another end in it then they had they did it out of envy to avenge themselves of their brother but he out of love for the advancing of Ioseph and preservation of his father and brethren Ashur was Gods Axe and Saw Esa 10.5 therefore wrought not alone without a hand guiding him yet he aimed at destruction God at correction Therfore it is said that Ashur was Gods rod yet he thought not so but imagineth to destroy and cut off Nations Esa 10.7 God oftentimes punisheth one sin with another thus Arminius himself confesseth that God permitted Ahab to murder Naboth that so he might fulfil the measure of his sins which is the most grievous punishment but to punish is an act of justice Therefore here God did so permit as withall he did work 3. There is no Law to tye God from the permitting of sia and from working with man in the same action which man doth sinfully for if there were then no sin at all should be committed for man is bound not onely not to commit it but not to permit it if it be in his power to hinder it by which law if God himself were bound there should never any sin at all be committed therfore it is no good Argument to reason from man to God in those things which man doth sinfully he not being subject to the same law Object But he is a law to himself the justice and holines of his nature being stronger then any law to keep him from doing evill Answ But he may work in the same action with man and what man doth ill he may do well because as already hath been shewed he works upon other grounds in another manner and to other ends then sinfull man doth He hardned Pharaohs heart but in another manner then Pharaoh did he sent Ioseph into Egypt but to another end then his brethren did he punished Israel by Ashur but to another end then Ashur did it He delivered his Sonne to be crucified but to another end then the wicked Jews did it Object But causa causae est causa causati the cause of a cause is the cause of the effect also which ariseth from that cause removens prohibens c. that which with-holdeth or taketh away a thing which being present wold hinder an event is the cause of that event as he that with-draweth a Pillar from a House that is ready to fall without it is the cause of the fall of that House but the want of supernaturall grace and of that power which being granted would keep men from falling into sin is the cause of their falling into sin and God is the cause of this want who denies to reprobates this supernatural grace and withholds this power whereby they should be kept from falling into sin therefore he is a true and proper cause of their sinne Answ God gave to Adam in the first Creation power wherby he might have stood he gave him posse si vellet as Divines speak for he created him in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephes 4.24 which habituall righteousnesse was a power whereby the faculties of his soul were fitted to work according to the rule of righteousnesse both by abstaining from evill and doing of good and in Adam he gave this to all his posterity who were in the same covenant with him 2. Man did willingly lose this power and habituall righteousnes which God gave him in the first Creation God did not so take it away from him but he himself also cast it away yea God withdrew no thing which he had bestowed on him till man had merited such withdrawing Had God taken away originall righteousnes from man against his will or without his desert then might there have beene some shew of injustice but there was no such matter for God had made man righteous but he found out many inventions Ecclesiastes 7. last Object But Gods will is the only cause why the guilt of Adams sin rests not only on himself but his posterity also and why they are deprived of that originall righteousnesse which was bestowed on him Answ It is a just cause but not the only cause but Adams will which willingly yeelded to that sin which was the meritorious cause of the punishment that came both on himself and his posterity which punishment was justly inflicted not only on himself but his posterity because they being in his loins were to be considered as a part of himself and he being the head of mankind both might and did enter into such a covenant with God as should bind not only himself but all those which should arise from him Hence it is that the Apostle saith that by one man sin entred into the World and death by sin and so death passed over all men for that all bad sinned Rom. 5.12 all men had sinned in that sin of one man and therefore death came justly on all men and further it is said by the offence of one judgment came on all to condemnation Object If Reprobation be without foresight of the fall then God doth destinate or appoint the innocent or guiltlesse Creature to destruction which is such cruelty and injustice as can in no sort agree to God Answ It doth not follow for Reprobation is such a decree wherby God appoints not innocent and guiltlesse but sinfull and wicked creatures to be destroyed for he hath appointed such to be destroyed as are destroyed but none are destroyed that are not sinfull and wicked before they be destroyed and this sin and wickednes is a cause of their destruction yet though this be a cause of their destruction and goes before that it is no cause of the decree whereby they are appointed to destruction neither dothâ—t go before that because the decree of God is from all eternity whereas mans sin is committed in time As on the other side God doth save none but such as live holily and obey his Commands and doth decree to save onely such as these yet though holines and obedience go before salvation they do not go before Election which is Gods purpose and decree of salvation so it is here though sin goes before the execution yet not before the decree that was from all Eternity That the foresight of sinne is not the cause of reprobation is thus proved 1. No temporall thing can be the cause of that which is Eternall but sin is a temporall thing there being no sin before the world was and the decree of God is Eternall 2. The foresight of sin is no more efficacious to move God to appoint some to be vessels of wrath then the foresight of good works is to move him to appoint others to be vessels of mercy God being in his own nature no lesse prone to shew forth mercy by bestowing reward then to shew his justice by punishing but the foresight of good works is not the cause of Election 3. How can the foresight of sin be the cause of reprobation when as the foresight
belongs to the sheep of Christ as sheep as such who are given to Christ of the Father and therfore to these only The faculty of laughter belongs to Socrates but not to him primarily but to man therefore it belongs to other men as well as Socrates yet to man only and no other creature To conclude how could Christ commend the excellency of his love to his sheepe to his owne whom the Father had given him to his Spouse the Church that he gave himselfe for these if he dad done the same thing for others for goats for strangers for those that neither are nor ever shall be members of the Church Objections of the Arminians whereby they endeavour to maintaine that Christ hath obtained salvation for all Object 1 God so loved the World that he gave his Sonne John 3.16 Christ saith that he gave his flesh for the life of the World Joh. 6. Sol. By the World is meant no more then men living in the World God loved men living in the World and Christ gave his flesh for men that live in the World but hence it follows not that hee gave himselfe for every man living in the world for the World is ofttimes put not for the whole world but for a part only as when it is said this is the condemnation of the world that light came into the world and men loved darknesse Iohn 3.19 and that the World hated Christs disciples as they had done him Joh. 15.18 19. Object But the World is never taken for the elect only Answ Though usually the World be put for the greater part which is the worst part yet somtimes it is taken for the better part as when our Saviour saith That he was that bread of God which came down from heaven to give life to the World Iohn 6.36 Christ gives not life to all but only to his sheep Ioh. 10. to the faithfull or elect the Apostle speaking of the Jews saith that their fall was the riches of the World Rom. 11.12 he hath subjected the World to come not to Angels but to Christ Heb. 2.5 God was in Christ reconciling the World to himselfe not imputing to them their sinnes 2 Corinth 5.19 now some men have their sinnes imputed to them yea all but true believers Col. 1.6 Object But the world in this place cannot be taken for the elect 1. Because the World is here distinguished into two parts namely believers ver 17. and unbelievers ver 19. unlesse we shall say that the elect loved darknesse more then light 2. Because if it be taken for the elect that God so loved the elect that whosoever of them do believe should have everlasting life what then shall become of those of the elect who do not believe Answ 1. The world is not here distributed into divers parts but only the word world is taken in divers senses In the 16 and 17 verses being taken for the better sort in the 19 verse being taken for the worser sort of men living in the world as it is not unusual in scripture for the same word to be taken in divers senses and that sometimes in the same place 1 Joh. 2.7.8 where Saint John saith I write not unto you a new Commandement againe I write unto you a new Commandement Neither is it here imployed that there are two sorts of elect some that did believe and have everlasting life and others not for the word whosoever is not here distributive but collective 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every believer So that in the first word our Saviour shewes what kind of persons men were when God gave his Sonne for them namely like the rest of the World in the second how they must be qualified when he bestowes everlasting life upon them they must bee believers 3. The World is here taken neither universally for every man nor particularly for some men but in a common sense for men living in the world as hath been shewed so that in regard of divers parts it may be said both to be loved and hated saved and condemned as the same people Israel are said to be enemies concerning the Gospell but to be beloved as concerning Election Object 2 He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours alone but for the sins of the whole world 1 Ioh. 2.2 Answ The Apostle doth not here oppose himselfe and the rest of believers to every particular man living in the world but the Jews to the Gentiles or those who did already believe to those who should believe in all parts of the world So likewise Heb. 2.9 where it is said that Christ tasted death for all men it is understood of all the sons of God that were dispersed throughout all parts of the world as it appears in the next ver where it is said God brought many children to glory The Jews thought that the Messias was promised to be a Saviour only to them for overthrowing of this conceit the Apostle tels them that Christ tasted death for all men for all the sons of God throughout the world 2. This is such a propitiation as is joyned with intercession for Saint Iohn had said before we have an advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the just and then adds he is a propitiation for our sins therefore this belongs not to all but only to believers Object 3 1 Tim. 2.6 Christ gave himself a ransome for all men Answ The world all is here to bee taken not distributively for every particular man but collectively for all sorts states and conditions of men whether high low rich poore learned or unlearned and the like for some of whom Christ gave himselfe a ransome as appears by the former words ver 1.2 where the Apostle had exhorted that prayers and supplications should be made for all men for Kings and those who were in authority For the word all in Scripture is ofttimes put not for every particular person or thing of which it is spoken but for some of these so Matt. 9.35 it is that Christ healed omnem morbum all or every disease that is every kind of disease and Luk. 12.42 ye tythe mint and rue and omne olus all herbs that is every kind of herbe Acts 10.12 Peter is said to have seene omnia quadrupedia terrae all the foure-footed beasts of the earth that is some of all sorts Luk. 3.6 All flesh shall see the salvation of God Ioel 2.28 Zach. 10.11 I will powre my Spirit upon all flesh that is upon some of all sorts of men so in many other places as Esay 40.5 Psal 2.8 Prov. 8.31 Esay 2.2 Object 4 1 Tim. 4.10 Christ is said to be the Saviour of all men especially of those that beleeve Answ The word Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies a preserver as well as a Saviour so it is said he preserveth or saveth both man and beast Psal 136.6 Psal 145.15.16 Object 5 2 Peter 2.1 St. Peter speaks of some who denied the Lord
can we be sayed to be actually constituted freed and prepared for eternall life before beleeving when as faith is the first thing that fits us for life 4. The word here used is in the praeterperfect tense and doth not signifie any present condition or disposition in them but something which had beene done long before so many as were ordayned to eternall life long before this time of their hearing Paul preach Object 6 To the argument drawne from the equall extent of Christs offices that to whom Christ is a priest he is also a prophet to teach them and a Prince to rule them but these offices pertaine onely to his Church and chosen therefore the other also T. M. replyes that in all Christs offices there is something more generall which belongs to all something more speciall which belongs to the elect pag. 125. Answ But that great worke of his priestly office whereby he hath offered himself as a ransome for sinne which Tho. More makes common and generall pag. 192. to all is the foundation of all the rest being not onely satisfactory but meritorious such whereby he hath not onely satisfyed for sinne but purchased righteousnesse and life and therefore those who have their part in this shall have their part in all the rest as hath been already shewed He that spared not to give his owne sonne how shall he not together with him freely give all things also Rom. 8.32 Object 7 To the argument drawne from Gods denyall of giving to a great part of men the meanes of comming to the knowledge of Christ and therefore he hath not given Christ for them Tho. More replies that God doth use some meanes toward all to bring them to knowledge Answ But whether hath he given to all men since the beginning of the world sufficient meanes to bring them to the saving knowledge of Christ if he hath not then what he saith of giving them some means of knowledge is nothing to the purpose If he hath how then can that hold true that the Gospell was a mystery which had been hid from all ages and generations Col. 1.26 That the Gentiles before Christs comming were strangers from the life of God through ignorance Eph. 4.18 That they were strangers from the covenant without Christ without God in the world Eph. 2.12 that in times past he suffered all nations to walke in their owne wayes Act. 17.30 this was a night time a time of darkenesse with them Eph. 5.8 Rom. 12.12 2 Cor. 4.6 If the Reader desires further satisfaction touching this point of Christs dying for all let him passe on to the next treatise and looke into the Article of redemption where he shall finde that handled which here is omitted An Examination and Confutation of the Arminian erronious Tenets concerning ELECTION IN the Article of election the principall question is whether it be absolute or conditionall that is whether it ariseth meerly from Gods free purpose his gracious good will and pleasure or whether it ariseth both from the foresight of mans fall as also of his faith repentance and the like To this the Arminians answer negatively denying Gods election or decree of mans salvation to be absolute and affirming that both the foresight of sinne as also of faith and perseverance doe go before not onely mans salvation but also Gods purpose and decree whereby he hath appointed him unto salvation For in the decree of mans salvation they make God to proceed in this order 1. That upon foresight of the fall God decrees to give Christ 2. To save beleevers and damne unbeleevers 3. To give to all men sufficient meanes of faith 4. To save such particular persons as he foresees will beleeve and to damne the other That such a foresight as this doth not go before election or Gods decree touching the salvation of particular persons may appeare by these reasons Argument 1 We are elected unto faith and unto beleeving therefore election is not out of the foresight of faith neither doth faith goe before election either as a cause or condition but follows it as an effect or fruit of election In order of nature the effect alwayes followes the cause That we are elected unto faith the Apostle shewes plainly when he saith that we are chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame Eph. 1.4 Now faith is a part of sanctification being one of the fruits of the spirit yea a principall one And Saint Petor saith we are elected unto obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1.2 Now Christs bloud is sprinkled on us by faith and all true obedience ariseth out of faith being therefore elected to the one we are elected to the other also and the Apostle tels the Thessolonians that God had chosen them to salvation through the sanctification of the spirit and the beleefe of the truth 2 Thes 2.13 Sanctification and beliefe of the truth are made meanes whereby they were to come to salvation therefore in order of nature the purpose of salvation must go before these they being meanes that tend to it none can deny that faith is the gift of God and a grace which he workes for the Apostle affirmes it Eph. 2.8 Now if God workes faith he must needs do this to some end and what can this be but that whereto faith tends and which at last it effects and brings forth namely salvation receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your soules 1 Pet. 1.19 Argument 2 The Apostle makes Gods election and rejection to be acts of his free will and pleasure he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy Rom. 9.15 But if election and rejection be out of the foresight of faith and infidelity and preseverance in these then they are acts of justice not of will and pleasure For if God makes a covenant with man to give him salvation if he believes on Christ and perseveres in doing so and on the other side to condemne him if he rejects Christ and persists in unbeleefe he cannot in truth and justice deny him salvation if he sees him persevering in the faith nor purpose to give it him if he sees him persevering in unbeliefe So that this way he should be led to elect or reject by a necessity of nature not a freedome of will Besides they make election to depend upon prescience and this prescience to be necessary and so upon this ground also election to be necessary Argument 3 If election be out of foreseen faith then God chuseth such as have chosen him before and loveth such as have loved him first contrary to that which Saint John sayth we love him because he loved us first 1 John 4.19 the love whereby we love God immediately flowes from faith for faith worketh through love and by this faith and love we chuse God to be our God cleaving to him as our chiefe Good Whether therefore upon foresight of our faith he purposeth to chuse us or
dyed for all Christ is so skilfull and carefull a Phisitian as he hath not onely provided a soveraigne medicine for us but also applies it unto us if we be his else he should provide it to no purpose we being not only extreame sicke and weak but also dead in sinnes and trespasses Eph. 2.5 and therefore as unable to apply it to our selves as a dead man to take a potion that is ready tempered for him untill Christ quickens us by putting his spirit into us the Apostle saith that we are quickned in and by Christ and that we are saved by grace Eph. 2.5.8 this must needs be such a grace as Christ hath purchased for us but the purchase of this grace onely will neither quicken nor save us unlesse it be applyed and given to us therefore for whom he hath purchased grace to them he applyes it Argument 2 For whom Christ hath dyed he hath shewed greatest love to them for greater love then this hath no man Joh. 15.13 But he hath not shewed greatest love to all Ergo he hath not dyed for all If Christ hath dyed for all then hath he shewed as great love to Pilate and Judas as to Peter and John to Kain and Pharoah as to Abraham and David to the reprobates in hell as to the Saints in heaven which is fearfull to thinke The Apostle makes Christs speciall and peculiar love belonging to his Church onely for he bids husbands love their wives as Christ loved his Church Ephes 5.25 but husbands are to love their wives with a peculiar love above others for a man must leave father and mother and cleave to his wife If here shall be said that the greatest love of al is not only to merit salvation but to bestow it for answer of this it is plain by Christs words that the greatest act of love is to merit salvation by laying downe his life and where he hath performed this act of love he will performe the other in giving salvation However if they never be saved it stands firme that he hath performed an act of greatest love for them Una est dilectio quae nostram fidem praecedit altera quae fidem nostram et dilectionem erga Deum subsequituâ— Coll. Hagiens p. 194. Or if it shall be answered by distiguishing betwixt the antecedent and consequent love of Christ and saying that the purchase of salvation is an act of antecedent love and the giving of salvation an act of consequent love which is the greatest neither will this stand with Christs speech for what ever kinde of love it is that caused Christ to give himselfe to death it is the greatest because greater love then this hath no man to lay downe his life for his friend besides the Apostle comparing these two loves together the love which goes before justification and that which follows makes that which goes before to be the greater Rom. 5.8 10. God setteth out his love towards us that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more then being justified by his bloud shall we be saved from wrath for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled wee shall be saved by his life That love whereby Christ loves men before they were beleevers and whereby he loves them after are not two kindes of loves but one and the same love of which the first is the greater both by the comparison of the Apostle as also because in manifestation it is the cause of the Second Argument 3 Christ doth not pray for all therfore he hath not died for all Iohn 17.9 I pray not for the world but for those whom thou hast given me out of the world The World here is opposed to those who are given to Christ of the Father and for this World he prayes not now for whom he wil make no intercession for those he hath made no satisfaction for both of these are parts of the same perfect Sacrifice of Christ and therfore unseparably joyned together Iohn 17.19.20 and how do we think that Christ should refuse to poure out a prayer for them for whom he hath powred forth his bloud it being an act of greatest love to lay down his life as hath been shewed and where he hath done the greater he will do the lesser Object To this the Arminians answer by distinguishing of Christs intercession for they make a double intercession one common to all Collat. Hagiens pag. 198. Corvin contra Molin cap. 27. part 7. whereby Christ prayes that they may believe repent c. Luk. 23.34 the other proper to the faithfull whereby he prayes that they may be saved that they may be one c. Ioh. 17.20 Answ 1. To this it may be answered that this is a newly coyned distinction which hath neither ground in Scripture nor any sound writer but framed purposely for evading the strength of the former Argument 2. For that place Luk. 23.34 where Christ prayed for his persecutors it may be answered 1. That he made that prayer as a man subject to the Law as he yeelded subjection and perfect obedience to the Law in all other things so in this that he would pray for his enemies and in the act of suffering seek mercy for those who were instruments of his suffering Mark 5.44 teaching us both by precept and example what we ought to do 2. If he made this prayer as a Mediator yet it will not follow that Christ made this prayer for all and every one of those that crucified him but only for those who did it of ignorance and whose sins afterward were remitted Acts 3.17.2.37 because Christ is alway heard in what he prayes for Ioh. 11.42 and he knowing what is in man Iohn 2.25 and that some of these had sinned that sinne for which prayer is not to be made 1 Iohn 5.16 It is not likely hee would pray for these 3. If Christ desires and prayes that all may repent and believe then he desires and prayes also that all may be saved for Salvation is the end whereto faith tends Ephes 2.8 we are saved by faith 1 Peter 1.19 receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls and to what end should Christ pray that men might have faith to believe if he did not desire the salvation of their souls 4. If Christ make intercession for all that they may repent and believe then all should repent and believe for he is heard in what he prayes for Ioh. 11.42 Object To this they answer that this is with condition if they do not reject the first grace when it is offered Answ But if he prayes that all may believe then he prayes that they may not resist for when God by the Gospell calls men to believe not to resist this call is to obey and to obey the call or command of believing what is it else but to believe 5. If Christ prayes for all that
and repent if he will and accordingly as he seeth him to use the liberty of his will so is ready to concurre or not concurreâ— if he seeth him to use it well then to concurre with him and to cause the act of believing also if otherwise then to withhold then it is in him that willeth and runneth which contradicts the Apostle for as God sees man to will so he is ready to worke If it be said it is not in him that willeth and runneth because it is not the worke of mans will alone without Gods shewing mercy then the Apostle might as well have said it is not of God that sheweth mercy but of him that willeth c. because Gods grace works not conversion alone without the concurrence of mans free-will yea according to Arminians is led by it for as man wills so God workes if mans will moveth then God joynes his worke if man be unwilling then Gods worke is stopped 6. If all the imaginations of mans heart be onely evill and that continually Gen. 6.5 if that light that is in him be darkenesse Eph. 5.8 If the naturall man doth not nor cannot understand the things of God because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 if he hath not sufficiency of himselfe to thinke any good 2 Cor. 5.3 if the wisedome of the flesh be enmity with God Rom. 8.7 if the wisedome of God seems foolishnesse to it 1 Cor. 2.14 then there needs more then gentle perswading to take away this blindnesse and darknesse this impotency and weaknesse this enmity and opposition against God and the worke of his grace then it is vaine to say that God stands ready to concurre with man when he sees him moving his owne will to what is good when he knowes that he hath neither will nor power for any good till himselfe hath put it into him by the grace of true conversion 7. If God gives only power to men to repent and believe if they will and leaves the acting of these things to the liberty of their owne wills dispensing his co-operating grace as they call it according as he sees the will of man carrying it selfe in receiving or not receiving the preventing grace then man separates himselfe when he is converted and makes himselfe to differ from another man contrary to that of the Apostle who hath made thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou hast not received 1 Cor. 3.7 yes may some man say I have something which I have not received namely the right motion of mine owne will in not resisting grace offered for according to this doctrine when two men have the same power inwardly and the same means outwardly grace being offered to both at the same time by the same person and in the same manner the reason why one receives and the other doth not that one repents and beleeves and the other doth not is because the one wills and the other wills not the one useth his liberty well the other ill it being equally in the power of both to receive grace offered or to refuse it and so by this reason not God but man should separate himselfe 8. According to this doctrine man should be the principall agent in the worke of conversion and beare a better part therein then God and his grace for act is more excellent then power and it is better to will the doing of good then onely to be able to doe it God gives onely power but man by putting forth his will causeth this to come into act mans will first moves and this motion leads the way to Gods grace to move and concurre in the act of conversion and so is made the more excellent worker 9. From both these it follows that man hath cause of glorying or boasting in himselfe because he hath separated himselfe and his will hath borne the better part in the worke of conversion contrary to that of the Apostle why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received 1 Cor. 3.7 of grace not of workes lest any man should boast Eph. 2.8 may not a man justly glory in himselfe when the reason why he is converted and another is not both having the like means and helpe from God is because he used his liberty of willing well when another used it ill he applyed himselfe to receive that which another rejected the motion of his owne will hath as it were led the way to Gods will in the worke of conversion 10 If Gods worke in conversion should be onely by way of swasion and propounding objects then he and his grace should be no more powerfull and efficacious in converting men then the devill is in perverting and seducing for he workes in propounding objects and that in the most congruous time and manner that may bee contrary to that of the Apostle greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world 1 Joh. 4.4 which he brings as an argument to prove that they had and should overcome temptations and seducings because the spirit of grace which was in them was greater in regard of his powerfull manner of working then he which was in the world that spirit of Antichrist which went about to seduce and pervert men vers 3. yea there should be no difference betwixt God and the Ministers in the worke of conversion for the kinde and manner of working though there may be for the measure and degree for the Minister workes by perswading and propounding objects and God workes no otherwise though he may perswade more strongly yea upon this ground it differs not in measure and degree because in an ordinary course God perswades no man by his owne voice immediately but doth this by the mouths of his Messengers and Ministers who are Gods Embassadours beseeching men in Christs stead to be reconciled to Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 and he saves men by the foolishnesse of preaching 1 Cor. 1.21 Can it be fitly said of the Minister that he opens mens eyes or hearts that he takes away the heart of stone and gives a heart of flesh that he creates a new heart in men that he writes Gods lawes in their hearts and causeth them to walke in his statutes c. which might be both truly and fitly sayd of him if he did worke after the same manner that God doth 11. If God workes mans conversion onely by way of swasion and by such a grace as ofttimes is resisted and alwayes may be then as one man doth resist this grace and make it ineffectuall so may another and another yea so may all men do and so it is possible that all men may partake of the grace of conversion and yet never a man in the world be converted which is contrary to the excellency and efficacy of the grace of God and to that of the Prophet convert thou me and I shall be converted Jer. 31.18 If nature doth nothing in vaine much lesse doth grace How can faith be the gift of God and
this notorious untruth who sayes we have redemption by his bloud even the forgivenesse of sinne according to his rich grace Ephes 1.7 what is redemption by his bloud but paying the ransome what is forgivenesse of sinne but justification so when he makes Gods justifying of us and Christs dying for us to be unseparable companions It is God that justifieth who shall condemne it is Christ that is dead Rom. 8.33.34 2. Vnto the other part of the Argument namely that Justice cannot require a double payment of the same debt to let passe his oft begging of the question and tedious tautologies all that hee replies to purpose is this Object 1. That God punisheth his own children for whom there is no doubt but Christ hath made satisfaction Answ He cannot be ignorant that punishments mentioned in Scripture are of two sorts satisfactory and castigatory Of the first sort are such as Christ hath suffered for his people and which wicked men suffer in hell Of the second sort are such as God inflicts upon his own Children and causeth them to suffer not thereby to make satisfaction to his justice but to correct and chastise them for their faults and thereby bring them to amendment these being wholsome and healing medicines to cure their spirituall diseases Object 2. He objects that what God will require of others is a new debt namely sins against the Gospell covertly carrying it as if they were discharged of their old debt namely sinnes against the Law P. 101. Answ 1. But how can this stand with the perfection of Christs satisfaction if it reacheth only to some sinnes not to all or with the infinite vertue and efficacie of Christs bloud which cleanseth from all sinne with the fulnes of his redemption who gave himself to redeem us from all iniquity Tit. 2.14 shall unbeliefe shut men out from mercy and the benefit of Christs death How then hath God concluded or shut up all under unbeliefe that hee might have mercy on all both Jew and Gentile Rom. 11.32 Is not unbeliefe a fruit of the flesh a branch of the old man a principall member of the great body of sinne and was not Christ crucified that our old man might be crucified and the body of sinne might bee destroyed Romans 16.6 2. If Christ hath freed all men from their sins against the Law how then come they to be judged by the Law Rom. 2.12 how are they said to be under the Law Rom. 6.14 why are wee bidden so to speak and so to do as those who shall be judged by the Law Iam. 2.12 which can be no other Law then the same which hee spoke of in the vers before which saith a man must not commit adultery must not kill neither doth that hinder because he cals it a law of liberty for so it is to all that are in Christ that are led by his free spirit for so saith the Psalmist I shall walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts Psal 119.45 I shall runne the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart ver 32. The Commandements of God are not grievous to those that love him and obey out of love 1 Ioh. 5.3 Therfore notwithstanding all that Tho. More hath said still the Argument remains firme for if Christ hath payed the Ransome for all and thereby made satisfaction and perfect satisfaction then divine justice requires that it should be accepted If perfect satisfaction be made and accepted then perfect justice cannot require another satisfaction and so a double payment of the same debt namely that a poore sinner should suffer for ever in hell to satisfie divine justice for those sins which Christ already suffered for upon the Crosse and by his sufferings hath made perfect satisfaction such as hath been accepted If it be said that the sinner suffers himself because he will not apply Christs suffering and satisfaction to this it may be answered that if Christ loved him so far as to suffer and make satisfaction for him he will take order that application shall be made for Christ is a perfect Saviour and will not suffer the fruit of his suffering to be lost nor have the effect of them to mans arbitrement Object 4 Against the Argument drawn from Christs intercession that for whom Christ would not vouchsafe to pray he would not vouchsafe to die now he saith plainly that he did not pray for the world but for those whom the Father had given him Iohn 17.9 Tho. More objects many things and takes great pains to find out evasions wherby he may avoid the force of this Argument amongst which three only are to the purpose 1. Hee tels us that by the World here which our Saviour would not pray for is not meant the wicked ungodly world but all the Elect in the World which were yet uncalled p. 110. 2. That Christ doth not say he will not pray for the World but onely that he doth not pray speaking of the present time 3. That the word not is not so exclusive as to signifie not at all but not so much not in such manner so privily and chiefly for these as the other p. 111. Answ For answer here we may take notice that Tho. More grants that the word World may sometime be taken for the better part namely the Elect at least for a part of them which elsewhere he seemes not willing to grant but that the World cannot bee so taken here appears 1. Because our Saviour here opposeth the World to those whom the Father had given him out of the World now those whom the Father had given were all Elect as appears ver 2. all those to whom he should give eternall life Therefore he doth not oppose the Elect to the Elect one part of the Elect to another but all the Elect to the wicked World for which he would not pray 2. The manifestation of his Name ver 6. is the same with effectuall calling and giving of some to him by the Father is made the ground and cause of this manifestation and so in order of nature goes before it Hence our Saviour saith that he manifesteth himselfe to those whom the Father hath given him when had he given them namely before he manifested himself to them for the word is in the praeterperfect tense and speaks of a thing already past and done besides in the words following he shews plainly the same thing Thine they were saith he and thou gavest them me How were they Gods but by Election and by Election he gave them to his Sonne appointing them to obtaine salvation by Iesus Christ 1 Thes 5.9 So that giving here is not effectuall calling but that which goes before it as the ground and cause of it namely Election according to that of the Apostle whom he hath predestinated those also he hath called Rom. 8.30 3. Our Saviour mentions this praying as a choice priviledge belonging only to the Elect and as to the Elect only so to all
the Elect standing in opposition to the wicked World from which therfore none of the Elect are to be excluded for he prayes for all those whom the Father had given him both called and uncalled I pray not onely for these but for those who shall believe in me Iohn 17.28 4. Those uncalled ones whom our Saviour prayes for ver 20. he distinguisheth from the World ver 21. 23. and therefore it is not likely he would expresse them by the name of the world in ver 9. And this which hath been said may likewise answer the two last objections for if the World here cannot signifie the Elect uncalled but only the wicked World then Christ doth not pray for them at another time or in another manner then for his own for he doth not pray for them at all So that the Argument still holds good if Christ would not pray for wicked men such as shall perish in the end hee would not die for them for to lay downe his life was an action of the greatest love and for whom he hath done the greater he will also do the lesse His love in dying and thereby making satisfaction being the foundation of his intercession and all other benefits belonging to our Redemption Object 5 Against the Argument drawne from Election namely that the Sonne died for no more then the Father had elected to son-ship and to the eternall inheritance there being a connexion betwixt Election calling Justification and Glorification Rom. 8.30 Ephes 1.13 but all are not Elected therefore Christ died not for all Tho. More replies very little to the purpose 1. He saith that the proposition is directly contrary to the Scripture Heb. 2.9 1 Tim. 2.6 but he should have sayd to those Scriptures taken in his sense but not taken in the true sense for is it not agreeable to the Scripture to say that those whom God elected or predestinated those he appointed to obtaine salvation by Jesus Christ for those Christ dyed those hath he called justified and to which he adds that it is so grosly false as it deserves rather abhorring then answering pag. 114. But it may be better sayd this kinde of language deserves rather to be abhorred then answered which makes the language of Scripture a thing to be abhorred 2. He saith that it overthrows the distinction which the Gospell makes betwixt common and speciall salvation Answ It may well overthrow that which hath no foundation in the Gospell which his common salvation hath not as before hath been shewed 3. He denyes that there is any such connexion betwixt these priviledges that he who partakes of one must needs partake of all pag. 117. All that is in the common salvation pertains to the speciall but not on the contrary Answ 1. It hath been already shewed that there is no such common salvation if salvation be taken properly and in a spirituall sense namely for eternall life or any thing which necessarily belongs to it 2. That there is such a necessary connexion betwixt election and redemption may thus be proved All those and onely those who are elected are likewise redeemed called justified glorified But all are not elected nor shall be called justified glorified therefore all are not redeemed The proposition is proved by those Scriptures which make the love of election to be the ground and cause of redemption and all the rest God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten son which cannot be meant of a common love because it tends to everlasting life Joh. 3.16 to salvation 1 Tim. 1.16 we love him because he loved us first and gave himselfe to be a propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4.10 God setteth out his love in that while we were sinners he gave Christ to dye for us Rom. 5.8 so that Gods love is the cause of giving his son where that goes before this must needs follow neither is this ever to be found where that hath not gone before To this purpose also the Apostle sayth we are chosen in him Eph. 1.4 not as the foundation of our election which is onely from the good pleasure of his will ver 5. but of our redemption and salvation in that he hath appointed us to obtayne salvation by Jesus Christ 1 Thess 5.9 In both which places Christ is made the fruit and effect of election therefore of equall extent with it reaching neither shorter nor farther then that doth so that he is given for all and onely those that are appointed to salvation For if God therefore gives Christ for men because he hath appointed them to salvation it follows on the other side that if he hath not appointed all men to salvation he hath not given Christ for all and how can we in reason thinke that God should give his sonne to purchase salvation for those whom he never intended to save yea more for such whom he intended to destroy For it cannot be denyed that God will bring destruction upon a great part of men and what he doth in time he intended to do before all time 2. The Apostle sayth we are chosen to salvation through the beleese of the truth 2 Thess 2.13 Now saith is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 and such a gift as he doth not give to all Now if it should be asked why God doth give this gift to some men rather then to other it must be answered because he hath chosen them to salvation so many as were ordained to eternall life believed Act. 13.48 If it should on the other side be asked why doth he not give faith as well to others since he is able to do it the answer must needs be because he hath not appointed them to salvation Now if God will not give faith to those whom he hath not appointed to salvation shall we thinke that he hath given Christ for them which is farre the greatest gift of all For the rest which follows it is but a venting of his owne private notions about election wherein either he affirms that which is not denyed or proves not that which is denyed Object Against that place Act. 13.48 that so many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Tho. More objects that the word ordaining is to be understood of an actuall ordaining constituting preparing furnishing making meet and not of Gods eternall purpose pag. 150.151 Answ 1. This he sayes but this he proves not but the contrary may be proved from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as it is most usually taken in Scripture is not put for preparing furnishing or fitting but for ordaining or appointing so it is sayd the powers which be are ordained of God Rom. 13.1 and it was told Paul all things which were appointed for him to do Act. 22.10 In both which places the same word is used 2. This ordaining to life is made the cause of beleeving which ariseth not from any furnishing or fitnesse in our selves but is the free gift of God Eph. 2.8 3. How