and foreseeing that Adam would wilfully transgress the same and thereby make himself and his posterity lyable to condemnation though God was notwithstanding mercifully affected towards man yet out of respect to his justice and truth would not give way to his mercy to save man till his justice should be satisfied and his serious hatred of sin and love of righteousness be made known Proofes out of Scripture After his own Image Gen. 1. 26 27. So God created man after his own image See Col. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 24. An easie law c. Gen 2. 16 17. Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat See Rom. 2. 14 15. Levit. 18. 5. Ezek. 20. 11. Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 12. Added thereto a threatning of death Gen. 2. 17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Foreseeing that Adam c. Isa 44. 7. And who as I shall call and shall declare it and the things that are coming and shall come See Isa 41. 22 23. Act. 15. 18. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world And all mans works too Psal 139. 2. Thou understandest my thoughts afarre off See Gen. 3. 6. 2 Cor. 11. 3. 1 Tim. 2 13 14. Eccles. 7. 29. See Isa 45. 21. Liable to condemnation c. Rom. 3. 23. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 5. 12-18 19. By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death See Act. 17. 26. Heb. 7. 10. Job 14. 1. c. 2 Cor. 5. 14. 2 Cor. 11. 3. with Rev. 2. 7. Gen. 3. 24. Deut. 27. 26. with Gal. 3. 10. Jam. 2. 10. Mercifully affected c. Exod. 34. 6. The Lord God merciful and gracious 1 Joh. 4. 19. He loved us first See ver 11. Jona 4. 2. Thou art a God gracious and merciful slow to anger So 2 Chron. 30. 9. Psal 86. 5 15. For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive a God full of compassion and gracious Psal 103. 8. 13. The Lord is slow to anger As a father pittieth his children Psal 111. 4. and 145. 8 9. His tender mercies are over all his works Rom. 2. 4. the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering Luk 6. 36. Be ye mercifull as your father is mercifull See Isa 55. 7. Jer. 31. 20. Ioel 2. 13. Num. 14. 18 19. Neh. 9. 17. Deut. 5. 9 10. Jer. 32. 18. Respect to his justice Ex. 34. 7. He will by no means clear the guilty Psal 5. 4. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickednesse neither shall evill dwell with the. Isa 59. 2. your iniquities have separated c. And to his truth Gen. 2. 17. thou shalt die the death and he is a God that cannot lie nor repent nor deny himself Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 6. 18. Num. 23. 19. 2 Tim. 2. 13. Till justice be satisfied Isa 53. 5 6 10. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all and made his soul an offering for sin He was wounded for our transgressions Luk. 24. 26 46. Thus it behoved Christ to suffer 1 Pet. 3. 18. the just for the unjust Mat. 20 28. To give his life a ransom for many and 1 Tim. 2. 6. Psal 69. 4. I restored that which I took not away See Phil. 2 7 8. Matth. 3. 15. c. 5. 17. Gen. 3. 15. Mar. 10 45. 1 Ioh. 3. 8. Luk. 2. 14. His hatred of sin c. Psal 5. 4 5 6. Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickednesse thou hatest and abhorrest c. Psal 45. 7. thou hatest iniquity Prov. 11. 20. The froward are abomination to the Lord. Isa 59. 2. your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you See Psal 7. 11 12. Isa 65. 12. And love of righteousnesse Psal 45. 7. Thou lovest righteousnesse Rom. 3. 24 25 26. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation to declare his righteousnesse that he might be just c. He is the avenger of unrighteousnesse And therefore I. For the satisfying of his justice he did ordain the Mediatour Jesus Christ who should be made a sacrifice for sinfull men suffer Death for them and by his blood shed for their reconciliation obtaine right of saving them upon termes befittting mercy and justice Proofs out of Holy Scripture Ordained the Mediator Isa 9. 6. To us a son is given Ioh. 3. 16. So God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten son 1 Ioh. 4. 9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his onely begotten son into the world that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to bee the propitiation for our sinnes Rom. 5. 8. c. But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. For there is one God and one Mediatour between God and man the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all See Hebr. 12. 2. with 24 25 verses Made a sacrifice and suffered death Phil. 2. 8. He became obedient unto death Ioh. 10 11 15. 17 18. I lay down my life for my sheep Se Ioh. 15. 13. Heb. 2. 9. He tasted death for every man 1 Cor. 15. 3. Christ died for our sinnes Rom. 4. 25. c. 6. 10. He died unto sinne once 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his own self hare our sins in his own body on the tree 1 Cor. 5. 7. Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us Isai 53. 10. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin Ephes 2. 2. Who loved us and gave himself for us an offering and sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour 1 Ioh. 2. 1 2. He is the propitiation for our sins Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood See Hebr. 5. 1. c. c. 8. 3. c. c 9. 11 12 13 14 32 26 77 28. c. 10. 5. 10. 12 14. He is the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world Ioh. 1. 29. He gave his life a ransom Mark 10. 45. and purged our sinnes Hebr. 1. 3. He was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. Made a curse Gal. 3. 13. To redeem us that were under the Law and delivered us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3. 13. and the power of darknesse Col. 1. 13. and the fear of death Heb. 2. 14. Hos 13. 14. 1. Cor. 15. 55. and from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1. 10. Rom. 5. 9. and obtained eternal redemption for us Hebr. 9. 12. Luk. 1. 60. 8. 2 Tim. 1. 10. By his blood shed for their reconciliation Matt. 26. 28. This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Rev. 1. 5. and washed us from
but commanded as to be done by us Deut. 10. 16. Ier. 4. 4. A new heart and spirit promised Ezek. 36 26. but commanded Ezez 18. 31. * see Eph. 4. 23 I will be your God promised Ierem. 32. 38. but commanded Exod. 20. 3. and if ye forsake him he will cast you off for ever 1 Chron. 28. 9. One heart and one way promised Ier. 32. 39. yet commanded Ephes 4. 3 4. 1 Cor. 1. 10. So Ier. 32. 40. 't is promised I will put my fear in their hearts Yet Prov. 1. 29. because they did not chuse the fear of the Lord and 1 Pet. 2. 17. So 't is promised I will write my lawes in their inward parts and they shall be all taught of God Jer. 31. 33. Isa 54. 13. Yet in other places it is commanded Be swift to hear take heed how you hear as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. See Prov. 7. 1 3. and Rom. 10 8. with the 17. vers So 't is promised Isa 1. 25. I will purge yet 2 Tim. 2. 21. He that purgeth himself So 't is promised Ier. 33. 8. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity yet Iam. 4. 8. Isa 1. 16 18. 't is commanded wash ye make ye clean And 't is evident that God many times fulfilleth his promise and performeth his part when mâ—n altogether neglecteth his part and duty Ezek. 24. 13. I have purged thee and thou wast not purged See Mat. 11. 21. Luke 7. 30. Dr. Dubius Enough of this you promised us a third reason why God doth not as you pretend work mans Conversion and his faith by a power of grace irresistible I pray let us hear that also Tilenus Sir you shall have it in a few words and it is this because he will not save as I speak of the Adult who have the use of their faculties but in a way of duty Gen. 4. 7. If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted Rom. 2. 6 7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortalitie to them and to them only will he render eternal life and therefore He is said to be the Author of Eternal salvation only to them that obey him Heb. 5. 9. Now observe that which is not wrought but by the omnipotent impulse and irresistible motion and operation of God that cannot be the duty of a poor frail Creature or thus what is a work of Almightiness in God cannot be a work of obedience in us if it were it would conclude us to be omnipotent besides the act could not be an act of duty Christ could do nothing that was duty for us till he had submitted himself to the condition of our nature Phil. 2. 7. because God supposed to be the doer of it is not under obedience but repentance and amendment of life c. are required as a duty of us and as part of our obedience Ier. 7. 3 5. Amend your wayes and make you a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 18. 31. Mr. Knowlittle By this doctrin you seem to make a man his own Saviour Tilenus If I should not only seem to do so but do so in good earnest so it be in a way of subordination to Christ I see no harm in it St. Paul saith work out your salvation Yea St. Peter exhorting to repentance saith expresly save your selves Acts 2. 40. To our safety our own sedulity is required according to that trite saying He that made thee without thy self will never save thee without thy self Dr. Absolute Me thinks this doth hardly sound like that doctrin which the Apostle labours so earnestly to establish to shut the creature for ever out of all ground and occasion of boasting Rom. 3. 27. Tilenus For a man to boast himself in his riches is vanitie in his wickedness is impietie in his works performed in obedience to Moses law or out of the strength of nature as if they could justifie and save him is arrogancie But to glory in the Lord and rejoyce in his salvation is not only allowed a Rom. 2. 7. but also injoyned b 1 Cor. 1. 31. Phil. 4. 4. and practised 2 Cor. 1. 12. our rejoycing or glorying is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sinceritie not by fleshlie wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our Conversation in the world See Rom. 15. 17. and Gal. 6. 4. Let every man prove his own works performed in the faith of Christ and through the power of his grace and then shall he have rejoycing glorying boasting in himself 'T is the same word in these two places with that in the Text objected Rom. 3. 27. Dr. Damman Are these your tenents Consonant to the Articles of the Synod of Dort What opinion have you of tâ—at and the doctrin held forth by the Divines in that Assembly Tilenus I have had as great a reverence for that Synod as any man living the principles therein delivered being instill'd into me from my youth but I thank God studying the best method for the cure of souls and the opportunitie of reading better books hath altered my judgement quite Dr. Damman Do you think you have changed so much for the better that you have reason to give God thanks for it Tilenus Yes truly and I perswade my self you would be of that minde too if you would patiently attend to my objections against their doctrin and weigh them without prejudice or partialitie But before I propound those objections it will be requisite that we take a brief view of that doctrin which I shall therefore concisely yet truly and clearly summe up in these five Articles following They hold 1. That God by an absolute decree hath elected to salvation a very little number of men without any regard to their faith or obedience whatsoever and secluded from saving grace all the rest of mankinde and appointed them by the same decree to eternal damnation without any regard to their infidelitie or impenitencie 2. That Christ Iesus hath not suffered death for any other but for those elect oâ—ly having neither had any intent nor commandement of his father to make satisfaction for the sins of the whole world 3. That by Adams fall his posteritie lost their freewil being put to an unavoidable necessitie to do or not to do whatever they do or do not whether it be good or evil being thereunto predestinate by the Eternal and effectual secret decree of God 4. That God to save his Elect from the corruâ—t Mass doth beget faith in them by a power equal to that whereby he created the world and raised up the dead insomuch that such unto whom he gives that grace cannot reâ—ect it and the rest being reprobate cannot accept of it though it be offered unto both by the same preaching and ministery 5. That such as have once received that grace by faith can never fall from it finally
the full assurance of hope firme unto the end Tilenus Tepidus I know Mr. Diodati in his Annotations upon the 5. verse of that 6. Psalm saith Hereby is shewen the fear of Gods children anguished and pressed by the feeling of his wrath lest they should die out of his grace unreconciled and by that means be excluded and debarred from their desired aim to be everlastingly instruments of his glory But 't is probable David had no intelligence of that comfortable Doctrine defined by the Synod in this last age as appears by his fearfull complaint and expostulation if that Psalme were his Psal 77. I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my spirit was over whelmed My soul refused to be comforted will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious Hath be in anger sbut up his tender mercies There could not have been this conslict of diffidence and anxietie in him if he had been established in the principles of the Synod for annexing the Lords Publick declarations by the mouth of Samuel touching him I Sam. 13 14. c c. 16. 6. 7. to the conscience of his own integrity he might have collected a certainty of his present regeneration when he was anointed King and from thence have concluded undeniably his election from all eternitie and consequently the impossibility of his rejection from God's favour But there is some likelyhood He thought that in the designation of his everlasting mercy towards them God considered men as faithfull according to the way of the Arminians and as persevering in their faithfulnesse For he saith Psal 4. 3. Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself If that text will not serve the turn yet there is one unavoidable Psal 103. 17 18. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting Vpon them that fear him To such as keep his Covenant and to those that remember his commandements to do them And to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Psal 50. the last And governing his persuasions by these principles there is no wonder he was so exceedingly transported with a fear of God's displeasure And that such were his principles may be collected also from hence in that when the Paroxisme of the temptation was somewhat over he doth not make his recourse to the immutable decree of God's Election to cure the remanent palpitation of his spirits but onely to former experience of God's mercifull despensations towards his people Psal 77. 11. 15. I will remember the works of the Lord thou hast redeemed thy people c. But since the cleering up of this soul-setling doctrine by the great judgement and pietie of the Synod He that hath once tasted the graciousness of the Lord in his effectuall vocation and firmly believes that the things concerning his everlasting happiness are so established and carryed on by the irresistible power of an irrespective Decree as is there taught he may cast away all anxiety and care and repose himself with confidence under the wings of that security Dr. Absolute But the Synod declares fidelibus perpetuò esse vigilandum orandum ne in tentationes inducantur That the faithfull must watch and pray lest they fall into temptations and that when they grow remiss and torpid quit their guard and neglect their duty as you do they are many times surprized of the flesh and the world and carried captive into hainous and enormous sinnes whereby they offend God and grieve the Holy Spirit and incurre the guilt of death and the like Tilenus Tepidus 'T was well you stopt there Mr. Doctor But I had thought your worship had been better versed in this point For my part such Mormo'es and bugg-beares never trouble me I am taught by the Synod to believe that all the sins in the world shall never be able to separate an Elect person from the love of God but rather make for his greater advantage Mr. Indefectible But suppose by your sins you should provoke God to anger so far forth that he should cut you off as our Saviour threatens the Jewes Ye shall die in your sins And Ezek. 18. 24. When the righteous turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he live All his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespass that he hath trespassed in his sin that he hath sinned in them shal he die Tilenus Tepidus I did not expect such a supposition or objection from you of all men living for to speak properly God is never angry but with the Reprobates and I know 't is your avowed opinion that the Elect can neither fall finally nor totally and all the Synodists are of the same judgement They distinguish therefore of righteousness into that which is inherent or the righteousness of works and that which is imputed or the righteousness of faith And they confess the Elect may forsake his inherent righteousness and fall into most foul and horrid sins but yet he doth not fall from his imputed righteousness the righteousness of Christ which he hath by faith They do also distinguish between death temporal and death Eternal affirming that the sins of the Elect though never so many or heinous do not incur the guilt of eternal death but only temporal which is never inflicted upon them neither as a curse nor before their restitution for if you ask them what doom David had layn under if death had surprized him in his murther and adultery they will tell you roundly it was impossible he should die without repentance Dr. Dubius I suppose David's case was extraordinarie and a special reason is given by them of the Synod why he could not die before repentance viz. because after his sin he was to beget a son of whom the Messias should descend Tilenus Tepidus I conceive that ground is too loose to bear the superstructure the men of that opinion would raise upon it for they are not all saints in our Saviour's Genealogie neither did David's sin bereave him of the facultie of generation The son of Jesse might have propagated a stem for the Messias to branch out of and yet have died in his sin afterwards the impossibilitie therefore of his dying without repentance is grounded upon a more solid and impregnable foundation viz. the eternal decree and love of God which equally concerns all the Elect. That immutable love wherein God elected them doth exert it self and prompt him infallibly to confer the grace of repentance upon them first or last how great and how many sins soever they run into And if men had the will to improve this most excellent comfortable doctrin the advantage of it would be unspeakable Men do beat their brains and exhaust their treasure
our sins in his own blood See Revel 5. 6. 12. 1 Ioh. 1. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19 20. 2 Cor. 5. 18 c. God was in Christ reconciling the vvorld to himself Rom. 5. 10. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Having made peace through the blood of his Crosse See Col. 1. 20 21 22. ch 2. 12 13 14. and Ephes 2. 13. 18. through him we have accesse unto the father Obtain right of saving c. Isa 53. 10 11. He shall see his seed and justifie many 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price Act. 20. 28. Which he God hath purchased with his own blood 1 Pet. 2. 9. 2 Pet. 2. 1. Mat. 11. 27. Mat. 28. 18. All are delivered unto me of my father Ioh. 3. 35. and Ioh. 5. 22. See Ioh. 17. 2. The Father hath committed all judgement unto the Sonne Mat. 18. 11. Luk. 19. 10. The Son of man is come to seek save that which was lost See Heb. 2. 14. 15 16 17. In whom we have redemption Col. 1. 14. Eph. 1. 7 8. 1 Cor. 1. 30. 1 Pet. 1. 2 3. Rev. 3. 14. Upon terms befitting c. 1 John 3. 8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Mat. 1. 21. see Rom. 6. 1 2. Ephes 1. 4 6. For he shall save his people from their sins Mat. 9. 13. I am come to call sinners to repentance Tit. 2. 11 12 14. That he might redeem us from all iniquitie and from our vain conversation 1 Pet. 1. 18. And purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Rev. 5. 9. He hath redeemed us unto God that we might become servants to God 1 Pet. 4. 1 2. And have our fruit unto holiness Rom. 6. 22. And live unto righteousness 1 Pet. 2. 24. That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8. 3. c. 10. 4. That the Lord God might dwell amongst us Psal 68. 18. And We live to him 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Rom. 14. 9. Heb. 5. 9. and set forth his praise and glorie 1 Pet. 2. 9. 1 Cor. 6. 30. Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. II. Upon the Consideration of his blood as shed he decreed that all those who should believe in that Redeemer and persevere in that faith should through mercy and grace by him be made partakers of salvation but such as would not believe in him but die in infidelitie should therefore be punished with eternal death Reprobation being decreed upon precedent infidelitie and dying therein Proofes out of Scripture His blood as shed c. Rev. 13. 8. The lamb slain from the foundation of the world Isa 42. 1. see 1 Pet. 1. 20. Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth Isa 49. 3. Thou art my servant O Israel in whom I will be glorified See a Tim. 1. 9. Before the world began Who should believe c. Iohn 3. 14 15 16 36. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life John 6. 40. And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the son and believeth on him may have everlasting life see verse 47 54 58. Gal. 2. 20. I live by the faith of the son of God 1 Pet. 2. 6 7. Whosoever believeth on him shall not be confounded see Rom. 9. 30 33. Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved 1 Pet. 1. 2 5. who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation Heb. 10. 38. Now the just shall live by faith Rom. 11. 20. Thou standest by faith Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace c. 1 Tim. 4. 10. The Saviour of them that believe John 5. 24. Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life 1 John 4. 13. These things have I written unto you that believe that ye may know that ye have eternal life Acts 15. 11. We believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved And persevere c. Rom. 2. 7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing Mat. 24. 13 46. 1 Tim. 2. 15. But he that shall indure unto the end the same shall be saved Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall finde so doing 2 John v. 9. He that abideth in the doctrin of Christ hath the father and the Son 1 Iohn 2. 24. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you Rom. 11. 22. if ye continue in his goodnes Col. 1. 23. Chap. 2. 5,6,7,8 If ye continue in the faith rooted and built up Heb. 3. 6 12 14. If ye hold fast-stedfastly unto the end Rom. 8. 13. If ye mortisie the deeds of the body Heb. 10. 35. ad finem Cast not away your confidence Rev. 2. 25. c. 3. 11. Hold fast till I come that no man take thy crown 2 Cor. 6. 1. Receive not the grace of God in vain 2 Pet. 3. 17 18. Beware lest being led away with the errour of the wicked ye fall from your own stedfastness But grow in grace Phil. 2. 12. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling 2 Tim. 2. 5 12. If a man strive for masteries yet is he not crowned except he strive for masteries yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully if we denie him he also will denie us Rev. 2. 11 17 26. Chap. 3. 12 21. To him that overcometh will I give of the hidden Manna and grant to sit with me on my throne and make him a pillar and he shall not be hurt of the second death Rev. 2. 10. Be thou faithful unto the death and I will give the a crown of life 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness see Iob 27. 3 4 5 6. Luke 8. 15. Such as would not believe but die in infidelitie c. Mar. 16. 16. He that believeth not shall be damned Iohn 3. 18 36. He that believeth not is condemned already the wrath of God abideth on him 2 Iohn v. 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrin of Christ hath not God see Isa 27. 11. Rom. 11. 20. because of unbelief they were broken off Rom 6. 23. For the wages of sin is death Psal 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into Hell Psal 11. 6. Vpon the ungodly he shall rain snares c. See Rev. 21. 8. But the fearful and unbelieving and abominable c. shall have their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone
19 20 21. It pleased the father by him to reconcile all things to himself Tit. 3. 4. After that the kindness and pity of God our Saviour towards man appeared Iohn 12. 47. For I came not to judge the world but to save the world Iohn 15. 13. Greater love hath no man then this that a man lay down his life for his friend Rev. 1. 5. He loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. The love of Christ Constraineth us c. II. They hold that Christ by the merit of his death hath so far forth reconciled God the Father to all mankinde that the Father by reason of his Sons merit both could and would and did enter and establish a new and gracious Covenant with sinful man liable to Condemnation Proofes out of Holy Scripture 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them Col. 1. 21 22. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minde by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death Isa 49. 8. I will give thee for a Covenant of the people i. e. A mediator and foundation of the Covenant of grace Deodat Annot Isa 53. per tot verse 10 11 12. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin He shall see his seed and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Act. 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins See Ier. 31. 31 33 34. ch 33. 8. Mich. 7. 18 19 20. with Hebr. 8. 6. c. He is the Mediator of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises viz. I will put my lawes into their minde and I will be mercifull to their unrighteousness c. Hebr. 9. 14 15. c. How much more shall the blood of Christ and for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance See chap. 10. per totum chap. 7. 22. chap. 12. 24 25. III. They hold that though Christ hath merited reconciliation with God and pardon of sins for all and every man yet according to the tenour of the new and gracious Covenant none is indeed made partaker of the benefits purchased by the death of Christ otherwise then by faith nor are a mans sins pardoned before he actually believes in Christ Proofes out of holy Scripture None made partakers otherwise then by faith Romans 3. 24 25. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud Heb. 11. 6. But without faith it is impossible to please God Romans 9. 33. Whosoever believeth on him shall not be confounded 1 Timothy 4. 10. He is the Saviour specially of those that believe Col. 1. 19. to the 23. For it pleased the Father by him to reconcile all things unto himself And you hath he now reconciled to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight If ye continue in the faith c. Heb. 3. 6 14. We are made partakers of Christ if we hold fast c. Heb. 9. 15. He is the Mediator that by means of death they which are called Cum Eventu might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Iohn 1. 12. But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name See Gal. 3. 22. Nor are a mans sins pardoned before he believes Acts 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins See Acts 26. 18. Chapter 13. 39. See John 3. 36. Rom. 3. 21 22. The righteousness of God without the law is manifested even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe Romans 4 3 24. Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness and it shall be imputed to us also if we believe See the whole Chapter Gal. 2 26. We have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ Gal. 3. 11. See Gal. 3. 22. The just shall live by faith Romans 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God See Acts 2. 38. Isa 53. 11. IV. They hold that only they for whom Christ died are bound to believe that Christ died for them and if there were any for whom Christ died not they should not be bound to believe he died for them or condemned for not believing yea if there were any such Reprobates they should rather be bound to believe that he died not for them Proofs out of Scripture Only they bound to believe c. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. with 21. ye were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ who was manifest for you who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God Iohn 14. 1 2 3. Believe also in me Why I goe to prepare a place for you and I will receive you to my selfe See 1 Cor. 15. 2 3. with the 14 verse Whence it followes that they for whose sins Christ died not and for whose justification he rose not again to them preaching is vain and their faith is vain for they do but believe an untruth and lean upon the staffe of a broken reed Accordingly as was alleaged above Maccovius saith A man must first believe Christ to be his Saviour which he cannot be unless he hath died for him and that must be the reason why he placeth his faith in him Rather believe that he died not for them For Deut. 29. 29. Those things which are revealed belong to us And Luke 24. 25. O fooles and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken If it be a revealed truth that Christ died not for the Reprobates then are they bound to believe he died not for them But if it be not a truth revealed why is it then preached and urged as an Article of faith What they doe not hold touching Christs death I. They do utterly deny that the price of Redemption which Christ tendered unto God his Father was not according to the decree will and grace of God the Father paid for all and every man that so the greatest part of mankinde should by an absolute and antecedent decree of God be precisely shut out from the participation of the benefits of Christs death The Reason 1. Mat. 18. 11. Luke 19. 10. Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was
in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe Isa 53. 6. He laid upon him the iniquity of us all And Christ died for all for every man for the world for the whole world for the unjust and disobedient finally such 1 Pet. 3. 18 with the 20. for the ungodly for sinners for his enemies as was said above 2. Also for as many as died in Adam Rom. 5. 12 18. 1 Cor. 15. 22. As by the offence of one man c. 2 Cor. 5. 14. 3. For as many as are bound to believe in him as was declared above 4. For as many as are bound to adore and serve him 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your c. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. with Rom. 14. 9. We thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that he might be Lord of all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them See Eph. 1. 12. 5. For as many as we are bound to pray for in Christs name 1 Tim. 2. 1 5 6. I exhort that supplications be made for all men For there is one Mediator who gave himselfe a ransome for all 6. For such as crucifie him a fresh to themselves Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. c. 10. 29. For such as deny him and finally do perish 2 Pet. 2. 1. See Rom. 14. 15. 1 Cor. 8. 11. II. They do utterly deny that the immediate fruit of the death of Christ is the actual pardon of sins or which is the same in effect that sins are pardoned unto sinners before they do actually believe in Christ The Reason Rom. 10. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness See Gal. 3. 22. Heb. 11. 6. But without faith it is impossible to please God Marke 16. 16. He that believeth not shall be damned Iohn 3. 18 36. He is condemnâ—d already the wrath of God abideth on him See proofes for the affirm III. They do utterly deny that Reprobates as some call them for whom Christ died not if there were any such are bound notwithstanding to believe in him and to believe that they are elected unto glory and that therefore those that believe not shall be condemned justly yea shall therefore be punished with more grievous torments by Almighty God The Reason 1. Iob 13. 7. Will ye speak wickedly for God And talk deceitfully for him Ier. 10. 1â— He is the God of truth Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 6. 18. that cannot lye All his Commandements are truth righteousness and faithfulnesse Psal 119. 86 151 172. And Rom. 15. 8. Christ was a Minister for the truth of God and no lie is of the truth 1 Iohn 2. 21. 2. If we meet with false Prophets and dissemblers for all their fair speeches he bid us Believe them not Ier. 12. 6. Mat. 24. 23. Prov. 26. 25. 3. He denounceth grievous judgments against such Prophets as go about to induce the people to trust in a lye Ier. 28. 25. chap. 29. 31. 4. It is a sore judgement inflicted only upon the obstinate and refractory and therefore certainly no duty of them that are not such to be given up to such Errours 2 Thess 2. 10 11 12. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness So that the God of truth and righteousness doth not binde men as a part of their duty to believe falshood much less punish them with more grievous torments for not believing it 5. Iob 8. 3. Doeth God pervert judgement or doth the Almighty pervert justice Ioâ— 34. 10 12. Yea surely God will not doe wickedly neither will the Almighty pervert judgement and ver 23. He will not lay upon man more then is right that he should enter into judgment with God The state of the Controversie touching the Universality of Christs death Whether Christ Jesus out of a serious and gratious purpose and decree of God the Father suffered that most bitter and shameful death that he might bring into favour with God onely some few and those formerly and in particular chosen to eternal life by an absolute decree or that he might merit and obtain reconciliation with God for all and every sinner without difference by doing and suffering those things which divine justice by sin offended did require to be done and suffered before he would enter a new gracious Covenant with sinners and open the door of salvation to them The decision is conteined in the former Assertions and Negations The Third and Fourth Articles Controverted which are touching the grace of God in the Conversion of Man What the Remonstrants hold I. THey hold that a man hath not saving faith of himselfe nor from the power of his own free will seeing while he is in the state of sin he cannot of himselfe nor by himselfe think or will or do any saving good in which kinde faith in Christ is eminent but must needs by God in Christ through the power of the Holy Ghost be regenerated and renewed in his minde affections will and all his powers that he may aright understand will and meditate and do that which is savingly good Proofs out of Holy Scripture Not faith or any saving good of himself c. Ephes 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darkness Rom. 7. 5. When we were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Rom. 11. 32. God hath concluded all in unbelief Ephes 2. 8. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Phil. 1. 8 9. To you it is given to believe 1 Cor. 12. 3. None can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost who is therefore called the spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God Rom. 5. 6. For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly Iohn 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing Iohn 6. 44 45 65. No man can come to me except the Father draw him Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me Must needs be regenerated c. John 3. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and this I say brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 15. Iohn 3. 3 5. Except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Tit. 3. 4 5 6. Not