wherein there is a cessation from that fiery appearance of God and they are now under the tender of life and salvation by JESUS CHRIST according to these Scriptures Matth. 13.38 chap. 24.14 chap. 26.13 Mark 10. ch 14.9 chap. 16.15 Rom. 10.18 Col. 1.6 And this is to be done for the gathering out the chosen of God from the world till CHRIST hath brought his Enemies under his feet and then resign up the Kingdom to his Father and God become all in all 1 Cor. 15. 24 25. Besides the Scriptures which I have brought which are sufficient to prove what I affirmed yet for your further satisfaction minde my Reasons to prove that every one hath the benefit of Christ's Death in those two things before exprest The first Particular First Reason that which was included in the curse must needs be in the immediate execution prevented by CHRIST But the immediate execution of a temporal death must needs be included in the curse therefore The Major is not questionable the Minor Proposition is proved by this Reason Reason That which was a fruit of sin must be comprehended in the curse but a natural death is a fruit of sin therefore The Major Proposition none will deny the Minor is proved from these Scriptures 1 Cor. 15.21 56. 2 Kings 14.6 2 Chron. 25.4 Job 24.19 Rom. 6.23 ch 8.10 Besides these Scriptures I prove the Minor Proposition thus Reason If any thing that is a part of a temporal death be a fruit of sin then is the whole but afflictions and pains in men and women which is a part of a temporal death is a fruit of sin therefore None can deny the Major the Minor is proved from these Scriptures Gen. 3.16 1 Kings 8.33 35. Psal 38.3 Jer. 8.14 Isai 3.10 Jer. 50.7 Now as the freedom from any thing of this temporal misery is a fruit of CHRIST so what comes instead of that as the enjoyment of life with other mercies of this world with the Sun shining and the Rain falling upon the just and unjust must needs be a fruit of CHRIST which extends to all Matth. 5.45 Eccles 9.2 Psalm 145.9 36.6 Now my Reasons to prove this second thing to wit that all men are by CHRIST brought under the authority and power of CHRIST and discoveries of Life by him are these Reason First that which the Scriptures declares to be a truth we must believe but that all men in that state are under the power and authority of CHRIST and discoveries of Life by him the Scriptures declare therefore a Truth The Major Proposition none can deny the Minor is proved from these Scriptures Matth. 28.18 John 17.2 Mark 2.10 Luke 5.24 Ephes 1.19 Secondly if mens sins be aggravated by the abuse of the mercies they enjoy in being under the authority and discoveries of CHRIST then to be under the authority and discoveries of CHRIST must needs be a benefit but mens sins are aggravated by their abusing of mercies that they enjoy under the authority and discoveries of CHRIST therefore The Major is proved by this Reason Reason Sin is never aggravated but either by the extent of a Law or discoveries of Love and if sin be aggravated as before exprest then it must be either by the extent of the Law or discoveries of mercy and if either it discovers the truth of the Major to wit that they are under the authority and discoveries of Christ by whom now all Law and Love is handed out to poor creatures they being all under his power the Minor Proposition is proved from these Scriptures John 15.22 24. Matth. 11.21 22 23. I shall say no more as to the business concerning the extent of Christs Death to every man but shall now speak to the second part of my Affirmation to wit that CHRIST did not die for all alike now that I may not speak to maintain that corrupt way of mens exercising wit to conquer one another but shall desire in the fear of the Lord and the love of his truth to speak to inform you about the difference relating to you and others about the Death of Christ and to maintain my Affirmation to wit that CHRIST died not for all alike Now judging that these Proposals following will help forward that work I shall in this part of my Affirmation propound them and speak to them which are as followeth First that there is a people that God hath chosen and elected in his Son before the world was Secondly that he had a special design for the advancement of his grace and love to carry on by CHRIST for them and them onely Thirdly that this great design of CHRIST for them was and must be accomplished Fourthly that this great design of God in CHRIST for them and onely them was satisfaction for all sin and the purchase of salvation and everlasting life by him Fifthly that faith which is required of all them that enjoy him is not a cause but an effect of the fore-mentioned privilege Sixthly that the publishing or declaring the fore-mentioned privileges which is the Gospel is Gods way or means to effect or produce faith or other Gospel-obedience in the heart of his own Seventhly that that faith which is produced in obedience to truth by the discoveries of the Gospel of Christ is not the bringing up of some thing that is in men before conversion But it is a peculiar work of God which nature in the highest improvement is not capable of till conversion or the new work of grace be wrought which work is Gods not upon a common but a special and Gospel account wrought by him Eighthly that it is Gods minde and way and a necessity it must be so for the advancement of his Grace and the accomplishing begetting of faith in the hearts of his own that this Gospel is to be presented or discovered to all without any exemption as to the declaration of it self Now I shall speak to these eigth particulars orderly which when I have done then that part of my affirmation will appear to be true to wit that Christ dyed not for all alike First to the first which is that there is a people that God hath chosen and elected in his Son before the world was the proof of which I shall make good so clearly from Scripture and by the truth of such reasons by Scripture that I hope through the Grace of God it may be a means to inform you the first scripture is the 2. of Timo. 1.9 where the Apostle declares this truth who hath saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began I need not paraphrase upon the expressions they are without all controversie that truth that God will owne which is that saving and election was determined by God for his people before they were called or did any works suitable to the worth of that mercy The
saith in his Book he declares a cause in all the seven things yet he shews you no cause why God should love us Now election or chusing is so considered in the singularity of his love and doth so live in the bowels of it that there is no more cause for the one than there is for the other and he requires nothing without himself to beget or maintain that in himself for us And now the thing I would have you consider followeth Thirdly consider what we minde by election it consisteth in Gods foreknowledg wherein he was pleased from all eternity in the riches of his grace and love to pitch upon and make choice of some in a peculiar sense to be vessels of glory whom he elected in the election of his Son who was the publick person comprehending the whole and this prerogative of God and privilege to us is not to be decyphered or discovered like as other privileges are for the death of Christ and our faith in Christ these have the time of their rise reign and perfection but for the other privilege it is done in God and with God without relation to any thing without himself it onely depends upon the prerogative of his will and his good pleasure according to these Scriptures Rom. 9.16 18 21 22. Matth. 11.16 Luke 10.21 Therefore when we speak of causes we must make a distinction between what is done by God out of God and what is done by God in God and whatsoever is done in the last sense hath no rise but himself and his own pleasure and if you give not God this you must deny his Prerogative and prove that he may not do with his own what seems good unto him which is contrary to these Scriptures Matth. 20.15 Exod. 33.19 Rom. 9.15 16 18 20 23. Now besides what hath been already said to prove that faith is but an effect and not the cause of election minde these Reasons First if election be before men have faith then faith cannot be a cause but it must be an effect but election is before we have faith Ergo. The Major is not to be questioned The Minor which is that election is before faith is proved from these Scriptures Acts 13.48 1 Tim. 1.9 Ephes 1.4 5. Reason 2. God is the first cause of causes and whatsoever doth take its rise or is immediate from him hath no other cause the truth of that you will see from the Scriptures before mentioned therefore faith must needs be an effect But besides all the Scriptures and Reasons I have brought Do but consider that election is not capable of being caused by any causes out of God for we are elected in the election of Christ and Christ did not merit his own election for his Death is not the cause of election though it be the meritorious cause and Gods great way to accomplish life and salvation If so be that faith is a cause of our election then election is subject to a cause and if in the lesser then in the greater but we know that in the greater which is the election of CHRIST in which general all particulars are comprehended it is not caused nor depends upon no condition or causes out of God but immediately flows from him and all other works and acts of grace and mercy done by God in CHRIST for us or by God in us towards CHRIST are the fruits of this fountain I mean Gods love in which Gods owning or chusing is so involved in it as it is one with it and both arise from one and the same fountain which is his own will and pleasure Now there being some that make Objections against this truth which peradventure may be the cause of your stumbling I shall in faithfulness to CHRIST and love to your soul mention some of them and give my answer to them First some there are as Henry Hagar in particular that do acknowledg this truth from these places of Scripture Ephes 1.4 where it is said that God hath chosen us in Christ before the world was And also the same in 1 Pet. 1 2. 2 Thess 2.13 Now though they acknowledg these words yet they endeavour to evade or turn the meaning another way by giving this answer from Rom. 4.17 where it is said that God declared unto Abraham that he hath made him the father of many Nations And in Rev. 13.8 CHRIST is said to be a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world Now from thence they reason thus The Apostle in Rom. 4.17 declaring the promise of God to Abraham saith that God calls those things that are not as though they were for saith he Abraham at that time was not the father of Isaâ—â— in whom the Nations should be blest and yet God saith I have made thee the father of many Nations but saith he It was not so for the Apostle doth declare it saying he calls things that are not as though they were and so CHRIST is said to be a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world though he was not slain many thousand years after So saith he are we to understand election for the Scripture saith that he did chuse and elect us before the world was yet it was not so onely God calls things that were not as if they were therefore men saith he are not elected till they are called Now dear friend in the fear of the Lord as you tender the information of your own soul seriously consider what an evasion here is without any way in truth discovering what the Apostle intends in these expressions for without controversie when God said I have made thee a father of many Nations he spake truth without any such evasion as our carnal wits will prompt us to believe But that I may give an Answer to this Objection judging that if that cover were removed the truth would lie naked I desire you to minde in Answer to it these Particulars First in every action there is these three things to be considered 1. The life or virtue of the Act. 2. The fruit of the Act. 3. The form of the Act. The life of the Act is that which produceth the form the fruit of the Act lives in the life and is spoke out or brought forth by the form had not this bin so the sin of Adam could never have brought a curse upon his posterity for the life of his act was in unity in all that were comprehended in his person and the evil fruit of his act took place upon all in that sense when it took place upon him but the manifestation or execution of this took place successively as Creatures were brought forth and so it appears the form of the act was to be made manifest according unto the succession or appearance of forms in Creatures but the life of the act from whence the denomination of the act comes was really acted and executed in Adam so in the promises of God to Abraham you are to look upon the life
appear when we shall speak to them now to speak to your Queries one by one as they are there laid down will neither be proper nor profitable because the foundation of the most of them is from a groundless supposition to wit That I and the rest do not hold that CHRIST died for all which is contrary to our judgments for we do hold that CHRIST did die for all but not for all alike therefore the very foundation of your Querie which relates to the Death of CHRIST will appear groundless and seeing that your Queries want foundation and besides I judg some of them contain contradiction I shall not speak to them one by one now that we may not uphold contention but in the fear of the Lord speak for information knowing where the difference between us and you lieth which gives you advantage to put so many forms upon Queries and faces upon Absurdities to present your opinion though groundless yet pleasing I shall according to the small ability the Lord gives me in answer to my relation to truth lay down and speak to these things following and so in the close answer your Queries and Absurdities First wherein you and we do seem to be one in judgment as to the Death of CHRIST Secondly where we differ Thirdly the ground of your mistakes as to the Death of CHRIST the ability of the Creature and the clearing up of the Justice of God Fourthly the sad Absurdities which of necessity must follow your opinion not that which is to be discovered but which is already discovered in your profest position in your Query and then you will see the necessity of the retorting of the most of the Absurdities upon your self and the residue of them must needs fall as to us they having no foundation from us First to the first First I do judg that CHRIST died for all though not for all alike Secondy that his Death without any exemption is to be presented to all First that he died for all I shall prove it by Scripture and then shew you how to prove this truth that CHRIST died for every man I shall not prove it from these Scriptures John 3.16 chap. 6.33 2 Cor. 5. 19. 1 John 2.2 1 John 4.14 and my reason for it in those Scriptures though they speak out the word all and the word world yet there is no safety to make positive conclusions upon doubtfull expressions I mean as to the nature and measure of the word all or world for sometimes the word world includes the whole as Job 34.18 Psalm 24.1 Psalm 50.12 98.7 Jer. 10.12 Acts 17.24 Secondly the word world is taken for a part as well as the whole as in these Scriptures John 13.1 chap. 14.17 chap. 15.18 19. chap. 17.6 9. Acts 17.6 Acts 19.27 Rev. 13.3 Thirdly as the word world doth include sometimes a part so sometimes of that part it doth intend properly the wicked of the world as Acts 17.31 Rom. 12.2 1 Cor. 3.19 chap. 4. 9. chap. 6.2 Hebr. 11.7 2 Peter 2.5 1 John 5.19 Again in other places it doth also properly intend onely the Professors or Believers in CHRIST as in these Scriptures John 12.19 Rom. 11.12 15. John 17.21 23. Now all that can be said or declared from these fore-mentioned Scriptures where the word world or all is expressed where the Death of CHRIST is declared or Reconciliation by him is to you very doubtfull whether it be to every one or onely Believers and therefore seeing that a doubtfull supposition is no foundation for infallible conclusions nor to end any controversie in discourse because supposition is as strong in the one as the other and convinces none but produceth disputes in all therefore I shall in my Answer not possitively conclude from but set them aside in this discourse and draw my proof as I told you before either from Scripture or Reason that doth arise no other way then from an absolute necessity So now to my Affirmation which is that CHRIST died for every man but not for alike First that he died for every man for the proof of that see 1 Tim. 4.10 he is the Saviour of every man but especially so there is a common salvation by CHRIST intended to all This truth is also made good in 2 Pet. 2.1 where he declares some men to be men of destruction and tells them that they had denied the Lord that bought them so that wicked men and men of destruction were comprehended in the purchase of CHRIST further see Heb. 2.9 Now I shall shew you what I do intend in it and my Grounds for it besides what already hath been said consider all men were comprehended in Adam according to Scripture Rom. 5.12 And what God speaks as to blessing and cursing when he speaks to Adam Gen. 2.17 saying In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death now Adam when he eat fell all men fell in him and came under this curse according to these Scriptures Rom. 5.12 15 17. 1 Cor. 15.21 22. Now what the Lord saith must be true and exactly performed which was in the very day when he eat he must die which word death doth comprehend death in every sense Now had not JESUS CHRIST been brought forth by the Lord to step between the pronunciation of the curse and the act meriting and the execution of the curse man must immediately have died or else God had not been exact in his Word but we know he is Now CHRIST was brought forth to bear the wrath of the Lord and the satisfaction of his Justice in that great breach and gap that man had made and so CHRIST was the Saviour of every man from the execution of that curse and they have some time to live here in the world or else their destruction had been in their conception either of all or so many as CHRIST did not undertake for for Gods Word is exactly true in all things So that in the first sense CHRIST is the Saviour of all men from the execution of that curse at which time and in which purchase the world is no longer Gods upon the old account but as it is the inheritance of JESUS CHRIST according to Psalm 1.8 Heb. 1.5 6. Matt. 22.3 8. applied to the 42. where God hath given the utmost part of the earth and Nations of the Heathen to CHRIST for his portion so it comes to pass that mercy is extended according to these Scriptures both to the just and unjust Matth. 5.45 Psalm 145.9 Eccles 9.2 Psalm 36.6 Secondly CHRIST by his Death doth not onely free the Creature from the immediate execution of that curse but he hath also taken them from under the dreadfull killing power of that state which man was in when he fell which was to lie under the fire and killing appearances of God in that killing Law nothing standing between God as fire and they as stubble but he hath brought them into a state and under the authority of himself
second Scripture is Ephes 1.4 acording as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love that shews that election was in Christ and was before the foundation of the world and it further sheweth that holiness and love in Saints was then determined not as causes of the former but as consequences that must needs follow Acts 13.48 when the Gentiles heard they were glad and glorified the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternall life believed this declares that they that have eternal life were ordained to it and that faith was not the cause but an effect of it therefore ordination must be before there are many more Scriptures but these are sufficient now to the reasons First Reason whatsoever is made good by God in the conclusion of time must needs be concluded of God before all time but the election of his own is made good in the conlusion of time Ergo. The Minor none will deny but the Major which is whatsoever is made good in the conclusion of time it must needs be concluded of God before all time my reasons to prove that are these First whatsoever comes to pass was before determined of God according to these Scriptures Acts 2.23 Job 14.5 14. chap. 20.29 Isai 46.10 Luke 22.29 2 Tim. 1.9 Acts 17.31 1 Thess 3.3 chap. 5.9 Heb. 9.27 Rom. 9.11 Secondly whatsoever before was determined of God doth and must come to pass which is clear from these Scriptures Psal 33.11 Prov. 19.21 Ch. 21.30 Isa 46.10 Act. 5.39 Job 23.14 Ch. 30.23 Dan. 11.27 29 35. Besides that minde this Reason God who comprehends all from whence all things take their Rise admits of no alteration or change in him self but what is before was and what was must be and whosoever saith the contrary must prove these 3. things 1. Ignorance in God 2. Mutability 3. Weakness Ignorance not knowing mutability altering weakness in being moved by causes before unknown and without himself which were Blasphemy for any to aver Reason 2. Whatsoever God doth do for us in relation to Heaven before grace was wrought in us is done before time but Election or chusing of us is done for us before grace is wrought in us Ergo. I need not stand to prove the Major it is so undeniable the Minor is proved from these Scriptures Rom. 5.8 10. Ephes 2.4 5. 1 John 4.10 19. Ezek. 16.4 5 6. Isai 43.23 24. Acts 9.3 4 5 6. Isai 56.1 Rom. 10.20 John 10.16 And so much for the first particular Now to the second which is that he had a special designe for the advancement of his Grace and love to carry on by Christ for them and them onely what the great designe is I have in some part told you but if you would further know the great Design of God for his People and for the advancement of his own glory and grace and would understand the time way and means and the truth of the thing that there is such a thing as a great design of God minde well these Scriptures Isai 53.10 Chap. 63 1 2 3 4. Psal 89.19 Daniel 9.24 25 26 27 Isai 42.15 16. In all which Scriptures the particular will clearly be discovered if you question the singularity of the designe in this word for them and them onely for the manifesting of that mind this reason Reason what is good in Gods sight must be done by him but singularity in his love to some or his manifestation of his love in Christ to some and not to others is good in Gods sight ergo The Major none will deny the Minor is proved from the Scriptures Matth. 11.25 26. The third thing that this great design of Christ for them was and must be accomplished that is clearly made good from these Scriptures Isai 59.1 10. chap. 55.11 John 19.51 If you desire any Reason besides what is brought minde this suitable to the Author must the Act be but he that carrieth on this design is God whose power is infinite whose determinate counsel is unalterable whose intents are undividable whose will considered in himself must stand all which you may plainly see if you minde these Scriptures Psalm 33.11 Prov. 19.21 Chap. 21.30 Isai 44.26 Isai 46.10 Acts 2.23 chap. 4.28 The fourth particular which is that the design of God in CHRIST for them was satisfaction for all sin and the purchase of salvation and eternal life by him according to these Scriptures Isai 53.45 46. 1 John 3.5 Col. 1.14 Ephes 1.17 ch 5.25 26.27 And further to manifest this Truth minde these three Particulars First God ordained Christ to that end 1 Pet. 1.19 20. Luke 1.68 69. Secondly God fitted Christ for that end Heb. 10.5 Isai 42.1 2 3 4. Psalm 89.19 Thirdly what Christ was ordained to and fitted for was finished by him John 19.28 30. 17.30 Now if any should say that Christ did accomplish the same design for all as well as for some they do exceedingly abuse Gods intent in Scripture and lay weakness upon God as if he could not carry on what he did intend and in sufficiency upon Christ or else you must deny these three things to wit First that God ordained Christ to it Secondly Gods fitting of Christ for it Thirdly that Christ did accomplish what he was ordered and fitted for which to deny is very sad Now though what hath been said is sufficient to prove this fourth thing yet to satisfie you that this privilege that we have been now speaking of is for some and not for all I beseech you in tenderness to God and love to your own soul and the honor of Truth minde these Particulars First though this Scripture which is Gods Word doth declare what God says and what at present God doth yet it is his essential will that doth declare fully and exactly what God is which will is in himself and himself so in that will that his will is and must be himself which self is not so much discovered in the form and face of present things as by the conclusion of things Secondly if the truth of Prophesies by Prophets be to be judged by the conclusion or making good what they declare Jer. 28.7 8. applied to the 15. then much more this truth we have been a speaking to is to be judged of by the conclusion which if you do you must of necessity hold that the great design of God and CHRIST which was satisfaction for all sin and purchase of salvation and everlasting life must be for some and not for all or else this Scripture must be needless Matth. 25.41 Thirdly though in the declaration of the Gospel it be said that whosoever believes shall be saved which is a truth yet there is no Scripture that declares either by Prophesie or Promise that every one in the world doth or shall believe and though the Commandment be universal that doth not decide the controversie for Gods authority extends
over all which is manifest in his language commanding of them but the peculiarity of his love is not to be judged by the extent of his authority but by the application or making good of his mercy which work or privilege is but to some and is solely his work as we shall afterwards shew you Fourthly though faith be required in the declaration and is the way to enjoy the manifestation yet a want in faith doth not nor cannot make any alteration in the foundation which is clear from these Scriptures 2 Tim. 2.13 applied to v. 19 2 Sam. 23.2 3 4. Minde well now it is clear that the foundation is Gods unchangeable love and grace which if it were to all upon the condition of faith giving a propriety in the foundation then any want in faith would work some alteration which is contrary to the forementioned Scriptures Fifthly in the fear of the Lord consider this Scripture John 17.4 where CHRIST says to the Father I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Now if CHRIST was ordained or appointed of the Father to satisfie for the sins of all and to purchase life and salvation for all then he hath finished it and they must be saved or else CHRIST doth not speak truth which were sad to aver but you see and must know all are not nor shall not be saved therefore it was not given him by the Father to do Now if any shall say that CHRIST hath finished the work of eternal life for any who will believe in him I answer the work cannot be finished if it depend upon any thing else and especially upon that which is so mutable as creatures minds whether to receive or not to receive as you affirm therefore without controversie CHRIST speaking truth the work is fully finished as the pardon of sin purchase of salvation and eternal life by him faith doth not make up the work but it is a fruit that floweth from it which is the next thing we shall enter upon and so I shall say no more to this fourth thing to wit That the great design of God in Christ was to satisfie for all sin and purchase salvation and eternal life for the elect and none but them The sixth thing is that faith which is required of all them that enjoy him is not a Cause but an Effect of the forementioned Privilege that is to say It is not the cause but an effect of election and that I shall punctually prove three ways 1. From Scripture 2. From the nature of causes 3. From the nature of the thing First from the Scripture see Acts 13.38 When the Gentiles heard they were glad and glorified the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed Which clearly shews that Ordination is before faith and this order and form CHRIST declares when he saith to his Disciples John 15.16 Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you They had chosen CHRIST that is to say loved him and by faith embraced him but his intent is they were first chosen by him and that is the cause the Apostle saith 1 John 4. We love him because he loved us first And for your further satisfaction minde these Scriptures Rom. 8.30 chap. 9.11 2 Tim. 1.9 Ezek. 16.6 Hosea 14.8 Secondly consider the order of Causes and you will finde that Henry Hagar who is a man I very much honour out of whose Book I see you have drawn your Absurdities if you do there but see how he decyphers Causes you will there finde that he makes no distinction of essential meritorious instrumental and final Causes but jumbles up all together without distinction Dear Friend it is not a form of words that will make things orderly in Gods sight unless there be divine wisdom to rectifie the judgment making man to deny his own natural wit when he goes about to decypher or discover Gods great design in CHRIST Again if you will say though he sets down successive causes yet he doth not set down the cause of Election in any of these seven causes he mentions neither can he unless he can discover a cause of him that is the Cause of Causes For my part I am of his judgment in these Particulars c. 1. That Gods love was the cause of his sending of his Son to die for sinners 2. That Christ's dying and rising is the cause of the Gospel being preached 3. The Gospel being preached is the cause of mens believing 4. That mens believing is the cause of justification but then it is justification in conscience and not justification before God in Christ which is the fountain and this in conscience is but the stream 5. That our knowing our selves justified by faith through the bloud of Christ is the cause of our love to Christ 6. That our love to Christ is the cause of our obedience to Christ But then the seventh cause which is That our obeying Christ is the cause of his giving us everlasting life that I deny And if you view these Scriptures he brings to prove it is will not make it good Mark 16.16 Revel 22.14 Heb. 6.9 He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved and blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gate into the City and Christ being made perfect through suffering he became the Author of everlasting salvation unto all them that obey him these Scriptures are truth and declare that they that obey Christ shall have eternal life but they nor no other Scripture declare anything contrary to this position that obedience is the way to life but not the cause of life if yea look upon causes either essential or meritorious but if you look upon it instrumental that is to say as the meanes or way to such an end then it is true and so is faith and so is prayer according to these Scriptures Philip. 1.19 1. Peter 1.5 Phil. 2.10 Heb. 12.14 Now when I tell you I do approve of these six causes successively before mentioned it is also with this restriction to put a diference between causes for the first cause which is Gods love that is the efficient cause 2. cause which is Christs death is the meritorious cause the 3 4 5 6. causes he spoke of are the instrumental causes and if you speak of these things in themselves and as they are to us then they are causes but if you speak of them all as they relate to God who is the Cause of Causes then they are but effects CHRIST'S death is but the effect of Gods love the preaching of the Gospel is but an effect of Gods love faith in him is but his gift and our love to him and obedience do all flow from him as the Fountain according to these Scriptures Gal. 5.22 Ephes 6.23 Heb. 12.2 James 1.17 18. they cannot in that sense be called causes but fruits Further consider what that Friend
or virtue of the promise the fruit of the promise and the form of the performance which is but the mouth and language to speak out the life by which was made good when Isaac and his seed successively took place so in CHRIST he was a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world the life or virtue of the act which was the efficacy of Christs Death which did arise from the Author and life of the act that took place so soon as ever God did promise CHRIST the form of the act which is the language as I told you before to speak out the life that takes place in time and is not formally presented till lively performed but the life or virtue of the form that takes place for us when first promised and so the Death of Christ was effectual so soon as ever the promise was propounded or else Adam must have died and none could have been saved till CHRIST had come and suffered in the flesh the very same we are to minde in election the life of the act which is the essence took place from the beginning as to the form we shall minde it in the second Particular Now as to the discovery and the fruits of the act that takes place in forms as forms are presented but the act is as truly alive before the form appears as it is afterwards and the truth is every act takes its denomination from the life and the antiquity is derived from thence and so Abrahrm was a father of Nations when the promise was first propounded and so CHRIST was really slain as to the life and virtue when he was first promised and election was then done when it took place in its rise which was Gods singular love and good will to chuse some to be vessels of glory now when the Apostle saith that God calls things that are not as if they were he doth not intend the life or virtue of the act but the form of the act and he that denies it endeavours to overthrow the whole tenure of Scripture for in this sense we are to understand our fall in Adam and our rise in Christ according to the tenure of the Gospel and so also the promise to Abraham and so we are to understand the intent of the Law Matth. 5.28 which declares lusting after a woman to be Adultery 1 John 3.18 that hatred is murder which declares the act to live in the life and virtue though it wants its outward form and is so really before the form is brought forth and in this sense we are to understand Christs love and rejoycing in the sons of men before the world was Prov. 8.31 Secondly consider as the life and virtue of some acts take place before the form and is really in being before the form appear either of our acts or Gods So further minde that whatsoever is done not onely of God but also in God for us the life and form of that act as to God takes place together and both is in being before it doth appear though the discovery of that is not till the Object to which the Action relates be brought forth and this is true election for that is an act done as well in God as by God and so life and form take place together as to God though as to the form of the discovery to us it is not till formably we are brought forth so this act is not to be paralleld with such acts that God doth for us though by himself yet our of himself as Redemption or the promise to Abraham is and therefore what is said from the words of the Apostle Rom. 4.17 is not sufficient to overthrow this truth to wit that election is before the beginning of the world according to these Scriptures Ephes 1.4 1 Pet. 1.2 2 Thess 2.13 1 Tim. 1.9 A second Objection that is made against this Truth by the fore-mentioned party and some others is from these words in 1 Peter 1.2 Elected according to the foreknowledg of God through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience And in 2 Thess 2.13 We are bound to give thanks always to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth whereunto ye were called by the Gospel From whence they reason thus If we are chosen through sanctification of the Spirit then none are chosen before they have the Spirit and are sanctified by the Spirit and if Saints are chosen to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth and were called to believe that through hearing of the Gospel Then say they men are not chosen before they did believe the truth and before they did hear the Gospel by which they were calld to believe Answer That kinde of reasoning is very sad and unsuitable to the intent of the Apostle in those expressions and that their Arguments have no foundation from thence seriously view the words the Apostle saith in both the places that we are chosen to salvation through sanctification unto obedience and belief of the truth whereunto we are called by the Gospel All that can from thence be gathered is thus much that sanctification and belief of the truth or obedience is the way to accomplish that end unto which election doth intend for there are three things to be considered 1. The act of Election and that hath been punctually proved both to matter manner and time 2. The end of Election which is the advancement of Gods grace in bringing vessels of mercy to glory 3. The way or means to accomplish the end which is by or through sanctification or believing the truth But it is no other way discovered but as the way and means no where as the cause or foundation therefore there is no ground from thence to prove that sanctification and election must be both at one time no more than the people of Israel going through the Wilderness to Canaan to be a discovery that God did not ordain them for Canaan or give them promise of Canaan before they came into Wilderness which was the way to it The Scripture declares that without holiness no man shall see God Heb. 12.13 But I know no Scripture that declares that man shall not nor is not elected till he be holy though they that are elected must and shall be holy and they that are holy shall see the Lord and live with him in glory not as the efficient and meritorious cause but as the way and means to such an end If men will draw Syllogisms from such corrupt apprehensions of such divine expressions as the Apostle useth in those Scriptures they may as well prove from thence and with as small a Paradox that sanctification is before men are born as to prove from them Scriptures election which is before the world to be not till men are sanctified but to exercise wit to prove either of these two things is
are his Now having discovered what troubles me and what makes me so unwilling to mention these truths but with discovering also wherein men do abuse them I shall now say no more but come to the proof of this seventh Particular and for the proof of that minde these Particulars 1. The whole Testimony of Scripture 2. The nature of the Work 3. The Titles that are given by God and Christ to the Work 4. The nature of every Creature before this is wrought Which four things will sufficiently prove that this work of faith is not gained by improving nature before conversion or a work before conversion that nature is capable of but is singly the work of God not in a general sense as a works ate but in a peculiar and a Gospel sense First the Testimony of Scripture to make good this truth is very full and clear see 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can be know them because they are spiritually discerned Which fully declares that the receiving or entertaining through faith the truths of the Spirit of God is a work which nature or natural men before conversion are not capable of it nor able to perform it but it is a special work of the Spirit of God John 3.3 5. Verily except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God And in v. 5. he saith Except a man be born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Where you see the 2. special employments of faith to wit 1. The seeing or viewing the glory of Gods Kingdom 2. The entering of the Kingdom Both which are to be done through faith CHRIST doth here affirm it is a work impossible for a natural man to do or any thing in nature to perform before conversion or the new birth which appears in Paul Phil. 3.6 which work is singularly Gods by his Spirit according to his own good will and pleasure which CHRIST affirms in vers 8. of the said Chapter Jer. 31.18 19. Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after I was turned I repented and after I was instructed I smote upon my thigh and I was ashamed Ephraim's experience doth testifie this that repentance smiting and being ashamed followeth turning and that turning and instructing in this Gospel sense in the act of conversion is Gods singular work Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil The comparison declares that it is impossible for unconverted man that lives in sin to do good as good that is to say to do any Gospel work Besides these testimonies which are sufficient I desire you further to minde these Scriptures Phil. 2.13 For it is God that works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure So it is singular Gods work produced by his good pleasure Suitable to that is Prov. 16. 1. Jer. 10.23 Lam. 5.21 Now as for the second which is what the nature of the work is before I speak of the nature of faith give me leave to speak a word or two of the new birth or conversion which of necessity must be wrought before any work or employment of faith can appear and the truth is my dear Friend if we cannot witness the new birth we are not in a capacity to inform one another of the things of God for till then we are but natural and not fit for such an employment 1 Cor. 2.14 Now this work of conversion and new birth I shall present it to you thus it is by the glorious and powerfull appearance or discovery of the glory of God in CHRIST which doth so seize upon the soul and convincingly conquers the soul that the soul in the discoveries of that light is so killed and made silent and confounded in the sense of his own unsuitableness to God and undonness without CHRIST that the heart is presently made to loath and abominate it self and whatsoever was wrought or done before CHRIST came and is so restlesly carried out for CHRIST that the soul cannot rest till it doth enjoy him that is till he can see a propriety in him or enjoy him as his own which is alone done through believing Now faith is a supernatural light and life set up in the soul by Gods causing the creature to assent to and close with the authority of Gods truth and tenders â—n CHRIST upon which direct act reflection followeth which is the applying of CHRIST as his own from the truth of Gods tender which is from his peculiar love which love the heart is made sensible of in that appearance Now dear Friend do but consider this small description of the work of conversion and faith and see if any thing in nature before the new birth is wrought is capable of or able to perform such a work do but pick out some Particulars of it as 1. This appearance of God doth and will kill make silent and confound or conquer whatsoever is in the soul before Christ comes Jer. 31.18 19. Rom. 7.9 Zach. 2.13 Acts 2.37 2. The creature is so overcome with a sight of this light that he can no longer love but loath himself Job 50.3 4 5. chap. 42.5 6. Isai 5.6 Phil. 3.8 3. It is made able to go out of it self and give way for and assent to the authority and truth of Gods tenders John 3.33 chap. â—2 38 Rom. 4.18 19 20.2 Thess 1.10 4. It can finde no rest in its self nor whatsoever self did before or can do but soly waits upon and attends the authority of this discovery Acts 2.37 ch 16.30 Cant. 5.6 8. Psalm 63.1 Matth. 11.12 5. It 's made able to apply that is to say to own a propriety and to bring home that to its self as its own which is as high as Heaven and far above what nature can either reach or attain unto according to these Scriptures Heb. 11. 1 8 10 13. John 8.56 1 Cor. 2.9 10. Now I beseech you consider what hath been said and you will see that the nature of this truth as we faid before is too high for any improvement of nature to attain to before the new birth Thirdly consider the Titles that are given by God and CHRIST to the work I mean to the work of Regeneration in which faith is comprehended or included it is called a new birth John 3.3 5. Except a man be born again he cannot see or he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Now dear Friend consider what it is to be born and minde that a spiritual birth transcends a natural if you can truly witness this you will see and must acknowledg this truth 1. That it is impossible by any improvement of Nature to be performed before the work of grace is wrought 2. It is called spiritual 1 Cor. 2.14 Now
still in the state of wrath or damnation as in John 3.18 But now to the meritorious cause of condemnation which God goes upon is not the creatures neglect in the exercising of a power to receive CHRIST but for exercising darkness in rejecting CHRIST John 3.19 which truth I have fully made good before from Scripture Query 5. I have answered in my Answer to the third Query wherein I have shewed you the ground and cause why all are exhorted to repentance and to believe and how clearly God is justified in it and how eminently his grace and love is discovered by it Quer. 6. Whether hath not Christ given out power and ability to all men to believe on him That I have fully answered by shewing you that the work of God is beyond the improvements of nature in the highest sense and is not common to all but peculiar to some and yet there remains power in all as I have shewed you to do more than most creatures at present do yet in the highest improvement the work of Faith is above it Query 7. It is one with the sixth Query and that which doth answer the one doth fully answer the other for I have in the discovery of the work of believing on CHRIST and salvation by CHRIST discovered how things are between God and us wherein you will see if you reade them over where the stick lieth and that in all God and CHRIST are just Query 8. Whether unbelief be not the condemning sin That I have answered in answering the second and the fourth Query and that Particular doth very fully answer this especially if you consider first what I have said as to the distinction of causes Secondly what I have said as to the meritorious cause of mans condemnation Query 9. Whether God hath not appointed all to be saved To that my Answer hth been very full first in shewing that there is a general salvation that every man partakes of Secondly shewing you that there is a peculiar people ordained before the world was unto a special salvation which is peculiar unto some not to all and yet God eminently abides just not onely upon the prerogative of his will but upon the exercise of his power and justice in condemning creatures not for want of what they have not but for the ill exercising of what they have Query 10. Whether Adam was in a state of grace before his fall To that I answer Where the Scripture wants a mouth let us want a tongue besides you do not express what you mean by grace if you meant by grace 〈◊〉 grace is under stood in a Gospel sense relating to faith in Christ that the Scripture doth clear up that Christ was not discovered till man fell and there was no imployment for faith in that sense before Query 11. Whether insants by generation are in a state of damnation or in a state of salvation As to that I have fully answered by shewing you that man by nature consider him in himself in which every man is to be considered till God is pleased to bring forth the effects of election which is alone to distinguish and till then every man so considered as before is in a state of wrath or condemnation according to these Scriptures Ephes 2.3 1 Cor. 6.11 Query 11. Is one with the eleventh and the answer of the one may serve to answer the application of the other Query 13. Which doth arise from the unchangeableness of Predestination from whence you qâ—â—â—y For what end the Scriptures are set forth That I have fully answered in my answer to the third Query Query 14. Whose names they are that are written in the Book of Life whether they be the Elects or the Reprobates If the Elects whether they shall not be blotted out if they add or diminish from the Word of God Answer I know you are not ignonorant but you know that the Word presents the Book of Life in a several sense the Book of Life doth not onely hold out eternal Life but the visible Kingdom of Grace and God hath also provided a way and means that any that are received in shall as well be cast out if they appear to be such that walk in Doctrines contrary to that Gospel which was by CHRIST and the Apostles delivered if you can prove that by that Book of Life is onely meant election and that those that are elected may so add and be diminishers of that Revelation that John spake of and upon that from being elected to become reprobated then you had some ground to query or else your Queries are groundless as to what I judg you intend but I have at large shewed you the sad danger of drawing up forms from variety of faces in Gods outward declaration especially when fancy is the former which of necessity must be unless you distinguish causes and distinguish between Gods essential and declarative will and the difference between the general and the special exercises of Gods power understanding one Scripture with another all which I desire you in the fear of the Lord to consider of which is in full to all your Queries and now I shall shew ye the fallacy of your Absurdities Now as for your Absurdities though they must needs full with the Answer of your Queries and need no other return yet that you may see the fallacy of them more fully I shall briefly speak a word or two to them most of them depends upon the conclusion of Christs dying for all and doth arise from absolute denial of that now you may clearly see by what I writ that as to that which is the foundation of your Absurdities that I and others do not deny but with you hold that Christ tasted death for every man according to that Scripture in Peter which you mention in your sixth Absurdity and I in your first Absurdity and therefore your first Absurdity to wit that the Devil destroys not those men for whom Christ died which say you is contrary to that Scripture before mentioned I need say no more in answer to that Absurdity onely it is impossible for the Devil to destroy any for whom CHRIST died not because he died for all Absurdity 2. If Christ died not for all men then Despair is no sin in them that perish Answer Despair or Infidelity is a sin in it self Further consider that it is unknown that CHRIST did not die for them till the conclusion comes Further that which is appliable to every creature and to be believed by every creature is not in a Gospel sense believed by them that perish for they that do not in that sense believe one thing cannot in that sense believe any thing But further minde the want of ability doth not take off Gods authority nor change the nature of sin in it self therefore your Absurdity is absurd Absurdity 3. If Christ died not for all men then it were a sin for some men to believe that Christ died for them The Answer
of your second Absurdity answers this and the truth is the reading of either is sufficient to make a gracious heart to blush it being a language the Scripture doth not own Absurdity 4. If there were some men for whom Christ died â—â—t such men should be exempted or freed from the condemnation of unbelief or treading under feet the bloud of the Covenant by which they were sanctified Answer Though I have answered this fully yet minde that the outward tenders of CHRIST as we have proved excludes none that by it the chosen of God may be called out of the world through grace to believe and should the tenders make an exemption of some from believing it were a contradiction in the tender which is to all excluding none And further consider that infidelity is the declarative cause of mans damnation but I have fully proved that the meritorious cause of condemnation it self is the exercising of darkness in rejecting CHRIST As for that expression in your Absurdity about mens being sanctified by the bloud of Christ and yet treads under feet the bloud of CHRIST your misapprehending that Scripture have fully answered in one of your mistakes which is the cause of your stumbling Absurdity 5. If Christ died not for all Satan in perswading people Christ died not for them doth no evil Your Absurdity is very sad and you cannot have the least face to retort that upon us unless you can prove that infidelity in it self is no sin And secondly that the Devil knows exactly who it is that God designs for Heaven which secret God retains to himself and is revealable to none but them to whom CHRIST reveals it besides it is impossible for any footing to be for that Absurdity because CHRIST in some sense hath tasted death for every man Absurdity 6. If Christ died not for all men then it were not Heresie to teach some men to deny that Christ bought them contrary to that Scripture in 2 Pet. 2.1 I have proved from that Scripture that CHRIST tasted death for every man and to deny it is Heresie but if you mean dying for every man alike that Scripture doth not prove it yet for any man to make a particular application to this or that man saying CHRIST died not for him in particular that way is unwarrantable and contrary to truth for in the tender there is no exclusion and for Ordination and Application they are secrets belonging unto God made known to us as he seems good Absurdity 7. If there be some that Christ died not for it is an error for them to believe he died for them I have answered this Absurdity in the answering the former four it being one and the same onely you love to make repetition of one and the same thing Absurdity 8. If Christ died not for all men then some for whom Christ died not do believe a truth in believing Christ died not for them which say you is Blasphemy to affirm Answer There is no ground for such an Absurdity unless you can prove these three things 1. That we hold that Christ died in no sense for some which we deny 2. That men may know Reprobation or Election exactly before it is discovered 3. That men may truly believe and yet be damned Absurdity 9. If Christ died not for all men then some should be damned in Hell for not believing that which is not truth Absurdity 10. If Christ died not for all men their damnation is not to be attributed to their not believing but to Christs not dying I have answered these two Absurdities so fully that it will be but a vain repetition to say any more for I have clearly shewed what is the meritorious cause of Damnation and how just God is in doing of it not condemning the creature for his neglect in the exercising that power which he hath not but the exercising of a power of darkness which he hath which if you reade over you will see these two Absurdities with the rest not onely to be without foundation but will produce sad reflections upon your own spirit if you look upon them through the Rule of Truth and do not suffer God and his actions to be brought under the dispute and control of your low Reason So having spoke briefly to your Queries and Absurdities from what in general I did before declare I shall now draw up a few Absurdities which of necessity must flow from your opinion and so commit you to God The Absurdities are 1. You deny the Prerogative of Gods will as if he had not power to do with his own as seems good to him crossing these Scriptures Matth. 20.15 Rom. 9.18 21 22 23. Isai 45.9 43.13 2. You do as much as give Christ the Lie where he saith The work is finished that the Father gave him to do John 17.4 Where you say CHRIST died to purchase Salvation for all and yet you say All are not saved 3. You do exceedingly undervalue God and the â—â—ches of his grace and love whose love is the efficient cause of all grace in us when you affirm There is no privilege considered in his love for you till you do believe And withall you do affirm that Faith is produced by the improvement of mens abilities which all enjoy from God before conversion 4. You lay injustice upon God when as you say CHRIST died to satisfie fully for all the sin of all men And yet you say All men shall not be saved And whereas you in your second Query say How can God be just to condemn them for whom Christ died not It may with more ground be questioned how it is just to condemn them for whom CHRIST died I mean died in that sense you speak of 5. You change the nature of causes and set the effect before the cause when you say Faith is the cause of Election and consequently the cause of Gods special or singular lovâ— â—â—â—en his love is in himself nay the Apostle saith in 1 John 4.8 that is himself therefore you may as well say Faith is the cause of God The Lord make your soul sensible of the sadness of this opinion 6. You do by your opinion what in you lieth to strike down the great Ordinance or design of God in it I mean in that great distinction that God made between the Seed of the Woman and the Serpent and his Seed Gen. 3.15 That the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head and the Serpent and his Seed should bruise their heel Now that by the Seed of the Woman is meant CHRIST and all the elect in him is not to be denied and by the Serpent and his Seed is meant the Devil and the Reprobates is as clear which division or distinction God made at the beginning as his great design or grand way to bring about his glory that is to say the glory of 〈◊〉 grace in vessels of mercy and the glory of his power and justice in vessels of wrath
Fourteen Queries and ten Absurdities about the extent of CHRIST'S Death the power of the Creatures the Justice of God in condemning some and saving others presented by a Free-willer to the Church of CHRIST at Newcastle and answered by Paul Hobson a Member of the said Church In which Answer is discovered the extent of Christs Death the nature and truth of Election the condition of the Creature both before and after conversion c. Published in tenderness of love for the good of all especially for the Churches of Christ Matth. 22.19 Jesus answered and said unto them Ye do err noâ— knowing the Scripture nor the power of God Gal. 1.8 But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed LONDON Printed by Henry Hills for William Hutchison Bookseller in Durham 1655. The Epistle Dedicatory To the Church of Christ at Newcastle these THe grace of our Lord be multiplied upon you all and strengthen you in every good word and work Beloved in the Lord you may remember that one William Pedelsden who professes and preaches the universal point at Sheels did present to me and some others in the face of the Church certain dangerous Queries requiring our Answer and for truths sake there being other business lying upon Brother Gover you desired me to write and publish an Answer to them and though I am sensible that in my appearing publickly I am called rather to manifest the present dealings of God with me and my former unkinde dealings with him but being sensible how much this opinion spreads and what dangerous consequences are produced by it I could not but after a serious seeking of God endeavour to answer your desires herein and the rather knowing that it is one of the general ways wherein the Devil deludes poor souls for I have found by experience that these two ways are the general Heads the Devil commonly goes upon and gradually proceeds in to draw away souls from the good way of the Lord first perswading men under specious pretences to allegorize Scaiptures and turn all into a more spiritual understanding and enjoyment than at present they have attained to who stand by the Rule of Truth in the practice of Gospel order and ordinances and this is backed on as I told you before with specious pretences of spirituality though in truth it is that which ends in carnality though at the first it doth not so appear which I can sadly witness the Devil commonly imploys this way with such spirits that are taken with curiosity of words and notions leaving the wholesom Word of the Lord. The second general way the Deluder takes is by discovering the way of God and the Doctrine of the Gospel under a greater way of rationality though it be but that which doth answer that reason which indeed is carnal which the Apostle speaks of in 1 Cor. 2 3. ch at large this second way the Devil takes many who are not capable of the first but both are very dangerous and though the first was my proper snare yet I judg it not amiss to let some part of my imployment be also to discover the second which according to my weak ability in this writing I have endeavoured desiring the Lord it may accomplish that end which you and I desire to wit the putting a stop to that opinion which the Author of those Queries doth hold forth which in many places doth so sadly spread and for the establishing of the weak that are ready to stagger so desiring the Lord in his power and presence to own it I shall say no more as to the matter nor end but commend you to God and the Word of his grace I remain Your poor Brother in the Faith and fellowship of the Gospel P. Hobson From Sagerstonehugh the 9th day of the 12th Moneth 1654. To the Reader COurteous Reader I am sensible the Devil never wants cunning inventions to court men to the imbracement of evil and wants no ability to mannage his wiles to take mens hearts off from owning good and I am sensible that he needs go no further to incense thee against this matter than his using Arguments from the former miscarriages and present insufficiency of the Author But it is the desire of my Soul to the Lord that though I have formerly stumbled and not stood steadfast in the truth yet my unsuitableness may not stave you off from a serious consideration of the matter that is here exprest I must confess that I am not apt to think it may do so because the same temptations have been in mee by which I had been almost taken off from ever appearing publickly bearing my Testimony for truth having been for a long time such a cloud to truth yet being as you will see by the insuing matter so providentially put upon it and besides seing that great necessity for it this opinion of free will with the rest therein exprest do increase so much in these Northern parts and it comes with such a face of rationality that many poor precious hearts who are weak in the faith are apt to stumble and in an especiall manner some about Hull where I was an eye and eare witness not long since of the sad disaster that is befaln the Church of Christ there upon that account therefore in tenderness of Love to them and answering the Desires of the People with whom I walk and for the prevention of this opinion spreading further here I could not but break over the difficulties I mean the sence of my own insufficiency and the great objections that will endeavour to be made by men opposite to the truth against the matter from the insufficiency of the Author but I trust the Lord or at least I desire it that he will give you a heart to look above the instrument to him who is the Author and fountain of truth it self considering that it is not the excellency of means but the truth of the matter that we are to mind it was I Cor. 27.28 and still is Gods way to manifest truth by weak and contemptible means that so truth may be entertained upon its own naked account sure I am we have too long imbraced truth upon confidence of the instrument or Author not Saint-like examining the matter or else concluding our judgment upon all when we have seen or read but part all which I desire thee to avoid in reading this small Treatise which though the dress is such that will not court mens fancies it was not for that end intended but that truth may be entertained in thy affections that it may appear to be so both in you and me it is ihe desire of my Soul that we may live in the power life and spirit of Truth and so be sure we can bear a Testimony in our lives to what our words or lines do discover lest we be found in the day of the Lord too
light which day is a coming and will not tarry And even Sion it self cannot be a shelter to cover Hypocrites but in the day of the Lord their fear will be fearfull Isai 33.14 A virgins state with light in our Lamps without oyle in our vessels will not make way for entainment in that day Mat. 25.11 12. neither will preaching nor prophesying Mat. 7.22 23. neither will our being calld by the name of Israel nor passing through the waters of Judah nor swearing by the name of the Lord nor calling our selves of the holy City Isai 48.1 2. do it without a real oneness with Christ which is alwayes accompaned with soundness of principle and suitableness in practice not in bare words and formes but in power and life in each performance that it may be thus with you and me it is and shall be the earnest prayer of him that is Courteous Reader one that desires to appear before men as to approve himself to the Lord and be found saithfull at his coming P.H. To all that love the Lord in sincerity and are called according to his purpose BEloved it is wonderfull to consider how far Antichrist hath darkned the Glorious and pure truthes of Jesus Christ with his vails vizards and covers so that it is hard to find out their face or form as also to restore any one truth to its primitive institution and being though God is pleased many times by an eminent hand to bring truth to light notwithstanding these false covers which do yet lye upon it as to many though much discovered by others yet when I consider where the cause of all this is not in the truth it self but in mens blindness and darkness in their understanding of it and which is yet worse it being like so to remain till the glorious Gospel of Christ shall take hold of them therefore the consideration of this should stay our spirits when we see such contendings oppositions and carnal reasonings against the clear and pure truth of God in the Scriptures and now seeing our dear Brother the Author of this Treatise hath endeavoured to bring forth his Talent in the behalf of truth in answer to those Queries wherein I judg that God hath in a good measure inabled him to give a clear answer to the satisfiing and confirming of them who are or have been apt to scruple or stagger at the truth which is here affirmed by him and owned by the Saints I judg that this light of of his should not be put under a Bushell but he brought forth to publick view so that if there be in it that which may give satisfaction to one it may be usefull the rather when I consider what necessity there is of it in other places where the words of such kinde of persons are like the words of Hymeneus and Philetus which will eat as doth a Cancer this is the ground of his so appearing in a publick way yet what room and entertainment it may have or meet withall among the sons of men I know not because we know that wisdome is onely justified of her children if it be so among wisdomes children it doth accomplish wisdoms end and therein we have ours Possibly it may meet with reproches and scorns either in respect of its dress and habit it appears in which was minded to the Author but could not well be avoyded it being the onely suitable way to him to make out his mind in namely Syllogisms and the rather because Haggers book which he answers runs in the same strain or in relation to the Author against whom some may be ready to cavil and so slight and undervalue the truth possibly conceiving him to have been formerly dead if not twice dead as to such appearances yet not pluckt up by the roots I know it may seem strange to many that he should now appeare in the house of God the strangeness of which hath been beheld as much by me as by any and wee have been ready to wonder at the admirable rich grace patience and long-suffering of God towards him who formerly walked in notions and pretences of spirituality though in wantonness against Christ Were it not that the Lord is mercifull because he delighteth to be mercifull we had not known how or where to have centered our judgments and understandings concerning him in that condition yet knowing there is no difference where God makes none I cannot but be satisfied the rather I being an eye witness of the Authors great alteration and change not onely in reference to a gratious frame of heart and a close walking with God daily but also in respect of those his many principles as to notions which were imbraced by him and I fear too much by many now to the turning of their minds aside from the simplicity of the Gospel and the truth as it is in Iesus if the truth here affirmed shall take place in any hearts to the securing of their judgments and keeping their consciences free from error and pollution we wish the Lord may have the praise and we shall have cause therein to reioyce Friends I judg that now things will no longer go upon trust as formerly the truthes of God have too much gone upon the leggs of humane testimony now therefore it is our desire it may go upon tryal Gold loseth nothing by its tryal but its nature is discovered more excellent to the Law and to the testimony there must be a day of fining and trying Gold must appear to be Gold and Dross to be Dross it will no longer pass for current with god though it doth with men therefore it behoveth all the people of God to have their loynes girt about with truth this is all at present I shall say either in behalf of the Author or matter or persons to whom it is to be tendered and so shall desire daily to pray for your furtherance in the Gospel labouring while I am in this tabernacle on this side glory to approve my self in the sight of God Your unworthy yet faithfull Companion through grace in Gospel-service Tho Gower DEar Friend I received fourteen Queries from you destring my judgment about the Death of CHRIST the ability of the Creature and the Justice of God relating to the Condemnation of the Creature c. and with them ten Absurdities which you are pleased to annex to the Queries but as for the Absurdities I shall leave them till seasonably I may answer them and come to shew you the fallacy of them onely one or two things first as to them minde First to draw Absurdities from the cross Answer of your Queries before your Queries are answered is but a fallacy Secondly the drawing Absurdities from the Answer of your Queries or what you judg will be the Answer doth shew that you do not propound Queries to be informed because you conclude your Answer before you propound them or elseyour Absurdities be but the fruit of fancy the truth of which will
you know that every effect is caused by a cause suitable to it self and every thing is producible in its proper element if so then a state of nature cannot produce a work that is spiritual 3. It is called a rising or quickning from the dead Ephes 2.1 5. Colos 3.1 Can the dead raise it self or can that which is dead quicken it self without a power beyond it self 4. It is to deny a mans self Matth. 16.24 Mank 8.34 Self cannot deny it self in no consideration but it must be by a power above and beyond it 5. It is a killing or mortifying Rom. 8.13 Col. 3.5 Now the power killing or mortifying 〈◊〉 above the thing killed or mortified Fourthly consider what man is before this work is wrought 1. He is not onely in sin but dead in sin Ephes 2.1 5. 2. He is without God without grace and without hope Ephes 2.12 3. They are in blindness Isai 29.18 chap. 35.5 chap. 42.7 And till this supernatural light by God be set up in the soul he cannot see nor know the things of God in a spiritual and saving sense 4. He is in a state of enmity and is an enemy to God and to the Gospel light and life Rom. 8.7 Col. 1.21 Rom. 5.10 5. They are children of wrath Ephes 2.3 Now summ up all together 1. That state which is a state of death 2. A state of being without God and grace 3. Of so much blindness 4. A state of enmity to God and to the light and life of the Gospel 5. A state wherein men are children of wrath I say consider this and minde what the work of Faith or the new Birth is lay both together and you will be forced to say that the highest improvement of nature while men are in nature is not capable of nor able to perform it I shall say no more to this fourth Particular which is for the making good of the seventh Position to wit that Faith that is produced in obedience to Truth by the discoveries of the Gospel of CHRIST is that which nature in the highest improvements before conversion is not capable of performing I would come to the next thing but there is one or two Objections by the way which I judg some may make against what I havâ— spoke as to the insufficiency of creatures to such work and therefore in way of Query for your satisfaction that nothing may be left undone to the utmost of my power to satisfie and inform your judgment which in tenderness of love I desire to do I shall mention them and give you my Answer to them Query 1. This that you have spoke or declared seems to unpower the creature solely as if it had no power before the new birth which seems very contrary to Scripture which speaks of the creatures improving their Talent Answer As to any Gospel work or works relating to God in CHRIST that every creature is uncapable of and averse to nay an enemy to it before this appearing of God in the work of grace and yet this doth not at all deny but there is a power in the creature to do much more than at the present I can see the most natural men do therefore I beseech you that I may not destroy oâ—e Truth by maintaining another Consider what the Lord hath shewed me in the searching of the Scripture I shall lay down briefly in these Particulars 1. That every man naturally hath a Talent which he is bound by the Law of God to improve 2. That this Talent or Power in the highest improvement is but to answer the moral Law or so much of it as nature is capable of retaining 3. That they who do thus improve it do very much come up to the answering of the righteousness of the Law as Paul did before conversion Phil. 3.5 6. 4. When creatures do thus improve their Talent in the answer of the moral Law or so much as their nature is capable of Though there is an enmity between that in a Scripture sense and the righteousness of CHRIST yet CHRIST seems to have some kinde of love to that improvement and therefore you may see in Mark 10.21 when the young man came to him though he was unacquainted with saving grace yet in his improvements had very much answered the Law and therefore the Text saith CHRIST looked upon him and loved him so that such improvements of nature in answer to a Law is more pleasing to CHRIST than the embezling a mans Talent polluting of nature in the neglect of improvement 5. Consider If there be such a Power and such an improvement and so much owned certainly it is good for men to be exact in it And it is very much my judgment that God approves of and meets men there if so I think we are to wait upon God there And yet this will not prove that men have power by improvement of nature to work up their hearts in a Gospel sense for the entertaining of CHRIST though this improvement be a way to wait upon God in for even Gospel Ordinances or outward means of Grace is commonly that which God is met in and God meets souls there but yet that doth not prove that the Ordinances have power in themselves to bring up to grace nay if men so rest on them or look upon power in them not looking up to God above them then they are so far from coming to God that they and their performance is condemned and loathed by God according to these Scriptures Isai 1.11 12 13. 66.3 The same we are to consider in this and much more for I see clearly by Scripture there are more promises fixt to Gospel Ordinances than are to the improvements of natural abilities though both are good yet neither is able to bring up to Christ but in the highest abilities of either we are to consider the work of Grace or new Birth to be produced by the working of Gods mighty power above and beyond both and that appears clearly if you consider these Particulars 1. The case of the young man in the Gospel he had the highest improvements of nature of any I reade of but when CHRIST brings his improvements to the Touch stone of Gospel Principles he in his improvements left Christ Matth. 19.20 Mark 10.20 Luke 18.21 2. Consider that the work of Grace in a Gospel sense is of a nature far above and beyond the righteousness of the Law and that you will see in these Scriptures Rom. 9.31 32. Gal. 3.10 11 12. Phil. 3.8 9. Tit. 3.5 6 7. 3. When any soul that ever improved nature as Paul Phil. 3.5 6. or any other when once they are come to be brought home to Christ these moral improvements are so far from closing with this new work that it is soly to be laid aside and denied Phil. 3.8 9. Gal. 3. I mean in relation to a conjunction with CHRIST as having any ability or power performing the new Birth which is soly done of
God and verily there is a greater and more eminent appearance of Gods power in converting such a man who by improvement hath made himself righteous as to the Law than in converting him that is a greater sinner which is clear from these Scriptures Matth. 11. 21 22 23. Luke 10.13 14. chap. 11.32 The case you may see in the proud Pharisee Luke 18.10 11 12 13. But this doth not arise so much from the nature of the righteousness as from the corruption in the creature who doth sinfully improve the righteousness endeavouring to finde the way to Heaven without CHRIST though they do use the Name and Title of CHRIST in what they do therefore I would not have any neglect to improve their Talent though I would have you and all know when you have done all as to the work of Grace and procuring Heaven you are unprofitable servants and far below the work of Grace and so far from being able to perform it till Grace comes in a Gospeâ— sense that nothing can be done and when it is come though it doth teach you to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts which fulfills the Law in answering the Gospel yet it doth teach you to deny and loath all your former improvements and righteousness according to these Scriptures Phil. 3.4 5 6 7 8 9. Gal. 3.10 11 12 18 21. Ephes 2.8 9. Tit. 3.5 6 7. And so much in answer to these Queries onely dear Friend that we may understand Truth truly let us draw up the result thus when the Scripture speaks of any power in the creature before the new Birth it is onely that small proportion of power which is to be improved in answer to the righteousness of a moral Law so far as the discovery of it is retained in nature and when I declare this Truth which the Scripture owns to wit that the creature hath no power that is to a work of Grace in a Gospel sense which is Gods peculiar work not in a common but in a special and Gospel account which work the former ability is far below and in the highest improvement is not able to perform Peradventure you may make a second Query which you were pleased to express when I saw you which is Query What is done before this new Birth and that which is done since is all by the power of God if by the power of God why make we distinction Answer We do not make any distinction of power as it is considered in God for the power of God is individable in himself but our discourse relates to the exercise of Gods power as to us and that is distinguishable and is to be considered either higher or lower either common or special according to these Scriptures Deut. 9.29 Job 23.6 chap. 26.14 Psalm 79.11 Matth. 9.8 Luke 9.43 Ephes 1.19 Col 1.11 Besides we see clearly that some acts of Gods power are universal and communicable to all and some are peculiar as gifts of grace to some and not to all and they that have the former may and do many times want the later for your better understanding of that Truth do but mind Deut 29 v.2 And Moses called unto all Israel and said unto them Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eys in the Land of Egypt unto Pharaoh and unto all his servants and unto all his Land in vers 3. The great temptations which thine eys have seen the signs and those great miracles Now all that Moses discovers there is to manifest the exercise of Gods power in a common or general sense but doth not at all include the peculiar exercises of Gods power as to Grace which we have been all this while a speaking of therefore he saith v. 4 Yet the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive nor eys to see and ears to hear unto this day The same you may understand in these Scriptures Matth. 11.25 applied to Matth. 13.11 ch 19.11 John 6.65 Pâ—â—â— 1.29 All which I entreat you in the fear of the Lord to minde and not to conclude any thing in opposition to this Truth from the unity of power that is in God but seriously minde the exercise of his power as to us and then you will finde that you have no ground to propound such a Query or to stumble at your apprehensions of the unity of the power in God but I shall say no more as to that Query Now I should come to the eighth Particular which is that it is Gods minde and way and therefore of necessity it must be so for the advancement of his Grace and the accomplishment of Faith in the hearts of his own that this Gospel is to be presented or discovered to all without any exemption as to the declaration it self to which I shall say little it being so clear onely refer you to the Scriptures which declare 1. Gods will so present or declare Christ to all according to these Scriptures Matth. 26.13 chap. 28.18 19. Mark 16.15 16. 2. That Gods end is for working of Faith in the hearts of this own or the gathering his own to himself according to these Scriptures Rom. 10.14 15. 1 Cor. 4.15 Col. 1.5 1 Thess 2.13 1 Pet. 4.6 This is all I shall say to this eighth Position Now I know there are some that will make some Objections further to what hath been said which I desire to mention and give my Answer to Obj. It is clear from what you have said that Christ is to be presented to all and that he is enjoyed by none but through believing and you say the power of believing is soly of God and not by any improvement of the ability of nature before the new Birth if so how can it be just with God to condemn them that do not believe seeing the power is not of them but in God Answer I judg this very mistake to be a chief ground of your stumbling and therefore for the clearing up of that according to the third Particular in my writing wherein I promised to clear up the Justice of God in this case I shall desire you not to stand upon curiosity of words but in singleness of heart owning the Truth of God to consider with me these Particulars following 1. That Christ is to be presented to all that 's not disputable that Faith is the way or condition of the Gospel to entertertain Christ and salvation by Christ that is clear 2. That this Faith thus considered is not in the power of the creature to perform by its ability from Gods authority in a common sense but it is a peculiar gift in a Gospel sense by the grace of God given to some and not to all that is clear from these Scriptures Matth. 13.11 16 17. 1 Cor. 2.14 Matth. 11.27 John 15.15 Phil. 1.29 3. Minde that notwithstanding all this Gods justice is clear not onely as to the prerogative of his will which we have no ground to dispute against but is also clear
as in 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 hath counted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace Now your mistake is in the taking one person for another for the Apostle doth not intend in the word he by which he was sanctified the party that treads the bloud of CHRIST under feet for it is not he that is sanctified but it is CHRIST that is sanctified now sanctification is to be set apart and it is CHRIST alone that was set apart through the bloud of the covenant through that God sanctified him through that he sanctified himself according to John 17. For CHRIST was capable of no other sanctification and if any man with an ingenious heart will but reade that Verse as it is in the Translation though there is much more to be considered otherwise they cannot conclude but the party there sanctified is properly intended CHRIST and not he that treads unless they will overthrow the intent of this Scripture and make Scripture to be of private interpretation which is not to be done 2 Peter 1.20 I might mention many other places of Scripture as to the mistakes of persons taking all for some and one for another I onely mention these two or three for the rest Fifthly as those former mistakes doth arise from your mistakes of the Letter of the Scripture as it is said in Matth. 22.29 You err not knowing the Scripture that is comprehended in what we have already said but see what followeth You err not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God that is to say the power and authority of Scripture which all are ignorant of till the truth of God in Scripture is made good in them so that a fifth cause of your mistakes which I much fear is your unacquaintedness with the power of God in Scripture that is the Scriptures being made good in you as to the work of conversion or the new birth for dear Friend though I am unwilling to speak any thing that hath the face of censuring yet I cannot but judg that if ever the power and authority of God had passed upon you in the great work of conversion there would need no further Argument but present experience to convince such a soul that power to stand up before the Lord and to entertain the tenders of CHRIST is soly and alone the work of God not upon a common or a general account but in a special and peculiar sense And so much of this fifth Particular A sixth mistake is your confining your judgment of the essentiality of God the unchangeableness of his essential will to the visibility of God in his outward Word and actions as they are in our view and though those things do declare the outward actions of God as they relate to our actings towards him yet they are not given to us to judg of and measure the unchangeable love of God in himself to us by I mean that good will and love that is in himself and hath no dependance upon any thing out of himself for God is said to repent Gen. 6.6 He is said to forsake Jer. 23.33 39.2 Chr. 2.15 He is said to be grieved Gen. 6.6 He is said to go down and see if things were so according to the cry of the sins of Sodom Gen. 18.20 21. as if he had not known before the same is in Gen. 11.15 Now these expressions doth declare the outward acts of God as they relate to our acting towards him or the manifesting the visibility of God as it is in our view and not to measure the essentiality of God and the unchangeableness of his love and good will by for if you do you will both wrong God deceive your own soul And so much of this sixth mistake There are many more causes of your stumbling I onely thought good to give you these which at present I remember desiring the Lord by them to manifest the rest and to clear up truth in your soul that you may no longer stumble but through the manifestation of Gods grace you may be made able to understand truth as itis in Jesus Now before I come to shew you the sad Absurdities that must of necessity follow your opinion and how injurious you are by that unto the glory of Gods grace to Christ and to your own soul I shall from what hath been said already give you a brief Answer to your Queries and Absurdities which briefly take thus Query 1. If Christ died not for all What ground hath any man to believe he died for him Answ I have discovered the fallacy of that Query by shewing ye that the efficient cause of our believing in Christ is more supernatural heavenly and spiritual than such low exercise of a common Reason as to conclude CHRIST died for us because he died for all The work of Faith I have shewed ye to be of nother nature Query 2. How can God be said to to be just to condemn those persons for whom Christ never died Answer How can God be just to condemn them for whom CHRIST died I mean in your sense but I have answered this Query fully in shewing you that CHRIST tasted death for every man 2. I shewed you that it was just with God to condemn all and it is onely singular mercy that he saved any 3. I have sufficiently declared from Scripture that the meritorious cause of condemnation is not for the creatures not exercising of a power of Faith in receiving CHRIST but for exercising darkness in rejecting CHRIST and though creatures want the first yet they are possest of the last Query 3. How can remission of sins be preached to these for whom Christ never died I have andswered that by shewing it is the great design of God to have CHRIST presented to all that from amongst all his own through his mercy might be called to believe 2. I have shewed to you that there is no exclusion as to the tenders of the Gospel for distinctions in that case are no where but in Ordination and Application and I have clearly proved to you that one depends upon the prerogative of his will and the other is produced by the singularity of his love and grace which in justice he might have with-held from all but for the advancement of his glory and grace he is pleased to bestow on some Query 4. I have fully answered in my Answer to the second Query about clearing up of Gods justice and in shewing you what is the meritorious cause of mans damnation Now as I have fully shewed you concerning faith first consider it in the real exercise then it is an instrumental cause of mans salvation Joh. 3.16 Again consider a mans state in the want of faith the want of faith is a declarative cause manifesting that a man so wanting Faith is