Gospel Marrow, Dedication 2
To all that call upon the name of Jeſus Chriſt in the Town of Great Yarmouth.
(Dearly beloved of the Lord)
THis Text being by an unknown hand put into mine, with an earneſt requeſt that I would in publick handle the latter part of it, I not knowing what providence there might be in this Motion, nor yet where to pitch upon a more uſeful Subject, undertook the whole Verſe, which having paſſed through in the audience of ſome of you, I do now preſent to the view of you all. Whereunto I have been induced, as for the furtherance of your faith, by preſſing and directing that greateſt of Chriſtian duties, your coming unto Jeſus Chriſt, ſo for the confirming and eſtabliſhing of you in the truth againſt ſome of thoſe Errors of the Times, which having unhappily prevailed in ſome other places, begin alſo to creep in amongſt you, I mean thoſe of the Univerſaliſts and Free-willers (as they are vulgarly called.) Againſt theſe (as I have heretofore, and that (through Grace) not without ſome ſucceſſe done againſt ſome other) I have here (having a juſt occaſion for it from the Text) born witneſſe. And to this I ſhall deſire you to hearken, that ſo you may not be carried away with this wind of Doctrine. So I preſume to call that Doctrine, which is ſo much cried up at this day by ſome (and thoſe not a few) who underſtand it not, the Doctrine of Univerſal Redemption. A Doctrine at the firſt hearing very plauſible to vulgar apprehenſions (none more) whileſt it pretendeth to elevate, to lift up and magnifie the Grace of God, and Merit of Chriſt, by ſuch a boundleſſe enlarging of them. But upon ſtricter examen, it will be found guilty of what it is here charged with, of Elevating this Grace, Quì ſtatuunt Chriſtum non magis pro iis qui ſalvantur, quàm pro iis qui pereunt, mortuum eſſe, quanquàm videntur extendere meritum Chriſti, reipſâ tamen id adeò imminuunt, ut omnino nihil ipſi relinquunt quod meritus ſit. Joh. Cocceins de Foedere Cap. 90. Sec. 163.and this Merit, in another ſenſe, derogating from them, and extenuating of them. Ʋpon which (beſides many other juſt grounds) let me perſwade you to be wary how you hearken to it, or give entertainment to thoſe that bring it, Is it not enough for you, or any other (what is here poſitively and clearly held forth in this Text) that Whoſoever they are that come unto Jeſus Chriſt (receiving him as their Saviour and Lord) they ſhall be received by him, obtaining from him that great benefit of his death? This do ye build your ſouls upon, putting them upon this way, and then my ſoul for yours, they ſhall not miſcarry. In the mean time, as for any other latitude, or extent of the Fathers or Sons Intentions, whether, and (if ſo) in what way, reaching to all, or confined only to a ſelect company, leave it (as ſafely you may) to the more acute diſquiſition of the Schools, to which there is indulged a liberty of diſputing▪ what being not ſo eaſie for vulgar heads to apprehend, is not ſo ſafe for them to determine. Bleſſed be God, you have ſo much of Chriſt, and of Gods gracious purpoſe towards all repenting and believing ſinners in and through him clearly, and convincingly held forth unto you, as that you ſhall not need to trouble your heads about any ſuch dubious intricacies, as are by ſome (who, it may be, would ſeem to be ſomebody) preſented to you, and with ſome colour of zeal obtruded upon you under the notion of important truths. Let it be my deſire and earneſt requeſt to you, that you would make much of old truths, thoſe Doctrines, which you have received, not lightly and readily receding from any of them, not without clear and ſtrong convictions. And among other not from thoſe concerning Election and Redemption; which have been ſo fully vindicated (as in former Ages, ſo in this laſt) by divers eminent, both for learning and true pietie, as that it may well be wondered at, that the Bucklers ſhould ſtill be held up againſt them. This that you may do (among other) is one end of my putting this ſmall Treatiſe into your hands: Which commending to the bleſſing of him, who gave it to me, I reſt
Great Yarmouth, June 1. An. Dom. 1657. Your ſervant in the Lord, JOHN BRINSLEY.