but a metaphorical reconciliation for they never sinned neither was God angry with them as breakers of his Law which they were not made under Indeed as God commanded that all that did belong to Achan should be destroyed for his sin so we may conceive that the whole Creation that was made for mans use came under a curse for his sake and for the farther declaration of Gods hatred of sin must have perished with him had it not been for the Mediator and so Christ keeps off â—he wrath that was pouring forth upon man and all his substance if I may so say But this comes much short of Mr. Colliers purpose and is so far from proving any special reconciliation arising out of the general that it is from hence manifest that the last mentioned is a fruit and adjunct of the first Indeed this Text and that in the Romans holds forth no more then this That by the death of Christ all the Elect of God were virtually and fundamentally reconciled to him while they were sinners i. e. The price of their Redemption was then paid down to God and accepted by him But the actual application of it to their Souls and their personal interest in it is upon believing It is also evident that especially the Text last mentioned doth hold forth the certain application of the Grace purchased and obtained by Christs death unto all those for whom he died which quite overthrows Mr. C's notion of the General ransome He proceeds p. 15. to Question In what sense may the world be said to be reconciled to God and to have sin not imputed he means not to have sin imputed I answer not in his sense for if we understand by the World as he doth the whole universe To talk of the reconciliation of Birds and Beasts Stones and Trees c. unto God without any distinction and the non-imputation of sin unto them that 〈◊〉 were never under any Law is absurd and foolish no nor yet is it true in respect of all and every one of the Sons of Men in the world For the greatest part of them live and dye enemies in their minds to God they are Children of wrath by nature Eph. 2. 3. and lye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the wicked one 1 Joh. 5. 19. and the wrath of God abideth on them Joh. 3. 86. But Mr. Collier saith They are so in a twofold respect 1. They are so far reconciled and sin not imputed as to have the Gospel of reconliation truly tendred to them that whosoever do accept it on the same terms thereof might be reconciled and saved This answer is built upon his supposition that the Gospel ought to be and is preached to all inanimate and animate Creatures as well as man the folly of which notion I shall farther detect by and by At present I make my reply onely with regard unto men and even with respect to them it is exceeding short and weak Reconciliation is tendred saith he to the world and pardon of sin is offered on Gospel terms Grant it doth this prove that they are already reconciled and pardoned But indeed the Gospel is not preached to all men in the world 2. The word is so far reconciled and sin not imputed as that it shall not hinder their resurrection and restitution out of the faâ—â—en state 1 Cor. 15. 22. Act 3. 21. If there be in these words any due coherence with what Mr. C. writes before then doth he here present us with another new notion of the resurrection of all those Creatures that died or shall die before the restauration of the Universe But then certainly the world must not only be restored but either new made or greatly enlarged otherwise there will not be found therein place for them all But however two things with reference to man he supposeth undoubted 1. That all men are by the death of Christ recovered from their fallen state c. What he intends hereby he doth not explain and it is too evident that he little understands what the redemption and recovery of man out of his lost and lapsed state means I cannot understand by what mediums he will prove That the world of ungodly men that lye in their filth and under their guilt that arâ— estranged from the womb and speak lyes as soon as they are born with whom God is angry every day and they dye in their sins are yet reconciled to God and restored from their fallen state when he hath done it Erit mihi magnus Apâ—llâ— For the present we have only his word for it without any proof tendred 2. That the resurrection of all men vessels of wrath as well as vessels of mercy is a fruit of their being reconciled to God by Christ Now seeing the wicked are raised for no other end but that they may be brought to a just though fearfull Judgment and are raised immortal that they may be capable of enduring the fire that shall never be quenched I cannot see that this is any proof of their being redeemed by Christ more then the Devils that must also receive their sentence from him in that day And whereas he cites 1 Cor. 15. 22. it gives no countenance to his notion The Apostle saith indeed v. 21. That by Christ came the resurrection from the dead and v. 22. that all shall be made alive in him But who are these all all and every one of the sons of men No certainly for to be made alive in this Text doth not signifie simply the resurrection of the body in which the wicked have a share also but their resurrection to a blessed immortality to bear his image who is the Lord from Heaven confer v. 45. 50. In this Context Adam and Christ are opposed as two publick persons and the term all is to be expounded accordingly All that were in Adam as their head and representative dyed in him when he fell And so all that were in Christ as their head and representative shall be made alive in and by him even all us believers they that are Christs of whom he is the first fruits v. 23. And indeed throughout this Chapter the Apostle manifests that it is the happy and joyfull resurrection of the Saints that he is speaking of and all his reasoning thereabout is accordingly suited to such And it is granted that the redeemed of the Lord have a resurrection unto life and glory by virtue of their interest in Christ who dyed and rose again So then the resurrection considered as the spring of Believers happiness and their glorious priviledge came by Christ But how Mr. C. will evince that there is the like reason to referr the resurrection of the wicked which is only unto condemnation unto their redemption by Christ I see not He proceeds And the second death shall be for sin against the New Covenant and Gâ—spel law of Grace for not accepting the reconciliation and salvation on the terms thereof Joh. 3. 19. If there be
Eph. 2. 8 9 10. 3. The meritorious cause of our Justification is the Obedience of Christ both passive and active and our actual Voet. Select Disput pars 5. p. 281. Justification is the effect or consequent of the imputation thereof unto us Justification in the formal reason thereof doth speak two things 1. A discharge from condemnation or the remission of sins which was purchased by the death and blood-shedding of Christ Gal. 3. 13. Eph. 1. 7. The benefit of which purchase râ—dounds to us because of Gods reckoning upon our account or imputing to us what our surety suffered in our stead Isa 53. 6. 11. 2. The adjudging of us to be Heirs of and so inrighting us in Life and Glory for the sake of Christs active Obedience imputed to us in like manner Rom. 3. 22. ch 4. 4 5. 5. 19. Gal. 2. 15. ch 3. 11 12. 4. True and lively Faith whereby we receive Christ and his benefits freely given of God to us and rest on him and his Righteousness is the instrument of our Justification Joh. 1. 12. Rom. 5. 17. So that Faith alone justifieth though justifying Faith is never alone but worketh by love and that Righteousness for the sake of which we are justified before God was wrought out and fulfilled only by Christ who was made sin for us although he knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him And therefore in the business of Justification Faith is opposed to all good works as exclusive of them from any influence into the obtaining of our pardon and acceptance with God Rom. 3. 20 21 22. v. 28. chap. 4. 4 5. Gal. 2. 16. ch 3. 11 12. The first mention of this Article that I meet with in Mr. Colliers Book is ch 1. p. 12. where after some boasting of his clear stating the matter in his Body of Divinity he thus writes If any persons dare to maintain that any are justified before God without Faith and Holiness as the terms thereof though not the deserving cause I must leave them to their own understanding without all Scripture grounds for my own part I fully on good grounds believe the contrary Notwithstanding Mr. Colliers swelling words of vanity and contempt of the understanding of others I must tell him even these words are not so clear and scriptural but that they give just occation to suspect his own understanding to be dark and his judgement to be unsound For although true and justifying Faith is pregnant with good works and whosoever is justified is sanctified also and that Faith considered as a Grace inherent in us belongs to our sanctification yet doth not the Scripture any where allow good works the same influence into our Justification as it doth unto Faith which is a clear evidence that it is not the act of believing â—â—r any other holy duty for which we are justified but that in this business Faith is to be considere as relative to Christ and that it is the object of Faith apprehended thereby on the account of which its said to justifie And this Mr. Collier cannot but own if he understands what is asserted by himself in his Bodâ— of Div. concerning the imputation of Christs Righteousness unto us in order to our Justification before God For if we are justified freely by Grace and are presented without spot before God in an imputed Righteousness then can our good works have no interest in the reason of our acceptance with him And indeed if this were not so we could not be justified at all forasmuch as the Lord is of purer eye then to behold iniquity and our sanctification is imperfect so that if all our Righteousnesses so far forth as ours be examined in strictness of justice they will be found but filthy raggs a Covering too narrow and a Bed too short Yea if those that plead mosâ— for the interest of good works in our Justification would seriously consider what themselves dare abide by before the tremendous tribunal of the great Judge they must all fly to Bellarmines tutissimum est and put an end to this controversie by acknowledging that they dare not venture into Gods sight nor pass out of the World to his Judgement-seat in their own Righteousness But indeed there is another principle laid down once and again by Mr. C. in those Chapters of his Book already examined which if true renders all discourses of deliverance from wrath to come by Christ needless and without ground It is this That the penalty of the breach of the first Covenant was only temporal death and Eternal damnation is inflicted on men only for sinning against the Gospel the Law of Faith Now if this were true Besides that in some respects it renders the condition of those that never heard of Christ more eligible then those who live under the sound of the Gospel 1. If there be no Law threatning Eternal death Ferg Differ of Moral Virtue Grace p. 107. but the Law of Faith then there is no such thing as forgiveness and remission of sin in the World For the Gospel denounceth damnation only against final impenitency and unbelief and as these are not pardoned nor pardonable so on the other hand if there be no Law threatning Eternal death besides the Gospel then is there no other sin we need forgiveness of 2. If this be true Then Christ never dyed to free any from wrath to come which yet is plentifully asserted in the Scriptures wherein we read also that his death was for the Redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Covenant Heb. 9. 15. For it is non-sense to say that he hath freed us from the curse of the Gospel yea it is a repugnancy unless you will introduce another Gospel to relieve against the terms of this nor will that serve the turn unless you likewise find another Mediator to out-merit this Thus Mr. Ferguson in answer to one of Mr. Colliers mind So then if Mr. C. will abide by this notion and the just consequences thereof his sense of our Justification must either be contradictory to himself or else very corrupt and unsound Another passage that hath a bad aspect this way you meet with Addit Word p. 50. where he gives this reason why his supposed deliverance of the damned will not extend to any degree of Glory but only a deliverance from pain and misery For they are under no promise of reward of Good works because they had none That God will graciously reward the good works of Believers is granted so that besides that joy and glory that all Saints have an immediate right to by virtue of their interest in Christ every one shall receive a superadded Crown according as his work shall be which layeth a foundation for our believing the enjoyment of different degrees of Glory among the blessed in another world But to suppose as Mr. C. here doth That the admission of persons into the Kingdom of
destruction and many there be which go in thereat Because strait is the Gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto Life and few there be that find it Beware of false Prephets Mat. 7. v. 13 14 15. But saith he It would be beneath the spirit and charity of the Gospel to allow no salvation during the old Covenant to any in the world besides the elect Church of the Jews and contrary to the Scripture Act. 10. 34 35. In what sense the Nation of the Israelites was chosen of God I shewed before That all are not Israel elect of God to eternal life that are of Israel according to the flesh is certain and I grant also that in the time Mr. C. speaks of God had his remnant though we have reason to think not many in other Nations unto whom he did by means ordinary or extraordinary manifest himself and these did fear God and work righteousness by which their Election of God was manifested But that these did not belong to the number of the special Elect nor were of that Church which is Christs Spouse is utterly untrue neither doth he attempt to prove it He saith moreover Or to allow no salvation now under the Gospel to any among the Gentiles that have not heard of Christ and contrary to the Scripture Rom. 2. 14 15 16. Mr. C.'s notion about this matter we shall meet with again and examine afterwards At the present I must tell him that without the Spirit and Grace of Christ which may not be separate from the knowledge of him and Faith in his name all that persons can do is from a principle of self-love to yield some obedience to the Law of God externally and so live honestly among men But by the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in Gods sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3. 21. and that the Law of nature where the written Law is wanting will so far supply the place thereof as to convince of sin and leave the sinner inexcusable in his disobedience is the design of the Apostle to evince Rom. 2. 14. When the Gentiles which have not the law viz. written do by nature i. e. by a knowledge and conscience which God causeth to remain in mans nature though corrupt do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the offiees of the law viz. condemning evil and in theâ—r consciences approving good not so as to love good and hate evil but this they did sufficiently unto full inexcusableness These having not the law are a law unto themselves c. So Mr. C. closeth this Chapter without proof of his opinion CHAP. III. Of the Extent of Christs death I Return now to his second Chapter where he discourseth of the extent of the design of God in the death of his Son wherein he is so extreamly confused contradictious to himself Scripture and Reason that I fear the censure of my Reader for abusing him with the repetition of Mr. C's absurdities that can justly plead for no answer and also for imploying my own precious time to no better purpose But that which first engaged me in this task musâ— be my plea for proceeding in my reply to this and the remaining part of his Book In the beginning of this Chapter p. 13. After he hath minded us of differing apprehensions among men concerning the end of Christs death That he may be sure to outstrip all he tells us That Christ dyed for the world that is the Vniverse the Heavens and Earth all things therein the whole six days Creation that fell with man for the sin of man c. Certainly whatsoever the Scripture holdeth forth concerning the curse brought upon the Creation by the sin of man and the future deliverance of the Creature from the vanity it now groans under it cannot but sound very harsh to Christian ears to hear That their Saviour dyed for the Universe yea for all things in Heaven or Earth for every silly Bird that flies in the Air yea and every Creature known in nature even the vilest most perishing and contemptible thing Yea how ridiculous might this notion be rendred But I fear God and therefore dare not dally with those things wherein the dying of my precious Lord must be mentioned This woful mistake he is cast upon by the ambiguity of the word World which he supposeth must always intend the Universe but the absurdity of that Hypothesis abundantly appears if we look into divers Texts where the word is used and can in no wise bear that sense Mr. Collier doth also assert universal Redemption in the Arminian sense in the next Section Because this word and the term All is sometimes used in Scripture where Redemption by Christ is treated of And so do others more sober than he For an answer therefore unto his abuse of divers Texts even all that are with any colour pleaded by him and fully to deliver the weak from his snares as also that my Reader may not complain of the utter loss of his time I will briefly give an account of those two terms from the Reverend Dr. Owen his Treatise of Redemption which I the rather insert because that excellent Treatise is now grown scarce and in the hands of few of those for whose benefit these Lines are especially designed Thus he writes Two words there are that are mightiâ—y stuck upon Dr. O. Treat of Redemp p. 180 c. or stumbled at First the World Secondly All. The particular places wherein they are and from which the arguments of our adversaries are urged we shall afterwards consider and for the present only shew that the words themselves according to the Scripture use do not necessarily hold out any collective universality of those concerning whom they are affirmed but being words of various significations must be interpreted according to the scope of the place where they are used and the subject matter of which the Scripture treâ—teth in those places First then for the word World which in the New Testament is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for there is another word sometimes translated World viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that belongs not to this matter noting rather the duration of time then the thing in that space continuing he that doth not acknowledge it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a word of various significations need say no more to manifest his unacquaintedness in the Book of God I shall briefly give you so many various significations of it as shall make it apparent that from the bare usage of a word so exceedingly aequivocal no argument can be taken until it be distinguished and the meaning thereof in that particular place evinced from whence the argument is taken I shall pass over the Scheme inserted by the Learned Author because it is contained in what followeth which is more accommodate to mean capacities He proceeds The word World in the Scripture is in general taken four wayâ— First pro mundo
any kind of argument in these words to Mr. Câ—lliers purpose it must be this If Christ had not dyed for all men and reconciliation to God by him been tendred to them on Gospel-terms they had not been liable to the second death But all that do not believe and obey the Gospel must dye the second death Ergo Christ dyed for them and procured non-imputation of sin to them c. I deny the major Proposition Sinners are guilty of damnation by the breach of the Law though they never hear the Gospel c. And immediately Th. C. will deny the minor as we shâ—ll hear Certainly he will be hard put to it to prove that all men are redeemed because most men are damned The Scripture cited by him viz. Joh. 3. 19. proves indeed That where the objective light of the Gospel is afforded to a people and tâ—ey obey it not but refuse to walk in it they shall dye the second death yea their case will be worse then others that have not enâ—â—yed the like means unbelief is a crying sin and brings them under condemnation with a witness as we use to speak But it doth in no wise prove what Mr. C. supposeth that none are guilty of the second death by the breach of the first Covenant And in plain terms Mr. C. doth not think that all that have not faith in Christ shall be damned as his minor Proposition supposeth though for the present he is willing to pretend so that he may thereby prove they are redeemed for thus he writes p. 26. Damnation is the judgment of Gospel-unbelief and disobedience he intends that only yet those that never heard the Gospelâ— cannot be unâ—er this judgment because its impossible without a miracle that they should believe the Gospel it s in some sense their affliction and judgement that they have it not but not their sin because they believe it 〈◊〉 because they cannot Rom. 10. 14. I grant that a Law cannot oblige unless it be sufficiently made known or published and that there are multitudes in the world that enjoy not the Gospel and these as they are in an ordinary way capable of no saving benefit by Christ so neither is the sin of not believing the Gospel chargeable upon them But even these are under the first Covenant which requires of them perfect Obedience to the moral Law or Law of nature which if they have not the written Law neither is so far written even in their hearts as that they are a Law unto themselves and utterly inexcusable in the breach of it Rom. 1. 19 20 ch 2. 15. But amongst these there are many filled with all unrighteousness ch 1. v. 21. 〈◊〉 31. and shall we suppose according to this mans licentious Doctrine that these are in danger only of a temporal death which the best in the world cannot escape The Consciences of these very wretches tell them otherwise v. 32. where by death the sâ—cond death or perishing under Divine wrath must be understood otherwise there were no evil peculiar to them intended therein and the Apostle assures us that the wrath of God is revealed from â—eaven against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men who imprison and stifle their natural Light holding that truth in unrighteouss and not subjecting themselves thereto through the â—nmity that is in their hearts to God v. 18. c. Though the Law cannot give life yet is its curse heavy enough to sink all the world under Eternal wrath which it had done without remedy if Christ had not delivered Believers from the Curse of the Law by being made a Curse for them Gal. 3. 13. Thus we have heard out Mr. C. what he hath â—o say for the reconciliation of all the World to God and the non-imputation of sin to them and I know some will take notice of that which immediately follows in the next Section where he asserts That there is a more special design of Grace in the death of Christ i. e. the salvation of his Elect of his Church whose peculiar priviledge it is that the bloud of Christ is shed for them for the remission of sin And they will perhaps wonder at the mans acumen that hath found out such a notable distinction of non-imputation of sin from remission of sin the one of which belongeth to the reprobate the other to the Elect though Paul took them to be of the same import Rom. 4. 7 8. But I cannot stay to remark every absurdity in his Book and therefore let this pass The glorious and wonderful design of free Grace to redeem and save to the utmost all the Elect by Jesus Christ I adore and to own that there was any end or design of God in the death of his Son which was not perfectly accomplished thereby I dare not But I shall proceed with Mr. C. it not being my purpose as I said at first to enter upon a full discussion of these points or to urge the arguments that might be pleaded against his opinion but only to clear our way of that rubbish that he hath cast into it He discourseth in the next place of the Preaching of the Gospel and he is as liberal here and good reason for it as he was in determining the extent of Christs death The design of God saith he in his Gospel Grace by the death of his Son being thus universal to the whole world in this threefold sense as hath been mentioned Hence it is that the Gospel must be preached to the whole Creation c. He grants indeed p. 16. That it is especially to be published to men who were concerned in the sin and fall But it is and may be truly preached to the whole Creation though they hear it not nor understand it I suppose in this particular Mr. C. may truly say he hath not followed Authors for I know none before him that have been so fond as to assert what here he doth though in other things it is evident that he hath imbibed the notions of divers Hereticks that have been before him Although I must confess the Papists in some of their Legends tell many odd stories to this purpose and we may collect from thence what some of them thought in this matter And although all Protestants deride their foppery that will not discourage Mr. C. from joyning with them in this and other things for he hath observed as he tells us p. 59. That the Protestants run themselves too much in both principle and practice beyond almost all works of Charity amongst which perhaps he reckons Preaching to Birds and Beasts Stones and Trees c. If I should recite to Mr. C. some of the stories they tell of St. Francis his Preaching oft to the Birds and how affectionately they heard him his converting a ravenous Wolf from his rapine to a tame and harmless life c. and of Father Bede his Preaching to the Stones when he was blind and his naughty Boy led him to a heap
5. which if admitted gives this interpretation of the place That although by Christ believers are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses yet in the Gospel is there no remedy provided for them that sin against the holy spirit but that transgression remains unpardonable both under the Law and under the Gospel Nay moreover if we allow Mr. C. that forgiveness in the world to come is in these words inâ—imated yet neither will this relieve him for the Apostle speaks of the blotting out of the sins of Believers at the coming of Christ and it is certain that then the sentence by which they are now absolved will be published before men and Angels and they possessed of the utmost advantages accruing to them by their pardon so then declaratively they are forgiven in another world But none have or can have an interest in this forgiveness but those that have repented and been converted in this world Act. 3. 19 20 Indeed if we allow Mr. C. this notion That sinners shall be forgiven after they are damned we must grant him more then what he yet openly pleads for viz. That they shall not only be delivered from the positive part of their punishment but the negative also For he whose sins are forgiven is a blessed man and certainly interested in the favour of God But it is in vain to expect that notions so opposite to truth as Mr. Colliers are should be brought to any consistency In p. 48. Mr. Collier forms and answers this Objection This Scripture only supposeth that on repentance all such sins may be forgiven not that they shall be forgiven without repentance In his answer hereunto he grants That we may not suppose the forgiveness of sin first or last to be without repentance It seems then that the forgiveness in another work which Mr. Collier dreams of is attainable on the same terms on which it is offered in this and no other which is not only repentance but also faith in the Lord Jesus So that according to his principles after the Judgement is past sinners are still upon the same terms with God as they are now in the day of his patience Then which supposition nothing can be more false and repugnanâ— to the Scripture Now is the accepted time now is the day of Salvation And if poor sinners do not seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near Isa 55. 6. it will be too late in another world for then although they call upon him he will not answer they may seek him early but cannot find him See Prov. 1. 24-31 When death hath once turned us off the stage of this world our day is past and the night is come wherein no man can work Joh. 9. 4. Eccl. 9. 10. There will be no more repentance unto life then or possibility of changing our state but every man must Eternally reap the fruit of what he hath sown in this life And as there is no promise for the damned to hope in or Gospel to be preached to them so neither shall they have any more a call to repentance or tender of mercy for ever He adds And that there may be forgiveness and acceptance after death seems farther to appear else what means 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. with chap. 4. 6. In chap. 3. 19 20. it s said By which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison which sometimes were disobedient c. Thus far Mr. C. repeats the words but omits the rest which are when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing wherein few that is eight Souls were saved by Water Mr. C. is here quite started from the thing in Question viz. Whether the damned may be released from their torment after the day of Judgement and instead of proving that talks of forgiveness after death before that day come which is short of the task undertaken by him though as contrary to the whole tenour of Scripture The meaning of the words wrested by him so far as concerns the business in hand is That Christ by his spirit in Noah for thereby were the Prophets of old acted 1 Pet. 1. 11. who was a preacher of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2. 5. went and preached to the old world whose spirits for their disobedience were now in prison reserved to the Judgement of the great day But against this two things are objected by Mr. C. 1. It is said he went i. e. Christ not his spirit only by Noah The Text saith indeed He went but fully explains also the manner how he went viz. by his spirit as God is frequently said to speak to those unto whom he sent his Prophets so is Christ here said to preach to the old world by his spirit in Noah 2. He does not say he went by Noah to the people of the old world but he went and preached to the spirits not persons in prison Noahs preaching was to persons living this to the spirits in prison The former part of this Objection is answered already and the scope of the Text doth inforce the sense I have given of it and whereas Mr. C. saith this preaching was to the spirits not persons in prison c. it is a meer quibble for the Apostle speaks of them according to their present condition when he wrote this He doth not say they were spirits in prison when preached to but that the spirits of thâ—se persons were now in prison unto whom Noah preached while they lived in the world And therefore that suggestion of Mr. Colliers is utterly groundless That it s greatly doubtful whether this be it which is here intended But however if it were only doubtful to him it leaveâ— him inexcusable in his bold adventure to pervert it as he doth Certainly if the time of the preparation of the Ark was tâ—e time of Gods long-suffering towards them unto whom Noah preached by the spirit of Christ there was no pardon to be expected for them or offered to them after that time Neither can any reason be given why this should be restrained to those that were disobedient in the days of Noah if ever the pardon of sinners after death had come into the Apostles mind for we may not suppose that these were priviledged above all others that dyed in their sins And although Mr. C. saith a little after That this doth â—ot justifie the descending of Christs Soul into Hell as some hold yet it must necessarily infâ—r That Christ in person descended into Hell which is as absurd if not more 3. And especially compare this with ch 4. 6. which seems to be the same with this For for this cause also was the Gospel preached to them that are dead that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the spirit Where the Apostle states these things 1. That the Gospel was preached to
more nor less then those that are Christs i. e. Believers for certainly Justification is not without Faith Secondly The word All is sometimes used for some of all sorts Jer. 31. 34. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by Paul rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 8. 11. so Joh. 12. 32. 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. which is made apparent by the mention of Kings as one sort of People there intended And I make no doubt but it will appear to all that the word must be taken in one of these senses in every place where it is used in the business of Redemption Thirdly Let a diligent comparison be made between the general expressions of the new with the predectâ—ons of the Old Testament and they will be sound to be answerable to and expository of one another The Lord affirming in the New that that was done which in the Old he foretold should be done Now in the predictions and prophecies of the Old Testament that all Nations all People all Flesh all the ends Families or Kindreâ— of the Earth the World the whole Earth thâ— Islâ—s shall â—â— converted look up to Christ come to the Mountain of the Lord and the like none doubts but that the Elect of God in all Nations are only signified knowing that in them alone these predictions have the truth of their accomplishments And why should the same expressions used in the Gospel and many of them aiming directly to declare the fulfilling the other be wire-drawn to a larger extent so contrary to the mind of the Holy Ghost In fine as when the Lord is said to wipe tears from all Faces it hinders not but the reprobates shall be cast out to Eternity where there is weeping and wailing c. So when Christ is said to dye for all it hinders not but those reprobates may perish to Eternity for their sins without any effectual remedy intended for them though occasionally proposed to some of them Thus far are the words of that worthy Sevant of Christ I shall now return to Mr. Collier The Scriptures that he produceth to prove that Christ died for all men viz. Judas as well as Peter those that were already under Divine vengeance when he laid down his Life as well as those that were saved are these Joh. 1. 29. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Heb. 2. 9. 1 Joh. 2. 2. 2 Cor. 5. 19. He tells us not how he thinks to enforce his notion by them but takes it for granted that the word World and All used in them must intend every individual person in the world which Hypothesis is abundantly overthrown in the foregoing lines and there needs no farther answer to them only I will briefly clear Heb. 2. 9. that there may be no occasion of stumbling left to any The words are thus translated That he by the Grace of God should tast death for every man the word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for every one which is here used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all That this term every man is commonly used in Scriptures where some limitation of it must be allowed is certain see Col. 1. 21 where every man can intend only those to whom Paul preached and 1 Cor. 12. 7. with ch 4. 5. And in this Chapter we have such a description of these All for whom Christ tested death as will by no means agree to all and every one but the Elect only v. 10. they are called many Sons to be brought to glory v. 11. his Brethren and those that are sanctified the Children that God gave him v. 13. those that were delivered from slavish fear of death v. 15. I conclude therefore that the All here spoken of are all Christs sheep and they only whether Jews or Gentiles c. Mr. C. seems to be aware that he hath made very bold with the two last Texts cited by him and that they will not bear the sense he imposeth upon them and therefore he states an objection against his application of them to the General ransome p. 14. And seeing he will have it brought in I will take leave to frame the Objection my self and know that the like might be urged with reference to the other Texts By the World in 2 Cor. 5. 19. and the whole World 1 Joh. 2. 2. we may not understand all and every man in the world because that which is affirmed in these Texts is not applicable to them in Cor. those that are called the World in v. 19. are called us Believers v. 18. They are reconciled to God and have the pardon or are under the non-imputation of their sins being made the righteousness of God in Christ so also those spoken of in Joh. were such whose sins Christ was a propitiation for and that had by him interest in the favour of God so that in both these Scriptures actual reconciliation to God and the application of Grace rather then the impetration thereof is intended in which multitudes in the world have no part and therefore these terms can intend no more but men living throughout the whole world in all the parts and regions thereof in opposition to the Inhabitants of any one Country or place as such even so many of them as being ordained to Eternal Life did believe as well Gentiles as Jews according to Joh. 11. 51 52. That Mr. C. acquits himself but poorly in his answer to the objection as framed by himself every one will see that shall seriously weigh his lines The sâ—m of what he insists on is this That the Scripture clearly states a general reconciliation and a special A general reconciliation of all things all men Col. 1. 20. And having made peace by the bloud of his Cross to reconcile all things to himself whether things in Earth or things in Heaven c A special reconciliation of Believers which is not the same as the General but ariseth out of it and is that intended Col. 1. 21. Both these we have likewise in Rom. 5. 8 10. These Texts do in no wise prove what Mr. C. doth produce them for The first mentioned viz. Col. 1 20. is by divers learned and judicious men interpreted according to the subject matter all things i. e. the whole Church or Family of God in Heaven viz. the spirits of just men made perfect and in Earth i. e. the Elect still in the world even all that are reconciled are so in Christ And if he carry it farther as some able Interpreters do also and will have Angels included and also the fabrick of Heaven and Earth and the Creatures therein made for the service of man yet can it not on alike account be applyed to aâ—l these we cannot rightly conceive of a reconciliation of Angels properly so called that never sinned it is at most but an analogical reconciliation they being confirmed in Grace and secureâ— in their station by Christ And so with respect to the things that are in the world it can be
shall have a large share in them when the desired day of their calling and returning to God is come but their claim of right in new covenant blessings must now be on the account of their Faith in Christ not their natural descent from Abraham Let us now look into the Text and first we find that when the Prophet enters upon this comparison of Jerusalem with Samaria and Sodom v. 44. he saith Every one that useth Proverbs shall use this Proverb against thee c. which doth plainly lead us to a metaphorical sense of divers terms used in this proverbial or parabolical discourse Yea he saith v. 45. to the Jews your Mother was an Hittite and your Father an Amorite which certainly is not to be taken in a strict literal sense but is rather intended to note their corrupt manners then their natural descent And so although in the name Sodom there is an allusion to literal Sodom and the punishment thereof yet may we rather understand the Moabites and Ammonites to be intended who were like to Sodom and Gomorrah in their sinfulness and in their punishment See Zeph. 2 9. And there seems to be some farther occasion of this allusion not only in the situation of these Countries near to the Land where Sodom stood but more in that they sprang from Lot who was once an Inhabitant among the Sodomites whose evil manners his posterity did now conform to And indeed we find this in Scripture to be a common brand of Great sinners See Job 36. 14. Isa 1. 10. Rev. 7. 8. Now many of these two Nations did return to their Country as divers of the ten Tribes did also when Judah returned but especially are these promises made good in Gospel times in the gathering of Jews and Gentiles into one Church under one head Christ Jesus And these things duly weighed lead to such an interpretation of this prophecy as is according to the analogy of Faith and fully agreeing with other Texts both which are crossed and contradicted together with the whole scope of the Text under consideration by the sense that Mr. C. would force upon it For 1. It is evident that the promises here made must have their accomplishment in this world which is the only time and place for godly repentance and entring into Covenant with God by Faith in Christ 2. The Scripture and Reason doth cut off all hope of the returning so much as of any remnant of literal Sodom see Isa 1. 9. and saith expresly that the Sodomites do suffer the vengeance of eternal fire Jud. 7. which passage Mr. Collier mentions a little after I suppose to prevent others objecting it against him for certainly he cannot be so ignorant as to think that it strengthens his sense no doubt those that suffer the vengeance of Eternal fire are cut off from all hope of deliverance 3. The Grace promised in v. 62 63. is not a deliverance from torment only but a full and free pardon and taking of the persons pardoned into Covenant with God which includes their enjoyment of him as their portion which by Mr. Colliers own grant is no ways applicable to the damned in Hell And it is evident that the tollerableness allowed unto Sodom in the day of Judgement Mat. 18. 15. which he pleads is only comparative they shall be tormented less then those that have rejected the Gospel And the reasoning of our Saviour in that and like Texts is to this purpose That the condemnation of the Sodomites will be great is easily granted by you because they were great sinners and you are promising to your selves a far better portion then theirs is like to be in the day of Judgement but do not deceive your selves for your sin in rejecting the Gospel is greater then any they were guilty of and your punishment if you go on to neglect so great salvation will be heavier then theirs It shall be more tolerable for them in the day of Judgement then for you And there is no force of reason or terrour to the persons threatned suitable to what is intended if according to Mr. Colliers notion p. 53. The day of general Judgement should be the day of Sodoms ease That they should not be then condemned but released from their punishment and escape the Judgement that the rest of the wicked world fall under If this assertion of his be not bold and antiscriptural I know not what deserves to be so accounted Mr. Collier proceeds to argue Why may we not suppose that God may in time be pacified towards sinners after they have born their sin and judgement as formerly he hath declared himself to be or will be in time to come Ez. 16. 58. Seeing God hath been or will be pacified in Judgement why should we suppose him to be unreconcileable and never to be pacified in this last and great Judgement Is there indeed no difference betwixt the state of men in time and in Eternity why then can Mr. C. see no reason against sinners expectation of the same mercy hereafter as now some do partake of in the pardon of their sins and salvation by Christ Men are now under a mixt dispensation of justice and mercy and the time of life in this world is the only time of Gods patience 2 Pet. 3. 9. and while this time doth last he doth as well design the reclaiming of sinners by temporal Judgements as the vindicating of his own holiness and therefore when this is accomplished he may be here and oft-times is pacified towards sinners But in the world to come this mixt dispensation ceaseth and the Vessels of mercy shall enjoy the fruit of mercy perfectly and only and the vessels of wrath the extremity of justice all that is then designed towards them being the making known of wrath and glorifying justice upon them Rom. 9. 22 23. They must drink the Wine of Gods wrath without mixture Rev. 14. 10. And therefore no hope for them after this last and great Judgement He proceeds The Scripture saith expresly That God is the Saviour of all men but especially of those that believe and it is not present outward salvation that the Apostle is there speaking of c. The Text referred to is 1 Tim. 4. 10. where the Apostle is giving an account of his diligence and constancy in the work of the Ministry notwithstanding the persecutions that did or might attend him on that account as also the encouragement he had thereto because he trusted in the living God who is the Saviour of all men especially of those that believe which can intend no other then the conserving providence of God which is over all and especially his own people So the 70 render Psal 36. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou wilt save or preserve Men and Beasts O Lord. It is evident the Apostle encourageth himself in that salvation that is presently enjoyed in this world who is the Saviour c. and if Mr. Colliers corrupt sense of this Text
be admitted I cannot see how he will exclude those that have sinned against the holy Ghost otherwise then by an arbitrary exception of his own for every man is partaker of the salvation here intended In the 7 § p. 50. Mr. Collier repeats again who it is for whom he intends this deliverance from Hell-torments But with his vain words we are not concerned being well assured There is no such thing and that distinction insisted on § 8. we have already proved to be vain and groundless Those that are under the Eternal Judgement must suffer Eternal torment as well as loss And indeed according to this mans principles they may as well expect deliverance from the one as from the other for those that have forgiveness of sin have also Righteousness imputed to them and are on that account received to glory not for their own good works the want of which he makes the only bar unto the admission of these persons into the Kingdom of Heaven Yea he asserts farther § 9. That this favour and mercy shall be extended to them on the account and for the sake of Christ and again p. 54. Why we should make that an argument against all Grace after the Judgement the infinite Sacrifice remaining the same to have its influence herein which hath been our alone hope and help before the Judgement I do not yet understand It is pleaded that sin is against an infinite Majesty and therefore deserveth Everlasting punishment and this Mr. C. acknowledgeth to be true but yet saith that God is infinite in Grace as well as in Justice and therefore this property of God can be no bar to the relief of the damned and then pleads That the infinite sacrifice of Christ remains the same to have its influence for the obtaining of Grace after the Judgement as before Now if this be so either Heaven was never purchased by Christ for those that believe in this world or the damned have through the influence of his sacrifice as free access thither upon their Repentance as we Nay if Mr. Collier will suspend it on mens good works seeing they may repent when damned why may they not do other good works also to such a measure as to earn Heaven as well as we But behold here another instance of his daring confidence in asserting his antiscriptural and pernicious notions where is the Scripture that saith Christ died for the Redemption of the damned in Hell or that his Sacrifice was ever designed for the obtaining of Grace for such as die in their sins It is most certain that when the great day of Judgement is past the Lord Christ hath finished all his work as Mediator and will then present his Church compleat before God and so give up the Kingdom to the Father that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15. 24. c. There will therefore remain no more sacrifice for sins pleadable for the remission of any that are not already saved but their Redemption ceaseth for ever And although sinners in the day of Gods patience are invited and encouraged to come to him on the account of his infinite mercy in Christ yet is it no where proposed as a ground for hope or spring of comfort to the damned who are the objects not of mercy but divine vengeance In the last place he pleads That this is rational and most God-like who hath let us know that he will suit his Judgements to mens various facts for measure That is most rational and becoming God which he hath revealed in his word and it is the highest presumption to dictate unto him another way for the manifestation of his glory upon the vessels of wrath then himself hath fixed on Who hath been his Counsellor Himself also hath revealed That as a righteous Judge he will suit his Judgements to the various facts of men and that some shall be beaten with many stripes others with few Luk. 12. 47 48. But this difference of punishment doth not consist in a differing duration but present degrees of torment Their fire that have sinned ignorantly shall not be so hot as theirs that have sinned wilfully neither will their worm gnaw them so grievously yet of both it is true That their worm never dyeth and their fire is not quenched He adds From the same reason and rule of Righteousness hath he given us â—ints of limitation in respect of time as if he would not be for ever punishing Luk. 12. 58 59. And this word till or untill in Scripture rarely imports Eternity but limits to time Mat. 18. 34 35. 5. 25 26. That we have any hint in the Scripture of limitation in respect of the time of the punishment of the wicked is false And that reason and righteousness do render such a limitation necessary is audacious boldness to assert Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance shall vile dust be so bold as to fix the demerit and limit the punishment of an offence against the infinite Jehovah But Luk. 12. 59. is brought in to give countenance to this abomination the words are I say unto thee thou shalt not depart thence untill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt have paid even the last mite Apply this now to the case of sinners in the prison of Hell as Mr. Collier doth And 1. It utterly overthrows his notion of their release by forgiveness on condition of repentance through the influence of Christs sacrifice no such thing can be admitted in this case no favour is to be expected but even the last mite must be paid or no release can be obtained 2. It most emphatically sets forth their irrecoverable and everlasting damnation for if they may not expect any mercy but must themselves pay the utmost mite they are indebted to dâ—vine Justice we know they must be paying it for ever it being impossible for a finite creature to satisfie the demands of an infinite God justly provoked to anger by our rebellion against him so in the other Texts mentioned untill being referr'd to and determined by that which never can be done doth utterly cut off all hopes from those that are once fallen into the hands of the living God and so by consequence doth necessarily infer an absolute denial of the thing spoken of See 1 Sam. 15. 35. And this is directly the scope of the parable to take men off from their presumptions of relief in another world and to press them now to make their calling and Election sure And if it may be thought that men may satisfie divine Justice and pay the last mite I know not out the Devils may possibly do so too and may as well as men on this account justly claim a release from their torments sooner or later Thus far I have confidered and removed what Mr. Collier offers for the countenancing of his new Doctrine and by reason of my having already exceeded the room I intended to have comprized this reply in I shall be forced only to touch upon