Mercy Triumphant THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST ENLARGED Beyond the Narrow Bounds which have been wont to be set unto it By Edward Lane Minister of the Gospel BEING An Antidote against a Book lately come out of Doctor Du-Moulin's CALLED Moral Reflections upon the number of the Elect. WHEREIN The said Author will prove by Scripture that not one in a Hundred Thousand nay probably not one in a Million from Adam down to our Times shall be saved LONDON Printed for William Crooke at the Green Dragon without Temple-Barr 1680. TO THE READER Christian Reader A Certain Book hath lately been scattered among us Entituled Moral Reflections upon the number of the Elect proving plainly as it pretendeth from Scripture-Evidence that not one in a hundred Thousand nay probably not one in a Million from Adam down to our times shall be saved It is certainly a very bold Sally that is hereby made upon us all poor men the whole World over Tanto Hiatu to drive us like Sheep so furiously into such a dreadful Precipice from whence there can be no recovery The Commander of this Sally is it seems by the Word fixed upon the Front Dr. Lewis du Moulin late History-Professor in Oxford which the Printer as his Antesignanus carryeth before him that he might be the more formidable For as for the Word viz. proved plainly by Scripture Evidence I will not say it is a plain Lie though I might without any Offence before wise Men but it is a false Alarm as this following Discourse shall cleerely demonstrate Which Discourse though it was never intended to put a Stop to his Carriere for I had not so much as heard of it till about the time of writing this Epistle but it was only commended to the Inspection of an honest Judicious Friend a Minister of the Gospel in or about London with whom I have some Acquaintance and because I would not lean too much to my own Understanding nor yet rely upon the Judgment of one single man in a Matter of this Moment I did desire it might be imparted to others also by him that they might give their Opinion of it But assoon as I heard of this Furious Zealot that he had proclaimed the worst Defiance that can be imagined against the major part of mankind and that in such peremptory Terms not to be endured by any who are not void of all Humanity I could not be quiet in my Mind till I had caused this poor Scout armed some Months before to go with as much speed as might be to proclaim the Peace with which I had Entrusted it Not but that I like well of this Doctors Zeal in taking men off from their sinful Security of which there is great need in this Generation only we must not as good Job adviseth us speak wickedly for God but I utterly abhor his Wresting of Holy Scripture to make it a Patron to his Corrupt Phansy He considers not poor man how much Disservice he hath done to Jesus Christ by this Pestilent Book nor how much he hath gratified the Devil by it His Arguments are generally Vain and Childish which I could easily make evident But I doubt not some that are more able will undertake him who with a full strength both from Scripture and right Reason will sufficiently make the Folly of them manifest nor is it likely he should scape without a severe Check from our Universities which Will not I presume suffer our Church and Nation to be tamely Deluded in a Point that deeply concerns the Honour of our great Redeemer Jesus Christ and that by a French Foreiner He is indeed a Stranger unto me I knew I confess one of his Name about fifty Years past that was a Lecturer in a Church near London-Stone but for this Doctor I never so much as saw him that I know of nor heard of him till I heard of this Pamphlet of his so destructive to the precious Souls of Men and by which I would I had not had the Occasion now to know him but knowing him so far as I do I wish heartily he may have Grace to repent him of this his pernicious Tenet wherein he utters Words bordering upon Blasphemy viz. That what he writes of this Subject is as great a Truth as any can be in the World Os durum Apage Rather it may be said there can scarcely be found a grosser Untruth than this that he hath now published But as I have said I wish he may repent of it by a timely Retractation of it in publick that he may wipe off that soul Blot which he hath by it brought upon his Name and that he may himselfe escape thereby the Hazard he is in of running Headlong into the same Danger whereto he judges many Millions of People more dear it may be in Gods account than himself which Danger Mr. Baxter whom he so highly Extols was careful to avoid for thus he writeth in the second Part of his Defence of the Principles of Love Pag. 40. I confess saith he I Affect none of the Honour of that Orthodoxness which consisteth in Sentencing Millions and Kingdoms to Hell whom I am not acquainted with But this Doctors Ambition is to be the Chair-man amongst all the rest of these Judges of evil Thoughts viz. to pronounce the Sentence though the best of it is his Sentence will not be Enrolled in Heaven when his Rashness in pronouncing it will without Repentance be there upon Record against him He hath likewise it seems Ingratiated himself with a noble Personage to whom he Dedicates his Book and whom he humbly Beggs to lay at her Honours Feet for Protection But it is scarce to be believed that upon a diligent Searching into the Matter any of a noble Extraction Virtuous Disposition and Christian Education will so much as Countenance him in this his Unchristian Assertion Nevertheless should he so far prevail with his sly Insinuations as to obtain a Patronizing of it for my part my Resolution shall ever be this Floreat Evangelium ruat Caelum Farewel E. L. Mercy Triumphant THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST ENLARGED Beyond the narrow Bounds which have been wont to be set unto it IT hath been a Tradition a long time among all sorts of People Learned and Unlearned That because our Lord Jesus Christ in his Sermon on the Mount gave such strict Precepts that never any Lawgiver did the like adding withal a severe Warning to his Disciples in these words Enter ye in at the strait Gate for wide is the Gate Mat. 7.13.14 and broad is the Way that leadeth to Destruction and many there be which go in thereat Because strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way which leadeth unto Life and few there be that find it Meaning probably thereby that they should not take to themselves that Liberty which was commonly used by other People in the World but be very exact in observing those Rules of an elevated Nature which he had set them
he to enter in at the streight Gate c. Which is as a good Author glosseth upon it intended to this purpose You demand of me whether few shall be Saved but I admonish you not to trifle away time in such Questions but let there be a holy Contention among you with all speed to enter in at the Door of my Gospel for the time is but short in which you have a Capacity of Faith to obtain the Kingdom of God For when the Gospel shall be taken from you because of your Unbeleif you shall find how few of you will be in a State of Salvation Now the Remissness and untowardness of this Jewish People was so great that few of them did Beleive the Gospel and therefore few of them at Christs first Manifestation in the Flesh did enter in by the true Gate that is Jesus Christ And that these Words of the streight Gate and narrow Way and of the small number that finds it were directed to the Contemporary Jews is evident also by the Apology which those Jews shall make for themselves at the last Day as Christ foretold them in these Words then meaning when the Door is shut the Day of Grace past shall ye begin to say We have Eaten and Drauken in thy Presence and thou hast Taught in our Streets Which Apology nevertheless should do them no good at all for they that Despised him here he will not own them then but he will bid them depart from him Yea and that which follows ver 29. signifies the same thing viz. They shall come from the East and from the West and from the North and from the South and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God Implying that though but few Jews So also is it understood by another good Writer should receive the Faith Dr. Hammond yet Disciples shall come to Christ from all Quarters of the World and by him be received and entertained as at a Feast This Scripture then doth not at all countenance that Opinion of the fewness of those that shall be saved at the last Day Or say the number of them shall be by many Millions as it is commonly Said less then of those that shall be cast into outer Darkness Which Opinion I shall now more at large examine and try whether it hath any agreement with the Analogy of Faith or may preponderate that right Reason which can be alleged against it Which of the Creeds is it that hath ever been maintained in the Church that gives the least notice of it What General Council in all their Decrees or Canons make the least mention of it Among all the Confessions Protestations Declarations of the Christian Faith wherein the Reformed Churches of Christ in these latter days have Harmoniously agreed where can any Title be found I say not Exproposito but as Collaterally referring unto it To alledge the common Consent of particular Persons that maintain it is of no Force for what would that be but to set up meer humane Dictates for our Rule as if they were Oracles Infallible and of equal Authority with the Holy Word of God which yet neither is to be yeilded to Creeds nor to general Councils nor to publick Confessions of Faith we are to call no man Master upon Earth in matters of Eternal Salvation So hath our Master in Heaven given us a Charge And should any one now in this Generation mancipate his Judgment to the Arbitrary Opinions of his fore-Fathers which is and hath been Decryed sufficiently or of the times wherein he liveth which deserves as much to be condemned Doth he not digress from the Rule and disobey the Command that our said Master hath set us But let me not be misunderstood I do not in the least detract from Creeds or Councils or Constitutions and Canons of Churches enacted for publick Order or any other common Good that Respect and Honour which is due unto them neither is this last Warning premised as if I would Dictator-like impose upon any a necessity of Subscribing to me in this present Debate unless they see just Cause and cannot avoid it It is indeed to render a Reason why I dissent from others in it as we are commanded in Holy Scripture desiring also that a Liberty be granted unto me which every man may challenge to make use of his Asterick or Veru in things that are but circumstantial and undetermined As seemeth good unto him Nor can a Discourse upon this Subject be accounted a nice Curiosity the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ our great Redeemer being concerned in it And it must be acknowledged to be very Meet and Right and our bounden Duty to Ascribe unto Christ all the Honour that can possibly be imagined by us whether it be by Circumstantial or by Fundamental or by Rational Deductions of Truth all I say which may be without wrong to Divine Justice And since it hath pleased God to bruise him and to put him to Greis when he hath in a quiet Submission to the Will of his Father made his Soul an Offering for Sin that is for the Sin of the World Who among us can chuse but say Let him by seing his Seed enjoy the Travel of his Soul without any lessening of his Delight and Content therein that he may be satisfied Es 53.10.11 Whereas therefore it is commonly said that few shall be saved First I grant that in some Sense this Assertion is not to be denied few they may be of what number soever in respect of Gods Mercies which are infinite and who would have all to be saved few also in respect of Christ's Merits which are sufficient to obtain Salvation for the whole World were it Multiplied into Millions But since the Holy Spirit of God in Scripture hath said of Gods Elect that they shall be as the Stars of Heaven for Multitude and as the Sand of the Sea that cannot be measured nor numbered and that the Multitude Cloathed with white Robes having Palmes in their Hands was so great that no man could number which large expressions we no where find to be used whensoever mention is made of those that shall Perish but only it is said of them they shall be many Since it is so I would for my part rather joyn with those who dare not affirm that they shall be few in comparison of those that shall be cast into Hell Fearing that such a Conclusion will be so far from exalting Christ's Merits that it will much dishonour them yea and so far from magnifying Gods Justice as it pretendeth that it will detract from it Which Word though it may sound strangely to some yet is there no Strangeness between it and Truth True it is Divine Justice must be satisfied before any of the Sweet and Reviving Influences of Mercy could have fallen upon the Children of Men and as true is it that the Satisfaction which Christ hath made for the Sin of the World hath been more powerful to appease Gods
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