Three Links of a Golden Chain, Title page – To the reader
THREE LINKS OF A GOLDEN CHAIN: OR, Three of the Principal Causes of Mans Salvation. Viz. God giving his Elect unto Christ, their Coming unto him, his Receiving of them. Doctrinally Opened, AND Practically Applied. As it was lately delivered unto the Church of God at Great Yarmouth. By JOHN BRINSLEY, Minister of the Gospel there.
Luk. 14. 17. Come, for all things are now ready.
London, Printed by S. Griffin for Richard Tomlins, and are to be sold at the Sign of the Bible in Pye-Corner. 1659.
To all that call upon the name of Iesus Christ in the Town of Great Yarmouth.
(Dearly beloved of the Lord)
THis Text being by an unknown hand put into mine, with an earnest request that I would in publick handle the latter part of it, I not knowing what providence there might be in this Motion, nor yet where to pitch upon a moro useful Subject, undertook the whole Verse, which having passed through in the audience of some of you, I do now present to the view of you all. Whereunto I have been induced, as for the furtherance of your faith, by pressing and directing that greatest of Christian duties, your coming unto Jesus Christ, so for the confirming and establishing of you in the truth against some of those Errors of the Times, which having unhappily prevailed in some other places, begin also to creep in amongst you, I mean those of the Universalists and Free-willers (as they are vulgarly called.) Against these (as I have heretofore, and that (through Grace) not without some successe done against some other) I have here (having a just occasion for it from the Text) born witnesse. And to this I shall desire you to hearken, that so you may not be carried away with this wind of Doctrine. So I presume to call that Doctrine, which is so much cried up this day by some (and those not a few) who understand it not, the Doctrine of Universal Redemption. A Doctrine at the first hearing very plausible to vulgar apprehensions (none more) whilest it pretendeth to elevate, to lift up and magnifie the Grace of God, and Merit of Christ, by such a boundlesse enlarging of them. But upon stricter examen, it will be found guilty of what it is here charged with, of Elevating this Grace, Qui statuunt Christum non magis pro iis qui salvantur, quàm pro iis qui pereunt, mortuum esse, quanquàm videntur extendere meritum Christi, reipsâ …amen id adeò imminuunt, ut omnino nihil ipsi relinquu…t quod meritus sit. Joh. Cocceius de Foedere Cap. 90. Sec. 163.and this Merit, in another sense, derogating from them, and extenuating of them. VponUpon which (besides many other just grounds) let me perswade you to be wary how you hearken to it, or give entertainment to those that bring it, Is it not enough for you, or any other (what is here positively and clearly held forth in this Text) that Whosoever they are that come unto Jesus Christ (receiving him as their Saviour and Lord) they shall be received by him, obtaining from him that great benefit of his death? This do ye build your souls upon, putting them upon this way, and then my soul for yours, they shall not miscarry. In the mean time, as for any other latitude, or extent of the Fathers or Sons Intentions, whether, and (if so) in what way, reaching to all, or confined only to a select company, leave it (as safely you may) to the more acute disquisition of the Schools, to which there is indulged a liberty of disputing, what being not so easie for vulgar heads to apprehend, is not so safe for them to determine. Blessed be God, you have so much of Christ, and of Gods gracious purpose towards all repenting and believing sinners in and through him clearly, and convincingly held forth unto you, as that you shall not need to trouble your heads about any such dubious intricacies, as are by some (who, it may be, would seem to be somebody) presented to you, and with some colour of zeal obtruded upon you under the notion of important truths. Let it be my desire and earnest request to you, that you would make much of old truths, those Doctrines, which you have received, not lightly and readily receding from any of them, not without clear and s…rong convictions. And among other not from those concerning Election and Redemption; which have been so fully vindicated (as in former Ages, so in this last) by divers eminent, both for learning and true pietie, as …hat it may well be wondered at, that the Bucklers should still be held up against them. This that you may do (among other) is one end of my putting this small Treatise into your hands: Which commending to the blessing of him, who gave it to me, I rest
Your servant in the Lord, JOHN BRINSLEY. Great Yarmouth, Iune 1. An. Dom. 1657.