Of the Death of Christ, To the reader
To the READER.
OF all the Controverſies wherewith the Diſciples of Chriſt, through the Craft of Satan, and their own knowing but in part, have in ſeveral Ages been exerciſed; there have been none of ſo great Weight and Importance upon all Conſiderations whatever, as thoſe which imediatly concern the Perſon and Grace of him, by whoſe Name they are called.
As his Perſon was almoſt the Sole Subject of Conteſt, (of any moment) for the ſpace of many Ages ſucceeding his converſe in the Fleſh with the Sons of men; ſo in theſe latter dayes, through the darkneſs of their own Spirits, and the ſeducements of the Spirit of darkneſs, many in an eſpecial manner do draw forth varietie of uncouth thoughts concerning his Grace, and the Diſpenſation of the Love of God towards mankind in him.
Yet have not theſe things been ſo diſtinctlie mannaged, but that as they of old with their Oppoſitions to his Perſon, did alſo labour to decry and diſanul the Work of his Grace, ſo many of thoſe who of latter dayes have been led away into dangerous miſapprehenſions of his Grace, both as to the Foundation and Efficacy of it, have alſo wreſted the things concerning his Perſon to their own deſtruction.
Of thoſe that have entangled the Spirits of the men of this Generation, turning aſide many from the ſimplicitie of the Goſpel, and the Truth as it is in Ieſus, none have been obtruded upon the Saints of God, with greater Confidence, nor carried out to a more unhappy Iſſue, then ſuch, as aſſiſting corrupted Nature to unbend it ſelf from under the Sovereignty of God, and looſening the thoughts of Mens hearts from their Captivity to the Obedience of the Goſpel, do ſuit the Myſtery of God in Chriſt reconciling ſinners unto himſelf, to the fleſhly Wiſdom and Reaſonings of a Man: It was in our hopes and Expectation, not manie yeers ago, That the Lord would graciouſly have turned back all thoſe bitter ſtreams, which iſſuing from the Pride, Vnthankfulneſſe, and Wiſdom of the Carnal mind, had many wayes attempted to overflow the Doctrine of the Grace of God, that bringeth Salvation; but finding now by Experience, That the Day of the Churches reſt from Perſecution, is the Day of Satan's main work, for Seducing and Temptation, and that not a few are attempting once more, to renew the Conteſt of ſinful, guiltie, defiled, Nature, againſt the Sovereigntie, Diſtinguiſhing Love, and effectual Grace of God, it cannot but be convenient, yea neceſſary, That the Faith once delivered to the Saints, be contended for, and aſſerted from the Word of Truth, in the like publick way, wherein it is oppoſed.
It hath been the conſtant practiſe of all Perſons in all Ages, who have made it their Deſign to beget and propagate a Belief of any Doctrine contrary to the form of wholſome words, to begin with, and inſiſt mainly upon thoſe Parts of their beloved Conception and Off ſpring, which ſeem to be moſt beautiful and taking, for the turning aſide of poor weak unlearned and unſtable Souls: knowing full well, That their Judgements and Aſſertions being once engaged, ſuch is the frame of mens Spirits under Deluſion, that they will chuſe rather to ſwallow down all that follows, then to diſcharge themſelves of what they have already received.
Upon this Account, thoſe who of late dayes have themſelves drank large Draughts of the very dregs of Pelagianiſme, do hold out at firſt, only a deſire to be pledged in a taſte of the Vniverſalitie of the Merit of Chriſt, for the Redemption (or rather ſomething elſe, well I wote not what) of all and everie man; finding this rendred plauſible from ſome general Expreſſions in the Word, ſeeming to caſt an Eye of favour that way in the Light wherin they ſtand, as alſo to be a fit ſubject for them to varniſh over, and deck up, with Looſe, Ambiguous, Rhetorical Expreſſions, they attempt with all their might to get entertainment for it, knowing that thoſe who ſhal receive it, may well call it Gad, being ſent before, only to take up Quarters for the Troop that follows.
To obviate this Evil, which being thus planted, and watered through other ſubtilties and Advantages,Diſplay of Armin. Salus Electorū ſanguis Ieſu. hath received no ſmall Increaſe, I have once and again caſt in my Mite into the Treaſury of that rich Proviſion, which the Lord hath inabled many men of Eminent Learning and Pietie, to draw forth from the inexhauſtible ſtore-houſe of Divine Truth, and to prepare it for the uſe of the Saints.
In one of thoſe Treatiſes,Salus Elect. having at large handled the ſeveral Concernments of the Death of Chriſt, as to the Satisfaction and Merit thereof, in their Nature and tendency, as well as their Object and Extent, and finding ſome Oppoſition made to ſundry Truths therein delivered, I have attemp…ed through the Aſſiſtance of Grace, to Vindicate them, from that oppoſition, in this Enſuing Diſcourſe, as alſo taken Occaſion to hold forth ſundry other things of weight and importance, of all which you have an Accoun… given, in the firſt Chapters thereof, whither I remit the Reader.
For the preſent there are ſome few things, which (Chriſtian Reader) I deſire to acquaint thee withal in particular, which ſomething neerly concern the buſineſſe we have in hand.
Since, not only the compleat finiſhing of this Treatiſe under my hand, which is now about 5 Months ago, but alſo the Printing of ſome Part of it, the Two Diſſertatious of Dr Davenant, of the Death of Chriſt, and of Predeſtination and Reprobation were ſetforth: in both which, eſpecially the former, there are ſundry Aſſertions, Poſitions, and Theſis, differing from what is delivered in the enſuing Treatiſe, and as I ſuppoſe repugnant unto Truth it ſelf: The whole of that Perſwaſion, I confeſſe, which he endeavoureth in them to maintain, is ſuited to the Expreſſions of ſundry Learned men, as Auſtine, Hillary, Fulgentius, Proſper, who in their Generations deſerved exceeding well or the Church of God: But that it is free from Oppoſition to the Scripture, or indeed ſelf-Contradiction, is not ſo apparant. Yea, through the Patience and Goodneſſe of God, I undertake to demonſtrate, That the main Foundation of his whole Diſſertation about the Death of Chriſt, with many Inferences from thence, are neither found in, nor founded on the Word, but that the ſeveral Parts therof, are mutually Conflicting and deſtructive of each other, to the great prejudice of the Truth therein contained.
It is a thing of the ſaddeſt Conſideration poſſible, That Wiſe and Learned men, ſhould once ſuppoſe, by tempering the Truths of God, ſo that they may be ſuited to the ſelf-Indulgency of unſubdued Carnal Affections, to give any Luſtre to them,Rom 8. 7. or in the leaſt to remove that Scandal and Offence, which the f…eſhlie minded doth take continually at thoſe Wayes of God, which are far above out of its ſight. That this is the grand deſign of ſuch undertakings, as that of the Learned Biſhop now mentioned, even to force the Myſteries of the Goſpel, to a Condeſcention and ſutablneſſe unto the unpurged Relicks of the Wiſdom of Nature, when all our thoughts ought to be captivated to the obedience thereof, is to me moſt apparent. Whence elſe ſhould it proceed, that ſo many unſcriptural Diſtinctions, of the various Intentions of God in the buſineſs of Redemption, with the holding out for the Confirmation of one part of their Opinion, viz. That Chriſt died for all, and every one, in ſuch a ſenſe, thoſe very Arguments, which the moſt that own the Truth of their Inferences, do imploy meerly againſt the latter part of their Opinion, viz In ſome ſenſe he died only for the Elect, with ſundry inextricable Intanglements, ſhould fill up both the Pages of their Diſcourſes.foreign:
It is no way cleer to me, what Glory redoundeth to the Grace of God, what Exaltation is given to the Death of Chriſt, what Encouragement to ſinners in the things of God, by maintaining, That our Saviour in the Intention, and from the Deſignment of his Father, died for the Redemption of Millions, for whom he purchaſed not one dram of ſaving Grace, and concerning whom, it was the Purpoſe of God from Eternity, not to make out unto them effectually, any of thoſe means for a participation in the fruits of his Death, without which it is impoſſible but it ſhould be uſeleſs and unprofitable unto them:Ignat. ad Phi…ad. and yet this is the main Deſign of that Diſſertation concerning the Death of Chriſt: What in that, and the enſuing Diſcourſe, is argued and contended for, according to the mind of God, we thankfully accept: and had it not been condited with the unſavory ſalt of human wiſdom, it had been exceeding acceptable, eſpecially at this time. For,
2, That there are ſome more than ordinary Endeavors for the Supportment and Re-inforcing of the almoſt conclamated Cauſe of Arminianiſme, foreign.ready to be handed unto publick view, is commonly reported and believed: concerning which alſo many ſwelling words (of which there lies great abundance on every ſide) are daily vented, as of ſome unparalelled product of Truth and Induſtry, as though, Nil oriturum alias, nil ortum tale, Homer Iliad.for the moſt part, by ſuch as are utterly ignorant, how far theſe Controverſies have been ſifted, foreign v.and to what Iſſue they have been driven long ago.
For my part, as I have not as yet of late, heard or read any thing of this kind, either from Publick Diſputes, or in Printed Sheets, but only long ſince exploded Sophiſmes, inconſequent Conſequencies, weak Objections, fully, ſoundly Anſwered many a day ſince, nor by the Taſte which I have already received, have I any Reaſon to expect from the great endeavours which are entring the City of God with Io Triumphs any thing beyond fruitleſſe Attempts to varniſh over with plauſible appearances, formerly decryed Invectives and Reaſonings, whoſe Deformity and Nakedneſs have been often diſcovered to the lothing of them by the Saints of God; ſo I no way doubt,foreign. but that the Lord, whoſe Truth is precious to him, will continue to powre out, from the rich Proviſion which he hath made for the uſe of his Church, and laid it up in the Lord Jeſus, ſutable Gifts and Abilities, Eph. 4. 11, 12, 13.againſt all Oppoſition whereunto by the Craft of Satan it is expoſed: I ſhall ſay no more, though Occaſion be adminiſtred to deplore that ſucceſſe, which the ſpirit of Seduction that is gone out in this hour of Temptation, Haereſes, de quorandam infirmitatibus habēt, quod valent, nihil valētes, ſi in bene valentem fidem in currant. Tertul. de Praeſc. ad Haer. Mat. 24. 24.hath had in prevaiſing upon them that live in the Earth, to turn away their minds from ſound Doctrine and the forme of wholſome words: Only I deſire to Commend the Reader unto thoſe two Apoſtolical Cautions, one, 1 Tim. 1. 18, 19. the other, 1 Tim. 6. 20. and to Commit him to the Grace of God.
May 15th. J. O.