Parable or any other Scripture to speak this way viz. That Christ did buy the creature for all men our Vniversalists will not rest there give them but an inch of this or other texts to hold out Christs temporall purchase for every man and they will take an ell of his spirituall purchase in with it witnesse the Texts c Joh. 4. 42. 1 Tim. 24. 6 c. fore-alleadged and vindicated all which doe speak expressely of spirituall and saving benefits and so farre doth our new Expositour carry it beyond a temporall common good even to a Redemption from all sinnes against the Covenant of works which indeed is but that one first sinne of Adam before the promise by the tenour of his Doctrine for all having sinned in Adam and a Covenant of grace entered with those all after his sinne it must needs follow that all sinnes of Adam and of all his posterity afterwards are sinnes against the Covenant of grace only and Christ being the Mediatour of this Covenant he mediates for all that all may have Adams sinne forgiven which is beyond all temporall benefits for it puts them into a blessed state of Justification and life which the Apostle Rom. 5. sets in opposition to the state of guilt and death wherein all are involved by Adams sinne And it may be some over-indulgent expressions of some reverend and godly learned Teachers in our Churches have encouraged our Adversaries by what they have preached or written to this effect That some common benefit comes in to all men by Christ and that Christ as a Lord hath bought and purchased all wicked men their lives and their reprievall all that time that here they live and all the blessings and dispensations of goodnesse which here they do enjoy That which is indulgent is for Christ as a Lord to allow wicked men common benefits c. That which I thinke over-indulgent is that Christ hath bought and purchased these men and the world for them And the stretching inferences which our Arminian-Novellists doe wier-draw from hence are That such acts of Gods mercy are effects of Christs Mediatour-ship And if Christ doth it as a Lord thinke they yea and as a Jesus too and if God hath given them their lives c. for a time Christ hath purchased these lives of theirs and if he hath purchased them it is upon some satisfaction which Christ hath made to his Father and from some generall pardon which he hath obtained of his Father for Adam's and all mens first fault in Adam But that the world and the lives of wicked men and the blessings of this life though the earth be given to the sons of men even into the hands of the wicked Job 9. 24. come not in to them by Christs purchase I think I may evince by these Demonstrations 1. Either such a purchase is by some satisfaction to Gods Demonstratiōs against Christs purchase of all men for the world of creatures or of the creatures for all mankinde justice or not If not by any satisfaction then something Christ doth and offereth to God is a price unsatisfactory or no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or price of redemption at all which is the dotage and madnesse of Socinus and his followers If by some satisfaction where Christ satisfies in part he satisfieth wholly where he obtains one mercy he obtains all and wicked men even reprobates must have the rest of the purchase or God gives not Christ what he hath purchased we may safely conclude therefore he purchased nothing for them at all neither spirituals nor temporals but all and only for them for whom he obtained an eternall Redemption as 't is called Heb 9. 13. 2. Then would Gods love and favour be known by outward Demon. 2. benefits at the first view and by good events of providence without any other consideration it is enough Christ purchased the world for them and them for the world God loves them nor is there any hatred to be taken notice of from other notions contrary to Ecclesiastes chap. 9. 1. 3. Then all are under Grace and Gospel-grace and Gospel-Covenant Demon. 3. Nature is grace even naturall reason and will or nature endued with reason and will as Pelagius fancied for this was part of the purchase 4. Grant but all temporall things even of men excommunicate Demon. 4. and of Heathens to be founded in grace I mean Gospel-purchase and Gods free favour in Christ and you Daven deter q. 30. lay a foundation for the Popes Supremacy and his deposing of Princes for that being granted 't is founded in grace and many Princes denying Romes grace and faith they conclude such are to be deprived of their temporall dominions and dignities 5. This confounds the Kingdom of Power and the Kingdom Demon. 5. of Grace and brings all humane Powers and Magistrates States and Common-wealths immediately under Christs mediatory Kingdom and that as they are Magistrates and civil States As Mr Hussey * Plea for Christian Magist 36 would have Christ by his mediation obtain of the Father that he shall not judge any man according to rigour but as they are in or out of Christ all deferring of judgement from the wicked is in and for Christ which otherwise the justice of God would not allow Mr Gillespy a Malè audis 29. well infers Then Christ dieth for them and did thus farre make satisfaction in the behalf of the wicked that judgement might be deferred from them and thus farre he hath performed acts of mediation for Savages and Mahumetans who never heard of the Gospel and thereby hath obtained that they shall be judged not according to rigour but by the Gospel which intimateth That Christ hath taken away all their sinnes against the Law so that all men shall now go upon a new score c. being all of them immediately upon Adams fall under a new Covenant and in a Kingdome of grace which sutes well and jumps in with Mr Oats's opinion not as good wits use to doe but as bad counsellours and conspiratours against a good cause or two as well that of Church-government confounded with the civil as that of a Covenant of grace confounded with a Covenant of works But I ask M. Hussey or any rationall Doctour Cannot Gods power be exercised where his grace in Christ is denied and cannot God be just and patient too why should we set one Attribute of God against the other when none of them doe interfere Object Gen. 2. 17. It will be said The threatning was full and peremptory In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Except Christ steps in Justice proceeds upon him immediately God shews not a drop of mercy but for his Sonne I answer 1. Justice did proceed upon Adam at the instant of his sinning he begins to die the death his body becomes mortall and obnoxious to death in which sense the Apostle saith The body is dead Rom.
8. 10. his soul and spirit is void of the life of God and of the sense of Gods love he is under the power and regiment of sinne and Satan disabled to all spirituall good This spirituall death is the harbinger of eternall death to him an hell upon earth it was when God arraigned him he had no other I conceive then the sentence of death and hell in his conscience till the promise comes Gen. 3. 15. but observe it before that promise is revealed God is just and patient also just in bringing the degrees and pains of death upon Adam patient in forbearing the immediate and full execution even as God was and is just to the Angels that sinned 2 Pet. 2. 4. yet patient in that he reserveth them to a further judgement and gives them not all their torment before their time Math. 8. 29. and yet this patience is exercised to devils without a purchase or death of a Mediatour so God might deferre from Adam and doth from his posterity keep off judgement though not in and for Christ quâ Mediator And what though Gods dispensations towards Angels is not a rule in all cases for us to collect his transaction about man fallen and his dispensations towards him yet in this case the Apostle b 2 Pet. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 9. makes a clear inference If God spared not them but reserveth them unto judgement he knoweth v. 9. how to reserve the unjust to the day of judgement the same verb being used in ver 4 and 9. for reserving in the Passive and Active voice where he speaks of Angels and men as coming from the same act of Gods just patience and patient-justice And though we know not how this should be he knoweth how to be just and patient too how to be patient in wrath and justice Rom. 9. 22. and how to be just in his patience 2. The threatning Gen. 2. 17. against Adam and all men sinning in him is not taken off by the promise Gen. 3. 15. which is only to the woman and her seed nay that is a threatning too in reference to the Serpent and his seed which are not only evil Angels but wicked reprobates amongst men and that which is threatned is irreconcilable enmity with and conquest over Satan and all his serpentine brood which necessarily infers death and damnation to them as to himself it were strange then if vertually in and for Christ patience should be afforded to Adam and all in him before the promise is actually promulged when at and in the actuall promulgation here is nothing but wrath and enmity between the woman and the serpent Christ and the devil the devils brood and the generation of the righteous true Adam stands by trembling and hears this but if he gets any peace or patience or pardon of his first sinne 't is a personall favour only for himself not to descend upon all his posterity but such as should be the womans seed from their interest in a second Adam Christ Jesus not from any relation to him as the first Adam All therefore who are yet but in the first Adam and as branches of that root are under the sentence of death for that first sinne Christ hath not obtained pardon nor patience that I know for them one moment 3. No man denieth but all was forfeited upon Adam's fall his very life and all creature-comfort and subsistence but God takes not the forfeit for when Christ the promised seed steps in for that part of mankinde who are with Christ the seed of the woman the elect of God the patience mercy and bounty of God steps in for the rest of mankinde even the seed of the serpent and reprobates with whom yet he will carry on a Covenant of works and justice the foundation of which covenant Christ cannot be as Mediatour for then he should be the foundation of two Covenants contradistinct works and grace no a Reprieve only comes forth for them yet under and ever to be under a Covenant of works and justice this is no Redemption 4. This Reprieve is but for a very short time to many not at all to some of the serpents seed who being conceived in the guilt of the first sinne are stifled at first conception â—â— or being born in that guilt and the corruption of nature succeeding in the room of Gods image dead in sinnes and trespasses die corporally the day they are born or soon after in tender infancy and in their immortall souls die eternally as the children of the Sodomites then in the womb or newly crept out who with their parents or fathers of fornication an unclean diabolicall brood Jude v. 7. are suffering the vengeance of eternall fire Others live out their time allotted them in just-patience but are accursed in life and death Isa 65 20. And die as e Morte morieris Hebraismus est qua verboruÌ„ reduplicatione vehementia certitudo significatur morie morieris i. c. certissimè morieris Paulus Fagius in Gen. 2. 17. certainly step by step as they that drop into hell out of their mothers womb And as malefactours who are but reprieved not redeemed and pardoned stay they never so long in Gaole yet they die the death or doe most surely suffer death at the day of full execution being dead men in law long before 5. What Christ the Sonne of God doth in this reprieve of the serpents seed as indeed he doth all that is done 't is as he is God and Lord of all in the Kingdom of his Power which he makes subservient to the Kingdom of his Grace for the saving benefit of the heirs of grace and glory As some great Lord intending to redeem one captive among and out of many prisoners in his fathers great house that he might marry her and make her his beloved Spouse and for whom he laies down a ransome to his father out of his generous and noble disposition common to him and his father also as a Lord and great Prince not as Husband or Bridegroom should throw away little and great summes of money with sutes of cloth upon the common prisoners and appoint them relief out of a common Almes-basket all to this end that these common prisoners might doe some service in the great family for his Spouses advantage So the Lord God and our Lord Iesus Christ so stiled Iude v. 4. being the only Lord God to all men and the Lord Iesus Christ but to a few he comes in the first promise and in the old Prophecies types and shadows and in the fulnesse of time in the substance of our nature among a world of Captives to wooe his Church his â—pouse and Bride to redeem and save her and her only by the ransome of his bloud paid down to his Fathers justice and out of his naturall pity and bounty being God and the Son of God and Lord of all like himself and his greatnesse he casts away life and health
will have Christ satisfie justice for all and glorieth in it Hic est universalitas quidem communitas gentia in donâ— morte Christi here is indeed the universality and commonnesse of grace in the gift and death of Christ and that g The. 119. but for some temporary redemption not with an intention of uniting them to Christ as a surety to apply what is eternal for that h The. 192 194. he holds peculiar to the elect and true beleever but i The. 164. leaveth all these non-elect in a state subjecting them to the curse and to death and to be dealt with k The 150. according to justice and l The. 194. to a decree of justice what Gospel grace is here Answ 2. Scripture-grace or the grace of Jesus Christ is the promise and gift of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 velle actuall willing as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posse a power or tendency that way Deut. 30. 6. Ezek. 36. 26. Jer. 31 33. Phil 2 13. It is a restoring of that interiour liberty from vitious habits which Testardus m The. 50. confesseth by the fall is taken away being first put away It is a new divine nature which inseparably goeth along with the new Covenant It is not that men may beleeve in Christ if they will but that men are to beleeve and shall beleeve in Christ for power and will as Christ himself averr'd it Joh. 6. 44 45. And that men are to beleeve in Christ not for a common gift only or general grace but by speciall and peculiar grace they are to beleeve and shall beleeve in him for that which is speciall and peculiar An habituall actuall active overcoming grace it is given from Gods own free-will drawing mans slavish will and determining it to a free acceptance and entertainment of what is fully purchased and promised And finally it is that grace which works the condition of the Covenant as well as promiseth it as by the Scriptures afore-cited is most evident But Testardus his universal powers and abilities gifts and light which he would have n The. 277. Grace fit grace and in it self sufficient given to the non-elect yet doe not take away the moral impotency of the will from any of them And that grace so magnified by him which is o The. 155. abundantly given to men under the Word together with the Heathens common benefits and light of reason p The. 125. leaveth the whole successe to maâ—s arbitrement or to the determination of the natural mans free-will which what is it but the grace of the first Covenant of works wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posse a power to will was given but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 velle the will to use that power at the instant of temptation was not given What is it but the substance of the natural faculty and an old relique of nature a little improved not any renewing oâ—â—eâ—ewed quality in that faâ—â—â—ty And he that shall compare q The. 155 162 with 166 125. some of his Theses will easily sâ—e our Authour makes no specificall difference between Adam's state before the fall and his or any sonne of Adam's state under this general grace after the fâ—ll â—or there was facultas a faculty ability leave power what you will but facultatis â—â—us the use of that faculty and ability was wanting when there was most need of it and so here And what if men in the state of sin have r The. 279. a power to omit more evil and do more good for the outward matter of the duty then they omit or act this is not a posse salvari a power to be saved unlesse in the way of works which Testardus s Nemini dat posse foederis â—ujus legalis sc conditioneÌ„ implere The. 122. himself denieth that God gives to any But by his leave though he gives not â—otum posse the whole power if he gives the â—â— posse any part or piece of it as it is clear he doth Rom. 2. 14 15. should he give it with an intention to save them thereby this were to save them in a way of works But I have disproved a general intention of saving by Christs death or of his dying intentionally for all and no mâ—n not Teâ—tardus I think will say if God had â—o intention to save all by Christ that â—e hath any intention to save â—ll or any without Christ or by a few works without him or by Christ and works together What then mâ—st be the result Why this 1. That God freely giving back some remnants and pieces of old created abilities to the greatest part of mankinde as well as to others deals with â—heâ— according to works and justice who doe hold up their works and will â—â— indenting with God thereby â— God will be just with them and t M. Price of Liâ—â—â— go along as I learn'd from the lips of a precious Minister and experâ—enc'd Saint wiâ—â— every carnall man so farre as he will goe with him 2. Although God gave to many carnal men in the Jewish Church or 〈◊〉 giveth to such living in Christian Churches that which we call common grace this is not universall nor so to be called nor doe Orthodâ—x teachers ever mean by common grace that 〈…〉 mortâ— Christâ— which Testardus erreth up But they expresse themselves â—â— proper and plain terms Si 〈…〉 â—ppellatur illam communem appellarenâ— tum certè diceretur quod maximè ad rem faceret as q Bez An. in 1 Tim. 2. 4. Beza saith of universall calling So I of universal grace if in stead of that which is falsly termed universal grace they would term it common grace then would they surely speak more to the purpose that is to the purpose of works or of setting forth the works and will of the creature what it can doe without effectuall grace what * Joh. 15. 5. just nothing Either the power of beleeving as r Beza ibid. Beza reasoneth and so Testardus his posse salvari is of nature or of meer grace If of nature not regenerated thou art a plain Pelagian If but partly of grace partly of nature passe over to the tents of Popish half-Pelagians thou art one of them 3. When men receive besides the light of nature the light of the Scripture and of the true Scripture-Christ and Saviour yet if the determination be left to their will as I grant it is to the most in justice this cannot be an effect of Gods counsel and will which goeth along with the death of Christ or a gracious effect of his death or a piece of his purchase for Christ did not purchase by his death that God should deal with any man much lesse with most men according to their works and will then had he been a Mediatour of two contra-distinct Covenants and should undertake to save them more waies then one 4. All that God giveth short of
a Covenant of grace while he fights for a Covenant of works and nature all along as he speaks of the non-elect or reprobate as * Fideles verò minimè decet Reproborum in gratiam Ecclesiam turbare inquit ipse Test The. 294 295. himself cals them Now I leave it to others to ravel his bottom and to exauthorize this Authour from the number of Classick and Orthodox Truth is not afraid to enter errours den because though it be dark truth carrieth a light with it to search it out I shall desire my Countrey-Reader to peruse all that I commend to him in the controversie with a Bible in his hand and with humility and self-deniall in his heart My learned Reader I intreat may have Testardus in his left-hand and the two Testaments in his right What is practicall will serve for all who have spirituall palats and can relish spirituall nourishment Let Jesus Christ be thy Pearl and Treasure and thou wilt not make him common Jesus Christ in his Birth Life Death Resurrection Ascention Session Intercession at Gods right-hand is not ordinary nor for all but for the man and Merchant that findes him hideth him joyeth in him and selleth all to make sure of him So we preach so ye have believed and so we shall and must still believe that we may be saved And for you M. Oates my Countrey-man as I have acquainted my Reader in generall so I must charge it upon you as the principall stickler in these parts with your new Gospel and Baptisme that you provok't me both to the preaching and printing of what here followeth in reference chiefly to the Parables and your Exposition First You preacht in the town and to some of my ordinary hearers and fellow-Members without my leave then you defended what you had preacht to him that noted from your mouth You returned me word from Colchester goal whither and when as thinking it a fit time and place for reflection I sent for your Recantation that you would fain see me in print And you seconded it at Chelmsford-Assizes to my face in the Market-place that if I came forth if you did not answer me you would procure one that would You may remember I then admonisht you as a Christian to forbear the spreading of your errour You told me you took it to be a truth but if you have no surer props to uphold it then you gave me at that time and place Actum est de tua causa For then and there you informed me you learnt this Doctrine of the Church of England and to my answer you were an apter Scholar then I who never suckt such milk from her brests and to my question where your Reply was Doth not the Catechisme in the Service-book teach it Where in Answer to the Question What dost thou chiefly learn in these Articles of thy belief It is said First I believe in God the Father c. Secondly I believe in God the Son who hath redeemed me and all man-kinde But remember what I left with you at a present parting upon those words partly out of your desire lest the people should flock about us partly out of my respect to what the holy Ghost saith Go from the presence of a foolish man when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge That Book nor Catechisme never went for the Doctrine of the Church of England but as Prelaticall spirits might have framed those words or as you with them have wrested the sense so you did act the Prelats part For as I since finde in the Title of that Catechisme it was to be learned of every childe before he be brought to be confirmed by the Bishop It seems you learnt it from your childehood and it may be the Bishops hands have been upon you at Confirmation though not at Ordination You are a true sonne by this Confirmation it may be I am sure by your Doctrine of the Prelaticall Church and an Apocryphall text is good enough for Apocryphall doctrâ—ne A plainer text it was for your darling point That Christ died for the bulk of man-kinde then the mans buying of the field in the Parable you wot of from which you have as it were made your appeal to the Church of England To that you shall go But first we must agree What is the Church of England Dare you say the Prelaticall company or the profane multitude This were to speak against light Turn you rather to the 19. of the 39. Articles put out an 1562. and you wâ—ll finde what a visible Church is viz. A Congregation of faithfull men c. A Congregation of faithfull men in England is a Church in or of England Now what Church or company of faithfull men will you select as a pillar of your supposed truth that hath held out your doctrine of universal Redemption I shall call forth three witnesses as a sufficient enumeration 1. The company that agreed to the 39. Articles They * Art 2. acknowledge That Christ suffered was crucified dead and buried to reconcile his Father to us and to be a sacrifice not only for originall guilt but also for all actuall sins of men But t is one thing for Christ to be a sacrifice for all sins of men originall actuall another thing for him to die for all mens sins or to dâ—e for the expiating of the sins of every singular man 2. The company of * Confession of the faith of 7 Anabaptist Churches in London 7. Congregations of your own way of Anabaptisme who though they be distinct in respect of their particular bodies for conveniency sake yet are all one in Communion They a Sect. 5. acknowledge The elect which God hath loved with an everlasting love are receemed c. And that b Sect 17 See also Sect. 21 Christ being consecrated c. hath fully performed and suffâ—red all those things by which God through the bloud of that his Crosse in an acceptable Sacrifice might reconcile his Elect only 3. The company or companies of faithfull men who differ only or chiefly in point of Baptisme from you and those fore-named in London but are with joynt-consent united and knit together in fellowship of the Apostles doctrine breaking of bread and praiers Produce me any of them who for these 100. years and upwards have in England held forth your doctrine of universal Redemption as the Doctrine of the Church of England or of the Churches in England No they have ever been more pure in Doctrine what-ever pollutions too many we have had the Lord humble us and make us ashamed for them in Discipline I hope by this time you will be ashamed with a shame and sorrow that brings forth repentance not to be repented of And my hearts desire to God for you and the rest of my seduced Countrey-men in Norfolk Norwich Lin is that they may be reduced with you and saved with you For I bear you record that you have a zeal
the application and that by gift of all other good things from the gift of Redemption and of the Redeemer himself Rom. 8. 32. 3. That of Christs satisfaction for all men and obtaining the pardon of all sinnes against the Covenant of works for all them and his satisfaction for and pardon of the sinnes against the Covenant of Grace only for the elect whereas all men originally and actually hanging upon a Covenant of works for life and yet continually breaking that Covenant are actually in all ages and in this present age as in the Apostles age under the curse Gal. 3. 10. And they who have any sin forgiven have all sins forgiven them Col. 2. 13. Zach. 13. 1. which are the elect only Christs peculiar people Mat. 1. 21. Tit. 2 14. 4. That of the Gospel and of the promise of life the former being as our new teacher said * After his Lecture to a brother of ours for all the promise of life for believers only Whereas at the first dawning of the Gospel the promise of life and immortality comes to light 2 Tim. 1. 10. whoever have the Gospel preached to them that they might believe have the promise of life also preached to them that they might believe and before a man doth believe he hath no more interest in the Gospel or in Christs death then in the promise of life Joh. 3. ult 5. It makes Christs death not at all the execution of Gods election or if at all but of a conditionall election producing but a conditionall Redemption for all not absolute for any hence 6. It frames Gods intention after mans fancy and Christs love to be no more to Peter then to Iudas as some have confest it 7. It imagines the grace of God to be for all or none and Christs death to be for none certainly but contingently 8. It shuts out Infants from any benefit by Christs death but what say they is common to Reprobates as freedome from originall sinne bodily life and Resurrection The first we deny that any Reprobate hath or shall have As for present life and future Resurrection if Infants have no more advantage by Christs death then have they not so much either as a benefit or not as by his death if they have more why do the Assertours of such grace deny them the seal thereof in Baptisme 9. It leads to other errours as pernitious and pestilent I 'le instance in three 1. That of free will for Christs death for all obtains but of God by their Doctrine a possibility that men may be saved converted c. If they will and that will left in their common Nature is Grace Gospel-grace they must make it or they make nothing of it a Gospel-will let it be then contributing to mans conversion what just nothing saith the Scripture Ioh. 5. 40. 6. 44. All say they in effect for let all operations of grace be put that may be put into the balance will must cast the scales and determine the case whether the man shall be converted or no saved or no. And what the vote of the will is in that case reade Psalm 81. 11 12. Jeremy 44. 17. Oh slavish will as Luther call'd thee and Oh Legall will may I call thee continually in bondage What is the pride of that opinion which would exalt thee such a bond-slave above a promise above the Spirit above God and his decrees c 2. That of falling away from Grace for if Christ died for all and that to obtain remission of sinnes for all and a will for all to be converted then all men are not only fallen in the first Adam but are and shall fall in Christ the second Adam from a pardon'd state and a state of free-will and of free-grace in their sense who are not elected yea but when the Scripture a Luk. 1. 77. Joh. 6. 44 45. attributeth remission of sinnes and a will to be regenerate or a will set at liberty for the receiving and acting of grace onely to the Elect such falling away from such grace is an imputation by Arminian Doctrine cast upon the Elect of God such Doctrine and Doctours therefore to be abandoned 3. That which issueth from both the former deniall of the Spirits efficacy first and last They that teach Christ died for all doe grant he gives his Spirit but to some here they plainly separate Christs death and the Spirit of his death and when the Spirit is given hee workes but at the courtesie of the will how farre and how long it willeth and pleaseth Can that Doctrine be for Christs honour that tends to the dishonour of his Spirit 10. And lastly It engenders unto that conceit That the damned may in time be saved b As since these Sermons were preached I have met with a Pamphlet not worthy confutation entituled Divins Light per antiphrasin it should be diabolicall darknesse manifesting it should be smoking out of the bottomlesse pit the love of God unto the whole world and to his Church wherein six times at least that place in Zach. 9. 11. As for thee also by the bloud of thy Covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water is applied beyond some of the old Doctours expolitions to Limbus patrum or of Bellarmines to Purgatory a part of hell as he dreams even to the deepest place of the damned men and devils too who shall saith the namelesse notelesse Authour by vertue of the Covenant of Generall Redemption be delivered from thence and rewarded too for all their torments and losses in grace and glory Much Atheisme and blasphemy there is in such an hereticall assertion and this contradiction in adjecto that eternity of hell-tormenting fire as is expresly threatned Math. 25 ult Mark 9 45. shall have an end doth alone call aloud to have that Pamphlet condemned to and consumed in some Cheap-side or kitchin fire or if not so yet as Arminius and Vorstius dreamed it promiseth Levamen aliquod some easement and mitigation of their pains for ever in hell I should now proceed to the true Exposition pertinent Observations and Applications of the Text but there lieth a rub and remora or two in my way which I shall endeavour to remove viz. Quest May not the former Exposition stand in some founder sense then that of this Seducer viz. Although Christ did not redeem all mens souls yet he did buy the world of creatures for the common good of all men Answ 1. Suppose he did buy the world of creatures for the common good of all men yet it is not the scope of the Parables or either of them in the Text to affirm or illustrate any such matter 2. Our late Expositour took not the Field for the structure and store of other creatures but for the whole bulk of mankinde and every singular man and woman and mothers childe as we say 3. Grant that he or any man should draw the
Scripture Testardus with all of that opinion will be to seek for generall Redemption Secondly Such a generall Covenant he holds forth as agreeth 2. Not a generall Covenant not with the Scripture-tenour how loud soever may be the sound 't is a jarring string or instrument when brought into Gods quire and consort 1. The Scripture-Covenant of grace is founded in that seed of the woman Christ Jesus and in him made with the woman and a speciall rank or company contradistinct to the seed of the serpent Gen. 3. 15. Gal. 3. 16 17. But q The. 54 77 112. Testardus represents it as made not only with Adam but in Adam with all mankinde with Noah and in him with all mankinde 1. How doth it appear by Scripture that the Covenant of grace was made so much as with Adams person with Eve it was expressely enmity being put between her and the Serpent and therefore actuall reconciliation between her and God promised and obtained but grant it that as he had the conditionall offer of the Mediatour then preached so he had grace given him to accept it 2. How made in Adam who is no more a publike person representative after his fall but as a sinner and a broken bankrupt not entrusted with the new stock All the new stock is put into Christs hands 3. As for that Covenant made rather then renewed with Noah Gen. 9. 't is not the Covenant Gen. 9. 9 10. of Grace and that made in him again as Testardus exprest it of Adam with all mankinde but a Covenant of a terrene and common benefit made with beasts and every animal in the air or upon the earth v. 9. 10. as well as with men And though to beleevers every earthly benefit is an appendix to the promise of Christ and so was that blessing to Noah r Dei benedictio erga Noaâ—hum filios ejus i. e. erga ecclesiam cujus causa mundus restitutus est Jun. Aâ—al in Gen 9. 1. and that for the Churches sake yet what is this to prove the Covenant of universall Redemption and that in spirituals as far as Testardus carrieth it 2. The Scripture-Covenant of Grace is absolute entire and unchangeable in all Gods agreements and transactions with Christ as a surety to pay the debt forfeiture and principall also And as a publike person or root to provide a new stock and give a new nature and to lose none of those whom God and Christ have agreed upon to be saved God saith Psal 2. 7. Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee Christ saith I will declare the decree God saith Thou art a Priest Psal 110. 3. Thou shalt be the Sacrifice Thou shalt be my salvation Isa 49. 6. And I will give thee for a Covenant a Covenant-founder and ratifier by thy bloud Heb. 13. 20. Christ agreeth Psal 40. 7 8. Loe I come Joh. 17. 19. I delight to doe thy will Joh. 17. 19. For their sakes I sanctifie my self I addresse my self to â—uffer for them and as it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell Col. 1. 19. So it pleaseth the Son that all that God hath given him to die for Be sanctified through the truth and receive out of his fulnesse grace for grace Joh. 1. 16. This is the Fathers will that of all which he giveth his Son nothing i. e. none of the elect Jewels be lost Joh. 6. 39. And this is the will of the Son Joh. 17 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be where I am c. Thus stands the sole and absolute agreement between God and Christ but Testardus will have the Covenant of Grace Å¿ The. 102. conditionall and t The. 112. Mox sinens c. changeable and that u The 93. as made in Christ with all men or with Christ for all men although he yeeldeth an absolute agreement about the elect yet the would have another agreement and that between God and Christ about the rest of mankinde Qui non sunt Christi oves who are not the sheep of Christ for whom x The. 75 76 77. Christ is Vaâ— sponsor a surety and undertaker but not as for the elect a pledge but no sure pledge an undertaker but no absolute undertaker in the worlds behalf which is as good as none at all I am sure the Scripture doth not thus disparage Christ his suretiship but it makes him a compleat righteous person for whom Christ is a surety As sure as Christ was his surety and took the sinners debt upon himself so the sinner is and must be accounted righteous in his surety And as much Testardus a The. 56. somewhere seemingly affirmeth according to that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. ult He hath made him to be sinne for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him But b The. 65. in his sense of these words he first wresteth and stretcheth the meaning of the Apostle and would have the sin of all the world imputed to Christ as to a surety and undertaker for every man by reason of his Sacrifice propitiatory and satisfaction of divine justice And afterwards straimeth the meaning of that place and applieth it only to c The. 194. beleevers who only have Christs righteousnesse imputed to them as if the Father and his Son had agreed that Christ should have an universall imputation of sin or the sins of all men charged upon him to expiate and satisfie for but only some men should have the particular or speciall and sole imputation of his righteousnesse which must needs make an Argument or Paralogisme of quatuor termini in the Apostles reason For he hath made him c. taking the persons for whom he was made sin us in a larger sense of all mankinde and the persons who are made righteous we in a stricter of beleevers and elect But let God be true and every man in his own unbeleeving sense aliar 3. In the Scripture covenant of grace as Gods justice is satisfied on Christs part so nothing but meer mercy without any revenging wrath fals to be the portion of them that are reconciled and for whom a price is paid that all their trespasses being forgiven Col. 2. 13. they might have knowledge of their salvation thereby Luk. 1. 77 78. through the tender mercy of our God But Testardus draught of the Covenant is such as that notwithstanding the death of Christ and satisfaction for all yet d The. 150. justice and wrath seizeth upon a world of sinners in their just hardening to all eternity and that e The. 280 294. according to a decree of justice 4. The Scripture covenant of grace is altogether of grace hangs nothing upon works Rom. 11. 6. nothing upon the will of the creature Rom. 9. 16. Testardus makes a mixture of grace and works grace and will and so confounds the Covenant of grace and of works
together even f The. 122. there where he endeavoureth to distinguish them and doth in part suggest some differences for in the Covenant of works he saith truly God gives no man since the fall ability to fulfill it's condition And in that generall Covenant of grace which he frameth with all me God gives but posse si velint ability without a will the will to receive and act must come from the poor creature himself and what is this but the first Covenant of works wherein Adam stood and fell as himself g The. 125. Quod factum fuerat infoedere naturali ecundam ejus slatuÌ„ Ibid. elswhere acknowledgeth when God doth but so move that he may if he will be saved and leave it at last to the creatures will it is but according to the tenour of the Covenant of nature how is the world deluded then with the title of a Covenant of grace which being examined proves but that of nature For such as the main condition is such is the Covenant The condition of this obligation or generall Covenant is nature or the act of naturall will in it's impotent and dead condition whereas the condition of the Scripture-covenant of grace is faith and that not of our selves but of the grace of God who worketh to will and to do of his own good pleasure 5. The scripture-Scripture-covenant of grace floweth from a decree of choice and speciall love and mercy and is backed by it Rom. 11 29. as Testardus also h The. â—57 with The. 11. acknowledgeth of that which he calleth the particular Covenant and therein differenceth it mainly from the Covenant of nature or works which was not supported by such a decree his generall Covenant then having no more support from any decree first or last then had that of works must be the same with it and not to be stiled a Covenant of Grace with all mankinde but the old Covenant of works held up by mans weak and wicked will and by Gods irresistible decree of justice Thirdly There being no such generall Covenant we finde 3. Not an universall call i The 113. no such universall call as Testardus writes of For he 1. would have a call to Christ more generall then that of the word viz. by the creatures and by daily providence naturall sustentation suspension of wrath administration of the universe for mans good with lenity patience and long-suffering the favour of Sunshine and showres of rain the fruitfulnesse of the earth otherwise accursed and the indulgence of all earthly accommodations This is to Testardus a calling this is a Testimony of saving grace And this he endeavours to prove from Psal 19. Act. 14 17. Cap. 17. 26 27. Rom. 2. 4. To which we oppose Scripture and Reason That Scripture 1 Cor. 1. 21. is clear When by the wisdome Calling to Christ by the creatures opposed by Scripture 1 Cor. 1. 21. of this universe all the wisdome of God displaied in the creatures men by their best light knew not so much as God it pleased God by the preaching of the Gospel to give the knowledge of Christ and to make that Gospel which with the preaching of it is foolishnesse to a carnall judgement a means the means of faith and salvation For therein as Rom. Rom 1. 17. 1. 17. in the Gospel not in the heavens and creatures is Christ revealed and the power of God to salvation put forth but if you will vers 18. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven not the mysterie of Gods love in Christ and if you say that is by accident because men will not know his goodnesse grant it yet what may be known is manifest in them and God hath shewed it to them It is manifest in all the creatures and God hath shewed it to the reasonable creature man viz. vers 19. The invisible things of him from the creation of the world these are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made But not a visible Mediatour God-man or the mystery of Christ crucified discernable there not a word of Christ read or written in all that great volume Hear Paul again to the Ephesians cap. 2. 12. At that time before the Gospel was preached ye were without Christ without the knowledge of him or without any means of the revelation of Christ while aliens from the Polity or administrations of the Church of Israel where only Christ was made known and that but darkly in types and while strangers from the Covenants of promise which doe more clearly hold out Christ but providence barely taken and not as the fulfilling of a promise though it holds forth something and much of God yet nothing of Christ nor of God in Christ Truth of reason doth further evince it By Reason 1. That which is not aptum medium a fit mean to discover Christ or to hold forth the Gospel-proposition that Christ died for sinners can be no mean at all appointed in the wisdome of God for such a purpose In the vast fabrick of the heavens and the earth and daily bare occurrences of providence there is not a proposition to make a syllogisme of or raise a conclusion upon for justifying faith 2. Upon Adam's fall matters are dispensed so as justice is manifested all along with free grace If all the world in all ages had had a calling to Christ where was free grace manifested If none were denied a calling where was so much of strict Justice as would manifest and execute a Decree of Justice against whole Nations and Kingdoms of men 3. That calling which meets with no successe at all in any one man to bring him to salvation was never ordained of God that I can finde in the Word to bring him to such an end for the Spirit ever accompanieth his own Ordinances of grace with efficacy to some But this universall call by the creatures providence c. is found by n NoÌ„ est quod eis spem salutis a Christo partae adimere trepidemus The 144. Testardus own reading observation and judgement unsuccessefull to every one that had it for seeing the Heathen in all their most moral actions were destitute of faith and a sincere end in what they did he fears not to take from them all the hope of salvation obtained by Christ Strange that Christ should die for all the Heathen and God should call them all to salvation and yet save none of them If he saith they sinned not only in Adam but actually and that not only against the Covenant of nature but grace aliquatenus what and no pardon for any of them nor l The. 140. any of them be Salutis in Christo compos partaker of salvation in the Messiah Let such a call be for ever called a dispensation of goodnesse and justice not a discovery of grace and Christ when it is not so and let such as had but the creatures and common providence to help them be none of
for Christ but not according to knowledge If you think to be saved and to help to save others by the doctrine of universall Redemption and by the particular act of rebaptizing and of being rebaptized you will still deceive and be deceived Perpend therefore and weigh with your self or rather out of your self with the minde of God in the Scriptures as here and in others more elaborate and spirituall dissertations is cleared and vindicated Had you sold your self wit fancy and conceit in Gods matters for Christ and Gospel-truth you would never have so abused the Parable of selling all and of buying the field and treasure as you did when you opened your pack of wares in our Town I know 't is incident to us all to erre but where self-deniall prevails errour shall not prevail to heresie Errour is a serpent with a long tail full of knots if unwary self-confident persons meet with it it will winde in and enwrap in it's endlesse train a thousand of them with which they cannot but be strangled that do not strangle it I am afraid my old friend T. More sometimes of Wels was thus ensnarled by doubtfull disputations with the erroneous Doctours of the times who hath pleaded your cause of generall atonement in print A book I could never meet with to this day but the other day when I had finisht this By M. Whitfield Piece there was presented to my view a godly learned friendly and faithfull Answer to that his book I shall hope by humility and self-deniall he will recover himself upon the reading of it and I shall pray you may prevent him or joyn or follow in a Palinodia Then will you see and say it had been better for you both to have kept to your looms then to have spun such a threed which will not make a web and that a garment to cover your nakednes withall Repent or you have much to answer a heavy account to give up For such as have had a better name for piety then ever Prelates had to make a more dangerous narrow bridge to Popery then they did by a more refined Pelagianisme For you who have pretended to more sanctity then ever Arminian Doctours have done in familiar communion with Gods people to be more efficacious in deceiving and mis-leading unstable souls O I tremble to think of the account Repent therefore and your errour of errours yet will not be your ruine But if the Lord leaves you to your free-will and you be hardened from his fear let him that you will procure to answer me if you cannot your self reconcile these contradictions between your universality of Redemption and your Anti-paedo-baptisme Vniversalist Anti-paedo-baptist Christ died to redeem all of man-kinde whereof Infants are a part As for Infants we know nothing of them Or thus Christ took away the curse from all men for sins against the Covenant of works Infants have no visible grace Again All of man-kinde are under a Covenant of Grace Infants of the best believing Parents are not under a Promise Again The guilt of Adams sin is taken off from all and by consequence there are no Pagans nor ever were No Infants are faederally holy They are all but young Pagans Now the good Lord the Spirit of truth deliver his chosen people from both these extreams and from all such interfeering and shackling opinions in whom I am theirs and Yours to read as to write to learn as to teach John Stalham To the Christian Reader Christian and Beloved Reader VNder the favourable allowance of the Authour of these ensuing labours my very loving Friend and vigilant Pastour I am crept into thy view not arrogating so much repute as to encline thee to a more venerable esteem of any thing in them because attested in an Epistle of mine For I am not of Classick authority to do any competent service of that kinde My scope rather is to witnes to what I have heard and received from the undoubted word of truth made known to me by the spirit of truth which hath wrought effectually as in other means so by the Ministery of this Authour to confirm and establish me in truth received before my acquaintance with him and to deliver me out of the snare of some errours in which I began to be entangled about that very time in which I began to know him And though I know him too well to go about to winde into his better esteem by painting and tickling encomions who lives upon a purer and more heavenly air then the vapour of mans breath exhaled by a corrupt fancy from a muddy heart yet I deem it some encouragement to him that is set over me in the Lord to watch for my soul to be acknowledged in his work and successe and in so doing I do only discharge a debt Some of the strong supporters of the rotten fabrick of Arminius thou maist see him batter and rase in this Discourse into which since I was a waifaring man to heaven I never turned in to lodge for a night finding it inconsistent with that foundation against which the gates of hell shall never prevail Especially that of Saints apostacy And for Paulus Testardus his friend and neighbour I cannot but issue my thoughts that he is here so fully enervated and enfeebled that when I read that passage in the book which concerned him if I had been a woman and in Elizabeths condition when Mary came from the hill countrey to salnte her the babe would have leapt within me for joy Another errour occasionally touched upon I must crave thy patience to speak a little to and that is the opinion of Anti-poedobaptisme in the lime-twigs whereof I my self was once taken and held till by the Lords blessing upon the judicious meek and divine reasonings of this Authour I was enabled to discern the Arminian results that naturally and therefore necessarily arise from Anti-poedobaptisticall grounds while they both make the Covenant of grace dependent upon some spirituall qualification in the creature And this I blush not to publish to the world hoping that it may be for thy benefit I am not ignorant that there are irreconcilable contradictions between the opinions of him who is both Anti-pedobaptist and Arminian a taste whereof thou shalt meet with in the close of the Authours Epistle to the Reader and no wonder for errour is often so divided and engaged in battels and feuds that thou maist meet with one corrupt opinion triumphing upon the neck of another like Tamerlane upon Bajazet unity and consent being the honourable titles and inseparable attendants of nothing but truth Nor yet doe I insert this as if I would insinuate that every Antipoedobaptist is an actuall Arminian it being quite against my principles to represent any man in a worse shape then his own digested opinions put him into And indeed I have so charitable assurance of some of their sincerities in saving truths as if their eyes were clear enough to
Or though it leads to repentance all are not of Testardus minde that the Apostle meaneth it of saving repentance but if he doth as I rather incline to thinke so because it is the most significant and full word for repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in the new Testament how the goodnesse of God leads a sinner to it is worthy our understanding Verily not as an ordinance instituted of purpose which I gather from Act. 17. 30. the times of meer goodnesse and patience in the midst of Gentilish ignorance God winked at but now commandeth now that his word is sent amongst the Gentiles now the goodnesse of God is an inducement to repentance when once Christ is discovered in the Gospel for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did not in any age of it self reveal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that goodnesse and bounty of God in providence never revealed Christ and that which revealeth not somewhat of him of it self and directly by some order from God cals not to him To such the Apostle speaketh whether Jew or Gentile as had the Gospel preached to them even at Rome where affluence and abundance of the creature was conferred upon them Now presuppose a pardon published in the Gospel and Christ revealed in the Word then Gods common goodnesse out of Christ invites to Christ or is a great motive to a poor sinner would he know would he consider it thus to reason with himself What have I taken and what have I forsaken God hath offered me the creatures in his ordinary providence and I have greedily fastned upon them but he hath offered Christ among a company of lost undone sinners whereof I am one and I have to this day carelesly refused him And how have I taken the creatures not only meat and drink but husband wife childe friends wealth successes of labours c. with unclean hands with an impure conscience came they in never so lawfully before men and with outward temporall right before God yet while my minde and conscience is spiritually defiled through unbelief all is unclean to me But did I goe to Christ I might have all clean to me and be accepted in all that God who freely giveth me the creature without Christ would as freely bestow Christ upon me if I did take him he that gives food and raiment for the body would as freely give Christ for food and raiment to the soul he that lets the Sunne shine upon good and bad will give the shines of his favour to one to me coming in to Christ he that gives a reprievall to all for a time by common patience doth give to some and will if I beleeve the Gospel to me give out a pardon under seal by speciall and singular grace Why should I not beleeve Why should I not repent Thus I say occasionally as a poor sinner meets first with the Gospel-tidings he may and ought to be induced to faith and repentance from the consideration of what common benefits he shares in although he cannot nor can I tell him his warrant why he should look upon Gods ordinary or extraordinary bounty in the creature as purchased by Christ and his death till he beleeveth nor can he have any such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or change of minde which is an act and part of sanctification till he hath faith as u The. 211. Testardus also most rightly ranketh repentance in order after faith and justification so as according to his judgement that the Apostle in this place of Romans intendeth the best and choisest repentance and that repentance not to be repented of coming in after faith the common goodnesse of God must first lead to faith before it leads to repentance but that it cannot without a former discovery of the Word the Gentiles therefore who had no word or promise of Christ discovered had no call to Christ and saving repentance by the creatures and a naked providence nor can the Apostle be construed or interpreted as intimating such a generall call by the creatures extra verbum without the Word as x The 121. Testardus would have it and that grounded upon a generall Covenant as the Covenant is grounded upon generall redemption and that upon a generall intention but the ground-worke and the superstructure already shaketh we go on to weaken this frame a little more I shall desire others that succeed or shall assist in this work may not leave a stone upon a stone a The. 119. c. It is pleaded for this calling universally by the creatures that it agreeth with the call by Gods Word and Spirit in seven particulars Object 1. As the call by the Word and Spirit depends upon the merit of Christs most sufficient death so the present well-being of the creature for without that death of his there had been no place for long-suffering and patience towards sinners which appeareth from the punishment of devils c. but the present world had been upon Adams sin turned into a hell in an instant Ans To what b Pag. 32 33. hath been answered before I adde 1. The world was made by Christ and for him Col. 1. 16. and as 't is kept and upheld Heb. 1. 3. by him so for him and his glorious ends viz. to raise up the humane nature first into personall union by assumption of it into the unity of himself the second person and then into mysticall union by redemption of all their persons from sinne and wrath whom God had chosen and given him to redeem Joh. 17. 2. Now that these may be redeemed the Father and his work of Creation and Providence must go on nor did sin destroy the being of the creature the elect must have time to be and breathe And as Sodom should have been spared for ten righteous mens sakes so for the elects sake as sometimes evil daies are shortned time is lengthened out the Sunne and all things in it's revolution have natures course the reprobate have their being preservation allowance of earthly commons c. 2. What necessity of this worlds being turned into a hell immediately upon the coming in of sin If Christ had not mâ—rited for all c Or what necessity of Christs generall satisfaction that the elect might have this world to live and breathe in His sole and single satisfaction for the elect will purchase time and all other needfull creatures for them and the world shall stand and continue for them while God hath provided a hell in another place for those that Christ hath not ransomed 3. What if God willing to shew his wrath and the more to manifest his justice after patience and bounty endureth with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction and a world of them never called to salvation so much as by an outward call Obj. 2. But the Apostle takes away all scruple and puts it quite out of doubt and question when as Rom. 2. 1. with 4. charging and accusing the
Nations still differing but a little from Heathen in Gospel Baptisme and some Gospel light of Christ doe with-hold or forcibly imprison and enslave this light of the Gospel and truths of Christ in unrighteousnesse they smother and suppresse the knowledge of Christ from their Baptisme see and will not see see but are not affected at the sight of a Saviour and his riches and worth Now tell me let me put the Question to any rationall man enlightned what is it that you have and still do lay in the balance with Christ Is it a base lust or a carnal contentment Some profitable bargain in the world or pleasurable enjoyment of this earth Dare you say that Christ weigheth not down all the world Worth you see in Christ nothing but unworthinesse in sin no merit or worth in the creature why consider Christ is of more worth then all his benefits and graces conferred on us and yet any of his graces and spiritual benefits are of more worth as they have the love of God and the stamp of Christ upon them then all the world and all wordly accommodations not to be named the same day with the least of Christs graces much lesse to be weighed in the same balance with Christ himself On the great sin of those then who prefer their swinish lusts and carnal profits before this treasure and the brutishnes of those who prefer the trash on this worldly dunghill before a Pearl this Pearl of great price Thirdly Such as seem to make some account of Christ and grace but the Gospel and Gospel-ministery and the field of promises they esteem not either there are promises enough or rather there are too many for them they are cloâ—ed with them and with the preaching of them Nay the old Gospel the b Revel 14 6. everlasting Gospel preached and to be preached to all Nations kindreds tongues and languages at and upon Antichrists ruinous down-fall a part whereof is Gods free election but of some Christs Redemption but of some Gods Covenant with beleevers and their seed c. this will not down with many young and old professours and hearers of the Word I have thought of some reasons hereof all rotten and corrupt in the mindes of those who are swaied by them 1. Some have lately hearkned after new-teachers of a new Gospel of universall Redemption and Remission of sins for all men so farre as they have sinned against a Covenant of works Now as for faith men hope they have heard enough and beleeved enough already they shall need to hear no more but what will nourish them up in assurance of a pardon before they have any faith at all 2. Others they place all the Gospel in a new baptizing and make that act or work of baptisme the foundation of all their hopes and comforts and therefore desire but to hear more of that and they need no more Gospel 3. Some rest in the bare name of Christ and notion of a Treasure and noise of a Pearl it founds sweetly in their ears and pleaseth their fancies very much but mean while are carelesse whether they finde and possesse it for their own or no. 4. Others have been wont to make the Lords Supper only in their bodily attendance upon it their Treasure and Feast not Christ himself and because they cannot have that Sacrament they slight the Word and will not attend upon it with their wonted diligence it may be on the Lords-day they will afford their presence all or part of the day but on the week-daies they will not hear at all or will sooner hear a c Joh. 10. 10. stranger and a thief who cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy then their constant Teachers who would as Pastours and faithfull Shepherds fold them in and feed them with knowledge and understanding Now woe be to such strangers as scatter sheep from the right fold and to such blind guides as lead people from the Word the diligent hearing and the right understanding of it and woe be to such blinde people who are led and carried from this Gospel field and Ministery where Gospel-treasure is hid and to be found Accursed be that Doctrine or way or person which carrieth you off from Christ and the Gospel of your salvation to any other Gospel which takes all mankinde into Covenant and yet shuts out little Infants from any one promise of grace as if they were no part of mankinde or are farre from having any part in Christ till they actually beleeve that is in the Arminian sense till they act some of their own power and till free-will doth it's part and determines all the controversies of the parties salvation The Lord strike home some arrows of conviction to the very heart of Christ our Kings enemies that people may fall under the power of his Word and all high thoughts against free grace indeed may be captivated and brought into the obedience of Christ Vse 2. This should exhort and provoke us to severall 2 Use of Exhortation duties First Beleeve we this fulnesse of Christ and Gospel-grace and beleeve in it 1. Beleeve there is such a Treasure though you have not experimentally found it The Report hereof must be bleeved or the arm of God will not be revealed to bring you in to the Treasure or the Treasure to you Consider who said The kingdome of heaven is like unto a treasure a pearl c. The Truth it self Jesus Christ who sent Paul and others according to his Gospel to preach among us Gentiles The unsearchable riches of this Treasure 2. Beleeve in it No earthly treasure is to be rested upon but this is a Treasure that you may lay your life upon your faith upon and trust unto it for all-sufficient supplies to make you happy for ever And if such riches encrease you may and must set your heart upon them Secondly Esteem we this Treasure and Pearl at it's full rate and value A Treasure it is a Kings Treasure the Kingdoms treasure an heavenly treasure an hidden treasure made up in a Pearl one Pearl all which call for our high estimation and account of it 1. As 't is a Treasure who doth not prize a treasure wherein there is abundance Joseph's abundance drew his brethren highly to prize him whom before they had slighted Solomons treasures of wisdom as of riches raised his fame in all parts brought over the Queen of Sheba to see and admire till she had no more spirit in her Behold a greater then Solomon is here to be valued for his wisdome and wealth above ten thousand Solomons 2. Here is the Kings treasure a Kings treasure is and it is fit it should be greater then that of any particular Subject and the treasure of the King of Kings to whom all earthly Kings must vale and stoop and should willingly swear homage and subjection must needs be infinitely above the wealth of any of his Subjects though they be
and report I wish you were all of you as I hope most for the present I know not any one who joyns in visible publique Communion but are free of this leven Some in the Town are yet nibling at the bait which the Fisher brought near a twelve-moneth since whom I lookt upon as one of our common vagrants who scattereth vermine upon the bench or place where he nestleth for an hour or two and still I doe look upon this and other errours with every Sermon that broacheth them as very like to the river Nilus which after the over-flow leaveth a world of mud behinde that breeds nothing but venemous creatures Such muddy mindes had many after M. Oates his Sermon as it was imagined of free grace which have engendred to strange conceits of their Redeemer free-will falling away c. which makes me think some are very neer to falling indeed from that they have imagined to be in them and from the true doctrin of free-grace which we are sure is yet retained in this of many other publike Congregations My counsell and request further is that you do not only witnesse against errours and heresies but love the truth Beware of subtle spirituall pride keep close to fellowship help to reduce seduced ones follow peace with holines Beware of scattering opinions ungrounded jealousies make no needlesse and so sinfull separations Come in to your Brethren you that are wilfully or weakly at a distance you that do not hear us read us and recover your hearing you that hear redeem sometime for reading these poor Labours which I present to you Read and pray read and meditate You have here not only the substance but words for the most part as I preached them a few enlargements which I then pen'd not down are wanting you have in recompence thereof some enlargement added to our Answer of the Question about Christs purchase of common benefits for wicked men And all that which is inserted against Testardus his tenet of Christs dying for all to procure a present freedom from perishing for want of a satisfaction to justice which he shores up by his assertions of a generall intention Covenant Calling and Grace Which discourse I have made the more familiar for your Countrey-understandings and did insert it here the rather because since Oates his Sermon much noise there hath been in Town and Countrey of a Call that all men have by the creatures and that Nature is Grace c. Minde I beseech you what is practicall as what is controversall and if you that have been misled and blinded by others and of your selves have cooled and decaied recover any heat with light or if you that have been stedfast preserve what you have Let God have the glory let me have your prayers and I shall rejoyce that I have not run in vain Only shew the power of all in the purity and beauty of a Gospel-becomming conversation and I am for Jesus sake my Pearl and Treasure Yours to love and serve you in the Gospel John Stalham TO MY Christian Reader in generall More particularly To my Country-man Samuel Oates Christian Reader BE pleased to take notice that when I heard of this man my Countrey-man come with a resolution to sow his seed at the corner of a Corn-field in our Towne being jealous least it might prove as wilde as that which he had scattered up and down in other parts of Essex As God guided my thoughts I desired a faithfull brother to goe take his Sermon by Characters from his mouth which he did most faithfully And having read and compared these Notes with anothers also who wrote at that time and receiving certain intelligence what impressions were left upon the mindes of his hearers I had no rest in my spirit till having laid all other studies aside I had publikely examined and answered the materials of his two hours Discourse But never intended such sudden meditations for the Presse till prest hereunto by the desires of the stronger by the necessities of the weaker Christian and by the Adversaries provocations for half a year together who finding a resentment of the new Doctrine among silly women and weak-headed men gave out that ere long one that had never a hair on his face and it may be as little wit in his head or grace in his heart should come and confirm what M. Oates had delivered and confute my confutations And according to their threats and brags such an one or one like him skipt into the same Corn-field near a well acted his part did his best and his worst and vanisht This youngster stole in when we were not aware of him so as for want of a Notary we received but various reports of his worke such as I could neither make head nor foot of only I am certified he wanted no railing rhetorique against our Ministers who teach not Vniversall Redemption and a will in all to believe as Priests that have lost their light It seems he hath lived under some Prelaticall Ministers who affected that title and instilled some drops of Arminianisme into the Catechisme they taught him whereupon he imagineth all Orthodox and godly Ministers who had ever any thing to doe with Prelates were of the same judgement with our Innovatours but the Lord rebuke such Railers and stop the mouths of such Liers This was the last occasion given me to fall upon transcribing out of my Characters which to me is a tedious work what I had preached against Oates and having proceeded so farre as to the Vindication of the Parable from his corrupt glosse false collection and sutable application in that very juncture of time Testardus came to my hands an Authour who hath been extant these thirteen years that I never saw before whom I read as he desires of his Reader in his Epistle a capite ad calcem from the beginning to the end yea over and over again in straights of spirit and time And having all along sought to the Father of lights for more clear discoveries of truth and falshood I had as little rest in reference to Testardus as to Oates till I drew up the discourse upon his tenet of universall Redemption which is here inserted and affixed to that I had preached and wrote before about the same controversie The rather because I finde the Universalists of this time have lighted their candle after Arminius was stinking in the snuff and socket from this Testardus and by comparing the Scriptures which Oats produced for his point with this Authour my Reader and his I think will conclude with me that Samuel Oates was one of the disciples or discipulus discipulorum of Paulus Testardus I have a jealousie also I think godly that some of our young Academicks who when challenged of Arminianisme doe apologize they never read nor saw Arminius are Pupils to this their Tutour and are souldiers fighting under his banner whose Colours are the Colours of grace while he fights for nature and of
effectual grace is neither in Scripture nor agreeably to Scripture can be called posse salvari a power or ability to be saved Christ Å¿ Luk. 13. 24. expresly saith to the contray Many shall seek to enter in and shall not be able Nor was that which is but common grace given with an intention to save any but for other ends As 1. For triall as all the grace of Creation was given with the prohibition of eating the fruit of such a tree for experiment and trial Carnal men have some remnants of Creation-grace to try and give out experiments what they would do if they had the whole abilities of Creation with the Covenant of Creation and no more but what Adam had had they all as much as Adam they would transgresse like Adam Hos 6. 7. Yea let a Covenant of Redemption and grace be revealed as it was to the men and Church of Israel and all improvements be given them in a general way of external administration as to them and more clearly to others now in the new Testament then to the Jews yet they will transgresse like Adam and will not hold to a Covenant where it is left to their will to keep it or break it This hath been the the issue of the triall from the fall of our first parents untill this present moment and will be no other to the end of the world All improvements of that which men call generall Grace hath brought in doth and will bring in but generall ruines The most able gifted-graced in this sense and as one saith The most able free-will men among the Jews who were a zealous Nation improved with all outward helps and advantages for that time were the most able sinners which was chiefly seen in their killing the Lord of life 2. To discover to Gods elect upon the issue of such a triall The necessity as n Fr Rouse Esq His great oracle that learned and pious Interpreter of the Scripture-oracle sheweth of a stable seed of actuating and confirming grace ever nourished supplied and supported by union with the Deity And to make them groan from under the common ruines and cry out Lord save us by thy speciall effectuall grace or we all perish with free-will generall grace For except Gods free-will do save some mans free-will will lose all And if God had not by effectuall grace left a remnant we had been like to Sodom and Gomorrah by free-will and generall grace 3. To leave all men without excuse who have so much and abuse what they have and them most inexcusable who have greatest improvements who hear there is effectuall grace to be given and yet r Heb. 2. 3. neglect so great salvation a salvation which had so great a Preacher the Lord Jesus Christ with his train of Apostles and Gospel-Ministers so great a purchase and pardon by the bloud of God Act. 20. 28. So great and precious promises to hold it forth 2 Pet. 1. 4. So great power to apply it as that whereby Christ was raised from the dead Ephes 1. 19. So great priviledges as union with Christ Joh. 15. 5. Adoption Ioh. 1. 12 c. So great evidences and witnesses as giftâ— miracles and Apostles witnesses Heb. 2. 3 4. God himself bearing witnesse to them and to the salvation from heaven and the Spirit bearing witnesse in the heart Rom. 8. 15. Yet men neglecting this great salvation under the greatest improvements given and offered to them being left to their own wils and free-will with common grace will but make work for justice and the more justifie divine justice as the oracle tels us So that if things may be and use to be denominated from the predominant part Testardus his universall Covenant must no longer be called a Covenant of grace but a Covenant of free-will and his universall calling no longer be phrased Testimonium gratiae a testimony of grace but a tryall of free-will and a calling up of the powers of mans will c. And his universall grace no longer termed so but universal-free-will or universal-bondage and impotency of nature wherein all the non-elect are justly left and all this according to an intention of God to deal with them according to works and will of their own which primarily was to continue life Rom. 7. 10. but properly and truly was not to save out of death Adam or his posterity fallen in him and with him I have farre beyond my first thoughts expatiated upon 2. Testardus self-inconsistencies Testardus his Inconsistencies with Scripture I shall confine my self within the more narrow compasse in the discovery of some Inconsistencies with himself as well as with Scripture 1. By all his Arguments he endeavours to maintain an universal Redemption yet Å¿ The. 96 265. in some place he cals it potiùs exemptio rather an exemption which is either more then a Redemption or lesse If more then universal Redemption was more then to procure a faculty or natural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posse with it's best improvements leaving men to his own velle or turn of will which is t The. 252. all he affirmeth in that case even a freedom from the vitious habit and moral impotency of the will which is that u The 157 158 c. he deâ—â—ieth And again it was more then to procure the acts of patience and common mercies or external offers of grace c. If it be lesse as x The. 265. he seemeth to mince and extenuate it with a seu potiùs or rather and I rather conclude it to be his meaning what is this but a retractation of that which he would so stifly assert and a yeelding it to be as I have termed it before a reprievall not grounded upon a necessary satisfaction of Christ to Gods justice for all but for other ends and upon other grounds For in very deed properly and truly in Scripture phrase as himself noteth elsewhere a The. 86. Christ is not said to redeem any but by his death nor doth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie to redeem or free any other way but by price Now when he phraseth his universal Redemption rather by exemption or priviledge I conceive he yeeldeth it to be some other way then by price and short of such a price as the precious bloud of Christ And if there was no price paid for all and every singular there is no universal satisfaction and atonement In this instance then we finde Testardus more to agree with the truth then with himself 2. He b The. 45 158. saith and that truly sinne destroyed not natural faculties and yet these vires Physicae those natural powers which he explains himself c The 155. to be potestas and facultas salutis Christ died to purchase for so d The 97. he saith God is the Saviour of all Respectu prioris Redemptionis qua facultatem tantùm salutis miseris peccatoribus facit in respect of