Scripture Redemption Restrained and Limited, Title page – Introduction
SCRIPTURE Redemption, Reſtrayned and Limitted; OR An Antidote againſt Ʋniverſal Redemption, in ten Reaſons or Arguments, deduced from plain SCRIPTURE. Briefly propounded in a Sermon at the Lecture in Mountſorrel in Leiceſterſhire, March 3. 1651/2. Now contracted and publiſhed for ſtrengthning the weak, and reducing miſled ſouls who attend not the publike Miniſtry in thoſe parts. Whereunto is added, The Saints Declining State under Goſpel Adminiſtrations, &c. Worthy the reading and ſtudy of all Chriſtians. By William Troughton; Miniſter of the Goſpel at Onlepp in Leiceſterſhire.
Am I therefore become your enemy, becauſe I tell you the truth, Gal. 4.16.
LONDON, Printed by J. M. for L. Chapman, at the Crown in Popes head Alley. 1652.
The EPISTLE To the READER.
ALL that I deſire of thee (Chriſtian Reader) is, that thou wouldeſt diligently weigh the Arguments, and Scriptures alledged in this little Treatiſe (which are more fully handled in greater Books on this Subject) together with the enſuing Catalogue; and withal, conſider with me, how derogatory the Doctrine of general Redemption is to the free Grace and Love of God; yea, (I may truly ſay) to all his glorious Attributes. The ſad concomitants and effects of this Doctrine in this divided diſtracted Nation; as not long ſince in the Low Countries, whence it was tranſferred hither: How inconſiſtent it is with God's free and abſolute Election, with ſpecial Adoption, and Juſtification; with peculiar effectual grace in Converſion, Sanctification, Union, and Perſeverance.
Truth is but one, and harmonious; but Error is a Hydra with many heads: It is the property of Errors to jar and be at variance; but as for down Truth, all the parts and branches thereof do mutually accord, and convay mutual light and aſſiſtance to each other.
Alas! What ſad times are we fallen upon? when manifeſt errors long ſince confuted and ſuppreſſed, ſhall be revived, and carried on with a high hand; when the faithful Miniſters of Chriſt, who open the covenant of Grace to the people, and the ſpecial Priviledges flowing from Redemption by Chriſt's blood ſhall be openly reviled and oppugned, and that in their publike Exerciſes, by men of Jeſuitical and Antichriſtian Principles and Practiſes; who boldly and daringly tell the people, that we delude them, and are open enemies to God and godlineſs; yea, that we preach Blaſphemy, in aſſerting that Chriſt ſhed his blood only for his Sheep; That it lies not in the power of the creature to believe; That the Spirit of God works irreſiſtably upon the Elect in their converſion; That ſuch as are one Spirit with Chriſt, cannot finally apoſtatize from him; and laſtly, That viſible Title to, and intereſt in the Covenant of Grace, conſiſting in a ſerious profeſſion of the Chriſtian faith, accompanied with a ſutable converſation; is that which conſtitutes a member of the viſible Church of Chriſt. Surely though men ſhould be ſilent, and Chriſt ſhould have but a few to contend for his Truth; yet the Lord God will not long ſuffer theſe things,Mal. 3.2, 3. 1 Cor. 3.13. &c. but will ſhortly come as Refiners fire, and burn up this droſs and ſtubble, which cannot ſtand before the Jealous God: In the mean while, let us believe, and wait, and pray, and tremble in the fleſh, Yet a little while, He that hath promiſed to come, Heb. 10.37.will come, and will not tarry. Bleſſed are they that love his appearance, and ſhall have their garments, pure, and unſpotted in that day.
W. T.
The Introduction.
I Shall here preſent the Reader with a brief Catalogue of the Principles and Practiſes of thoſe men whom I chiefly oppoſe in this Treatiſe (whereof I my ſelf have had ſome experience in my converſe with them.) Let any godly ſober Chriſtian judge upon reading what follows, if it be not high time for us to appear againſt this Myſterie of Antichriſt; which diffuſeth and ſpreadeth it ſelf in City, Army, and Country. I held my peace till God made me deeply ſenſible of the evil and danger that ſurroundeth us: But then I could no longer refrain with a good Conſcience; but muſt give my publique Teſtimony againſt theſe Doctrines and works of darkneſs.
1. They cry down Infant-Baptiſme, as an Antichriſtian Idol; and exclude all our little ones from viſible Intereſt in the Covenant of Grace, and memberſhip of Chriſt's viſible Church.
2. They hold none to be viſible Saints, Diſciples, or Believers, but only grown perſons that are rebaptiſed at yeers.
3. They baptiſe people into this faith, namely, that Chriſt died for all the ſons and daughters of the firſt Adam; and are not free to joyn in Worſhip with any ſober Anabaptiſt, who is not of this opinion; witneſs their ſeparating themſelves not only from us, but from the Churches and Societies where M. Jeſſey, M. Kiffin, M. Patience, &c. are Teachers.
4. They own ſuch as Chriſt's Diſciples, who are baptized into their opinion, though never ſo ignorant, formal, and vain; unchurching all ſuch as differ from them, though never ſo ſpiritual heavenly, experienced Chriſtians.
5. They refuſe to hear the ableſt and moſt approved Miniſters of the Goſpel (unleſs it be to cavil againſt them) not only rayling againſt ſuch as were ordained by the Prelates, and promiſcuouſly adminiſter the Sacraments; but alſo againſt others that go in a ſtricter way; and are reputed by godly ſouls, to be the moſt ſpiritual, laborious, and conſcientious Preachers, whom they ſhameleſly Nickname Antichriſtian Prieſts and Perſecutors, Witneſs the ſermons and diſcourſes of Maſter Oats, M. James Brown, Everard, Prior, &c.and open enemies to the Lord Jeſus; yea they do with open mouth revile theſe faithful Miniſters of Chriſt (who are really affected, and exceeding ſerviceable in their places to the preſent Government) incomparably more then the worſt of ſcandalous Miniſters.
6. They declare us Antichriſtian Perſecutors of the Saints, if we humbly deſire the Civil Magiſtrate but to keep outward order and peace in the Congregation,M. Marloe, M. Brown, and their tumultuous followers at Odeby neer I eiceſter. while we are exerciſed in the publike worſhip of God, and to prevent tumults and combuſtions: and ſo by this means, they utterly overthrow the office and power of the Magiſtrate, who muſt neither meddle with matters of Religion relating to the Conſcience or inward man, nor with external order, and Civil Government.
7. They hold (and accordingly it is practiſed) that any of their fellow Diſciples, if he can but multiply words though (God knows) he be ignorant of the firſt Principles and rudiments of Chriſtian Religion, may both publikely preach and adminiſter the Seals; Witneſs their approbation of Rob, Fielding, Kendall, and other their ignorant Teachers and Adminiſtrators in Leiceſterſhire. Docent priuſquam diſcant.and that theſe poor ignorant ſouls are rather Chriſt's faithful Miniſters, then our moſt reverend Brethren that are in Office either in the Claſſical or Congregational way.
8. They hold that there is no true and lawful Miniſter of Chriſt in England, gifted, and called, according to the rule of the New Teſtament. Doubtleſs this is a principle that tends much to diviſion and confuſion, and ſo we have found it in the places where it hath been received.
9. They uſually publiſh and promote their corrupt opinions and doctrines, in places where the Saints abide;So did M Brown both at Mountſorrel and Odeby. wittneſs, that profane carriage of, M. Brown and his followers at Mount ſorrel And at Odeby, and in contempt of the publike faithful Miniſtry, they will prepoſſeſs and invdde the Pulpit, though they know beforehand that others are appointed to preach.
10. They do ordinarily diſturbe and interrupt the faithful Miniſters of Chriſt, in publike preaching and prayer, putting on their hats in prayer time, and laughing in the faces one of another; and withal procuring ſome of the M. Marloe and M. Brown with their followers common Souldiery to guard them with their ſwords in their hands.
11. They daringly challenge the Miniſtry of Chriſt to diſpute with them, and yet will obſerve no Order, nor keep to any rules of Diſputation, no nor ſo much as agree on the terms of the propoſitions to be diſputed upon, much leſs will they yeild that there ſhall be a Moderator; for they are altogether for popular, irregular, confuſed Diſputes, that they may make a noiſe, and amuſe the people, and gain applauſe to themſelves, as men of great gifts, and excellent parts.
12. They quarrel with us for our praying before and after Sermon; telling us, that there is no precept nor example for it in all the New Teſtament nor will they enter a diſpute with us on theſe terms,M. Brown and his followers in Leiceſterſhire. that one of us ſeek the Face of God by Prayer, for direction before and after the Diſpute.
13. They abſolutely deny that there is any Original ſin, or corruption of Nature; they ſcoff at God's abſolute Decree from eternity, and openly preach … Free-will, and for total and final Apoſtacie from Grace; and the worſt of Pelagian hereſies, and Popiſh opinions; the very naming whereof was formerly odious to godly Chriſtians.
14. They bring their followers into miſerable Soul bondage, and ſlavery (as the Jeſuits and Popiſh Prieſts do with their Proſelytes) not ſuffering them to be preſent at our Meetings and Exerciſes, leſt they ſhould be acquainted with Goſpel priviledges, and Chriſtian Liberty; and ſo renounce their Antichriſtian enſlaving doctrines.
15. They give out threatning language, telling us,Witnes M Browns carriage & words at Mount ſorrel. that we dare not ſhew our faces where they have appeared; and endeavouring by all ſiniſter means to render our Perſons and Miniſtry odious to the People; as if the deſpiſing and hating their faithful Miniſters, were a ready way, and a fit means to make them Chriſts true diſciples. If this generation of men ſhould ſit at the ſtern (as I hope they never ſhall) for my part, I could expect but little Freedom or protection from them, either for my ſelf, or any godly man that oppoſes their fancies.
16. If we fight againſt their opinions with Scripture weapons and Arguments; and warn the People in the name of Chriſt, to take heed of their Errors; In this caſe, they are ready to make an Inſurrection upon us: yea ſome of them have beaten ſome of our hearers. With theſe and ſuch like carnal weapons do they maintain their cauſe, party, and kingdom.
17. Their great deſigne where-ever they come, is to pull down the powerful Miniſtry of Chriſt, as that which ſtands in their light, and hinders the building of their Babel; and the ſetting up of their Kingdom.
18. They hold that we cannot have true peace of Conſcience, nor comfortably conclude that Chriſt dyed for us in particular, unleſs we believe that he dyed for every man in the world, and ſo for Cain, Judas, Pharaoh, &c.
Thus have I given you a taſte from my own experience, of their opinions and practiſes; much more might be added, but I affect brevity, and enough hath been ſaid (if God give a bleſſing) to make humble ſouls beware of them.