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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93680	Gods ordinance, the saints priviledge. Discovered and proved in two treatises. The first, the saints interest by Christ in all the priviledges of grace: wherein their right to the use of baptisme, and the Lords supper, even now during the reign of Antichrist, is cleared; and the objections of those that oppose the same, are answered. The second, the peculiar interest of the elect in Christ, and his saving grace: wherein it is proved that Christ hath not presented to his fathers justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of all men; but onely for the sinnes of those that doe, or shall believe in him; which are his elect onely: and the objections of those that maintaine the contrary, are also answered. / Both written by John Spilsberie. And the last transcribed, and somewhat enlarged, by Benjamin Coxe. Licensed, entred, and printed according to order.	J. S. (John Spilsbery); Cox, Benjamin, fl. 1646.	1646 (1646)	Wing S4975; Thomason E335_17; ESTC R200803	75,307	89

contradicted our doctrine The saying of the Apostle there is this And having made peace through the bloud of his crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven Our answer hereto shall consist of these branches 1. Whereas some of our opposers take all things here in the largest sense comprehending all creatures and so Angells as well as men this is a manifest errour The holy Angels needed no reconciler The Angels that fell are not reconciled neither did Christ take on him the nature of Angels Heb. 2.16 And I believe our opposers will not say that Christ presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of Angels 2. It hath been already proved * In Pag. 43. that the word All must sometimes be understood with limitation to the present subject spoken of See another example of it in 1 Cor. 6.12 All things are lawfull c. Where under all things you may not comprehend theft adultery lying c. but onely all meates which had been forbidden to the Jewes in the Law given by Moses as there appeares in the verse following 3. Though the Apostle here seeme to speak of things yet he meanes men and no other things So when he saith in 1 Cor. 1.27 28. God hath chosen the foolish things of the world c. he meaneth onely persons 4. Neither can All things here signifie all men universally and every particular person whatsoever For if every person were reconciled to God by the bloud of Christ then every person must be saved eternally as appeares in Rom. 5.8 9 10. By All things therefore we are here to understand All the members of that body of which Christ is the head vers 18. All those that either already were or afterwards should be such as these Colossians now were to whom this is applyed in the ensuing verses 5. By things in heaven are here meant the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 who being absent from the body are present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.8 There remaines yet an objection from Christs words in Joh. 15.2 which seemes to some to raze a great part of the foundation on which we have built 26. Object From Joh. 15.2 answered It is therefore expedient that the same should be clearely and fully answered The inference that is made is this Unfruitfull persons that perish eternally are or sometime were in Christ Therefore they were in Christ when he suffered Therefore Christ when he suffered made satisfaction to his Fathers justice for their sinnes But let us first consider the words of Christ from which some endevour thus to reason Joh. 15.1 2. I am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman every branch in me that beareth not fruit be taketh away c. And that our opposers may not be too confident let them in the meane time mind the cleare saying of Paul in Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus and remember that that which there followes in the latter part of that verse viz. who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit is not an exception from any thing that went before or a restraining of a generall terme to one particular comprehended under it but an explication of that which immediately went before and so a description of those that are manifested to be in Christ Jesus see 2 Cor. 5.17 Here then is held forth the full justification and consequently the eternall salvation of all those whom the Apostle speakes of as persons truly in Christ Jesus As touching that saying of Christ in Joh. 15. let it be considered whether it be not a figurative speech an allegoricall or metaphoricall speech If we speake without any metaphore and understand our words according to their proper and literall sense or signification without any figure then we cannot truly say that Christ is a vine that the Father is an husbandman that disciples are branches The meaning then is onely this That Christ is like a vine or as it were a vine yea the true vine The Father is like an husbandman or as it were an husbandman the disciples are like branches or as it were branches They therefore which utterly reject the use of this word as it were in the opening of this and such like Scriptures doe not rightly divide the Word Disciples are as it were branches of the true vine in a twofold respect 1. In respect of communion with the Church of Christ in the outward worship of God and the use of Christs Ordinances Thus though not all men yet all Church-members are as it were branches of the true vine and so to be looked upon by us till they are or at least ought to be cast out of the Church for their manifest unfruitfulnesse 2. In respect of true communion and union with Christ Thus onely true believers are as it were branches of the true vine and so looked upon by God As touching that in vers 2. If I be not mis-informed it is word for word Every branch in me not bearing fruit Then the meaning may be this Every branch that beareth not fruit in me This implyes onely thus much That there are Church-members who though they be as it were branches of the true vine in that respect that I first mentioned and so to us in Christ in respect of outward profession and communion yet doe not beare fruit in Christ and so doe not shew themselves to be really in Christ but the contrary These the Father taketh away viz casting them out of his Church and punishing them with eternall destruction That they which abide not in Christ were never in him really appeares not onely by that in Rom. 8.1 already alledged but also by these Scriptures among many others Matth. 7.23 Heb. 3.14 1 Joh. 2.27 Ephes 1.3 4. c. Now as touching this conceit that all men either are or were in Christ I would demand of those that so conceive whether all men doe for ever continue in Christ I am confident they will not answer affirmatively as seeing clearly that no such thing can be maintained and that they cannot make such an opinion to agree with this Scripture no not by their owne interpretation of the same I would therefore demand of them in the second place when they which perish doe cease to be in Christ whether in this life or after this life If they will say Not in this life but after this life then must they relinquish this Scripture which speakes of mens abiding or not abiding in Christ in this life see vers 4 5 6 7. Yea they will be found to hold most manifestly contrary to all truth that men may be in Christ all the time of their life here and yet perish eternally If they will say that in this life they cease to be in Christ I would then know when and how If they say that they cease to be

now for substance appeare the same in his Ministeriall operations as ever he did formerly Though there be much imperfection and weaknesse in the creature this causeth not truth to cease from being truth Otherwise there can be no salvation for any man which is the next thing to be examined Having discovered the way how to know such as come from God to the worke of the Ministery in Christs new Testament which is by their worke as it answers to the word of God which is the Rule of truth I come now to the third particular namely Whether there be salvation now for man and a way or meanes thereunto approved and appointed of God and if there be then what the same is This being the third inquiry about the Saints enjoying the Ordinances of Christs new Testament I answer directly that to me it is out of question there is salvation now for man and meanes to it appointed by God or else none can be sav'd and so every person in the world must perish But in a word note what I meane by salvation and that is for one to be in such an estate here in Grace that the word of God justifies to be attended with glory hereafter as follows 1. To believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God ordained of the Father to be the Saviour of man 1 Joh. 2.22 Mat. 16.16 Act. 8.37 1 Pet. 1.20 2. And that Christ is come and hath suffered in the flesh dyed and risen againe by the power of God and is exalted to be Lord over all 1 Joh. 4.2 Rom. 10.9 Act. 2.32 33.36 Rom. 14.9 3. And that Christ by one offering hath made a free and open way into the presence of his Fathers love the most holy place for all that believe to have free accesse unto the Father by him Heb. 9.12.24 Heb. 10.19 20. Eph. 2.18 3.12 4. And that by his own bloud he hath washed away all the sinnes of his people and presents them to the Father in his own perfection in whom they are all compleat and perfected for ever Rev. 1.5 Joh. 17.21 22 23. Col. 2.9 10. Heb. 10.10 5. That Christ hath not onely by his bloud redeemed a people from death condemnation and the curse for sinne and so the guilt of sinne but also hath redeemed them from among men and from a vaine conversation and traditions of men to an holy confession of him according to that rule and order instituted by him in his last will and Testament sealed with his bloud Rev. 5.9 10. Rev. 14.1 2 3 4. 1 Pet. 1.18 2.9 Eph. 2.13 22. Gal. 1.4 Tit. 2.14 Lastly This truth believed of us is not onely by the Scriptures presented to us and from thence onely learned by us but also made good upon us and revealed in us by the holy Spirit given unto us who hath given us an understanding to know him that is true Rom. 5.5 1 Joh. 5.20 Which Spirit of truth as he brings light and reveales love so by the power of love he subdues sinne mortifying the flesh and brings up the new creature to God and draws forth the heart in love to man And thus in briefe of salvation that is now for man which is a being in the sweet possession of the Fathers love through Christ by faith unto eternall glory Now the meanes approved and appointed of God for this great worke of salvation is also manifest which in generall is the Ministeriall power and operation of the Spirit of God in what instruments soever he pleaseth to appeare and to use them for that work who is limited to none but commonly doth great things by weake and despised meanes that the crowne and glory might rest on his own head as 1 Cor. 1.27 28 29. And yet there is the same meanes now to bring men to God in truth and for substance which hath been formerly 1. For wee have now the holy Scriptures of God which are to us in the place and stead of the personall presence both of Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16.31 and Christ and his Apostles if God please to speake to us by them as he did to his people of old by the other Who being dead yet speaketh Heb. 11.4 2. Wee heaving this blessed word of truth to reade search and studie and Gods blessing being the same to us as to his people formerly he being the same God still and Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 wee may therefore expect and doe enjoy the same effect with them which is to understand the minde of Christ concerning us in the same 3. We have the same Spirit who enables men to preach Christ crucified which though to some a stumbling blocke and to others foolishnesse yet to many appeares to be the power of God by which they are brought to believe in Jesus Christ for eternall life and glory And thus we have the same Gospel the same faith the same Christ and so the same way to salvation as they formerly had and these meanes doth God appoint and approve and blesse for the effecting of this great worke of salvation to us now as well as unto others before us that we together with them may be provoked to praise and magnisie the great Name of so gracious a God that hath done such great things for us to keepe himselfe a Name and witnesse in the earth But some demand of us Quest Whether that the Ordinance of preaching the Gospel be now afoot for to bring men to life according to Christs Commission Mat. 28.19 20. There be some that strive against the Ordinances of God Answ by putting nice distinctions in the word Preaching to beare the simple hearted in hand of some great matter therein to be minded and that in the Originall thinking that every one is not able to deale with them there But if we were minded to cavill wee might demand of them how they know that to be the Originall or the some copie Christ and his Apostles did speak or write But we seriously demand whether we may not as well depend upon that translation in our own tongue by the helpe of the Spirit of God to know the minde of Christ in things absolutely necessary for faith and life as they upon the Originall seeing that their Originall and our translation hold forth the same Gospel of Jesus Christ They make as if none could ever preach the Gospel but only such as had and have the same measure of the gifts of the Spirit that the Apostles themselves had and yet they are at a stand about Philip Act. 8. and confesse that he did preach in the proper signification of the word But for my part I freely grant them thus much that no man can truly preach the Gospel but he that hath the same Spirit of God that the Apostles had And so I come to answer their demand briefly thus 1. As preaching is to deliver a Message received of the Lord as

will of God here spoken of is an effectuall will For the Greeke word here used holds forth not onely the will of God but also his counsaile even that counsaile of his will according to which he effectually worketh Therefore the Apostle here speakes onely of those whom God effectually saves 2. The Apostles scope here is to shew the cause why it was and should be so long before Christ did and should come to judgement viz that none might perish but that all might come to repentance Even this shewes that the Apostle hath here respect to none but the Elect of whom none shall perish but all of them shall come to repentance before Christs coming to judgement 3. When he here saith The Lord is long suffering to us-ward by us he meanes the Elect and more particularly the elect of the Jewish Nation of whom he and they to whom he now wrote were a part And when he addes not willing that any should perish he in like manner meanes not willing that any of us his chosen people should perish And in that which followes But that all should come to repentance by all he likewise meanes All of us his Elect and specially All of us his Elect of the Nation of the Israelites But the objection seemes stronger that is made from Ezek. 18.32 and 33.11 30. Object From Ezek 18.12 33.11 answered I therefore now hasten to those places Ezek. 18.32 I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth saith the Lord God Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live For answer whereto these things are to be minded 1. God sometimes speaketh of himselfe after the manner of men and yet those speeches of his are to be understood after the manner of God Thus it is when God ascribes unto himselfe anger sorrow and the like As in Gen. 6.6 It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart And in 1 Sam. 15.11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be King Yet Samuel there saith in vers 29. The strength of Israel will not lye nor repent for he is not a man that be should repent And thus it is when the Scripture ascribes to God a taking pleasure in any thing done by man or any fruit thereof as namely when it holds forth God as having pleasure in this that the wicked turne from his way and live 2. When the Lord saith I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked he declares indeed that he hath no pleasure in the misery of his creature in it selfe considered Yet it is not contrary to the pleasure of God to set forth the glory of his righteousnesse and power and just wrath against sinners in the destruction of the vessels of wrath see Rom. 9.22 Prov. 1.26 Prov. 16.4 3. The Scripture holds forth Gods greatest delight to be not in a sinners destruction but in the conversion and salvation of sinners This is plainly held forth in these places And elswhere the Scripture manifests that the destruction of sinners that perish is purposely ordered of God to the commendation of his infinite and glorious mercy towards those whom he saves Rom. 9.22 23. 4. The scope of these places is to declare Gods readiness to accept and save those that sincerely turne to him and so to move and encourage sinners to such conversion unto God In all this there is no opposition against our doctrine In the next place through the helpe of God 31. Object From Luk. 24.47 Act. 13.38 answered I shall returne answer to an objection drawne partly from Luk. 24.47 And that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem And partly from Acts 13.38 Be it knowne unto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgivenesse of sinnes From hence some doe thus argue Remission of sinnes was to be preached to all men even to unbelievers Therefore sinnes are remitted to all men I answer 1. In Luk. 24.47 observe this expression Among all Nations We readily grant that the true doctrine of the Gospel concerning remission of sinnes was to be preached among all Nations and is to be preached among all men Some object that the Greeke words here signifie Vnto all Nations Wee deny not that the Greeke Praeposition here used doth sometimes signifie unto properly it signifies into and sometimes among And this last signification doth best agree in this place 2. If we here translate Vnto all Nations yet so this Scripture will make nothing against us This doctrine Through Christs Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Acts 10.43 was to be preached to all Nations and is still to be preached to all And here in Luk. 24.47 note how the preaching of repentance and of remission of sins is joyned together importing that the Gospel that was to be preached testifies remission of sinnes onely to those that repent or are changed in their mind believing in Jesus Christ Acts 3.19 3. Those that are spoken to in Acts 13.38 were professours of faith in the Messiah as he was hold forth by the light of the old Testament and were now so looked upon Acts 13.16.26 4. Yet the preaching of remission of sinnes unto them that was here spoken of was onely the preaching of that doctrine expressed in the next verse By Jesus the Saviour all that believe are justified from all things The particle And in the beginning of that verse doth there import as oftentimes it doth a declaration of that which was before spoken of But it is objected that every one is bound to believe that Christ presented a satisfaction to divine justice for his sinnes 32. Object From 1 Joh. 5.10 11. and that his sinnes are remitted Therefore this is true And some conceive that this objection is strengthened by that in 1 Joh. 5.10 11. He that believeth not God bath made him a lyar because be believeth not the record that God gave of his Son c. My answer is this Answ What every man is commanded of God to believe that I grant to be true For the God of truth commandeth no man to believe a lye But God commandeth every man to believe what he affirmes and declares and no more This then he declares to be truth and so commands every man to believe it That through Christs Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Act. 10.43 This I say God commands every man to believe and to receive it as the true and good word of God and so to rest upon it and obediently to depend upon Jesus Christ held forth in this word as the Prince and Saviour exalted of God Mark 1.15 Joh. 12.36 c. When a