The Principles of the Protestant Religion Maintained, Introduction · Reflections 6
Reflections on Cap. 6. of Chriſt's dying for all, &c.
In this Chapter he proceeds more particularly to urge and maintain the Doctrine of Ʋniverſal Redemption, and we might diſmiſs him for his Anſwer to the writitings of the Anti-Remonſtrants, but becauſe many may not be advantaged with thoſe diſcourſes, we ſhall make a few brief Remarks upon his Abſurdities.
Sect. 1. His firſt and main plea is from the words of Scripture, which expreſs it in Univerſal terms, viz, All, all men, every man, the world, the whole world: (as for that of the Body, Eph. 5.23. Paul himſelf there interprets it of the Church, and its ſtrange that the World and the Church ſhould be of equal extent) ſome of ours (whom he calls the Adverſaries of Truth) have anſwered, (though it is not our whole Anſwer) that by All, is not meant all particulars, (i. e. Individuals) but ſome of all ſorts, all the Elect. His Reply is, that the word [All] muſt needs be as full and univerſal with reſpect to Chriſt's death and the benefit of it, as it is with reſpect to Adam's Fall: and who denies it? But it is not ſo in his ſenſe, except he will plead for univerſal Salvation, as well as Redemption, elſe the benefit is not parallel to the damage; and ſo he indeed ſeems to plead, by Citing 1. Tim. 4.10. for the proof of his Aſſertion; but yet this he afterwards denies. We are here to conſider, that Adam & Chriſt are in Scripture made parallel in many Reſpects: as Adam is a common Head, ſo is Chriſt: hence, as Adam hath a natural ſeed, ſo hath Chriſt a ſpiritual ſeed: as Adam ruined all his ſeed, ſo Chriſt Redeemed all His: as Adam's ſeed are called the world, becauſe they comprize all the men and women coming into the world by natural Generation; ſo Chriſt's Seed are called the world, becauſe they comprize all the men and women that belong to the world to come. But then we muſt remember, that Chriſt's Seed are a number ſelected out of the other; and therefore, though they are all becauſe He loſeth none of His Elect, yet not all the Individuals of Adam's poſterity; for there are they of whom Chriſt ſaith, They are none of my ſheep. Nor doth he interpret but pervert that in, 2. Cor. 5.14. If one died for all, then were all dead: for the Apoſtles intention there, is to prove that all God's Elect were dead, becauſe Chriſt died for them all: The word [All] therefore, doth not ſignifie ſome, but all that come under that denomination.
Sect. 2. Whereas Chriſt, Joh. 17.9. makes a Difference between His Redeemed and the world, and ſaith, I pray not for the world, he would perſwade us, that world is there meant of final Impenitents, or ſuch as have finally rejected the meanes of Grace, and with whom the Spirit hath ceaſed to ſtrive. But not to call over what hath been already offered. Viz. That all have not the meanes of Grace, and therefore cannot reſiſt them; it is plain that he excludes only the damned from Chriſt's prayer: and hence he inferrs that Chriſt died only for their ſins paſt: Well then, He died for thoſe ſins, and prayed for thoſe men: he then owns His death and prayer to be loſt, and His Redemption void. Did Chriſt dye to condemn men, or to ſave 'em? ſee Joh. 3.17. why then are they not ſaved for whom He came to dye? Was He not able to draw them to Him or to ſave them that come, to the uttermoſt?
That he ſaith, Many are guilty of final Impenitency a conſiderable time before they dy; ſeems to be a Contradiction, though he ſaith it is none. We believe indeed that many are left of God to perſiſt in impenitency till they dye; but then they are none of thoſe for whom Chriſt died, Joh. 6.37.
But we have him acknowledging, (pag. 96.) That He dyed not for all, with equal intention or degree of Love, and thereupon confeſſing, that they that are ſaved have more abundant cauſe to bleſs God for His abundant mercy than the other; though they have no reaſon to complain. We grant, the damned have no cauſe to complain, becauſe they ſuffer juſtly: but we would fain know where he placeth the inequality, ſince (at the bottom of the ſame page) he tells us, That God giveth no greater meaſure of inward grace to one than to another. Oh! but he ſuits Providences eminently: And is this all the difference? We thought there had been different diſpenſations of grace cleerly intimated in Rom. 11.7 and one would ſurmiſe that what G. K. ſaith (ibid.) that God drawes, moves, enclines, perſwades (and that is more than meer ſwaſion) them to come, and when they fall infallibly reclaims them, &c. had been grace, and more than meer Suiting of Providences; eſpecially, when he there alſo tells us, That He and not they made them to differ from others: and here againſt Scripture doth he bring that to prove his Aſſertion 1. Tim. 1.14,—16. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith & love. We thought heretofore that Faith and Love had been graces: and that God's giving one more abundant grace than another, proves that one hath no more grace given him than another, is not very clear to us as yet. Nay, (p. 93.) he tells us, That God by His infallible perſwaſions of love and grace, prevails infallibly with the Elect; and is not the Effect of grace grace, yea more grace than where there is no ſuch Effect?
That it is every mans Duty to improve all the meanes of ſalvation, notwithſtanding he is not ſure of his Election, is true, but that he can uſe grace to that end, before he hath any, is hard to underſtand; he ſhould firſt ſeek for grace, for that univerſal grace he ſpeaks of is a meer Non-entity. Nor doth our Doctrine of Reprobation (as he chargeth it, pag. 99.) make the effectual uſe of meanes abſolutely impoſſible to any, ſo as to leave them under diſcouragement: for he himſelf tells us, that it is the Duty of all men to uſe the means, and yet he ſaith, that there are elect, and that none but theſe ſhall be ſaved: and we ſay the others are the Reprobate: and if all are to uſe meanes, and are not diſcharged, though but ſome (viz: the Elect) ſhall obtain, what diſcouragement is their more in our Tenet than in his?
Sect. 3. He well knew that Univerſal Redemption, without ſufficient help, would render his Doctrine ridiculous; here therefore he tells us, how a ſufficiency of meanes is afforded to all men; and Firſt, That Chriſt by His Death procured for all men an inward principle of divine grace, light, life, &c. the Contrary to which is true; He purchaſed theſe only for his Elect, for whoſe ſakes He died. The Scripture makes a difference between his being head of the Church, Eph. 5.23. and his being head over all things to the Church, Cap. 1.22. But ſuppoſing a purchaſe, what benefit can they have by it if it be not applyed? Well, he will give an account of that too, as good as he can, (p. 100) Where outward meanes fail, God ſupplies this with inward teachings, and ſome other ſecret wayes of Providence: and are theſe ſufficient to lead men to Salvation, or bring men to Chriſt? The Apoſtle then muſt uſe a fallacious Enthymeme, Rom. 10.14, 15. And how perverſly doth he interpret Chriſt to be the word ſpoken of, Rom. 10.8. which is evident by the Context to mean the Scriptures? called the Word of Faith, becauſe it is an inſtrument of begtting it, verſ, 17. he interprets it of Chriſt coming in the fleſh, both of Jews and Gentiles; and is that all the Incarnation which he allows to Chriſt? He ſeems to be of another mind, (pag. 59.) but indeed we know not when they own any thing. And it was once the received Doctrine of the Quakers, That there is no other Incarnation of Chriſt, but only as He dwells in us; which how ſubverſive it is to our hopes of Salvation, let the ſerious judge.
He miſtakes the meaning of the word Reprobates, 2. Cor. 13.5. endeavouring to prove that Chriſt is in all but Reprobates, and they are ſuch as are given up to final impenitency; whenas the word there uſed, intends not Reprobation in our ſenſe, but only that all Ʋnbeleevers, are at preſent unapproved by God, and in a ſtate of Perditon.
Sect. 4. A further proof of this univerſal grace, is, that Chriſt both commanded that His Goſpel be preached to all nations; and he tell… us that ſo it ſhall before the end of the world: this is no proof of what it is brought for: the many generations paſt have no advantage by that, being ended and gone before that time comes: that therefore all mankind ſhall be accountable for not obeying it, becauſe once in the end of the world it ſhall be reveal'd to them that are then living, is a ſlender way of reaſoning; but his Salvo is, that though not outwardly at the preſent, yet iwardly to be ſure it is preached to all: but how this is, he hath not ſatisfyed us in the premiſes, what he may do in the ſequel we muſt wait for.
Sect. 5. This Paragraph is but Nauſea his cocta, aſſerting, but neither expounding nor proving, that all men have had more or leſs, and all ſufficient means of ſalvation: ſure it will be ſome great thing, which has ſo much preparation made to introduce it.
Sect. 6. Here he begins with a good Confeſſion, viz. that, Never any were ſaved but by Jeſus of Nazareth; but he ſeldome ſpake Truth without a deſign, and hath frequentLY ſome Errour in a readineſs to graft upon it. He knowes it would be asked him, how any could be ſaved by Chriſt, who never heard of him? and how ſhall they hear without the Goſpel? He therefore anticipates it, and anſwers with Railing inſtead of Reaſon: only he puts in a Quibble, and thinks he hath tied a knot upon us that is indiſſoluble: We plead for the Salvation of Infants by Chriſt; and why may not he with as good reaſon, plead for that of the Gentiles? The paralel looks but odd; viz. If Infants may be ſaved by the working of the Spirit in them, why may not the Gentiles be ſo by giving obedience to the light in them? We might only ſay, they are not cauſes equally powerful. But let us a little commorate here? Obſerve then: 1. That we deny not the power of God to ſave without outward meanes; but to argue meerly from His power to His Will, without His own Revelation, is to give laws to the Almighty. 2. That the Infants of Believers are under the viſible meanes of Grace, viz. the Covenant, & Baptiſme, and ſo are not the Heathen; Iſa. 63.19. 3. That Chriſt hath aſſured us that ſome Infants are ſaved, Mat. 19.14. 2. Sam. 12.23. but we have no aſſurance concerning Heathen or Pagans, but the contrary, Prov. 29.18. 4. That the different capacity of Infants and grown perſons, in regard to the means, requires a different manner of the diſpenſation of grace to the one and the other: that therfore is aſſerted concerning all adult perſons, Rom. 10.14. For him therefore to aſſert that All honeſt elec… gentiles are ſaved in ſome other way, is a meer Begging of principles that will never be conceded. That moral Honeſty i… a meritorious Cauſe either of Salvation, or of any further Diſcoveries of ſaving grace to men, is a Jeſuitical principle; That there are any Elect among Pagans, who never had the goſpel offered them is not only without Scripture-Warrant, bu… againſt its Teſtimony, as hath been agen and agen made evident. And his pleading for New Revelation of things not contained in Scripture, becauſe Infants are ſaved by another manner of Application to them than Adult perſons, is meerly precarious; for it is the ſame grace which is revealed in Scripture, which is reveled to them, if G. K. has ſaid true, viz. That, None are ſaved but by Jeſus of Nazareth.
Sect. 7. How perverſly doth he here ſtate the Queſtion! viz. Whether any are or can be ſaved without the expreſs knowledge of Chriſt crucified, is one queſtion, and whether without all hearing of Chriſt outwardly preached, is another. We believe that God did not reveal Chriſ… ſo clearly at firſt, as afterwards; nor had they, all of them in former times, the ſame diſtinct Conceptions about Chriſt, which ac… now made clear in the Goſpel: but we all believe, that they had ſo much knowledge o a Saviour, as led them to place their truſt in Him for Salvation; and theſe Truths wer… extraordinarily revealed to ſome; and gradually too: But that All honeſt Gentiles who did by nature the things contained in the law, had an expreſs knowledge & faith of Chriſt crucified (as he aſſerts) is not credible to us; and when he bids us to diſprove it, he forgets all laws of diſputation; for Affirmanti… eſt probare; it ſufficeth for us to deny it, & ſay there is no Scripture to prove it, till he produce it: the Spirit's working When & Where He will, is no evidence for it.
A groſs Errour it is in him to ſay (p. 110.) That the knowledge & faith of Chriſt belongs to the finiſhing work of Salvation, but not univerſally to the beginnings of it: for how ſhall they beleeve &c. Rom. 10.14, 15. his inſtances in Nathaniel & Cornelius give him no …elief, & its his ignorance (if not his malciouſneſs) to ſay that they were Ʋnbelievers when that teſtimony was given o… them, Joh. 1.47. Act. 1.2. They had believed in a Chriſt to come, tho' at preſent they knew not that He was come in the fleſh, till it was further revealed to them: And it would do well to obſerve concerning the latter, that though he had an Angel ſent to him to direct him how he might be acquainted with that neceſſary Truth, yet Peter muſt come and preach it to him: and whereas he ſaith (p. 112.) that he had not faith in a crucified & raiſed Chriſt, but in God, and in the Word of God in his heart; We anſwer, that Faith in the word of God in the heart, without Chriſt, is not Saving, Act. 4.12. Nor is Faith in God without Chriſt ſo, Joh. 14.6. …nd he is greatly miſtaken, when he ſaith, The myſtery of Chriſt crucifyed was not firſtly neceſſary to be known, as not being fully preached. It was preached from the Beginning, Gen. 3.15. tho' more clearly in Goſpel-times. All the Rites and Ceremonies of Moſes's Law preached Chriſt; though the Veil is now taken off, and the glory of the Truth is more manifeſt and reſplendent: he therefore concludes before he has prov'd his Aſſertion, That the expreſs knowledge of Chriſt crucified, is not of abſolute neceſſity, eſpecially (he is very cautious) where it hath not been preach'd, to the beginning of a man's ſalvation, though indiſpenſibly neceſſary to the finiſhing of it: And ſurely, 1. Cor. 4, 3. & Heb. 12.2. ſtand much againſt him: And his ſo ofteniterated Aſſertion, That there are honeſt Gentiles ſtill, that have not Chriſt outwardly preached, and yet dy in Salvation, is nothing elſe but a magiſterial Aſſertion, without any one proof at all to command our Beleef. What then ſhall we ſay to his new Doctrine (pag. 1.15.) That they may receive it after Death? [If he thinks to Father ſuch a thing upon the Aſſembly of Divines, Cap. 32. S. 1. Confeſ. it's a bold untruth, for they ſay no ſuch thing there, but beleeve that in the inſtant of dying, Believers are made perfect in holineſs, ſee Shorter Catechiſm, Queſt. 37.] we ſhall have a new Quakers purgatory erected ere long; Chriſt revealed to men for Salvation after death, who died ignorant of Him! And now what Reaſon hath he to conclude this Section with a Triumph! That he hath demonſtrated from Scripture, that men have been in a ſtate of ſalvation, that have not had the Myſtery of Chriſt made known to them! unleſs perverting of the Scripture may paſs for Demonſtration.
Sect. 8. But what needs more then? would he out-do Demonſtration? Fain would he draw in Paul, 1. Cor. 12.4, 5, 6. to ſpeak of the different degrees and modes of God's revealing Himſelf before Chriſt, under the Law, and after Him under the Goſpel. Though we are ſatisfyed that Paul aims at another thing, Viz. the diſtribution of gifts in the dayes o… the Goſpel variouſly: yet, ſuppoſing the other, what is this to mens knowing of Chriſt where the Law was not: or to the Gentiles being illuminated with ſaving knowledge? and where does he find three Baptiſms in Scripture, eſpecially, ſuch as that the Firſt only reveals the Father, the ſecond, the Father and the Son, the third, the Three Perſons? or had he this myſtery by Revelation? if ſo, he might have kept it to himſelf, for he hath diſcharged us from believing him: and wherein it ſerves to, … …e ſe… … except it be to prove that man might … the firſt be ſaved w…hout Ch…ſt▪ …nd … will contradict his own profeſſio….
Sect. 9. Now at length, after a de…l of … dious waiting, we are come to the thing which he hath all this whi… been ma…ng way for, and this will ſalve all the Ph…nomina, remove all doubts! The Light within, the Quakers God, and Chriſt, and Holy Ghoſt, and Word, and what not?
What particular thing this Light is, they ſeem to be in the dark about▪ very likely, its beames are ſo languid, that they are not Self-evidencing: However, ſomething it is, and it is in all men▪ yea, ſo great a thing that it may be blaſphemed; for he tells us, It is no leſs than real Blaſphemy (though we thank …o…, that he that hath made it blaſphemy, hath made it pardonable too) to ſay that the Light in man is not ſufficient to give him that knowledge of God that is neceſſary to Salvati… ▪ But how can we plead Guilty or not guilty, till we know what it is that we have offered ſuch an affront to? Let us therefore ſee if we may not find it out by ſome meanes, and whether he hath not helpt us in the ſearch. He tell us, the Aſſembly twiſe call it the ligh… of …e, & the Expreſſion he can allow, but not in our ſenſe: Thus far we ſuppoſe he will grant it in our ſenſe; viz. That the Light within, is that Diſcovery of divine Truths, which is made to men inwardly, as they came into the world, whereby they are able to know ſomething of God, without outward meanes to acquaint them; or ſomething within them, which doth make theſe diſcoveries in them: and this is not any ſpecial, extraordinary Indulgence to ſome, but it is common to all men, belonging to Humanity. Only herein we differ, and are not to be reconciled: We ſay, That it is nothing but ſome remaines of the Law of nature in the Hearts of men, Rom. 2.14. which they are capable by their Reaſoning Faculty of improving for the making a Diſcovery of many Truths by, which will ſuffice to leave men without excuſe, Rom. 1.20. [he miſtakes when he thinks we reckon it any diſtinct faculty, the Underſtanding indeed, and in that the Conſcience, is the ſubject of it, but it is ſomething there imprinted.] He on the other hand tells us that It is Chriſt Himſelf in the man, and that it is he who quickens and ſanctifies nature in all men; and this he underſtands to be the Emphutos Logos, in Jam. 1.21. which he faſly renders Innate word: it properly ſignifies, Engrafted, as our tranſlation renders it; and is a Metaphor from a Siene that is grafted into another ſtock than at firſt it grew upon; intimating that the word (whatever it be) is not natural to us, but is ingraffed in us ſupernaturally, and therefore is not put into the nature of all men, and that this word is not Chriſt, appears from verſ. 22. and thoſe that follow: it is a word that we are to be the Learners and Doers of, it is a Law of Liberty that we are to be looking into, which cannot be applied to Chriſt: no, not by any tolerable Catacreſis.
There are Three things, which we will here not only aſſert, but alſo give Scripture proof for. 1. That Chriſt is not the Light of nature in all men. Is it the light in men that was born of a Virgin, hanged on a tree, buried in a grave, all which he elſe-where confeſſeth of Chriſt? Beſides the Apoſtle expreſly ſaith, that men in their natural eſtate are without Chriſt, Eph. 2.12. and that Except men be in the faith, Chriſt is not in them, 2. Cor. 13.5. and he tells us that All have not faith, 2. Theſ. 3.2. 2. That the Light of Nature left in fallen man, is not ſufficient to point him out the way to Happineſs; had not they the Light of Nature of whom it is ſaid, Deut. 29.4. that the Lord has not given them eyes to ſee to that day? & they to whom Chriſt gave that warning, Luc. 11.35? Doth not the Apoſtle deſcribe the natural eſtate by this, Eph. 5.8. and what ſaies he, 1. Cor. 2.14.? but we have him confeſſing this amply in p, 120. That man in his ſtate of integrity had Light ſufficient to have guided him to felicity, we believe; but all the Light of nature in fallen man, will not objectively reveal the truths neceſſary to be known in order to ſalvation. It had never told men of Chriſt, and the Satisfaction that is made to the Law by his Righteouſneſs. 3. That God hath not any way imparted ſuch a light univerſally to all men; which the forecited Scriptures do prove. Beſides if this Light be connate with men, what needed G. K. to make ſuch a ſplutter about Immediate Revelations? and if it be only by Revelations, where will he find evidence that God hath ſo reveal'd Himſelf to all?
Sect. 10. That from the Law written in mens hearts, he goes about to prove that man has ſuch a ſufficient light, is weak, for the Apoſtle ſpeaks plain, in Rom. 2.14. (which we are turned to) of the law given to man at the firſt, which is become weak through the fleſh, and cannot give life; Rom. 8.3. Gal. 3.21. And his pleading from our Conceſſion, That it is ſufficient to make them inexcuſable, that it is therefore ſufficient to make them excuſable that frame their lives to it, follows not. The fall of man hath left him without ſtrength to obey it. Rom. 5.6. The Light of Nature diſcovers to man that Duty which he doth not, and, by reaſon of Sin, cannot do; which leaves him inexcuſable, Ro… 1.18, 19, 20. but it is Chriſt only that can take off guilt, and remove Condemnation; and the light of nature neither diſcovers His perſon, nor the way how to get pardon by Him.
His arguing (pag. 121.) That Becauſe for mens not glorifying God, He gave them up to a reprobate mind, therefore they were not Reprobates from the beginning, hath no face of a reaſon in it; for, beſides that (if we ſhould take the word Reprobate in Rom. 1.28. in ſuch a ſenſe) a man may be reprobated before he be left up to make the open diſcoveries of it: the meaning of that place is, that God left them to a mind that choſe droſs rather than Silver, preferred wickedneſs before Holineſs, and ſo was a mind diſapproved of God.
And when He tells us that The light the Gentiles had is a new gift and grace of God to them, he ſaith nothing at all till he can prove that there is ſuch a gift common to all men; nor do all his alledged Scriptures ſpeak one word that way: inward convictions and warnings of wrath to come (which we deny not to have been in heathen) will not amount to it, being only the Actings of a natural Conſcience under legal Convictions, which indeed ſhew to man ſome of his Miſery, but nothing of his Re…edy: and that place on which he puts a peculiar Remark, Luc. 12.20. God ſaid, thou fool, &c. is as little to his purpoſe as any; for, if we cannot tell how God ſaid ſo to him, yet it is enough that He did it by awakening of his Conſcience, nay, that he did it Providentially; and what's this to a ſufficient Light, telling men how they may be ſaved; it is a meer Wheadling and not Arguing.
It is therefore impudence in him to aſſert (pag. 122.) That though God's Diſpenſations of grace be various, and the Goſpel Diſpenſations (fine words!) be beſt; yet whoever is faithful in any one of theſe is accepted of God; and yet none is accepted but in Chriſt, or for His ſake; and give no other proof for it, but his ipſe dixit, which is of no value among ſober men: and hence to conclude, That the inward Diſpenſation that is among the Gentiles that have not Chriſt outwardly preached, hath its glory, and great ſervice to thoſe that are faithful in it, is to talk at liberty himſelf, and deny to all others a liberty to judge.