as for God's command to thee to use the means that thou mayst believe and repent it is not grounded upon Christ's dying for thee in particular but on the connexion and harmony which is between the mean and the end faith and salvation Thirdly there are thousands of precious Saints some alive and some at rest with the Lord who have and had true faith and peace of Conscience and joy in the holy Ghost and yet were meer strangers to the Doctrine of Vntversal Redemption Fourthly I would gladly be resolved in this what more ground of believing to salvation there is from the universality of Redemption then from the universality of the offer of Christ in the minstry of the word unless men will hold an Vniversal Salvation for seeing Christ died for many thousands that shall be damned may not I question whether I be not one of that number and whether Christ died for me so as that I should in the event believe to salvation The Unive salists will not acknowledge that Christ hath merited and procured faith for all them whom he died for This must needs be uncomfortable to a poor soul that finds it impossible to believe from creature strength and ability but blessed be the Lord who puts it out of doubt in his word that Christ hath merited faith for us and that we have faith through him and for his sake 2 Pet. 1.1 To them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Christ To you it is given for Christ's sake Phil. 1.29 Rom. 8.32 not only to believe on him but to suffer for him He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shal he not with him freely give us all things Faith and repentance and a new heart I hope are good things here we have an argument from the greater to the lesser If God hath given Christ which is the great gift for poor sinners he will then freely give to them a spirit of faith and repentance Let me ask our adversaries this question what men are bound to believe for the peace of their Consciences when they take it for granted already that Christ died for them being comprehended in the world of mankinde To conclude this smal Tract which I desire the good Lord to bless to the Reader we declare unto you in our Ministry that Christ died for all for the world for every man and woman that shall believe on him and accept him and close with him upon the terms of the Gospel and is not here incouragement to poor sinners be their sins never so great Thou art not excluded by name why shouldst thou exclude thy self through unbelief Suppose a company of passengers be ready to sink and a rope is let down from the ship will they stand to question whether the rope was let down with a purpose to save them from drowning wil they not rather strive who shal be most forward to take hold of it and come up by it If a pardon be published that whoever will accept of it be his rebellion and treason never so hainous he shall find mercy is not here incouragement to the worst of rebels to come in and accept of pardon and not question the secret intention of the magistrate whether he propound the pardon in general terms only for tryal conviction or for their actual deliverance There is not any one sin except the sin against the holy Ghost which is therefore unpardonable because they that commit it have not grace to repent but some that have been guilty of that sin and have committed it have found mercy Paul Mary Magdalen Peter Manasseh Sampson Solomon Zacheus c. are now glorious Saints in heaven And is not here ground and incouragement for thee to believe If the Lord give thee a heart to believe for it is his gift By grace are ye saved through faith Eph. 2.8 and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Doubtless there are many precious saints that can witness to this Truth tell you by experience that God gives true faith peace of conscience in such a ministry as this breathing by his spirit thereon for the Spirit breaths where it pleaseth as the wind bloweth where it listeth and thou knowest not whence it cometh nor whither it goeth So is every one that is born of the Spirit Now the Lord lead his people into truth and by the light of his Countenance and the brightness of his glorious appearance let error and darkness be dispelled and all Antichristian Doctrines and opinions suppressed certainly as the glorious God hath in a great measure already so he will much more ere it be long vindicate his own spirit his Sons Blood his Truth his Ministry his Ordinances his Saintes his own great and glorious Name and testifie more clearly and convincingly against the mysterie of Antichrist which now worketh in this Nation under another vizard and by other Instruments then formerly it hath wrought but shall have no better success then it formerly had FINIS
SCRIPTURE Redemption Restrayned and Limitted OR An Antidote against Vniversal Redemption in ten Reasons or Arguments deduced from plain SCRIPTURE Briefly propounded in a Sermon at the Lecture in Mountsorrel in Leicestershire March 3. 1651 2. Now contracted and published for strengthning the weak and reducing misled souls who attend not the publike Ministry in those parts Whereunto is added The Saints Declining State under Gospel Administrations c. Worthy the reading and study of all Christians By William Troughton Minister of the Gospel at Onlepp in Leicestershire Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth Gal. 4.16 LONDON Printed by J. M. for L. Chapman at the Crown in Popes head Alley 1652. The EPISTLE To the READER ALL that I desire of thee Christian Reader is that thou wouldest diligently weigh the Arguments and Scriptures alledged in this little Treatise which are more fully handled in greater Books on this Subject together with the ensuing Catalogue and withal consider with me how derogatory the Doctrine of general Redemption is to the free Grace and Love of God yea I may truly say to all his glorious Attributes The sad concomitants and effects of this Doctrine in this divided distracted Nation as not long since in the Low Countries whence it was transferred hither How inconsistent it is with God's free and absolute Election with special Adoption and Justification with peculiar effectual grace in Conversion Sanctification Union and Perseverance Truth is but one and harmonious but Error is a Hydra with many heads It is the property of Errors to jar and be at variance but as for down Truth all the parts and branches thereof do mutually accord and convay mutual light and assistance to each other Alas What sad times are we fallen upon when manifest errors long since confuted and suppressed shall be revived and carried on with a high hand when the faithful Ministers of Christ who open the covenant of Grace to the people and the special Priviledges flowing from Redemption by Christ's blood shall be openly reviled and oppugned and that in their publike Exercises by men of Jesuitical and Antichristian Principles and Practises who boldly and daringly tell the people that we delude them and are open enemies to God and godliness yea that we preach Blasphemy in asserting that Christ shed his blood only for his Sheep That it lies not in the power of the creature to believe That the Spirit of God works irresistably upon the Elect in their conversion That such as are one Spirit with Christ cannot finally apostatize from him and lastly That visible Title to and interest in the Covenant of Grace consisting in a serious profession of the Christian faith accompanied with a sutable conversation is that which constitutes a member of the visible Church of Christ Surely though men should be silent and Christ should have but a few to contend for his Truth yet the Lord God will not long suffer these things Mal. 3.2 3. 1 Cor. 3.13 c. but will shortly come as Refiners fire and burn up this dross and stubble which cannot stand before the Jealous God In the mean while let us believe and wait and pray and tremble in the flesh Yet a little while He that hath promised to come Heb. 10.37 will come and will not tarry Blessed are they that love his appearance and shall have their garments pure and unspotted in that day W. T. The Introduction I Shall here present the Reader with a brief Catalogue of the Principles and Practises of those men whom I chiefly oppose in this Treatise whereof I my self have had some experience in my converse with them Let any godly sober Christian judge upon reading what follows if it be not high time for us to appear against this Mysterie of Antichrist which diffuseth and spreadeth it self in City Army and Country I held my peace till God made me deeply sensible of the evil and danger that surroundeth us But then I could no longer refrain with a good Conscience but must give my publique Testimony against these Doctrines and works of darkness 1. They cry down Infant-Baptisme as an Antichristian Idol and exclude all our little ones from visible Interest in the Covenant of Grace and membership of Christ's visible Church 2. They hold none to be visible Saints Disciples or Believers but only grown persons that are rebaptised at yeers 3. They baptise people into this faith namely that Christ died for all the sons and daughters of the first Adam and are not free to joyn in Worship with any sober Anabaptist who is not of this opinion witness their separating themselves not only from us but from the Churches and Societies where M. Jessey M. Kiffin M. Patience c. are Teachers 4. They own such as Christ's Disciples who are baptized into their opinion though never so ignorant formal and vain unchurching all such as differ from them though never so spiritual heavenly experienced Christians 5. They refuse to hear the ablest and most approved Ministers of the Gospel unless it be to cavil against them not only rayling against such as were ordained by the Prelates and promiscuously administer the Sacraments but also against others that go in a stricter way and are reputed by godly souls to be the most spiritual laborious and conscientious Preachers whom they shamelesly Nickname Antichristian Priests and Persecutors Witness the sermons and discourses of Master Oats M. James Brown Everard Prior c. and open enemies to the Lord Jesus yea they do with open mouth revile these faithful Ministers of Christ who are really affected and exceeding serviceable in their places to the present Government incomparably more then the worst of scandalous Ministers 6. They declare us Antichristian Persecutors of the Saints if we humbly desire the Civil Magistrate but to keep outward order and peace in the Congregation M. Marloe M. Brown and their tumultuous followers at Odeby neer I eicester while we are exercised in the publike worship of God and to prevent tumults and combustions and so by this means they utterly overthrow the office and power of the Magistrate who must neither meddle with matters of Religion relating to the Conscience or inward man nor with external order and Civil Government 7. They hold and accordingly it is practised that any of their fellow Disciples if he can but multiply words though God knows he be ignorant of the first Principles and rudiments of Christian Religion may both publikely preach and administer the Seals Witness their approbation of Rob Fielding Kendall and other their ignorant Teachers and Administrators in Leicestershire Docent priusquam discant and that these poor ignorant souls are rather Christ's faithful Ministers then our most reverend Brethren that are in Office either in the Classical or Congregational way 8. They hold that there is no true and lawful Minister of Christ in England gifted and called according to the rule of the New
Testament Doubtless this is a principle that tends much to division and confusion and so we have found it in the places where it hath been received 9. They usually publish and promote their corrupt opinions and doctrines in places where the Saints abide So did M Brown both at Mountsorrel and Odeby wittness that profane carriage of M. Brown and his followers at Mount sorrel And at Odeby and in contempt of the publike faithful Ministry they will prepossess and invdde the Pulpit though they know beforehand that others are appointed to preach 10. They do ordinarily disturbe and interrupt the faithful Ministers of Christ in publike preaching and prayer putting on their hats in prayer time and laughing in the faces one of another and withal procuring some of the M. Marloe and M. Brown with their followers common Souldiery to guard them with their swords in their hands 11. They daringly challenge the Ministry of Christ to dispute with them and yet will observe no Order nor keep to any rules of Disputation no nor so much as agree on the terms of the propositions to be disputed upon much less will they yeild that there shall be a Moderator for they are altogether for popular irregular confused Disputes that they may make a noise and amuse the people and gain applause to themselves as men of great gifts and excellent parts 12. They quarrel with us for our praying before and after Sermon telling us that there is no precept nor example for it in all the New Testament nor will they enter a dispute with us on these terms M. Brown and his followers in Leicestershire that one of us seek the Face of God by Prayer for direction before and after the Dispute 13. They absolutely deny that there is any Original sin or corruption of Nature they scoff at God's absolute Decree from eternity and openly preach 〈◊〉 Free-will and for total and final Apostacie from Grace and the worst of Pelagian heresies and Popish opinions the very naming whereof was formerly odious to godly Christians 14. They bring their followers into miserable Soul bondage and slavery as the Jesuits and Popish Priests do with their Proselytes not suffering them to be present at our Meetings and Exercises lest they should be acquainted with Gospel priviledges and Christian Liberty and so renounce their Antichristian enslaving doctrines 15. They give out threatning language telling us Witnes M Browns carriage words at Mount sorrel that we dare not shew our faces where they have appeared and endeavouring by all sinister means to render our Persons and Ministry odious to the People as if the despising and hating their faithful Ministers were a ready way and a fit means to make them Christs true disciples If this generation of men should sit at the stern as I hope they never shall for my part I could expect but little Freedom or protection from them either for my self or any godly man that opposes their fancies 16. If we fight against their opinions with Scripture weapons and Arguments and warn the People in the name of Christ to take heed of their Errors In this case they are ready to make an Insurrection upon us yea some of them have beaten some of our hearers With these and such like carnal weapons do they maintain their cause party and kingdom 17. Their great designe where-ever they come is to pull down the powerful Ministry of Christ as that which stands in their light and hinders the building of their Babel and the setting up of their Kingdom 18. They hold that we cannot have true peace of Conscience nor comfortably conclude that Christ dyed for us in particular unless we believe that he dyed for every man in the world and so for Cain Judas Pharaoh c. Thus have I given you a taste from my own experience of their opinions and practises much more might be added but I affect brevity and enough hath been said if God give a blessing to make humble souls beware of them AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST Universal Redemption In X. Arguments IT should not seeme strange to us that there are so many heretical and corrupt opinions broched in these dayes for the Church and faithful servants of God have been from time to time sharply exercised with error and false doctrine and besides do not we find it prophesied and foretold Matth. 7.15 that wolves shall come in sheeps Mat. 24.23.24 1 Ioh. 4.1 1 Cor. 11.19 clothing and shall say los◠here is Christ and there is Christ But we are not to believe them but try the spirits and search the scriptures and again is it not said that there must be heresies even for this end that they which are approved may be made manifest Times wherein errors abound are times of Tryal many professors will stoutly hold out in other stormes and tempests who yet will be born downe and overwhelmed with this storme and make shipwrack of the faith which they once professed 2 Tim. 3.1 2 Tim. 4.3 4. The last times will be perillous times men will not indure sound doctrine but having itching ears will heape up Teachers like themselves and though we may well hope that there are many poor misled souls whom God will in mercy reduce and bring back to the acknowledgment and love of his truth yet for the seducers themselves they do for the most part grow worse 2 Tim. 3.13 and worse and run from error to error it being the just judgement of God upon them 2 Thess 2 10 11. that they should be given up to strong delusions to beleeve lyes who have not received the truth in the love of it that they should be filled with darkness and error who have not spiritually improved that light which they once had It is not in mans power to inlighten the understanding convince the conscience and informe the judgment of an erroneous person we can only morally propound truth to the understanding and the spirit of God must make the understanding yea the heart one with truth otherwise it cannot be effected We often wonder that people should not readily receive and imbrace truth when it is so clearly and plainly held forth and propounded in the word of truth but why should we wonder at it Considering that it is but given to a few savingly to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven Mar 13.13 c. 1 Cor. 2.4 1 Thess 1.5 and though the word and Gospel of Christ come to many in the letter yet but to few in the Evidence Power and demonstration of the holy Ghost Truly my soul mourns in secret to see the holy word of God so wretchedly abused misapplyed and wrested a nose of waxe to serve mens fancies whereas we ought to have a reverend and high esteem of the Majesty and authority of God's holy word by which we must be judged we ought I say to fall under it to submit humbly to it and to frame our heads
and hearts and words and writings and lives according to the sense of it and not prostitute the sacred word to our spurious fancies and inventions and profanely and sacrilegiously alledge the same for maintaining the beggerly brats of our owne braines The Lord pardon this evill and vindicate and rescue his own blessed word from all corrupt glosses and misinterpretations and make it to shine forth in its owne beauty lustre and brightness that it may dazle and silence those that abuse it to their own fleshly ends The Scripture is a sealed book Rev. 5.1 c. It is sealed with seven seales and till the blessed slain Lambe by the seven spirits open it to us we cannot spiritually comprehend the mind of God therein by all our endeavours and abilities Hence it is that so many in our age err from the truth going forth in the confidence of their own strength and walking or rather wandring in their own light and not humbly waiting on God for his teachings nor comparing spiritual things with spirituall for what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him 1 Cor. 2.10 11. Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God who searcheth all things yea the deep things of God But to come to the Scriptures and Arguments against Universal Redemption ARGUMENT I. MY first Argument or Reason is taken from Rev. 5.9 compared with Rev. 14.3 4. The words are these And they sung a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof For thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every Kindred Tongue People and Nation And no man could learn that Song but the hundred and forty four thousand which were redeemed from the earth These are they which were not defiled with women for they are Virgins These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth These were redeemed or bought from among men c. If the Lord Jesus Christ by his death and blood-shedding did redeem a number out of every kindred tongue people and nation then there is a number of men which is not redeemed by the blood of Christ Suppose a whole Nation were in slavery and bondage to the Turks and some victorious Prince or Captain should by his Valour or Treasure redeem some of the Inhabitants out of this Nation in which they are enslaved will it not then follow that there is a certain number of Inhabitants in this Nation which are not redeemed but are still in bondage Here is plain Scripture against Universal Redemption oh that the Lord would give poor deluded souls to see it in the light of his Spirit and to submit to it by the power of the same Spirit Not every Individual of the sex nation kindred and tongue is bought and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb but some out of every nation sex kindred and tongue These Scriptures will afford another Reason or Argument against Universal Redemption ARGUMENT II. IF they who are redeemed and bought by the blood of Christ be redeemed and bought to God to be his peculiar people zealous of good works so that they do or shall sing a new song they are or shall be virgins and follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth They are such as are redeemed from the earth and from among men to God Then is not every man and woman in the world redeemed and bought by the blood of Christ Because every man and woman no not one of an hundred doth or shall follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth This Proposition is further confirmed by several plain Scriptures Ye are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.20 therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are God's Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 14. being made a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith The Lord Jesus Christ gave himself for us Tit. 2.14 that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church Eph. 5.25 26 27. and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and clense it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish The Redeemed of the Lord shall return Isa 51.11 and come with singing unto Sion and everlasting joy shall be upon their head They shall obtain gladness and joy and sorrow and mourning shall flee away Do not we find here the Lord give us hearts to embrace Truth when it is so clearly held forth that those whom Christ redeemed by his blood he redeemed and bought them to God that they might be a holy and peculiar people which must and shall be accomplished in due time through the vertue and efficacy of his Blood on all them whom he shed his blood for Nor doth that ungrounded contradistinction used by a great stickler for the contrary opinion take place here T. MoorVniversality of God's free grace to Mankind namely of reconciliation which Christ hath wrought by his Blood which as our Adversaries hold extends to every man in the world and that reconciliation which he works by his Spirit in men which is peculiar This distinction I say will not be admitted here for we see that this Redemption which the Text speaks of is a redemption by blood and it is a peculiar Redemption and so held forth in this and other Scriptures Christ as he comes to his people by blood for their Justification so by water namely his Spirit for their Sanctification This is he that came by water and blood 1 John 5.6 even Jesus Christ not by water only but by water and blood and that is the Spirit that beareth witness because the Spirit is Truth ARGUMENT III. MY third Argument or reason is taken from Rev. 13.8 And all that dwell on the earth shall worship the Beast whose names are not written in the book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Or thus it may be rendred Whose names are not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb slain If there be many upon earth that worship the Antichristian Beast whore names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain then did not the Lord Jesus shed his blood or give himself a ransome for every man and woman in the world There are some to whom Christ will say in the last day Matth. 7.23 Depart from me I know ye not ye are not written in my book of love and gracious remembrance Shall we think that the Lord Christ in the immenseness
and strangers from the covenant and promises of grace the Jews being the only political visible church of God under the old Testament administration the Gentiles as opposite to them were counted the world See Exo. 12.19 Deut. 23.2 Lev. 26.33 Pl. 79.1 dogs aliens heathen And indeed the call and conversion of the Gentiles and adding them to the church of Christ was such a great and glorious mysterie a Eph. 3.8 Rom. 11. cap. that many of the Christian Jews yea some of the Apostles themselves b Acts 10 cap. Acts 11. cap. could not at first comprehend it there being in this such a great and manifest alteration in the administrations of the old and new Testament I did also answer the objections which are raised from the generality of the ofter of Christ in the Ministry of the Gospel from the obligation that lies on every man and woman to believe in Christ and to apply his death and lastly from those pathetical expostulations and affectionate invitations in Scripture directed indefinitely to all sinners without exception which passages being spoken after the manner of men and in condescension to our capacity for properly there are no such affections Voluntas signi precepti approhationis passions or workings of spirit in God are to be referred to the signifying preceptive and approving Will of God for so it may be called not so properly as his eternal decree and purpose which shall be accomplished and cannot be resisted for who hath resisted his Will The commands Rom. 9.19 exhortations invitations expostulations which we find in Scripture do not determine for whom Christ dyed in particular by his Fathers appointment nor what shall be the event and shall unavoidably come to pass touching the eternal condition of poor sinners in respect of predestination and redemption Quoad debitum not quoad eventum but they determine man's duty and the rule of his obedience and what God approves as good in it self not what Christ hath done or God will do for us and in us in particular The learned Dr Twiss Mr Ball on the Covenant Mr Rutherford Mr Whitfield Mr Owen Mr How against T. M Universality of Free Grace but what it is our duty to do there being a sweet harmony and connexion between the end and the means It would be too tedious to recite all the particulars which I laid down in answer to these objections and besides they are already more largely and sully answered by divers godly learned men in their elaborate treatises to which I must referr the studious and dilligent reader for in this writing I do affect and intend brevity that so the poore deluded soules in the country whom I pitty with all my heart may have something before them to read and peruse which by God's blessing may undeceive them and settle them in the truth I am perswaded that the Lord in his infinite wisdom suflers this and other erroneous and corrupt opinions to be broched touching the Decrees of God Redemption Reconciliation Justification Vnion with God the new Birth Conversion perseverance the Divinity of Christ the nature operation and evidence of the spirit biprisme and other Church administrations that so we may with more diligence seriousness humllity and selfe denyal search the Scriptures and through the teachings of the spirit of God and the assistance of divine grace a taine to a right and setled and spiritual knowledge of these Gospel mysteries whereof our apprehensions hitherto have been but shallow and wide That which I have said concerning the promises and doubtles others have said far more may helpe to convince you that the doctrine of general redemption as it is comonly held forth is very corrupt and unsound fighting directly against the tenour scope and sense of the word of God rightly understood Let the promoters of this doctrine pretend what they will I am very confident that it will appeare in the great day of Christ to be no better then dross and chasfe and combustible matter which must and shall suffer loss though some that hold that it may be saved so as by fire we shall one day find it to be a doctrine that comes from earth and not from heaven 1 Cor. 3 15. from the flesh and not from the spirit for under the notion and pretence of universal grace it destroyes the efficacy and power of grace under the notion of universall redemption it enervates the verue undermines the benefit that flows from Redemption by Christ's blood And that I may make this evident unto you I shall breifly acquaint you with some sad and dangerous Concomitants and consequences of this opinion which may serve now as so many antidotes against it and preservatives from it And first universal redemption of all and every individual man rises up with a high hand against the glorious attributes of the great and wise and just and holy God and namely against his absolute power soveraignty and wisdom what shall the great and wise God give his Son to dy for the salvation of thousands that shall never be saved as if mans stubbornness could frustrate the designe of God and as if sin and corruption were more powerfull to ruine and destroy the soul then the grace of God and the blood of Christ to save it * Rom. 5.20 21. It makes the powerful and gracious God to suspend the salvation of the creature upon the natural man's ability and the contingency of his Will and not upon his own irresistable decree the efficacy of his sons blood and the powerful and irresistable operation of his spirit in conversion which is directly contrary to the word of Truth * Isa 48.6 Isa 46.10 Psal 33.11 Prov. 21.30 Prov. 19.21 Rom. 9.19 Eph. 1.4 5 6. 1 Cor. 5. ult 1 Ioh. 1.7 Gal. 3.13 14. Again it is an opinion that undermines the glorious wisdom of God Eph. 1.8 1 Cor. 2.7 8. wherein he abounded in the mysterie of our Redemption by the blood of Christ as if the wise God had designed and appointed Christ by his death to put all men into a saveable condition and the end or effect of his death and blood shed may be fully accomplished though in the end there be not one man actually saved and brought to eternal life and glory Doth this suit with the infinite wisdom of God that he should propound to himself in the death of his Son the salvation of every individual man and yet not ordain effectual means for their conversion and for bringing them to salvation And oh how doth this doctrine of general Redemption and reconciliation reflect upon the justice and righteousness of the great God What shall the just God receive full satisfaction in the price of the precious blood of his Son for every man in the world Ps 9.8 Gen. 18.25 Rom. 3.4.25 26 1 Iohn 1.9 and yet thousands perish Now though men be unjust yet let the Judge of the whole earth be