God and his making preserving shewing favour too and judging of them by Christ And so nations as wel as world when so spoken of in indefinite affirmations admits no exception of any but God in Christ as Act. 17 24.26 21. Psalm 86 9. Where of all nations that God hath made it is affirmed that they shal come and worship before him And is not that by vertue of the ransome Christ hath given for them as Esay 45.23 Phil. 2.7.11 which explicates Joh. 12.32 And there is a reason fit for faith and better then All Mr. Garners contradicting reasons of unbeliefe Psal 86.10 For Thou art great and dost wondrous things Thou art God alone These and all such like places are so to be understood But now if the word World be spoken of by God with reference to some times as the world that then was and perished by water the world that now is and is reserved unto Aire The world to come we understand it accordingly yet as generally and largely as the words so spoken will beare sutable to God And so when nations are spoken of narratively in respect of some things past or prophetically in respect of some things to be after done and yet in time also we understand it accordingly yet in the largest sense the words so spoken will beare But now when God speaketh of All men All nations or the world concerning the Babylonian Persian Grecian or Roman Monarcks we have no ground not reason to understand it so largely as when hee speakes of Christ much lesse when vaine men or weake men speake of all men or the world yea even Gods Commands to his servants to preach the Gospell to every creature and in All the world wee understand not in so large a sense as when God speakes of the person of Christ his Sonne and his workes by him but then by All men every man The world we understand All where they come one or other of his servants from age to age And this is an usuall thing in Scripture and among men To call a part by the name of the whole as the Church in such a house was but a part of the Church in Rome Rom. 16. And that Church but a part of the whole Church which is but one and the calling a part by the name of the whole doth not deny the being of the whole to Annihilate the residue and limit all to that part But the being of the whole gives ground of truth for so calling the part by such a name And so that Christ dyed for All. A good ground for his Servants to preach Gospel too pray for all where they come But their so preaching and praying is no limitation of the death of Christ to have been for no more then they so preach to and pray for And so that God made all men righteous that all sinned that Christ dyed and gave himselfe a ransome for All that all must dye rise and come to Judgement is a good ground to say to any sort of people God so made you yee have sinned Christ hath dyed for you c. or for any to say God made uâ— c. But against the limiting these things to such applicatory speeches as is shewed full enough in the opposed Treatise in the 5 and 11. and 12. and 13. Chapters at large which remaines unshaken yet and may serve as to shew the vanity of Mr. Garners bringing in the divers acceptations of the words Every or All pag 41 And the World pages 62 63 64 65 66. And the whole World pages 95 96. so far from the businesse to give a right understanding and fitted to blind the eyes of the Reader and to make him beleeve he seeth that which he seeth not And this already writ with that in the fore-mentioned chapters of the other Treatise may serve both to answer all his book and to shew what that sense is which he calls our corrupt sense namely that it is no other but the plaine sayings of the Holy Ghost in and about the foundation and beginning of the Gospell of Christ understood and beleeved in their owne expressions and according as the Holy Ghost expounds them and wils us to understand them as the words not of men but of God and as spoken by God of his Sonne Christ and his great workes by him and so we understand and beleeve as it is written 1 Joh. 4.14 We have seene and doe testifie that the Father sent his Sonne the Saviour of the world And that Jesus that was born of the Virgin Mary and suffered under Pontius Pilate Mat 1. Joh. 18. Mat. 16 16. Is Christ the Son of the living God Joh. 4.42 The Christ the Saviour of the world And that Joh. 3.17 God sent not his Sonne into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved And that to this end 2 Cor. 5.15 He dyed for all And Heb. 2 9. By the grace of God tasted death for every man yea so died for all that all died 2 Cor. 5 14. And that he rose from the dead the third day 1 Cor. 15.4 and gave himselfe a ransome to God for all men 1 Tim. 2 6 And is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2.2 And wils that this Gospell bee preached to all men where his servants come as a truth that they might beleeve on him Mat. 28.19 Marke 16.15 Joh. 1.7 And that whosoever beleeveth on him shall have everlasting life John 3.16.36 And who so beleeveth not seeth not life but abideth under wrath John 3.18.36 Behold the sense in the sayings of the Gospell yea the sayings themselves And if any man could not conceive how these sayings should bee right and true yet it became him to beleeve them to be right and true because they are the sayings of the Almighty God of Truth concerning his Sonne Jesus Christ for us and they are light though our understandings be dark and we do well to take heed to them as to a light shining in a dark place till the day dawn and the day star arise in our hearts Ioh. 1.4 5. 2 Pet. 1.19 And not to preferre darknesse before light and count our understandings light and his sayings darknesse and so with our understandings find follies falshoods and absurdities impossibilies of truth in his sayings and so call them errours and then goe frame and fashion them by wresting and cutting them to peeces and forcing senses on them to our understanding and call that The mind of God But if M. Garner thinke the sayings of God are foolishnesse let him know that the foolishnesse of God that men count so is wiser then men and will confound their wisdome one day 1 Cor. 1.19 20 25. nor can he helpe it by calling these sayings our corrupt sense Let all that desire to know whether in this I speake truth reade thorow that opposed Treatise and see if these recited sayings of Scripture be not
4. It might also be inquired how he conceived that he should unvaile mysteries whether by setting them forthinwords or by some spirituall shine and demonstration removing the vaile from the heart and giving an eye to see surely this latter he is farre from presuming to doe knowing it is the peculiar worke of the Holy Ghost Iohn 14.26 and 15 26 and 16.13 14. 1 Cor. 2.10 11. But the former he must needs intend to doe it by and with words which if he intend rightly to doe he must doe it by the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles for so is the commandement of the everlasting God Rom. 16.25 26. their sayings are a light 2 Pet. 1.19 not lift up by his understanding to find out better fitter words to expresse the mind of God in and call the plain appearing sense his words and sayings hold forth a corrupt sense and then say they most be understood under another notion and call his formed sayings the true sense and the mind of God as is usuall with him his constant drift being not to unvaile but to vaile the Scripture sayings and therein he is not like to be very profitable in unvailing mysteries But let the Reader of his Booke parpend how many mysteries he hath unvailed Mr. Knowles saith their are divers of them and himselfe cals his whole Treatise an unvailing Treatise surely his confounding of things that are by the Spirit in the Scripture language distinct and his private sācied senses forc'd on many words in many places of Scripture should be put in to make many but they are mists not Mysteries unvailed But I will note those he expresly cals Mysteries and though they might be all exprest in three yet I will doe him right to be as numerous as I may THE FOVRTH PART I. Mystery Vnvailed THat there is no way to life and salvation but through Iesus Christ only p. 33. the only way to life everlasting is through beleeving in the Sonne of God page 88. there is no remission of sinnes reconciliation or redemption but only through faith in the blood of Christ The two former sentences verily true and the latter if he had put it in no reconciliation c. received but only through faith for it is in him before receit and taking it so I acknowledge this first of them a most sweet precious and usefull truth but this acknowledgement is too scant to beare the name of the Mystery for whether men beleeve it or not He is the way the truth and the life Iohn 14.6 The Christ the Sonne of the liuing God the Saviour of the World the Lord of all the head and Husband of the Church That whosoever beleeveth on him may receive remission of sinnes c. And this was declared before his manifestation in the flesh by the Prophets Isay 28.16 Acts 10.43 and the Apostles more fully and clearly have set him forth both Iesus to be he and that there is no other Acts 4.10 11 12 And as for the rubbish and mysts brought in by the Superstitious exalters of Iustification by workes blessed be God they have been removed by divers of Gods servants before our dayes and this part of truth more fully clearly held forth by many in our daies then in his Treatise who yet have not stiled themselves the unvailers though teachers thereof yea such the blessing of God that very many yea some children under 14. years of age know and beleeve not only the negative but that and the affirmative part of this also so that wee can no way count Mr. Garner the unvailer of this Mystery yea wee cannot overlooke his evill drift in his pretence of unvailing this Mystery even to vaile and cast a mist on 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Iohn 3 16 17. and 1 Iohn 2 2. to hide that he might deny the extent of the grace of God and his preparation in Christ for men and tender to them and so shut the doore against the greatest number of men from having any right or liberty to look to Christ to be saved or any hope in so doing II. Mystery That Christ dyed for all that is for all Nations or all kindreds of people both Jewes and Gentiles that so all Nations of the world might enjoy life and salvation through the death of Christ page 34 35 and 124. though the latter part of his expression be very scant and not as Scripture expresseth yet this rightly understood without wresting is also true and usefull but this sure was declared by the Prophets and more plainly by the Apostles Luke 24.26 27. 1 Cor. 15.3.4 And is taught by many but his drift in pretending to unvaile this Mystery is to cast a vaile on 2 Cor. 5.14.15 and other places as if full of darknesse and equivocation that hee might deny All to be All and call the smallest and fewest number in all Nations all Nations for which he hath no ground nor when Christ first undertooke for mankind were there such diversities of Nations And as all were made of one blood so in that Nature he dyed and rose and when he rayseth them for whom he dyed and rose it will not be with such distinctions of Nations kindreds and degrees so that this is a very poore shift to evade plaine Truth withall III. Mystery That the grace of God by the death of Christ is more abundantly enlarged and stretched forth then in former ages page 98 99. Those Mysteries of salvation under many shadowes was limitted only to the Jewish Nation now by his appearing and suffering in the flesh Those Mysteries are not only more cleare in themselves as being wholly unvailed by the Sacrifice of himselfe but also the benefit of them is enlarged farre and wide unto all the Nations of the earth who before had never heard of nor knowne the sweetnesse of them page 130 131. The first saying is verily true and the latter also as it may be understood of the sufferings Sacrifice of Christ by his Spirit made knowne and so its sweet and usefull and was foretold by the Prophets that it should be so Isa 44. Joel 2. and by Apostles and others experimented and witnessed Act. 2. 10. Heb. 2.1 4. And is so in some measure to this day and if then wholly unvailed why presumes hee to pretend to unvaile besides the benefit of the Death and Sacrifice of Christ hath in some sort beene participated of by all Nations from the beginning of the world and still is Joh. 1. 4 5-9 10. Act. 14.17 17.26.28 And for tasting the sweetnesse of the choise priviledges manifested and abundance of grace powred forth it is hard for him to prove that all and every Nation and kindred Among the Turkes Tartars Pagans Indians and Salvages doe taste thereof Though the fewest amongst all be not all Nations c. Though his pretence of unvailing be to cast a vaile on what the Apostles spake without vailing 2 Cor. 3.14 Act. 13.47 1 Joh. 2.2 4.14 That
Scripture where it is said of any part of the world or any sort of men in the world Christ did not dye for them or that he dyed not for All that he is not the Saviour of the world not the propitiation for the sins of the whole world then he may to some other sayings put in his but or only Besides it s shewn in the Treatise as much restraint in some applicatory saying about Creation Fall Death Resurrection Judgement and that some for whom Christ dyed perish And this for answer to page 14. 5. I have his puting that for Scripture which is none as that God hated Esaue before he was borne and such stuffe as answered enough as also his intimate farthering a falsehood upon the Apostle who never said all Christ dyed for are justified by his blood or have their sinne forgiven and shall be eternally saved I well perceive where the Scripture untranslated how some would misreport them to serve their owne turnes with but read the Treatise and there is answer unâ—â—moved by Mr W. 6. He wrongs me in saying that I grant that the word world may some times be taken for the better part of them namely the Elect. But my Treatise saith otherwise That by the world in Joh. 17. is meant all the uncalled whatsoever they are in Gods decree of which they called are not and for which world clearly distinct from all the called that believe Christ prayed for a blessing on the ministration of the called that the uncalled the world distinct might beleeve vers 21.23 from which Mr. W. flyes when he comes at it as fearing it would confute his confutation As for all that followes it is so far from answering any thing that the Treatise remains still answer enough Besides I go by plain sayings of Scripture and not by Sillogismes in my Answer to the Objections and his sillogisme is slenderly proved All those and only those who are elected are likewise redeemed called justified glorified This his proposition Now I may make the Assumption not in two divers termes and so forcelesse as he did But in one viz. But Mr. T. W. is not glorified let himselfe make the conclusion and prove it But his main strength for confutation is in his Title and Epistle wherein he sides with and humours the prophane and scoffing company in using the language many do when they are powring in strong drinke and powring out oathes with Jeering and reproches But what he means by lay-preachers I am left to guesse I know the Scriptures distinguish between Governours and people as I hope he will not call the Governours our King Parliament and Magistrates Lay or of the people but Magistrates so I hope he will acknowledge himselfe a subject one of the people True before Christ came in the flesh there was a distinction betweene Priests and Levites and the rest of the people of Israel but now since Christ hath carried our nature to the right hand of God he is the high Priest and all that unfainedly believe are the spirituall Priests 1 Pet. 2 5-9 and the distinction is between the Church that is Gods inheritance and the world out of which they are called and chosen And this Church is the pillar of truth the light of the world and hath its authority for preaching each according to the faith and gifts given from Christ and not from men Rom. 12.3 1 Cor. 12.3 11. Eph. 4 7 12. 1 Pet. 4.11 Though liberty of doing this in publique places is from the Governours And that in the Church it selfe is a Distinction between Officers called Bishops or Elders and Deacons and the rest of the brethren And he that usurpe an Office without a Church call let him bear his reproof True when the Bishop of Rome began to usurp authority over Princes Then hee and his Ministers were called spirituall and the Clergie as if they were the Church and the Magistrates and people together as their inferiours called the Lavty But I find not that language in the Apostles writing And I hope because of the Covenant it is not the meaning of Mr. T. W. But only hee meanes men that are not in his order and so called as himselfe and then he begins wrong for without disparagement to him or them be it said the opinion he maintaines is that which such teach And the objections I answered I had them all in writing froÌ„ a Gentleman that very like sometimes hath been a Black-smith the calling the Distinctions proves and faulting them I had first from an Officer sometime a Shoo-maker and the opposition from some other Gentlemen of other callings And I hope Mr. Garner will not be ashamed to say he was an Apothecary nor I am perswaded will be glory in having Mr. T. W. of his side As for his charging them with wandering I have known some of his Order for calling have so done from place to place to get their living which I thinke he approves not but going where ones calling and Gods providence leads is not wandring though it were from Northamptonshire to great Yarmouth and from thence thither againe I wish he may requite none evill for good As for Tho. Moore He beleeves the Doctrine of the Gospel in the plain sayings thereof true and good and will acknowledge any swarving of his there from to be his errour when by those sayings it is shewne him But carnall reasonings or Philosophy he will not yeeld to to wave those sayings by As for his being a Weaver some twenty yeares since he hath no cause to be ashamed of it unlesse for his entering it contrary to the counsell of his deceased father and without consent of his then living friends and some correction from God on his body till by providence he was drawne from it nor hath he any cause to glory for having the same authority for school-teaching at that time that Mr W. had for preaching As for Wells it is a Coast Towne nighet Yarmouth and further from Northâ—hampton Shire then Vpwell o◠〈◊〉 in which he lived But this but a little mistake for 〈◊〉 that takes greater things on trust and will undertake to describâ— and censure those whom hee never knew nor correct his mistakes when by reading he might have had some knowledge to have set downe opinions righter As for that he saith T. M. hath of late taken on him the office of Teaching if hee had said neere twenty yeares ago hee received authority for Schoole-teaching hee had kept within some bounds of truth but for teaching or preaching Gospell I know not what hee meanes by Office for Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers were all Teachers and Preachers of the Gospell the words of prophecie exhortation wisdome knowledge faith c. are all for teaching Gospell the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every beleever to profit withall And teaching and preaching of Gospell and that to conversion or edifying soules hath been by reasoning or conference Joh. 4. Act.