do and resolve so to do God will cut them off as he did them And let not any ask what became of our Forefathers for God who causeth the light to shine out of darknesse hath appeared in far more translucent brightnesse of Gospell purity then they knew and therefore more is expected of us they were precious instruments in the hand of God but few years â—ince many of them and others yet are alive who were such their labours successeful and persons acceptable who neglecting to follow yea opposing another or more discoveries of divine light have been laid aside are grown dull and dead and some taken off short by the hand of divine justice Oh therefore you who are the Parish Teachers in this Isle consider that Christ died for you as well as for the rest of the sons and daughters of Adam therefore love him and shew your love by keeping his Commandements and his only do not do any more in Gods worship then Christ hath commanded you he requires you to believe or do no more then what is written do not add to your task and Christs yoke consider how the Lord will deal with such as add to or diminish from his will beware of stumbling at the word being disobedient where unto you were appointed or set they that stumble at the rock shall be broken in pieces and they upon whom that rock or stone shall fall shall be ground â—o powder God is not willing that you should perish but rather that you should turne from your own way and live I know this to be truth for he hath spoken it and Christ hath sealed it with his bloud he shed for you which he would never have done if he had not desired your welfare And thus you see how usefull the Doctrine we preach is and therefore no way to be despised or disparaged as it is by many in our Generation who speak evill of the things they understand not But I come in the last place by the blessed assistance of God to shew you by whom and why this doctrine is opposed and then I shall conclude this work 1. This Doctrine is opposed by Satan who knows that if it should be evinced that Christ died for all then men would come to see the love of God to them and would every where begin to love God and so obey his voice and if it should be published and proved that God hath of his own free mercy ordâ—in'd that all men may and ought to serve him and hath furnished them with ability to know and believe him and to do whatsoever he requires of them and that if they perish it 's their own fault then they would blesse his name and be doing his work and listen to his word all which things destroy Satans Kingdome And if it should be manifested that there is very great danger of departure from God and of being deceived then he knows that the Saints would be more heedfull and watchfull they would be fearfull of falling into sin and of back sâ—â—ding from truth which things are contrary to Satans projects and profit for he strives more to train aside one poor soul from the way of righteousnesse then to keep twenty in the way of wickednesse knowing that he can make the enemies of the truth â—riumph and blaspheme more by the fall of one that is called to be a Saint then by a thousand sins done by others 2. This Doctrine is opposed by false Teachers such as deny Scriptures Order Ordinances or such as rage and raile against the way of Christ and practise contrary to him worshipping the true God falsly yea all sorts of false Teachers as for example Christ sayes Disciple all Nations baptizing them but saith the world baptize them and disciple them afterwards for infants as infants cannot be Disciples for he that taketh not up his Crosse and followeth Christ cannot be his Disciple and that infants cannot do the Spirit of God sayes repent and be baptized the men of the world say be baptized and repent after yet they say they bring sin enough into the world to damn them eternally and they baptize them before they repent of it the Spirit sayes if thou believest thou mayest the world sayes they may be baptized who believe not the Spirit of God sayes who can forbid water that they should not be baptized who have received the Holy Ghost some men say that they who are baptized with the Spirit need not nay ought not to be baptized with water though they know not who they are In a word they who eitâ—â—r in judgment or practise continue contrary to light revealed oppose the doctrine and light held forth by Christ his Word and Spirit and walk by the light of their own fires fancies I may say oppose that Doctrine by me and thousands received from the Scriptures 1. Because if it should be declared that Christ died for all then people would begin to love him and to repent of sin and enquire after him and his wayes and forsake all false Teachers and every false way then they would so love Jesus Christ that they will cry out Lord what wilt thou have me to do and more or lesse they would not willingly do in his worship then he hath required not more because he hath given enough and works of supererogation and to be wise above what 's written are abominable in the sight of God not lesse because that which he requires of us is but little in comparison of the great things he hath done and suffered for us 2. If it should be published that Christ died for all then the greatest part of the Scripture must be taken as it is written and that is contrary to the profit of the Papists and all false Prophets who would fain have people believe that the Scriptures are very obscure that so they may deter the people from studying them and give them money
according to their demands for to expound them by their corrupt glosses and theâ— also great would be the company of the publishers of the Gospell for the love of God would so fill their hearts as with new wine that they could not but declare what God hath done for their souls and this would make false teachers fill'd with the wisdome of this world fret when the mysteries of the love of God should be revealed to and by Babes in the Gospell 3. Self is much an enemy to it for most men yea all those many thousands which now own this truth of Christs dying for all do well know that not only Satan and false Teachers did secretly and openly incite them against it but their own heart corrupt through custome in fin did rise against it and that for this reason If they should acknowledge that Christ died for all and that God through him hath appointed and enabled them to do his will then they should have no liberty or leisure to linger and loiter in fin but they must appear in love to Jesus Christ to be doing his work which he calls them to there must be no sleeping nor slumbring nor folding their hands to sleep but up and be doing and as in the bodily so in this spirituall labour the creature deluded by Satan cannot endure to do his duty which the Gospell calls for and this self I mean self-love self-will self-interests and ends c. till it be subdued by the appearing and receiving the light from the Lord cannot endure to hear that there is any possibility of falling from the favour of God for this would be a mighty check to their pleasure profit and delight they have in sin fain would self even the fleshly mind root out all such thoughts that it may feed it self with lusts and take its ful swindge in sin without controule And whatever specious pretences men may cover their conceits with and cry out against this Doctrine as uncomfortable c. yet the Serpents head lies hid beneath them who prompts them to decry it that so he may keep them from that godly feare and trembling with which they ought to work our their owne salvation I know we must serve God without fear of displeasing men by obeying him and without fear of his deceiving of us of any thing he haâ—â— promised yet continually fearing to offend him who loved us and fearing lest we should come short of what is promised through our own unbelief The Apostle Paul was as eminent a Saint as most yet he kept his body in subjection lest by any means when he had preached to others he himself should be a east-away In a word if this Doctrine should be faithfully published it would wonderfully draw out mens soules after Christ drive out the power of sin carry forth mens Spirits to propagate the Gospell hurle down the Kingdome of Satan and Antichrist by the mighty increase of knowledge faith and love advance holinesse sobriety and righteousnesse stir up men to diligence godly fear and watchfullnesse at least leave men without any encouragement to live in sin one moment take away all those Cob-web cloaks with which men palliate their impieties remove all excuses and even force men to confesse their destruction is of themselves and therefore is it oppos'd by Satan selfe and false teachers who would all suffer losse by the fire of Gods Word if their deceits and doctrines come to be discovered by the glorious light of these truths which men call heresie and erroneous opinions I am not unacquainted with the tossings and torments of mind which they are subject to that hold the doctrines contrary to these in the foregoing treatise insisted on their dejections of spirit and dubiousnesse of heart one while even drownes them in black despair another while their foundationlesse faith and groundlesse confidence through the exceeding subtilty of Satan makes them to dare to adventure upon a sin upon this score that if they are elected they cannot hereby fall finally and if they are not it will not be any impairing of their irrecoverable hopelesse condition I know Satan will provoke men to fret exceedingly against these things with the highest risings and liftings up of spirit But it being my owne experience in former times and of hundreds who have communicated theirs with mine since the daies of their conversion I cannot neither will I conceal the counsells and cunning of so great an enemy but speak truth to his yea to my own shame neither am I ignorant of the strong consolation in obedience the strength against temptations the heedfull diligence care and watchfullnesse against sin which they are possest with who knowingly and cordially hold and lay to heart that Christ died for all for thereby they are so sure that he died for them that it 's a hard matter for the devill and world to drive his love out of their hearts and draw them into disobedience but they that hold the contrary call the truth of many and so at length of all the Scriptures into question as the Shropshire Ministers confesse pagâ— 1. of their namelesse paper And I am confident that as the Lord hath so he will blesse this Doctrine with those that professe it and practise that holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety which that grace of God which â—ringeth salvation to all men teacheth and by his owne Spirit not the word and arme of flesh will signally appeare to the overturning of that great mountain of false doctrine that hath kept poore creatures from beholding the face of the Son of righteousnesse in the truth of the Gospell and that they who say Christ did not die for all so giving the lye to the Spirit of God and that God did absolutely appoint the greatest part of men to be disobedient not giving them ability to do what he requires and yet will damne them for not doing it that God commands men to do that which he will work in them by an irresistable power and to make as though God contradicts himselfe that the Lord that bought false Teachers was not Christ c. shall be convinced or covered with the cloak of confusion For my part if any maligne me for the puâ—â—ishing of this plaine downe-right discourse I desire the Lord to forgive them and turne their hearts and yet graciously wait to manifest to them that precâ—ous â—râ—th which they oppose that by it they may be comfoâ—ted and established in their minds encouraged to take up the Crosse of Jesus and follow him in all Gospell-obedience I desire no lesse for the greatest of my Adversaries then that they may come out of Babilon the false Church and worship one God in spirit and truth amongst such as keep the commands of Jesus as he hath given them out to us by his Spirit in the word of truth that so we may walk in the light of the Lord whilest we are here and being accounted worthy to escape all those things which shall come upon this Generation may hereafter sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the everlasting Kingdome of God our Saviour Amen FINIS * Master Trough p. 1. Isa 28. 21. Isa 29. 14. Job 38. 2 13 7. * Cap. Ever Sam. Oates Benj. Morley Mr. Prior Wil. Kendal Re. Fâ—ilding c. Mr. Troug in his Introduct pag. 1. M. James Wood. M. James Wood. M. James Wood. M. James Wood. M. Powel M. Wood others M. Powel Ma. Butler of Col Berye's Regim Mr. Rutherford Mr. Prideaux Mr. Rutherford M. Prideaux Mr. Rutherford Mr. Resbury M. Wood. Mr. Tro. Mr. Wood. Mr. J. T. Mr. Wood Mr. J. T. Mr. Wood M. Grant M. Tro. M. Wood. M. Wood. M. Tro. M. Tro. M. Wood. M. Tro. M. Wood. M. Tro. and M. Jam. Wood. M. Tro. and M. Ia. Wood. M. Tro. and M. Ia. Wood. M. Syd Simpson A. M. M. Tro. M. Tro. M. Wood. M. Batty c. The Shropshire Ministers M. John Symson Simil. Mr. Deiamain Mr. Powel Simil. M. Trough Argument M. Trough Simil. M. Trough Conclusion M. Resbâ—ry M. Owen M. Rutherford M. Staltham Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 3.