Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. What a sad thing will it be for us to sport our selves in our self-deceivings as too many do 2 Pet. 2. 13. Better it is now for us to deal faithfully with our selves then to flatter our selves or be flattered by others to our endless and eternal misery and calamity Come we then to the light of the Lord the Gospel of Christ and therein and thereby we may see our selves whether we be chosen no Even he that is an hearer of the word and not a doer is like unto a man that beholdeth his natural face in a Glass for he beholdeth himself Even as a man may see his natural face in a Glass and see whether it be clean and free from spots and pollution or no so a man that is only called by and an hearer of the word of Truth may see himself and see what manner of person he is Jam. 1. 22 23 24. He may see whether he be chosen out of the World by the Grace of God or whether he be not but still remain in or be turned back again into the World and so is at present rejected of God and not loved with peculiar manner of love As the Apostle intimateth 2 Cor. 13. 5. And if by this Glass we see we are hearers and of the called only Oh let us give no rest to our eyes not slumber to our eye-lids until we so receive and retain the Grace of God which brings Salvation to us that we may be chosen out of this miserable condition and redeemed from amongst Men that it may be well with us for ever and we may not perish with the World And if it appear that we are of the number of those who are chosen that we still abide and continue in the Doctrine of Christ that we may have both Father and Son 2 Joh. 9. Inq. But some may say how may we know whether we be of the chosen number or no declare a little more particularly how we may know it Answ Those who are indeed chosen do know that they are of God and that the whole World lieth in Wickedness as 1 Joh. 5. 19. by keeping His Commandments as the Apostle saith Hereby we know that we know Him and are in Him if we keep His Commandments 1 Joh. 2. 3-5 And he that keepeth His Commandments dwelleth in Him and He in him chap. 3. 24. that is to say in more and plainer words His Commandments are That we believe on the Name of Jesus Christ and love one another as He hath given us Commandment 1 Joh. 3. 22-24 He that hath and keepeth these hath right unto the tree of life and shall enter in thorow the gates into the City even into the new Jerusalem Rev. 22. 14. that is to say they do know they are chosen 1. By this That the Faith they have received is the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and according thereto they believe with the heart that good report the Father hath given of Christ in His Word and Sayings in which He hath testified That He sent the Son into the World not to condemn the World but that the World thorow Him might be Saved And so they believe on the Name of the Son of God Joh. 3. 16-18 they have their Faith begotten by closing with and founded on not Mens Doctrines or their own Thoughts and Imaginations which they know to be corrupt and evil But they have received and retain for their Faith nothing else then the Word of God and Testimony of Jesus which was witnessed by the holy Prophets in former times and is now revealed to us by the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And so they believe on Christ as the Scripture hath said and testified of Him and not as Men in their Glosses and Interpretations speak of Him They call no meer Man whatsoever their Rabbi nor own any to have dominion over their Faith but Jesus Christ and God in Him He is their only Law-giver in this respect the Father of their Spirits the Lord of what they believe And so according to His testimony they believe Him to be the Son of God the Saviour of the World the only Foundation of Faith and Hope the only Fountain of all the fulness of Grace and Truth the only Bread and Water of Life the only door of approach of God the only Lord of our Faith and Consciences the only High Priest and Mediatour between God and Men And according hereto they come unto and depend on Him in His way for bottoming all upon Him for receiving all from Him for living continually by Him and to Him for approaching to God thorow Him and expecting and waiting thorow His Spirit for His perfecting all that concerns them c. And so they hold forth this word of Life in Word and Conversation And he that thus believeth on the Son hath the Witness in Himself and gives not God the lye but hath set to His Seal that God is true in all He hath testified of His Son 1 Job 5. 10 11. Job 3. 33. And in receiving this Testimony of Jesus they receive also therewith certainly and undoubtedly the Spirit of Gods Son Gal. 3. 2-5 which Spirit beareth Witness with their Spirit with their enlightened mind and judgment that they are the Sons of God Rom. 8. 16. And hereby they know that they dwell in Him and He in them because he hath given them of His Spirit And they have seen in the light and by the evidence thereof and do restifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World 1 Joh. 4. 13 14. with 2 Cor. 13. 5. 2. They also know they are chosen by this that this Faith worketh in them by Love Gal. 5 6. and therein is efficacious in them And so they are distinguished from and preferred before such as say they have Faith and have not its works and so believe in vain But this Testimony of Jesus being received by them not as the word of man but as it is in truth the word of God it worketh effectually in them From the knowledge and belief of Gods love in Christ His first love they are begotten and prevailed with to love God even to love Him withall the heart and mind and soul and strength And so to love Jesus Christ as to suffer the loss of all things and count them but dung in comparison of Him It makes them willing to part with their Sins and Idols for His sake and prefer Him before all other things which they may love with a moderate affection 1 Joh. 4. 16-19 And this love of God in Christ known and heartily believed by them begetteth them unto and effecteth in them a delightful love to those who are begotten of Him and that not in word and in tongue only but in deed and in truth And by this they know that they are passed out of death â—nto life because
is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and men loved Darkness rather then Light c. John 3. 19. 20. And certainly God may Expostulate with us as He did with Israel of Old and say Oh thou who art Named the House of Jacob is the Spirit of the Lord straightned Though thou hast no power nor sufficiency of thy self as of thy self to come to Christ yet is the Spirit of the Lord shortned towards thee Are these thy disobedience and refusals to come His doings Are they His doings because He prevents thee not with power and capacity to what He Calls thee to Indeed they might be said to be His doings did He Call thee to the Feast and Threaten thee with destruction and yet not assord thee any power or ability to come As He might be said to Kill who did not what was proper and powerful to save the Life when He had an opportunity But it is not so here For as in His Hand is Power and Might so also in His Hand it is to give strength unto all He is Gracious and gives liberally unto all men without upbraiding Mic. 2. 7. with Mark 3. 4. 1 Chron. 29. 12. Jam. 1. 5. And therefore it will be found to be such an Iniquity in men as for which they will have no cloak however artificial their spiritual Taylors are that they will not come to Christ when thus Called As our Saviour signifieth when He speaketh concerning the Jews saying If I had not come Though my Servants had come never so oft and Called and Invited never so frequently and urgently Yet if I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their Sin John 15. 22. Because I have Called saith Wisdom and ye refused I have stretched out my hand my Power and Spirit in and with my Call to inable you to come and no man regarded But ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would none of my Reproof I also will laugh at your Calamity and mock when your fear cometh c. Prov. 1. 20 24 31. Thirdly Why saith He Many are Called and not All 1. Not because all men who are capable are not Called in due time by such means as the Great King in His infinite Wisdom is pleased to make use of For the Mighty God even Jehovah hath spoken And Called the Earth from the rifing of the Sun unto the going down thereof Psal 50. 1. Wisdom crieth without without the City without the Pale of the professed Church without where are Dogs Gentiles and Uncircumcised ones in heart and flesh compare Rev. 22. 15. with Mat. 15. 26 27. she uttereth her Voice in the streets How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge To these she calleth and stretcheth forth her hand Prov. 1. 20 23 24. Doth not Wisdom cry and Understanding put forth her Voice Can any one truely deny this she standeth upon the Top of High places by the Way in the places of the Paths She crieth at the Gates at the entry of the City at the coming in of the Doors that is she crieth and lifteth up her Voice every where without and within the City abroad and at home c. But to whom doth she put forth her Voice Surely to men indefinitely for so it followeth unto you O men I call and my Voice is to the Sons of man And not of Israel only O ye simple understand wisdom Hear for I will speak of excellent things c. Prov. 8. 1 4 6 10. and 9. 1 4 5. Christ was and is the true Light which Lighteth every man that cometh into the World And He is therefore a Light unto them that He might be for Salvation unto the ends of the Earth John 1. 9. and 8. 12 with Isa 49. 6. and Acts 13. 47. And the Gospel is Preached in every Creature or in all the Creation under Heaven Col. 1. 23. And those who have with the heart received the wholsome Words of our Lord Jesus and the Doctrine which is according to Godliness know and believe that God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledg of the Truth And that because Christ gave Himself a Ransome for all a Testimony in due time 1 Tim. 2. 4. 6. And though mens voices will be heard but a little way yet lo he sendeth forth His Voice and that a Mighty Voice and saith Look unto me all the ends of the Earth and be ye saved For I am God and there is none else Isa 45. 22. Psal 19. 1. 6. with Rom. 1. 19 21. Yea and the word Many doth also sometimes signifie All. As many of them that are in the dust of the Earth shall awake Some to everlasting Life and some to shame and everlasting contempt Certainly all that are in the Graves shall hear the Voice of the Son of man and shall come forth compare Dan 12. 2. with John 5. 27 29. 1 Cor. 15. 20 21. So again Through the offence of one many are dead And as by one man's disobedience many were made Sinners When as it is evident that by one man Sin entred into the World and Death by Sin and so Death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 5. 15 19. with Ver. 12. 18. compare also Mat. 20. 28. with 1 Tim. 2. 6. Neh. 13. 26. with 1 Kings 3. 12 13. and Chap. 4. 31. Psal 32. 10. But though what we have spoken under this Head be verily true both that in due time God calleth all men as is said to the end they might come to the knowledg of the Truth and be saved And that many may signifie all Yet notwithstanding I judge 2. By many in this place we are insisting on all men are not intended nor meant Not only 1. Because all Infants are not called and commanded to come into the House and they are a very great part of the World But nothing is required of them in their Incapacity Hence when the Lord saith to Israel Thou shalt love the Lord thy God and keep his Charge and his Statutes and his Judgments and his Commandments alway He addeth And know you this day for I speak not with your Children c. Deut. 11. 1 2. God is no hard or austere Master to Reap where He hath not Sown nor Gather where He hath not Strowen though wicked Servants so say As where much is given much will be expected and where little little So by the same rule of Equality where nothing is given of such nothing will be required Indeed Infants are a part of the Nations that are to be Discipled and as a means to that end to be Baptized by the Servants in or unto the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost being brought unto them for that purpose As in former Times the Male-Infants of Israel were to be Circumcised And the Gospel
hear the Word of Truth and to be hearty Believers and doers of it John 1. 12. 13. with Jam. 1. 18 19 22 25. John 3. 3 5 7. So in the sense before spoken of Men cannot reconcile themselves to God but it is the Work of God by Christ to reconcile us to himself And yet something is required of men Hence the Apostle saith We pray you in Christ stead be ye reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 18 20. So here Though God in Christ be the first chuser and by him we are chosen yet something is required of us in the strength he gives that we may be chosen out of the world ruled by him become choice ones and be the subjects of his peculiar love c. And though we find not this command any where Be ye chosen in express words given unto us yet we have the same thing in other expressions given in commandement to us As Be ye saved Isa 45. 22. And save your selves Acts 2. 40. Whereby the same thing is intended as is foreshewn in comparing 2 Thes 2. 10 12. with verse 13. And Be ye seperate which in another Scripture is rendred and read Chosen As also hath been noted by comparing Deut. 10. 8. with Chap. 18. 5. and 21. 5. And Levit. 20. 24 26. with Deut. 14. 2 3. 2 Cor. 6. 17. And we may see this is required of men that they may be Chosen even to come to Christ in which doing they shall be made of the chosen Generation though formerly they have not so been As also hath been said before and may be seen in comparing 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. with verse 9. 10. And to the end we may come unto Christ and so be chosen and pluckt out of the world needfull it is 1. To hear the Word of Christ this is the first and one thing needfull unto the saving of the Soul Luke 10. 39 42. It is good and needfull for us to chuse this good part As God is speaking to us and opening our Ears even to hear in hearing For saith in which men are chosen cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God viz. by the Gospel of Peace and glad tydings of good things Rom. 10. 14 15 17. with 2 Thes 2. 13. It is the work of the Father by his Spirit to glorifie Christ and to bear witness of him He speaketh excellent things unto us concerning him and the opening of his lips are right things And together herewith he both gives unto men capacity of hearing and calls upon them to hear Prov. 8. 4 6 17 20. He saith Hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good and let your Soul delight it self infatness Incline your Ear and come unto me hear and your Soul shall live Isa 55. 1 3. Let every man be swift to hear viz. the Word of Truth Jam. 1. 18 19 The hour is coming and now is saith our Saviour that the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live John 5. 25. And this is the first Branch of the description of him that passeth from death to life from an Estate of wrath and misery into a state of favour and blessedness he that heareth Christs word John 5. 24. 2. Needfull also it is that we learn of the Father that we may be Chosen not onely that we hear as that is distinguished from learning But that also we heartily embrace his heavenly lesson and doctrine So after Wisdome had called upon men first of all to hear she after saith also Receive my instruction and not Silver Prov. 8. 6. 10. Indeed God teacheth many that are not taught by him and so they deprive their soules of good Isa 48. 17 18 But it is needfull to the end we may be elected that we receive the instruction of our Heavenly father even to buy the truth and not sell it even to buy it with an undervaluing and parting with and forsaking all that we have that we may be made partakers of Christ Prov. 23. 23. with Luk. 14. 33. And every one that is taught of God every one that hath heard and learned of the father cometh unto Christ Job 6. 45. with Matth. 22. 3 4 5. And so shall be chosen and a subject of Gods election And let no man be discouraged from coming unto Christ in this way because of his former vileness and wretchedness for though he be the chief of sinners that cometh yet him that cometh he will in no wise cast out but will receive such an one graciously he will chuse him and not cast him away Isay 41. 9. with Joh. 6. 35. And as the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness so as persisting in such like iniquity he will at last reject such and give them up to a reprobate mind Reprobate Silver shall men call them who after all means used yet will not come to Christ who is the rest and way to it because the Lord hath rejected them Rom. 1. 18 28. Jer. 6. 16 17 30. So also all such as hear the joyfull sound sounded forth by the Father in the Gospel and receive his instruction so as to come unto Christ Such shall find rest Mat. 11. 28 29. Their Souls shall live Isa 55. 3. And they shall have fellowship and partnership with Jesus Christ in him be chosen and after him reckoned And shall abiding in Christ inherit the Kingdom which God hath prepared for them that love him and look and wait for his coming from Heaven 1 Cor. 1. 8 9. Yea this Doctrine of Gods Election may also admonish and warn them who are in Christ Jesus not to depart from him Upon this presumption that the Elect cannot possibly be deceived For certainly it is possible for them so to be and they will certainly so be if they abide not in Christ by Faith and Love As our Saviour saith If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a Branch and is withered and men gather them and they are cast into the fire and they are burned John 15. 6. In which words our Saviour signifieth that such as have been ingraffed into himself who is the true Vine by his Father the Husbandman may not abide in Christ but may so depart from him as not only to be cast into the fire which a man may be and yet be plucked out again as a brand out of it Jude 23. But also be burned that is he may finally perish And to the same purpose the Apostle speaketh to the believing Romans who were in and did stand in the Root of Righteousness Thou standest by faith be not high minded but fear for if God spared not the natural Branches take heed also lest he spare not thee Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God on them which fell severity but towards thee goodness if thou continue in his goodness otherwise thou also
Saviour of the World And we have known and believed the Love that God hath to us God is Love c. Hereby is our love made perfect even through the Knowledg and Belief of His Love and that He is Love And what Love of God is the producer of our love to Him is also declared by the same Apostle We love Him because He first loved us It is the Manifestation and Discovery not of any delightful distinguishing Love of His but of that great Love wherewith He loved us and all Mankind whereby we are begotten to the Love of Him and therein made of the Chosen and Elect Generation 1 John 4. 7 10 16 19. with Ephes 2. 4 5. And so it appears that the Argument for effecting this Election is the Grace of God to Manward discovered in the Gospel of Christ Que. 2. What is the way owned and approved of God in or through which men are Elected Answ The way of His owning and approving is the Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth when and as discovered to them That is Men are then Chosen when they so with the Heart believe the Word of Truth and Grace of God therein discovered as that thereby they are Sanctified and Cleansed in the Spirit of their Mind and devoted unto God and not before To this purpose the Apostle Peter speaketh Elect according to the foreknowledg or Fore-approbation of God the Father according to that way fore-owned of Him in or through the Sanctification of the Spirit 1 Pet. 1. 2. To which agreeth also that of the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians We are bound to give thanks always to God for you Brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning viz. of their Gospels coming to them as 1 Thes 1. 5. and 2. 13. Chosen you to Salvation through or in the Sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth Whereunto He also Called you by our Gospel c. 2 Thes 2. 13 14. No man therefore while he abides in his Ignorance Unbelief and Disobedience of God is Elected or Chosen nor until he be in some measure Washed and Sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 9 11. Que. 3. Out of what are men Elected or Chosen Answ Out of the World which lieth in Wickedness or in the Wicked one 1 John 5. 19. And of which until they were Chosen out they were as well as others and not only in it but also of it They sometimes walked according to the course of this World according to the Prince of the power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience Amongst whom we also had our Conversation in times past in the Lusts of our Flesh And were by Nature Children of Wrath even as others saith the Apostle Paul of both Gentiles and Jews who were after Chosen out of this sad condition Ephes 2. 1 3 5. To this purpose speaks our Saviour unto and concerning his Disciples Ye are not of the World but I have Chosen you out of the World And I have manifested thy Name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the World John 15. 19. and 17. 6. In both which places it is plainly Intimated that time was that they were not only in the World in their Persons for so they still were nor did our Saviour pray to His Father to take them out of it in this sense John 17. 11 15. but also they were of the World as to their State Condition Fellowship and Demeanour and during that time they were not Elected or Chosen out of it For Gods Elect and Chosen ones and the world are opposed the one to the other and the former hated by the latter As also our Saviour oft times signifieth in such expressions as these If ye were of the world the world would love his own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you John 15. 18 19. Ye shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoyce Chap. 16. 20. I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them that thou hast given me out of the world I have given them thy Word and the World hath hated them because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world Chap. 17. 9 14 16 20 21 23. 1 John 3. 1 13. And so the chosen ones are such as are seperated and severed from others in their state pollutions evil principles and manners And so Seperated and Chosen are used indifferently and put one for another in our Types whom we are instructed to behold 1 Cor. 10. 18. As whereas in Deut. 10. 8. it is said At that time the Lord seperated the Tribe of Levi to minister unto him It is thus rendred Chap. 21. 5. 18. 5. 2 Chron. 29. 11. The Sons of Levi shall come near for them the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister unto him So again in one place it is said I am the Lord your God which have seperated you from other people Ye shall therefore put difference between clean Beasts and unclean And ye shall be holy for I have severed you from other people that ye should be mine In another place upon a like occasion it is thus said The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing Consider and compare Levit. 20. 24 26. with Deut. 14. 2 3 c. And so they are a chosen Generation who are called not only whom God is calling but who are eventually called out of darkness out of the darkness of this world and out of their ignorance and unbelief into his marvelous light Compare 1 Pet. 2. 9 10. with Chap. 4. 3. Such as are delivered out of the power of darkness and translated or removed into the Kingdom of Gods dear sons Col. 1. 13. with Acts 13. 22. This is that out of which men are chosen even out of themselves and out of the world and power of darkness Que. Into and in whom are Men chosen Answ Into and in Jesus Christ as the Apostle saith Who hath chosen us in him Eph. 1. 4. As we have seen before The Elect are not chosen in the first Adam nor in themselves but in Christ who is the prime Elect unto whom God hath given the pre-eminence and first-ship in all things Isa 42. 1. Col. 1. 18 19. Rom. 16. 13. And who is the Root and Foundation of Election To this purpose the Apostle Peter speaketh To whom coming to wit unto Christ as unto a living stone chosen or elected of God Ye also as lively stones are built up a Spiritual House Ye are a chosen Generation It is here signified that in order of Nature however and of Time also Christ is first of all an Eleâ—t chosen stone an Elect foundation and Corner stone And those that
is to be Preached as to Include them also as the Subjects of the great and fundamental Truths thereof to wit That Christ hath Died and is Risen again for them c. Mat. 28. 18 19. with Mark 16. 15. But until they come to the Use and Exercise of Understanding or some Capacity be vouchsafed to them there are no Commandments given unto them by the Lord Jesus But I say not only in this Consideration it appeareth that by many all men are not here intended But also 2. Because in this Parable our Saviour speaketh of mens being Called by the Servants as is before shewn And so of their being Called and Invited to the Feast by the clear and distinct Declaration of God's Grace in Christ by the Gospel And so all men who are come to years of Capacity are not Called viz. by the Servants in the plain Preaching of the Marriage and Marriage-feast therewith and thereby prepared The Commission is given to the Servants first to Call the Jews and after they made light of the Feast and Invitation the King said to the Servants go ye into the High-ways and as many as ye shall find bid to the Marriage So those Servants went out into the High-ways and gathered together all as many as they found Mat. 22. 8 10. These are the many here spoken of as many as the Servants found and Preached the Gospel unto according to the Revelation of the Mysterie And these may be called many to Intimate to us that all Nations and Persons in the World have not this Favour vouchsafed to them though yet a multitude have And called many to signifie That this advantage is now more largely vouchsafed then in former Times Then He shewed His Word unto Jacob that one People and Nation His Statutes and His Judgments unto Israel He dealt not so with any other Nation And as for His Judgments they have not known them Psal 147 19 20. Deut. 4. 5 8. And unto them He sent all His Servants the Prophets rising early and sending them because He had compassion upon them 2 Chron. 36. 15 16. Jer. 7. 25. And herein they were priviledged above and had greater advantage then other Nations According to that What advantage then hath the Jew Or what profit is there of Circumcision Much every way chiefly because that unto them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 1 2. Acts 3. 25. But they were the fewest of all People And however but one Nation at first and so very few in comparison of all Nations But now after the Oxen and Fatlings were actually slain and the Feast prepared the Servants Commission was inlarged and many Nations were Called by their Ministration and Professedly believed the Gospel and yielded fained Obedience to Christ Yea and at this time many Nations though not all have Scriptures of Truth amongst them and therein the Gospel as Preached according to the Revelation of the Mystery by the Apostles And His Servants continued and preserved amongst them sutable to those Prophecies and such like Thou shalt Call a Nation thou knowest not and Nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee Isa 55. 5. He shall sprinkle many Nations Isa 52. 15. Many Nations shall be joyned to the Lord in that day Zech. 2. 11. And of these many we have to speak in what followeth and so would be understood Though yet we desire that these three Cautions may be considered and minded in the whole Treatise To wit Caution 1. When we say many only and not all are intended in this Parable We mean not nor believe all the rest are not Called by any means For though All are not Called by the distinct Preaching of Christ in the Mouth and Ministry of His believing Servants yet God leaves not Himself without Witness to others But that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them for the Invisible things of Him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even His eternal Power and Godhead Rom. 1. 19 20. Hence the Apostle when he had been intimating that men cannot believe except they hear propounds a Question and gives Answer thereto But I say have they not heard Namely the Gospel Yes verily even so heard that they might believe for so much appeareth by the scope of the place their sound went into all the Earth and their Words unto the ends of the World In which the Apostle referreth to Psal 19. 1 6. And signifieth that the Gospel is Preached in every Creature Rom. 10. 14 18. with Col. 1. 23. And so though all are not called by the Servants in the clear and plain Preaching of the Gospel Yet all that are capable are in due time called by the Lord of the Servants who is Lord of all as is before shewn And who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2. Nor do we suppose or believe that none of them who are not of the Many here spoken of may hereafter partake of Eternal Life though they have not the clear and distinct Revelation and Knowledg of Christ and the Gospel vouchsafed to them But however some zealous ones though not according to Knowledg neither have nor think they want this Charity yet we desire to be so charitable and believing of the Scriptures as to conclude God is no respecter of Persons but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of Him As was Cornelius before the Gospel was plainly declared to him and many others amongst Gentiles Acts 10. 2 34. and 13. 26. and 16. 14. c. Yea in this Parable is signified to us that when the Servants went out into the High-ways they found some good ones amongst the Gentiles that were so before called by them Mat. 22. 10. And had they died before the Gospel had been plainly Preached to them as doubtless some such did they should have injoyed Eternal Life in due season The Judg of all the Earth will do right and not destroy the Good such as He reputes such with the bad Gen. 18. 24 25. And though all shall be Judged according to the Rule of the Gospel yet it shall be according to the means vouchsafed And if the Uncircumcision who have not the Law and Doctrine of God keep the Righteousness of the Law as the Appostle supposeth he may do if he believe that God is and is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him Shall not His uncircumcision be counted for Circumcisiou Shall not he come acceptably to God and be graciously rewarded with Eternal Life Yes surely Rom. 2. Heb. 11. 6. Certainly many Thousands and Ten Thousands shall be eternally Saved who were never Called by the Servants with the plain Preaching of the Gospel and who never had any distinct knowledg of Jesus Christ while they were in Mortal Bodies As Infants dying in their Incapacity and many Jews