the Powers of the World to come for us I say to encourage our selves hereupon in any evil matter whatsoever what is this but to do despite to the Spirit of Grace to crucifie to our selves the Son of God afresh and to put him to an open Shame A fourth Caution that seems here sit to be entred in few Words is this though Gods Mercy in the Salvation of the World is not to be limited to such as are publickly called by his Name but may be and is often extended to others that are Strangers unto him yet should not this be an hinderance to any who seek and endeavour the Conversion of those that are without God in the World but as Divine Providence shall lead them or any of us to so good a Work it is our Duty to undertake it for the enlargement of Christs Kingdom amongst men which will be the advancement of his Glory that he may Rule here in the midst of his Enemies and that from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same that is from the East Indies as they are now called to the West his Name may be great among the Heathen as the Lord himself hath spoken it viz. Mal. 1.11 In the first place let not this preceeding Discourse of the infinite Mercies of God to his poor Creatures fall under a Prejudice because some other few Texts of Scripture that seem to contradict it have not been here withal taken into Consideration The plain Truth is it was needless to intermeddle with them in this case not because they are but few being but one or two at the most for I confess there is not any part of the written Word of God but is of greater excellency than the Sun in the Firmament and therefore should not be slighted by us Yet seeing they are but few it may thereupon be well suspected that the Sense of them as to this great matter hath been mistaken for why it is more than probable that if God had Decreed the major part of mankind to eternal Perdition the Scripture wherein God hath revealed his whole Mind concerning our suture Estate after this World would have given some cleer Light to the Church by a frequent intimation of his everlasting Decree and Purpose herein that so knowing perfectly the Terrour of the Lord we might all be perswaded by it and roused up out of our sinful Security to give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure But no such matter is Revealed unto us there being enough besides written in Scripture to those ends for as for those other places of Scripture which are and have been insisted upon I doubt not but it shall be here made evident that they are mistaken First that Word which our Saviour spake Luk. 12.32 viz. Fear not little Flock it is your Fathers good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom Herehence it is commonly said doth Christ call his Flock a little Flock and shall not we call it so too Yes God forbid that we should call it otherwise if he meant it of his whole Church throughout the World as it must be confessed that only is his Flock which he takes care of in watching over them in feeding them in defending them in rescuing them when through their going astray they fall into Danger is but little in comparison of those that are wandring about in the wild and desolate Wilderness of the World if so I say this Concession will not necessarily infer such a Conclusion as hath been wont to be imagined from it for Christ hath other Sheep in the World such as we know not of whom he will as he saith bring into his Fold when those that come in last shall be preferred before the first at which time this terme of little Flock in respect of number is not to be appropriated to it for then shall they be as the Stars of Heaven for multitude and as the Sand of the Sea that cannot be measured nor numbered But this Sense of our Saviours Words in this place concerning the universal Church is but an hypothetical Conjecture that which is more certain is this Christ here speaks to his Disciples only who were at that time his constant attendants and his peculiar Care whom he had taken into his own Tuition and Charge and accordingly did make Provision for them during all the time that they followed him and though they were encompassed about with Danger by reason of their Attendance upon him and should after his departure from them meet with much Trouble yet he bids them not fear for they shall have a full Reward given them it is saith he the Fathers good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom where as it is promised them Mat. 19.28 they should sit upon twelve Thrones Judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Signifying as a good Writer renders the Sense ye that are now my Disciples have constantly followed me and continued with me in my Temptations leaving all for my sake ye shall assoon as I come to my Kingdom be highly honoured and rewarded by me and not only so but in the new Age and State which is to come here in this World after my Ascension when all things shall become new you shall have a Power in the Church Instated on you as my Successours somewhat proportionable to that of the several Rulers of the Tribes among the Jews to this purpose also is that Promise which he made them Luk. 22.29 I bequeath unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones c. that is that you be next unto me and have at my departure the Power of Governing the Church which was actually fulfilled in all places wheresoever the Kingdom of Christ was set up by the preaching of the Gospel These things considered the aforesaid Word of our Saviour concerning his Flock calling it little cannot be meant of the number of Gods Elect all the World over ordained to Life Eternal as it hath been misinterpreted by some too long a time Nor doth the Holy Scripture intend any such Sense of Gods Eternal Election where it is said many are called but few are chosen e. g. in Mat. 20.16 These Words are written but evident it is they refer only to the Parable beforegoing in which they that went last to Work in the Vineyard are made equal with the first who had born the Burden and Heat of the Day and this is rendred as a Reason of it for many are called but few are chosen signifying that whosoever have the Reward it is not for the Works sake but it is in the Lords Choice whom he will prefer and vouchsafe his special Favour unto in the distributing his Reward And that which we are to learn herehence is God hath his special and choice Favourites among his beloved People to whom he openeth his Mind more freely than he will unto others the Apple of
King 't is true he is and hath a Kingdome which his Enemies shall find to their everlasting Confusion when he sitteth upon the Throne of his Glory to judge them that have said Nolumus hunc regnare we will not have this Man to Reign over us for thus he makes a Protestation of his Faith with a confident Resignation of himself unto Christ as his leige Lord and King Lord saith he Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom O admirable Faith O incomparable Faith never was the like heard of neither indeed could be since the World began This was the last Confessor that Christ had while he was living in this World but he outstripped all those that were before him fulfilling that Word which was spoken by Christ viz. The last shall be fust he was able we see by his Faith to remove Mountains of Opposition which lay in his way that he might cleave unto Christ It was a Faith I say again that surpassed all other that we read of in Scripture a great Word but by that time it be duly weighed it will appear to be most true One of good Note in the Church makes the Comparison in this manner what is more worthy of Wonder and Amazement than that a Theif should have a better knowledge of Christ upon the Cross than some of his Disciples had when they sate with him at Supper that a Theif should have a more eminent Degree of Faith than the Patriarch Abraham the Father of the Faithful than Moses the Servant of God than the Evangelical Prophet Isaiah than his own Domestick Attendants to whom it was given by aspecial Grace of Dispensation to know Christ and the Mysteries of his Kingdom Abraham beleived in the Lord but it was when he was so much honoured as to have God himself to be his own Messenger and to parley with him from Heaven Moses beleived in the Lord but it was when he appeared to him in the midst of a Fiery Bush wonderfully Esay beleived in the Lord but it was when he saw him sitting upon a high Throne The Apostles beleived in the Lord but they were Eye-witnesses how his Miracles posed Nature and all the Creatures did their Homage to him as to their Creatour These were easie Taskes of Faith but this noble Confessor beleived in the Lord when which way soever he looked about him his Eyes could meet with nothing but Horrour and Misery He doth not supplicate Jesus sitting at the right Hand of the Father so he is crowned with Majesty nor unto Jesus judging the Quick and Dead so he is attended with Angells c. But when he saw his Sides Hands Feet all bleeding his Face Ghastly his Head drooping and his Soul heavy to the Death even then he said to Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome as if he had been lifted upon the Cross to overlook Christs Debasements and to make a shew openly that his Faith should outvy his Sense But now it may well be demanded from whence hath this man this great Power where did he learn all these things not surely upon the Highway not under Hedges not in his Dens of Thievery no but it was given him from above by the immediate Work of Gods Spirit which breatheth where it listeth not discernable by men Joh. 3 8. And verily whatsoever hath been otherwise thought of this man the things here premised being well considered his Example alone may satisfie us that Gods Mercy is not limited either to time or means for the Salvation of those whom he hath ordeined to eternal Life Which being so how can any man I say again be so peremptory as to conclude and that against the very Nature of the Almighty and Merciful God so often and so fully made known to the Church in the Holy Scripture that the greatest Part of Mankind shall perish eternally in the Torments of Hell without any Remedy Sed Obiter let all men beware that they be not so unwise as to lose themselves in this Comfortable Doctrine which though it be in Truth most Evangelical yet I fear as Grace can Work good out of Evil so may the corrupt Heart of man by a Satanical Chimistry draw Evil out of Good as many wretched People have done by making an ill use of this Example of Gods Mercy to the Thief upon the Cross I do therefore desire all that shall read or hear of this Doctrine of Salvation thus enlarged to forbear their hasty and pernicious Misconstructions of it till they have informed themselves better by the Cautions that shall be here added unto it Now then to summ up this whole matter Since the Holy Scripture being rightly understood doth clearly speak of a great Multitude which no man can number of all Nations and Kindreds and People and Tongues that shall be saved but speaketh no where so largely of those that shall be Damned in Hell for ever only faith they shall be many If none of all the Churches of Christ in the Primitive times and since to this very day have in any of their publick Confessions Creeds and Attestations of Faith applyed any part of the Scripture to such a Sense in the least Tittle and Iota of them so as to condemn the major part of mankind to everlasting Fire Since God hath accepted of that full Satisfaction which hath been given to his Justice for the Sin of the World by the Blood of the Cross it being the Godhead of Christ which did put an infinite worth upon all that he did and upon all that he suffered the Obedience of God to the Rule of the Law sufficing to justifie all sorts of Sinners of what quality soever they be upon the Face of the Earth if they Repent and Believe and the Blood of God given up to the Sentence of the Law being as much as Divine Justice did expect for a full Satisfaction for the universal Breach of Gods Law throughtout the World from the beginning to the end If Faith and Repentance may be suddenly wrought by the secret Work of the Holy Ghost in the Hearts of men who are destitute of the ordinary means of Salvation If Divine Grace and Mercy be not limited during mans Life in this World to time or means for the Conversion of those whom God hath chosen to eternal life If God Governs the World not according to the Model of our Imaginations but according to the good Pleasure of his Will and this Government be managed for the Glory of his great Name and for the general Good of those that are in Subjection to him and that certainly God will at last be Justified in his Government against the Malice of Hell however the Sequel of it prove and be clear when he is Judged If God takes no Pleasure in the Death and Damnation of Sinners but delighteth in shewing Mercy to the Children of men and where there is but some Goodness 1. Reg. 14.13 as there may be in many that
are without he is well pleased with it accounting such not far from the Kingdom of God Finally if it will well become us to ascribe unto our Lord Jesus Christ all the Glory that can well be imagined by us and undoubtedly this will be a part of his Glory that his Kingdom shall be much more enlarged than the Kingdom of his Enemy the Devil For as the wise Preacher faith Pro. 14.28 In the multitude of People is the Kings Honour and that this inveterate Enemy may not at last with Triumphant Exultations make his boast Luctationibus robustis luctatus sum et etiam palmam Tuli with great wrastlings have I wrastled against God and his Christ and I have prevailed If I say these Principles be granted as they must unless we will dissolve all the Bands of Christianity only I confess I cannot be so positive in the second what should be the reason that this Opinion hath so long been tenaciously maintained viz. It is Decreed of God that the number of those that shall perish for ever in Hell is much greater than the Number of those that shall be saved in Heaven It is I must say an Amazement to me to see and hear the Considence that hath taken hold of many among us in their busie medling about this matter affirming presumptuously without Reason that which is infinitely beyond the Reach of men or Angels One Author there is of reverend Antiquity whom I am not willing here to name who is reported by a late Writer Ravanellus to give some reason for it which indeed is comprehensive of all that can be said though upon a diligent Search I do not find the Quotation agreeing with the pretended Original the Words in the Apographon are these Ita est ut intelligeremus quid omnibus deberetur atque adeo ut inde liquidius constaret quanta sit Ira dei erga peccatum Peccatores quanta sit ejus Bonitas Clementia erga Electos quae eo pretiosior est quo paucioribus communicatur ideoque magis ab illis Agnoscenda Praedicanda i e so it is that we may know what we have all deserved as our due and that it may appear thereupon the more cleerly how great Gods Anger is against Sin and Sinners and how great his goodness and Mercy is to his elect which the fewer they be that are saved by it is the more precious and by them to be so esteemed and proclaimed This is all which I for my part have ever read or heard to be alledged in this case But Judge I pray for I appeal unto all men that are able to discerne First whether we may not much better attain to the knowledge of the just desert of our Sins in a way which will more directly give us a right understanding therein and which we may be sure is more according to the Rule that the Spirit of God hath set us than in this way of Reflexion upon others who shall perish in their Sins though I say not but that this also may be sometimes of good use if it be with moderation considered as it ought to be which I fear is but seldome among most People But a way doubtless may be shewed unto us if we would apply our selves aright to the using of it which is more sure and convincing First the Conscience which God hath set in every Mans Breast as it is a faithful Monitor if it may be suffered to speak so it is in stead of a thousand Witnesses against us all for our eternal Condemnation unless Mercy prevent it And what man is there I except not the Heathen who doing by nature the things contained in the Law shew the Work of the Law written in their Hearts Rom. 2.14.15 what man I say is there let him be the most holy most humble most zealous man for Gods Glory that ever was in the World except the Man Christ Jesus in whom this faithful Informer hath not at one time or other done his Office in this kind of accusing and judging Yea the better the Heart of man is the more freedom hath it there to deal plainly in speaking of the Wrath which is to come as due unto all men for Sin 2. Doth not the Written Word of God sufficiently shew unto us in many other places of it that all mankind hath deserved to fall and perish under this Wrath for ever Is it not written cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law to doe them and is it not written also that in many things we offend all Is it not written all have finned and come short of the Glory of God and that even the best of us all are by Nature the Children of Wrath too as others are But there is no need to multiply Quotations to this purpose evident it is the Holy Scripture doth frequently testifie the same Truth that knowing the Terror of the Lord we may be perswaded by it Judge again in the next place whether Gods Anger against Sin and Sinners hath not appeared infinitely more in the cursed and cruel Death of his only begotten Son being thereby made a Curse for the Sin of the World than if he had in his just Indignation cast the whole Race of mankind into Hell for ever and should not the Consideration hereof also more work upon us to make us sensible of Gods Anger against Sin and Sinners than to talke unadvisedly with our Lips of a matter wherein we are totally ignorant and which will in the end prove to be rather than that which is here pretended too bold an Intrusion into Gods Pavillion a derogation also from Christs Merits and a Dishonour to the great Name of our God to whom belong Mercies and Forgiveness though to us and to all men belongeth confusion of Face for ever because we have rebelled against him But what a Word is this that followes viz. Gods Mercy is the more Precious and accordingly to be the more magnified the fewer they are who shall be partakers of it or which is all one because but a few shall be saved If this be Evangelical God be merciful to me I am yet to learn after so many Years teaching and studying the Holy Scripture what is the true Doctrine of the Gospel of my Lord and Master Christ Jesus What is it come to this shall the Rich and superabundant Mercy of God wherein we have trusted and triumphed all along be thus streitned accounted the more precious because it reacheth but to a few It grieves me to find so eminent a Leader in the Church to be so reported of as is here written of him which to my apprehension if it be true and I am not willing to be too Inquisitive signifies that he hath let fall too foul a Blot upon his most excellent Workes though I confess at first Sight it did worke in me a suspicion of my Judgment in this Point
but let that searching Fire of Gods Spirit try all our Workes of what sort they are It is the manner of men indeed when Malefactors are to suffer according to their Demerits to single out some few by a Decimation or otherwise as they shall please to save them from the Punishment due unto them all because they would mingle some Mercy with their Severity and the smaller the number is that are so spared the Mercy is the more joyfully Embraced and applauded by them But is this the manner of the Great and Good God the Father of Mercies who so delighteth in Mercy that he preferreth it above Sacrifice not only the Sacrifices of his Law but the Sacrifices of his Justice for of so large an Extent I believe may that Word of our merciful God be Hos 6.6 if we will according to our dear Saviours Advice Mat. 9 13. learn aright what it meaneth Gods Ways we must ever remember are not as our Wayes nor his Thoughts as our Thoughts It is therefore a thing both Odious and dangerous thus to fathom the profound Abysse of Gods Inscrutable Judgments by our simple silly shallow Reasonings and by such Comparisons as that must be the only Ground of this Fancy to level the everlasting outgoings of his Glorious Attributes to his poor Creatures with our arbitrary Transactions among our selves which however they may seem plausible in the Eyes of men they are but foolishness with God The Mercy of God is so Infinite that no Affection in Nature no Dimension or Proportion in the whole Creature hath been fit to express it as the Holy Scripture doth abundantly make manifest Neither in Truth will this be the manner of those who shall be saved from their Sins by this infinite Mercy to account themselves the happier because they are but few compared with them that shall as it is said for ever Perish in their Sins It is a poor Exultation and unworthy of Glorified Saints so to please themselves in their Happiness as we here upon Farth do commonly in our petty Enjoyments by such oblique Reflexions or to take the rise of their Altitude in Heaven from the depths of Hell A man should rather think charity being there in her utmost Elevation that it ought to be said of them Gods Mercy is to them the more Precious because there are but few of their own Blood and Kind that are excluded from it for the Glory of his Justice Few I say comparatively for certain it is they will be many also that shall fall under the severity of Gods Wrath for their Impenitency and Unbelief It is the beatifical Vision in seeing God as he is which workes in them a Conformity to God beyond or without which Conformity they will never have the least desire in them to be happy at all and particularly it is that which they see directly in God towards the whole Race of mankind which pleaseth them infinitely be it the cutting off of some from his Grace and Favour and casting them into Hell though they should be such for whom we had an extraordinary Favour here in this World or be it the saving of the rest both which they are equally delighted with in respect of the end aâ—tending to Gods Glory nevertheless because they see God Goodness there in its Magnitude of which they had heard but somewhat before how great it should be to the Children of men their Joy will be the more enlarged when they see this Goodness accordingly extended to the greatest Number whereby the Name and Merits of his dearly Beloved Son and their dearly beloved Saviour shall be the more exalted and the Kingdom of his Enemy the Devil shall be subdued and brought to a shameful Confusion after all the proud Insultations that he had made of his prevailing In a Word Let St. Austin be heard Secundum praescientiam dei et Praedestinationem quam multi Oves foris quid est quod dixi quam mulâ—â— Oves foris quam multi Blasphemant Christum credituri in Christum et hi Oves sunt veruntamen modo vocem alienam audiunt alienos sequuntur c. according to Gods foreknowledge and Predestination Christ hath many Sheep without a strange Word but not to be recalled Christ hath many Sheep without his Fold where many blaspheme Christ yet may be perswaded to believe in him c. and these are certainly Christs Sheep though now they hear the Voice of a Stranger and follow him and strange Gods likewise c. Some few Cautions must be here added in the Close to prevent Mistakes that may arise upon the preceding Discourse First let not this matter be so far prejudged that because it differs from what hath been commonly preached among us by some of good worth and Eminency and received for a Doctrine of Truth it doth not agree with the publick Doctrine of the Church or that it is a Phansy only of the upstart Sect of Holders forth of new Lights that is far from me who here write of it as it should be from all who in uprightness of Heart tender the Churches Prosperity Neither am I the first who have asserted this Catholick Doctrine nor am I alone at present in maintaining it though I confess I have not seen or heard of any that have singled out this Subject to write of it at large as is here done Secundum mensuram Donationis Christi c. Much rather may it be said the contrary Tenet hath been a vain Phansy crown up among seditious Sectaries and by them obtruded upon the World to strengthen their Faction by shutting up all Piety and True Religion within their Conventicles and shutting out of Heaven all that will not joyn with them in their mad Vagaries even in these our Days wherein this erroneous and unscriptural Doctrine is with too much Zeal maintained viz. That few shall be saved We may see cleerely that they who follow any kind of Sect do for the most part conclude themselves to be the only men these are they that are still harping upon this jarring String and press upon the World not with fear and trembling which would better become them but tanquam ex Cathedrà with Pride and Insultation that few only shall be saved so few as if they had a List of their Names and could almost tell who they are These as a good Author hath of late written stile themselves the Brethren the Beloved of God his Chosen and dear Children or as the Term is now taken up and appropriated according to Phansy his Secret ones drawing all Gods Promises to their own Fraternity reprobating all others and whatsoever is at any time spoken against them is spoken against God these are so selfconceited that they consine Gods Mercy like those of Donatus's Party to their own Acquaintance so spiritually covetous as if it would do them little Good to sit in Abrahams Bosome unless they saw many a Dives in Hâ—ll Hereto I shall add what our Learned
the Eye as one makes the Comparison is dearer unto a man than the whole Frame and Circle about it the Signet upon the right Hand in more regard either for the Matter or for the Form or for the Use whereto it serveth than all his other Ornaments a writing in the Palmes of his Hands more carefully preserved than all his other Papers and Records Doubtless there are some sew amongst the rest of their Brethren whom God doth tender as the Apple of his Eye weare as a Signet upon his Finger engrave as a writing in the Palmes of his Hands and with whom is the Secret of the Lord and his hidden Treasures St. Paul was a chosen Vessel to bear the name of Christ before the Gentilos c. Act. 9.15 above the other Apostles and according to his Election he laboured more abundantly than they all did yet were they all the called of the Lord and interessed in one and the same Hope of their Calling St John was the best beloved Disciple of Christ and might lean in his Bosom yet had the rest of the Apostles the privilege to sit with him at the Table And did he not prefer Peter and the two Sons of Zebedee whereof the said John was one when he led them apart into a Mountain to make them Eye-witnesses of his Transfiguration Mat. 17. â— And after that in chusing the same men from the rest of their fellow Apostles to keep him company and to watch with him when he was in his Agony overwhelmed with Sorrow Yea even here in this Parable are not those that came in last to work in the Vineyard as much favoured as those that had been there before them the Labourers indeed took Offence thereat but the good Householder who is God himself justifieth his own Act against their causeless Exceptions asserting his Liberty to do what he will with his own neither is there any Wrong done to them though he prefers one before another so long as the first as well as the last have a full Reward given them As at a publick Dole a multitude may be called to it but it lieth in the Breast of the charitable Donour to distribute it as he pleaseth possibly to some few whom he chuseth out he may be more liberal than he is to the rest and no man may ask him why he doth so Even thus will God dispose of his Bounty to his poor Servants as seemeth good unto him without rendring an account to any which cannot justly be required of him to give unto the last that entreth into Covenant with him though they doe him but little Service as he giveth to the first who had been labouring all the day yea to set the last before the first and the first after the last that it may appear it is not as hath been before said for the Works sake which the Jealous God doth much disdain that his Goodness is more enlarged to some few but that whatsoever Favour is shewed either to one or other it is Grace and Grace alone that they have it vouchsas'd unto them for why God will never endure that any man should boast in his Presence to which we are all for the most part very apt Upon this account St. Paul expresly Disavows it not of works saith he lest any man should boast Eph. 2.9 This I take to be the true Sense of this Scripture and so is it of the other where the same words are used Mat. 22.14 The sixt and last Caution that shall be here put in is this viz. whereas it is written Wide is the Gate and Broad is the Way that leadeth to Destruction and many there be that go in thereat but Strait is the Gate and Narrow is the Way that leadeth unto Life and few there be that sind it the meaning whereof hath certainly been much mistaken yet I say not but that these Words carry in them such a Sense which may and will being rightly considered rouze us all up out of our carnal Security and make us fall to our Work viz. the working out of our own Salvation as with fear and trembling so with all Care and Diligence and to strive according to our Saviours Warning Luk. 13.24 with all our might to enter in at the Strait Gate for without doubt though they found terribly yet is there an Evangelical Truth in them such as hath been before declared but to hold that our Saviour spake them Dogmatically as if it was so decreed of the Father from Eternity that few should be saved for my part I can by no means consent unto it for what would that signify but that he did Preach Condemnation to the major part of mankind Which Doctrine certainly could not well agree with the Anointing which he had from the Spirit of the Lord God Luk. 4.18 nor with the Commission which he had received from the Father for God sent not his Son into the World to condemn the World but that the World through him might be saved Joh. 3.17 and accordingly he saith I came not to judge the World but to save the World Joh. 12.47 Nevertheless it is as true that to the Unbelievers and Impenitent such as were the Scribes and Pharisees who traduced his Person despised his Doctrine and spake evil of his Miracles he spared not to proclaim Woe upon Woe nor was it inconsistent with his Commisson so to do for it was as good Gospel as the other was to preach the glad Tidings of Salvation He came as he saith to seek and save that which was lest and he will save them in such a way as seemeth good unto him sometimes by the Spirit of meekness perswading and inviting men to Repentance and sometimes by snaking the Rod over them But for such as are obstinate in their Wickedness and will by no means be reclaimed from their Sins he saith to them for Judgment am I come into the World that they which see not that is will not see might be made blind Joh. 9.39 which is a Judgment questionless very dreadful yea what worse can be imagined than to be struck with a spiritual Blindness a blindness that brings such a thick Darkness upon the Soulâ— of man that though the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God shineth clearly about him yet is he not able to discern it but walks on still in darkness till he fall into the mist or blackness of Darkness which will hold for ever But here a doubt must of necessity be resolved doth Christ say that he came not to judge the World and doth he say also that for Judgment he did come into the World doth he the same thing which he saith he doth not is Christ divided is there yea and nay in the Word of Truth and dissension in the Spirit of Unity God forbid any of us should so think much less write or teach so certainly there is a Truth in both these sayings which is most infallible but how then shall
we reconcile them for my part I cannot better unriddle this Doubt than in the Words of a most learned and right reverend Author Dr. Edward Reynolds Bishop of Norwich who in his Explication of the one hundred and tenth Psalm thus writeth there are two events of Christ's coming the one Principal and by him intended the other Accidental and Occasional growing out of the Indisposition of the Subject unto whom he was sent The Main and Essential Business of the Gospel of Christ is to declare Salvation and to set open unto men a Door of escape from the Wrath to come but when men wilfully stand out and neglect so great Salvation then Secondarily doth Christ prove unto those men a Stone of Offence and the Gospel a Savour of Death unto Death As that Potion which was intended for a Cure by the Physitian may upon occasion of the indisposedness of the Body and stubborn Radication of the Disease hasten a mans end sooner than the Disease it self would have done so that to the wicked the Word of God is a two-edged Sword indeed an Edge in the Law and an Edge in the Gospel they are on every side beset with Condemnation if they go to the Law that cannot save them because they have broken it if they go to the Gospel that will not save them because they have contemned it In short this we see was our Saviours Work after he had entred upon his Office viz to preach Salvation to all those that would believe in him and to preach Damnation to the Unbelievers and Impenitent And this if we will make full Proof of our Ministry must be ours who are his Ministers A necessity is laid upon us and woe will be to us if we preach not the Gospel yea and woe will be to us if we preach not the Law knowing the goodness of the Lord we are to perswade men to Repentance and when we know also the Terrour of the Lord must we be silent no in no wise we are saith St. Paul 2. Cor. 5.11 upon that account to perswade likewise but if Perswasions will do no good we are to terrify them with the threatnings of the Law Examples we have also of the Servants of God upon Scripture-record Prophets and Apostles who were wont not only to bind up the broken-hearted but to batter the Hard-hearted with the Hammer of the Law that they might be broken they did Preach Liberty to the Captives and Captivity likewise to the Libertines Of what Spirit think ye was the Apostle Paul when he made Eoelix to tremble preaching to him of Righteousness Temperance and Judgment to come or when he rebuked Elymas the Sorcerer with indignation as hot as Fire O full of all subtilty and mischief thou Child of the Devil thou Enemy of all Righteousness c. or St. Peter when he had to do with Simon Magus telling him to his Face though he was in his time accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some great one that he was in the Gall of Bitterness and in the Bond of Iniquity or John Baptist when he told Herod that he should not marry Herodias his Brother Philips Wife or James and John whom Christ himself Sirnamed Boanerges Sons of Thunder their Doctrine being such as shak'd the World with Terrour for James was killed by Herod Agrippa to please the Jews who it seems probably were madded with his Preaching and John was as Thunder and Lightning to the Hereticks that rose up after the Death of the other Apostles as Ecclesiastical History makes manifest As the Apostles were in this Sense legal Preachers so were the Prophets before them they did not run into Corners to smother the Will of him that sent them but with much Considence cryed aloud and spared not to tell the Greatest they were sent unto their Transgressions and the Wrath that hung over them for their Sins Did not Nathan say unto David thou art the man pronouncing withal a terrible Judgment that should fall upon him and his House and what a dreadful Message was that which Elijah sent to Jeroboam the King of Israel and that which Elijah pronounced upon Ahab and his Posterity durst Michaiah tell him the said Ahab he should not go up to Ramoth Gilead to Eattel when notwithstanding he knew the Kings Wrath would be enkindled against him for it and was not the Spirit of Elisha notably quickned by the Spirit of God when he said to Jehoram a wicked and Idolatrous King what have I to doe with thee get thee to the Prophets of thy Father and the Prophets of thy Mother though he knew that the King had so much to doe with him that if he had but said the Word to the meanest Servant that ate the Salt of his Court go and take his Head from him he would have done it These Examples may suffice to shew unto us the Faithfulness and Zeal of the Servants of God Apostles and Prophets how with particular Application to the Stoutest that bare an Head have freely made known Gods Displeasure for Sin by Smart Reprehensions as well as by Gentle Perswasions Ob. But these were men of an extraordinary Spirit Sol. What then are not Ministers now to deliver the whole Counsel of God as well as other before them or are we fallen into such times wherein men live more Righteously more Soberly more Holy than heretofore and so we may be saved the Labour of Reprehending and making our Philipicks and Declamations against the World for Sin I wish it were so but alass alass how can we forbear this part of our Office in pronouncing Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul of man that doth Evil when so little of the Power of Godliness appears amongst us when Zeal is accounted madness and to be pious in any kind is to be exposed to Contempt when Atheism gives Check to Christianity it self and all manner of Debauchery groweth up to a prodigious height especially when Lasciviousness is become Magnatum Ludus as Erasmus called it and that unmanly Vice of Drunkenness is so common among all sorts So King Charles the first called it there being now adays Gallanto Flanto Ranto Drunkards as frequently to be seen in our Streets as drunken Beggars Is then the Spirit of Eli sufficient for these times is it a time now to be mealy-mouthed to sooth up Sins with Plausible Euphemismes and good or rather bad Constructions away with such Lukewarmness never was there more need of a Rowsing Soul-searching Ministry let men judge of us what they please casting upon us Imputations of railing yet must we not spare to Rebuke them sharply lest the great Shepherd and Bishop of Souls rebuke us for our Negligence and unfaithfulness at the last day Q. But would not gentle perswading and exhorting do better and the Promises of Heaven and Happiness prevail more than the Terrors of Hell A. Give me leave to answer this Question in the Words of another Reverend and