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
truth that so they might be saved but let God be true and every man a lyar all such mouths shall be stopt and God shall be clear when he judgeth Psal 51. 4. Object But all have not the truth held forth to them may some say Answ First Though all men have not the same measure of light or truth manifested to them or in the same manner yet they have so much light of truth as God hath appointed them to follow for not following which they shall be condemn'd Joh. 3. 19. Secondly let us consider that by light which I here speak of I understand the law written in the heart which when men do evil speaks truth to them telling them it is evil and accuseth them for it and again discovereth unto them the goodness of God yea when they do well it assureth their hearts of it praiseth them for it and in this speaketh truth which light or law if men believed shunning that which it shewes to be evil and practising that which it declareth to be good they having no other teachings from God here their consciences would excuse them in the day when God shall judge the secrets of all men by Jesus Christ Rom. 2. 16. Thirdly That every man shall be judged according to what they have and not according to what they have not Object But God is not bound to give to every man sufficient means of grace Answ First He hath done it already the works were finish'd from the foundation of the world yet such as believe not shall never enter into his rest Read and consider Heb. 4. 2 3. Secondly He hath bound it by an oath that he desires not the death of a sinner Ezek. 33. 11. Thus you see how true the Lord my strength is and he never did nor will require any more of his poor creatures but what he of his owne mercy and goodness hath given them ability to perform Object How comes it to pass then that all do not walk up to that light which God hath manifested to them believing and obeying the truth and how comes it to pass that some do believe and obey and others do not Answ To the first part of the objection all will agree that it is because they follow the counsel of the Devil and false Doctors the Pleasures profits and promotions of the world which choke the seed they seek the honour that cometh from men c. Joh 5. 44. and love the praise of men more then the praise of God they are not the sheep of Christ for such hear his voice Joh. 10. 26 27. Let him that readeth consider who are Christs sheep and then he will see the reason why men believe not it is not because they are not elected but because they hearken not to the words of the Lord. Secondly some are rul'd by the counsel of God they receive the word into an honest and good heart for faith comes by hearing and hearkening to the truth he calls and some come he invites and some haste to the feast whilest others frame excuses God sets light before them as he doth before others and they rejoyce in it he presents life and death perswading them to chuse life Deut. 30. 15 16 17 18 19. and some by the Lords perswasions do chuse life and all praise glory and honour is due to his glorious Majesty for his gratious calls his loving invitations and sweet perswasions for he might have left us without all these means they who come do but their duty and no thanks is due to men for doing their duty it is God that furnisheth them with understanding means power and opportunity yea he calleth them to it by the light which maketh all things manifest and shews to man his duty and what it is that is most sutable to him who is goodness it self Thus you have heard concerning the Election or Ordination of God that he chose or appointed fallen man and not the Angels to serve him and how he of his owne free mercy in Christ chose or pre-ordain'd such as faithfully serve him to life eternal through Christ though there be many who would bear the world in hand that we deny Election and Reprobation because we are not so sensless as to say that God from all eternity chose a certain number to life without reference to any obedience to his will and appointed the rest to sin and so to damnation as some say or at least as others hold left the greatest part of men to be damn'd in the second death because of Adams eating the forbidden fruit without any real tender of mercy through Christ Expressions which an holy heart not deluby corrupt doctrine will abhor to meditate Surely the Lord will do nothing but he revealeth his secrets to his servants the Prophets Amos 3. 7. And if God hath revealed any such thing that hath appointed men to disobedience and unbeliefe left them without any mercy through a crucified Christ and yet without excuse I would intreat those that finde it to shew it to us but in the mean space I beseech you consider what hath been evinced to you that God hath appointed all men to serve honour and obey him as throughout the whole book of God is reveal'd to us and which I shall endeavour further to discover to you in the next word Creation Concerning which also as of the former I shall treat First generally Secondly particularly As touching that which I call general Creation we are to consider who is the Author of it and by whom The Scripture will give answer thereunto thus First That God created all men Secondly That this was through Christ For the first we see what the Apostle saith He that made all things is God See also Act. 17. 24. And that this was through Christ is clear Eph. 3. 9. God who created all things by Jesus c. By whom all things consist Col. 1. 17. Object But not as a mediator sayes one Answ 1. How to distinguish between Christ and the Mediator the Scriptures never yet taught us for he by whom all subsist is the Mediator 2. For the fuller explication of this consider seriously Acts 17. 26 27. where you shall finde who created all things by whom to what end thus And hath made of one blood or blood of one all Nations of men to dwel on the face of the whole earth and hath determined the time before appointed and the bounds of their habitations that they should seek him c. where many things are considerable First That one blood or blood of one there spoken of I think none will deny to be the blood of Jesus Christ the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world by whose death we have life John 6. 51. Through him we live move and have our being By that blood Adam had his life granted him after he had transgressed the command of God by the same do all Nations of men consist And I thinke that none
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
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
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
1. and compare it with 1 Chron. 21. 1. you may see the more clearly how to open such texts Lastly I answer If we shall understand this place otherwise then of Gods giving up the perverse man to the perversness of his owne counsel we must say that it's Gods preceptive decree that men should curse which the Objector would seem to shun and yet content to have granted although it be contrary to his owne distinction But if still any shall argue that God did decree his cursing by permitting of it I say he did no otherwise permit it then David did in not cutting him off and that 's far from decreeing it Object One objection more I shall answer which is this Some say that God cannot be denied to be the Author of sin in every sense because it 's say'd Amos 3. 6. Shall there be evill in the City and the Lord hath not done it and Isa 45. 7. I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evill I the Lord do all these things Answ He that will read Ier. 18. 8. chap. 21. 10. and 28. 8. with many other places may easily see that the Evil that God bringeth on a City is War Famine Pestilence c. But if wicked men could bring God to be the Decreer Commander and actor of sin they were then safe enough but all such will be found lyers in the day of the Lord Jesus These Objections are the Pillars of Atheism and Ranterism and if such as say that Christ never dyed for all and that he decreed the disobedience of the creatures follow their principles up to the height they will in time either be reconciled to such or die in despaire These things being seriously considered by humble hearts will let them see that God never ordain'd appointed or chose men to unbeliefe and disobedience nor ever left them to themselves which they call permitting of sin till their perverse hearts resisted his Spirit and departed from him but leaving or passing by the fallen Angels he set his heart upon lost man he chose or appointed that creature to live in the world to serve him in holiness and righteousness and this is that which I call the general election appointment or pre-ordination of God through and in Christ to live here to the means of grace to do well c. But will some say General election is a contradiction Election being a taking a part out of the whole Answ Election is so indeed and that which I affirm in this point is the same for out of the whole of what was fallen he chose a part viz Mankind to stand before him as when a heap of Gold and a heap of silver is before a man and he having power or liberty to make his choise takes one of the heaps chuseth all the gold or the silver as he pleaseth so it was the pleasure of Jehovah Angels and men being fallen and both before him to regard or set his heart upon or chuse poor undone man But I beseech you to consider that I never said that he chose or appointed all men as men to eternal life for there is a special election as well as a special salvation of such as believe That there is a special election or appointment of some to eternal life is agreed on by all and that this election was from the foundation of the world is denyed by none that owne the Gospel and that this election or appointment to eternal happiness is of such men and women who believe and obey him following that holy rule and light which he hath given them is as true for no rational man is so absurd as to say that he chose any others amongst grown persons to everlasting glory Yet some affirm that he chose to salvation a certain number of persons personally considered onely as creatures Of whom I would first demand Whether Election be not according to the foreknowledge of God sutable to Rom. 8. 29. Whom he did foreknow them he did predestinate and that in 1 Pet. 1. 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God If it be as without controversie it is then I affirm that God foreknew their obedience as well as their persons or else you maim and bound the infinite and unlimited Foreknowledge of the most High to whom not onely all his own but all our works were known from the beginning But the great question is Whether the creatures obedience foreknown did move God to give him eternal life To which I answer First that eternal life is the gift of God Rom. 6 last Secondly That election to eternal life is onely according to the purpose and counsel of his own will and what that is the Scriptures do evidently Manifest viz. that the purpose and will of God before the world began was to make Christ the Author of eternal salvation to those that obey him that such as believe should not perish but have eternal life Joh. 3. 15 16. and 6. 40. that such as do well and by patient continuing in wel-doing seek for glory honour and immortality should have eternal life read Joh. 5. 29. with Rom. 2. 7. Thirdly Election to eternal life is through sanctification of the Spirit and beliefe of the truth 2 Thes 2. 13. He hath chosen to himself the man that is godly Psal 4. though not for being Godly yet it was his pleasure to chuse such Object But they are Godly and believe by vertue of their election preceding I grant it understanding it of chusing or appointing all men to live here and to live to him as I have before shew'd for had there not been such an election by the free unsought-for mercy of Jehovah no man had ever believed no nor had life or breath Still therefore it will be our wisdome to divide a right the word of truth and to distinguish between election before calling and election after caling the former of all mankinde to live here to hear the call of God and answer it both which priviledges were lost through disobedience the latter of such as live to him whilest they live here to eternal bliss Election before calling every one will grant of the other the Scripture speaks Mat. 20. 19. and 22. 14. many are called but few are chosen see Rev. 17. 14. Object But if any say The order of words prove nothing Answ Search the Scriptures and you shall see exemplary testimonies to confirm this consider Act. 9. 15. After Paul was called and come in the Lord saies to Ananias Go thy waies for he is a chosen vessel to me c. he doth say he was and compare this with the same Apostles saying Rom. 16. 7. Salute Andronicus and Junia my Kinsman who are of note among the Apostles who also were in Christ before me Now every soul that knows any thing knows that there is no election out of Christ and it is a mans being in Christ that entitles him to that eternal life which
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
in the worship of God And from all these things I conclude that Adam with all his knowledge before his fall and all his posterity as they are living souls do not neither can they perceive with the eye or contain in their understandings the nature glory and excellency of that Kingdome Mansion City and inheritance which is prepared for such as obey God Nay there are many pretious Saints in our generation that apprehend little or nothing of them The Corinthians were very ignorant of these insomuch that there were some among them said there was no Resurrection Paul prays for the Ephesians that they might know this Eph. 1. 18 19 20. Nay Paul himself did not fully apprehend or receive it Phil. 3. 12 13 14. But there is a time when this natural man shall be raised up a spiritual man 1 Cor. 15. 43. and then shall we know as we are known and see him as he is 1 John 3. 2. Tell the most of men of the reign of Christ the restitution of all things the Kingdome of the Saints the paradise of God the Tree of life the new heavens and earth the new Jerusalem with its height bredth length and glory c. they will either turne it to a hidden mystery and an empty Allegory or look on it as a foolish carnal conceit though God by his Spirit in the word hath revealed these things to us for our comfort Secondly I answer that by the things of the Spirit are not here intended the duties of faith and repentance for these have been and still are received by natural men who by the receiving of them become spiritual for unnatural men are far from them and enemies to them a natural man may hear the word and come to believe and obey and yet not perceive the Kingdome and City which God hath prepared Thirdly Neither by the natural man is here meant simply a wicked man except you will say that every natural man is a wicked man which God forbid for Adam even as he was created by Jehovah was a natural man as hath been proved Again if it should be imagined that it is impossible to hear know and believe the word which is spirit and life Joh. 6. 63. then men will conclude that God commands things impossible which is also most absurd for he commands both Job 5. and last Mark 1. 9. Rev. 2. 7. He that hath an ear let him hear c. And I would further desire any sober spirited man to consider whether it shall be reckon'd to any man as his sin that he did not perceive that which was impossible for him to perceive Lastly you may see that the scope of the Apostle is to prove the Corinthians for though he had in the power of the Spirit declared to them the riches of the grace and glory of God the Resurrection of the dead and the eternal Judgement yet they were gone but very little above their natural light in these things were but babes in Christ and in some respect carnal and so could not perceive the things which God had prepared for them although by the Spirit manifested in the Gospel and to that purpose writes Epistles to them to raise them higher in spiritual light and learning that being by the truth in Christ become more spiritual they might receive and comprehend the great things which God had prepared for such as love him Thus after some little digression I come to conclude this point of Creation which is general through one blood even of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world or special of such as believe on his name and so receive priviledge to become the Children of God by adoption or the new creation as before shew'd I come now to treat of redemption or buying again which is also general or special general of all lost mankind by the pouring out of the blood of the Lamb slain from the beginning or special of such as believe on him who was slain for them For the unfolding of the truth of this point I intreat the Reader to consider First from what state with what price and to what end Christ bought or redeemed all mankind For the first they are redeemed from the suffering that came by Adams sin I mean the first death as I have before shew'd so that that punishment did not presently seize upon all mankinde and send them to the grave in one who had sinned neither shall it for ever keep any one of Adams posterity under its power but all do live by Jesus Christ here and see the goodness of the Lord and all shall live hereafter I mean rise from the dust and see his glory onely here 's the difference they who saw his goodness here yet did not imbrace it shall see his glory hereafter but shall not injoy it and this will be a never-dying worm to their accusing consciences not that they were not redeemed but that they despised the riches of his grace when they might have had it but would not and now are shut out of glory when they would have it but cannot Secondly Consider the price by which we were ransomed bought or redeemed is onely the blood of Christ though some through over-hastiness affirm the contrary and by this there was a reconciliation made for the whole race of Adam thus far that whereas they were all reputed offenders in one and justly out of favour the Lord for the sake of Christ was at one with them in reference to that sin of the world which the Lamb of God took away by whom God was so appeased that fury is not in him Isa 27. 4. except men set the thornes and bryers against him c. vers 5. according with that 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself Objection But say some that 's meant of the Elect onely It s true if you mean of mankinde in opposition to the fallen Angels chosen appointed and ordain'd to live here and seek God which is the first acceptation of Election But if you mean of the Elect i. e. such as were chosen to eternal life then it seems these were once out of favour or else what need a reconciliation Though it be granted to be of the Elect yet it doth not follow that it is of the Elect onely for if God will judge men according to their works and not punish the child for the father as he hath sworn he will not then surely he is reconcil'd to more then such as you call the Elect in reference to the first sin or one offence of Adam See how incongruous it is to say that this is meant onely of the Elect or such as shall be eternally saved First in it self for if God be reconcil'd to them in respect to Adams offence then some shall not onely in the first death but also in the second death be sufferers for that one offence and how contrary that is to all the reveal'd
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
fellow-creatures with all which their minds and consciences yea their lives and conversations become defiled and as many of these as â—â—ke notice of the goodness of God entertain the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world embrace the counsel of God apply the blood of the Lamb believe on the Lord Jesus and take heed to their waies according to his word these are led to repentance or a change come to see the sinfulness of sin turn from it have their consciences purged from dead works and their waies cleansed so that at length they come to be holy in heart and all manner of conversation and so are partakers of that special sanctification which I am here treating of viz. by the Word and Spirit For the declaring of this more fully I shall lay down this Querie What is the reason that men dye in their sins and are not purged from their filthiness If I should as many do say that it was Gods appointment he so ordain'd it or that God did not shew them his light of truth or that he did not do this really or that he did not give them ability to receive it as it was manifested and so follow it or else for that he gave not his Son to dye for them neither was it his will that they should repent and be sanctified but that they should dye in disobedience and so be damn'd Sure If I should say thus all good men would abhor me for such speeches and well they might yet these are the tenents and sayings of those men against whose opinions I have appeared and surely I judge that as a man said to Joab in another case I may positively conclude in this that themselvs would set themselves against me if I should go about and preach that God did appoint men to disobedience and to sin and not willing that all should come to repentance but that some men even as they are men should despise the riches of his grace and perish These hard speeches I have heard some men to utter Others are more moderate that God did onely leave men to themselves Whereto I say first that God never left any man in that state whereunto Adam brought them for he brought them to the earth and was not able to shew them any means of grace or so much as a resurrection from the grave but God left not any man there but afforded them such manifestations of his love as will leave all inexcuseable before God Secondly I Answer That God did never nor ever will forsake any poor creature till they reject him 2 Chron. 15. 2. But more of this elsewhere onely I add this that when men have and still do refuse God he leaves them and will have nothing to do with them This may suffice for evidence to this truth that it is not because God would have it so that men are still polluted in their conversations and unsanctified in their lives But as you shall hear in the next place it is because they believe not Joh. 8. 24. I said therefore unto you that you shall dye in your sins for if yee believe not that I am he ye shall dye in your sins Secondly Because they will not be purged Ezek. 24. 13. Because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have made my fury to rest upon thee Thirdly Because they receive not the word into their hearts neither take heed to their waies according to it Psal 119. 9 and 11. And if any shall alleadge that when God comes to sanctifie a soul he will do it by an unresistible power I answer There 's neither promise or example of such a thing and they who so affirme make themselves wise above what is written 'T is true there are many works which the Lord doth absolutely of himself without calling for the creatures duty in any respects as in the Creation Redemption and Salvation of mankinde from that misery that Adam brought them so as in and under that free universal and unlimitted consideration which I have spoken of so when God will destroy his enemies none shall deliver out of his hands he will work and none can let it Isa 43. 13. and there are many works which he will bring to pass conditionally as the redemption justification sanctification c. of creatures from their own sins and these he will effect upon receiving and believing the truth as I have also shew'd you in the treating of these things under that special consideration which I have presented to you and as you have heard from Act. 10. 34. Acts 13. 39. and many other places in which you may see that the Lords work and the duty or endeavour of his creatures by him furnished with ability to do what he requires must and ever did go together God purifies the heart by faith see Act. 15. 9. God it is that purifies the creatures duty is to believe The Lord doth and will ever work according to the counsel of his owne will which also he hath revealed in his word and he hath sanctifi'd us from the first offence by his Sons blood which otherwise would have caused our eternal banishment from the Lord yet will not sanctifie us from our vain courses but through belief of the truth which cleanseth the souls that receive it in the love of it for when a poor creature who long hath serv'd sin and Satan comes to know the love of God in Christ and believe it his heart is so purified and his conversation cleansed that he cannot indure sin but hates every false way denies ungodliness and worldly lusts and lives soberly righteously and godly in this present world And thus having treated of Sanctification also under a twofold consideration I shall by the gratious assistance of God next speak something of Vocation which is the call of God or God's calling of his poor creatures to believe in the light which he gives them and leave off their sins it is his inviting or perswading men to do well the stretching out of his hands as it were to beseech men to come to him i. e. to conform to his light or revealed will And this is Universal for as he chose or appointed created deliver'd justified and sanctified mankinde to seek and serve him so he calleth all men everywhere to know him obey him and glorifie him according to that power or ability that he hath given them or the light or commands which he holds forth to them He calleth the Stubborn and rebellious Isa 65. 2. the refusers Prov. 1. 24. them that perish and put from them the word of God and eternal life Act. 13. 41 46. such as spend mony for that which is not bread and their labour for that which satisfieth not who thirst after unprofitable things Isa 55. 1. Hoâ— every one that thirsteth come and the Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that
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
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
died not for them Ninethly they who regard lying vanities forsake their own mercies Jonah 2. 9. I desire to know what mercies they can or do forsake for whom Christ never died Tenthly men judge themselves unworthy of eternall life Act. 13. 46. and neglect their own salvation I beseech you consider whether it be possible for men to put off eternall life or neglect their salvation if Christ never died for them so as to bring them into a possibility of enjoying everlasting happinesse Eleventhly if Christ died but for some then the Devil destroys no man but they perish for want of a Saviour contrary to Jâ— 3. 17. and many other places Twelfthly if Christ died not for all then despair of pardon and salvation in them that perish is no sin seeing there is nothing for those men to believe unto their everlasting peace for whom Christ shed not his bloud Thirteenthly if Christ died not for all then it would be a sin for some men to believe that Christ died for them in that they should believe a lye and all will grant that it is a sin for any man to believe a lye Fourteenthly if Christ died but for some even such as are eternally saved then none can be guilty of that sin of treading under foot the bloud of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified contrary to Heb. 10. 29. Fifteenthly if Christ died not for all then Satan doth no evill in perswading some that Christ died not for them but perswades them to believe the truth if it be true that Christ died but for some of the world Sixteenthly if Christ did not die for all then the Devil doth not deceive those that are damn'd when he perswades them that Christ died not for them and the Opposers of the truth affirm that he cannot deceive them for whom Christ died and so he can deceive none and by this if it be true the divell is no deceiver Seventeenthly if there be some men that Christ died not for then it is a vertue for some men not to believe in Christ for salvation for in believing this they believe the truth and it 's a vertue in any to believe every truth Eighteenthly if Christ died not for all mankind then this unavoidably follows that those for whom Christ died not do as well in believing that Christ died not for them as those for whom he died do in believing that he did die for them seeing both are true if the Adversaries of the truth say right and it is as much vertue to believe one truth as another Nineteenthly all are bound to live to him 2 Cor. 5. 15. even unto him that died for them and rose again Now I wonder what good it will do men to live to Christ or why we should perswade all men to live to him yea tell them that they are bound to do so if Christ died not for them yea we know that therefore men shall be damn'd at the last day because they live not to him that died for them and rose again Twentiethly he being Lord of quick and dead shall judge all men at the last day as you may most clearly see Rom. 14. 9 10. For this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living and he shall judge all men quick and dead at his appearing 2 Tim. 4. 1. how shall he judge those whom he never purchased with a price shall we think that he that reproves men for judging another mans servant will allow that which he condemns God forbid it must needs be then that Christ died for all seeing he is Judge of all except you will say that Christ will judge men because they had not a Redeemer 21. There is no place of Scripture sayes that Christ died only for the Elect or only for his Church that he died but for a few or but for some therefore they that so say speak not the language of the Holy Ghost but a private interpretation we speak what we know and testifie what we have seen that which we have looked on with our eys and heard from Christ and his Apostles with our ears which our hands have handled of the Word of life declare we unto you Mr. Tro. doth as good as confesse that there is not one plain Scripture to prove his position that Christ did not die for all for if you mark the inscription of his book he says not an Antidote against universall Redemption in ten positive texts of Scriptures but in ten Reafons deduc'd from the Scriptures I have proved that Christ d d die for all by ten Witnesses proceeding every one out of the mouth of God by the Ministery of Christ the Prophets and Apostles through the Spirit and whether you that read will believe what these say in so many words or the dark consequences and conclusions of men chuse ye if there had been any text that had said that Christ died only for some sure Mr. Tro. would have cited it we know and acknowledge that Christ died for some for his Church for the Elect for the Saints but to say that he therefore died for none else is contrary to Scripture reason and sense we may as well argue that he died for none but Paul because he says Gal. 2. 20. he loved me and gave himself for me and hence it is that we are perswaded to take whatsoever the Scripture holds out in this point which says he laid down his life for the sheep i. e. such as hear his voice and follow him Jo. 18. 15. compared with ver â—7 and we believe that he bought those that deny him and bring upon themselves destruction read 2 Pet. 2. 1. and because we believe in Christ as the Scripture hath said even all that is written in the Law and the Prophets for this cause we are accounted Heretiques and Sectarians as the Apostles and Saints of old were Acts 24. 14. with chap. 28. 22. For they did declare the love and mercy of God towards all men and such as laid his love to heart and were thereby led to repentance they did baptize with these they did walk in Church-fellowship in breaking of bread in prayers and praises in holinesse of life and waiting for the Lord Jesus from heaven I also and many more declare the love of God in Christ towards all men such as repent and believe this kindnesse of his do we baptize with these we walk in Church-fellowship in breaking of bread and in prayers praising God and provoking each other to holiness and to wait for Christs coming in glory that this is through the mercy of God our practise as it was the practise of the Apostles our God is witnesse and that for this as the Apostle was we are called Heretiques is manifest to all men even our enemies themselves being Judges and because we will not say that Christ did not die for all or that he died only for a few
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
will see that he prefers mercy before Sacrifice the Gospell before the Law faith before works the believers or children of the promise before the natural seed that he regardeth not but hateth such as seek for righteousnesse by the Law as the Jews did and loveth or chooseth such as seek for the righteousness of the Gospell of Jesus Christ as the Gentiles did Isa 1. 14. saith the Lord thus your new Moons and your appointed Feasts my soul hateth yet once these were appointed by God all things that were written of old concerning Ismael Isaac Esau Jacob Pharoah c. were directly as they are written but the Apostle we see draws out the Allegory and shews what they did typifie to us as you may see if you diligently search this nineth to the Romanes and resoâ—ve and roll up all that is here written as the Apostle doth in the 30. and 31. verses but the time will not give me leave to treat largely of these things in this place if God give oportunity I shall declare more of this matter in my Generation as the great God shall give opportunity and utterance either by preaching conference or writing in the mean space every sober man will see that it is not proper to draw positive conclusions from allegoricall expressions and so these words I have hated Esau i.e. refus'd righteousness by the Law or Covenant of works doth not at all prove that Christ did not die for all and withall I desire the Reader to consider that M. Tro. hath not yet produced one Scripture that says he died only for a small number but some few consequences which are too weak ever to overthrow the faith of Gods Elect. But saith M. Trough Christ did not die for all because he did not satisfie his Fathers wrath and justice for the sins of every man and woman in the world for the reprobates go down to hell but he made a plenary satisfaction for the sins of those for whom he died and the Holy God saith he cannot nor will not exact double payment for the same debt or punish twice for the same sin Answer first That which he speaks last is true and it is from this that I conclude that Infants shall not be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death for if they should then they must be punisht twice for one fault viz. Adams offence as some call it originall sin and that Rebrobates that is wicked men shall be cast into hell is as true Psa 9. 17. but what he means by plenary satisfaction to the Fathers justice given for some I know nor in that I find no such terms in the holy Scriptures if there be why did not M. Tro. produce them did he think that his bare word is a sufficient warrant for us to believe by surely it is not and the word of truth testifies that false teachers who bring in damnable heresies deny Christ and bring upon themselves destruction were bought by the Lord whom they deny and that others trample under foot the bloud of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified Heb. 10. 29. Answer secondly if M. Tro. means that Christ did so satisfie for the sins of some that none of the punishment due for that sin shall come upon them but that it is wholly by the powring or offering of the bloud of Christ prevented I shall desire him to prove it in the mean space I shall desire the impartiâ—ll Reader to remember first that the Elect the choicest 〈◊〉 must diâ— I mean go to the dust the wise man as well as the fool by reason of Adams transgression so that the punishment which came through that fault is not plenarily satisfied for if it had been so indeed God requires double payment which he will never by M. Tro. own confession do for if by the death of the Lamb this debt had been fully paid the Elect should never have gone to the grave and thus you see how M. Tro. is contrary to himself his light is darknesse and he wearieth himself to bring others to the same condition with himself Secondly consider that amongst all the sons of Adam none shall receive remission of their sins I mean which themselves have acted but believers Mark 16. 16. Act. 10. 43. so that he did not so satisfie as to take away mens actuall sins whether they believe or no. Thirdly consider that if any draw back from the Lord he will take no pleaâ—ure in them Heb. 10. 38. and the best of Saints if they sin must confesse and forsake their sins if they will find mercy and pardon Prov. 28. 13. Joh. 1. 9. but I pray read the whole verse for M. Tro. leaves out in his book the former viz. if we confess our sins as Apocriphal pag. 21. and so deals with us as the Devil did with Christ Luk. 4. 10. 11. conceal that which would make against him Lastly consider and call to mind what I have in this preceding discourse manifested that Christ hath so died that all do live by him and injoy light by him Jo. 1. 9. Jo. 6. 33. and that whosoever believeth on him should not perish Jo. 3. 15. 16. and that all men through him might believe Jo. 1. 7. and that as sin hath raigned unto death even so might grace raign through righteousnesse unto eternall life by Jesus Christ our Lord Christ hath so died that all shall â—ise again by him Jo. 5. 28 29. I beseech you read and consider that the just and unjust shall all be called out of the grave by the Lord Jesus he died and rose and revived that he might be Lord of quick and dead Rom. 14. 9. that they which live should live to him 2 Cor. 5. 15. But we never read that Christ died to satisfie for sin whilest men continue in them without repentance but to manifest his love to all mankind thereby to perswade them to leave sin and love him who loved them first he was set forth to be a propâ—tiation through faith in his bloud Rom. 3. 2â— 26. and that the world through him might be saved Io. 3. 17. not by the works of the Law but the words of Jesus Christ God never appointed that righteousness and salvation should be by the Law for then Christ had died in vain Thus you see what the form of sound words speak concerning the death of Christ who took or bare away the sin of the world viz. the sin of Adam in whom the whole world of men were involv'd that so lost mankind through him might have liberty to serve the living God and through believing on the light be delivered from their actuall sins committed before conversion and by confessing and craving pardon might be cleansed from their infirmities after their coming into Christ by the intercession mediation and eternall Priesthood of him whose bloud speaketh better things then that of Abel But he laid down his life or the sheep Jo. 10.
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
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
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
whom I have believed I know that my Redeemer liveth c. Men will hardly give credit to much lesse rely upon him they never knew and therefore when Christ askt the blind man whether he did believe on the Sonne of God he answered and â—aid Who is he that I might believe on him Jo. 9. 35. 36. He must know him before he could believe on him Object But sayes Mr. Troughton 'T is the will of Gods purpose who Christ dyed for in particular and therefore thou canst not fetch the ground of thy faith from thence but looke to the generality of the offer of grace and command to believe Ans 1. I grant it and its that which I ever say that no man hath a ground to believe that Christ dyed for him if he dyed for some particular persons only Ans 2. It seems then there is a generall offer of grace and a precept of God commanding and encouraging to believe I intreat the discreet Reader to consider what clear truth Mr. Tronghton professeth and how he hath with one hand ruined that great building of the Doctrine of restrained Redemption which he and many more with all their hands heads and hearts have labouâ—ed almost these two hundred years to raise up for seeing there is a Generall tender of Grace and manifestation of goodnesse from the most high God that offer is reall or not Mr. Troughton I thinke dare not say that it is not reall though I feare dares say any thing or else would never have restrained and limited Scripture Redemption for then he makes God like the worst of men If it be reall then I have ail that granted which largue for as fully as my soul can desire For if there be a generall and reall offer of Grace from God as most certainly there is surely then Christ dyed for all or else God offers grace to them and commandeth and encourageth them to believe for whom his Sonne never dyed and consequently to whom that grace could never have done any good Object But God fore-knew they would not receive it Ans But he fore-knew as well that by those abilities by him given them they could and might have received it and therefore he offers it that they may be left without excuse which could not have beene if the tender had never been made and that in good earnest too though Mr. Sympson in halfe sayes the contrary And wherein is the first act of Grace manifested but in Gods giving of Christ to be a propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world That then which is the first and principall manifestation of grace or love which are all one is Gods giving his Sonne to dye for sinners and doubtlesse is first and principally to be made knowne to the world that they may know and believe the love of God and so come to turn from Idols to serve him that so loved them or else we shall make a preposterous preaching of the Gospel What Mr. Troughton sayes That we are not to looke at Christs dying for us but to the precept of God for our encouragement to believe is utterly false and meerly legal for all obedience that is not grounded upon love to him whom we obey is little worth But selfe contradictions breake no square in Mr. Troughtons Doctrine as you shall see in the next place where he saith The command to believe and come to Christ is open and revealed but who Christ dyed for is secret and hid neither is Gods call and command that thou shouldst repent and believe grounded upon Christs dying for thee in particular I Answer 1. This last clause is in part true for it s grounded upon his dying for all in Generall see Joh. 3. 16. and so is the fâ—rst viz that the command to believe is open and revâ—aled but that it is a secret thing who Christ dyed for is untrue for there is not any one thing in all the Scriptures morefully and plainly revealed then this as I have clearly proved But if it be a secret how came Mr. Troughton to know any thing of its in reference to himselfe or others Ans 2. If a man have a conceit at large that Christ dyed for him or a certain knowledge that he dyed for all yet if a man apply it not to his own souls in particular his faith wil be but ill founded For if certaine knowledge of every truth be the sure ground of every act of saving faith how can I beléeve that Christ dyed for me in particular except I fâ—rst know that he dyed for me in particuler and how any man can know that but by confessing that he dyed for all let any soul judge But many that would be thought Christians are growne just like the Jews yea the Pharisees that have high thoughts of themselves and despise others and that Christ never bought wicked men and Hereticks but onely seemed so to doe If I could see the man that hath not been a wicked man or a Heretick I should it may be say so too but there is not that man on the face of the earth that hath not beene one or both of these as every humble heart will ingenuously confesse and that it was the knowledge of the love of God in Christ that drew them out of the sinck of sinne superstition and error led them to repentance and obedience and so to peace of conscience and joy in the Lord the spirit of God in the Word and their owne experience can and will testifie with many thousands Obj. But sayes Mr. Troughton There are many thousands of precious Saints some yet alive and other at rest with the Lord who had true faith and peace of conscience and yet were stranger to the Doctrine of Christs dying for all men I Answer first So there are that never knew that Christ suffered at Jerusalem yea many thousands that never heard of Christ as Infants and others who dye before they have done or known good or evill and others that were ignorant of many pure divine truths in all ages and places of the world Answer 2. Suppose it be so doth that argue that when we may have more and clearer light and knowledge in the love of God and matters of salvation that we should neglect and oppose it though they who are invincibly and inevitably ignorant of many heavenly truths may be happy yet they who resist them cannot be so Answer 3. If they had true faith and joy in the Holy Ghost who did not certainly know whether Christ dyed for them or no they living under such Ministers onely that held that Christ dyed onely for some what strength of faith peace of conscience and rejoycing in the Lord may they have who know and can prove by many plaine text of Scriptute that Christ dyed for them How may such souls exult and leap for joy through the love of God who know and believe the love of God to them A man who desires such a one
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
towards man appeared and thoughts of peace he harbours even towards them that are in rebellion against him yea how he was Reconciled to them who yet are enemies they even they would harbour sweet thoughts of God no longer look upon him as an enemy But throwing away the weapons of wickedness their sins would consider him as the chief of friends and so be reconcil'd to him as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 5. 20. and of which the prophet Isaiah speaks Chapter 27. 5. This reconciliation also is special and proper to believers Thus have I as briefly as I could and more briefly then the matter indeed will well allow spoken of redemption and reconciliation how general and how special I come in the next place by Jehovahs help to treat of Justification which is also universal and special The one is by the effusion or pouring out of the blood of Christ the other by the application of it of the one mention is made Rom. 5. 9. Being now justified by his blood c. and thus God is said to Justifie the ungodly Rom. 4. 5. but that this may be the better understood we must consider that there is a twofold sin or offence That which some call original which the Scriptures call one offence or offence of one even Adam and theâ—e innumerable transgressions which every man and woman commit From the former only I finde that all are justified by the pouring out of the blood of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world from the latter none is or shall be but through the applying of that blood by believing The former of these is absolutely free sutable to this is Rom. 3. 24. without any condtion and is universal as you may see Rom. 5. 18. The latter is also free on Gods part but upon condition of believing on ours as you may find Act. 13. 39. For the further clearing of this thing I desire the reader with me to reveiw that lately-recited text Rom. 5. 18. and I shall lay it down according to the Original Therefore as by one offence or sin condemnation came upon all men even so by one justification to life came upon all men But having handled this point partly before upon another occasion I shall only reminde the reader that these texâ—s hold forth this cleerly to us that as sin came upon or was imputed to all men by Adam so righteousness came upon or was imputed to all men by Christ and as for that sin all men were condemned to dye so from that death all shall through Christ be made alive and this is agreeable to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 22. and all divine justice and reason for had not Christ justified mankind from that offence Adam and all his posterity had been banished from God for ever as you may plainly perceive by that which is written 2 Sam. 14. 14. I would gladly know whether any man hath life here or can rise from the grave but by Christ by whom are all things or whether we could by any means enjoy these if we were not justified from that which deprived us of it and so quitted from that prison the grave which without a Christ dying and rising again would have kept Adam and in him all his posterity under its power but the day shall come when all that sleep in the dust shall rise and shall give an account before the Lord not of Adams sin but of the things done in their own bodies so that it seems that when every creature shall stand before the Judge of the world they shall not be look'd upon as unrighteous persons because Adam did offend If any affirme they shall let them prove it by the Scriptures and I shall willingly assent to them In the mean space I propound this to my self and others that either men shall at the day of judgement be damned for Adams sin or they shall not if they shall then God hath somwhere revealed it in his word for he will do nothing but he revealeth his secrets to his servants the Prophets if they shall not then they shall be considered righteous and justified from it which is cleerly sutable to Rom. 5. 19. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the Obedience of one shall many be made righteous And this is that which I understand by the justification of all men even Gods acquitting of them from Adams sin and the suffering which came by it at the day of judgement then which nothing is more cleer to me and thousands more in all the holy Scriptures and agreeable to all the revealed will of God in this case declaring that every soul shall bear his own burden and dye for his own offence But now a word or two of special justification and so I shall conclude this point That which I call special Justification or the Justification of some particular persons is when God is pleased to look upon his poor creatures which through believing in Jesus Christ turn from sin to serve him as righteous in his Son which I desire further to explaine thus God having in the purpose of his own will freely justified mankind from that sin of Adam and granted them to live in this world they all commit many grievous offences against that loving God that gave them life breath and all things by lying swearing drunkenness theft murder adultery fornication pride ambition coveteousness idleness cozening envy by evil thoughts and evil words from which the law of Moses is too weak to justifie them for let poor creatures annoyed imcumbred and compass'd about with these sins read the Law of Moses or offer up sacrifices according to that Law yet that will not drive sin out of the soul but tâ—â— blood of Christ applyed by faith the blood of Christ sprinkled upon the conscience will purge out sin When a poor soul doth know and believe that Jesus Christ shed his blood for him or her they begin to hate iniquity and abhor every sin and at length through faith i. e. the constant application of the blood of Christ to their hearts they who formerly were servants of sin and free from righteousness become quit justified freed from sin and servants of righteousness for with the heart man believes unto righteousness Rom. 10. 10. so that by believing they become justified righteous and cleered from those sins from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses as that before I hinted from the mouth of the Apostle Paul Acts 13. 39. So that which I find in the Scripture concerning this is that though God hath freely through the pouring out of the Lambes blood taken away the sin of the world I understand Adams sin yet none ever did or can get free or justified from the sins which they themselves have committed in their own bodies but through believing or laying to heart the goodness kindness grace mercy or love of God which towards man appeared in Christ Jesus before the
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