Christ Dying and Drawing Sinners to Himself, Part 3 (3 of 7)

Christ Dying and Drawing Sinners to Himself · Part 3 (3 of 7)

p. 4456. For the ground and warrant of Christs willingnesse to 6save and draw sinners, doe but consider. 1. The words of the text, I will draw all men to mee; It is as if he would say, I will baulk no Nation, nor any man, upon a nationall respect; the first covenant to the Jews, suffered a mighty exception. What is God, the God of the Jews onelyonly? How Christ draweth All.Have all the Nations of the earth done with their part of Heaven, and salvation; but onelyonly the narrow trinket, and bit of the earth, in po…rel…le Iudea? This made the Gospel despised, and liable, to sad and p. 446heavie calumnies. Christ must have narrow bowels, and must bee ebbe, short, and thin, in free grace; if the matter bee so. Nay but, Christ hath mercy for all men; I will draw all men, that is, multitudes of Iews and Gentiles: for that Christ draweth all and every one without exception, and that by his death, is against Scripture, and experience; but hee hath an all that he drawes, Tit. 2.11. The grace of God hath appeared to all men foreign what grace? the teaching grace of God, that teacheth us to waite for the blessed hope, and the appearance of the glory, and of our Saviour Iesus Christ: sure, this must bee the preached Gospel; now the Gospel by Scripture experience, consent of Arminians never appeared, in the least sound, to all and every sonne of Adam; then Christ must have another all, a faire and numerous multitude, whom he saves and drawes, and this saith hee, had a good will to save all, and that his elect ones beleeve, Revel. 5.11. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many Angels round about the Throne, and the beasts, Christ hath an all which he saveth.and the Elders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, v. 12. Saying worthy is the Lambe. Revel. 7.9. After this, I beheld, and loc, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the Throne, and before the Lambe, cloathed in white robes, and palmes in their hands. It is true in civill assemblies, and judicatures, Christ hath a few number; yet hee hath a faire and numerous off-spring of children, and when they are gathered together, they are a faire beloved world: In the Hebrew many and great, are often one and the same. As one Rubie is worth ten hundreth, one Saphir worth thousands of common stones; so one Saint, is more then ten thousand wicked men; then all together they must be an All, a world, a whole world of ransomed ones, hidden ones, Christ removeth all exceptions, that m…n have against their owne beleeving.Psal. 83.4. of the Lords Jewels, Mal. 3.17. and of Christs precious ones, Isai. 43.4. they are the floure, and the choise of mankinde.

2. Christ is willing to take away all heart-exceptions of unbeliefe from men. As. 1. Can God bee borne of a woman to save men, not Angels? Beleeve it, saith the Lords Spirit, p. 447with a sort of oath, Heb. 2.16. Verily hee tooke on him the seede of Abraham, not the nature of Angels. Halt not at Christs man-kindnesse, and not Angel-love, to the excellenter childe by nature, the Angel when he fell: and its to remove our doubts, that God is brought in promising, and swearing the covenant; Christ is a sworne covenanter, Heb. 6.12. When God made promise to Abraham; because hee could sweare by no greater, he sware by himselfe. Ezech. 33. The people slandred the Lord, he delighted so to have the people pine away in their iniquities, that hee would punish them for no fault; but the childrens teeth should be set on edge, for the sinnes of the father, and the grapes that they eate not themselves. The place Eze…h 33.1…. and c. 18. expl…ned.The Lord answers that calumnie, Ezech. 18. And here, as I live, I delight not so (so as you slanderously, and blasphemously say) in the death of a sinner, by my life, I desire you may repent and live, nor have I pleasure to punish innocent men, for no sinne at all.

And the second Exception is, But Christs heart is not ingaged with a heart-burning purpose, or desire to save man; The exception, that it was not s…reth…t love in Christ, to sav…, …emov…d.the purpose of saving came upon him but yesterday; yea, but (saith Christ) it was not a yesterdayes businesse, but was contrived from eternity, Proverb. 8. before the Lord made Sea, or Land. vers. 30. I was by him as one brought up (as a sonne nourished with him) I was daily (when there was neither night nor day) his delights rejoycing in the habitable earth, and my deligh…s were with the sonnes of men. Two words expresse Christ old, and eternall love to men, his delights was with the sonnes of men, as Christ was his Fathers delight, from eternitie; so was Christ feasting himselfe on the thoughts of love, delight,The place Pro▪ 8.30. I was by him as one brought up with him▪ &c. opened.Prov 8:30 and free grace to men; sure not to Pharoah, Judas, and all the race of the wicked, and with such a love as (if free will please) should never injoy one sonne of Adam. 2. I was (saith Christ) playing, and sporting, in the habitable earth, the word foreign is to play in a dance, it is, 2 Sam. 6.21. spoken of Davids dancing before the Ark, and 1 Sam. 18.7. The women in Israel playing, answered one another in their songs. It holds p. 448forth this, that it resolves the question, that Augustine loosed to a curious head, asking what the Lord was doing before the world was, he was delighting in his sonne Christ, and the thoughts of the Lord Iesus, in that long and endlesse age, were solacing him; and they were skipping, and passing time, in loving and longing for the fellowship of lost men, and since God was God (O boundlesse duration) the Lord Iesus, in a manner, was loving, and longing, for the dawning of the day of Creation, and his second coming againe to judgement; the marriage day of union with sinners. Christ was (as it were) from eternity with childe of infinite love to man, and in time in the fulnesse of time, it blossomed forth, and the birth came out, in a high expression of love; the man-childe, the love of Christ was borne, and saw the light, Gal. 4.4. Tit. 3.4. when Christ was ripe of love, to bring forth free salvation; glory, glory to the Wombe and the Birth.

Christ most willing to die for sinners.And a third Exception is, But sinners dis-obliged Christ, and provoked him as his enemies, can it be that in time, seeing how undeserving we were, he could heartily and seriously die for man, offer himselfe to all? God may have mercy on the work of his hand, but he cannot have mercy on sinners?

Answ. 1. Its true the Gospel is contrary to nature, and not one Article more thwarteth and crosseth carnall wisedome,The difficulty of beleeving the Gospel. then that of imputed righteousnesse; That crosseth Morall Phylosophy so much, as we can more easily beleeve the rising of the dead, or any the greatest miracle, the drying up of the red Sea, then beleeve the Gospel; for we beleeve the Gospel for miracles as motives,foreign, Piscator. Obfirmav…t faciem suam. not as causes of Faith, not Miracles for the Gospel, and if at the first we beleeve the Gospel for Miracles; then we naturally rather beleeve Miracles, and the dividing of the Red Sea, and the raising of the dead, then we can beleeve that Christ came to die for sinners.

Christ had a strong good will to die for sinners.2. Consider with what a strong good will Christ died, Luke 9.51. And it came to passe when his time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to goe to Jerusalem. p. 449He hardned his face, he emboldned himself to goe to Jerusalem to suffer, he mended his pace, and went more swiftly with a strong fire of love to expend his blood. Luke 12.50. I have a baptisme to be baptized with foreign how am I fettered or besieged (as the word is used Luke 19.43.) till it be perfected?

3. What could move Christ to lie and fancie? were his weeping and tears counterfeit? were his dying, bleeding, sweating, 3pain, sorrow, shame, but all shewes for the market, and to take the people, Isai. 53.44. Surely, really, foreign.he bare our sorrowes.

4. His offer must be reall, Joh. 7.37. for with vehemency he speaks foreign He stood and shouted in the Temple, 4if any man thirst, let him come to me and drinke. Here is a dear fountain to all thirsty soules and most free: Christ thirsteth and longeth to have thirsty sinners come gratis and drink.

But I doubt he beares not me in particular at good will, The last and speciall doubt, Doth Christ love me by name?are the promises made for me? Did he love me before the world was? Did Christ dying intend salvation for me?

This doubt draweth us to the fift particular, (that so I may hasten to the uses) which is what sort of Faith it is that God requireth of all within the visible Church, for the want whereof Reprobates are condemned.

Assertion 1. Saving Faith required of all within the visible Church, is not as Antinomians conceive,Antinomians dreame that faith is an apprehension of the eternall love of election. Saltmarsh part. … §. 5…. p. 191, 192. the apprehension of Gods everlasting love of Election to glory of all and every one that are charged to beleeve. Saltmarsh in an ignorant, and confused Treatise tells us, To beleeve now is the only worke of the Gospel,—that is, that ye be perswaded of such a thing that Christ was crucified for sins, and for your sins, —so as salvation is not a businesse of our working and doing, it was done by Christ with the Father,— all our work is no work of salvation, but in salvation we receive all, not doing any thing, that we may receive more; but doing because we receive so much, and because we are saved, and yet we are to work as much, as if we were to be saved by what we doe, because we should doe as much by what is done already for us, and to our hands, as if we were to receive p. 450it, for what we did our selves: So here is short worke (saith the man) Beleeve and be saved — there are yet these grounds why salvation is so soon done. Page 193, 1941. Because it was done before by Christ, but not beleeved on before, by thee till now. 2. Because it is the Gospel-way of dispensation, to assure an… passe over salvation in Christ, to any that will beleeve it. 3. There needs no more on our sides to worke or warrant salvation to us, but to be perswaded that Iesus Christ died for us, because Christ hath suffered, and God is satisfied, now suffering and satisfaction is that great worke of salvation. And the man taking on him to determine controversies of Arminians touching the extent of free Grace,Page 199, …0…, 201, 202. whether Christ died for all, (in which questions I dare make Apology for his innocency, that he is not guilty of wading too deep in them) he would father on the Reformed Churches of Protestant Divines, that we make this a rationall way of justice, That God will meerly and arbitrarily damne men, because he will, so as God hath put every one under a state of Redemption and power of salvation; and they are damned not from their own will, but from Gods. The opinion by Arminians is fathered upon that Apostolick light of the Church of Christ, Eminent and divine Calvine, and Saltmarsh will but second them, that he may appear a star in the Firmament, with others of some great magnitude.

But (saith he) the other way is, Christ died only for his, but is offered to all, Page 202, 203that his who are amongst this all might beleeve, and though he died not for all, yet none are excepted (that is as he saith, all and every one to whom Christ is preached, elect or reprobate, are to be perswaded that Christ died for them in particular) and yet none are accepted but they that beleeve, and none beleeve, but they to whom it is given: And having shown some dreames of his owne touching these controversies, hee concludeth with a Truth I beleeve easily. Thus have I opened, though weakly the mystery: Weakly, but wilfully and daringly.

But Faith is formally no such perswasion, as to be perswaded, Every man is loved with an everlasting love, chosen and redeemed in Christ; for it changeth the whole Gospel in a lie, p. 451Christ obligeth no man to beleeve an untruth: Now all are charged to beleeve in the Son of God,The Gospel obligeth none to beleeve an untruth. and Elect and Reprobate (as there be of both sorts within the net of the Kingdome) are not loved with an everlasting love, nor did Christ die for them all.

2. Its meer presumption, not Faith, that all Hypocrites, fleshly men, slaves to their lusts, idolaters, covetous men, remaining such, never broken with any Law-work; should immediately beleeve Christ is their Saviour, died for them, and the Father loved them to salvation, before the world was. True it is, before a sinner beleeve, he is an unpardoned, an ungodly and guilty sinner; but that he is unbroken, yea, or unconverted before he beleeve; (I speak of order of Nature) its as unpossible, as that a thristle can bring forth figs, for then he should beleeve having no new heart in him, which is the only principle of Faith.

3. Its a more ingenuous opinion that Christ died for all and every one, though it have no truth in it selfe, then to hold that he died for the Elect only, and yet oblige men (as Antinomians doe) against their conscience to beleeve he died for all and every one that are ingaged in the practise of beleeving.

4. He that beleeveth not, maketh God a liar, then that which is to be beleeved must be an Evangelike truth.

5. Faith layeth bands on all within the visible Church, to be knit together in love, unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to th… acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, Col. 2.1, 2. to be perswaded that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ, Rom. 8.37, 38, 39. To full assurance, Heb. 10. without wavering or declining, or bowing like a tottering wall. Now sure all and every one within the visible Church, to whom the command of beleeving comes, Reprobate or Elect; are not holden to have a full assurance that they are chosen in Christ to salvation, and redeemed in his blood.foreign

Assertion 2. The object of saving Faith, required of all p. 452within the visible Church is,The faithfulnesse of God in saving, one of the objects of saving faith. 1. Christs faithfulnesse to save beleevers, Heb. 10.23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; and the Apostle backs it with an Argument, that saving faith must lean upon, (for he is faithfull that hath promised) And Paul 1 Cor. 1.9. presseth the same, God is faithfull, by whom yee were called, unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

2. We doe not read in the Old or New Testament, that the decree, purpose, or intention of God to save, and redeem persons in particular is the object of that saving Faith required in the Gospel. For the second object of this Faith is the truth and goodnesse of that Mother promise of the Gospel,The second object of faith is Gods mercy in saving all th…t beleeve. Ioh. 3.16. and 5.25. that Gospel-record 1 Iohn 5.10, 11, 12. He that beleeveth hath life eternall, and Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, 1 Tim. 1.15. To seek and to save the lost, Luke 19.1…. that he came to save me in particular is apprehended by sense, not by faith; for the Election of me by name to glory, and the Lords intention to die for me, is neither promise, nor precept, nor threatning; if it be a History that I must beleeve, its good, shew me Histories of particular men; now to be beleeved, except of the Antichrist, the second comming of Jesus Christ to judge the world. Election to glory is not held forth as a promise; If yee doe this, yee shall be elected to glory, Election of some persons to glory is a divine truth, but its neither precept, promise, nor threatning of the Gospel.nor is the contrary holden forth as a threatning; If ye beleeve not, ye shall be reprobated, nor does the Lord command me to be chosen in Christ to salvation, before the foundation of the world, nor doth he command all men within the visible Church to beleeve they are chosen to salvation, or that any one Elect person, should beleeve a thing as revealed, which is not revealed; when he is pleased to give to any Elect person the white stone, and the new name, and to give him Faith, by which he chuseth Christ for his portion, he is then, and never till then to beleeve; or rather by spirituall sense to apprehend that he is chosen to salvation from eternity, so Election is neither precept, nor promise, but a truth of Gods gracious good will and pleasure hid in Gods mind, till he be pleased to reveal it, by the fruits thereof.

p. 417There can bee no such imaginable double dealing in the world, as Arminians lay upon God:Arminians lay d…ble dealing on God by the faith they enjoyn to all. For they make the Lord to say thus, as imagine a King should speak to twenty thousand captives, I have a good will, purpose, hearty intention, and earnest desire to make you all and every one free Princes; and pray, wish, obtest, and beseech you subscribe such a Writ of grace for that end, but I only can lead your hand at the Pen, and give you eyes to see, and a willing heart to consent to your own happinesse, and if you refuse to signe the Bill of grace, you shall be tormented for ever and ever in a river of fire and brimstone: Again, I have a like good will to my own justice, and purpose so to carry on the designe as that sixteen thousand of you shall not have the benefit of my hand, or of one finger to lead your hand at the pen, nor any efficacious motion to act upon your will, to obtain your consent to subscribe the Writ, yea by the contrary though I of exceeding great free love, will, intend, decree, and purpose you bee all Princes of glory; yet I purpose that these sixt…e… thousand whose salvation and happinesse I extreamly desire shall for their former rebellion, which I with the like desire of spirit could, and I only might have removed, never be mo…od to consent to this Bill of grace. Now were not this the outside of a good will, a…d should not this Prince bee said rather to will and desire the destruction of these sixteen thousand, and not their honour and happinesse?

Asser. 3. This is the mystery of the Gospel, in which I must professe ignorance, and that the Lords thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor his wayes as ourwayes: he hath by the preaching of the gospel ingaged thousand thousands within the visible Church, to the duty of their fidutiall adherence and heart resting on Christ, as they would be saved; and yet hath the Lord never purpos…d to work their hearts (and he only can do it) to this heart-resting on Christ by faith, nor hath he purchased either remission of sinnes, or pardon for them. If any object,God may obliege all to rest on Christ as their Saviour though salvation … not purchased to all. how can Christ in equitie judge and condemne them for not beleeving pardon and salvation in his blood, when as neither pardon nor salvation are purchased in this blood to them, nor purposeth he to give them faith? Yet we may plead for the Lord: we conceive of the decree of God as of a deep policie and a stratagem and snare laid for us: whereas the Lord lies not in wait for our ruine, nor carries he on a secret designe in p. 418the gospel to destroy men: If Christ should say in the Gospel-precepts, promises, or threatnings, I decree purpose and intend to redeeme all and every man, but I purpose to carry on the designs so, as the far greatest part of mankinde inevitably shall be lost, it should be a stratagem; but the gospel as the gospel revealeth not any decree or intention of God,The Gospel as the Gospel revealeth not Gods intention touching the salvation and damnation of certaine men from eternitie; the Gospel as finally obeyed or refused revealeth such intentions. touching the salvation or damnation of men intended from eternitie: Indeed the gospel as obeyed or dis…beyed, reveals Gods intentions and decrees, the gospel revealeth nothing but the Lords complacencie, approbation, and good-liking of the sweet connexion between faith and salvation; the just concatenation between unbeliefe, disobedience, and eternall damnation: so the gospel reveals duties, but not the persons saved, or damned; the Lords working with the gospel or the efficacie of the gospel (which is a far other thing) reveals the persons.

Now the difficulty is, how the Lord can command the reprobate to beleeve life and salvation in Christ, when there is no life and salvation either intended to them, or purchased for them.

To which I answer, 1. God gave a law to all the angels created in the truth,All in the visible Churuh are obliged to rest on Christ as the Saviour of all that beleeve, but they are not al obliged to beleeve that he intendeth salvation to them proved by clear… insta… ces. If ye abide in the truth, ye shall be eternally happy: ye cannot say that the devils in that instant were to beleeve that God intended and dec…eed them for eternall happines, and to give them …fficacious grace, by which they should abide in the truth, as their fellow-Angels did: Gods command and promise did reveal no such intention of God. So the Lord said to Adam and to all his seed, If ye keep the law perfectly, ye shall have life eternall; according to that Do this and live: yet was not Adam then, far lesse these that are now under the Law, to beleeve that God ordained them from eternitie, to eternall life, legally purchased; or that any flesh should be justified by the works of the Law.

Arminians tell us that there be numbers judicially blinded and hardned within the visible Church, who cannot beleeve, and whom the Lord hath destined for destruction, yet the word is preached to them, they hear and read the promises of the gospel, and the precepts; Whither are they to beleeve that God intended from eternitie to them salvation and grace to beleeve? I think not, For they teach that Christ neither prayeth for, nor intendeth to die for the unbeleeving and obstinate p. 419world as such, nor decreed their salvation, and except men may fancie sences on the words of Gods Spirit: where learned they to expound the word World, (when it makes for them) for all and every one of mankinde;Arminians expound the word world as fitteth most for their owne ends in contrary senses. and when it makes against them, for the least part of mankinde, and that e…ther within the visible Church only, or yet without the visible Church? for in both, Satans world of disobedient ones is the far greatest part, s…eing the whole world lyes in sinne, as John saith. Let it be also remembred when Arminians say, the Lamb of God taketh away the sinnes of the world, that is of all and every mortall man, they mean Christ takes not away, nor sheddeth he his blood for the sinnes of the rebellious world; so the worlds rebellion,How Christ dies for the world, and the rebellious world conditionally. contu…acie and infidelitie against Christ must be pardoned without shedding of blood, and if Christ did bear all the sinnes of the world on the crosse conditionally, and none of them absolutely: …hen our act of beleeving must be the onelyonly neerest cause of satisfaction for sinnes: but why then, if Christ satisfied on the crosse for the finall impenitencie and unbeli…fe of the rebellious world conditionally, so they beleeve and be not rebellious; but Arminians should say right downe Christ died for the rebellious and contumatious world, and he prayes for the contumacious world as such, but conditionally; for he prays and dieth for the not rebellious world of all mortall men, not absolutelie, but conditionally, so they beleeve in Christ; if they beleeve not, neither the prayers of Christ nor his death, are more effectuall for them, then for Devils.

To all these wee may adde, that the Lord in commanding reprobates to rest on Christ for salvation, though no salvation be purchased for them, deals sincerely & candidly with them: for first he commands them to beleeve no intention in God to save them by the death of his Son,How God dealeth sincerly with all whom he commandeth to believe. nor saith he any such thing to them, but only commandeth them to rely on Christ as an alsufficient Saviour. Secondly, God commands all the reprobate, even by their way, to beleeve that Christ in his death intended their salvation, justification, conversion, and yet whereas God taketh wayes effectuall, and such as he foreseeth shall be effectuall for the efficacious working of justification and conversion, and actuall glorification of some few, yet he taketh wayes which he knoweth shall be utterly ineffectuall for the salvation, justification, and conversion of all these reprobates, p. 420and yet commandeth th…m to beleeve that he decree: and intendeth their salvation and conversion with no lesse ardency and vehemency of serious affection then he doth intend the salvation and conversion of all that shall bee glorified. Sure this we would call double dealing in men, and the Scripture saith he is a God of truth, Deut. 32. and the Lord who cannot lie.

Object. If a rich Inne-keeper should dig a Fountain in his Field for all passengers, thirsty and diseased, which were able to cure them, and quench their thirst; and invite them all to come and drink and be cured, upon condition they come and beleeve the vertue of the water to be such; and ye… should intend and decree absolutely and irresistibly the tenth man invited, should never be cured; Gospel invitations o…en to intentions of God to us.this Innekeeper should not deal sincerely with them. So you make God to deal with sinners in the Gospel. He doth all, in inviting s…ck sinners to come and drin… life and salvation at Christ the Fountain of life, which expresseth with men who speak as they think, their sincere intention, but he intendeth no such thing.

Answ. Make the comparison runne as it should doe, and it maketh more against Arminians; say that this Inne-keeper had dominion over the heart and will, as the Lord hath, Prov. 21.1. Psal. 119.36, 37. Hebr. 13.20, 21. Matth. 6.13. and that he could and doth without straining of the heart, work in all the passengers, a sense of their disease, grace actually to come and drink, and yet hee taketh a dealing with the soules of some few, and causeth them come to the waters and drink, and healeth them, and he useth such meanes and so acts upon the will of the farre most part that they shall never come, never be sensible of their disease, and yet he invites them to come to the waters and drink; its clear this Inne-keeper never intended the health of all and every one of the passengers, but only of these few that come and drink; nor doth invitations with men upon condition, which the party invited is obliged to perform, but doth never perform, and which the inviter only of grace can work in the invited, but doth not work them, as being not obliged thereunto, Gods wise framing of the Gospel invitations in not e…pressing the …mes of any.speak any such intention.

Again, let it be considered, that here 1 God lies in wait for no mans destruction. 2 God is not obliged to reveal his eternall purpose and intentions touching mens salvation and damnation, but in the way and manner seemes best to him. 3 God p. 421never saith in all the Gospel, that from eternity he hath passed a resolve to save all mankinde, if they will, and to yeeld them the bridle on their own necks, that they may bee indifferent and absolute Lords of Heaven and Hell. 4 Nor should the Gospel be framed in such wisdom…, if the Lord had set down particularly the names of all the Elect and Reprobate in the world, and have proponed salvation upon condition of obedience and faith to some few, it should evidently have raysed a hard opinion in the mindes of thousands touching Christ.

Asser. 4. The third object of Faith is the sufficiency and power of Christ to save.The sufficiency of p…wer in Christ to save, is the object of that faith for the want of which Reproba…es within the visible Church are damned. 1 The Scripture maketh the object of comming which is beleeving, Ioh. 5.40. Ioh. 6.35. Matth. 11.27. to be Christs ability and power, Hebr. 7.25. to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. What the Scripture presseth us to beleeve savingly, that we must be inclined to misbeleeve, and for the misbeleeving thereof, the reprobates are condemned, and not because they beleeve not the Lords intention to save all, or his decrees of election and reprobation. But the Scripture presseth faith in the power of mercy, Rom. 4.21. Abraham staggered not, but was strong in the faith, giving glory to God, being fully perswaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. Now Abraham is commended for that he savingly and for his justification, beleeved the power of God in the Gospell promise that God was able of his mercy to give him the sonne of promise in his old age; otherwise to beleeve simply the power of God to give a child to a mother who is passed the naturall date of bearing children, is but the faith of miracles, which of it selfe is not s…ving, and may bee in workers of iniquity, Matth. 7.21, 22. so this power then is the power of saving conjoyned with the mercy and good will of Christ. 2 The Scripture holds forth to our faith the power of God to graffe in the Jewes again in Christ, Rom. 11.23. to make a weak beleever stand, Rom. 14.4. to keep the Saints from falling, and to present them faultlesse b…fore the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, Iude v. 24. 3 The good Land was a type of the heavenly rest, Heb 4.1. and Heb. 3.19. some entred not in through unbeleefe: why, what unbeleefe? the Story sheweth us, Psal· 93.7. Num. 14.9. Num. 13.28. they doubted of the power of God, and beleeved the report of the unbeleeving p. 422Spies, who said, The people be strong that dwell in the Land, the Cities are walled, and very great, and moreover we saw the child…en of Anak there. Joshua and Caleb chap. 14.9. said they should not be bread for them, and their strength was gone; then the question was, whether God was able to give them that good Land. So then men enter not into the heavenly rest because they beleeve not that Iesus is able to save to the uttermost those that come through him to God, Heb. 7.23. 4 The Scripture is as much in proving the alsufficiency, power, and perfection of Christ our Saviour, to save, as in demonstrating his tendernesse of mercy and goodwill to save; as in the Epistle to the Hebrewes the Apostle laboureth much for to prove the Godhead of Christ, his excellency above Angels, and that the Angels were to adore him, his dignity and greatnesse above Moses and all the mortall and dying Priests, the vertue of his blood above all the bloods of Buls and Goats, to purge the conscience from dead works, to expiate sinne, to sanctifie his people, to open a way, a new and living way to the holy of holiest, by his blood, that we with full assurance may draw near to God, that he with one Sacrif…ce, never to bee repeated, did that which all the thousands of reit…rated Sacrifices were never able to doe; that he is no dying Priest, but lives for ever to intercede for us at the right hand of God. And for what is all this, but that we should beleeve the a…sufficiency of Christ to save? and because wee have too low thoughts of Christ, as conceiving him to bee but a man, or lesse then an Angel, or a common Priest that can do no more by his blood as touch…ng remission of sinnes, then dying Priests could do wi…h the blood of beasts, and that he is dead, and now when we sinne, he cannot advocate for us at the right hand of God, that his redemption he brings in is not eternall, yea all this saith that saving faith rests upon Christ as God, as able and compleatly perfect and sufficient to save, though sinners doe not in the formall act of faith beleeve his good will, decree, and intention to redeem and save them by name. 5 I should think that these who have high and precious thoughts of the grace, tend…r mercy, perfection and sufficiency of Christ to save all that beleeve, and fiducially rely on Christ as a Saviour sealed for the w…rk of Redemption, though they know not Gods minde touching their own salvation in particular, have such a faith as the Gospell p. 423speaks of, and doe savingly beleeve that Christ came to seek, and to s…ve that which is lost, to save sinners, The obj…ct of fiducial resting on Christ.that Christ is the Son of the living God, the Saviour of mankind; and this no Divell, no temporary believer, no hypocrite can attaine unto.

Obj. 1. But I believe not then that I am in particular redeemed, and without that I am a stranger to Christ; for Devils and Reprobates may believe all the generall promises of the Gospel.

Answ. 1. Its true, in that act formally you believe not you are redeemed in particular; yet virtually and by good cons…quence you believe your own redemption in particular, and so you are not a stranger to Christ. 2. Its true, Devils and Reprobates may yeeld an assent of mind to the generall promises, as true, but its denyed that they can rest on them as good, as worthy by all meanes to be embraced; or th…t in heart and affections they can intrust the waight and burthen of their soule on these generall promises, or that there is any taste of the honey and sweetnesse of Christ in these promises to their soule, as it is with the soules that fiducially rest upon Christ in these promises.

Object. 2. Suppose I know of a ship offering to carry all to a land of life, where people are never sick, never die, have Summer and day light, and peace and plenty for ever, upon condition, I should believe the good will of the Ship-master to carry me to that land; if I know nothing of his good will to me in particular, I have no ground to believe I shall ever enjoy that good land; so here if I know nothing of Chr…sts good will to me, how can I believe he shall carry me to the heavenly Canaan?

Answ. Yea suppose, what is in question, that to be perswaded of the good will of Christ the owner of the ship to carry you in particular is the condition upon which he must carry you, but that is to be proved; there is no other condition, but that you rest on his good will to carry all who so rest on him, and that is all.

Object. 3. But I cannot believe.

Answ. You are to believe you cannot believe of your self, and of your own strength; but you are not farther from Christ, tha… you are farre from your self.

Object 4. Its comfortable that Christ the Physitian came to heal the sick; but what is that to me, who am not sick, nor of the p. 424number of these sick, that Christ came to heal for any thing I know?

That I am sinfull and not excluded by name, is a good warrant to me to believe indefinite promises, and to rest on Christ for salvation.Ans. Its true, its nothing to you that Christ came to heal the sick, cure the distemper of sin is on you; you want nothing but that the Spirit working with the Law, let you see your lost condition, and the Gospel-offer be considered, and compared with your estate. But whether you be of the number of these sick that Christ came to heal, is no lawfull doubt and comes not from God; for what that number is, or whether you be one of that number or no, is a secret of the hid counsell of election to glory, a negative certainty, that for any thing yee know you are not of the contrary number, nor are ye excluded out of that number, is enough for you to father kindnesse upon Christ, though he should say, from heaven, thou art not a Son.

The Arminian argument against particular redemption, from the hope, assuran…e and comfort of all, proposed with all its nerves and strength.Object. 5. I shall never have ground of assurance to believe Christs good will, nor either hope or comfort in the Gospel, covenant or promises, if Christ dyed for a few elected and chosen absolutely to glory, for all must be resolved on doubtsome, hopelesse, sad and comfortlesse grounds by your way thus.

These for whom Christ laid down his life, and have ground of assurance of hope, and comfort in Christs death and in the Gospel promises, are not all men and all sinners, but only some few handfull of chosen ones, by name, such as Abraham, David, Peter, Mary, Hannah, &c. and not one more, not any other.

But I am one of these few handfull of chosen ours by name, I am, Abraham, David, Peter, Mary, Hanna, &c. and of no other number; therefore I have ground of assurance of hope, and comfort in Christs death and in the Gospel-promises.

Now the Proposition is poore, comfortlesse, and a very hopelesse field to all within the visible Church; and the assumption to the greatest part of mankind evidently false, because many are called but few are chosen, and so the syllogism shall suggest a field of comfortlesse, and hopelesse unbelief and doubting, yea, of dispairing to the farre largest part of mankind, whereas the doctrine of the Lords good will to save all and every one of mankinde, and of redeeming all, and covenanting in Christ with all, removes all ground of unbeliefe and doubting, from any; offereth grounds of faith, hope, and comfort in the Gospel, of peace to all.

Answ. 1. We shall consider what certaintie and assurance p. 425of faith Arminian… furnish to all and every on from the Gospel.Vniversall Rede…ion furnish…th no grou…ds of assu…a…ce, hope & c…mfor… to all.

2. What the Scripture speaks of the assurance, hope and comfort of al and every one; and

3. The argument shortly shall be answered: as for the first, that Arminians m…y make their syllog…sm of assurance, hope, and comfort in Christs death as large as Christs death, they must ex…end the Gospel-comfort and hope to the heathen, who never …eard of these comforts; now how this can be, let us judge; a very learned and eminent Divine, (a)(a)…reder. …. de Reprobat.sheweth from the matter it self, and confession of Amayrald an Arminian, that twelve Apostles could not in so short a time have gone through the whole world, yea, they must have passed many part…cular Nations who never by an… sound heard of the Gospel; and Arminians yeeld to us that this was done arcan… Dei dispensatione, by the secret and unsearchable providence of God; they would say, if they would speak truth, by the Lords absolute, highe…t, independent and unsea…chable good pleasure in his dec…ees of absolute election and reprobation. 2. Again, they are made unexcusable and freed from all guiltinesse of unbe…ief, and hoplesnesse of comfort or ground of comfort in the Gospel promises, who never heard of the Gospel: y…a, even these who heard the Gospel as the Athenians, Act. 17. who …udged Paul to be a babler, and Festus who thought him mad, and the Grecians who esteemed the preaching of the Gospel foolishnesse, 1 Cor. 1. And so must have heard the Gospel, yet …re not condemned so much for doub…ng of the …fficiency of Christs death, seei…g …hey believed Christ to be a …a…se Prophet, as for the…r not hearing men sent of God, Christ and the Apostles, speaking with the power of God, and en…ued with the power of working Miracles.The Title of Thomas Mo…s. …, …eathenish, and …uggests c…m…o…t a… hop… of salvation in Christs death to … T…rtarians, Indians, Turks and Pagans, also never hard of Christs death. 3. …ut what assurance, bo…e and comfort of salvation doe A…minians give? One …homas Moore has written book inti… led, The Vniversality of Gods free grac… in …hrist to mankinde; that all might be comforted, encouraged, every one confirmed and assured of the p…o…itation and d…ath of Christ for the whole race of mankind, and so for himself in particular: Hear then what Armini…s, and Mr Moore saith, Comfort ye, comfort ye my people saith …he Lord comfort and encourage with the joy of t…e holy Ghost, with the lively hope f…ternall life, with the comforts of the Scripture, Scipio, Aristotle, Cato, Regulus, Seneca, all the p. 426Turks, Americans, Indians, Virginians, such as worship the Devils, the Sunne and Moone; such as have no hope, and are without God, and without Christ in the world; bid them be assured Christ dyed for them, prayes and intercedes for them, intends and will their salvation upon good condition, no lesse then the salvation of his chosen people.

But 1. The object of this faith, hope, and comfort, may stand and consist, though all and every one of the race of mankinde should belive it, with no lesse certainty of eternall damnation then Indians, all the reprobate and condemned Devils are under; now saving faith removeth all hazard of damnation, Joh. 3.16. Joh. 5.25. Joh. 11.26. 1 Tim. 1.15.16. Gal. 2.10. but thousands believe, yea, the damned Devils who assent to the letter of the Gospel, and gave testimony that Iesus is the Sonne of the living God, by the judgement of the Arminians believe that Christ dyed for all and every one of the race of mankinde. Ergo, all the Reprobates may have this faith, assurance, The hope of assurance and comfort flowing from universal redemption vain and fruitlesse and false.comfort and hope, 2. Saving faith bringing peace, justification, rejoycing in tribulation, purifieth the heart: But I am not a whit nearer peace that I believe that Christ intendeth to redeemn, save, justifie all and every one of mankinde, upon condition they believe; for this remaineth ever a hole in the heart; God either efficaciously intendeth to save all, or inefficaciously committing the event to the good guiding of free-will which once lost all mankinde; now the former neither can be known to any living;Anti-Perkins. God intends not his ends ever according to certaine knowledge say Arminians. its a doubt to Arminians, if it be known to God himselfe: Arminians saith, Deum posse excide…e fine suo, quia non semper intendit finem secundum praescientiam; God may saile and come short of his end, because he doth not, especially in events that fall out freely, and may not fall out, intend the end according to fore-knowledge; See then here the Arminian courage, hope and comfort; God intendeth to redeem and save me in Christ; but ah it is as the blind man casteth his club, or shoots his arrow, he winks and drawes the string, it may come up to the white, but it runs a hazard to fall short and wide;Arminians fancy▪ God to hang pendulous, uncertain between two …nds. Againe, its false that God intendeth efficaciously to save all; therefore Bellarmine and Arminius say, the Lord doth here as Polititians, who have two strings in their bow; for God (say they) lyeth at the wait between two ends, and intendeth either the obedience, conversion and p. 427salvation of all, or if he misse, he has another string in his bow, and intends the declaration of the glory of his justice; if free-will shall thwart and crosse the former intention of God, and this is the latter intention, all and every man is to believe that God intends his conversion and salvation ineffectually: but ah this is cold comfort and dubious, hazard-some and farre off hope; the poore man is here between hope to be saved,Arminians hope and comfort is that all mankinde must hang between hope and dispaire. (if the fortune or loose contingency of free-will be lucky) and feare to be eternally thrice more miserable then if God had never born him any good will (if free-will miscarry as it doth in the far greatest part of mankinde) for Arminians doe not say, one man is more saved by their pendulous and venturous good wishes and doubtsome intentions to save all and every one, then we doe by the Lords most wise, s…aid, poysed, fixed, and absolute decrees; so it is but a toome and an empty spoon, they thrust in the mouths of the whole race of mankinde, when they will them thus to hope for salvation.

2. By this meanes God intending two ends, either the salvation or damnation of all and every one, he puts all mankinde upon large as great fear and dispair, as upon comfort and hope, and hee intends and wils the destruction of all mankinde more efficaciously and with farre greater successe, then he wills their salvation; only here is a comfort men may take to Hell with them, and an East-winde hope they may feed on; God primarily, antec…dently, and first wils my salvation, but secundarily and with better certainty of the black event, he wils in justice, my damnation and the eternall destruction of the farre greatest part of mankinde; and this is the Arminian comfort, and white hopes that the Tenent of Arminian universall grace, liberally bestowes on all, much good doe it them.

3. They stand not to make God to fluctuate between two ends; either this or this, justice or mercy;Arm…nians fancy God to be expelled from his far best …nd, and compelled against his will to a worse end, in the farre largest part of mankinde. mercy is the port God desires to sail to, and to carry all to heaven; but because he cannot be master of tyde and winde, and free-will bloweth out of the East, when God expecteth a faire West wind, the Lord is compelled to arrive with a second wind as a crossed Sea-man must do…, and to land his Vessell in the sad port of revenging justice, and make such a Sea-voyage, as against the heart of God (what will ye say of the destiny of p. 428free-wils ill luck?) must cast the far greatest part of mankind, as ship broken men into eternall damnation, and except God would have strangled free-will and destroyed the nature of that obedience which is obnoxious to threatnings and rewards, he could not for his soule mend the matter; and here good Reader, you have the Arminian hope and consolations, if you list to harken to the Arminians of England now risen to comfort all mankinde in these sad times.Faith cannot rest on a common generall good. 3. Saving faith layeth hold on salvation, righteousnesse and everlasting redemption as proper heritage, faith being a supernaturall instinct, that layeth a peculiar claime to Christ, as the naturall instinct in the lamb claimeth the mother; its property that faith pe…sueth; let e…perience speak, if there be not a peculiar warmnesse of heart in a believer at the sight of Christ; now to believe a common salvation hanging in the aire, the heaven of Turks and Armenians, and the righteousnesse and redemption of Indians, of Seneca, and Catiline, Clodius, and Camillus, I confesse must be farre from such a property.

4 Saving faith is the first dawning, the morning sky and the first day light of the appearance of election to glory. Act. 13.48.Saving Faith the f…rst dawning of election to glory. The man never hath a fair venture of heaven, nor commeth in handy-gripes with eternall love revealed till he believe, because the poore mans believing is his act of chusing God for his portion, and so cannot be an assent to a common good, generall to all men, Heathens, Pagans, Iewes, Turks ▪ and believers; faith makes him say, I have now found a ransome, I have found a pearl of great price, I make no other choyse, my lot is well fallen upon Christ; whether Christ cast his love or his lot on me from e…erni…y, I cannot dispute; but sure,The Arminian hope and comfort not in Scripture. I have chosen him in time. Now for the second, The Scripture shewes us of an ho…e of …ighteous…esse by faith, this we wait for through the …pirit Gal. 5.5. and of the hope laid up for the Saints in heav…n, …ol. 1.15. and Christ in the Saints the hope of glory, v. 27. and of the hope of the appearing of our life Christ, Ti…. 2.13. Which hope makes a man …o purg… himself & to be holy, 1 Ioh. 3.3. and of a rejoycing in hope in the glory of God, Rom. 5.2 Rom. 12.12. the hope to come, for the which the Twelve Tribes of Israel serve God instantly, Act. …6.7. and that lively hope unto which we are regenerated by the resurrection of Jesus …hrist from the dead, 1 Pet. 1, 5. and the hope that we have through patience & p. 429comfort of the Scripture, Rom. 15.4. and the hope which is not confined within the narrow sphear and Region of time and this corruptible life, 1 Cor. 15.19. the hope which experience bringeth forth, Heb. 5.4. Now whe…her we take hope for the object of hope, the thing hoped for, or the supernaturall or gratious faculty of hoping, in neither respects have Seneca, Scipio, Regulus, Jewes, Turks, Americans, and such as never by any rumour heard of Chri…t any hope from Scripture; Paul saith of them, and of the Ephesians in their condition, Ephes. 2.12. At that time ye were without Christ, being Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world; and for the grace of hope the Scripture saith, its an Anchor cast in heaven by these who upon life and death make Jesus t…eir City of refuge, Heb. 6.19.20. it is a fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5.5. where ever it is, it makes a man purifie himselfe, 1 Ioh. 3.2. its a lively hope and a fruit of predestination and of the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus, 1 Pet. 1.3, 4, 5. Now such a hope as Arminians allow to Heathen and Indians, to Reprobates, who believe that Christ dyed for all and every one, and such as perish eternally, we gladly leave to themselves; and if our doctrine of particular redemption furnish ground of dispaire as opposite to thi… hope, we professe it: But let Arminians answer this of their own way; So God must speak to the most part of the Christian world. Be of good courage, hope for salvation in Christ, be comforted in this that Christ dyed for you all without exception, and be fully assured and believe there is a perfect ransome given for you, and salvation and righteousnesse purchased to you in Christs blood; but I have decreed so to act upon the wils of the farre greatest part of you, that you shall have no mo…e shaire in that redemption and purchased salvation then the damned Devils, whereas if I had so drawn you as I have done others, as sinfull by nature as you are, you should certainly have been eternally saved in Christs blood; and the like, and fa…re more I could say, of the dreame of the middle science and knowledge of God; for Arminians spoyle the Almighty of all grace, compassion, mercy, or power to save; for this is the Gospel and no other, that God must utter by their doctrine:The Arminian Divinit…, their faith & hope, &c. I hav… chosen out of grace and mercy all to salvation, who shall believe, and have given my Son, to give his life and blood a ransome p. 430for all and every one; and I will desire and wish, that all m…nkinde were with me in eternall glory, and that my revenging justice had never been experimentally known to Men or Angel, and that death, hell, sin, had never had being in the world; but the farre greatest part of mankinde were to sin, and finally and obstinately to resist, both my generall universall grace given to all, and my speciall and Evangelick calling, and that they were to doe before any act of my knowledge, free decree, strong grace, or tender mercy; and I cannot bow their wills indeclinably to finall obedience, nor could I so powerfully by morall swasion, draw them to constant faith and perseverance, except I would act against that which is decent and convenient for a Law-Giver to doe, and destroy the nature of that free obedience that lyeth under the sweet droppings of free reward, which must be earned by sweating, and under the lash and hazard of eternall punishments to be inflicted, (which I will not doe) yea, though in all things even done by free agents, as translations of Kingdoms from one Prince to another, and bringing enemies against a land, which are done by free agents, I doe what ever I will, and my decree stands and cannot be recalled Dan. 4.35. Esa. 14.24, 25, 26, 27. chap. 46.10.11. Psal. 115.3. Psal. 135.6. Yet in maters of salvation or damnation, or of turning the hearts and free actions of men and Angels that most highly concerne my glory above all; I cannot but bring all the arrows of my Decrees, to the bow of that slippery contingent ind…fferency of the up and down free-will of Men and Angels; and here am fast fettered, that I can but dance as free-will pipeth and say amen to created will in all things good or bad. I cannot cut of the abundance of my rich grace and free mercy (though earnestly and vehemently I desire it) save one person more then are saved, or damn one more then are damned, or write one man more in the book of life, and bestow on them the fruits of my dear Sons death, then such as in order of nature, were finally to believe before any act of my middle science, or my conditionall free Decree, or drawing grace; therefore am I compelled as a Merchant who against his will casts his goods in the Sea, to save his own life, because the winds and stormes …ver-master his desire, to take a second course, contrary to my naturall d…sire, and g…acious and mild inclination to m…rcy, to decree and ordain that all who before the acts also of my middle science, free decree, and just will were finally to resist my calling shall eternally p. 431perish, and to will that Pharoah should not at the first or second command obey my will, and let my people goe: and therefore with a consequent or constrained will to suffer sinne to be, Collat. Piscat. & Vo…s…i…s non tam su…i…o sor…asse Deus vo… it Pharao…em populum dimittere.to appoint death and hell, and the eternall destruction of the greatest part of mankinde, to be in the world, for the declaration of my revenging justice, because I could not hinder the entrance of sin into the world, not Master free will as free, if my dispensation of the first covenant made with Adam in Paradise should stand: Whereupon I was compelled to take a second herbrie, and a second winde, like a Sea-man, who is with a stronger crosse winde, driven from his first wished port; and to send my Sonne Iesus Christ into the world, to die for sinners, for that I could not better doe, and out of love to save all, offer him to all, one way or other, though I did foresee my desire and naturall kindnesse to save all, should be far more thwarted and crossed by this way; because force my consequent will must needs prepare a far hotter furnance in hell, for the greatest part of mankinde, since thousands of them, must reject Christ, in resisting the light of nature, and the universall sufficient grace, given to all; which if free will should use well, would have procured to them more grace, and the benefit of the preached Gospel. But a heavier plague of hardnes of heart, and farre greater torments of fire, then these, I foresee must be the doome of such, within the visible Church as resist my calling, or having once obeyed, may according to the liberty of independent free-will persevere if they will; & notwithstanding of the power of God, by which they are kept to salvation, the promises of the eternall covenant, the efficacie of Christs perpetuall intercession, of the in-dwelling of the holy Ghost, that everlasting fountain of life, &c. may fully and finally fall away, and turne Apostats; and therefore all their hope of eternall life, their assurance of glory, their joy, their consolation and comforts in any claim to life eternall, and the state of adoption is not bottomed on my power to keep them, my eternall covenant, my Sons intercession. I can do no more then I can, but upon their own free will, if they please (and its too pleasant to many) they may all fall away, and perish eternally, and leave my Son a widdow, without a wife, a head without members, a king without subjects.

And if Arminians will be so liberall or lavish of the comforts of God proper to the lords people, Esa. 40.1. c. 49.13. the proper work of the holy Ghost the comforter. Ioh. 14.16. c. 15.26. c. 16.7. the consolations of Christ, Phil. 2.1. the everlasting, p. 432the strong consolations 2. Thess. 2.16. Heb. 6.18▪ the heart comforts, Col. 2.2. wherewith the Apostles and Saint… are comforted, 2. Cor. 1.4.6.7 coming from the God of all comfort, the Lord that comforteth Zion, Esai. 51.3. 2. Cor. 1.3. Esai. 51.12. bl…ssing promised to the mourners, Matth. 5.4. We desire Mr. Moore, The comforts of Armi…ia…s not in Sc…ip…ure.and other Arminians to injoy them; but for us, we a lo…v nei…her assurance, courage hope, nor comforts in Christ or h…s death, but on the regenerate and beleevers; and this makes the doctrine of universall redemption more suspitious to us as not coming from God, that they allow to all, (even dogs and swine) the holy Ghost and the precious priviledge of the Saints. Therefore thirdly, we answer, that the assumption is not ours, but theirs, let the assump…on be; But I beleeve, and he proposition be corrected thus. These for whom Christ laid down his life, are some few cho…en beleevers. B…t I am chosen and a beleeve… : Ergo &c. and we grant all, so the assumption be made sure.The generall good will of God to save all comfortlesse.

But I have no assurance, hope, nor comfort to rest on a generall good will that God beareth to all, to Iudas, Pharaoh, Cain, and to all mankinde, no lesse then to me. For I am of the same very mettall, and by nature am heir of wrath, as well as they.

2. That far-off Good will, that all be saved, and that all obey: the Lord from eternity did bear it to the fallen devils, as well as to me. O cold comfort! and it works nothing in order to my actu…ll salvation, more then to the a…u…ll salvation of Iudas the Traitor: it … on moving no wheels, no c…uses, no effectuall means to p…ocure the powerfull ap…lica…ion o… the purchased Redemption to m…, more then to all t…a… are now spitting out blasphemie against eternall just…ce, and are in fi…e chains of wrath, cursing this Lord, and his generall good will to save them.

The fountain Good will of God separated electe… persons from o…hers.But the fountain good will of God, to save the elect, runneth in another channel of free grace, that separates person fr…m person, Iacob from Esau, and sets the heart of God from eternitie, and the tender bowels of Christ, both from eve…lasti…g: and as touching the execution of this good will, and in time, upon this man, not this man, without hire mon…y or price. 1. because Angels or Men, can never answer that of Rom. 9.13.14.15. as it is written, I have loved Iacob, and have hated Esau, and p. 433that before the one, or the other had done good or evil. Then the naturall Arminian objecteth, what our Arminian does this day, that must be unrighteousnesse to hate men absolutely, and cast them off when they are not born, and have neither done good nor evill. Paul answereth, it followeth in no sort that there is unrighteousnesse with God, because verse 15. all is resolved on the will of God, because it is his will; for hee saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassi…n: foreignand upon this h…e infe…ies then the businesse of sep…ating Iaakob from Esau, …unnes not upon such wheeles as …unning and willing, sw…ating and hunting by good endeavours; Iaakob d…d here lesse, and E…au more; but all goes on this, on Gods free goodnesse and mercy; all the difference between person and person, is, God has mercy, because he will, not because men will. Now because Arminians say, th…s is not mean… of election and reprobation, but of temporary savours bestowed on Iaakob, nor on Esau, he a…eadgeth the example of Pharaoh a cruell Athe…st and a Tyrant, who never sought justification by the works of the Law; the reason why Pharaoh obtained not the mercy that others obtained: I, saith the Lord, verse 17. told Pharaoh to his face, for this purpose I raised thee up, that I might make an example of the glory of my power, and name, that is, the glory of justice in thee, to all the world who heares of thee: and then verse 18. hee returnes to the Lords free will, and unhired and absolute liberty, in differencing person from person. Why has h…e mercy upon this man, and not on this man, if there had been such a conceit as a generall catholick good will in God, to Pharoah, to Esau, the Apostle should now h…ve denyed any absolute will in God, to separate one person from another. Arminians can instruct the spirit of the Lord, and the Apostle to say, he has an equall generall goodwill and desire to save all and every one; Esau as well as Iaakob; Ishmael as …saac, the son of promise, Pharoah as Moses, or any other man; but then two great doubts should remain: How then hated he Esau, when he was not yet born, and had not done good or evill? All the Arminians on earth, answer that. 2. But the doubt is not removed: How is it, that God loves Iaacob, blesseth, and hath mercy on him, and hateth Esau, and yet Esau has neither done good nor ill? Arminians p. 434answer, in an antecedent generall good will, God indeed loved Esau, as well as Jaakob, Pharoah as well as another man:Arminians resolve all one mans will. but here is the thing that makes the separation, Iacob runneth, and willeth, Esau is a wicked man; Pharoah and others like him, bloody tyrants; and God sheweth mercy with another posterior, and consequent will on Iacobs, because he runs, and wils, and has mercy on him, because hee pays well for mercy; and has not mercy on Esau, because he neither …uns, nor wills. Now this is to contradict God; therefore we must bear with it, that men of corrupt mindes, destitute of the truth, rising up to plead for universall atonement, contradict us. But Paul resolves all the mercy bestowed on this man, not on this man, v. 18. on this saying foreign, he will, Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and hardeneth whom he will. (2) unpossible it is that conversion should be grace and matter of the praise of the glory of the Lords grace,foreign. to Peter rather then to Iudas, except the grace of God separate Peter from Iudas, by moving effectually the one to beleeve, and not moving the other. All the wit of men cannot say, but I may glory in my own free will, that I am efficaciously redeemed and saved, rather then another; except grace efficaciously move me in a way of separating me from another, if hee had alike good will to save me,We cannot choose but glory in our selves and not in the Lord, …f free gr…c… sep…rate not the believ…ng man from the not believing. and Judas and all the world; but he committed the casting of the ballance in differencing the one from the other, to free-will, so as the creatures free-will made the cons…quent will of God different toward the one, and toward the other.

3. The God who is willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, in …nduring with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared to glory, Rom. 9.2…, 23, is also willing because hee is willing to declare these two ends equally; in some because he will; the glory of power justice and long suffering; in others the glory of grace and mercy, because he will; nor did I ever see a reason wherefore God should carry on the two great state designs of justice and mercy, God equ…lly intended his two great ends in men and Angels.in such an order as he should incline more to declare and bring to passe the design of mercy then the design of justice; for out of the freedom of high and deep soveraignty he most freely intended both p. 435these glorious ends. Now as the attaining of his freely intended end of manifested mercy in some, both Angels and Men, makes visible in an eminent manner the glory of justice in other some, so the attaining of his freely intended end of pure grace in the Elect, doth highly indeare Iesus Christ that we should prize the blood of the Covenant, the riches of free-grace to us whom he hath freely chosen, leaving others as good as we to perish everlastingly. And as Arminians cannot deny, but that the Lord might so have contrived the businesse, as all that are saved, and to prayse the Lord that sits one the Thron in heaven, might have been damned and should blaspheme eternally in hell the holy just Iudge of the world: as he can make a revolution of all things in heaven and in earth, to a providence contrary to that which is now; so they cannot deny an eminent soveraignty, deliberate and fix…d free-will in God before any of the Elect and Reprobate were placed in s…ch a condition of providence in which hee foresaw all that are saved or damned, should bee saved or damned, and that this will was the prime fountaine cause of election and reprobation.

4. Paul shewing, Rom. 11. That God concludes all in unbeliefe that he might have mercy on all, and shewing a reason why the Lord was pleased to cast off his ancient people for a time, and to engraffe the Gentiles, the wilde Olive, in their place, saith O the depth; and another reason he cannot find, but bottomlesse and unsearchable freedome of grace and free dispensation to some people and persons, and not to others.The ground of Pauls crying out, O the depth, &c. I confesse it had been no such depth, if the Lord from eternity had equally loved all to salvation, but through the running & willing, or not running & not willing of the creature had been put upon later, wiser and riper thoughts and a consequent will to save or not save, as Men and Angels in the high and indifferent court of their free-will shall think good; there had been no other depth then is in earthly Iudge…, who reward well doers, and punish ill doers, or in a Lord of a V…ne-yard, who gives wages to him that labours, and no wages to him that stands idle and doth nothing; this is the Law of nature, of Nations, and no depth, its but God rewarding men …ccording to their works, and God shewing mercy in such as co-operate with, and improve well the benefit of Gods p. 436antecedent will, and not shewing mercy on such as doe not co-operate therewith, but out of the absolutenesse of indifferent free-will are wanting thereunto. But the great and unsearchable depth, is, how God should so carry on the great designes of the declaration of the glory of pardoning mercy and punishing justice, as their should be some persons and Nations, the Jewes first and not the Gentiles, as of old, and now the Gentiles taken into Christ, and the Jewes cast off; and again, the Jewes with the riches of the world of Elect both Jewes and Gentiles who are chosen and must obey the Gospel, and be called without any respect to works, but of grace, Rom. 11.5.6 7. and when the children had neither done good nor evill and were not born, Rom. 9.11. and these who were nearest to Christ, and did wo…k more for the attaining righteousnesse and life, then other strangers to Christ and Gentiles, Rom. 9.30, 31, 32, 33. Rom. 10.1.2, 3, 4. Rom. 11.1.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, &c. rejected, and there should be others as good as these by nature, that the Lord should have mercy on; now in both these; first, God is free in his grace; secondly, just in his judgements, though he neither call, nor chuse acco…ding to works; thirdly, the damned creature most guilty; and fourthly, the Lord both j…stly s…vere, and graciously me…cifull; fifthly, none have cause to complaine or quarrell with God; and yet God might have carried the matter a farre other way; sixthly, the head cause of this various administration, with Nations and persons, is the deep, high, soveraign, innocent, holy, independent will of the great Potter and Former of all things who has mercy on whom he will, & hardneth whom he wil, and this is the depth without a bottom; no creature Angel or Men can so behave them selves to their fellow-creatures, & yet be free, just, holy, wise, &c. but sure one creature can deal with his fellow creature according to the rules and road-way of an antecedent & consequent will; so may the King deal with his people, the Governour with those he governes, the Father with his children, the Commander with his souldiers, the Lord of a Vine-yard with his hired servants, all these may order their goodnesse, mercy, rewards, punishments in a way levill with the use, industry improvement of free-will, or the rebe…lion, unjustice, wickednesse and slothfulnesse of their underlings; but no Master nor Lord can call Labourers to his Vine-yard, and p. 437exhort, ob…est, beseech them all to labour and promise them hire, and yet keep from the greatest part of them the power of …rring armes or legs, of free consenting to labour, and suspend his so acting on the greatest part of them, as they shall willingly be ca…ied on to wilfull disobedience, and to be the passive objects of his revenging justice according to the determinate counsell of the Lord of this Vine-yard, because so he willed out of his absolute soveraignty to deal with some, and deale a just contrary way with the least part of the labourers, because hee p…posed to declare the glory of his grace on them; either there is here an unsearchable depth, or Paul knew nothing, and this calmes my minde and answereth all that reason can say for universall atonement: and the

1. Vse. I aym at, is, that no Doctrine so endeareth Christ to a soule, as this of particular redemption and free-grace separating one from another, Psal. 147.1…. Prayse the Lord, Its grace and free grace …nly that maketh o… diff…r…r…m another.O Ierusalem; and amongst man… ground… here is one, vers. 19. he sheweth his word unto Iacob, his Statutes and his judgements to Israel, ver. 20. he hath not dealt so with any Nation; and he speaketh not of the measure, as if God had revealed the same grace in nature, but in an inferiour degree to other Nations; for hee saith, as for his judgements they have not known them; and th…n being full of God, for this separating mercy, he adde…h, prayse yee the Lord; Christ esteems this the floure of grace, the grace, of grace and blesseth his Father for it; Matth. 11.25. I blesse thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes; now because Arminians say, the pride of the self-wise, and the humility of babes, are the causes separating the one from the other, and so free-will is to share with the Father in the praise of the reveiled glory of the Gospel, and the discovered excellency of Christ to babes, rather then to wise men; a literall revelation no doubt was common to all babes and prudent, the swelled Pharisees, and humbled sinners; Christ prai…eth the eminency, the blossom of grace, the bloom of free-love in that the free-wil of the humble and the proud made not the separation,foreign. but the good pleasure of God, ver. 27. No man knowes the Son but the Father, and he to whom the Son will reveale him.

2. That which is common to all, shall never leave an impression p. 438of wonder and thankfull admiration. (I) and (we) are swelled,Gra…e fa…leth … p…o…o…ns such as (I) and (we). lofty and proud things, and the Spirit of God commends grace highly in that it falls upon pronowns and persons, and not on others, 1 Cor. 15.9. foreign I am the least of of the Apostl…s—vers. 10. By the grace of God, I am that I am, and his grace foreign toward me was not in vaine; but I laboured more abundantly then they all foreign, but not I, but the grace of God, foreign in me, Tit. 3.3. foreign for we our selves also were sometime out of our wits, disobedient, &c. ver. 4. but when the kindnesse and man-love of God our Saviour appeared, ver. 5. —foreign he saved us, 1 Tim. 1.15. foreign I am the chief of sinners, ver. 16. but for this cause I obtained mercy, foreign, that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering, Gal. 2.20. I am crucified with Christ, but I live, foreign yet not I, but Christ lives in me foreign, and the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who has lov…d me, and given himself for me; foreign, Ephes. 2.1. foreign and you who were dead in sins and trespasses, hath he quickned, ver. 4. for his great love wherewith he loved us foreign, v. 5. even when we were dead in sins and trespasses he hath quickened us, foreign together with Christ, ver. 13. But now in Christ Iesus, yee who somtimes were farre off, are made neare by the blood of Christ; the passing by my Father and mother, and brother and sister, neighbour and friend; and taking me, is a most indearing favour.

3. Of all in Scotland and England, all in Europe, all Adams seed, that ever were masters of a living soule in the womb or out of it;How inde… ring is separating grace. the Lord passed by so many thousands and millions, and the lot of free-grace fell upon me precisely by name, and upon us, and not upon thousands, besides no lesse eligible then I was; what thoughts will you have of the f…e lot of love that fell upon you ever since God was God, when Christ shall lay such a load of love, such a high weight and masse of love on you; ye shall then think, O how came I hither to sit in heavenly places with Christ! that body that is trimmed, cloathed, and doubly embroydered with pure and unmixed glory, is just made of the same lump of earth, with the body of Judas or Cain, that are now flaming and sinking to the bottom of the black and sad river of brimstone; the Lord saith, Ezek. 18.4. behold all souls are mine; and when your soule shall be p. 439loaden with glory and thousands of souls blowing and spitting out blasphemies on the Majesty of God, out of the sense of the torment of the gnawing worm that never dies; and yee consider the soule of Iudas might have been in my soules stead, and my soule in the same place of torment that his is now in, what wonder then Iohn cry out, behold what love!

4. How much love for extention, and intention: for one man, and every one in covenant,What a…oundance o… g…ace b…st…wed on single pe…sons and yet nothing of it can be wanting. Psal, 106.45. multitudes of mercies, and Ps. 130.7. plentious redemption; one David must have multitude of tender mercies Psal. 51.1. Psal. 69.13.16. Its not one love, but loves, many loves, Ezech. 16.8. Cant. 1.2. He gives many salvations to one, as if one heaven, and one crown of glory, were not enough; Ephes. 2.4. he is rich in mercy: and he quickned us when we were dead in sinnes foreign For his multiplyed love: every man has a particular act of love, a particular act of atonement bestowed on him: can ye multiply figures with a pen, and write from the east to the west, and then begin again, and make the heaven of heavens, all circular lines, of figures; it should wearie the arm of Angels to write the multiplyed loves of Christ. Christs love desires to engage many; how many millions be there of elect Angels and men? every one of them, for his own part, must have a heaven of love; and Christ thinks it little enough that the first-bornes love, be on them all, and that they all be first-borne: Col. 1.20. It pleased the Father by Christ to reconcile all things in heaven, and in earth, to himself: All the Angels are Christs vassals, and he is their head; Col. 2.10. then Christ must have two eyes; you seven eyes, to see for every one, and two legs for every Angel to walk withall; Christ must have a huge hoast, and numerous troups in his familie. (2) Who then can number the sums of all the debts of free grace, that Angels and me now Christ, and when they shall be paid? though sinnes shall be acquitted, yet debts of undeserved love shall stand for ever and ever. O how unsearchable is the riches of Christs grace! Know y…, O Angels, O gloryfied Spirits, where is the Brim, or where is the bottom of free grace? Yet not one sinner can have lesse grace then hee has, hee has need of all, he has no oyl to spare, to lend to his neighbour… Matth. 25. Our deep diseases, and festered wounds could have no lesse to cure them, then infinite love, and free grace, passing p. 440all knowledge. It was a broad wound, that required a plaister as long and broad, as infinite …esus Christ.

Paul bows his knee to the Master of the families of heaven and earth, for this act of grace, to weigh the love of Christ▪ Ephes. 3.18. I pray (saith he) that ye may comprehend, foreign.or overtake the love of God.

2. How many are set on work to compasse that love? as if one man could not be able to do it: Yet I pray, that ye with all the Saints may comprehend what is the bredth; its broader then the Sea,foreign. or the earth: and what is the length of it? its longer then between East and West; though ye could measure between the extremity of the higest ci…cle of the heaven of heavens, and then it hath depth and heigth more then from the center of the earth to the circle of the Moon and up through all the orbes of the s…ven Planets, and to the orbe of S…atrre…, and highest heavens: who can comprehend either the diameter or circum…rence of so great a love? Love is an Element that all the Elect, Men and Angels, swim in; the the banks of the river swell above the circle of the Sunne, to the highest of the highest heavens.

Christs love in the Gospel takes all alive, as a mighty Conqueror;How active love is. his seed for multitude is like the drops of dew that come out of the womb of the morning, Psal. 110. and they are the dew of the youth of Christ; for Christ as a strong and vigorous young man full of strength, who never fails through old age, brings in the forces of the Gentiles like the flocks of Kedar, Esai. …0.5, 6.

5 Christs love outworks Hell and Devils. Can yee seale up the Sunne that it cannot rise? or can ye hinder the flowing of the Sea? or lay a Law upon the Windes that they blow not? farre lesse can ye hinder Christs wildernesse to blossom as a Rose, or his grace to blow, to flow over banks, o… …o flee with Eagles wings.No lip-love, nor any …m…ty love in God, but that which is effectuall and r…all to work t…e good hee d…si…eth to the party loved. O how strong an agent i… Christs love, that beares the sinnes of the world! …oh. 1.29. It wo…ks as fire doth by nature, rather then by will, and none can bind up Christs heart or restraine his bowels, but he must work all to heaven that he has loved.

Vse 2. We are hence taught to acknowledge no love to be in God, which is not effectuall in doing good to the crea…ure; there is no lip-love, no raw wel-wishing to the creature which p. 441God doth not make good: we know but three sorts of love, that God has to the creature, all the three are like the fruitfull womb; there is no miscarrying, no barrennesse in the womb of divine love; he loves all that he has made; so farre as to give them a being, to conserve them in being as long as he pleaseth: hee had a desire to have Sunne, Moone, Starres, Earth, Heaven, Sea, Clouds, Ayr; hee created them out of the womb of love and out of goodnesse, and keeps them in being; hee can hate nothing that hee made, now according to Arminians, he wish…d a being to many things in then seed and causes, as he wished the earth to be more fruitfull before the fall then now it is, so that against Gods will,A threefold lo…e in God effectuall. and his good will to the creatures, he comes short of that naturall antecedent love, that he beareth to creatures; he could have wished death never to be, no… sicknesse, nor old age, (say Arminians) nor barrennesse of the earth, nor corruption. Nay, but though these have causes by rule of justice, in the sins of men, yet we have no cause to say God falls short of his love, and wished and desired such and such a good to the creature; but things mscarried in his hand; his love was like a mother that conceiveth with many children, but they die in the womb; so God willed and loved the being of many things; but they could not be, the love of God was like the miscarrying womb that parts with the dead child, we cannot acknowledge any such love in God.

2. There is a second love and mercy in God, by which he loves all Men and Angels; yea, even his enemies, makes the Sun to shine on the unjust man, as well as the just, and cau…eth dew and raine to fall on the orchard and fields of the bloody and deceitfull man, whom the Lord abhors; as Christ teacheth us, Matth. 5.43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48. nor doth God miscarry in this love, he desires the eternall being of damned Angels and Men; he sends the Gospel to many Reprobates, and invites them to repentance and with longanimity and forebearance, suffereth pieces of froward dust to fill the measure of their iniquity, yet does not the Lords generall love fall short of what he willeth ro them.

3. There is a love of speciall election to glory; far lesse can God come short in the end of this love:Christs love of election cannot miscarry. For 1. the work of redemption prospereth in the hands of Christ, even to the p. 442satisfaction of his soule; saving of sinne…s, (all glory to the Lamb) is a thriving work and successefull in Christs hands, Esa. 53.10, 11. He shall see of the travell …f his soule and be satisfied. 2. Christ cannot shoot at the rovers and misse his marke: I should desire no more, but to be once in Christs chariot paved with love, Cant. 3. Were I once assured I am within the circle and compasse of that love of Election; I should not be affrayd that the chariot can be broken or …urned off its Wheels; Christs char…ot can goe through the red Sea, though not dryed up: hee shoots arrows of love and cannot misse, he r…d…s through hell and the grave, and makes the dead his living captives and prisoners. 3. This love is natively of it self active; Ezechiah saith in his s…ng, Esai. 38.17. Behold for peace I had bitternesse, foreignbut thou hast in love to my soule (delivered) me from the pit of corruption, but in hebrew it is, thou hast loved my …oule out off the pit of corruption, because thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy back: he speaketh of Gods love, as if it were a living man with flesh and bones, armes,Christs love active. hands, and feet, went down to the pit, and lifted up Ezechiahs soul out of the pit; so has the love of Christ loved us out of hell, or loved hell away to hell, and loved death down to the grave, and loved sinne away, and loved us out of the armes of the Devill; Christs love is a persuing and a conq…ering thing; I shall never believe that this love of redemption stands so many hundreth miles aloof on the shoare; and the bank of the river, a…d lake of fire and brimstone, and …yes afar off and wisheth all mankinde may come to land & shoa…, and cas…eth to them, being so many hundreth miles from them, word… of milk, wine and honey, out of the Gospel, and cryeth that Christ loveth all and every one to salvation; and if wishes could make men happy, Christ earnestly w…shes and desires, if all men were alike well minded to their own salvation, that all and every one might be saved, that there were not a Hell; but he will not put the top of his little finger in their …ear… to …ow and incline their will, and Christ cryeth to the whole world perishing in sin, I have shed my blood for you all, and wish you much happinesse; but if ye will not come to me to believe: I purpose not to passe over the line of Arminian decency or Iesuiticall congruity, nor can I come to you to draw your hearts, by way of efficacious p. 443determination, if yee will do for your selves and your own salvation, the greatest part of the work, which is to apply redemption, by your own free-will (though I know you cannot be masters of your selves, of one good thought, and are dead in sinnes as I have done the other lesser part, purchased salvation for you, or made you all reconciliable and savabl…, its well; o…herwise I love the salvations of you and every one; but I will not procure it, but leave that to your free-will; chose fire or water, heaven or hell as the counsels of your own heart shall lead you; and I have done with you; Oh such a love as this could n…ver save me! If the young heire had wisedom, he should pray that the wise Tutor lay not the falling or the standing of the house on his green head and raw glassie and weather-cock free will; we shall cast down our crowns at the feet of him that sitteth on the Throne, because he has redeemed us out of all nations, tongues and languages and l…ft these nations to pe…ish in their own wicked way: sure in heaven I shal have no Arminian …houghts as now I have, through corruption of nature. I shall not then divide the song of free Redemption between the Lamb and free-will: and give the larg…st share to free-will; my soule enter not into their counsels or secrets, who thus black Christ, an… shame that faire spotlesse and excellent grace of God.

Vse 3. Here is excellent ground of encouragements to the Elect to the believe; for the feare of reprobation from eternity is no ground that thou shouldst not believe.

Object. 1. I fear that I am a reprobate.

Answ. If thou wilt know the neede that a Reprobate man has of that saving Saviour Iesus Christ, thou wouldst upon any termes, cast thy soule upon Christ; which if thou doe, now thou hast answered the question and removed the fear that thou art a reprobate; for a reprobate cannot believe.

Object. 2. But sinne and unworthinesse inclines more to reprobation, then to be loved eternally of God.Sin proveth not rep…obation.

Answ. Not a whit, except the Lord had revealed reprobation to thee; sinfull clay, nothing but the great Potter may wash the clay, and frame thee a vessell of honour.Sin continued is no argument why I should not bel…eve.

Objct. 3. But sinne continued in, such as my sinne is, is the first morning dawning of reprobation, as faith and sorrow for sin is the first opening of election to glory.

p. 444Answ. Sinne finally and obstinately continued in is a sign of repro…ation; but say you had obstinately gone on in sinne (as I love not to cu…e spirituall wounds by smoothing and lessening them) yet your duty lies on you in a sence of your need of Christ, to come to Christ; the event is Christs, you may say; Its fitting, Lord, I be a r…prob…te, but many thousands of bad deserving as I am, are singing the praises of free-grace before the Throne.

Objct. 4. But if my sinne evidence to me reprobation, its a cold comfort to goe to Christ and believe; for sure I have obstinately gone on against Christ, and re…sted his call.

Answ. Though we are not to lessen the sins of any, yet a Physitian may say,Finall obstinacy and …ea…, s…r…ow and n…pp…ng …e of minde to believe seld…m▪ fall in one person. its not so desperate a disease as yee say it is; so may we say, its a strong disease that overcomes the art of Christ; though it falls seldom out never to my observing, that any finally obstinate can attaine to wide, broad and auxious wishes to enjoy Christ, with some seene and acknowledged need of Christ.

Object. 5. But what encouraging comfort have I to believe, since I have gone farther on in obstinacy then any?

Answ. There cannot be such an encouraging comfort in a non-convert as is satisfactory; no work can be in a non-convert of that straine with s…ch as are in converts;No unconv…rted one capabl… of …uch are … to beli…ve a… a bel…ever. ye are not to look for so much in your selfe as in others; but he is farre behind, who may not follow.

Object. 6. Nay, I finde nothing in me that may qualifie me… for Christ.

Answ. Fit and sufficient qualifications for Christ is the hire of merit, that we naturally seek in our selves. Antinomians doe not a li…tle injure us, because we teach that obstinate sinners as obstinate and proud are not immediately to believe;… us to b…lieve, y…t t…e proud as proud cannot b…lieve. not that it is not their duty to believe, but because believing is physically incompatible with these persons that are to believe; since believing is the going of the sinner out off hims…lf to Christ; and a proud obstinate and rebellious sinner never broken, nor in no sort humbled under that reduplication, stayes in himself. But we are farre from exhorting any to stand aloof and afarre off from Christ, because they cannot be prepared sufficiently for him, or because they have not a present to bring the King. Yea come, as yee are bidden, kisse p. 445the sonne, but tremble and stoop, faith is a lowly thing; merrit or hire sufficient, in halfe or in whole, penny, or penny worth, to give to Chri…, before a sinner come to Christ, or after, we utterly disclaim.

Ob. 7. But I have low thoughts of Christ, and am affraid he will cast mee away; how then can J have low thoughts of my self, and be humbled, ere I beleeve?

Answ. There be not any of us who teach that saving humility goeth before faith. It is one thing to be broken,No saving humil…tie before fa…th. and plowed, another to be humble and harrowed: the law must break the r…ckie ground, ere ye beleeve. But Christ must break the clods, and harrow, and soften the soule; true humiliation followeth fa…th.

Ob. 8. But base thoughts of Christ, which I finde in my selfe are most contrarie to faith: I think Christ not so meek a lamb, as to put a Wolfe, a Tyger, or a Leopard in his bosome.

Answ. Not any, but they have too low thoughts of Christ, ere they can come to him; for the Gospel in whole and in part,All the Gospel expressi…n… of the …eek…e… of Christ argue a di…ease in us to conceive Christ to bee rough, lordly, cruel, to have a heart li…e the nether milstone. is medicine. Christ has a healing tongue; medicine is relative to sicknesse: Christ would never have said to unbeleevers, Iohn. 6.39. him that commeth, J will in no wise cast away: If m…n had not naturally had such thoughts of Christ, as hee is rough, and strange, and Lordly, and so far from meeknesse that he casteth thousands of poore sinners out that come to him: so Christs tongue in speaking these words, is good phisick: all of us have j…alous and strange thoughts of Christ; Ye may know the dis…ase by the phy…ck: contraria contrarijs curantur. The wear…e and loaden sinners take Christ to bee rough, and not meek▪ therefore saith Christ, come unto me, all ye that are wearie, and loaden; and I will ease you: If hee bee a shepherd, we natura…ly think▪ if wee cannot goe on our owne feet, he has a club to beat u…; Therefore Esai 40.11. The Lord saith, Not so, he will not beat …hose that want l…gs of their own to follow him: but he shall carry the Lambs in his bosome, and gently lead those that are with young: yea, if converts and weak ones had not jealousies, Ah, Christ is above us, and so lordly, so just, that if wee bee not as strong as others, he will break us, it had not been prophecied of him▪ Esai. 43. a bruis… dreed shall he not break, a smoaking flax shall he not quench: Now precious thoughts of Christ ye cannot have till ye come to Christ, p. 445and buy from him a new minde, and new thoughts, without money.

Ob. 9. But beleeving is fruitlesse, and unpossible, if I be excluded from the number of those that Christ died for; for then I am to beleeve remission of sinnes without shedding of blood; and Christ shed no blood for me.