all in their several generations had tasted of death and for a more full manifestation hereof he distinguisheth mankind into infants and those of ripe years wherein he affirms by the effect that not onely those that were of ripe years had died who had sinned in their own persons but even infants who had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression i. e. who had committed no actual sins in their own persons for which they should suffer death which is the wages of sin even they likewise had died Rom. 6.23 as having brought into the world with them the guilt of Adams transgression and therefore it could not be denied but that sin was likewise in them So that you that undertake to be a Proctor for all infants for ought you have proved from this text you will leave them all in a sad condition if a more sufficient Advocate may not be found to to plead their cause Another reason there is which you would fain have to be received from the authority of Christ himself Luke 18.16 Of such is the kingdom of God for the salving whereof I must open the words which do evidence that the Disciples had a prejudice and a cruell one too against infants thinking as the Anabaptists do that they understood nothing of Christ nor of the kingdom of Grace but Christ rebukes them and instates infants of believing parents as members of the visible Church Of such is the kingdom of God Now we cannot think that Christs meaning is of such as such is the kingdom of God as if all infants whether Jew or Gentile Turk or Pagan belonged as subjects to the visible Church for then the infants of all the heathens should be covenanted members of the Church visible and yet their parents are without the viâ—â—ble Church and when they should grow to age they should without any scandal be excommunicated which were monstrous to affirm much less can the invisible kingdom of God be of such as if all infants because infants were actually saved but all that our Saviour intends is Of such i. e. of such in covenant-relation is the kingdom of God of such subjects i. e. infants as well as others So that our Saviour did herein hold forth the common interest of the whole species of infants within the visible Church their common interest in Christ that he is a Saviour of them as well as a Saviour of the aged But to conclude thence of such Therefore all such is an unheard of non sequitur We find salvation entailed upon qualifications of Graces but not upon any age or period of life But that whether it be for matter of election or of reprobation young as well as old are lookt upon as in the corrupt lump and out of which some are elected the rest are left and so not elected which is to be Reprobated You have one reason more for the defence of your assertion that no child dying in infancy c. And that I conceive you offer by way of anticipation to what might be objected from Rom. 5.15 2 Cor. 5.10 16 17 18 19. concerning the imputation of Adams sin to all his posterity and thus you state it that when all shal appear before the judgement seat of Christ every one shall receive according to what he hath done in his body but not to receive any thing as a punishment for what hath been acted in the body of another And I pray Sir tell me you that are so accurate the reason of your limitation why none shall receive any thing as a punishment of that which hath been acted in the person of another but that we may receive a reward for the good which hath been acted in the person of another where if the text by you cited 2 Cor. 5.10 be that rule you walk by it should hold for good as well as bad But perhaps you foresaw the instance that would be given in against you in that man Christ Jesus from the acting of whose person in his own body all other bodies that do expect or hope for any reward of all their labours of love they do participate Joh. 1. Ezek. 16.14 for of his fulness have we all received and we all are made perfect through his comliness that he shall put upon us and by his obedience shall those that are justified be made righteous And therefore my good friends this is but gratis dictum Rom. 5.19 and you do herein grosly suborn and abuse that place of the Apostle to serve your base ends this sure is no better then the devils juggle Matth. 4. to mince so much of a text as will serve his turn and to leave out the rest so to delude the Readers I pray use fairer play in your next and deal above board The next thing I observe of your alike fair dealing is about that text 1 Cor. 15.22 that all die and go to the dust in the first Adam in that all have sinned or in whom all have sinned Rom. 5.12 and here sure the dust so flies in your eyes that all the skil and labour you can take will never wipe it away For first you do confess that all Infants as well as others sinned in Adam and why should you not alike confess from that very place Rom. 5.18 that therefore judgement upon all to condemnation should pass upon infants as well as others but probable it is that here your meaning is that Adams first transgression whereon I shall have occasion more fully to answer when I come to examine and resolve your postscript of Queries till when I shall dismiss this paradox and shall apply my self to enquire into the mind of God in that text by you cited Ezek. 18.20 the soul that sinneth it shall die the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father c. Upon which your comment is by death in this place is meant eternal death that which is the portion of the wiâ—ked for their wickedness for as for the temporal or natural death that is the portion as well of the righteous as unrighteous and therefore from this place you suppose it clear that no soul shall eternally be cast into the lake for the sin of another i. e. for Adams sin But I pray Sir what think you first of the sufferings of Christ both in his soul and body â—am 1.12 Isa 53.3 there was no sin inherent in himself neither of original nor actual sins yet was there never any sorrow or sufferings like unto his and therefore called a man of sorrowes which though they were not eternal in respect of duration yet were they eternal according to the nature and essence of them and in respect of the dignity of the person being God-man they were equivalent to any or all of those sufferings which are eternal for time and continuance and yet all this was undergone not for the satisfaction of any sin in himself but for what sins were acted in the
17. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life for God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Answ That God doth put forth acts of Grace of free and undeserved love unto his worthless creatures we have willingly acknowledged we further say that that love of God is no passion not proper affection in God who is not capable of such but onely a purpose in God of willing well and doing well unto the creature and that out of the wel-spring of that love did slow that good pleasure of his of the sending of his Son into the world But that either it was the purpose of God in sending or the intention of Christ in coming into the world to be a Redeemer of all and every particular person or to offer himself a sacrifice for all this text doth not evinâ—e Yet I say that this love here spoken of may be said to be universal in respect of the Elect and of believing persons answerable to that Rom. 3.22 Rom. 3.22 The righteousness of God which is of faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe and yet withall particular in respect of the whole mass and lump of mankind according to that Rom. 9.13 Rom. 9.13 Iacob have I loved and Esau have I hated and ver 18. he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth Neither doth Christ intend any other universality here then this mentioned first because that those for whom Christ came into the world are also saved for what shall be able to hinder his purpose or resist his will Secondly because believers onely are saved Rom. 8.19 Phil. 1.2 Mat. 13.11 and shall not be condemned onely to the Elect it is given that they shall believe Phil. 1.29 Matth. 13.11 And thirdly to what purpose was this pretended love and affection in God if it never did nor can take any gracious effect in saving any reprobate That which takes the fourth place is Rom. 5.18 As by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life Answ That by All men unto whom did slow the benefit purchased by Christ is not meant of all and singular men absolutely but all men that did appertain unto him who were given him of the Father i. e. the elect and believers For the Apostle here makes a comparison between the first Adam and the second Adam as being two roots either of whom do communicate unto their several branches i. e. unto a certain company descending from them what they have do or shall enjoy and therefore saith that as the first Adam by his carnal generation did communicate two pestilent evils Sin and Death unto all descending from him So Christ the second Adam by his spiritual generation did communicate two contrary blessings viz. Righteousness and Life to all that did believe in him The truth of this interpretation is clear from the scope of the Apostle which is to compare Christ the Authour of Righteousness and Life with Adam the Authour of Sin and Death from ver 12. to the end of the Chapter and therefore hereupon ver 19. repeating the same matter which in probability should be more clear the word all is interpreted by many For had it been otherwise the Apostle would have pulled down what before he had built up and clearly contradicted himself in that doctrine which he had before delivered in the third and fourth Chapters therein asserting the justification onely of believers and therefore here is but little advantage to be gotten from this Antithesis But you will say if more perished in Adam then are saved in Christ his Grace then should be weaker then Adams sin where is then the much more abounding grace spoken of ver 17. To which I answer that the greatness and power of grace above â—n ought not to be esteemed according to the multitude of those that are condemned in Adam and of those that are justified and glorified in Christ for so Grace should be equal onely and nothing at all stronger then sin if every of these should be made righteous in Christ as many as were born sinners in Adam But herein consists the extensiveness of Grace beyond what sin did First in that whereas sin brought forth death and grace righteousness and life now it s well known t is easier to destroy and condemn an innumerable company then to quicken and save one single person all the world compacted together could not save one but Adams single sin could make obnoxious the whole world Secondly In Adam all the whole world are involved and made liable to condemnation by his one only offence but Christ doth emancipate his little flock not onely from that one original sin contracted by stain and imputation but likewise from all actual sins wherein they themselves are personally culpable neither is there any Righteousness besides Christ as there be some sins besides the sin of Adam And how mighty is this gift which innumerable sinners cannot withstand and this is that which the Apostle hinteth ver 17. and not as c. And so I proceed to your fifth Text prest to give in evidence which is 2 Cor. 5.14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again True it is Christ is said here that he died for all but for what all therein lies the doubt truly then the resolve must be that Christ died first for those all to whom his death is imputed viz. such who through the virtue and efficacy of the death of Christ which he underwent for them are accounted as dead and secondly Rom. 13.14 for such as do repent i. e. whereas before they did indulge their pleasures and lived to the satisfying of the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof now they live no longer to themselves but do endeavour to live conformably to the will and honour of him that died for them Now whether this can be extended to any but believers let my adversary judge for it were blasphemy to think that Christ could not obtain the end of his death had it been intended by him for any else besides believers yea even those to whom he had purposed to give them power to believe and to become sons of God The sixth Text forced by you to give its vote is 1 Tim. 2.1 c. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and
things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned No Sir it is the peculiar work of the Spirit to regenerate and convert Lydia's heart was opened Acts 16. Mat. 13.3 Rom. 1.16 before she so diligently attended to Pauls words The word of God that brought forth fruit did not make the ground good but it was so before by the special working of that Spirit The word which is the power of God to salvation doth not make believers but God first makes them so by sanctifying of their natures and giving them to believe Phil. 1.29 The word of God in Regeneration hath no greater force or power then the word of the Prophets and Apostles had in raising of the dead which had no other operation then to be tanquam signum as a sign of the thing done or as a moral instrument for there is no lesser power requirable in the recovery of a poor soul from a spiritual death to a spiritual life then there is from a natural death to a natural life And therefore as it is Gods peculiar to raise from death to life natural so it is his alone prerogative to raise from a spiritual death to a spiritual life The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Ioh. 5.25 Yea the same power is exerted in the work of Regeneration or the new creation as was at first in the work of the old creation 1 Cor. 4.6 no less then an hand of omnipotency in them both and therefore not communicable to any creature From all of which I shall hence infer that if it be Gods peculiar work to regenerate and not the word in the hearing of it and that Regeneration is principally necessary to give us ingress into heaven Joh. 3.3 Mat. 5.8 God may then as well regenerate infants by his secret power unsearchable to us though they neither hear nor understand as he doth those that are of riper years by so weak an instrument as the word and Gospel is which hath no such inherent power in and of it self Secondly this your assertion labours of another sickness viz. a false supposition that nothing but actual sins expose men to the danger of being cast into the lake of fire whereas the truth is That original sin or that hereditary pravity we brought with us into the world deriving it from our parents Psal 51.5 who conceived us in sin hath so much of filthiness and uncleanness in it that God may justly cast a new-born infant into the lake of fire for it unless it be washed clean by the blood of Jesus who is the alone way the truth the life Joh. 14.6 and through whose alone merits we have an access into the Holy of Holies into which place are admitted onely these whose names are written in the Lambs book of life Rev. 21.27 Luke 10.20 Rev. 20.15 whose names are written in heaven registred there in the eternal immutable decree of Gods election unto life all the rest whose names are not there recorded infants as well as others are cast into the lake of fire which is the second death But enough of this at present I shall be sure to meet you again more about this when you lay out your strength against original sinne Another thing which you give out in the nature of a reason why infants cannot be damned is viz. for that their not having of faith will never be charged upon them as sin Sir suppose I grant so much and so likewise what you produce out of Rom. 4.15 as a confirmation or rather as a reason of your reason for where no law is there is no transgression both may be very true as set disjunctively but as you have woven them both into one sentence they may not be true nor applicable to your purpose for herein you vary your terms that which you write takes notice of sin the text speaks of transgression wherein I conceive sin and transgression are not terms convertible for though every transgression of the law be a sin yet every sin is not a transgression of the law as in the case now before us for original sin though it be a sin properly and really yet it is not a transgression of the law as personally acted in and by the infants but as imputatively and as a defect of original righteousness So what you further say by way of illustration that there can be no law to infants as such and sin is not imputed where there is no law I grant you as to infants now in existence which law might require the exerting or putting out of any act or duty which their minority is uncapable to receive or to perform But I must withall tell you that as Adam as a publick person as a root and stock received Grace righteousness and holiness for him and his even for those in his loins so he received a law to him and his even the Covenant of works do this and live which law was incumbent not onely on Adam himself but likewise on all those that were in his loins So that infants now are born under a law and their want of original righteousness and that for the defect thereof their being conceived and born in sin and uncleanness shall be a deserving cause of their just condemnation What you bring forth in evidence to what you here aim at viz. Rom. 5.13 sin is not imputed where there is no law is so far from answering your desire that it cuts the throat of your assertion For the clearing whereof its expedient to search into the mind of the Spirit by the scope of the place The Apostle in this Chapter is prosecuting that grand point of Justification by faith in Christ and ver 11. laies down this that we have received attonement by him whence he makes this corollary ver 12. that as by the first Adam sin and death entred into the world so by Iesus Christ righteousness and life are restored to us But ver 13. he meets with an objection that sin is not imputed where there is no law where he argues after this manner If all have sinned in the loins of Adam then those likewise have sinned who lived before the law was given by Moses but before the law was given there could be no sin because where there is no law there is no transgression as Chap. 4.15 and therefore all have not sinned in Adam Now here the Apostle denies the assumption or minor proposition affirming the contrary that sin was before the law given by Moses constantly affirming that howsoever it was not imputed i. e. reckoned or accounted or reputed to be sin yet indeed and in truth sin was then in the world and this being of sin in the world before the law ver 14. he proves by the effect viz. death was then in the world and that all had sinned because that
actually saved for if in Christ 1 Cor. 15.22 all are made alive that are alive and that he that is alive liveth unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6.11 then as Christ himself such dye no more sin hath no more dominion over them Rom. 6.9 for they live unto the Lord Rom. 14.8 and 1 Joh. 3.9 his seed remaineth in him Being born again 1 Pet. 1.23 not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever Next And Christ rendreth the light of the Spirit of Grace to every man in the world It s true we have some expressions Ioh. 1.9 that Christ lighteth every man that cometh into the world but that is to be understood of the common light of nature or the actings of reason as the two next following verses do evince for the world knew him not and his own received him not they had not the spirit of grace and faith for 2 Thes 3.2 all men have not faith But how doth Christ tender the light of the Spirit of grace to every man surely after that ordinary manner that God hath sanctified to wit the preaching of the Gospel for Rom. 10.14 faith cometh by hearing and how shall they hear without a Preacher then that is apparently false for it is too well known that there are many thousand thousands in the world yea divers nations which never enjoyed the blessing to hear of Christ or the Spirit of grace but Ephes 1.12 lived without a God in this world and at last shall go Psal 49.19 unto the generations of their fathers and never see light If the meaning be that Christ tendreth the light of the spirit of grace inwardly and after an extraordinary manner this is but petitio principii as they say in the Schooles a plain begging of the question without any proof of Scripture or probability in common reason Nay it is flat against the Scripture for Luke 16.19 they have Moses and the Prophets they are to hear them Esa 8.26 to the law and to the testimony c. 2 Pet 1.19 We have a more sure word of prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place Next God also giveth a Talent to every man and power to improve it but man not improving it when received with a power is the cause of mans destruction Now what weight this talent bears with this Dictator or what power is given unto frail men to improve it and how far and to what or whom either of these talents or power is extended when he hath better studied the point and comes to understand his own meaning if he please then to communicate it he shall be sure to receive a further answer but in the mean time by way of Anticipation if his sense be as I conjecture through his clouded and dark expressions That God hath afforded sufficient means of grace and power to improve that means to every man whereby they may come to the knowledge of the truth and so be saved then I utterly deny it and my ground of such denial rests upon these ensuing Arguments 1. Arg. If God do purposely for the raising of his own glory harden some blind others and make fat the hearts of many then a sufficient means of salvation nor power to use the same is administred to all indifferently But God doth blind some hardens others and makes fat Therefore The major or first proposition is undeniable because blinding hardening and making fat is destructive to the use of means The minor or second proposition is proved from these express texts Ex. 4.21 and 7.3 and 14.4 Rom. 9.18 whom he will he hardeneth Ex. 9.16 and Rom. 9.17 even for this same purpose have I raised thee up Ioh. 12.40 he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts c. Esa 6.9 Rom. 11.7 election hath obtained it the rest are blinded Esa 6.10 make the hearts of this people fat 2. Arg. If God willingly suffers Nations to walk in their own wayes and winkes at or lets them alone in their sins and ignorance then God doth not exhibite a sufficiency of means nor inables them with a power of acceptation of life and salvation But the first is true therefore the latter For the proof of the major is unnecessary for the minor see Acts 14.16 and 17.30 3. Arg. If the preaching of Christ crucified in the doctrine of the Gospel be the onely ordinary sufficient means to bring men to life and to salvation and that many nations never enjoyed that means then God hath not afforded a sufficiency of means to all men but the first is true therefore the latter That the Gospel is the onely ordinary means Rom. 10.14 How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard c. Acts 4.12 there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Ioh. 14.6 No man cometh to the Father but by the Son 1 Ioh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 Tim. 2.5 One mediator between God and man the man Christ Iesus Now that many nations want this means t is too evident and therefore no sufficiency The Seventh Position That Christ hath redeemed all men from the first transgression and crost the score of Adams sin I cannot well interpret what this dreamer means for if his sense should be by way of limitation in all men to all the elect of men then I imbrace his Position and should much enlarge it But I suspect worse that he covertly denies the being of original sin secretly insinuating that the death of Christ hath blotted out Col. 2.14 that hand-writing that was against us from any further imputation of Adams sin or obligation unto punishment onely the guilt and pollution thereof still remains inherent in us However it is I will shoot at rovers and adventure an argument or two in defence of the truth 1. Arg. That unto which the Scripture doth apply the name and nature of sin deserving punishment that without controversie must be sin indeed But unto original sin both the name and nature of sin are applyed in the Scripture Therefore For proof hereof see Psal 81.7 Rom. 5.12 14 16 19. Ioh. 3.6 Rom. 7.7 8. and 8.13 Iam. 1.14 2. Arg. If temporal death hath been the lot of every one which yet hath not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression then there is original sin still in being in respect of punishment for Rom. 6.23 the wages of sin is death and every sin is either actuall or originall but temporal death hath been the lot of many who yet have not sinned actually Rom. 6.14 and this we may see instanced in the death of Infants which die without actual sin Therefore The last Position is Christ hath laid his life and shed his bloud for
every man in the world In this likewise the novice leads me in a mist for if his meaning be that the death of Christ and the shedding of his bloud is sufficient for every man in the world but effectuall onely to those to whom it is intended then I joyn with him but if he be otherwise minded then the close of that Position trips up the heels of the former part But I could have heartily wisht that this Seraphical Doctor had not so magisterially dogmatized and after an Apostolical manner sat in his Cathedral Chair by delivering his dictates like an ipse dixit I say unto you but rathet that he had endeavoured to have proved out of the sacred Scriptures what he hath so crudely ventilated so might we better have tryed the spirits whether they be of God or no 1 Ioh. 4.1 Truly I do profess by what I find in these positions I cannot discern of what sect he is for by what he writes he is neither pure Pelagian Papist Arminian Socinian nor Anabaptist but a hotch-porch of them all jumbled together And that as it is written of Mahomet at the first he framed his Alchoran by the advice of Sergius the Monk a renagado partly of the Jews partly of the Christians and partly of the Gentiles opinions so hath this Evangelist composed his doctrinals So that in this we may see what fruits may be expected at Cockolds-pit and all such places of such illiterate and confused assemblies ex ungue leonâ—m ex pede Herculem If the blind lead the blind both must fall together into the ditch Matth. 15.14 But so it was in the Apostles time there arose such amongst them who desiring to be teachers 1 Tim. 1.7 understood not what they said themselves nor wherof they affirmed yea this was foreprophesied 2 Pet 2.1 that false teachers should arise up amongst them who should bring in damnable heresies but never so fully accomplisht as in these our dayes wherein many unheard of formerly and blasphemous opinions are daily ventituted under some specious appearances of truth and holiness The God of love and truth lead us into all truth So prayeth he that is the less then the least of all Saints James Rawson Short heads of the subsequent discourse THe title of the Pamphlet examined Page 1 2 The Preface examined 4 Toleration rightly stated 5 Magistrates power to interpose in matters of Religion 6 Bishops vindicated 7 Matth. 23.29 30. interpreted 8 Whether the doctrine of the Anabaptists be tolerable 9 Who are inconstant in their profession 11 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Examined 12 Eph. 6.11 12. Examined 13 Universal redemption offered to consideration 14 Isa 53.4 5 6. Interpreted 15 16 Psal 145.8 9. Cleared 17 Joh. 3.16 17. Opened 18 Rom. 5.18 19 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Interpreted 20 1 Tim. 2.1 2. Discussed 21 Tit. 2.11 Examined 22 Heb. 2.9 and 1 Pet. 3.9 Opened 23 Baptisme of Infants confirmed 24 c. Whether the Anabaptists be fixt to their principles page 27 Or at unity among themselves 28 Thom. Tazwells first position questioned 29 Whether the second position be not Pelagianisme 30 Ambiguity in the stating of the position 31 Psal 4.3 Explained 31 Who they be that are elected 32 Psal 37.9 c. Opened 34 Pro. 3.33 and Mar. 16.16 Discussed 34 Of the decrees of God 35 Of Gods foreknowledge and predestination 36 Of election 38 Of reprobation 39 My first Argument confirmed 40 Gods foreknowledge Independent 41 The pamphleter plowes with another mans heyfer page 42. As God decrees the end so likewise he decrees the means 43 Election to be distinguished from justification 44 Arminians make faith a foreseen cause of election page 45 c. Deut. 7.7 8. Expounded 48 Faith no foreseen cause of election 50 What place faith hath in justification 52 Rom. 9.1 c. ad ver 19. Analysed and interpreted page 53 c. The laws impotency to satisfie 57 What efficacy faith hath in justification 58 How God a respecter of persons to be understood 59 Absolute justification flows from Absolute election 60 Faith as much as works excluded from election 61 Gods alone will the cause of cause of election 62 Grace flows from the decree of election 63 Acts 13.48 Vindicated 64 c. Absurdities following foreseen faith in election 68 Other absurdities following that doctrine 69 What God did foresee in election 71 Marks of election no causes of election 72 Instrumental causes of salvation no causes of election 73 As God decreed the end so he decreed the means 74 Joh. 16.27 Explained 75 Of reprobation 76 Eph. 1.5 Discussed 77 Of the decree of election 78 Isa 45.9 Opened 79 No contradiction in what I do assert 80 What place Gods foresight in election and reprobation 81 God as he decrees the end so he decrees the means 82 The pamphleter begs the question 83 A twofold reprobation one before all time another in time 84 The pamphleter interferes with his own positions 85 Could Reprobates truly believe they might be saved 86 Reprobation includes both a denyal of the end and means of salvation 86 God the immediate worker of all spiritual graces 87 Sin foreseen not the cause of Reprobation 89 Sin the efflux not the effect of reprobation 90 Sin the consequent of reprobation 91 Our doctrine intrenches not on the divine attributes 92 Reprobation inforceth not to sin 93 A threefold necessity 94 Reprobation as by us stated not against the mercy of God 95 Nor against the truth of God 96 Ezek. 18.23 32. and 33.11 Explained 97 Absolute reprobation and exhortation to repentance argue no Hypocrisie in God 99 Absolute non election not against the wisdome of God 100 Isa 5.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Interpreted 101 God may expect the performance of our duty though we cannot do it 103 Matth. 11.25 26. Vindicated 104 What God doth in time he decreed to do before all time 105 What power we have to do good we have from God the redeemer 106 Those whom God decrees to save he decrees to save them by faith 108 Sin the cause of positive reprobation viz. of damnation 109 1 Pet. 2.8 Vindicated 111 c. Rom. 9.19 c. Analysed and interpreted 116 c. Thom. Tazwells uses upon the doctrine of reprobation 124 What use the Saints may make thereof 125 Though there be no external yet there is an internal cause of reprobation viz. the will of God 128 Arminian positions very aequivocal 129 Rom. 11.33 44. Vindicated 139 Mille narianism not inconsistent with the Articles of faith 132 Absurdities cleaving to Tho. Tazwells positions 132 Whether sin foreseen be the cause of reprobation 133 c. Whether Infants may have faith though not the use of faith 135 c. Whether any Infant can be damned 137 Infants elected or reprobated as well as others 138 c. Hope onely of such Infants as are within the covenant 140 The Spirit of God and not the word that doth regenerate 141 Rom. 4.15 and 5.13 Opened
drawing as that it is by the cords of a man with bands of love i. e. by arguments suitable to our capacity where the love of Jesus Christ constraineth them and that of an unwilling they are made a willing people in the day of his power Psal 110.3 1. Whether the Saints may not be said to judge the world righteously if those that are judged by them have by a free and willing choice acted those things in the body which are repugnant to the most holy and righteous law of God 1. Whether God be bound to supply man with that Grace which he hath formerly and that voluntarily deprived himself of 2. Whether that in the waies of salvation and damnation there be any coaction or compulsion of the will either to good or evil but that whatsoever it wills it wills freely else were it no will 3. Whether in the decree of some unto salvation God doth not decree unto the means as well as to the end viz. unto salvation but through the sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth 2 Thes 2.13 4. Whether in the decree of preterition non-election or negative reprobation God leaves not man to his own contracted disobedience and for that disobedience decrees to condemn him 5. Whether the decrees of God be not immutable and that thence whatsoever God decrees must necessarily come to pass 6. Whether there be not a foreknowledge of God in the decrees 7. Whether that foreknowledge can be deceived but that it must necessarily be effected as it is foreknown 8. Whether in the proposals of choosing and refusing mentioned in the Scripture God may not justly expect the acting and exercising of that power wherewith he had at first endowed man 9. Whether such proposals are not chiefly used to convince men of and humble men under their natural inability and so to drive them to seek for a power out of themselves and not any way conclusive that they have such a power in themselves for the choosing of that which is good 1. Whether those to whom God hath decreed not to infuse grace into them not to give them faith and repentance when God is the alone worker of it as Phil. 1.29 Ephes 28. 2 Tim. 2.25 whether I say can such believe or repent Matth. 13.11 and therefore their Reprobation anteceding their unbelief 1. Whether to speak properly there be not one onely will in God 2. Whether the Commandments Promises Threatnings c. being by some called the revealed will of God is not a part of and subordinate to his secret will 3. Whether God doth not sometimes command that which yet in his secret will he hath not purposed should be effected but so commanded sometimes for trial as in that command to Abraham of sacrificing his son Gen. 22.1 and to Pharaoh of letting the people of Israel go Exod. 6.7 that the hardness of his heart might be discovered and Gods power on him might be shewn 1. Whether that opinion which some hold concerning God be not damnable namely to say that God intends the salvation of all men for if he did intend it who should hinder him for Rom. 9.19 Who hath resisted his will and Ier. 5.29 every purpose of the Lord shall be performed and Rom. 9.11 the purpose of non-election as well as of election must stand and Iob 9.12 Who can hinder him 2. Whether those words God willeth all men to be saved are not to be interpreted thus viz. some of all sorts and not all of all sorts viz. some of Kings and those that are in Authority as well as of any other lower sort of people 1. Whether it can be infallibly known to any one Minister of the Gospel for what individual person God never intended salvation in the death of his Son and therefore since there are still Tares amongst the good Wheat Reprobates among the Elect indiscriminate till Christ shall distinguish them by setting the sheep on the right hand and the goats on the left 2. Whether the Gospel is not to be published to all persons promiscuously to whom such Ministers are sent to preach it 1. Whether condemnation to the second death or lake of fire is not threatned to those that are without Rev. 22.15 and Rev. 21.8 27. not written in the lambs book and such are those Gentiles who Ephes 2.12 being strangers from the Covenant of promise and without a God in the world they were not in a capacity to reject the means which they never enjoyed Ps 147.20 1. Whether those that perish to eternity can possibly be saved when as God hath decreed not to give them faith nor to give them repentance 2. Whether any or all the outward means in the world can be so improved as to the saving of any one soul unless God by his omnipotent power do inwardly make it effectual by infusion of sanctifying and saving grace Ezek. 36.27 and taking away the stony heart 1. Whether any can believe that Christ died for sin upon a Scripture-account except he believe that Christ his death is sufficient for all 2. Whether the Scripture doth warrant this assertion to say that Christ died effectually or intentionally to save all for he laid down his life for his sheep onely 3. Whether believing onely be not a sufficient title to interest a man in the death of Christ 1. Whether Gods own wayes and his thoughts in opening a door of salvation to some of the sons of men and shutting of it against others will not make his righteousnes appear glorious in judgement more then our waies and our thoughts in opening a door of salvation to all alike 2. Whether the glory of God manifested in his executing of justice upon the reprobates is not as dear unto him and to be as much adored by us as if he had saved and glorified all the world 1. Whether a man may not be justly said to refuse that which was once in his power to receive but that he voluntarily disinabled himself of that power as all of us did in Adam his sin being ours by Imputation 2. Whether all sorts of reprobate persons do not really refuse the outward tenders of grace and resist the external motions of the holy Ghost and neglect so great salvation offered to them and forsake their own mercies though they were never in a possibility to receive them because God had decreed never to work grace in them 1. Whether doth not Gods bemoaning persons in the state of unbelief plainly argue that their state is lamentable 2. Whether such persons who are in a state of unbelief would not believe if God would give them to believe 3. Whether Christ his bemoaning of persons in a state of unbelief and yet his suffering them so to continue be not well consistent especially they being none of those who were given to him of the Father A POSTSCRIPT TO Thomas Tazwell SIR I need not tell you what trouble you have put me to in pursuing you in all this
be to all people for unto you is given this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. This was the first Sermon that was preached of God incarnate of Christ Immanuel God with us wherein the universal particle All doth not signifie all and singular the elect and Reprobate but onely all and singular of those for whom Christ was born to be a Saviour as appears by these words Mat. 1.21 Mat. 1.21 where the Angel saith with a limitation He shall save his people from their sins Therefore by all people must necessarily be understood oâ— all believing people noâ— of the Jews onely but of the Gentileâ— also Besides we find it otherwise that this joy was not communicated to all and singular some there were that had no portioâ— in it Mat. 2.3 because Matth. 2.3 when Herod heard hereof he was troubled and all Ierusalem with him and Pro. 14.10 tells us that the strangers intermeddle not with this joy Mich. 4.11 And thus having thrown down all your strong holds wherein you trusted as to the support of that notion of Universal Redemption I proceed to that other denyed by you viz. the Baptizing of Infants wherein you say there is neither precept nor president of the sprinkling or washing of Infants in his name Suppose now that I should tell you that what as to the proof of an ordinance of Christ here is not sufficient enumeratio partium for a thing may be at the appointment of Jesus Christ yet neither express precept nor exact practise for it standing upon record I pray Sir tell me if you can what precept have you in the letter of the word or practise hanging on the file for the change of the seventh day Sabbath for the abrogation of the one or substitution of the other in its stead No Sir we have a greater and yet warrantable latitude in our probates of divine Injunctions that if a thing can be proved by a necessary and undeniable consequence it will equipend with either precept or president I could give Instances 1 Cor. 11.16 but that is bootless at this time 1 Cor. 11.16 We have no such custome neither the Churches of Christ is a good Argument with the Apostle negatively We have such a custome and so have the Churches of Christ is as good an argument with us affirmatively yea even now since the times of the Apostle But lest that you should take this rather as a tergiversation than an answer I will apply my self more particularly to say some what as to satisfaction And 1. That there is a command extant Mat. 28.29 Of Baptizing all the members of the Church whereof children are a part the promises appertaining to them as well as to those of years Acts 2.39 If you look for a special command and shall deny that Infants are comprehended under that general command because they cannot be taught I must tell you that whosoever proposeth a thing in general terms he doth thereby comprehend all specials unless he make a particular exception and whatsoever is and hath been of a perpetuated and continued right and use in the Church of Christ once established viz. that the covenant of God should be sealed upon the covenanters there will be no need of any repetition of any sort or condition of persons who they are or should be that are intended to be those covenanters And yet truly Sir in my judgement if you were well put to it you would find more difficulty in your baptizing of Infants And for the qualification you require of these which are to be Baptized that is appliable to the primitive Church which was gathered of persons of ripe years and as in reference to such they were first to be taught before Baptized But for Infants who follow the condition of their parents the promises appertaining to the parents being entayled to the children another course is had And as to matter of president we have examples for the Baptism of whole families Acts 16.45 33. and 1 Cor. 1.16 out of which Infants cannot be excluded shew me else when and where and upon what grounds that priviledge that Infants formerly had was reversed and repealed and then you will say somewhat And yet if this will not satisfie I will put you one argument to boot Arg. To whomsoever God is pleased to be a God in covenant and to make a covenant-promise those are to be Baptized by the command of Christ But to the Infants of those which are in covenant God hath been pleased to express himself to be in covenant and to make covenant-promises unto them Therefore such Infants are to be Baptized by the command of Christ Both the propositions are confirmed out of Acts 2. The Major from ver 38. and 39. compared together Repent and be Baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the promise is made to you and to your children The minor proposition is likewise proved from ver 39. for the promise is made to your children But because that the strength of the Argument may more evidently appear I will annex somewhat for Illustration of the text 1. There is set down the command of being baptized Be Baptized every one of you 2. There is added a reason of the command for which is not to be restrained to the last words in the former verse of receiving the gifts of the holy Ghost promised in Ioel but of all other gracious blessings of the Covenant which will appear by comparing of those places Acts 3.25 Gen. 17.7 Ier. 31.33 3. There is the subject receiving the promise which is amplified by a distribution where to the parents are joyned children indefinitely without any manner of difference either of sex or age 4. Both of them viz. Parents and Children their receiving into the Covenant of Grace is most clearly to be gathered from the first Covenant entred into with Abraham the father of the faithful whether of Jews or Gentiles ratified from Rom. 4.10 11. Where the Infants are accounted in the same condition with the Parents and the males were circumcised the eighth day Gen. 17.10 11. And therefore likewise in the New Testament the Infants of Christians are to be esteemed in the condition of their Christian Parents they are sanctified in them 1 Cor. 7.14 and therefore with them are to be baptized More I have written on this subject and committed it to some of your friends to reading which if you desire to peruse no question you may have the view of it but in the mean time do you chew the cud upon this Having done with these impertinencies to the business in contest between us you proceed to Revolters of whom you wrote thus But that some who have been professors of the truth have withdrawn themselves from the same it is evident and proved Traytors thereunto as did Iudas for love of mony and as Demas to imbrace this present world yea some have been so far
corrupted with covetous practises in these our dayes that they have forsaken the right way and are gone astray following the way of Baalam the son of Bosar who loved the wages of unrighteousness for some have withdrawn themselves from the truth that they might be partakers with you in their tithes and offerings and some also have been led away by the temptations of Satan and good is the word of the Lord which hath said Acts 20.30 that of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them But it may be as truly said that Jesus is not the Christ because one of his ministers left him and betrayed him as it can be said that this is not the way of Christ because some turn from it and prove traytors thereunto Answ I shall agree with you that the deserting of an opinion which a man formerly did maintain or the declining the society of such with whom before he held fellowship is no infallible Argument either of the unsoundness of such an opinion or insufferableness of such a society Yet withal I must tell you when I see a man taking as it were a lap at the opinions of any one sect tanquam canis ad Nilum and so would that and so goes on to another sect and after to another as by woful experience we have found in our daies that such unfixed men never set a period to themselves in their innovating of their opinions but by a lamentable gradation jumpe from one to another and so they may ad insinitum and this methinks should be an evident sign to me that such Positions and societies were somewhat unsavoury The like do I say for matter of division of which thus you write neither is the division which you talk of amongst the servants of Christ any safe argument to conclude that therefore they are not the servants of Christ for such things have fallen out amongst those that have been called saints and p ecious in the sight of God in that some have been and are weak and some are strong and so as there are degrees of knowledge amongst the Saints it doth oâ—casion some difference as it hath formerly done do we not find that even two of the Apostles to wit Paul and Barnabas Acts 15.39 men that truly feared God were at some difference when the men of Ephesus that were Idolaters can ry all with one voyce Acts 19.34 Great is Diana of the Ephesians Answ I yield you all But when I see the Anabaptists divided amongst themselves and thei opinions so inconsistent one with anothers as it might be easily inâ—â—anced by those interfering confessions and positions of those of Chard Islington and those of yours but all of them joyntly so destructive to publick peace I may probably conâ—ecture that iâ— is a shrewd prognostick that their Kingdom is not long to continue For that which you say further and whereas you say that they have left their Conventicles to be gulled and deluded by the dregs of men c. I must tell you that those dregs of men as you are pleased disdainfully and in scorn to call them will prove to be those 1 Cor. 1.27 28. foolish things of the world which God hath chosen to confound the wise and weak things of the world to confound the mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised which God hath chosen to confound those that boast so much of their own wisdome and learning which hath been bought for mony Answ In answer whereto I shall say no more but this that it is vox praterea nihil a great crack of words that signifie nothing they would have passed better if they had proceeded out of any mans mouth besides your own Phil. 2.3 Prov. 26.12 Sir where the spirit of Christ is it is still accompanied with humility and self-denyal and such esteem of others better then themselves Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit there is more hope of a fool then of him 1 Cor. 8.2 1 Cor. 13.9 Act. 8.20 And for what learning and wisdom God hath been pleased to endow any of us withal we do and must acknowledge it is all beyond desert and that as yet We know nothing as we ought to know for in this military course of ours we know but in part Nay t is God especially who illuminates our weak understanding and therefore their money perish with them that think that the gift of God may be purchased with money To con lude the preface you write But it seemeth that this man by his writing hath not been much acquainted with that which is held by those which he is pleased to call Lunatick spirits and therefore that which he at the first sight hastily judgeth to be errour may upon better trial prove to be truth which useth to be unsavoury to those that delight in worldly gain Act. 16.19 and are exercised in a craft by which they have their wealth Acts 19.35 therefore I do not much wonder that my Position are unsavoury to Parson Lawson and so having examined those Arguments which are brought against them with much boasting of being unanswerable I shall endeavour by the assistance of the most High God to answer to his Arguments in order as they are stated Answ I have I confess been a good space of time an enquirer into your principles and an observer of your ways but never had so full an occasion to dive into the depth of that mystery of iniquity till I met with your papers and do now protest that the more I search into it the worse I like it and therefore shall say as formerly Gen 41.6 O my soul come not thou into their secret into their Assembly mine honour be not thou united And having thus routed your Preface and laid it even with the ground I apply my self to enter the listes with you about your Positions wherein you assault me thus The first of the Positions is by this man granted to be a truth viz. Position 1. That the most holy and high God did from all eternity by one sole and single act see all whatsoever he purposed to do or appoint to be done by any of his creatures Answ Good Sir be pleased to revise your own Position again and you will find that as it is thus stated it is onely my concession and not your Position indeed I was ashamed to see such high mysteries to be put into such an ugly dress so manacled tortured and unjoynted that a man could not well distinguish between head and heel and therefore by your good leave I made bold to new model your Position and put it into this gaâ—be as now you see it and so as here posited I own it and do affirm it true but as by you first asserted it may be lyable to many exceptions which because you seem to wave and by disclaiming your own have adopted this as legitimate I will