The Fanning and Sifting of Samuel Oates, Treatise 1

The Fanning and Sifting of Samuel Oates · Treatise 1

p. 1SCRIPTVRE-REDEMPTION VINDICATED.

MATH. 13. 44, 45, 46.

The Kingdom of heaven is like unto treaſure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and ſelleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Again, The Kingdom of heaven is like unto a Merchant-man ſeeking goodly pearls:

Who when he had found one pearl of great price, he went and ſold all that he had, and bought it.

I Am occaſionally diverted (Beloved in the Part. 1.Lord) from my ſetled text in John, to this in Matthew, upon which there hath one **M. Oates, Feb. 16. The Munday before our Lecture, Feb. 19.lately, in a private Lecture, given a new Expoſition, and left it among ſome here preſent, others abſent, to be tried by the Scriptures, whether it were ſo, or no; and a publike triall it ſhall have, by the spirits of the Prophets, leſt hereſie, that eats like a Canker, and ſpreads like a Gangrene, prevail and get a predominant head in this Church or village, as it doth elſwhere.

p. 2The words read, contain two Parables, which have (as moſt agree) but one ſcope; but that one ſcope is diverſly, and in a contrary way conſtrued and made out; One (if not one hundred of Interpreters) ſaith, it is to ſet out the effect of Goſpel-doctrine, viz, The love of a believing Christian to Chriſt, and his Gospel-grace. Another, and but one that yet **Since the preaching hereof I hear of an old Poſtiller or two, who give the like GloſſeI have heard of, viz. the late Expoſitour ſaith, in theſe words Chriſt doth ſhew his great love to his, in dying for all the world.

I ſhall firſt vindicate the Text from his corrupt Gloſſes, impertinent Obſervations, and falſe Doctrine; and then give you the true ſcope and ſenſe of the Parables, and not only true, but genuine and proper Obſervations and Doctrines, as God ſhall aſſiſt, and Chriſt who ſpake theſe Parables ſhall declare unto us his minde herein, by his holy Spirit of truth. And

Firſt, Of the corrupt Gloſſe. Corrupt I call it, becauſe 1. His corrupt Gloſſ….1. beſides the true ſcope; 2. with a corrupt end imagined and framed; although here and there a truth came in, yet the whole frame of it was molded to no other end, but to lay a weak foundation for a rotten building; from the mans buying the field, to infer Chriſts univerſall Redemption; for, propounding his Queſtion

1. What is meant by the Kingdom of heaven? The Church 1of God (ſaith he) as Mat. 5. 19. But although in that place, it may be ſo taken, and from thence it was well inferred, That ſuch as break out to preach falſe doctrine, are least to be eſteemed, and there is great reaſon for it, ſaid he, that himſelf (adde I) ſhould drink of the Ale he hath brewed: yet doth it not follow that here the Lord meaneth by the Kingdom, &c. the Church, as there: for there is intended the Church viſible, here is mentioned an hidden treaſure; beſides, this Expoſition contradicts his own after-interpretation of Chriſts purchaſing the field, that is, the world, unleſſe he will make the world and the Church **The reprobate and elect.to be all one purchaſe, which none but irrationall and heterodox men will affirm.

p. 32. By treaſure is meant (as he delivered it) the people of 2God. Now, what though they are in Mal. 3. called Gods jewels? yet not the Treaſure of the Text in hand, for

1. Theſe Parables ſpeak of a Treaſure more eminent then all treaſures, and of a Pearl of greater price, more precious then all other: If the people of God be his Treaſure, yet Chriſt is a greater; and if a Chriſtian be a Pearl in Chriſts eye, yet, I hope, the Lord Jeſus with his Goſpel-grace, is a greater Pearl in a Chriſtians eye.

2. If a Chriſtian be hidden in the rubbiſh of this world, yet that is not intended here, but the hiding and obſcurity of that which is much more ſpirituall, Chriſt himſelfe and his Goſpel.

3. By field ('tis ſaid) is meant the world, or whole company 3of man-kinde, among whom the people of God are hid. A truth it is, they are hid, &c. but not the truth of the Text, nor is it clear and certain, that by field is underſtood all man-kinde: For,

1. Even where in the former Parable of the good ſeed and tares, verſ. 38. the field is the world, yet the world there, is not the world of man-kinde, but the fabrique of this earth and viſible heavens, and the habitable part of the earth, wherein the good ſeed, the children of the Kingdom, and the tares, the children of the wicked one dwell together.

2. It is not [the field] as v. 36. nor [his field] as v. 24. but a field, where the treaſure of the Text is hid; a field by it ſelf, not a common field, but ſome ſpeciall incloſed field, like unto the treaſure, a treaſure not hid, nor to be found in every field.

3. Field and Pearl (it ſeems) he made equivalent, and ſo confounded Church and world, in his ſenſe; But how can this hold, that all the field ſhould be bought, and yet but one pearl, when other pearls there were in the world, which the Merchant-man left unbought? Or, if all the world (of man-kinde) was bought, then all the goodly pearls in it? and yet the Parable ſaith, in effect, the Merchant bought but that one of great price.

p. 4And again, The Pearl here bought is of great price. Now all the world is not of any price to one ſoul, For what ſhall a man give? &c. nor are the ſouls of that worth, as Chriſt and his Goſpel; He cannot, we ſee, temper the Text and his Expoſition thus farre together, but with untempered morter.

In the next place, Who is the man that found the Treaſure 4and Pearl, and ſels all to buy, &c. Was it the Lord Chriſt? (as he affirmed) What though God be ſaid to finde his people, and Chriſt came to ſeek and to ſave the loſt ſheep, groat, and Prodigall? Thoſe Parables, Luk. 15. are of one ſcope, theſe of another; The man thought (it may be) he had been opening, Luk. 15. 3, &c. not Math. 13. 44, &c. and ſo loſt himſelf and the true ſenſe of this preſent Text, which holds forth (as you will perceive more afterwards) the joyes and priviledges of a Chriſtian, finding Chriſt in the Goſpel, not Chriſts priviledges and joyes finding a Chriſtian in the rubbiſh of the world of man-kinde.

Laſtly, By ſelling all (ſaith our new Expoſitour) is understood, 5Christs ſelling all he had, his parting with his glory, his riches of this world, his life, and the ſweet beams of his Fathers love, to purchaſe the whole world, and his people therein. Theſe words are fair and ſpecious, and will take with the fancies of weak men and ſilly women, becauſe of ſome truth therein, as if they were the truth of the Text; but (as before) upon one abſurdity preſumed, as the proper ſenſe, he ſwalloweth many more: And though he thinks he hath found the life and marrow of this parabolicall ſpeech, yet it is but the marrow of his own fancy, That Gods people are like treaſure hid in the field, which when Chriſt hath found, he parted with all he had to buy this field: for if it hath appeared already, that

1. By the Kingdom is not meant the Church: nor

2. By the Treaſure here ſpoken of, is meant the Chriſtian: nor

3. By the field, the world of men: nor

4. By the Pearl, either the world or Church: nor

p. 55. By the man or merchant finding, &c. Chriſt Jeſus: then cannot the ſelling of all, be Chriſts purchaſe of his people, by the parting with all he had to that end: But

Secondly, Let us examine his Obſervations, and ſee how 2. His impertinent obſervations.impertinent they were: Were the Expoſition right, moſt of the obſervations would be right and proper enough, but that foundation being falſe, the building falleth to the ground, As

1. The peculiar people of God, are Gods treaſure and jewels. A truth, but not here to be found.

2. God is found of thoſe that ſought him not. A truth, but not here primarily intended, only preſuppoſed; the Parables ſpeak of mans finding of God in Chriſt, and of Chriſt in the Goſpel, and only preſuppoſeth that God cometh in the Goſpel of the Kingdom, and findes him firſt by the preventing light of his Spirit.

3, The providence of God is a ſtrong Tower. But this tower, not built upon this Text.

4. Gods love is abundantly put forth towards his elect. We grant it, but not as the man intended it here, to obſcure, ſet by, and take no notice of the abundant love of Gods elect towards Chriſt, which he ſpeaks to in this place.

5. Chriſt parted with all his glory for the good of his elect. The Obſervation is good and pious, but not proper to the place; but in that Chriſt did part with all (as we finde it in other Scriptures) and that only for the elect: This indeed makes the Lord Jeſus a Pearl and Treaſure to every true believer, for obtaining of which treaſure, the believer parteth with all his baſeneſſe and glory too, in himſelf or in the world.

6. The Lord Chriſt did give himſelf for the world, that is, the whole world, or number of men in the world. This is the Obſervation, which the Obſervatour called a Doctrine hardly born, and that which I called at firſt a falſe Doctrine (added to his impertinent Obſervation) And which is the

Third thing to be ex…mined by the Scriptures; to which 3. His falſe D…ctrine.touchſtone aſſoon as it is brought, we ſhall finde it hath neither p. 6true footing in the Text, nor foundation elſwhere in the written Word, rightly underſtood.

1. Not in theſe Parables of the Text: For,

1. If we cannot finde it in the Expoſition or meaning of the words, we cannot draw out a Concluſion where there are no premiſes.

2. Parabolicall Texts prove nothing beyond their ſcope.

2. Not in other Scriptures, although the late Interpreters light (as he ſaid) gave him, that Chriſt did die for the whole world, yet when we come to the Law and to the teſtimony, if he (or any man) ſpeaks not according to the Word, in the ſound ſenſe thereof, it is, becauſe there is no light in him, but upon proof and triall, his light will be found darkneſſe, and how great that darkneſſe is, we ſhall judge better with the Candle in our hands; or the Sun beams of Truth before our eyes.

In the ſearch after the falſhood of this his Doctrine, That the Lord did give himſelf for all the world of mankinde, though with a principall eye to his elect;

We will follow the Authours method: firſt, examine his poſitive Scriptures (as he termed them) and then ſuch as are like them, and favour the Doctrine, which he produced for proofs;

And firſt, as touching his poſitive Scriptures, we will not forget his Caution, Take this by the way, that poſitive Scriptures muſt not be overthrown by mans reaſon or conſequence, Heb. 2. 9. vindicated. foreign, ubi annotandum partic…lam univerſalem non complecti ſingulos homines, ſed omnia Chriſti membra in unum corpas conjungere. Bez. ann in loc.Heb 2:9a Caution, that if himſelf had remembred, he might then have been ſilent, or ſince that, have recanted his raſh reaſonings and collections.

His firſt Scripture was that in Heb. 2 9. where Chriſt is ſaid to taste death for every man. I anſwer, This univerſall particle reacheth not to every individuum, or ſingular man, but to every member of Chriſts body; not to every man, as a man, but as a member of Chriſt, which appears,

1. From that precedent clauſe, by the grace of God; to every man that Gods grace extends unto, Chriſts death extends.

p. 72. That all, or every man is expounded by, and confined to many, v. 10.

3. Thoſe many, or all, are ſonnes adopted, and to be adopted.

4. Thoſe adopted ſons ſhall all come to glory, whom Chriſt is there ſaid to taſte death for.

5. Chriſt is the Captain of their ſalvation, for whom he died, all this in verſe 10.

6. They are the ſanctified, and to be ſanctified, v. 11.

7. They are his Brethren, v. 11. and 12.

8. They are all the children of Gods election and regeneration, v. 13, 14.

Beſides, In how many places of Scripture do we finde the particle all, or every one, or every man, taken not for a ſimple and abſolute univerſall, but a meer indefinite expreſſion, or note, of ſo many men, or of ſo many of mankinde, as are of that ſtamp and ſpirit, which that Scripture ſpeaks of: as for inſtance, in one place for many, Luk. 16. 16. 'tis affirmed by our Lord, Every man preſſeth into the Kingdom, which, compared with Mat. 11. 12. you will finde but to be equivalent with the indefinite, the violent, or ſo many as are violent; not every ſingular man and woman, for it was but from Johns time, there was ſuch crouding; and even then many of the Phariſees and Scribes gave way, ſtood at a diſtance, were farre from preſſing in; for they deſpiſed, &c. Luke 7. 30. but numbers, and all thoſe, and only thoſe numbers of the violent (who by faith offered violence to their carnall reaſonings and corrupt hearts, and took hold of the promiſe of the Kingdom) preſſed into it; and yet the expreſſion is every man; So here, Chriſt taſted death, or died for every man; that is, every one, of the number of thoſe many, whom God bears a ſpeciall favour unto, and in due time endueth with his ſpeciall grace of Sonneſhip and ſanctification, unto whom God is, and will be a father, Chriſt a Captain and Elder brother. Now judge ye who have any enlightened reaſons and conſciences, whether this his firſt poſitive Scripture ſpeaks poſitively, and peremptorily of Chriſts p. 8dying for all the world; and not rather reſpectively of every one whom God intends ſalvation unto; and of thoſe only, who are very many in themſelves, and peculiar ones by themſelves.

A ſecond Scripture followeth, 1 Joh. 2. 2. He is the propitiation 1 Joh. 2. 2. opened by the ſcope.1 John 2:2for our ſins, and not for ours only, but alſo for the ſinnes of the whole world, that is, ſaid the Expoſitour, for the whole bulk of men. For anſwer whereunto,And context,

1. The Apoſtle writes not, of no more then to, every ſingular man, in the world, but of and to all believers among the Jews, as is demonſtrable from v. 7. where he ſaith, Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment, which ye had from the beginning, and have heard from the beginning. Now, though the Gentiles had ſomething of the Commandment written in their hearts (before Chriſts coming) yet only the Jew had it written in books, and had heard of it by teachers ſent of God.

2. Leſt it ſhould be thought that Chriſt died only for the believing Jews. The Apoſtle enlargeth his aſſertion, as farre as Chriſt himſelf enlargeth it, Joh. 10. 15, 16. to the Gentiles, ſpread all over the world farre and near; or as Calvin (whoſe Expoſition you may take aſſoon as a Catabaptiſts) the death of Chriſt belongs not to Jews only a part of the Church, but toti Eccleſiae, to the whole Church, or the Church in the whole world, in all ages, Nations, &c. And I ſhall prove it to be the true ſenſe of the words, and the Arminian ſenſe a falſe one, by theſe four Reaſons.And vindicated by reaſons.

1. From a parallel acception of the word world, Rom. 11. 12. where the phraſe Gentiles in the later clauſe, explains the phraſe world in the former: If the fall of them (the Jews) be the riches of the world, viz. of Gentiles; and yet when S. Paul cals the Gentiles the world, he doth not mean every ſingular Gentile, much leſſe every ſingular man and woman, what or whereſoever, no more doth S. John here in the place we are opening and vindicating, but he meaneth that Chriſt is a propitiation for the ſins of all that did, or ſhould believe, p. 9or were of Gods number among the world of Gentiles, as alſo the phraſe is uſed in the ſame ſenſe, 1 Tim. 3. 16. preached unto verſ. 1.the Gentiles, believed on in the world.

2. The Apoſtle ſpeaks here of that world for which Chriſt is an Advocate, as well as a Propitiation. Now he is not an Advocate for all the world, or the whole bulk of men, but for thoſe that ſhall beleeve, Joh. 17. 20. and that come unto God by him, Heb. 7. 25. Nay, he praied not for the world at all, being contradiſtinct to thoſe that God had given him, Joh. 17 9.

3. As the whole world in ſome places is taken for the worſer Cùm mundus totus pejorem hominum partem ſolam denotat. 1 Joh. 5. 19. Apoc. 12. 9. Cur non ad potiorem etiam applicari poſſit, ego quidem nullus video Ames Cor. p. 139.1 John 5:19Rev 12:9part of men alone by themſelves, 1 Joh. 5. 19. Revel. 12. 9. why may it not? why ought it not be applied (in this and other Scriptures) to the better part or ſort of men alone by themſelves?

4. The immediate ſcope of the Apoſtle is to comfort believers, falling into ſin, which comfort is peculiar to them, not of one Nation only, but of every Nation under heaven, If any man ſin, verſ. 1. We have an Advocate, for whom? for all? no, for any man of us, the children of God, begotten by the Apoſtles Miniſtery, who is our, and all others propitiation and Advocate, that are come in by the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, as we are. Thus you ſee that this Scripture, which ſeemeth to be moſt poſitive and point blank for the Arminian-Anabaptiſt, is a blank, and ſaith nothing in true interpretation, but what is deſtructive to their errour of univerſall Redemption.

A third witneſſe muſt be heard ſpeak, and that is, 2 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15 vindicated.2 Cor 5:142 Cor 5:1514. 15. Becauſe we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead, and that he died for all, that they which live, ſhould not henceforth live unto themſelves, but unto him which died for them, and roſe again. This Scripture was ſet upon the rack, the other day, and made to ſpeak for that which it doth not intend; by putting a new ſcope upon the words, as if they came in to anſwer ſuch a queſtion as this; Whether all were dead or no? A new fancy! where findes he it, that the Corinthians were in ſuch miſtakes? But in his p. 10own fancy-full opinion, that all were not dead in ſinnes by Adam, even the elect, as well as others: The Arminian ſaith, all did not die in Adam, nor are they dead in ſins, &c. The Apoſtle ſaith, All were dead, and his ſcope is (from verſ. 9.) to excite others with himſelf to be ambitious of pleaſing God, though it be with the diſpleaſing of our ſelves, one reaſon hereof is drawn from the generall judgement, ver. 10, 11. A ſecond from the ſpeciall conſtraining love of Chriſt, who died for thoſe that were as dead as others; even all of them that Chriſt died for were dead (that is not queſtion'd, but taken for granted) what then? ſhall Chriſts death for any that he died for be fruitleſſe? No, a two-fold fruit comes forth,

1. They live, a new life.

2. That life is no more to themſelves, but unto him which died for them: They muſt needs deny themſelves and the carnall applauſe of men (as we do, ſaith the Apoſtle) and ſtudy to be pleaſing to God. So that if you take the ſcope of the words along with you, it is not to hold forth a generall atonement, but speciall mortification, or dying to a mans ſelf, and living unto Chriſt, who died for him; and I adde, what the Apoſtle addeth, and roſe again: implying, he hath no purpoſe to extend Chriſts death for any, further then he doth his reſurrection; the fruit whereof goeth along with the fruit of his death; the proper and immediate fruit of his death being to kill and crucifie ſelf-eſteem, and to die unto creature-applauſe, verſ. 12. 16. And the proper and immediate fruit of his reſurrection (in all that he died for) being to make them non-Creatures, and to live to him which died, and roſe again for them.

A fourth Scripture-witneſſe called in, was, Rom. 5. 14. Who (viz. Adam) is the figure of him that was to come. Now Rom. 5. 14. vindicated.Rom 5:14Adam was an univerſall perſon, and all died in him, therefore the ſecond Adam, Chriſt, redeemed all, elſe the type was greater then the ſubstance.

Anſw. 1. Every man and woman ſinned and died in Adam, becauſe they were all in him, as in a common root and ſtock, p. 11and accordingly all and every one who are in Chriſt, the common root and ſtock of branches truly ingraffed into him: and ſo you muſt underſtand, verſ. 18. The free gift comes upon all (who are in Chriſt the ſecond Adam) to juſtification of life.

2. In this true ſenſe of the Apoſtle, The figure is not greater ver. 20.then the ſubſtance; for take the Apoſtle not only as he meaneth, but as he ſpeaketh; and it is a ſure truth, That where ſinne abounded, grace did much more abound: though it abounds not to moe perſons, nor reacheth to half ſo many, yet in this Chriſt redeemed as much, and more then Adam loſt, that Adam loſt but the righteouſneſſe of the Law, and of a meer man, Chriſt reſtoreth his own righteouſneſſe, the Goſpel-righteouſneſſe of him that is God; we are condemned by the ſinne of man, but juſtified by the obedience and bloudſhed of God, Act. 20. 20. And all who are in Chriſt receive this abounding grace, Rom. 5. 17.

Thus you ſee theſe four poſitive Scriptures, called in as witneſſes, ſpeak nothing for, but rather much againſt univerſall Redemption. It is a ſtrange boldneſſe to call forth Scripture to witneſſe againſt it ſelf; may any man take that boldneſſe? No, let their mouths firſt be ſtopped and ſilenced for ever, who are ſuch falſe criers and intelligencers, as to bring an evil report upon the Scriptures.

Now let us examine thoſe which are like the former, and ſeem, as he ſaid, to favour that which he cals truth, and we errour and hereſie too.

Firſt, That in John 3. 14, 15, 16. The Queſtion was, whether Moſes did lift up the ſerpent to all, or not; if to all, then Joh. 3 14, &c.John 3:14Chriſt not dying for all, the type will be more then the ſubſtance, therefore it cannot be, but he muſt die for all.

Anſw. 1. The ſcope of that type is given by the Lord himſelf; the Serpent was lifted up, to hold out Chriſt lifted up vindicated.on the croſſe, and in the Goſpel; and as the Serpent was lifted up to all who ſhould lift up their eyes, and look upon it to be healed: So Chriſt is lifted up to, and for all, which ſhall lift up the eyes of their faith, that they may be ſaved; we p. 12here agree, that as none are healed, but thoſe that looked up, ſo none are ſaved, but ſuch as believe (ſtill, as in all ſuch Scriptures, take it for the adul…i, or thoſe of years) and in this reſpect the type is not more then the ſubstance.

2. What gets he by ſaying, The Serpent was lifted up to all in the wilderneſſe? Were not all in the wilderneſſe the Church typicall? And who denieth that Chriſt gave himſelf for the Church, or his whole body myſticall, Epheſ. 5. 23, 26? Act. 7. 38.Acts 7:38This text then in John, favours beleevers, and Chriſts dying for them, not the &c. of all the world. But to v. 16. what doe we ſay? even what we have ſaid before unto 1 Joh. 22. that the world of Iews and Gentiles, are ſo loved, that whoſoever he be, Iew or Gentile, and beleeveth, he ſhall not periſh, &c.

Suppoſe it ſo, will ſome ſay, as our adverſary ſaid in his diſcourſe, in granting that, there is nothing loſt: Yes, but there is, on his part; 1. In that he gets nothing for the upholding of his opinion by ſuch an Expoſition, he loſeth: 2. He loſeth by being convinc't, this is an Expoſition ſtands with good ſenſe; the Noun partitive [whoſoever] ſtrengthening and attending the diſtributive ſenſe of the word [world] into Iew and Gentile, whoſoever, viz. of the world, be he Jew, or be he Gentile, and beleeveth: And if this be good ſenſe, and moſt agreeable to other Scriptures; neither he, nor any man is forc't (for the avoiding of non-ſenſe) to run to the Arminian interpretation of [world] for every ſingular man, of every kinde or ſort of men; for it is neither ſaid, nor meant that God loved every man, and gave his ſon for him, but God [ſo] loved the world (or common nature and kinde of men, or mankinde indefinitely taken, and found among Jews and Gentiles) that he gave his Son, that every believer, or every one that beleeveth (ſo the Greek ſtrictly) in him ſhould not periſh, &c. Obſerve it, Gods love foreign.is in order and reference to the gift of Chriſt, and the gift of Chriſt in order and reference to the gift of faith: and that in reference to ſalvation, there is no ſeparating of theſe links of the golden chain; which they do, who would make Gods love, and the gift of Chriſt common to thoſe, to whom faith and ſalvation is not common.

p. 13A ſecond favourable Scripture, which the man imagined to ſmile upon his opinion, is in Ioh. 1. 29. Behold the lamb of Joh. 1. 29. vindicated.John 1:29God, which taketh away the ſinne of the world: Yet this is a place of as great fears to him, as hopes; for putting forth the Queſtion, What is meant here by the world, he anſwered himſelf thus, If not as we expreſt before, that is, for the whole bulk of men, we are left in the briars.

Now to examine and anſwer to it a little; firſt, take notice, 1that in this Scripture Iohn Baptiſt ſpeaketh not of Chriſts death expreſly, but of the fruit thereof, Taking away ſin. So that if any will prove Chriſts dying for all from hence, he muſt hold with all, that by that death of his, the ſin of all men is expiated and ſatisfied for; and here indeed the man hath brought himſelf into the briars, get out how he can; for he did peremptorily affirm, That though Chriſt did not bear the unbelief of any, but of the elect **Nor is he ſtedfaſt in that faith, but is of opinion (unles he be changed ſince he was here) that all the ſatisfaction the father demands and accepts for the elects ſinnes againſt the Goſpel, is the ſenſe of his wrath upon their conſciences., yet he bare the curſe of the Law for ſuch as are not elect: which if he did hold according to Scripture, he muſt proceed with S^t Paul, and affirm that which is peculiar to the elect; Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the Law, that the bleſſing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Ieſus Chriſt, Gal. 3. 13, 14. Behold here, a Gospel-bleſſing comes upon all thoſe, who are freed from the Legall-curſe, and if then the non-elected, by this mans doctrine have the one; he muſt yeeld the other alſo; if freed from the curſe, they are bleſſed, juſtified and ſaved ones, this is worſe then non-ſenſe, even impure blaſphemy againſt the truth.

That world is here meant, from whom ſin in the latitude 2and utmoſt extent is taken away, viz. Sin originall, ſin actuall, ſinne in the guilt, and ſinne in the power; and who ſhall certainly be ſaved perfectly, as inchoatively: But all men never had, nor ſhall have their ſin originall and actuall, in the guilt and power, and in all it's dimenſions and damnable conſequences taken away, therefore not all and every ſingular perſon in the world is here underſtood.

Take the true meaning of the words, thus, as I conceive,

p. 141. That which is the common ſinne of the world (ſo it be not the ſin of the holy Ghoſt, totall and finall apoſtacy, and the ſinne of the devils and damned, totall and finall deſpair) Christ taketh away; from whom? from thoſe to whom he is a lamb, and for whom he was ſacrificed: And he totally and finally giveth out this vertue of his death to any one in the world, who takes hold of him as an All-ſufficient expiation.

2. And again, there is not any one ſinne taken away, but by him (there much of the emphaſis lieth) nor any one ſinner in the world pardoned, but by his ſatisfaction to the Father. Look not upon me (as if Iohn Baptiſt ſhould have ſaid) nor upon the water of Baptiſme; as if the Miniſter or ſacramentall ſign, did or could take away ſin, but behold, and behold him with the eye of faith, as of ſenſe, who taketh away the ſin of all, who have their ſins taken away in the whole world.

Object. It may be replied, 'tis of the world, not in the world.

Anſw. And why? becauſe in themſelves, they are exceeding many, whoſe ſinne Chriſt taketh away (reckon them up, if you can, in all ages and countreys, &c.) ſo the world is uſed, Ioh. 12. 19.

Obj. It may be argued and urged further, the Greek word is, foreign, who beareth, and ſo Chriſt bare all the worlds ſinne, though all be not ſaved by him.

Anſw. 1. Chriſt ſo bare the ſins of men, as he takes them away from them, by pardon, mortification, ſalvation, and that is the full ſignification of the word, he ſo beareth ſin as a Surety another mans debt, which he taketh off the debtours ſhoulders, and ſets him at liberty: Chriſt ſo bare the ſin of men upon the Croſſe, as to aboliſh guilt and enmity, and to obtain eternall redemption for us, Heb. 9. 12.

2. His bearing of the worlds ſin mentioned here in Iohn, is limited to the ſin of many, Iſa. 53. ult. though being very many in themſelves, they are called the world here and elſwhere. This Scripture we ſee, favours not the errour of univerſall atonement, p. 15but the truth of Chriſts bearing away the ſins only of his people, and of no more.

A third followeth, Joh. 4 42. We know that this is indeed Joh. 4 42. anſwered and cleared.John 4:42the Christ, the Saviour of the world; what ſay you to that?

Anſw. Beloved, the light we have given you into the fore-cited Texts might ſuffice for anſwer here, and ſave me a further labour; but that the Expoſitour beſtowed much pains to pull down the truth, and it were a ſhame, if I ſhould not work as long and longer then two hours, to build up the breaches, which this plunderer of the Scripture hath made amongſt you. I obſerve alſo that ſome are ſtaggered at his gloſſes upon one Scripture, ſome upon another.

Firſt then, Conſider who ſpake theſe words; Samaritans 1newly converted to the faith, who, if they had not apprehended him to be the Saviour of more then beleeving Jews, could not tell where to have ſet their foot, but we Samaritans of the Gentiles have heard him, and doe know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of Iews and Gentiles all over the world.

Secondly, The Saviour they call him: what, an imperfect, 2or perfect one? If he ſaveth all the world (take it in the Arminian ſenſe) yet it is but imperfectly: and what blaſphemy is this again, to render him but an imperfect Saviour, yea, but a titular Saviour, not ſo in truth? For thus I argue: Either he ſaveth in truth and perfectly, and that is but ſome, or all in title and ſhew, and that is, not at all; and ſo in making him a generall Saviour, they make him none at all.

Thirdly, I cannot ſee (though I deſire to be as charitable 3as I may) but that the Arminians and their followers, in alleadging this place, muſt fight againſt their own light, for they ſay, though Chriſt died for all, yet he ſaveth not all; why then is this Scripture mentioned, which ſpeaketh not of Chriſts death, but of the fruit of it, Salvation to Iews and Samaritans, and to any other of the world, who ſhall hear and believe as they did.

p. 16A fourth place, Luke 2. 10. Fear not, for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which ſhall be to all people, that Luk. 2 10. vindicated.Luke 2:10a Saviour is borne, &c. How could it be great joy to hear that Chriſt was come, and yet not dye for all people?

Anſw. 1. To the ſhepherds of Bethlem (being Iews) is 1this Goſpel of Chriſts birth, and of ſalvation by his birth and death publiſhed, as Act. 10. 36. The word which God ſent to the children of Iſrael, and ſent and spoke it first to them, Act. 13. 46. Yet not only to them, but to all people, or to all Nations afterward, in Aſia, Africa, Europe, France, Spain, England. As Saint Iohn enlargeth Caiaphas Joh. 11. 51, 52.John 11:51John 11:52ſpeech, when he prophecied that one man ſhould die for that Nation, viz. of the Jews, and not for that Nation only, &c. Where I beſeech you obſerve his limitation, with his enlargement; his enlargement in theſe words, Not for that Nation only, but that alſo he ſhould gather together in one; his reſtriction or limitation in theſe, the children of God that were ſcattered abroad. Whence a ſecond anſwer,

Though the Goſpel, or good tidings comes to all people, 2,yet it comes with this limitation, that Chriſt died intentionally and only for the children of Gods election ſcattered in all Nations.

Whoſoever, of any Nation, hearing this Gospel ſhall beleeve, it will be matter of great joy, and becauſe there will be 3ſome of every Nation that are the choſen of God and believers, who ſhall finde this true Treaſure and precious Pearl, it ſhall and will be matter of great joy to all people, or as it is in the Greek foreign, to all the people; or, to all that people, that is, all the people of God, or flock of Chriſt, whom, and whom only he came to ſave, Mat. 1. 21.

The falſe gloſſe would make it matter of joy to men, and to 4all people before they believe: tell me, can there be joy before faith? I have preached the Goſpel here theſe 14. years, have ye rejoyced in it who have not beleeved? No, yet I will aſſure you, there will be joy in and after beleeving. Every one hath joy in Chriſt the Treaſure and Pearl, not as another p. 17firſt, but as he before another findes it; or, not as all finde the pearl, for all never did, or will finde it, but as himſelf findes it. So that this Scripture favours beleevers, and the people and children of God, but not an unbeleever, any further then that he is of ſuch a Nation, where God hath ſome people of his own, and where he is called outwardly, and commanded to beleeve; it ſaith not, That Chriſt died for all and every ſingular man, but that he is a Saviour to Jews and Gentiles, and that he died for the people of Gods love, in all Nations.

A fifth Scripture was the Parable recorded, Math. 22. The Parable, Mat. 22. abuſedMatt 22from v. 1. to 10. the contents whereof (as he laid them out) were theſe four,

1. Here is a feaſt of fat things prepared, as Prov. 9. Iſa. 25. The fatling killed, is Chriſt alone.

2. Thoſe ſent are the Miniſters of the Goſpel, who first invited the Iews, and from thence went to the Gentiles.

3. The perſons they are ſent to invite, all the whole world, good and bad, which he ranck't into three ſorts, Wicked men, Hypocrites, and true beleevers.

4. The end; Now to what end is it to preach to all, if Chriſt did not die for all, though with a ſpeciall eye to the elect. Thus farre our new Expoſitour.

Anſ. 1. Neither the ſcope of Chriſts Parable in this place, & vindicated.nor of his true Miniſters preaching of it, or of the invitation 1of all to the feaſt, is to ſhew that Chriſt died for all, but that many are called, and few are choſen, as our Lord himſelf gives forth his own minde, v. 14. If God will call more then he hath choſen, or doth manifeſt that he hath choſen, ſhall any man (as this man) be ſo bold as to ask, to what end is it to preach to all? But

Secondly, If he would know, it is for the elects ſake, that 2we preach to all; though Chriſt did not die for all to ſave the elect: but to ſave the elect, he dieth for them, and them only. And let no man, nor this man talk of Chriſts ſpeciall eye to the elect, if it be not a ſingle eye fixt upon the elect, and the elect only; he doth as much as he can (by this doctrine of univerſall p. 18Redemption) to put out that eye of Chriſt, but before he ſhall doe it, his right eye ſhall be utterly darkned.

Obj. But if Chriſt died not for all, the man who had not the wedding garment might have ſaid; why, Chriſt died not for me.

Anſw. 1. In that he was ſpeechleſſe, he had more ingenuity (it ſeems) then ſuch as make this objection.

2. Chriſts call, and mans hypocriticall anſwer (when tis given) leaves men without excuſe or plea.

It was ſixthly argued from all the Scriptures which hold forth types, Me thinkes (ſaid he) they doe all of them Typicall Scriptures.ſomething hold out this truth; And how? Becauſe a Sacrifice did type out for all Iſrael, and if Chriſt do not redeem all, the type is greater then the thing typed.

Anſwered. Anſw. This is the third time that he hath harped upon this ſtring, about the type and the ſubſtance: Now to what I have ſaid before, touching the brazen Serpent and Adam; I adde,

1. What looſe we, or the truth, and what gets he, and his errour if we ſay, that in ſome reſpect the types were more then the ſubſtance (did you never obſerve the ſhadow greater or longer then your body; when you walk in the Sunſhine morning or evening?) And eſpecially if we reckon up the types by number, many were the types and ſhadows of one Chriſt; yet one Chriſt is greater for ſpirituall truth and ſubſtance, then all ſhadows.

2. He did very unhappily inſtance in the ſacrifice for all Iſrael; for all Iſrael was typicall, as well as the Sacrifice: As all the ſacrifices typed out one Chriſt, ſo all Iſrael typed out, whom? Not all the world, but the only Dove and Spouſe of Chriſt, the Church Catholike, conſiſting not of every man and woman, but of the elect of God, whether men of years or infants, in all ages and places; and this ſubstance ſure is as great as the type, even for number alſo, Rev. 5. 9. compared with cap. 7. 9. and Gen. 15. 5. compared with Rom. 4. 18. Let him that readeth underſtand.

p. 19A ſeventh place produced, as in favour of his opinion, was, 1 Tim. 2. 6. He gave himſelf a ranſome for all, to be testified 1 Tim. 2. 6. vindicated.1 Tim 2:6in due time. And when was that time Christ gave his father ſatisfaction for all? From the time that Adam fell, when men were in the loins of Adam, and whole Adam, elſe if his ſurety had not then died, he had died, and all in him?

Anſw. 1. We grant in the Apoſtles ſenſe, not the Arminians, that Chriſt gave himſelf a ranſome for all, It is a teſtimony in it's proper ſeaſon **foreign., as in the Greek, to be held forth; but what the Apoſtles ſenſe is, you may eaſily gather by looking back to ver. 1, 2, &c. Some of all ſorts, Kings, and men of Authority Chriſt gave himſelf a ranſome for, as well as for meaner perſons, therefore pray them in to the truth, &c.

2. Who denieth, what the Scripture elſewhere affirmeth, That Chriſt was a Lamb ſlain from the beginning of the world, being promiſed and prophecied of from the beginning that he ſhould be ſlain, and vertually his bloud was ſhed, and his grace was effectuall to the ranſoming of all ſorts of believers from the firſt, but here, Latet anguis in herba, under this green graſſe lieth hid a biting Serpent; for when Chriſt is revealed upon Adams fall, whole Adam, as he expreſt it, or all mankinde is interpreted to be ranſom'd with Adams perſon, that day wherein he fell; which I will diſprove by theſe evidences.

1. As ſoon as Chriſt is revealed, and with the firſt Goſpel that ever was preached, a difference is made and declared by God himſelf, between one part of mankinde and another, Gen. 3. 15.

2. Adam as ſoon as fallen, is no longer a publike perſon, nor doth Chriſt (by that promiſe) undertake for Adam, and all his poſterity; 'tis well if Adam (now in a private capacity) can eſcape for one; the Covenant of Redemption is not founded in him, but in the ſeed of the woman, the Lord Jeſus; nor is Adams enmity with Satan, and reconciliation with God there mentioned, but only the womans, and her ſeed, partly expreſt, partly implied.

p. 203. All died, as they ſinned in Adam, before this promiſe, but the promiſe is not made of, or to all mankinde who died vertually in him, only of and to the woman is it ſpoken, and her ſeed, the principall whereof ſhould be the redeemer, and the reſt of her ſeed, the redeemed ones of the Lord, between whom and the old Serpent, Satan and his ſeed, there ſhould be irreconcilable enmity.

4. If you would know who, and who only, and what number they are, for whom (if you ſpeak of the certain individuals) the Lamb was a ranſome from the beginning, you muſt wait till the Lambs book of life be opened, of which we read, Revel. 13. 8. and 17. 8. where plainly you may learn; That

1. He was not ſlain for any, firſt or laſt, but for ſuch whoſe names are in his book.

2. Comparing thoſe Texts with Rev. 13. 3. there are a world of people, whoſe names are not written in his book, therefore not ſlain (in the Arminian ſenſe) for all the world; nor muſt this laſt place in Timothy, nor any of the former be ſo underſtood.

We have now done with the Scriptures alleadged and abuſed by him, and vindicated by us, which I deſire you to hold faſt in the true ſenſe, not in a perverted interpretation; theſe were his out-works, which we have taken, and poſſeſſe we them for the Truth: Come we at length to batter down the enemies Forts and ſtrong-holds of his carnall-reaſonings, and confident arguments.

Two Reaſons, and two Arguments were brought to prove his Doctrine, That Chriſt gave himſelf for the whole world: Now ſuch as have ſtudied Logick, or artificiall reaſoning, know no difference between Reaſons and Arguments; for it they be Reaſons, and do not argue, they are irrationall Reaſons; and if they be Arguments without reaſon, they are unreaſonable Arguments. But to follow him in his own method, and to deal with him at his own weapon; If we have taken the Scriptures out of his mouth, we ſhall not doubt but to take his weapon… of Reaſon and Argument out of his hand; or leave p. 21him a bare Sceleton of reaſon, without fleſh or ſubſtance, much leſſe having any ſoul or life of faith, or divine truth in his aſſertions.

And firſt of the two Reaſons;

Reaſon 1. Reaſons diſproved.The whole harmony of the Scriptures (ſuch as he had proved his point withall) are they not enough, and do they not ſound all one way?

Anſw. 1. Call to minde every of thoſe Scriptures, but remember their ſenſe, as well as their ſound; He is a fooliſh man who thinkes, as the bell tinks. Nor yet do the Scriptures give an uncertain ſound, but in opening and examining of them, with the context and ſcope, and with other Scriptures, you hear with one conſent, they ſpeak not abſolutely of Chriſts dying for all, but of, and for ſuch an all, and ſuch a world, as is the all, and the whole world of believers, elect, Gods people, his true Iſrael, ſome of all ſorts of people, out of all Nations ſome.

2. Search and conſult with other Scriptures, which neither he, nor I have yet mention'd, and you will be more fully convinc't, that we have the truth with us, and that this Doctrine of Chriſts dying for the whole bulk of men, is another Gospel from that which Chriſt and his Apoſtles, or we from them have ever preached.

I ſhall inſtance but in three places, the firſt in

Joh. 15. 10. Greater love hath no man then this, that a man lay down his life for his friends; and preſently to ſhew whom he laid down his life for, he addeth, v. 11. Ye are my friends, &c. It is moſt true what the Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 5. 10. When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God, by the death of his Sonne; But

1. What [We] meaneth he there? Not all men, but ſuch as are justified by faith, and have peace with God, by faith, v. 1.

2. Though the elect of God are enemies, as conſidered in themſelves, and in their naturall eſtate, yet being loved of God from eternity, with the love of good pleaſure, they have a price laid down for them by Chriſts death, to bring them p. 22under the love of friendſhip; and when they do actually believe, they are actually reconciled, and of enemies are made friends: ſo that Chriſt laid down his life for ſuch, as were in Gods choice and love, his friends; and by Chriſts death, and the fruits of it, brought into a ſtate of actuall friendſhip. A ſecond follows,

John 10. 15. And I lay down my life for the ſheep, whom in the verſe precedent, he had called, his ſheep. See here, I beſeech you, ye that love the truth, and love not to be ſeduced (though that is a weak property of ſheep, to wander) yet if you be Chriſts ſheep, hear the voice of the good ſhepherd, and not of ſtrangers; for whom doth Chriſt himſelf ſay that he died? he beſt knows, and is only able to reſolve this doubt; why, if you will believe him, who is truth it ſelf, I lay down my life for my ſheep, he doth not ſay for goats at all, but for the ſheep; behold and hearken after the harmony 'tween this and the fore-alleadged Scriptures; certainly, where Chriſt or his Apoſtles ſpeak in larger tearms of all, and world, and whole world, muſt not theſe tearms be limited to Christs ſheep? It was a ſubtill counſel your new Lecturer gave you, that other Scriptures, which he cited in the ſecond place, as but favouring his opinion, ſhould be expounded by the poſitive Scriptures; but be you as wiſe, as he was ſubtle, and learn to reduce all his poſitive Scriptures (which yet had Synecdoches in them, of the whole for a part, or of the generall for the ſpeciall) to and by this main Poſition of our Lord, a fundamentall truth. Let this be firſt laid down, I lay down my life for my ſheep; and whoſoever ſhall (after ſo plain a foundation laid by Chriſt himſelf in his Word, and by his Spirit in your hearts) teach univerſall Redemption, or Chriſts dying for the bulk of mankinde, tell him he doth nothing elſe, but build hay and ſtubble upon the foundation; nay, he doth yet more wickedly, even lay another foundation with Chriſt, or beſides his purpoſe. A third and laſt, is in theſe words,

Ioh. 17. 19. For their ſakes I ſanctifie my ſelf. Chriſts ſanctifying himſelf, is his preparation for death, ſetting himſelf p. 23apart to die; for whom? for their ſakes, his eleven Apoſtles, not Iudas, v. 12. and for thoſe which ſhould and ſhall believe on him through the Apoſtles doctrine; this is not for the ſake of all men, that he ſo much as prepares to die, much leſſe that he died for them, for whom he fitted not himſelf to die in their behalf.

So as you ſee to make up the harmony and conſent in Scripture, you muſt (as on a muſicall inſtrument) not put on great ſtrings only, but the ſmaller alſo, and in a Conſort, take the Tenour and Counter-tenour with the Baſe: You muſt not only hearken to the loud noiſe of the world, and the ſound of all, all, &c. but take in the ſmaller ſounds of ſheep and friends, and believers, and then, when we have the Scriptures in a compleat harmony ſet together, they doe all unanimouſly make againſt univerſall Redemption, not for it.

Behold the firſt Reaſon, is without an Argument.

2Reaſon 2. If Chriſt did not die for all, every one could not have a ground of believing the report of the Gospel.

Anſw. What, is there no ground of beleeving, but upon a falſe Alarme and Report, as this man hath brought amongſt you?

1. This Reaſon is the voice of unbelief; The Arminian Doctrine helpes a lame Dogge over the stile, viz. An unbeleeving heart to reaſon againſt the truth, becauſe all men are not bought and redeemed by Chriſt, therefore I muſt not beleeve. I ſay again, this is nothing elſe but the language of unbeliefe, beware of it.

2. I retort it; To lay forth this Doctrine before carnall men, That Chriſt died for all, is to lay a ſtumbling block before the blinde, and to throw duſt in the eyes of faith, the faith of Gods elect, that it ſhall not ſee at all, but live by ſenſe, and not by it's own principles, or not ſee by it's owne eyes. Beloved, in true beleeving there is a myſtery: When Chriſt dying for ſinners, is preached to the world, it is a ſelf-denying act to beleeve p. 24in him, before I know I am of Gods ſecret number of the names in the Lambs book, for whom Chriſt died, but 'tis no ſelf-deniall, when I hear Chriſt died for all, to beleeve I am one. This Doctrine then is an enemy to true beleeving, and indeed, a falſe Doctrine (as I called it at firſt, and have ſo proved it) can beget but a falſe faith, that which is but temporary, not to be nouriſhed or cheriſhed by any true teacher or diſpenſer of the word.

3. Is there no ground of believing, except Chriſt died for all? I will name you a few (without this) and ſufficient, I ſuppoſe to convince and draw a ſoul to believing.

1. That Propoſition, or true and faithfull ſaying, 1 Tim. 1. 15.

2. The Command, Believe, God bids thee believe; faith is obedience to the Command, Rom. 16. 26.

3. The Promiſe; He that beleeveth ſhall not periſh, Joh. 3. 16. but he hath everlaſting life; Joh. 6. 47. and ſhall certainly be ſaved, Act. 16. 31.

4. Gods act of juſtifying the ungodly, Rom. 4. 5.

5. Gods raiſing Chriſt from the dead, Rom. 4. 24. 1 Pet. 1. 20, 21. conſult and ponder the places.

6. This very Propoſition, That Chriſt died but for ſome, namely, for his ſheep, hath been a ground of believing, as Joh. 10. 15, &c. after much diſcourſe about his ſheep, and dying for them, the reſult and cloſe is, v. ult. And many beleeved on him there.

7. Chriſt himſelf held forth (indefinitely) as a ſufficient, neceſſary, and only meane of ſalvation, which, who ſo believeth Ames. Anti. Synodatia. 188.in, chuſeth and relieth upon (under that notion) may be ſure, that Chriſt hath an effectuall intention and purpoſe of ſaving him. So the Apoſtle Paul, and others held forth Chriſt: We preach Chriſt crucified unto the Jews indeed (who will not ſee ſufficiency) a ſtumbling blocke; and unto the Greeks 1 Cor. 1. 23, 24.1 Cor 1:231 Cor 1:24(who will not ſee the neceſſary determinations of Gods wiſdom this way) fooliſhneſſe; But unto them which are called, perſwaded to hearken after a crucified Saviour, the ſufficiency, neceſſity, and ſole-ſoveraignty of his ſoul-ſaving bloud and palſion, p. 25Christ the power of God, and the wiſdom of God; ſo we preach, ſo Gods elect do believe, though they know not at the firſt, whether they be of the number for whom Chriſt was crucified; Hence,

Fourthly and laſtly, I anſwer, The firſt act of thy faith is not to beleeve Chriſt died for all, or for thee in particular (the one is not true, the other is not certain to thee, till thou beleeveſt) but this is that thou art called unto, to believe in Chriſt, as dying for ſinners, and able and willing to ſave thee beleeving; then when thou comeſt to reflect upon thy faith, thou ſhalt finde Chriſt died for thee; not one man or perſon (of years) more then other is included or excluded, but by his faith or unbelief.

Behold again, his ſecond Reaſon without an Argument, viz. without nerves or ſinews of truth, to argue for this tenet of his, and of all unbeleevers in a practicall way: Let none then go away from ſuch a Lecture, and ſay, We were led into, and kept in errour all this time (for we were taught, that we must first know we were elected, before we ſhould beleeve; but now, that we hear Chriſt died for all, we ſee ground for beleeving) for it is as much as your ſouls are worth, to miſcarry here, you may be loſt for ever upon this verticall point: For I deny, that Chriſts dying for all, or Gods electing of ſome, and the particular knowledge of it, is the foundation that we lay for mens beleeving; not the firſt, becauſe falſe; not the later, becauſe though it be moſt true, that God gave his Sonne for none but his elect; yet that thou ſhouldeſt know thy ſelf of the number before thou believeſt, who but ignorant men will teach ſo? who but ignorant hearts will think ſo? Election is a cauſe of beleeving, and ſo many as are ordained to life, have and ſhall believe, Act. 13. 48. And if men doe finally perſiſt in unbelief, it is a ſign they are not of Chriſts ſheep, Joh. 10 26. He that would know his election or redemption before he believeth, is never like to know it.

2. Come we to his Arguments (as he cals them)

Arg. 1. Arguments diſarmed. The. 1.From the text, Math. 22. 14. Many are called, but few are choſen; It was thus argued;

p. 26If Chriſt died for all that are called, he died for more then the elect, but he died for all that are called, elſe they ſhould not have been called, or being called they are bound to believe that which is falſe, if Chriſt did not die for them.

Anſw. I deny the Aſſumption, and the two proofs of it.

The Aſſumption to be denied of you, beloved, as of my ſelf, is this, That Chriſt died for all that are called, tis a preſumption without any found proof: for

1. The firſt proof, Elſe they ſhould not have been called, is a non ſequitur, or a falſe conſequence, for many are called, becauſe among the many, God hath his choiſe number, and will one day more diſtinguiſh them (before all the world) then yet he doth, as in verſ. 47. The Parable following theſe of the Text.

2. The ſecond proof proves not that it is brought for, Being called they are bound to believe that which is true or falſe, and if Christ did not die for them and for all, they are bound to beleeve that which is falſe; thus he argued. And thus I anſwer, as to the ſecond of his Reaſons before; Every man that is called is bound to believe that which is true, viz. That Christ died for ſinners. Again, he is bound to believe in Chriſt for himſelf, though not for all others, The juſt ſhall live by his faith: And again, all that are called hearing Chriſt died for ſome (even all comers) that is enough, though he knows not who are the particulars, it is his duty to yeeld obedience to Gods call; ſeeing he knows he is called, and when he hath obeyed that call, he may and ſhall know he is choſen, and that Chriſt died for him, ſo as this Argument, which hath a flouriſh from Scripture, and a ſhew of Reaſon, yet hath no ſolidity or truth of reaſon in it.

His ſecond Argument was from 2 Pet. 2. 2. There is mention made of ſome that denied the Lord that bought them: now The. 2.ſure it was none of the elect that denied their Lord, therefore Chriſt bought more then the elect; thus he argued, and thus I diſarm his Argument.

Anſw. 1. It is poſſible for a time, and in ſome act or word, p. 27or doctrine, even for the elect to deny their Lord; in a degree, did not Peter once, twice or thrice?

2. It doth not follow, that though the Apoſtle may and doth ſpeak of ſome not-elected, Chriſt our Lord had bought more then the elect. No, you will ſay, it is affirmed expreſly, the Lord had bought them, upon whom was to come ſwift destruction, yea, but how were they bought, or are ſaid to be bought? not really and intentionally by the Lord, but in opinion of themſelves, or of others, by that profeſſion which they made for a time, as if Chriſt had died for them, when indeed he did not.

It is a rule whereby you may underſtand other Scriptures as well as this, That is ſaid to be done, which is ſo reputed in a mans own, or others account or profeſſion, as Heb. 10. 29. He that fals away from his whole profeſſion, is ſaid, to count the bloud of the Covenant wherewith he was ſanctified an unholy thing, ſanctified, that is, profeſſionally, and in opinion: So here.

Hence I conclude this Argument alſo to be without truth of Scripture or ſtrength of Reaſon to make it good; and if it be ſaid, That ſuch as hold Chriſt died for none but the elect, deny the Lord that bought them and all the world, I ſhall pay them back in their own coyn, and poſitively ſtate it, that ſuch as teach, Chriſt died for more ſinners, then God eternally elected, Deny the Lord that choſe them, and ſo make a jarre between the ſweet ſtrings of Election and Redemption.

I have now followed him in his method, of Scriptures, Reaſons and Arguments, all invalid to prove what he deſired; The Scriptures alleadged as witneſſes, but falſly; the Reaſons without Argument, the Arguments without Reaſon; there were other Reaſons or Arguments ſcattered here and there, to amplifie his diſcourſe (before he came to the Uſes of his Doctrine) which I will briefly wipe away.

1. One paſſage was this,

It is for his glory that reprobates may be aſhamed when they Paſſages, 1. Wip't away.come before Gods judgement ſeat, that Chriſt ſhed his bloud for them.

p. 28Anſw. 1. Is it for his glory, that he ſhould die for thoſe he doth not ſave? Or is it for his glory, that he ſhould die at randome, and upon uncertainties, leaving men but in a poſſibility of being ſaved?

2. It is for his glory that reprobates ſhould be left to bring damnation upon themſelves, though Chriſt never ſhed his bloud for them, in that ſhame will befall them for wilfull refuſing of a Saviour offered to them, who, for ought they knew died for them, amongſt many other ſinners.

A ſecond Paſſage was this; The ground of comfort is Second Paſſage anſwered.taken away from poor diſtreſſed ſinners; and what comfort to a ſoul in diſtreſſe, if there be not a full and a free offer?

Anſw. 1. A falſe ground of comfort is taken away, which 1cries peace, peace to the wicked, to whom the Lord ſaith, There is no peace. The truly ſenſible ſinner loſeth no ground of comfort upon his believing, although the ſoft pillow (which the doctrine of univerſall Redemption ſows under all elbows) be pluckt quite away.

Anſw, 2. Although we teach not, Chriſt died for all, yet 2we make a full and a free offer of him, and his death to all ſinners, where the Goſpel cometh, 1. Free, becauſe you may come to Chriſt without your coſt, without money, or money's price: 2. Full, in two reſpects,

1. We offer whole Chriſt, and the death of Chriſt, with all the effects of his death, which the Arminians cannot do upon their doctrine.

2. We exclude in the firſt, yea frequent offers, not a ſinner, who by unbelief excludes not himſelf.

Anſw. 3. From this full and free offer, there is no comfort, 3indeed, for a diſtreſſed conſcience, till he beleeves; and that Doctrine which preacheth comfort (more then in the offer) to a ſoul that neglects and rejects the Goſpel is a falſe Doctrine.

A third Paſſage. It is againſt all Gods Attributes, and in Third Paſſage taken off.particular his juſtice, making God a Tyrant to condemn men, and not in refirence to ſin.

p. 29Anſw. 1. What impudence is here? to caſt ſuch an aſperſion 1upon the truth, as if againſt Gods Attributes, which, as I ſhall ſhew anon, is to be faſtned upon their errour.

2. But to anſwer that in particular about Gods juſtice, what 2Orthodox Teacher ever ſaid or thought it, that God condemns any, but in reference to ſin? Whatever abſoluteneſſe there is in his decree of reprobation, as there is enough, and ſo much, as God gave not Chriſt to die for any one reprobate; yet the reprobates unbelief againſt the Goſpel, comes in as the cauſe of his condemnation, and God herein is proclaimed moſt juſt, to deſtroy them that have not, or ſhall not beleeve, conſult with Jude v. 4, 5.

Now we ſhall examine his Ʋſes.

Uſes deſpoiledThe firſt was, To ſhew the vain conceit of ſuch as deny the death of Chriſt, for the whole world, but upon triall, we ſhall diſcover this mans, and all the Arminians vain deceit in affirming his death for all.

1. He argued thus, Such a Doctrine as doth not lay a ſure ground for faith, is contrary to the Gospel, this is ſo, and therefore not a true Doctrine.

Anſw. This Argument, in the Uſe, was his ſecond Reaſon, in the Doctrine, and thither you may look back for our anſwer.

2. Thus, That Doctrine which hath ſo many dangerous Conſequences, cannot be true, but this (of denying Christs death for the whole world) hath many dangerous conſequences, therefore not true.

Anſw. Let us hear them, and let the Scripture-Logick judge whether they be Conſequences? If ſo, whether and how dangerous?

Conſ. 1. If we preach to the world, we muſt diſſemble and Conſequences tried & cut off.preach a lie, telling them that Chriſt died for them, when he did not.

1Anſw. 1. When we (according to Scripture) preach Chriſt crucified to the world (not yet believing) we do not, we dare not ſay, that Chriſt died for them; but that Chriſt died for ſinners that they might believe in him. And doe we p. 30here diſſemble, or is this a lie? Is it not a true and faithfull ſaying, &c. 1 Tim. 1. 15. And hath it not worth and weight in it?

2. If upon our preaching and mens hearing, faith be wrought, we ſay to ſuch, and of ſuch, Chriſt died for them, and doe we here diſſemble, or is this a lie? to ſay Chriſt died for thee and me beleeving in him.

3. Is not the diſſimulation and lie, the reſult of ſuch ſtuff as this, Chriſt died for all, and every ſingular perſon, when by the event, it plainly appears, he did not? let Deut. 18. 2… ▪ be the judge.

Conſ. 2. If we deny Chriſt died for all the world, we may 2,as well ſay, God made a people on purpoſe to damn them, as if you or I ſhould marry a wife on purpoſe (by the bleſſing of God) to have children, and then when God hath bestowed them, you or I ſhould go and cut the throat of one, and hang another up by the tongue, and throw a third at the fires back, were it not a woefull thing? then much more that a mercifull, tender-hearted God ſhould deal thus with the workmanſhip of his own hands.

Anſ. What have we here, but great ſwelling words of vanity, and the foam of a diſtempered fancy? yea, daring and deſperate words againſt the truth.

1. Let us examine the Conſequence; Doth it follow at all that becauſe we ſay the one, Chriſt died not for all, therefore we may ſay the other, that God made a people to damn them? He would indeed teach us to blaſpheme, but we will not learn of him. The Scripture tels us, Eccleſ. 7. ult. God made man upright, but they have ſought out many inventions; waies enough to damn themſelves; yea, that one invention of eating the forbidden fruit, was ſufficient to have damned the elect of God (with all the reſt of mankinde) but that Chriſt ſtept in for them; the devil ſhall not ſwallow all. Again, the Scripture tells us, Prov. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himſelf; yea even the wicked for the day of evil. He made them not wicked, but if men make themſelves wicked, God (who would not permit the p. 31evil, but for a greater good, his own glory, &c.) makes or orders theſe wicked ones, to ſuffer their juſt puniſhment on the execution day.

2. Becauſe God will not loſe his elect, but purchaſe them at a dear rate, Is he bound to doe as much for others, as he freely doth for them? Who art thou that replieſt thus againſt God? as if becauſe man takes delight in ſinning, God ſhould take delight in meer damning; no, no, 'Tis the ſinner cuts his own throat, and throws himſelf into the fire; and when upon offers and entreaties, the ſinner will not return and live, but ſinne and die, the mercifull God will ſhew no mercy; He that made them will ſhew them no favour, Iſa. 27. after his patience is abuſed, his merciemercy ſleighted, and his tender bowels grieved; juſtice breaks forth, and fury ceaſeth upon the poor ſinner.

3. Here is nothing but jugling and deluſion in this pretended Conſequence and plea; for even they that plead Chriſt died for all, doe not, dare not ſay, he died on purpoſe to ſave all, or to take away from all ſinners, their purpoſe of ſinning; And if notwithſtanding ſuch univerſall grace and Redemption, as the Adverſaries boaſt of, men will and do go on with their purpoſe of ſinning, ſhall not God go on with his purpoſe of puniſhing the works of the devil in his own workmanſhip?

Conſ. 3. It implieth and concludeth as true believers under 3condemnation, as any that are ſaved, for the trueſt believer doth but believe what is reported to him; and if it be reported to ſome, that Chriſt died not for them, they believe it, and ſo periſh.

Anſ. 1. None that believeth, and comes under condemnation, can never be ſaid to be a true believer, in a true Theologicall, but only metaphyſicall ſenſe; as copper is true copper, but ſtanding for gold, 'tis not gold e're the more, or true gold; ſo the faith of a temporary believer is a right copper-faith, not faith of Gods elect, or a golden faith.

2. A true believer indeed, receiveth the whole teſtimony of God about his Son, not a part only.

p. 323. In all the report of the Doctrine, there is no ſuch Doctrine as this taught; Christ died not for theſe particulars, or, Christ died for every ſingular perſon. He therefore who believes upon this ground, Chriſt died for every one, therefore for me, beleeveth a falſe Propoſition, and his faith is falſe. And he that beleeveth, Christ died not for him, becauſe he is told …o without book, believeth without book; and ſo if he periſheth, he periſheth, by, and for beleeving his own heart (or Satan a lying ſpirit in the mouth of his heart) not for believing truly.

This is a meer ſcandall they would caſt upon the true Goſpel, with the reſt.

Conſ. 4. The grace of Chriſt is ſtraitned, for they speak of free grace, and upſtart nothing, but a plea for one of a hundred, 4or one of a thouſand.

Anſw. 1. Is it nothing to have one of a hundred, or one of a thouſand written in the Lambs book of life? (Though who taught him, or any other this Arithmetick? The Lord only knoweth who, and how many, are his) he is an upstart nothing, who puts this reproach upon Gods diminutives, and his little flock.

2. The freeneſſe of grace is magnified and manifeſted the more, by Chriſts dying for a certain number, given to him of his Father, whom he thanketh, and praiſeth, Math. 11. 25 6, 7. for this free reſervation of grace to a few. Contracted beams of the Sunne have the greater ſtrength in a burning Glaſſe, to warme and fire; and ſo have the raies of divine favour, contracted into a narrow compaſſe, Rom. 9. 28.

3. Our plea for Gods elect, will hold, and come to ſomething in the end; none of the Lords people, but ſhall obtain the fruit of Chriſts death; when as their plea, for all the world (beſides the elect) will fail them in the experimentall iſſue, and come to nothing.

Conſ. 5. God will damn men (they hold) becauſe he will 5damn them, and ſo they make damnation Gods Ordinance, not mans ſin, the cauſe of it: And in this, we may go ſo farre as p. 33to justifie the devil, who taught Cain, and Julian, and Spira to despair, and Judas to hang himſelf; Now you will conclude the devil to be a lier from the beginning, and that he cannot teach a truth, and on the contrary you will conclude, none ought to deſpair, &c.

Anſ. 1. It is a double reproach, either that this follows upon Chriſts dying for ſinners prae-elected; or that we hold, God will damn, becauſe he will damn; God can ſend his Son to die for, and ſave whom he pleaſeth, and yet doth not damn any but for ſin.

2. If men ſinne againſt the Goſpel, and ſinne with that diſobedience, as to ſtumble, and fall too, into deſpair; it is of themſelves; not from Chriſt, or the Goſpel; but by accident. God ordaineth the Goſpel for ſalvation, and Chriſts death, for ſalvation; if man and devil agree to pervert the Scripture, to their damnation, 'tis the devils invention, and mans ordinance, not Gods.

3. Yet this we ſay; That no devil ſhall teach a man to deſpair (note by the way 'tis the devils doctrine, not ours) nor ſhall man voluntarily damn himſelf, againſt Gods overruling will and power, but with it, for the Scripture, ſo attributes the cauſe of damnation and deſpair to the creature, as yet it ſubordinates all this to the fore-appointment of God, to order 1 Pet. 2. 8. Jude v. 4.1 Pet 2:8and ſuffer it ſo to be.

And ſo you may conclude, That although none ought to deſpair, nor hath any warrant for it, from Chriſts dying but for ſome, or from any other Scripture-truth; yet if they do deſpair (upon fleſhly, worldly and ſatanicall motions) God will order it to his glory.

And what vanity now appears in our oppoſing that errour of Chriſts dying for all the world? (or rather, what impiety and impudence doth not appear in his exclaiming againſt the Truth?) as having many dingerous conſequences attending upon it. Were they conſequences, they were dangerous enough, but we have diſcovered them not to be conſequences, and the Adverſarie's challenges to be but flouriſhes and bravadoe's, fighting all this time in the air, and with his own p. 34ſhadow, to amuſe the people, his Auditours, and enſnare your ſouls, which is the only dangerous conſequence of his, not our Doctrine, that I am for the preſent afraid of.

But leſt he ſhould want an Adverſary, he cals forth one Objection, which he ſaid, comes out as the Forlorn Hope from us.

Object. Christ died not for all, becauſe he praied not for all, Joh. 17. 9.

Anſw. His anſwer was two-fold;

1. Although he praied not there for all, he might elſewhere.

2. He did pray for his enemies (when upon the Croſſe) and let any prove, there were none but the elect.

Reply, Reply to the firſt Anſwer.This Argument from Scripture, he cals our forlorn Hope, and ſtrong enough for him to encounter withall, nor ſhall he finde it ſo forlorn, but that it will make good it's line and ground; For

1. Whereas he ſaith, Although Chriſt praied not for the world, in that place, he might elſewhere; Himſelf loſeth ground; for ſuch as Chriſt leaveth, but once out of his prayer (by way of exception and caution) he never takes in; nay, 'tis a ſign he never took them in.

2. Again, To ſhew the Lords meaning (whom he praied for here and elſewhere) he gives his own limitation, verſ. 9. But for thoſe that thou haſt given me; and his enlargement or extent, ver. 20. Neither pray I for theſe alone, but for them alſo which ſhall believe on me through their word; theſe are but a few to all the world.

1. When he praied for his enemies, they were to be conſidered To the ſecond Anſwer.under a double notion,

1. As thoſe whom he died for, and converted ſoon after, Act. 2. & 3. & 4. Chapters. Or,

2. As his perſonall enemies (whether elect, or others) and ſo he did but ſet us an example, what we ſhould do when hated and perſecuted; what? forgive them, and pray as he did, Luk. 23. 24. Father, forgive them, &c. either as being thoſe he ſhould die for, for whom he would, and did make p. 35ſatisfaction, and ſo to be forgiven eternally and abſolutely; or ſuch as ſhould be forgiven, reſpectively (as doing injury Numb. 14. 19.Num 14:19to his perſon) and temporarily; as many in the wilderneſſe are ſaid to be forgiven, who were not preſently cut off; which as a godly man may obtain of God for a reprobate; ſo Chriſt, for ſuch, as did ignorantly crucifie him, though God did afterwards viſit the ſinnes of the fathers upon the children (who went on to crucifie Chriſt, in his members) at Jeruſalems deſtruction.

2. What ever Chriſt praied for (when he praied for his enemies) in order to this life, he had; viz. a temporall forbearance; or keeping off a temporall puniſhment, &c. But what he praied for in order to eternall life, he received much more, and had it been for any more then the elect, that man, had been both a reprobate, and yet eternally forgiven; which things are inconſiſtent, and cannot hold together; that either Chriſt ſhould ſo pray, or praying not be heard, or being heard, the perſon or perſons praied for, ſhould be eternally reprobated, and yet eternally pardoned.

You ſee then we make good the paſſe here, and ſhall maintain the fight; our Forlorn Hope (as he called it, I wiſſe, not in deriſion) not receiving ſo much as one wound.

His next Uſe was To comfort mens conſciences in the conſideration Examination and diſſipation of the ſecond Uſe.of Gods love; and this generall love from which none are excluded; much more this comfort was for the elect, and Chriſts friends; for if Chriſt died for his enemies, then ſurely there is abundance of love for thoſe that be his friends.

Anſw. 1. He ſhould not need to have taken this fetch and compaſſe to raiſe comfort for Chriſts friends; for they have enough from the Doctrine of Chriſts dying but for ſome, and more comfort thence, then if he had died for all; for

1. They have the comfort of Gods ſpeciall love, and that is more then what ariſeth but from a generall love, which is no more then a reprobate may have.

p. 362. They have this comfort, that being ſometimes enemies, they are made friends, Rom. 5. 9, 10. which is not the priviledge of all: grant, that Chriſt died for his enemies, and that all are his enemies; yet he died not for all his enemies, but for ſuch, as were in Gods ſpeciall love, his Favourites, from all eternity; in time made enemies, by the firſt Adam, and in the fulneſſe of time made friends, by him the ſecond Adam.

Anſw. 2 Secondly, There is ſome comfort it ſeems (by the univerſall Doctrine) for men while they continue enemies (though more for his friends) this is implied; becauſe Christ died for all, from a generall love; my Beloved; obſerve the fallacy; Though God bears a generall love to that kinde of his creatures, Man-kinde (and not ſuch a love to Angel-kinde) as to appoint a Redeemer in that nature for men, of the common kinde, and thoſe as bad, and as forlorn as any, of their kinde, his elect while enemies; yet this doth not adminiſter one dram of comfort, to any individuall perſon of man-kinde, while an enemy; but when comfort comes in, it is to his elect, called home, and to them only; not as uncalled, or outwardly and ineffectually called, but as called, and that effectually; and according to purpoſe.

And ſo this Heretick is forc't (being foreign, convinc't and condemn'd in himſelf, as I gather by this Uſe) to apply his comfort to the elect alone; and to that end quoted the 2. of Col. 2. The Apoſtles praier for them, that they might have the full aſſurance of underſtanding; which he interpreted to be, That they might ſee their particular aſſurance of life, in a generall promiſe; and not their generall aſſurance in a particular promiſe: for we deſire no more then a particular and perſonall aſſurance, in and from a generall promiſe, ſuch as Pauls, 1. Tim. 1. 15. and yet this generall, is not ſo univerſall, as that Chriſt died for all the world of men.

But not hurting us, in all this Uſe of Comfort hitherto, at laſt he thought he would ſtrike home, and wound us deeply, with this blow; A man may preach ſeven years of particular p. 37Redemption, and not comfort a diſtreſſed conſcience; to which I ſay two things;

1. What means he by a diſtreſſed conſcience? a childe of light, walking in darkneſſe, or a childe of darkneſſe blowing up the ſparks of his own fire-ſticks, but almoſt ſmothered and ſtifled with the ſmoke thereof?

2. We preach a choice and ſpeciall Redemption, in a generall offer, to what ſinner ſoever, that is diſtreſſed, and will be directed; As Paul, Believe, and thou ſhalt be ſaved; and Act. 16.Acts 16immediately the Jailor is comforted, he ſtaied not ſeven years for it.

His third Uſe was, To teach us abundance of love to Examination of his third U…eChriſt.

Anſw. I demand whom he means by [us] if the people of God, and the elect, and believers; how is this a direct inference, from Chriſts buying the whole world? if all men, be meant by us, how ſhall they love, who doe not believe? but if he underſtood Gods peculiar people; becauſe he mention'd the Spouſe afterwards [no wonder her love is ſo carried after her espouſed husband Chriſt] let him know that the hearts of the Saints are touched and taken with the ſpeciall love of Chriſt; it is that which conſtrains them to love him in a ſpeciall manner, and that the more abundantly, becauſe they know in part, and ſhall yet further know, Chriſt died for them, not only out of a generall love which he bears to mans nature; but out of a speciall and ſingular love, which he bears to their perſons, and to theirs onelyonly.

Thus have we followed his Counſell to ſearch the Scriptures, and we finde them of weight, for ſpeciall Redemption, and love, but weighing the man, and his Doctrine, and Uſes too, of univerſall Redemption, we have found them too light.

Let me but adde a few Arguments, as Antidotes (againſt the poyſon, which ſome of you, may have ſuck't in of late) and preſervatives from the infection of this hereticall tenet, of Chriſts buying the world of men, and dying for them all; p. 38and we have done with the Anaſceuastique part of our diſcourſe, which tends to the weakning, ruine and deſtruction, Antidotes or Counter poiſonof ſo grand an errour.

Firſt, Gods Attributes are hereby wronged and ſcandalized, as

1. Gods power is called into Queſtion; as if a generall benefit were merited by Chriſt, which by reaſon of mans wickedneſſe he cannot apply.

2. His wiſdome is eclipſed, for it puts upon him ſuch an intention, as yet by proper and direct means he attains not unto.

3. His juſtice is rendered unjuſt; for he receiveth a full ſatisfaction, of his Sonne, for all men; and yet neither firſt nor laſt, receiveth them into the favour of communion and friendſhip.

4. His higheſt love is undervalued; for it holds forth Gods love to give his Sonne, but not ſo, as to give them faith, for whom he gave his Sonne; and it ſpeaks of Chriſts ſweating and dying for them, whom yet he lets die and periſh in their ſins.

Secondly, If he died for all, then he died in their ſtead, and as their ſurety he diſcharged the whole debt, and ſo, it is not only unjuſt, but impoſſible, that any ſhould periſh; here the Remonſtrants (Arminians ſo calling themſelves) at the Hague conference, had a ſubtle diſtinction of Chriſts dying, Non loco & vice omnium, not in the room and ſtead of all, ſed bono tantum; but for their good only, whereas the Scriptures (which own not ſuch a diſtinction) hold out Chriſt as dying in the room and ſtead of ſinners, that they might not die eternally, but live for ever, ſo is, aaforeignRom. 5. 6. bbforeign, where foreign is as much as foreign, and ſo rendered, Philem. v. 13 foreign; that in t…y ſtead, in another caſe; and about the Queſtion in hand, the word in 1 Tim. 2. 6 is foreign; a ranſome in the room and ſtead of all; or pro onnis ordinis electis; which compared with Mat 20 28. is, foreign for many, and but for many indivduals; or, in ſtead of many ſingulars (choſen of God) one choice-ſingular-Jeſus ſuffered.1 Tim 2:6Matt 20:281 Pet. 3. 18. and other places to be underſtood; Chriſt died for the wicked, that is, in their ſtead, The just in the room of the unjuſt; The good, the all, or any of the benefits that comes from Chriſts death, floweth from this that he ſuffered in the room of thoſe, who have that good and benefit by his death; and if, as themſelves acknowledge, he died not in the room and ſtead of all; they weave but a ſpiders web, to ſay, it was p. 39for their good; how can the ſurety do the debtour any good; if he neither be bound in his ſtead, nor paies the debt, in his room?

Thirdly, If he died for all, he roſe again for all, aſcended, ſits at Gods right-hand, and makes interceſſion for all; for the Scriptures joyn his death and reſurrection together, Rom. 4. ult. and his death, aſcenſion, ſitting, interceding with the Father, all together, Rom. 8. 34. and more particularly with his interceſſion, 1 Joh. 2. 1, 2. and if ſo; that he riſeth, aſcendeth, ſits and pleads for all; he is, either heard, or not heard for all; if heard for all, then all muſt be ſaved; if not heard for all, then Chriſt intercedeth in vain; and the Father doth not hear him alwaies, croſſe to Scripture, Joh. 11. 42.

Fourthly, This looſe opinion, puts all that hold it, upon ſuch diſtinctions, as have no ground from Scripture, but are contrary to it; as

1. That (but even now named, or refuted) of loco and bono, not in ſtead of all, but for the good of all.

2. That of impetration and application; which the Goſpel holds forth as inſeparable acts of Chriſts mediation; to whom Chriſts death is or ſhall be applied for them, he obtained remiſſion of ſinnes, and for whom he did impetrate, to them he applieth, Iſa. 53. 11. Joh. 10. 15, 28. Heb. 9. 12, 15. Yea the Apoſtle inferreth the application, and that by gift, of all other good things; from the gift of Redemption, and of the Redeemer himſelf, Rom. 8. 32.

3. That of Chriſts ſatisfaction for all men, and obtaining the pardon of all ſinnes againſt the Covenant of works for all them, and his ſatisfaction for, and pardon of the ſinnes againſt the Covenant of Grace, only for the elect; whereas all men originally and actually hanging upon a Covenant of works, for life, and yet continually breaking that Covenant, are actually in all ages, and in this preſent age (as in the Apoſtles age) under the curſe, Gal. 3. 10. And they who have any ſin forgiven, have all ſins forgiven them, Col. 2. 13. Zach. 13. 1. p. 40which are the elect only; Chriſts peculiar people, Mat. 1. 21. Tit. 2, 14.

4. That of the Gospel, and of the promiſe of life; the former being (as our new teacher ſaid **After his Lecture to a brother of ours.) for all, the promiſe of life for believers only: Whereas at the firſt dawning of the Goſpel, the promiſe of life and immortality comes to light, 2 Tim. 1. 10. whoever have the Goſpel preached to them, that they might believe, have the promiſe of life alſo preached to them, that they might believe, and before a man doth believe he hath no more intereſt in the Goſpel, or in Chriſts death then in the promiſe of life, Joh. 3. ult.

5. It makes Chriſts death not at all the execution of Gods election; or if at all; but of a conditionall election, producing but a conditionall Redemption for all, not abſolute for any; hence

6. It frames Gods intention after mans fancy, and Chriſts love to be no more to Peter, then to Iudas, as ſome have confeſt it.

7. It imagines the grace of God to be for all, or none, and Chriſts death to be for none certainly, but contingently.

8. It ſhuts out Infants from any benefit by Chriſts death, but what (ſay they) is common to Reprobates, as freedome from originall ſinne; bodily life and Reſurrection: The firſt we deny that any Reprobate hath, or ſhall have; As for preſent life, and future Reſurrection, if Infants have no more advantage by Chriſts death; then have they not ſo much; either, as a benefit, or not, as by his death; if they have more; why do the Aſſertours of ſuch grace, deny them the ſeal thereof in Baptiſme?

9. It leads to other errours, as pernitious and peſtilent; I'le inſtance in three,

1. That of free will; for Chriſts death for all, obtains but of God (by their Doctrine) a poſſibility that men may be ſaved, converted, &c. If they will; and that will left in their common Nature, is Grace; Goſpel-grace they muſt p. 41make it, or they make nothing of it; a Goſpel-will let it be then, contributing to mans converſion; what? juſt nothing ſaith the Scripture, Ioh. 5. 40. & 6. 44. All, ſay they, in effect; for let all operations of grace be put, that may be put, into the balance, will muſt caſt the ſcales, and determine the caſe, whether the man ſhall be converted, or no, ſaved, or no. And what the vote of the will is, in that caſe, reade Pſalm 81. 11, 12. Jeremy 44. 17. Oh ſlaviſh will, as Luther call'd thee; and Oh Legall will may I call thee, continually in bondage! What is the pride of that opinion, which would exalt thee, ſuch a bond-ſlave, above a promiſe, above the Spirit, above God, and his decrees, &c?

2. That of falling away from Grace; for if Chriſt died for all, and that to obtain remiſſion of ſinnes for all, and, a will for all to be converted; then all men, are not only fallen in the firſt Adam, but are and ſhall fall, in Chriſt the ſecond Adam, from a pardon'd ſtate, and a ſtate of free-will, and of free-grace (in their ſenſe) who are not elected; yea, but when the Scripture aaLuk. 1. 77. Joh. 6. 44, 45.Luke 1:77John 6:44John 6:45attributeth remiſſion of ſinnes, and a will to be regenerate, or a will ſet at liberty for the receiving and acting of grace, onelyonly to the Elect; ſuch falling away from ſuch grace, is an imputation, by Arminian Doctrine caſt upon the Elect of God; ſuch Doctrine and Doctours therefore to be abandoned.

3. That (which iſſueth from both the former) deniall of the Spirits efficacy, firſt, and laſt; They that teach Chriſt died for all, doe grant he gives his Spirit but to ſome; here they plainly ſeparate Chriſts death, and the Spirit of his death; and when the Spirit is given, hee workes but at the courteſie of the will, how farre, and how long it willeth, and pleaſeth; Can that Doctrine be for Chriſts honour, that tends to the diſhonour of his Spirit?

p. 4210. And laſtly, It engenders unto that conceit, That the damned may in time be ſaved bbAs ſince theſe Sermons were preached, I have met with a Pamphlet not worthy confutation, entituled, Divins Light (per antiphraſin, it ſhould be diabolicall darkneſſe) manifeſting (it ſhould be, ſmoking out of the bottomleſſe pit) the love of God unto the whole world, and to his Church; wherein ſix times at leaſt that place in Zach. 9. 11. As for thee alſo, by the bloud of thy Covenant. I have ſent forth thy priſoners out of the pit, wherein there is no water, is applied (beyond ſome of the old Doctours expolitions to Limbus patrum, or of Bellarmines to Purgatory a part of hell, as he dreams) even to the deepeſt place of the damned, men and devils too; who ſhall (ſaith the nameleſſe, noteleſſe Authour) by vertue of the Covenant of Generall Redemption be delivered from thence, and rewarded too for all their torments and loſſes, in grace and glory. Much Atheiſme and blaſphemy there is in ſuch an hereticall aſſertion, and this contradiction (in adjecto) that eternity of hell-tormenting fire (as is expreſly threatned, Math. 25 ult. Mark 9 45.) ſhall have an end, doth alone, call aloud, to have that Pamphlet condemned to, and conſumed in, ſome Cheap-ſide, or kitchin fire.Zech 9:11Matt 25Mark 9:45, or if not ſo, yet as Arminius and Vorstius dreamed, it promiſeth, Levamen aliquod, ſome eaſement and mitigation of their pains for ever in hell.

I ſhould now proceed to the true Expoſition, pertinent Obſervations, and Applications of the Text, but there lieth a rub and remora or two in my way, which I ſhall endeavour to remove, viz.

Queſt. May not the former Expoſition ſtand in ſome founder ſenſe then that of this Seducer? viz. Although Chriſt did not redeem all mens ſouls, yet he did buy the world of creatures for the common good of all men.

Anſw. 1. Suppoſe he did buy the world of creatures, for 1the common good of all men, yet it is not the ſcope of the Parables, or either of them in the Text, to affirm or illuſtrate any ſuch matter.

2. Our late Expoſitour took not the Field, for the ſtructure, 2and ſtore of other creatures, but for the whole bulk of mankinde, and every ſingular man and woman, and mothers childe, as we ſay.

3. Grant that he, or any man ſhould draw the Parable, or 3any other Scripture to ſpeak this way; viz. That Chriſt did buy the creature for all men, our Ʋniverſalists will not reſt p. 43there; give them but an inch of this or other texts to hold out Chriſts temporall purchaſe for every man, and they will take an ell of his ſpirituall purchaſe in with it: witneſſe the Texts ccJoh. 4. 42. 1 Tim. 24. 6, &c.John 4:42fore-alleadged and vindicated; all which doe ſpeak expreſſely of ſpirituall and ſaving benefits, and ſo farre, doth our new Expoſitour carry it, beyond a temporall, common good, even to a Redemption from all ſinnes againſt the Covenant of works; which indeed is but that one firſt ſinne of Adam (before the promiſe) by the tenour of his Doctrine; for all having ſinned in Adam, and a Covenant of grace entered with thoſe all, after his ſinne; it muſt needs follow, that all ſinnes of Adam, and of all his poſterity, afterwards, are ſinnes againſt the Covenant of grace only; and Chriſt being the Mediatour of this Covenant, he mediates for all, that all may have Adams ſinne forgiven; which is beyond all temporall benefits; for it puts them into a bleſſed ſtate of Juſtification and life; which the Apoſtle, Rom. 5. ſets in oppoſition to the ſtate of guilt and death, wherein all are involved by Adams ſinne: And it may be, ſome over-indulgent expreſſions of ſome reverend and godly learned Teachers in our Churches, have encouraged our Adverſaries, by what they have preached, or written, to this effect; That ſome common benefit comes in to all men by Christ; and that Chriſt as a Lord, hath bought and purchaſed all wicked men their lives, and their reprievall, all that time that here they live; and all the bleſſings and diſpenſations of goodneſſe which here they do enjoy; That which is indulgent, is for Chriſt as a Lord to allow wicked men common benefits, &c. That which I thinke over-indulgent is, that Chriſt hath bought and purchaſed theſe men, and the world for them; And the ſtretching inferences, which our Arminian-Novelliſts doe wier-draw from hence, are; That ſuch acts of Gods mercy are effects of Chriſts Mediatour-ſhip; And if Chriſt doth it as a Lord, thinke they, yea, and as a Jeſus too; and if God hath given them their lives, &c. for a time; Chriſt hath purchaſed theſe lives of theirs; and if he hath purchaſed them; it is upon ſome ſatisfaction which Chriſt hath made to his Father, p. 44and from ſome generall pardon, which he hath obtained of his Father for Adam's, and all mens firſt fault in Adam.

But that the world, and the lives of wicked men, and the bleſſings of this life (though the earth be given to the ſons of men, even into the hands of the wicked, Job 9. 24.) come not in to them by Chriſts purchaſe, I think I may evince by theſe Demonſtrations,

1. Either ſuch a purchaſe is by ſome ſatisfaction to Gods Demonſtratiōs againſt Chriſts purchaſe of all men for the world of creatures, or of the creatures for all mankinde.juſtice, or not: If not by any ſatisfaction, then ſomething Chriſt doth, and offereth to God, is a price unſatisfactory, or no foreign, or price of redemption at all; which is the dotage and madneſſe of Socinus, and his followers. If by ſome ſatisfaction; where Chriſt ſatisfies in part, he ſatisfieth wholly, where he obtains one mercy, he obtains all; and wicked men, even reprobates muſt have the reſt of the purchaſe; or God gives not Chriſt what he hath purchaſed; we may ſafely conclude therefore, he purchaſed nothing for them at all, neither ſpirituals, nor temporals; but all, and only for them, for whom he obtained an eternall Redemption, as 'tis called, Heb 9. 13.

2. Then would Gods love and favour be known by outward Demon. 2.benefits at the firſt view, and by good events of providence, without any other conſideration; it is enough Chriſt purchaſed the world for them, and them for the world: God loves them, nor is there any hatred to be taken notice of, from other notions; contrary to Eccleſiaſtes, chap. 9. 1.

3. Then all are under Grace, and Goſpel-grace, and Goſpel-Covenant; Demon. 3.Nature is grace, even naturall reaſon and will; or nature endued with reaſon and will (as Pelagius fancied) for this was part of the purchaſe.

4. Grant but all temporall things (even of men excommunicate, Demon. 4.and of Heathens) to be founded in grace (I mean Goſpel-purchaſe, and Gods free favour in Chriſt) and you Daven deter. q. 30.lay a foundation for the Popes Supremacy, and his depoſing of Princes; for that being granted, 'tis founded in grace, and p. 45many Princes denying Romes grace and faith, they conclude ſuch are to be deprived of their temporall dominions and dignities.

5. This confounds the Kingdom of Power, and the Kingdom Demon. 5.of Grace, and brings all humane Powers and Magiſtrates, States and Common-wealths, immediately under Chriſts mediatory Kingdom; and that as they are Magiſtrates, and civil States; As M^r Huſſey **Plea for Chriſtian Magiſt. 36would have Christ by his mediation obtain of the Father, that he ſhall not judge any man according to rigour, but as they are in or out of Chriſt; all deferring of judgement from the wicked, is in and for Chriſt, which otherwiſe the justice of God would not allow. M^r Gillespy aaMalè audis, 29.well infers, Then Christ dieth for them, and did thus farre make ſatisfaction in the behalf of the wicked, that judgement might be deferred from them; and thus farre he hath performed acts of mediation for Savages and Mahumetans, who never heard of the Gospel; and thereby hath obtained that they ſhall be judged, not according to rigour, but by the Gospel, which intimateth, That Christ hath taken away all their ſinnes against the Law; ſo that all men ſhall now go upon a new ſcore, &c. being all of them immediately upon Adams fall, under a new Covenant, and in a Kingdome of grace; which ſutes well, and jumps in with M^r Oats's opinion, not as good wits uſe to doe, but as bad counſellours and conſpiratours againſt a good cauſe or two, as well that of Church-government, confounded with the civil, as that of a Covenant of grace, confounded with a Covenant of works: But I ask M. Huſſey, or any rationall Doctour, Cannot Gods power be exerciſed, where his grace in Chriſt is denied; and cannot God be juſt and patient too? why ſhould we ſet one Attribute of God againſt the other, when none of them doe interfere?

Object. Gen. 2. 17.Gen 2:17It will be ſaid, The threatning was full and peremptory; In the day that thou eateſt thereof, thou ſhalt die the death: Except Chriſt ſteps in, Juſtice proceeds upon him immediately; God ſhews not a drop of mercy, but for his Sonne.

p. 46I anſwer, 1. Juſtice did proceed upon Adam, at the inſtant of his ſinning he begins to die the death; his body becomes mortall and obnoxious to death (in which ſenſe the Apoſtle ſaith, The body is dead, Rom. 8. 10.) his ſoul and ſpirit is void of the life of God, and of the ſenſe of Gods love, he is under the power and regiment of ſinne and Satan, diſabled to all ſpirituall good: This ſpirituall death is the harbinger of eternall death to him; an hell upon earth it was, when God arraigned him; he had no other, I conceive, then the ſentence of death and hell in his conſcience, till the promiſe comes, Gen. 3. 15. but obſerve it, before that promiſe is revealed, God is juſt and patient alſo; juſt in bringing the degrees and pains of death upon Adam; patient in forbearing the immediate and full execution; even as God was, and is juſt to the Angels that ſinned, 2 Pet. 2. 4. yet patient in that he reſerveth them to a further judgement, and gives them not all their torment before their time, Math. 8. 29. and yet this patience is exerciſed to devils, without a purchaſe or death of a Mediatour; ſo God might deferre from Adam, and doth from his poſterity keep off judgement, though not in, and for Chriſt, quâ Mediator; And what though Gods diſpenſations towards Angels, is not a rule in all caſes, for us to collect his tranſaction, about man fallen, and his diſpenſations towards him? yet in this caſe the Apoſtle bb2 Pet. 2. 4. foreign, verſ. 9.2 Pet 2:4makes a clear inference, If God spared not them, but reſerveth them unto judgement; he knoweth (v. 9.) how to reſerve the unjuſt to the day of judgement; the ſame verb being uſed in ver 4, and 9. for reſerving; in the Paſſive and Active voice; where he ſpeaks of Angels and men, as coming from the ſame act of Gods juſt patience, and patient-juſtice. And though we know not how this ſhould be, he knoweth how to be juſt and patient too; how to be patient in wrath, and juſtice (Rom. 9. 22.) and how to be juſt in his patience.

2. The threatning, Gen. 2. 17. againſt Adam, and all men ſinning in him, is not taken off by the promiſe, Gen. 3. 15. which is only to the woman and her ſeed: nay, that is a threatning p. 47too, in reference to the Serpent, and his ſeed; which are not only evil Angels, but wicked reprobates amongſt men: and that which is threatned is irreconcilable enmity with, and conqueſt over, Satan and all his ſerpentine brood; which neceſſarily infers death and damnation to them, as to himſelf; it were ſtrange then, if vertually in and for Chriſt, patience ſhould be afforded to Adam, and all in him before the promiſe is actually promulged, when at and in the actuall promulgation, here is nothing but wrath and enmity between the woman and the ſerpent, Chriſt and the devil; the devils brood, and the generation of the righteous; true; Adam ſtands by trembling, and hears this, but if he gets any peace or patience, or pardon of his firſt ſinne, 'tis a perſonall favour, only for himſelf, not to deſcend upon all his poſterity, but ſuch as ſhould be the womans ſeed, from their intereſt in a ſecond Adam, Chriſt Jeſus, not from any relation to him as the firſt Adam: All therefore, who are yet but in the firſt Adam, and as branches of that root are under the ſentence of death for that firſt ſinne; Chriſt hath not obtained pardon nor patience, that I know, for them, one moment.

3. No man denieth but all was forfeited upon Adam's fall, his very life, and all creature-comfort and ſubſiſtence, but God takes not the forfeit, for when Chriſt the promiſed ſeed, ſteps in for that part of mankinde, who are with Chriſt, the ſeed of the woman, the elect of God, the patience, mercy and bounty of God ſteps in for the reſt of mankinde, even the ſeed of the ſerpent, and reprobates, with whom yet he will carry on a Covenant of works and juſtice; the foundation of which covenant Chriſt cannot be, as Mediatour; for then he ſhould be the foundation of two Covenants, contradiſtinct; works and grace; no, a Reprieve only comes forth for them yet under, and ever to be under a Covenant of works and juſtice; this is no Redemption.

4. This Reprieve is but for a very ſhort time to many, not at all to ſome of the ſerpents ſeed; who being conceived in the guilt of the firſt ſinne, are ſtifled at firſt conception … or p. 48being born in that guilt, and the corruption of nature ſucceeding in the room of Gods image, dead in ſinnes and treſpaſſes; die corporally the day they are born, or ſoon after in tender infancy; and in their immortall ſouls die eternally, as the children of the Sodomites, then in the womb, or newly crept out; who (with their parents, or fathers of fornication, an unclean diabolicall brood, Jude v. 7.) are ſuffering the vengeance of eternall fire: Others live out their time allotted them in juſt-patience; but are accurſed in life and death, Iſa. 65 20. And die as eeMorte morieris, Hebraiſmus eſt, qua verborū reduplicatione, vehementia & certitudo ſignificatur: morie morieris, i. c. certiſſimè morieris. Paulus Fagius in Gen. 2. 17.Gen 2:17certainly ſtep by ſtep, as they that drop into hell out of their mothers womb: And as malefactours, who are but reprieved, not redeemed and pardoned, ſtay they never ſo long in Gaole, yet they die the death, or doe most ſurely ſuffer death at the day of full execution; being dead men in law long before.

5. What Chriſt the Sonne of God doth in this reprieve of the ſerpents ſeed (as indeed he doth all that is done) 'tis as he is God and Lord of all in the Kingdom of his Power, which he makes ſubſervient to the Kingdom of his Grace, for the ſaving benefit of the heirs of grace and glory: As ſome great Lord (intending to redeem one captive (among and out of many priſoners, in his fathers great houſe) that he might marry her, and make her his beloved Spouſe, and for whom he laies down a ranſome to his father) out of his generous and noble diſpoſition, common to him, and his father alſo (as a Lord and great Prince, not as Husband or Bridegroom) ſhould throw away little and great ſummes of money, with ſutes of cloth upon the common priſoners, and appoint them relief out of a common Almes-basket, all to this end, that theſe common priſoners might doe ſome ſervice in the great family for his Spouſes advantage: So the Lord God, and our Lord Ieſus Chriſt (ſo ſtiled, Iude v. 4. being the only Lord God to all men, and the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, but to a few) he comes in the firſt promiſe, and in the old Prophecies, types and ſhadows, and in the fulneſſe of time, in the ſubſtance of our nature, among a world of Captives to wooe his Church, his …pouſe and Bride, to redeem and ſave her, and her only p. 49by the ranſome of his bloud, paid down to his Fathers juſtice; and out of his naturall pity and bounty, being God, and the Son of God, and Lord of all (like himſelf, and his greatneſſe) he caſts away life and health, wealth, honour and riches, poor ffTurcicum imperium quantū quantum eſt, mica tantum eſt. Luth.crums, or if you conceit it great morſels, gobs and cantels, upon the men of this world (Gods great houſe now turned into a priſon) and appoints them ordinary relief, out of the common basket of his bountifull providence (which might lead them to repentance, or will leave them, without excuſe) and all this he doth for his Spouſe, the Church of the elect; for whoſe ſake he ordereth all men in the world, or theſe common priſoners, to be ſerviceable to her, whom himſelf ſerves in, not only with grace, but with all outward mercifull ſupplies (how mean, or courſe ſoever) in the great ſilver Charger of the Covenant, as a Brother **M Tho. Caſe, his Model of Thankfulnes, in a Ser. before the Parl. upon Pſa 107. 30, 31Ps 107:30Ps 107:31expreſſeth it. Now who may not diſcerne a vaſt difference between the New-gate priſoners common basket, and the Princes ſilverplates and chargers; and who (that will not ſhut his eyes) ſeeth it not one thing to be reprieved and ſpared under the dominion of God's and Chriſt's power, which is all the Serpents ſeed are capable of, and another thing to be redeemed and bought out of the hands of ſin and Satan, into the Kingdome of Chriſts grace and glory; yea, and to have all things here, come in by purchaſe and promiſe; one thing for God to be the Saviour of all men, or preſerver of man and beaſt, in the waies of his generall providence, as Pſal. 36. 6. Another thing for God, in Chriſt, to provide for believers, and his choſen ones, from ſpeciall purchaſe, to ſerve them in, with all things, out of ſpeciall love; and to convey all unto them, by a speciall promiſe, 1 Tim. 4. 10.

6. Although this reprieve of the wicked, is for the elects Demon. 6.ſake, and for Chriſts ſake; yet it follows not, that it is by purchaſe; for all that is for Chriſt, and for the elect, is not by purchaſe; as to inſtance, the creation of the world was for Chriſts ſake; All things were created by him, and for him, Col. 1. 16. yet he purchaſed not that creation; The elect Angels are for him, and he makes uſe of them for the good of p. 50elect men; yet he purchaſeth them not; And the Reprobate Angels (the devils) are ſerviceable in the Kingdom of his power, for the good of his Church, to afflict, and try them, yet are they farre from being purchaſed; ſo God can ſhew many drops of mercy (to further on his Sons deſignes) in a common way of providence; and yet not put his Son to ſhed one drop of bloud, for a reprobate mans preſervation, or livelihood; that drop would make it too pure and ſhiere mercy, which no ſerpentine ſeed taſts of, but hath a cup of wrath and juſtice, with every drop of mercy.

Laſtly (which may ſerve for our laſt demonſtration, and Laſt Demonſtration and Anſwer.laſt anſwer alſo to the grand Objection) As Chriſts Kingdom of power and grace muſt not be confounded; ſo his Redemption by price, and his Redemption by power may not be ſeparated. They are only bought for whom the price is laid down, 1 Cor. 7. 23. Ye are bought with a price; who are there diſtinguiſhed from men, as men, for whom the price is not ſo much as tendered; but they who are bought with a price, are hhforeign, Col. 1. 13.Col 1:13brought out by a ſtrong hand; from the power of darkneſſe, and are tranſlated into the kingdom of love, and of the Sonne of Gods love; yea, and the creature ſhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the ſonnes of God, Rom. 8. 21. As it ſhall be the glorious liberty of the ſonnes of God to give homage and ſervice of praiſe, to God, and their Father, Redeemer and Sanctifier for ever; So it ſhall be the glorious liberty of the creature, to miniſter matter of praiſe to the elect, who ſhall improve the creature to its full and perfect uſe, and raiſe it up to its honour and dignity, for which it was made, to be inſtrumentally helpfull, to mans praiſing and glorifying of his Creatour; as the nurſe iiW…llet upon Rom. 8. qu. 34. out of Chryſo.Rom 8to a Kings ſonne and heit-apparant to the Crown, when the Prince comes to his fathers Kingdom, the is made partaker of ſome choice preferment with the Prince ſhe nurſed: But what is this to Chriſts purchaſe of the world, for the men of the world, or of all men in the world, for worldly enjoyments? When as 1. foreign, the creature it ſelf, Rom. 8. 21. or foreign, every creature, ver. 23. or p. 51totus mundus conditus, as Beza, the whole ſubſtantiall ſtructure, and frame of the heaven and the earth, is not there to be underſtood of every individuum, or ſingular of every kinde; nay, 'tis diſputable, whether every species ſhall be reſtored and continued; And 2. not one individuall-non-elected man, woman, or childe, hath any part of spirituall liberty here (which they had, if they were under the liberty of Chriſts purchaſe) nor ſhall have any ſhare in the glorious liberty of the ſonnes of God, and of the creature hereafter; but as they are now in the common priſon of this great houſe, the habitable earth; ſo they ſhall be all ſhut up in the cloſe priſon of hell, their ſouls at death, till the day of generall judgement, and their bodies with their ſouls, after that great day, for ever and ever.

No ground can I finde for aſſerting, that Chriſt hath purchaſed heaven or earth, or any ſaving, or any temporall benefit at all, for any of the ſonnes of men, whoſe bodies and ſouls are not purchaſed as the elect-ſonnes and daughters of God; All is theirs (not the men… of this world) whether things preſent, or things to come, by purchaſe, by promiſe, by firm title, and everlaſting poſſeſſion in Chriſt, or all in all, while here, and in God, our all in all, in heaven for ever.

Object. If any offer to object yet further, The world, (1 Cor. 3. 22.) is the Saints, and wicked men are a part of the world, and ſo a part of Chriſts purchaſe, as the chaff is purchaſed with the wheat, for the wheats ſake, which, when the wheat is ſevered from it, is burnt up, and caſt into the fire; I ſhall offer this

Anſw. 1. Mans ſimilitudes prove not a truth of God, but illuſtrate onelyonly, and Gods ſimilitudes, Chriſts Parables (as thoſe of our Text, or that of wheat and chaffe, Math. 3. 12.) have no ſuch ſcope, and they prove nothing beyond their ſcope.

2. There is no Baſis by any firm propoſition of the Word, to build ſuch an illuſtration upon: for all the world, and even wicked men may be the Saints for uſe and benefit, and p. 52yet they are not purchaſed, but the benefit by them: As death (1 Cor. 3. 22.) is ſaid to be the Saints, i. e. at their ſervice (by Chriſts over-ruling power) and for their advantage; and yet not death it ſelf, but that ſervice and advantage, which death brings to them, is purchaſed: So not the wicked and the reprobate of the world, but the benefit which the truly-godly have by them, comes within the purchaſe; And as for any benefit, which the wicked have themſelves by life, or in life, riches, honour, &c.

1. It is a benefit in it ſelf to live, &c. but not to them, but as they make the better uſe of it.

2. What is beneficiall to them, comes in (as we have ſhewed) by a legall-Reprieve, wherein there is juſtice all along predominantly mixed with mercy and patience, and ſhier judgement, or moſt juſt execution intended, at the laſt: not by a Goſpel-Redemption, which holds out every where (eſpecially in our times of the new Teſtament) pure, compleat, free mercy, and grace in Chriſt, and brings in the accompliſhment of an abſolute free Covenant, made with Chriſt for the free effectuall compleat ſalvation of all, and onelyonly God's choſen: who being his choſen, are his only redeemed ones, his only espouſed ones, his reconciled ones, his adopted ones, his ſanctified ones, his glorified ones; kkEpheſ. 1. 6.Eph 1:6To the praiſe of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath accepted them in his beloved.

I Had thought here to have taken breath, eſpying no enemy in the field; but preſently there meets me **Paulus Teſtardus de Natura & Gratia.a Champion Authour, one who is for peace and ſweet harmony of truth, and hath happily cleared it in many particulars; yet in this controverſie of univerſall Redemption, his muſick jars, and he holds up the weapons of an unhappy warre, and thinkes to carry all before him, becauſe he is not point blanke of Arminius judgement, in the ſtating of the Queſtion: For aaTheſ. 95.he maintaineth that Chriſt died for all, and every ſingular, but he will not aſſert, that he died aequè or alike for every one; Chriſt p. 53died bbThe 78.(he ſaith) for all, to prepare …n apt and ſufficient remedy, and for the elect, to apply to them, what he had prepared for all. Nor did he die ccThe 95.only that God might enter a Covenant with mankinde upon any condition, but that he might moſt ſurely covenant with Chriſt the Surety, under the condition of (the Elects) uniting and growing up, by faith in him; nor that ſalvation might only be poſſible for all, but certain for ſome; a ſeed, to whom Chriſts bloud ſhould be applied; ſo as all are redeemed, but not alike redeemed; Chriſt died pro omnibus & ſingulis, that every one might be redeemed from the neceſſity of periſhing, for the infringed legall-covenant of nature (in Adam) and the want of ſatiſfaction, &c. And that ſome certain ones, beloved, in Gods good pleaſure, above the reſt, might be actually freed, &c. ſtill for more ddThe. 81., then for the ſheep of Chriſt, he would have Chriſt to die, out of a more generall intention; which he endeavours eeThe. 81, 82, 84, 86, 87.to prove, from the generall expreſſion [world] Joh. 3. 16. from the Parable of the Feaſt, Math. 22. from 1 Tim. 2. 6. & 2 Pet. 2. 1. & 1 Joh. 2. 2. to all which places alleadged and improved by Samuel Oates, we have given our anſwer **In the Sermōslong before, Paulus Testardus came to our view; what he writes in this caſe, and how much wiſer and more foundly he hath improved thoſe Scriptures; and what greater ſtrength there is in his Arguments, I ſhall leave to the full examen and cenſure of able judgem…nts, and learned Pens: But may I paſſe my vote, without offence of the weak or ſtrong, it is this, Amicus Teſtardus, in his purſuit of peace and truth, and in many excellent notions and harmonicall notes of free effectuall grace, &c. but in this plea, Magis amica veritas, for while he pleadeth that Chriſts death is for all, and every ſingular, he doth, as I underſtand the Scripture and him, nec ſibi, nec Scripturae conſtare, neither agree with himſelf, nor the Scripture.

And firſt to ſhew how inconſiſtent his Tenet is with Scripture, Teſtardus tenet… inconſiſtent, or that which will not ſtand with Scripture.he neither doth, nor can maintain it, without the Aſſertion of ſuch a generall intention, ſuch a generall Covenant, ſuch an univerſall call, and ſuch univerſall Grace, p. 54as have no footing in all the book of God.

Firſt, For his generall intention, I conceive, it is not the 1. Not generall intention. Inte…ere proprie, eſt velle per aliqui… a… aliud pervenire, Ameſius.Scripture intention upon theſe grounds,

1. All the intention of Chriſts death which the Scripture holds forth, is a proper and ſingle intention, by ſuch a medium, or mean to come to ſuch an end; viz. by Chriſts death (wherein mankinde or the nature of man is made ſalvabilis) to ſave ſome (or many) and bring them to perfect grace, in glory; this was the Fathers ſingle and ſole end, Heb. 2. 10. And this was Chriſts, Joh. 17. 19. Testardus ffThe 80.renders this intention double, by making it common to all, and every ſingular, and yet ſpeciall to, and for the elect.

2. The Scripture intention is abſolute and ſtrong, for the juſtification and life of all thoſe, for whom Chriſt was ſent, and for whom he died, 1 Joh. 4. 9. In this was manifeſted, &c. that we might live through him, not a naturall, but ſpirituall life of juſtification, ſanctification and glory. Teſtardus ggThe. 102.makes it partly abſolute, partly conditionall; a very weak intention (in effect) and irrationall; if Chriſts death ſhould be for thoſe, who never have a will to apply it to themſelves, nor that Chriſt meaneth to apply it unto.

3. The Scripture intention is ſo ſucceſſefull, as to be ſatiſfactory to the Father and the Sonne, Iſa. 53. 10, 11. The pleaſure of the Lord (about Chriſts death) ſhall prosper in his (ſonnes) hand. He (the Lord Jeſus) ſhall ſee of the travel of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied. Yea, and to the ſom that hearkens after the Goſpel-intention, as well as invitation, Iſa. 55. 2. 'tis and ſhall be bread, and marrow, and fatneſſe, But Testardus generall intention, is not ſatisfying to God himſelf, and the Father, or Chriſt; unleſſe God and Chriſt be ſatisfied, when they complain; and he hhIbidbrings them in complaining, Iſa. 5. 4. Math. 23. 37. for all this generall intention. And if God complains, and Chriſt mourneth, this common intention will not ſettle the conſcience. Conſcience will not be ſatisfied, but with what God is ſatisfied. When a poor ſoul hears that Chriſt died for all by a generall intention, p. 55to prepare a remedy for all, and or the elect by a ſpeciall intention to juſtifie and ſave them, he hath a ſtumbling block laid before him, to reaſon thus; I know not whether I be of the number of them, that Chriſt more generally, or more ſpecially intended, in his death: And if he comes to Testardus for reſolution of this doubt; he cannot be reſolved by his Doctrine, becauſe iiIbid.by the more generall redemption, and intention, God doth not mean to beſtow actuall ſalvation upon the ſinner, but conditionally; And if you ask him, upon what condition, he will not tell you, it is upon a faith, of Gods irreſiſtible working (which yet he kkThe 243, 244.granteth to ſome, and ingenuouſly acknowledgeth peculiar to the elect) but in effect llThe. 102., their own foreign velle to make uſe of Gods foreign paſſe; their naturall will, to make uſe of Gods common ſupernaturall light: Is this ſatisfactory? or that which ſomewhere mmThe 97.he aſſerteth, that God granteth a faculty of ſalvation, to miſerable ſinners, in the generall redemption; but the uſe of that faculty, he indulgeth only to believers, in the ſpeciall redemption? Tis yet but common and unſatisfying to the miſerable ſinner, I fear, I beleeve.

4. All the Scripture intention of Chriſts death is coincident Nos mortem, reſurrectionem, aſcenſionem, ſeſſionem & interceſſionem aequè conjungendas eſſe dicimus in fine ac intentione; ac in Chriſti perſonâ conjungebantur de facto. Ameſ. Cor. Art. 1. de Red. c. 1. Armin. Disp. Prin. The. 40. Confeſſ. Paſtorum Rem…n c. 8.with that of his Reſurrection and Interceſſion; viz. as for the beginnings, ſo for the compleatings of ſalvation, in and upon the ſame perſons, Rom. 8. 29. Whom he did fore-know verſ. 30. Whom he hath predeſtinated, &c. reade on to the end of verſ. 34. Now all that I know of Heterodox with Orthodox have agreed in this, That Chriſts reſurrection and interceſſion are peculiar in their intentions and fruits; for the faithfull only; But Teſtardus nnTeſtard. The. 100.adventures not only to make Chriſts death common, but his reſur…ection and interceſſion; and the fruit which he would have appertain to all and every one, is, an asking and, obtaining leave (for ſo I may ſometime engliſh his facultas) of God, that they may be ſaved; and this leave or faculty (call it what you will) is but a ſalvation by halves; nay, not half the beginnings of ſalvation; for it is farre ſhort of the infuſion of faith, which himſelf cals the firſt application of ſalvation: As for that impertation of p. 56leave to ſave thoſe, who never ſhall be ſaved, he brings no proof from Scripture, that either it is the fruit of Chriſts reſurrection, or interceſſion, or of his death: But to anticipate and enervate the Argument, not more uſually then truly, raiſed from Chriſts praier, Ioh. 17. viz. whom Chriſt included only in that his praier (which is the canon of his interceſſion in heaven by Arminias own conceſſion) he only intended in his death, our Antagoniſt gives his Reader a ſquint-eyed hint; that when Chriſt ſaith, verſ. 9. I pray not for the world, &c. he reſpecteth not the aforeſaid impetration of a leave or faculty; nor yet the firſt application of ſalvation, by the infuſion of faith, Sed cuſtodiam in fide, & cum Chriſto unione, but the Fathers keeping of the believer in faith and union with Chriſt, Let us, becauſe we ſeek the harmony of one truth with another, yeeld it to him and others; that 'tis not Chriſts ſcope all along that praier, nor any where elſe, that I know, to petition for a bare impetration of leave or faculty, for him to ſave, or for all men to be ſaved; this is eaſily proved from the Chapter, that Chriſt prayed for the firſt application of ſalvation by infuſion of faith; and by firſt union with Chriſt, as well as for perſeverance in faith and union.

1. His main ſcope is, to ſeek his own glory, that his Father might have glory, v. 1. Now this is one means of his Fathers glory, as a fruit of his glorification, the gift of eternall life, to as many as God had given him; which eternall life begins in the knowledge of the true God, even in thoſe Gentiles and Heathens who had worſhipped the creature, in ſtead of the Creatour; and never would come to the ſaving knowledge of God, but by the knowledge of Chriſt; Chriſt is not to be made known to the Gentiles, till he be glorified, he praieth therefore that he be glorified, that the knowledge of God in him, ſent of God, might be diſpoſed, verſe 3. So as they who never knew God, might know him rightly and ſavingly; and what is this? or how is this? but by the infuſion of faith; hence to know God in Chriſt, and to believe in God through Chriſt, from the very firſt act, p. 57is one and the ſame, and ſo underſtood, verſ. 3.

2. He petitioneth for all that ſhould believe, v. 20. that they might be one, which is for their firſt union and entrance into communion, implicitely, as for their perſeverance more expreſſely.

3. He praieth that, as many as God had given him, v. 2. might ſee his glory, v. 24. now they are an innumerable company, beſides the preſent Apoſtles, and believing Jews, who are to ſee his glory; as well thoſe who are yet to believe, as thoſe who were then to believe; and yet he praied not then, nor doth now make interceſſion for the world, according to verſ. 9. and as he included not, nor intended the world, contradiſtinct to the dati & electi à patre, thoſe given and choſen of the Father in his praier; but his intention and eye was ſolely upon theſe, ſo was it in his death, verſ. 19.

5. And laſtly, All the Scripture intention of Chriſts death, maketh not a ſeparation or diſtinction between the ſufficiency and efficiency thereof upon the ſame ſubject; the bleſſed ſufficiency and efficacy of Chriſt, as Prophet, Prieſt and King go together, and are inſeparably linked for ever in him, and upon his, Pſal. 45. 2. Nor can we ſay (though Chriſts death be ſufficiens remedium in ſe, a ſufficient remedy in it ſelf, for all) that he died ſufficienter for any, but for thoſe to whom he is willing his death ſhould be efficacious. Testardus diſtinction of common and ſpeciall intention holds up the diſtinction of ſufficiency and efficacy; nay, he will have the remedy, ooThe. 78.Pluſquam ſufficiens, more then ſufficient for all, and ſo intended and prepared; but ppThe. 140, 141, 146, 147, 148.the efficacy none, or as good as none at all; But as we finde in Scripture, that Chriſts will is the chief ingredient in his ſufferings, and in a true ſenſe, more then his act or paſſion, Pſal. 40. 6, 7, 8. with Heb. 10. 9, 10. So we finde not, that life is prepared and offered for any, but for whom efficacy is prepared; I cannot for my heart, ſeparate life and efficacy, when the Scripture doth not ſeparate, but ever joyn them together, Joh. 5. 39, 40. cap. 10. 10. 1 Joh. 5. 11, 12.

p. 58If generall intention then cannot be found in Scripture, Teſtardus (with all of that opinion) will be to ſeek for generall Redemption.

Secondly, Such a generall Covenant he holds forth, as agreeth 2. Not a generall Covenant.not with the Scripture-tenour; how loud ſoever may be the ſound, 'tis a jarring ſtring, or inſtrument, when brought into Gods quire and conſort.

1. The Scripture-Covenant of grace is founded in that ſeed of the woman, Chriſt Jeſus; and in him made with the woman, and a ſpeciall rank or company, contradiſtinct to the ſeed of the ſerpent, Gen. 3. 15. Gal. 3. 16, 17. But qqThe. 54, 77, 112.Teſtardus repreſents it, as made not only with Adam, but in Adam, with all mankinde; with Noah, and in him with all mankinde. 1. How doth it appear by Scripture, that the Covenant of grace was made ſo much, as with Adams perſon? with Eve it was expreſſely; enmity being put between her and the Serpent; and therefore actuall reconciliation between her and God, promiſed and obtained; but grant it, that as he had the conditionall offer of the Mediatour, then preached; ſo he had grace given him to accept it; 2. How made in Adam? who is no more a publike perſon repreſentative after his fall, but as a ſinner, and a broken bankrupt, not entruſted with the new ſtock: All the new ſtock is put into Chriſts hands. 3. As for that Covenant made (rather then renewed) with Noah, Gen. 9. 'tis not the Covenant Gen. 9. 9, 10.Gen 9:9Gen 9:10of Grace, and that made in him again (as Teſtardus expreſt it of Adam) with all mankinde; but a Covenant of a terrene and common benefit, made with beasts, and every animal in the air, or upon the earth, v. 9. 10. as well as with men: And though to beleevers every earthly benefit is an appendix to the promiſe of Chriſt (and ſo was that bleſſing to Noah rrDei benedictio erga Noa…hum, & filios ejus, i. e. erga eccleſiam cujus cauſa mundus reſtitutus eſt. Jun. A…al. in Gen 9. 1.Gen 9:1, and that for the Churches ſake) yet what is this to prove the Covenant of univerſall Redemption, and that in ſpirituals, as far as Teſtardus carrieth it?

2. The Scripture-Covenant of Grace is abſolute, entire and unchangeable in all Gods agreements and tranſactions with Chriſt, as a ſurety, to pay the debt, forfeiture and principall p. 59alſo. And as a publike perſon or root to provide a new ſtock, and give a new nature, and to loſe none of thoſe, whom God and Chriſt have agreed upon to be ſaved. God ſaith, Pſal. 2. 7. Thou art my ſonne, this day have I begotten thee. Chriſt ſaith, I will declare the decree. God ſaith, Thou art a Prieſt, Pſal. 110. 3. Thou ſhalt be the Sacrifice, Thou ſhalt be my ſalvation, Iſa. 49. 6. And I will give thee for a Covenant, a Covenant-founder and ratifier by thy bloud, Heb. 13. 20. Chriſt agreeth, Pſal. 40. 7, 8. Loe I come, Joh. 17. 19.John 17:19I delight to doe thy will, Joh. 17. 19. For their ſakes I ſanctifie my ſelf, I addreſſe my ſelf to …uffer for them; and as it pleaſed the Father, that in him all fulneſſe ſhould dwell, Col. 1. 19. So it pleaſeth the Son, that all that God hath given him to die for, Be ſanctified through the truth, and receive out of his fulneſſe, grace for grace. Joh. 1. 16. This is the Fathers will, that of all which he giveth his Son, nothing (i. e. none of the elect Jewels) be loſt, Joh. 6. 39. And this is the will of the Son, Joh. 17 24. Father, I will that they alſo whom thou hast given me, be where I am, &c. Thus ſtands the ſole and abſolute agreement between God and Chriſt, but Teſtardus will have the Covenant of Grace ſſThe. 102.conditionall, and ttThe. 112. Mox ſinens, &c.changeable, and that uuThe 93.as made in Chriſt, with all men, or with Chriſt, for all men: although he yeeldeth an abſolute agreement about the elect, yet the would have another agreement (and that between God and Chriſt) about the reſt of mankinde, Qui non ſunt Chriſti oves, who are not the ſheep of Chriſt, for whom xxThe. 75, 76, 77.Chriſt is, Va… & sponſor, a ſurety and undertaker (but not as for the elect) a pledge, but no ſure pledge; an undertaker, but no abſolute undertaker in the worlds behalf; which is as good, as none at all. I am ſure the Scripture doth not thus diſparage Chriſt his ſuretiſhip, but it makes him a compleat righteous perſon, for whom Chriſt is a ſurety: As ſure as Chriſt was his ſurety, and took the ſinners debt upon himſelf, ſo the ſinner is, and muſt be accounted righteous, in his ſurety. And as much Teſtardus aaThe. 56.ſomewhere ſeemingly affirmeth; according to that of the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He hath made him to be ſinne for us, p. 60that we might be made the righteouſneſſe of God in him. But bbThe. 65.in his ſenſe of theſe words he firſt wreſteth and ſtretcheth the meaning of the Apoſtle, and would have the ſin of all the world imputed to Chriſt, as to a ſurety, and undertaker for every man, by reaſon of his Sacrifice propitiatory, and ſatiſfaction of divine juſtice; And afterwards ſtraimeth the meaning of that place, and applieth it only to ccThe. 194.beleevers, who only have Chriſts righteouſneſſe imputed to them; as if the Father and his Son had agreed, that Chriſt ſhould have an univerſall imputation of ſin, or the ſins of all men charged upon him, to expiate and ſatisfie for; but only ſome men ſhould have the particular, or ſpeciall and ſole imputation of his righteouſneſſe, which muſt needs make an Argument or Paralogiſme of quatuor termini, in the Apoſtles reaſon, For he hath made him, &c. taking the perſons for whom he was made ſin [us] in a larger ſenſe of all mankinde, and the perſons who are made righteous [we] in a ſtricter, of beleevers and elect. But let God be true, and every man (in his own unbeleeving ſenſe) aliar.

3. In the Scripture covenant of grace, as Gods juſtice is ſatisfied on Chriſts part, ſo nothing but meer mercy (without any revenging wrath,) fals to be the portion of them that are reconciled; and for whom a price is paid, that all their treſpaſſes being forgiven, Col. 2. 13. they might have knowledge of their ſalvation thereby, Luk. 1. 77, 78. through the tender mercy of our God. But Teſtardus draught of the Covenant is ſuch, as, that notwithſtanding the death of Chriſt, and ſatisfaction for all, yet ddThe. 150.juſtice and wrath, ſeizeth upon a world of ſinners, in their juſt hardening to all eternity, and that eeThe. 280 & 294.according to a decree of juſtice.

4. The Scripture covenant of grace, is altogether of grace, hangs nothing upon works, Rom. 11. 6. nothing upon the will of the creature, Rom. 9. 16. Testardus makes a mixture of grace and works, grace and will; and ſo confounds the Covenant of grace and of works together; even ffThe. 122.there where he endeavoureth to diſtinguiſh them (and doth in part ſuggeſt ſome differences) for in the Covenant of works (he ſaith, p. 61truly) God gives no man (ſince the fall) ability to fulfill it's condition. And in that generall Covenant of grace (which he frameth) with all me, God gives but poſſe, ſi velint; ability, without a will; the will to receive and act, muſt come from the poor creature himſelf; and what is this? but the firſt Covenant of works, wherein Adam ſtood and fell; as himſelf ggThe. 125. Quod factum fuerat infoedere naturali ecundam ejus ſlatū. Ibid.elſwhere acknowledgeth, when God doth but ſo move, that he may, if he will be ſaved (and leave it at laſt to the creatures will) it is but according to the tenour of the Covenant of nature; how is the world deluded then, with the title of a Covenant of grace, which being examined, proves but that of nature? For ſuch as the main condition is, ſuch is the Covenant; The condition of this obligation or generall Covenant, is nature, or the act of naturall will, in it's impotent and dead condition, whereas the condition of the Scripture-covenant of grace, is faith, and that not of our ſelves; but of the grace of God, who worketh to will and to do, of his own good pleaſure.

5. The Scripture-covenant of grace, floweth from a decree of choice, and ſpeciall love, and mercy, and is backed by it, Rom. 11 29. as Teſtardus alſo hhThe. …57. with The. 11.acknowledgeth of that which he calleth the particular Covenant; and therein differenceth it mainly from the Covenant of nature, or works, which was not ſupported by ſuch a decree; his generall Covenant then (having no more ſupport from any decree firſt or laſt, then had that of works) muſt be the ſame with it; and not to be ſtiled a Covenant of Grace with all mankinde; but the old Covenant of works held up by mans weak and wicked will, and by Gods irreſiſtible decree of juſtice.

Thirdly, There being no ſuch generall Covenant, we finde 3. Not an univerſall call.iiThe 113.no ſuch univerſall call as Teſtardus writes of.

For he 1. would have a call to Chriſt more generall, then that of the word, viz. by the creatures, and by daily providence, naturall ſuſtentation, ſuſpenſion of wrath, adminiſtration of the univerſe for mans good with lenity; patience, and long-ſuffering; the favour of Sunſhine and ſhowres of rain, the fruitfulneſſe of the earth; otherwiſe accurſed, and p. 62the indulgence of all earthly accommodations; This is, to Testardus, a calling, this is a Testimony of (ſaving) grace; And this he endeavours to prove, from Pſal. 19. Act. 14 17. Cap. 17. 26, 27. Rom. 2. 4.

To which we oppoſe Scripture and Reaſon.

That Scripture 1 Cor. 1. 21. is clear, When by the wiſdome Calling to Chriſt by the creatures oppoſed by Scripture. 1 Cor. 1. 21.1 Cor 1:21of this univerſe (all the wiſdome of God diſplaied in the creatures) men by their beſt light knew not, ſo much as God, it pleaſed God by the preaching of the Goſpel to give the knowledge of Chriſt, and to make that Goſpel (which with the preaching of it, is fooliſhneſſe to a carnall judgement) a means, the means of faith and ſalvation. For therein, as Rom. Rom 1. 17.Rom 1:171. 17. in the Goſpel (not in the heavens and creatures) is Chriſt revealed, and the power of God to ſalvation put forth; but if you will, verſ. 18. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven (not the myſterie of Gods love in Chriſt) and if you ſay, that is by accident, becauſe men will not know his goodneſſe; grant it, yet what may be known is manifeſt in them, and God hath ſhewed it to them; It is manifeſt in all the creatures, and God hath ſhewed it to the reaſonable creature, man, viz. verſ. 19. The inviſible things of him, from the creation of the world, theſe are clearly ſeen, being understood by the things that are made; But not a viſible Mediatour, God-man, or the myſtery of Chriſt crucified, diſcernable there, not a word of Chriſt, read or written, in all that great volume. Hear Paul again to the Epheſians, cap. 2. 12. At that time (before the Goſpel was preached) ye were without Chriſt, without the knowledge of him, or without any means of the revelation of Chriſt, while aliens from the Polity, or adminiſtrations of the Church of Iſrael, where only Chriſt was made known (and that but darkly in types) and while ſtrangers from the Covenants of promiſe, which doe more clearly hold out Chriſt, but providence, barely taken, and not as the fulfilling of a promiſe, though it holds forth ſomething, and much of God, yet nothing of Chriſt, nor of God in Chriſt,

Truth of reaſon doth further evince it:By Reaſon.

p. 631. That which is not aptum medium, a fit mean to diſcover Chriſt, or to hold forth the Goſpel-propoſition, that Chriſt died for ſinners, can be no mean at all, appointed in the wiſdome of God for ſuch a purpoſe: In the vaſt fabrick of the heavens and the earth, and daily bare occurrences of providence, there is not a propoſition to make a ſyllogiſme of, or raiſe a concluſion upon, for juſtifying faith.

2. Upon Adam's fall, matters are diſpenſed ſo, as justice is manifeſted all along with free grace; If all the world, in all ages had had a calling to Chriſt, where was free grace manifeſted? If none were denied a calling, where was ſo much of ſtrict Juſtice, as would manifeſt and execute a Decree of Juſtice againſt whole Nations and Kingdoms of men?

3. That calling which meets with no ſucceſſe at all, in any one man, to bring him to ſalvation, was never ordained of God (that I can finde in the Word) to bring him to ſuch an end: for the Spirit ever accompanieth his own Ordinances of grace with efficacy to ſome; But this univerſall call by the creatures providence, &c. is found by nnNō eſt quod eis spem ſalutis a Chriſto partae adimere trepidemus. The 144.Teſtardus own reading, obſervation and judgement, unſucceſſefull to every one that had it; for ſeeing the Heathen in all their moſt moral actions, were deſtitute of faith, and a ſincere end, in what they did, he fears not to take from them all, the hope of ſalvation obtained by Chriſt. Strange! that Chriſt ſhould die for all the Heathen, and God ſhould call them all to ſalvation, and yet ſave none of them. If he ſaith, they ſinned, not only in Adam, but actually, and that not only againſt the Covenant of nature, but grace aliquatenus: what? and no pardon for any of them, nor llThe. 140.any of them be Salutis in Christo compos, partaker of ſalvation in the Meſſiah. Let ſuch a call be for ever called a diſpenſation of goodneſſe and juſtice, not a diſcovery of grace and Chriſt, when it is not ſo; and let ſuch as had but the creatures, and common providence to help them, be none of Gods called, but rejected and neglected, not comparatè, but abſolutè.

p. 644. Habemus corfitentem reum, mmQuos non ſolet vocatorum nomine inſ…gnire Scriptura. The. 127.Testardus himſelf, acknowledgeth in part, that the Scripture is not wont to ſtile ſuch by the name of called ones, but he is wont every where to ſtile them ſo, and to term that a calling unto Chriſt, which the Scripture never ſo expreſt, not can we finde that it hath any ſuch intention to hint it to us.

As touching the rare places, which he, and others think do Scriptures produced for the call by the creatures anſwered.favour this opinion; let us take a brief ſurvey of them, Pſal. 19. What read we? The heavens declare the glory of God, in creation, the firmament ſheweth his handy work; the old workmanſhip, here is nothing ſpoken or intended of the new 1workmanſhip of God: of which, Epheſ. 2. 10. Day unto Pſal. 19. 4.Ps 19:4day, verſ. 2. uttereth speech; the continuall ſucceſſion of day and night, holds out ſomething of Gods goodneſſe and providence, nothing of a Goſpel-promiſe: if it did, then ſo many daies, as there were before Adam fell, or was created, Chriſt was preached by thoſe Oratours, as well as ſince the fall; and all the time from Abraham to Chriſt, when the Gentiles had not the Covenant (by nnThe. 112.Testardus confeſſion) yet they had this call by the creatures, For there is no speech nor language, no place or people that ever lived, as not a day goeth over their heads, where and when their (the creatures) voice is not heard, verſ. 3. But for the voice of the Goſpel-myſtery, if the Apoſtle may be beleeved, Romans 16. 25, 26. it was not heard at all; all truths concerning Chriſt were in all ages, among the Heathen, kept ſecret and ſilent.

And if any pleaſe to compare, Pſal. 19. 4. with Rom. 10. 18. he ſhall finde, that the Apoſtle makes but an alluſion to the Pſalmiſt, and that his ſcope is, not to prove this generall call, among the Gentiles by the creatures; but an outward call among the Jews, by the word, ooAnte verbum foreign audierunt, non ſubaudio Gentes, ſed Iudaeos. Bez.Have they [the Jews] not heard? Yes, the Goſpel, by the Apoſtles preaching, like the Sunne, hath caſt his beams over the whole world: the Sunne and the firmament doe no more generally hold out ſomething of the knowledge of God in all ages, then the Apoſtles in their age, by preaching, did familiarly and univerſally p. 65hold out much of the knowledge of Chriſt, and that to the Jews. which as S^t Paul had illuſtrated, and but illuſtrated, v. 18. from the Pſalm, he preſently proves it, and when he comes to the proof, he firſt begins with Moſes, v. 19. and then quotes, Eſay v. 20.

And yet, albeit the Apoſtle did but allude to the Pſalm, his ſcope is the ſame with Davids, to illuſtrate Gods teaching of Chriſt in the Scripture, and it's miniſtery, by his teaching in the great volume of the creatures; That mainly wherein creature and Scripture-teaching are alike, is the extent of their teaching; all people and Nations are leſſon'd by both; that wherein they doe eminently differ, and wherein Scripture-teaching excels the other, is the ſubject matter, end and effect of their leſſons; the viſible creatures give out notes and characters of a deity, the audible word give knowledge of God reconciled in Chriſt. The ppRecreant corpus diei & noctis viciſſitudines, ſed verbum animam dicitur inſtaurare. Jun. l. 2. Parral 19.creatures ſhew how good God is to the bodies of men; the Scriptures ſhew us how gracious he is to the ſouls of men; The creatures, Sunne and Moon, &c. ſpeak the wiſdome of the workman, the goodneſſe of a Creatour; the Scripture and it's Interpreters, ſpeak the love and wiſdome of a Redeemer. The creatures in the common courſe of nature, left for mens conviction and qqforeign, ad hoc, ut ſint inexcuſabiles. Beza.inexcuſableneſſe, who ſinne againſt the light of nature: The rrPſal. 19. 7.Ps 19:7Scriptures and their preaching, inſtituted of God to be ſufficient, and ſole means (through the Spirit) of mens converſion and ſalvation.

Touching that place ſſAct. 14. 17. Pertinet hic locus ad providentiam Dei ex quâ creat, gubernat & conſervat omnia creata Eraſ. Sar.Acts 14:17Act. 14. 17. I can but wonder ſo 2learned a man ſhould interpret it of a Goſpel-calling, which is but a legall-naturall conviction, or that which might witnes a God to a naturall conſcience; for ſo leads the context. The men of Lyſtra would be offering Sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas, as to gods, they, abhorring ſuch a ſacriledge, vilifie and annihilate themſelves in that caſe, and hold out God, as Creatour to them, v. 15. and prove it by his Creation and Providence, v. 16. which was a teſtimony, that he, and he only was, and is God; God hereby left not himſelf without witneſſe; What is this to a calling of grace, or the knowledge p. 66of a Covenant of grace, founded upon Chriſts death and ſatisfaction?

No more is that, which he alledgeth, Act. 17. 26, 27. and 3interpreteth of the ſeeking and finding of God a Redeemer: Act. 17. 26, 27.Acts 17:26Acts 17:27'tis true, that God (who is a Redeemer) is to be ſought in his works, but are theſe works of Creation and Providence (out of a Type or a Sacrament) inſtituted means of ſeeking or finding him as a Redeemer? Or did God make of one bloud all Nations, to that end they might ſeek a Redeemer before the fall? Or is Chriſt in the execution of Gods decree of election, to be brought into our conſideration before the fall? Yet the naturall bloud, out of which all Nations doe ſpring, was given Adam before the fall; and the immortall ſpirit (which Adam had immediately from God, and all men in like manner ſince receive it from him the father or creatour of ſpirits) was before the fall. The Apoſtles ſcope, is to raiſe up the ſuperſtitious Athenians (who forgate the Philoſophy of their naturall conſtitutions) but ſo high at firſt; and from verſ. 23. to 29. (to that end) declareth to them, who is the true God, he, whom they ignorantly worſhipped, he that created the world, and had given them immortall ſpirits, as he proves out of the Poet Aratus. But when he comes to preach an Article or two of the Goſpel, he hath laid aſide his quotation from Poets ſure. See v. 30. & 31.

As for that in Rom. 2. 4. which (ſaith Teſtardus) ſpeaks de poenitentia ſalutari, of ſaving repentance, unto which men 4are called univerſally by the goodneſſe of God in creation and Rom. 2. 4. The. 119, 162.Rom 2:4providence, wherein every man ſhareth more or leſſe. Admit it, the goodneſſe of God doth not lead any man to ſinne, as ſome thought, and ſtill are ready to think, but to a contrary courſe; Doth it follow that Chriſt is taught in Creation and Providence? Or though it leads to repentance, all are not of Teſtardus minde, that the Apoſtle meaneth it of ſaving repentance; but if he doth (as I rather incline to thinke ſo, becauſe it is the moſt ſignificant, and full word for repentance foreign.uſed in the new Teſtament) how the goodneſſe of God leads a ſinner to it, is worthy our underſtanding? Verily not as an p. 67ordinance inſtituted of purpoſe, which I gather from Act. 17. 30. the times of meer goodneſſe and patience, in the midſt of Gentiliſh ignorance, God winked at, but now commandeth; now that his word is ſent amongſt the Gentiles, now the goodneſſe of God is an inducement to repentance; when once Chriſt is diſcovered in the Gospel (for that foreign, did not in any age of it ſelf, reveal foreign, that goodneſſe and bounty of God, in providence, never revealed Chriſt, and that which revealeth not ſomewhat of him, of it ſelf, and directly by ſome order from God cals not to him.) To ſuch the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, whether Jew or Gentile, as had the Goſpel preached to them, even at Rome, where affluence and abundance of the creature was conferred upon them: Now preſuppoſe a pardon publiſhed in the Goſpel, and Chriſt revealed in the Word, then Gods common goodneſſe (out of Chriſt) invites to Chriſt, or is a great motive to a poor ſinner (would he know, would he conſider it) thus to reaſon with himſelf, What have I taken? and what have I forſaken? God hath offered me the creatures in his ordinary providence, and I have greedily faſtned upon them; but he hath offered Chriſt among a company of loſt undone ſinners (whereof I am one) and I have to this day careleſly refuſed him; And how have I taken the creatures? (not only meat and drink, but husband, wife, childe, friends, wealth, ſucceſſes of labours, &c.) with unclean hands, with an impure conſcience, came they in never ſo lawfully before men, and with outward temporall right before God, yet while my minde and conſcience is ſpiritually defiled through unbelief, all is unclean to me; But did I goe to Chriſt, I might have all clean to me, and be accepted in all; that God who freely giveth me the creature without Chriſt, would as freely beſtow Chriſt upon me, if I did take him; he that gives food and raiment for the body, would as freely give Chriſt for food and raiment to the ſoul; he that lets the Sunne ſhine upon good and bad, will give the ſhines of his favour, to one, to me, coming in to Chriſt; he that gives a reprievall to all for a time, by common patience, doth give to ſome, and will, if I p. 68beleeve the Goſpel to me, give out a pardon, under ſeal, by ſpeciall and ſingular grace, Why ſhould I not beleeve? Why ſhould I not repent? Thus, I ſay, occaſionally, as a poor ſinner meets firſt with the Goſpel-tidings, he may and ought to be induced to faith and repentance, from the conſideration of what common benefits he ſhares in, although he cannot (nor can I tell him his warrant why he ſhould) look upon Gods ordinary or extraordinary bounty in the creature, as purchaſed by Chriſt, and his death, till he beleeveth; nor can he have any ſuch foreign, or change of minde, which is an act and part of ſanctification, till he hath faith, as uuThe. 211.Teſtardus alſo, moſt rightly ranketh repentance in order after faith and juſtification; ſo as according to his judgement (that the Apoſtle in this place of Romans, intendeth the beſt and choiſeſt repentance, and that repentance (not to be repented of) coming in after faith) the common goodneſſe of God muſt firſt lead to faith, before it leads to repentance; but that it cannot without a former diſcovery of the Word; the Gentiles therefore who had no word or promiſe of Chriſt diſcovered, had no call to Chriſt, and ſaving repentance; by the creatures, and a naked providence: nor can the Apoſtle be conſtrued or interpreted, as intimating ſuch a generall call by the creatures, extra verbum without the Word (as xxThe 121.Teſtardus would have it) and that grounded upon a generall Covenant; as the Covenant is grounded upon generall redemption; and that upon a generall intention; but the ground-worke, and the ſuperſtructure already ſhaketh; we go on to weaken this frame a little more, I ſhall deſire others that ſucceed, or ſhall aſſiſt in this work, may not leave a ſtone upon a ſtone,

aaThe. 119. &c.It is pleaded for this calling univerſally by the creatures, that it agreeth with the call by Gods Word, and Spirit in ſeven particulars.