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R

T O

The Impartial

E A D E

R.

i S concerning what Ihereprefent unto thee^ I am neither ignorant of myfwerving therein from the common Opinions of the Times, nor yet infenfi-ble of the many ceniiires I A 3 fliaJI

The Ep/Jile to the Reader.

mall incurrc from feme by reafon thereof; But He that obferveth the winde, pall not [owe : and he that regardeth the clouds > jhall not reaf. (Ecclef.i 1.4.) The fcope of Scriptures, and light of reafon is the ground of my belief y and my onely rule in this: From which I have not confcioufly erred in any thing contained therein. Notwithftanding confided ing mine own 5 with the common frailty of all men

now

The Epijiie to the Reader.

now living, I crave not thy acceptance in any thing more, than what after a diligent perufall , with a free and impartiall examination upon the fore-faid Grounds, mail appear warrantable unto thee. All which I humbly defire thee, as well for thine own happi-neffe (depending thereupon ) as for the good and benefit of others, thankfully and gladly to receive in the love thereof, faithfully to A 4 pra-

The Epiftle to the Reader.

pra&ice, and induftrioufly' to promote in thy whole Convention: And fb referring thee to theDifcourfeit {elf; and the Grace of God difcovered therein, I reft

Thine in all Chriftianduty R* B.

TABLE

Directing to fome of the

moil: principal Heads contained in this TREATISE.

A IX men as they are considered in A-

dam have a like etfeem and rejpett

with God^ page 5,7,8.

Adam made mutable, and why^ pag.

Adams first offence incurred not the damnation of hell, 58.

Chil.

The Table.

Children not dead in trefpajfef and fins, nor liable to the damnation of hell by births pag.57,58.

Chrift was fent into the world to be a Saviour for all men, pag. l6 D 17,

18, 19.

Chrift hath redeemed all men from death brought upon them by Adam s dife-bedience^ 13,32,58,92.

Chrift hath prepared and opened a way to eternal life for all men^ pag, 13,14,

47,48-When the Covenant of Grace was given, ¥-9h93* That it is cxtendedunto allmm^ P.9C. How works are required thereby to Salvation, p.79,8c. i Wherein it k mofi properly ditlinguif,-ed^fom the Covenant/ work? ^£3$ 4 3 * 8)386,87,.

And

The Tabic.

And in what rejpeffs it is to be e$eem~ ed a Covenant ofGrace^ p.87,88,89.

None de&ed to Salvation as they are considered in the ejiate of difobedience^ p.

72,73,80.

Wherein, Faith confifteth, P-5**

tiorp it is begotten in men , ib.

That none are unavoidably enforced #/jem/;^ 5 p.5 :> 6 D i6 D i7,i8,i9 !> 2o,2i 5 22,

23.

That ifF* ith were enforced none could bcjufafiedOyit; ^44^5,4^4,5^

In what rejpett it is faid to be the gift

ofGod, P-5o,5is}*5M4-

That menntaypojfiblyfallaway from> it , p.l 1,12,14,101,102,1035104.

That

The Table.

G

That God requireth not more of any men to their Salvation, then what by the improvement of the means they may perform

God neither hardeneth the hearts, blindeth the eyes 0 nor rvorkgth wickednes in any men. P*3 t d3 2 *

H

That all vertue and vice proceedeth from the hearts of men ^ p. 44,4 % 54^55^

5<5.j

That every mans judgement at the laSi day Jfjall be according to the things only that werefeely chofen andentertain-ed therein, ibid

The Table.

M

In what refyeU it is faid, That the natural/man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, p.57358-,59,60,61.,62,63,

Bow men are taught of God, and drawn untojefus Chriff, p.66,67,68,69.

How it is wrought in them to will and todo&c. p.69,70,71.

How it is given unto them to repent, p.

77>7^79-to believe in Chrijt, and to fuffer for

his fake, V-7^77*

And how God putteth his Lav?s 77zto the mindes of men, p.9 5. to the end of the Chapter.

That no man canbehved without the grace of God> nor no man be faved there-

b

The Table.

by without his obedience unto it. p. 15,

16.

In what nature Salvation is given by

Cod unto men ? p. \ 5,16,49,50.

Andwhat in general! is required of al/

wen for the obtaining thereof\ p. 5 5,5 6*

81,82.

T»

To the Reader.

Reader s

THrough want of opportunity to attend the Prefle, feveral efcapes have been made in the Printing hereof ( and fome of themfuchas pervert the very fence of the place where they are committed ) moft of which (in the two firft {heets ) I thought good f more efpecially) to give thee notice of, to the end that thou mighteft correct them, as well as any other, which thou (halt bbferve in the reading of the whole.

Errata.

PAge 4-lin.4. for from the enjoyment, read and the en-joyment. p.i8.1.28.for other, i.greater. p.19- 1-i8« for made in under ,r .made in him under. p.2o.l.2,.for dr nyj.denieth. p.24.1.$.for tendrethj.rendreth. p.27.1.1?. for rve,x>men. p.27.1.22. for imexer able,x-inveterate.^ SoJ-s-for magnified,x.imagined.p.^.\.i^.foi' eppofej.op-foferi.p.62.1.3i.add which, p.^.l.i.for Ifrael, vEphrt-im. p-^o.l.^.for and hafpines »r. and of obtaining happi* fie/.p-74.!.ii.for apprehended ,r. applied, p.80J.24.for iwi/;ri/.p.9$. 1.25. for he,\.I. p.ppA^.'dck from this text.p.ico.L6.zddand. p.io5.Li.for thkfJtk. Poft-fcripr, p.2.1.12.for iniernitj,r.jnfirmit). ibid-pJ.15.for *&rtJ)X.tj[Qrflcd.

A DOO RE

SALVATION

OPENED

UNTO AL MEN.

The Introdn&ion.

Orafmuch as man-kinde commeth not into this World alwaies to continue therein , but is appointed after a fhorr fpace to leave the fame, and reiuineto corruption: And foraf-much as we are abundantly admo-niftied by God in the Scriptures of U| Reftaiuation from thence to an eltute of Im-ortality in the Wcrld that is to come ; wherein eve-man Ihall receive according to his deeds done in i* life, and are thereupon often required to remember their latter end. Vent. 32. 20. (to wit) death and idgeroent to come '■> to the intent that from the con-ion thereof, they may be lead fo to paiTe the i f their being here in feare, 1 Pet. 1. 17. t\> well with them at that day ; It hiving orher-B wife

A Doore ofsdvatitn

• been (according to die faying of Chiilt, rhougf: here thev had gained the Dominion of the whole Wcrid; good for them uut ihev had never been born-Mat. id 2'5. In which regard,, there cannot poflibly be any thing of greater concernment unto men, than to be informed what it is that God uquiieth of them in this Wcrid co thcafoieGfccl enc\Jkd how they may WeihabJedlo the doing thereof \ becaufe that what a man knoweth nor, or knowcth not how to perfornid he can in no wife difpele or apply himfelfe to the performance thereof.

ma yet thife is not* any thing wherein moft men arc; more wanting,than in this fo neceilary^o^/e^eito the great difquietneffe and perplexity of their mindes ail their dayes, apprehending themfelves in the greateft dangeryand not uncjerftanding how or by what meanes they may avoid the fame j which mifcry (as may juftly be fuppofed) happeneth unto them chiefly by reafojj 'of their dependence for information in the things of this nature upon thofe perfons only, who unduely arn rogarc unto themfelves to be the infallible teachers of the Ignorant, and difpenfers of the Oracles of God-appointed and fent into the World for all meatoiaskc rounfel of,in their SpiVituallartaires. Whofe principal aretuchasthefe.

fc'irft, That by Adam r tranfgreflion all ; men yffl brought under the guilt of Temporally Spiritually aiK ivternall death. The firft confifting in the mifeiiesoi tHisl^fe, and the dilTolution of mans nature in the ei thereof. The fecond in the depravation of the inw; roan,whcrcby al men are di fabled from defcerningf ! ituall things, or chcofing the things that are goi ordeinganythingpteafingor acceptable unto G

Tl

Opened unto all Men.

The third in the deftruftion and perdition of the whole man body and Soul/ni hell fire,for ever and ever.

Secondly, That of man-kinde thus confideredGod # in hi- eternal! counfcll was pleafed to choofe and elect for his fons and daughters onely fome few perfons (in coiiiparifcnof the whole ) whom alfo he decreed to deliver from the fore-faid guilt, to.call them to rhe knowledge cf himfelfe, to worke in them faith by the etYeduall operation ©f his Spirited in the end to give them ta!\atic n ?;"But decreed ro leave till the reft of man-kinde in that eftate wherein they were fallen jirnd that although by thedo'ftrine of the Gofpel,he decreed outwardly toad them to repent,believe,&oyec to the intent thatthey might not efcape the damnnation of hel,whereunto they were deftgn'd(by reafon of Adzms tranfgrefTion)by anlwering his call, 8c giving obedience thereunto,he further decreed, nor onely ro deny thcrii the benefit of uidimeanes which he knew to be ne-celfary to enable trjcrn'r'p repent 8r believe, &c. but he alfo decreed to blinde their eyec, haj den their hearts., and to make their ears dul of hearing, leaft at any rime rhey"ihonld fee with dieir eyes, hear with their eares> and underhand with their heartSj&come unto him and be hca!ed,or be converted and have tr>eir fins forgiven them. By whicli opinions preffed 8c received as fundamental point- i!i Divinity, men pre generally brboghc to pclieve, trfat as the damnation of fome perfons is altogether impoffible,God having decreed foas of nc-cefiity to. worke in tliem faith, &o and to bring them to eternail life', fo On the con tray, That the falvacton of thegreateftpartof men is as impoflible tobeob* rained, God having denyed u?to them all necefiiry Rear* for that pur pole.

The evill of which belief fo neeeffarjly diverting • ajid^ difab!ing # all men from the profecution and obtaining of thefe ends that (Wpropofeth unto them(to . wit) an e>u:mpticn from cverlafting death, and from the ejnioym^nt- of eternafl life; difcovercth unto us the errour and tal(e-hood of thefe dodrines before recited, whereby thefe opiuions are begotten and foftrecl iq them, in regard that it may not be conceived., that God who is truth it felt, fhould require all men to believe his love and favour towards them, manifeftly im-.plyed in his frequen^fervent and pathettcal exhortations unto them in the Scriptures,to hearken unto wife-clome, to chpofe his feare, ta .choofe life, to worke out their own falvation, withfeatf and trembling, &c. When as in hiseternall counfell, for Adams offence he hath utterly excluded them from his love, and irrecoverably fealed them to ,everlafting deftru&ion.,

Andalfo (altlioughit be a moft certaine truth that God before the World, did eleft and choofe fome men unto falvation,& appoint others to be punifhed) yet this may jufrly leade us to conceive, that neither the one fort were ele&ed, nor the other reje&ed upon the grounds that.thefe men pretend,or upon any other rhan thofe grounds whereupon God in the Scriptures promifedi unto men adoption arid falvation, and cte-nouncethuntothem death and reprobation, or thofe waVre-upon Chrift at the laft day will gracionfly reward fome men with eternall liappineffe, and puni/h ethers with everlafthig paincsy except we will fet the toetan^ revealed nundeof Godat an irreconcilable variance, or- fancy two mindes in God, oppoiitc eai i tinto the other* one whereby he hateth and abhorreth in t'me, thofe perfons whom he loved and elefted be-

bc-

Opened jtnto all Men.

fore rimci and the other whereby he loverh in time. rhofe perfons whom he hated and abhorred.befajq time : which may not be imagined-

And therefore originally, or a* men wexe confided ed under the faftof Adam j we afcto concert diffl God maketh no' dhference or diftinftion. betMQXt them, but of hi< great arid abundant £i ace in Ch5ft Jefus, maketh dad dpeneth unto thcrn all a-doore^T jfclvation, excluding-fietie/whd'through'«heir ownjvii* full and voluntary difobedtence au# : contempt ©fnHii gtjodnes, exclude ndt themfeivej '•> ncrfaving any but tftbfe who from a tharikiuU af>prehenfton of his rich mercy revealed un*o them in Ins Word and workes, or both, doe chearfulKV ane' willingly fabmit themfeive* to the obedience ofhTs Xtffi, known and understood by them-

For the Probation of whkh £W6#ttie?a4 heads Jointly difcourfed, % the dereAion-ofthf contrary oprna-orre,exhibited in fundry>biecV!on5 3 rcafon? and- fettts of Scripture, the fumme of that which followed! is ap-plyed^ beginning ivrrftrHe firft-

. . . —. ,—

CHAP I.

np :JJ>eaer offerfohs cmiuA chovfi ■.. man in hid difabedienee, aml/.jcU ano:. ortnforce one wan to believe and not *«<rti ft

i

V that Cod fhould neceflitate rhe falvation of fome

men and not others,then he fhould be a refpefter ol

B 3 per-

A Doore of Salvation.

pcrfons contrary to the Scriptures- As will appeare by feverall texts thereof. As ftrft by Mis 10. 54. where Peter when he perceived j that God had received nntoadaption Cornelius a Gentile as well as himlelfe, and others that were Jewes,,he L thus exprefiedi hius-, felfe. Now I perceive of a truth that there i< no re> fped: of perfons With God;>bjK in every Nation he that feareth him and. worked* righteoufnefie is eccepted of him : Arguing plainly, that if God mould accept of oneperfon wording righteoufneifc and not of anorher as righteous andijuft as he j that therein God fhould. be a refpeder of £ejrfons, r andd,*a^the reafonwliyGod doth not acpep^f .one man working ) igjiteoufnefle, andrejed: another,. i$ becaufe that he is no refpecier ofperfons.

Secohdljf ^few^Apoftlein 1 .Ptttr 1.17. exhorting Believers to take heed ^ud feareleait that rbcy difobey^and diipjeafe G$d ? grpuupcrh his exhortaxi-on upon the impartialirv or' Go^ proceeding towards all men without refpect.of perfons> in which argument there would be no force to difiwade them from difo-bedience,if that God without rdpeft of penons could difpence with one man in his difobedience, more than widi another.

Again Paul in the Rom.24. to the 11. Admonilh-eth all forts of men, Not to defpife .the riches^of tfc goodnelfe of God leading them to repentance i bur. through patience to continee in weWoing, and not to obey urtrighteoufneiTe, far thi&reafon. That there is 110 refpeft ofperfons with God- And upon the fame .rea-foii Jeho(bafhat .char^eth the Judges whom he ha^ appointed to judge the people. To adminifter righteous judgements Chron. ip.7. And likewife Paul, upon

Opened unto all Men.

Son the lame ground inftruftetii fcrvanrs to ferve mattery not with eye-fervice : bur in ffngfeptffi heart as to fhe Lord, £; •. ;. ;-. C

IMiilcing) tfiac God being no rtfpecter of perforis, hec cannot accept of one man and reject another in me fanae eftare and condition, fan evil! iMiich he rt | 'tfayjdmyi : ., . CondfeBiBf/bR^n

otfej.ee, arid inorherunder rhefame i»tiilt :. But

co a!] men in one and the toe capacity equally

idnuniftretH Ws nierci< s reprcefs

'.arc? aH men'is id himldie in E^ek- W. 21, plainly avowed in the wore, follow in';.

i wiU tkrne frmhtifiv ami tr - . ihrt rfihic)

I 'irtfllvfo thM • h

imo font, ihhi ■ that the wicked fl j

retprne j'vn htiwaits atul !>i

UirnetbawA* \h. hf&ammhlethin!-

afid dith acibftirr to iFthki

' • \flhi

thtth? ' fhrJhiot be wn:-

..

■ i • ' I

God i^uo refpectef of pel Ions , •i* diipfeafure in an eqjsall | jporcion a\.A 1 nre unro every man,

thereupon ' ir intli. UUteot naaiie whetein all men are B 4

S A Doore of Salvation

concluded to be alike, every man hath a like efteeme with hire, and receiveth alike from him.

And although that fometimes hee affordeth more meanes of Inftruftion unto fome people in the eftate of nature, than he doth unto others \ as formerly hee did to the Jewes, more than to the Gentiles- Yet if it be confidered that where he giveth much, hee askerh the more againe, Luke 12. 48- And that fuch meanes doth not necefiarily enforce thofe perfons to whom it is granted to the love and obedience of the giver thereof *, nor that the want of thofe extraordinary meanes, doth necefiarily hinder any men" from walking acceptably unto God,- but thacasthe Scriptures declare, the Gentiles who faithfully ferved God according to the Law written in their hearts, il am. 2.15,16, 26. fac. found as good an acceptation with God, as the ]cwes that ferved him according to the Letter of the Law delivered unto themj Nothing can be inferred from hence, to prove that God in the eftate of nature loveth one man more than another, fo.as to neceftiute his falvation rather than another

Ob)eZf- The Scriptures declare, Tito* z. 3- ^rf.v 2 Jim. 1. 9. That God calleth and.faveth fome men, nqt according to their workes: but according to his Grace which was given them before the world, but jbce doth not fo call and fave all-, therefore he doth refpeit the perfons of fome men above others ?

For Anfwer to this Objection, \ fhall only endeavour briefly to clear, the Scripture alleadged for the/ countenance thereof, the hrft of which is T/t.^ 3. fyc wherein is declared, Firft, what the Crctiam were, before the Grace of God in Chrift was made kttowne unto them, (to wit) fpolifh> difobedient, fer-

ving

Opened unto ail Men.

ving divers lufts, fac verf. 3- Secondly, what they became, after this Grace of God was revealed unto them, (fi*.) they were regenerated and renewed by the holy Ghoft. Thirdly, the benefit that did redound unto them thereby, (yi^.J they were juftihed and made heires according to the. hope of eremall iife. The fumme whereof, I take to be this. That the love andkindneffeofGodinChrilt towards men, appearing unto them m theMiniftery of the Apoft!es,Yerf.<i. They were thereby taught and perfwaded ( not ne-ceflarily enforced by a power v/hich chey could not refill) to deny all ungodiinetfe and worldy lufts (wherein before they lived) and to live righteoufly, foherly, and godly, in this prefent evil World. And hereupon

.much as the fame ApoftJe fheweth that godii-ncne hath the prumifc of the World toiccme) rhey obteined the hope and affurancecf eternal lrfe. According to Titus 2. 11, 12, i $. Which I take ro be the m rural e^poficion of this text-

Audwhereavitis faid that they were renewed by theKoly.Gbdft,:itrr,uft not be conceived that ihey were irreflftably lb renewed thereby : Becaufe it is e-nideiit tliat rheiSpirt* as it is vouchfafed for thefe ends

not fo operate in arw men- According to the Hijptures the Spirit is communicated unto men, only thefe two wayes*

Firft, Minifterially in the preaching of theGof-pt;I,to inftruft men in the knowledge of the fafiiei and < ;hencera leade them to the unfeigned obedience thereof. In which refpeft jefus Chrift who fpa!:c not of hitufelfc, but according as the Spirit of God tliat wa? upon him, wherewith hee was Anointed to preach the-Gospel, Luke4. i8.tai'sh: him, what-lite

ftiould

Ihonld fay, and what bee fhould fpeake, John i iairh, The words that I fpeak unto von they are Spirit,! John 6. 64. So Rkewife the Miniftery of. the ApolrlesJ •wherein they delivered nothing but what they hadl heard ©r feen, 1 Jots ft iJ nor fpake otherwife thanl according as rhc Spirit gave them utterance, AUs 2.4.) Is caHed the miniftration of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 5.8. and I mlike manner, in 1 Pet. 9. 17,18. thefpirrt is faid to preach repentance to the World in the dayes of Nvaft. And thus the naturail man is inftructed in the things of the Spirit of God, iCor. 2. 13,-14*

Secondly, Actually to rhofe that have received and mbjefted themfclves to the obedience of the Gofpel, (the Spirits initmction.) Repent and be Bapt\zed,and yje.fhal! receive the Holy Ghoft, Alls 2.3 3. Have ye re-ceivedthe Holy Ghoft f;nce ve believed.' Atts if. 2. In whom alto after that ye beJievedfyie were fealed with that holy Spirit of promise, flpAr/v t\ 12,13. For ye are all the Sonnts of God by Faith m Chfift Jefu's, (?44(t*'g.2^. And becaufe ye are Sons, God hath fent forth the Spii it of his Son into iyour hearts, Quint. 4. 6*

By the fir ft' of thefe wlierei ft the 'Spirit by doftriTie with ftgnes and wonders, for the confirmation tiieniof, Ikb. 2i 3, 4. Speaketh to thcxaresi'and'- eyes of Hpba, graciouliy and lovingly driving thereby to convert t^em from theiriCVB^^rfayes, Gen. 6r?. befecching them -by all rhe meitiesof Godtoi pxfenr .themfclves living iacririces iiwftojhim, holy and!acceprablc , which-is their reafbrubk device yRem. tdinn hee enforcefh none in any fuch fort, but that poffibly risey may relilt and rebel! agai nit him therein ; according as the if-raelices a* e often charged. • Ye ftiff-deeked and uncir-

aimciftd

cnmcifed in hearts and eares(faith Sieitn flaking unto them) ye doe alwaies rchft the holy Ghoft, as your fathers did, fe dee yee Alls 7.51.

They rebelled againft, and vexed his holy Spirit, therefore he was turned to be their enemy,and fought againft them\ l Efa\.' 63-10. Yea, To far may the wie-kednefTe of men lkerin be extended, as not only w il-fully and ftubbornly to relift and oppofe j but moft malic ionfly to blafphemc hirn, and to attribute his spr ry doctrines mid wonders to Beelzebub theprio.ee of

leconcj place 3 arc any of thofe who are actually pbffefled with the holy Ghoft nete/i ted therein' to the obedience thereof j as i: . fi y implyed , firfiyin thofe many £%tiqrtatj 1 contained in the Scriptures • To walke in the Spirit-■ 15. Not quench the Spirit. : i Nifr

Spiricwhereby yeaie feat'dto theday tyfred< n £pk-4-3P«

But 1 fcinore efpecfally In" thofe Scriptures

wherein it is cYsafly fuppofed(& by t!ie Apoftles of Je-lusChiilt i'- I granted} that thofe.perfon^who have be 11 : ; \ Ghoft,may fall

away 1 be$.ence of it, //• Joedefpite

unto it, .A\\d fo cietile their bodies the temp1<5

of if,as ' me foreti definition 8: condemnati-

on upon th( Kn Vie not

(faith xhe apoftle'rhat ye are rjic: temple of God ; and that the fpirit of God dvveilcih in you'If any man defile the Temple of Gcxi, himfhall G 1 Tor-3.

I 7. compare hare wjtfi

And this more evidently niav ferye rodemonfhate l hat ihc Spiritto the Miniftcry thereof doth not enforce

j 2 a Doere of Salvation

*orce regent-ration ami purity inanyj for, if that; itl Yhonld enforce purity in the uncleane, much" morel fhould it preferve purity in thofe that are clean , and! become temples thereunto.

And therefore when it isfaid, That the Cretians were renewed by dfie holy Ghoft, ic rimft be ander-ftq'cd, that they were renewed thereby no otherwife than through their diligent hearkning unto '& receiving the bleffed doctrine thereof, revealed unto them by tlie. Aroftles preaching. From whence it is/ that the Apoftle Peter in his tirft Epiftle the fecond chap, verfe-22, writing unto Believers, thus e >preiTeth him-felf '■) Having purified ycrir own fouls in obeying'of the truth through the Spirit': Plainly intimating, that no mail }s renewed by the Spirit any otherwife than thresh their applying thernfelvcs unto the doctrine £Jhd inftruftion thereof.

\k other Text is 2 fittui. 9. (die words.whereof aretnefe) Who hath faved us and called us with au holy calling, not according to our workcs,but according r G his own purpofe.aud grace that was given u,s in iff before the world- Which wTU not prove tha.t. feed doth necefHtate the v faith and falvation of any feeing that that the grace,that was.given to the nsheer fpoken of before tjie world, by whjch .vtie called an4 faved, in verfe the io.is declared t be none ether, than; the grace that was manifefted by Chrift at his appearing, To'a]fo in Turn 1. i a 2, 8.) ref re by rhc latter we are to meafure the fojf-irerj'&by the grace iManifefTed,)udgeMetermine wliat that .-race vasthat was given them before the world. ci^racecf God towards mari-kinde,. mani-I A by Chi ill at his appearance, is by Paul, in Ti~

tut

Opened unto all Men. 15

2.11,12 .(before cited)thus difcribed,The grace of jo^(faichhe)thacbringethralvacion to all men, harh ippeared reaching us, that denying ungodlineffe md worldly lufts , &c. to looke'fer thebleflcd lepe and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour lefus Chrift, which generall defeription in o-rher Scriptures Is unfoulded into thefe particulars fvi^.J That God fo loved the world that he fenc his Son to be a Saviour thereof. Joh. 5.15,17. And on pur-pofe by his death to deftroy death, Heb.2.14. and herely deliver man from the curfe of the Law conOft-ng therein. Gal. 5.13. of which all men ftood guilty. Kom-3.13. And by his refurre&ion to bringjife & im-nortality to light. 2 I/m.i.io. And in that eftate to Prepare maniions of glory and happ'mefle, to be pof-efled of all thofe that repent, believe, <frc~ That is to ay, That love God for his grace and raercie manifdi--d towards them, 1 John 4.i£. Which conilfteth in keeping his commandments. 1 John 5. 3. Orinlo-•'ingof Jefus Chrift being revealed unto them> and seeping his precept!. John 15.10. And t\ut thus relenting, believing, fac* men are required with con-idenceto hope, and with patience to waiteforthe ^romired Salvation,i lobn 3.19,20,21. £4.17. Titm

Thii then being the fubftance of the grace of God tianrfefted by Chrift at his appearing j the grace thac vas given to men before the world, is to be undertook as followeth, ( vi^.) That God forth of his rich pee, pity, and comp3ffion,confidering all mankiude "alien from their firlt obitc , and Ixcome guilty of A ing death ; refolvecfto lend his Son into the «Voiid, to redeem th?m fro™ ttoeiicc, r ^ reftore them

again

again to immorality, to prepare for them therein I heavenly Kingdome, to open unto shtfn a way there into, to invite than to walke therein , and walkin therein/m the end to give them rhe pofiefiion thereof According-to which grace Paul and Timetby wer called and faved, and net according to their workc of i ighteoufnelVe by the Law j which is all that can ra tionally be inferred from this Scripture.

And this is further .confirmed by that which follow erh in the 13. • verfe, where Paul exhorteth Timothy To hoJd faft the forme of found words which he ha$ heard of him in faith and love which is in Chrift Jefus which exhortation feemeth to be grounded upon thj turning away from the truth of many in Afl*> menti oned vet fe 15. the which would be altogether inper tinenc ( as alfo that caution which he givethnim,^' Tim. i.ip-To hold faith and a good confeience whereof fome had made ihipwrack ) If thaj before in the 9- verfe ( as it is pretended ) he had concluded th^t> God in his eternall purpofc had decreed to neccfiitaw •and enforce his faith and falvation \ for where it'* known there is no danger of mifcarriage , there is rib ground to exhort to beware, ox to admoniih him to hold fait, when both the admonifhei and the admo-nifheduaderitand that God hath decreed not to fatter him to let goe his hold if that he would-

Ob'ytti. If that God doth not inforce men to believe, I and fo inforce their falvation therebyj then man is th<*« author of his owne falvation.

This confeqnence is badly colie&d : As well might it be faid, that man is the author of his owne (ubfjftance in this life, became the food wherewith his life h main veyncd. and \ rekrrved is not brought unroll

his

his hand, minced and violently put into his mouth by |Jie immediate hand of God.

There are two things required to the Salvat jon of men \ 1 /<.) Gods Grace in jefus Chrift,and mans obedience thereunto ; as no man is faved by the former withouc the later, fo neither can any man be laved by the later [without the former- That no man can be laved without the Grace of God in Chrift, appcares in this: That no man is able to deliver himfclf from the curfe of the Law, lahehimklfe from corruption to immortality, ^reate and let up that Glorious Fabrick of the World to come, or that Heavenly Jerufalem which is to bee pofleiTed therein, for thefe, as alio for his owne being, ihe meanes of his Salvation, the promifes of Adoption, Juftitication, fyc through Faith and obedience every man muft acknowledge himfelfe to be infinitely led to the unfpeakable mercy and goodnelfe of i n Chrili. And that no man is faved by the Grace pi God, without his obedience and conformity thereinto, appeared! from hence. That men are punifhed •vitli damnation, for aiming the Grace of God into wantonnelle, Jude 4. For negle&ing Salvation, Met. 2. 3. A-nd walking in oWkneite when light is come info the World, fikn 3. 19. Upon which ground it h> :hac Paul to Timothv this exhorteth, 1 Tim- 4. io\ Take heed unto thy feiie, and to thy doctrine, comi-iuc thei cm; for in fo doing thou fhalt both lave thy

and them that hear ihee- And yet notwkhh. ng, forafmuchas we our icha, the meanes which is uiptoved,and the end thereof which isSalvation ,isa!l Dt God", we are by the Scriptures intruded ro ittribute the honour and glory thereof wholly unto lira. He giver h os(fakh-tfo Apoftle,)2 T\m. x . 17. Speaking of die things of this life ptocurcd no other-wife

wife than .through a laborious induftry in the ufe 4) meanes) richly all things to enjoy.

CHAP. II.

That it cannot ftand with \\>e love ofGodunti ■all) to enforce jomemento believe and ntr all.

IF that God fhould neceflitate the Faith and Salva tion of fame men and not others, it would argue; repugnancy in the Doftrine of his love to man-lunde unto whom he hath exprefied an equall afteftion , giving his Son a Saviour for all, and m defiring the fal-vationofall.

Filial, That God fent his Sonne into the World m favc the World, appeareth by teverali plaine Texts of .Scripture, as John 3.17. God fent not his Sen inrc the World to condemne the World j but that the World through him might be faved, and John 6. 11, I am, faith Chrift, the living Bread which came dowt from Heaven > If any man eate of this Bread, he fhal live for ever. And the bread that I fhall give is my Flefli, which I will give for tlie life of the World Agajne in John 12.47. If any man, faith he, heare my words and believe not, I judge him not,for I came not into the world to judge the world, but to fave the world. And in the 1 Tim* 2. $, <5. the Apoftle faith, There is one God, and one Mediator between God

and

kJ men, the Man Chrift jefus j who gave himfelfe a anfomeforall-

And whereas it is by fome objected, Tliat by the trorld here fpcken of, is not to be underftood the hole lumpe of man-kinde, but only the Eleft, a part lereof j and that by this terme (all) is not meant e--ry particular man and woman in the world, but nly fome of ail forts, &c. The Scripture as it were 5refeeingthis0bjecti.cn, addeth mHebr. 2. p. That thrift tatted death for every man. And in the 2 Fet. 2. .That as there were falfe prophets among ihepeo-ie : even fo there fhall be folfe teachers amongft ou,who privily fiiall bring in damnable herefies, even enying the Lord that bought them ; and bring upon lemfeives fwife deltrucTion. And Rom- 14. 15. De-rcy not with thy meat him for whom Chrift dyed, md iCor. 8. ii- Through thy knowledge fhall the eake brother perifh for whom Chrift dyed. Plainly itimating, that Chrift dyed not only for the Eleft (as ley ufe to fay) but for every man , for thofe that deny im are deftroyed, perifh, and are damned.

And furthermore, whereas it is objected, That the erfons here fpcken of, were not really of the number f thofe for whem Chrift dyed*, only in the judgement f charity were fo reputed.

The Scriptures aflorderh unto us divers evident

rounds, to prove that Chrift came into the World to

cry ; articular pcrfon therein, without excepts

n. As Firft, theGofpel is declared to be glad tydings

all, Luke 2. 10. And Secondly, is commanded

ore to be preached unto all, Mattb. 28. ip.

[5. And Thirdly, all men to whom ir is

quired to believe it, Marke 16.

C

Jifuttk. ii. 20. And Fourthly, Such as doe not be lieve and give obedience unto it, are threatned witf damnation, Mat. ic 4. Job. 3.8. And Fiftly , thofi fhat have had it preached unto them , and refufed « £ive obedience thcreunto,are declared to judge them fclves unworthy o; everlaiung life, ^4#/ 13. 46. and tc neglect Salvation, /frJr.2. 3"

Now forafinudi js die Gofpel in generall is none other than the fruits otChril\sdeath,& that Salvation in particular is othci wife altogether impoflible,it coulc not in the nature thereof be glad ty dings unto all, noi in equity or juftice be proclamed unto all > nor the obedience thereof be required of all j nor difobedi-ence thereunto be punilhable in all *, nor could it truly be faid,That thofe that are damned for their difobe-dience unto it, have neglefted Salvacion> if thatChrifl had not fhed his Bloud for all.

And furthermore, whereas it is replyed b*y fome. That although Chrift dyed for ally yet his death was intended only to fave the Eleft.

It is by God declared , that he fenr his Son into the world forth of his love to man-kinde ". to the end that thereby they might be faved, (for fo faith! the Scripture) God fo loved the world, that he fenrj his only begotten Son, foe John 3. i<5.

And for the further confirmation of all mens Faith in this behalfe,he molt folemnly profeifeth, yea,] and having no other to fwear by, he fweareth by Him-' klfe, Thau he defireth nor only the Salvation of thofe that are faved*, but cf thofe alfowho through con-temp: of his goodneflfc, dye in their litis and perifh, as 1 we may reade in £^. 33.11. As I live faith the! Lord Gcd, I have no pleafure in the death of the

wicV .

wicked, but that the wicked tume from his way and live: Tume ye, tume ye, from your evill wayes, for why will ye dyeOHoufe of Ifrael ? And herewithall accordeth the teftimonies of his fervants,in the 2 Tim. 2. g, 4. This is faith Faulygood and acceptable in the light of God our Saviour (to wit) That we fhould pray for all men, vert 1, 2. becaufe he would have all men ro be faved, and come to the knowledge of the Truth. And Peter in his Second Epiftle the 3. chap. 9. to the fame ttXtA faith, The Lord is not flack concerning his promife (as fome men count flacknefle) but is long futiering to us wards, not willing that any fhould perifh, but that all fhould come to repentance, and con-fequently to Salvation, as the end thereof.

Now as there is nothing more oppofite than yea, and nay, (which as the Apoftle informeth us in the 2Cor. 1. 19, 20. Is not in Jefus Chiift or in the pro-taiifes of God made in under the New Covenant: ) fo can there be nothing more repugnant to the Doftrine of Gods Love to mankinde espreffed, in fending his Son into the Word, that the world through him might be faved, and in his oath whereby he profefleth,that he «vouId not have any thereof ro perifh, &c. Then this Doctrine which kith, That God doth neceflarily en-brce fome men to believe, to the end they may bee aved: and denieth fufficient meanes unto others to en-ible them to believe,to the end they may be damned. The Rrit faich,That he loveth and defueth the Salva-ion of all alike, and would have none to perifh. The itter faith, That he defueth but the Salvation of a few 11 fpeciall, and willeth the damnation of many. The irft faith, Thuyr rhrough the mercy of God vouchfafed Chrilt, every man may pofiibly be faved. The C 2 latter

A Do ore of Salvation

later faith, That no man can poiiibly obtaine Salvation therein, without a fpeciall affiftance vouchsafed unto him, to enable him to believe, Sec. and fo deny Jefus Chrift to be the Doore and way to eternall life, andi f.oncluderh man-kinde (whom he came into the world I to fave) as incapable of obtaining die end of his com-ming, as if he had not at all come into the world to be their Saviour: And fo in a word maketh the Death of Jefus Chrift in relation to the Salvation of man-kinde ofnoneefteft: And the folemne Oath of Almighty God, as toHching his defire of the Salvation of all, and the death of none (with reverence be it fpoken)worfe then jefuiticall deluiion and equivocation j which a-lone may ferve as a fufficient evidence againft this Opinion.

CHAP. III.

How the Doctrine of Gods enforcing men to bM lieve ^ leadetb the Reprobates to Blajpbewj againft God, and makpb them excufable in their condemnation.

F God fhould necefiitate the Salvation cf fome men* ^J and not others, it would fill the Reprobates with j Blafphemy againft him, by reafon of their condemna-riori contrary to the Scriptures. From this confidera- ; tion, That in the point of Salvation he doth that for < •theis, which he refufed to doe for them, and yet pro-

fcfltrh )

fefTcth that he hath done as much for them in that be-haife as he could.

That God profeffeth, that he hath dene as much for the Reprobates to make them fruitfiill to Salvation, as he could : The words of the Prophet Ifay in his 5. chap, doe plainly d'eckie, I will fingto my wel-beloved (faith he) a Song of my beloved touching his Vineyard: My wel-beloved hath a Vineyard in a very fruitful! hill, and he fenced it, and gathered out the Itones thereof, and planted it with the choifeft Vine, and built a Tower in the midfc cf it, and alfo nuAn a Wine-preffe dicrein ; and he looked diat \z fhould bring forth Grapes, and it brought forth wilde Grapes- And now,0 Inhabitants of JtntfafemyZnd men oijudab, judge I pray you betwiy: me and my vine-

what cculd have been done more to my \ yard, that I have not done to it ? Wherefore when i looked, that it fhould have brought forth Grapes, it brought forth wilde Grapes : And now go to, I will

u what I will doe to my Vineyard, &c Under [which fimilitude, the Prophet declareth unto the In-|habitants of Iudah and Ierufdlem; whefe deftruction for their unfruitfulnefie & difobedience towards God, he denounceth in the following part of the chapter, from the 2- v. ScoThat God to make them fruitfull unto all ^ood workes, to prevent their dtfiruftion, and to bring rhem to eternall life, had vcuchfafc i

1 unto them all convenient .md ncceflary m conducing to thole ends. Infpmuch that when appealerh nnto them fi tit therein, before he

proceeded to pronounce his definitive fentence a-jpinft them, the^ are left altogether fpecchlefle, not

[anything to reply unto Gcd in chd*

behalfe > whereas if their underftandings had been informed that any necefiary meanes had been wanting unto them, without which they could not pofiibly render unto God that which he requireth of them-, or that he had not vouchfafed unto them as effeftuall meanes, as he did unto others in the like cafe j their anfwer might have been ready in words to this effeft. (i Lord we are poore helpleffe Creatures (who alone "byreafonof thy decree, in reference to Adams €c tranfgreflion, which we could no wayes poflibly pre-" vent) are made altogether uncapable by any fuch " meanes as thou aifordeft unto us, to doe any thing <c pleafing or acceptable in thy fight, no not fo much <c as to thinke one good thought j and this Lord thou u knoweft, and from the confideration thereof, thou cc givelt unto fuch and fuch men and women, thy good u Spirit', whereby they are enabled to the doing of <c thofe things that thou requireft of usjwithom which <c Spirit, our intfifted condemnation is altogether un-"avoydable. And therefore if that we muft peiifh, cc it's only for thy wilJs fake, and neither for omitting <c or mifdoing any thing that we were able rightly to. « dee.

Whereas, therefore the Scriptures informeth hs, that when die greateft enemies of Almighty God, fhal take into their moft ftrift and fevereft examination, all his fayings and proceedings againft them ; that forth of their owne mouthes, like unto thofe wicked Husband-men (in the Gofpel, Mattb. 21.40, 41. )rhey fhall fully acquit and juftitle him in them all- Rom. 3. 4. And that we are thereby alfo plainely informed, That if our confidences doe uot accufe andcondemne us, we have peace with God, 1 Iohn 3-21. And fo

con-

:onfequencly that then he will noc condemne us ', we ire hereby neceflarily led co this cendufion, That -adonis not confered upon men through neceffiry ; lor chat it is any o>herwife to be cbteined , than hTOugh mens improvement of the rceanes granted i:n-o them for that purpefe.

Objttf. Gods not doing fo much for the Reprobates is he doth for others, is no dueftcaufe of Blafphemy n them, in regard that he is not thereunto bound j fo hat if they Blafpheme, it's without caufe on Gods wrr.

Anfrv. Firft, Wherein any mans confidence aecuferh lim not as touching fuch things whereof he is accufed nd condemned by another, he is inevitably compelled o contradift and gain fay in that refpeft : And fo ikcwlfe, if that the Reprobates fnould be condemned >y God for impenirency and the worker thereof, and et in their owneconfidences be infallibly afured that epentance was altogether impofrible unto them, thty iiould therein diredfy (n?l they will they) be inferred ft and gaiufay in fuch their condemnation, -hichinthe Scripture fenfc is none otherwife than Jlafphemy, A&s 13. 45.

Secondly-, And therefore although that God as hee

\ Lord and Creator of all, cannot be bound un-:o any

f his creatures, yet confklering that he doth not pi e-

cendemneany cf them \ thereby to exertifc.

Dike a cruell tyrant) his power and prerogative 1

but only to punifh them for their voluntary and 'ilfiiU difobedience a^ainft him; for the Honour of is Inftice he is abfolutely bound not tocondemne hem for aiy fuch thing which is impofliblc unto hem, becaufc that then his lattice canno: *\

C 4 bte

bee acknowledged by them in their condemnation as he hath declared it fhall.

CHAP. IV.

How the VoUrine of Gods enforcing men to believt tendretb the exhortations of God to the licfro bates) and bis lamentations for their damnation hateful} and odious.

IF that Faith and Salvation were attainable only through an neceffitating power, and not through mens improvement of the meanest would render all the invitations and exhortations df God to the Reprobates to heare his voyce and partake of Salvation by Chrift contemptible and all his lamentations for their I refufall thereof? and their deitruftion thereupon en-1 fuing, hatefull a^d odious, becaufe thitfuch e^horta-I tions, invitations and lamentations (if real) are alwaieil moft infallible arguments of the itrongeft affedion,} towards thofe perions in whofe behalfe they are made, bat are not fucft towards them if that Repentance,) Faith, &o be attainable only through neceflity, and| not through their improvement of the meanes afforded unto them, they otherwife being wholly uncapable ofthemfelves, of obeying his exhortations, &c And 1 God unwilling to grant them that affiftance which hee knew to be neceflary for the avoydkig of their threatned deftruflion, nocwirhftianding fuch his lamentations That

Ofenedunto all Men.

That God exhorteth and inviteth the Reprobates,

to hear his voice,and partake of the falvation prepared in Chrift, the Scriptures doe plentifully declare unto ns, as in Proverbs i. 2c, to the 24:. Wifdbnaejcryedi without, fhe cttefeth her voyce in the ftreets, the cry-erh in the chief place of die concourfe,m the opening of the Gates in the City fhe tittereth her words, ing, How long ye (implecnes, will ye love finiplieity, and fcorners delight in their (corning, and fooles hate knoy/iedf;e ? Turne ye at my reproof, behold I will pour out my Spirit (or minde) unto you (as 1 reade) I will n a ic known my words unto you- And Frot/.p. 1. foe* Wifdome Iiath builded her a H« Jfce hath lichen her out feveri Pillars, the had] killed her Bcafts, flie hath mingled her Wine, (he hath alio fhrnifhed her Tabic, I hhemtai-

denr, fhe cryeth upon the higlieft places of the Ciry, who {o is fimple let him turne in hitherjzs for him that vanteth undcrftanding* (he faith to him, come eat of my bread and drinke of the Wine which I have mingled, forfake the fooliih, and live, and go in the way of undeilianding. And Mztth- 22. 2. fcc- The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a certaine King, which made a Marriage Tor his Sou, and lent forth his Servants to cal thofe that were bidden to the Wedding, and they made lightof it, and he fent forth other Servants, fay -ing,TeIJ them which are bidden, behold I have prepared niy dinner, my Oxen and my fadings are killed, and all things arc ready, come unto t!\ , buc

they made lightof it.

And that the Lord doth cxpreffe him of forrow and lamentation, fcr the difob men to his loving invitations; e. .a:d their

punifh*

punifhment following thereupon , is as manifeft as the former. In Jer-i5-$>6« he thus fpeakethj Who ftall vifite thee, Oh lerufalem ? Or who fhall bemone. thee ? Or who ihall go afide to afke how thou doeft/ Thou haft forfaken me, faith the Lord, thou haft gone: backward, therefore will I ftretch out my hand againft thee, and dcftroytheej I am weary with repenting... FJaime 81.8-11-1 3 • Hear O my people and I will refti-fy unro-theei O Ifrael, it thou wilt hearken unto me : But my people would not hearken unto my voice,, and Ifrael would have none of me : O that my people fad hearkned unto me, and Ifrael had walked in my waies. E^eki 33»n-Turheye rurne ye, why will yee dye O hcufe of Ifrael I Zzjk; 18.32.1 have no pleafure in the death of him that dyeth, faith the Lord God, wherefore turtle your felvcs and \vcLuke 19.41. And when he was come neer he behtH the City and wept over it, faying, If thou haddeft known, even thou, at lean: in this thy day , the things that belong unto thy peace. Matth. 23.37 O lerufalem, lerufalem, that kil-left the Prophets and ftoneftrhem that are fen tun to thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a Hen gathereth her chicken, and ye would not ? Hofeah 6. 5.0 Epraim, what ihall I doe unto thee ? O Jade ah what mail 1 do unto thee ? For your goodneffe is as the morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. 2 ckron.2 6.14,15,15. More- . over all the chief of the Priefh and the people, rranfgrefied very much after the abominations of the Heathen; and the Lord God of their Fathers fent unto j them by his Melfengers, riling up betimes, and fending, becaufe he had companion on his People, and on his dwelling place 3 but they mccked the Melfengers

of

)f God, and defpifed his word, and mifufed his Probers, untill the wrath of the Lord arofe againft them ill there was no remedy.

Now as nothing can poflibly be (Vid by God to renter him more gracious, loving, kinde and pitifull towards miferable men, or more to endear and enfemc leir atieftions towards him, than what is he re by him xprefied, being understood according to thefe rules 'hich he hath given unto us to judge of his love and oodnefle by j in regard that fuch expreffions dot pundantly demonftrate that he unfainedly and om his v( ( asit were ) dellreth that wee

1 fhould hear his voice , obey his counfelb P^ : fthe benefits or "his Son, obtain falvation thiv m,and iliac there is no defect,nor any thing wan. n his part that can be judged or any waits conceived LCefiary or requifite to enable us thereunto, and nfcquently toavoide andeicaye the wrath that is ) come : fo neither on the contrary is it poiTible,trr.t leAlmighty God fhculd prefent himielfe to his clears mere hateful & odious then by any blafphemy char s molt inveterate and malicious enemies forth of eir deepeft defpight and hatred againft him, can any y waies imagine or foment, which would be by fuch exhortations and lamentations , where the xxiience and duty that he require th of men to their vation, jnd the efcaping of perdition in the world come are impofnble unto them: forasmuch as then his love and arleftion, pity and companion therein mifefted, could be cfteemed no other then rr.eerc xkage, hipocrilie, delufionandciuelty in the high-degree, becaufe that whileit he pretended), the ateftlove ; he fhould bearethe greater! hatred;

whilcft

whilefthe pretendeth to feeke rhcir falvation, h< fhould fecrerly airne at and intend their damnation whileft he pretendeth to lament their raifery , h< fliould laugh thereat, rejoyce and delight there in, ha, ving from eternity without any refpeft to their mifdo: iags utterly excluded them cut cf his favour, fhut and faft feaied them up under his wrath , hatred and forefl indignation j and from thence denying unto them the neceiiary meanes of their falvation, which being th< true and naturall confequeace cf tint docTxine, whicj afferteth falvation to be through neceiTity , and 1101 through mens voluntary improvement of the means may admonHh all men that tender the glory and honour of God, to beware thereof.

0h]e3. The exhortations znd invitations of God tc Reprobates to partake of good things prepared ir, Chrift arc not contemptible ajnd odious, considering that good things are prepared in Chrift, unto whicl the Reprobates are invited, which retain their goot^ nes, though they be rejefted.

Anfxv. Its not the goodnes of the thing prepa-l red in Chrift, that can free the exhortations of God tc J Reprobates,to partake thereof from contempt: if thai] God forth of his hatred againft them, fhould be con*] eeived to exclude them from the participation olj them', becaufe that thereby the Reprobates lhould be] abufed with afpecious fhew of love towards rheni] when 2s nothing but hatred is intended to therpll which muft needs render fuch exhortations odious unto thcai. Abfdoms good cheare rendrech his invittr tions to Ammon to eate thereof far worfe than open hatred. 2 Sam> ij. 2<5-28.

2. Therefore i further anfwer, That it is impoflibki

that

iat God who abhor reth nothing more than mens rawing neare unto him with their mcuthes, and ho-ouringhim with their lips ^ when their hearts are ir from him, Jer.6.20. Ifay i-i^i^-Amor 5^3. And 'ho hath inftruScd all men not to eate the bread or efire the dainty meates of him that hath an evill eye, ut to contemne his invitations ( eareeate) when his earc is not with them. Prov-2 3 6,7. Th.it he him-'lfe mould fo praftife, doe the thing which hede-?fteth , and exhort men to eate in the feme cafc, herein he willeth them to abftain j he cannot lye, ecaufe he is truth it felfe, Titus 1. 1. therefore as he )eakethfohethinketh, and like as he pretendeth fo emeaneth.

Ob. 2. Secondly, concerning the lamentations of rod in refpeel: of thole that perifh, it is objected,That ley ferve onely to expreiTe the reniedilefnes of their lifery : And that he is not delighted with their pa-ifhment as they are his creatures ; but with the glory f his juftice which fhineth in their wickedn

Anfo.The firft part of which objection (1 tr^J That

lie lamentations of God in the behalfe ofthofcthac

erifh, ferve only to exprcfie the remedilefnefs of

lieir mifery, rightly underftcod may be admitted}

ut I defire to know, whither their mifery be remedi-

i refpeftof thenifelvcs, ci in refpeft of God ?

whether ior want of meanes fufiicient vouchfafed bv

rod to prevent their mifery, or through their wilful 1

egleft and abufe thereof ? In the latter fenfe I r

I 'iection to be goodi For he th tt nepjefteth the

rf God in Chrift vouchfafed unto him in this

y what meanes fhall his mi ented in

ut which is to come, danwati :>n in hell being

pen

A Doore of Salvation

penalty thereof * From which there is neither re demption nor Redeemer made known unto us. Bi that their mifcry ihould be remedileffe for want c :r.ercy fufficient vcuchtafed unto them in this life fo the prevention thereof, may not be magnified, becaui it's inconstant with the integrity of Gods pure naturi (difcovered unto us in his Atributes of Truth, Lovt Gocdnefie , Mercy andluftice )to make lamentation hv the behalfe of his perilling creatures, when as thv 1 cafon thereof lyech limply and wholy in himfelfe-

Secondly, Whereas it is further fuggefted, Tha thefe lamentations are intended to exprefie, Tha God is not delighted with the punilhment of his crea tores, but with the glory of his juftice, which Ihinetl in their palpablewickedneGj its meft abfurd, Bccaufi tliat if God ihould be delighted to have men wickec as they are his creatures, he mnft needs much mor< be delighted with their punifhment, as they are hit creatures, the punilament of wickeduefs being thi moft proper excrtife of his juftice : And therefore il the glory of his juftice againft the honour of his meR cy, fhould engage him to deny his grace unto hf| creatures, to the intent that they might be wicked, tt moft needs much more engage him to punifh them being wicked-

Betides, the Scriptures doe plainly informe us,That God doth not onely lament the punifhment of hff creatures, but their ingratitude and wickednefie alfo as zh^ caufe thereof. In Ier.2.2. <frc To the ingratcfr fall Ifraeiites he thus fpeaketh.

I remember thee, the day of thy efpoufals, when thou wenteft after me in the wildernefie in a Land that was not fowne, veif. 5. What iniquities have your Fathers

hers found in me, that they are gone far from me,and ire walked after vanities and are become vaine? verf. 5. Meidicr faid they where is the Lord that brought us Hp )urof the Land of Eg)pt ? That led us through the iffilderndie through a Land of Defarts and of Pits, hrough a Land of drought, and of the ihaddow of leath, through a Land that no man palled through,and vhere no man dwelt, verf. 7. And I brought you into t plentifull Country, to eate the fruit thereof, and the »oodnefle thereof, but where ye entrcd ye defiled my -and, and made mine Heritage an abomination. The 'rieft faith nor,wherc is the Lord, and they that handed the Law knew me nor, the Pallors alfo tranfgrelTed tgainft me, fyc. verf. 12, 13. Be aftoniihed O Heavens t this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very defolate lith the Lord. For my people have committed two e-ils, they have forfaken me,thefountaine of living wa-ers, and hewen to themfelves broken Cifterns that ca»i old no water, verf. 31. O Generation, fee the Word f the Lord: have I been a WilderncfTe unto IfracI:' A .and of darknelTe f Wherefore lay my people,We are ords, we wil come no more unto thee ? Cai a Maidc >rget her Ornaments, or a Bride her Attire ! Yet my j?cplc have forgotten me dayes without number.//*/. • 2. Hear O Heavens, and give ear O Earth, for the ordhathfpoken, Ihave nourifhed and brought up hildren, and they have rebelled againft me. The Oxe lowerh his owner, and the AiTe his Matters cribbc : it Ifrael doth not know, my people cloth nor confl-;r. Ah!finfull Nation, a people laden with iniqury, Iced of evill doers, Children that ai e corrupted, they ,vc forfaken the Lord, thty have provoked the holy je of Ifrael uno Anger. Iercm. 13. 27. Woeuntq

thee

A Doorc of Salvation

thee O ]erufalem,wilt thou not be made clean ? When fliall it once he/ How much more of this nature might be added? Such as reade the Scriptures know. Now that the goodneile of God fhould thus cauie him to lament the wickedneflfc of men>ajid endeavour their repentance y and yet the glory of his Juftice in oppofi-tion thereunto, fhould c^ufe him to delight in their wkkcdneiie,and from thence to deny them the means of repentance, cannot be fuppef-d, becaufe that this would quite invert the teiiimony of S- James, chap- 2. 13. And make judgement in God to glory and rejoyee againft n;ercy;nor yet can it Viand any better with the purity of God, to lament the wickednei:e of thofe whom he delighterh ro have wicked s then for him to ! lament the damnation of thofe, whom from erernity lie hath excluded from his favour, and appointed thereunto. Butfecondly,! anfwer, That it is inconfi-ttenc with the nature of Gods juftice, to delight in the v/ickedneife of any man, becaufe that juftice it felre can neither occafioii nor take delight in any thing that is unjuft, or contrary to it felfe j as all fuch things mufv needs be whic h are reprehended and punifhed thereby, Rom. 2. 1, 3, 21, 22. £001,3.3, 6. Therefore feeing that the juftice or God is declared to be angry with, and provoked to wrath by the wickedneffe, hard-nei^eof heart, and impenitency of men, Alarke 3. 5. Mat. 22. 4, 5, 6 9 7- It cannot poflibly be pleafed or delighted therein,or be any waies accelfary thereunto, I! Either by woj king wickedneHe in mens mindes, Jam. ^ 1 .13. (As feme men too rafhly afnrme from tliefe and {■ ,& fuch like Scriptures, Rom. 9.18. AZh 4.28. /0A.12.49.HJ cr by prohibiting meanes fufftcjenx for the jreveni there- i.

Vfyeth God could have prevented both Angels and en from falling, and could recover all and every one F men, as well as any ; which arguedi that he would ive fome to perifh.

.Anfw. What God as he is Almighty and Omni-Dtent might have done, we will not difpute, nor is neceifary to the prefent point: It is fuftkienc to jr purpofe to prove , that God vouchfafed both to len and Angels, means fufficient to prevent their fal-ng j the which, 1 fuppofe no rationall man will deny, eing thatwhacfoever God hath impofed upon his rcacures, by the Law of nature and necefiity (as hun-srr, drought, wearineffe, eating, drinking,fleeping, jr.) are neither orYenfive, nor difpleafing to him \ ic eing impoflible, that he fhould blame or hnde fault ich what himfelfe doth, or necefntateth his Creatures >rtodoe: fo that if the fall of Men or Angels 1 een unavoidable by them, by the Law of their Crea-on, their falling had not been tinfull in diem, nor lould they ever have incurred the difpleafure of God 1 any refpeft, by reaion thereof, no mere than we >w do by our eating, drinking* &\.

Gcd Geared horil Angels and men in a murable ate, ftiSiciently able to doe whatfeever hb required them 'j and furnifhcd tkeiH abundantly with argu-cim of his love and goodn.el!c,ro endear and engage cm to the perpetual] love and obedience ofhimfeii \ d yet withall (ubject, (or incident) through the want deration of his goodneflc towards rheni, ro fail

0 ingratitude and difol ediencc agiinft him, 1

1 otherwife, neither tjie One nor the orhcr could w been capable of manifehing then fidelity and u/uuimeilc untg him their Lprd and Creator; |

D w**

Was moft necefiary they fhculd) for how fhould he

exprefie his (ubjecTiou and obedience*who cannot pof-

(ibly dilbbey i And how God conld have made a

creature in fuch an eftate, wherein:hib love and good*

neife towards hini, and fovcraignry over him, could

not thankfully be acknowledged by him, cannot

reafonably he. imagined. In which refpeft, it may

juftly be queftioned, Whether God could have done

any more to prevent the fall of angeJs and men, then

what he did? | I

c a-Whereas it is implied,That God hath not recover-*

ed by jefus Chrift,ali and every of men(as well as any)

from under the curfe of Adams tranfgrefiion, it is not

to be admitted, becaufe the Scriptures do informe us>

That as in Adam all die,fo in Chrift^U are made alive,

i Cor. 15.22. And that as by one mans offence, judge'

ment came upon all men to condemnation, even fo by

the righteoufnes of one,the free gift came upon al men 3

to the iuftification of life,7lom.5.i8.And that as the firfi

man Adam was made a living foul, fo the fecond man A*

dam is made a quickning fpirit,i(7o. 15.4$.But I fuppofe

that by thefe word* (God could recover all, and every

man, as well as any) is to be underftood only,That God

could ( if he were pleafed) enforce thefalvation of al!j

and every man,as well as fome:wherin that is taken for

granted, rthichSs denied (to wit) that God doth

neceflitate the falvation of fome particular men, and

ROt others ( which hath already, and fhall hereafter

be further difproved:) And although that it cannot

be denied, but. that fome men doe perifh, yet is it

not therefore to be conceived, that they fo perifh for

want of means fufticient to accomplifh their falvationi.

b«c by reafon of their contempt thereof. All the|

wait*

^waies of God being mercy and truth, the goodneife of God is alwaies firft exercifed in providing means fuffi-cient for the Salvation of membut when his goodnefie therein is defpifed, and his Grace turned into wantonnefie *, then, and not till then, doth his righte-oufnefle and juftice call for judgement and vengeance againft the defpifers and contemners of him, as the Scriptures doe witneffe, Jud. 3, 4, 5, <5. Rom. 2. 4, 5. aChron. 26. 14,15, 16. In which refpeft it is that God is faid to be flow to anger, Nahum. 1..3. That he doth not willingly afflift nor grieve the Children of Men, Lament. 5.33. That mercy glorieth againft judgement, Umes. 2. 15. And that his tender mercies are over all his workc*, Pfal. 145. 9*

C HAP. V.

How the opinion of enforcing Faith and Repentance in men> oftofetb the JVifdome of God.

T¥ that Repentance, Faith, &c. were through neceflfi-|_ ty, and nor attainable j only by the improrement ?f the means atfordedj (vi^-) the workes and Word of "Jod, it would not ftand with the Wifdome of G©d, to xpeft and wuit for the Repentance of men, as the Scriptures declare he doth : Eecaufe that Ikjrein l>ee ihould not locke for Figs of a Fig-Tree, according ro •he \ rucikc of Chrifti But for Figs of Thorncs, and D 2 Grapes

Grapes of Thirties, which is much below the wifdome of mem mid therefore much more of God.

That Gog doth e*Kpec% and wait for Repentance from me:}, is plainly taught in the Scriptures, Ifai.<,.i> 2. My heloved(faith rhe Prophet/peaking of God)hath a Vineyard in a very fruitful! hil} and he fenced it} and gathered out the ftones thereof*, and planted it with, rhe choiceft Vine,and built a Tower in the midft of it}' anda'fomadea Wine-prene therein, and he looked that it fliould bring forth Grapes, and it brought forth wilde Grapes-

Lufy isf,i& And Jefus fpake alfo this parable : AcertainemanhadaFig-Tree planted in his Vineyard, and he came and fought fruit thereon, and found none} Then faid he to the drefier of the Vineyard, Behold thefe three years I come feeking fruit on this Fig-Tree, and finde none 5 cut it down, why cunibretb-.it the ground. Jer. 13. 27. O Jerufalens,wilt thou notbe made cleane, when fhall it once be £

Now forafmdeh as wifdome doth prohibite jl man to expeft the efteft v/ithout the caule, or more from any caufe, then can be effected thereby, or to ! wait for a plentiful harveft in Summer,without plough-' ing and fowing in the Winter} who can conceive that Almighty God the fountaine of all wifdome, yea, who is wifdome it felf, mould eypeft and wait for repentance from men, without vouchsafing unto theri '%ea*?sfiiffieient toanftver his expectation therein! No man feeketh Figs of Thorns, or Grapes of Thirties* and fhall God that maketh men wife, be conceived to be fo far iriferiour unto him in wifdbme,as to leek and CKpeft repentance of man, it beifig no lefte impofiibte to.be found I Surely nothing can be leife imaginable i

An<

,i

And yet for die further prevention of luch difhonour"* able thoughts concerning the Gcd of all Wifdome, the Scripnires before cired, note unto us thefe two things : Firft, the ground upon which Gcd doth expect repentance from me>n, demonft rated to us under the fimilitude of a man planting his Vmeyard in a fruitful! Hill, planting it with the chdiceft Vine, fencing it, gathering out the (tones, foe- As alfo under the fimilitude of a Husband-man, dreffing and digging about his Fig-Tree. Secondly, the time in which God ! expefteth repents , which by Chrift \ in

Mat. 41.34. (in which I e alludeth to tfii.£i)

is declared to be nor untill cfie time of Vintage, and the more plainly to declare, how farre he is from expecting from men that which is unreasonable: in Ufa 13. 7. he uferh theft: words, Thefe three years liave 1 comefeeking fruit and finde none, fare* tinder which formes of fpeech, the Lord doth inftrbft us, Thai wifeHnsband-man do:h not expeft to receive fruit from his Vineyard, without the ufe of all nece means required thereunto, nor untill the fcafon of tfce year wherein his expectation may beanfoete«d neither doth he himfelf look for any thing mere from men , then what he affbrdeth unto them fufficieut means and opportunity to eflcft.

And feeing then that if repentance, &c were no otherwiie attainable then through the irrefifiable ration of the Spirit: that all impenixent wicked and ungodly perfons from whona he cxpefteth repentance, fhould neither have means nor any opportunity afforded unto them for that |jnrpofe, (for it th.ir die means of doenecefiarilyacccmpliftitht Gave* then all hat means mull nee-d

D 2 re-

repentance thereby.) Therefore repentance muft be acknowledged to be obtained only thorow the improvement of fuch means which God vouchfafeth unto i all, and the nature thereof be acknowledged to be fuch, that poffibly may be neglefted by thofe to whom it is granted,and from whence ( repentance) the end thereof is expefted, Reveli.n. I gave her fpace (faith the fpirit)to repent, and fhe repented not.

CHAP. VI.

How the commands of God in Serifture are of-f o fed by tbe opinion of Gods enforcing Refent-. ance^ Faith, &c.

THisdoftrine (to wit of Gods neceffitating re-pen tance,^rc)oppofe the Commandments of God given unto men, whereby he requireth them to repent, believe in the name of his Sonne, work out their own falvation with fear and trembling. Now for-afmuch as God cannot oppofe himfelf, therefore that which he requireth of men to doe, muft needs be pro- ' per and peculiar to them to perform.

That God requireth every man to repent, <&c. is e-vident by the Scriptures, ^#.17.30. The times of this ignorance God winked at, but now he command-eth all men every where to repent, 1 /oft. 3.2 3. And this is his Commandment, thatwefhould beleeve in the name of his Sonne IefusChrift, J?W/.2.i2. work out your own falvation with fear and trembling whereby repentance, &c. is by God made the peculiar work and duty of man, through the improvement of the means vouchfafed unto him for thofe ends, op-

pofite

polt thereunto is the doctrine* which averreth re-pentance,^rc to be the peculiar work of God,and no: of men,That it is by God made the peculiar work of jnan,tkrough the improvement of themeans,appeareth from hence,thatGod threatneth condemnation to trnfe perfons,who rhorow the ufeof fuch means,as heaftbrc-cth unto them for that end>door did not repent. Mat* n.20,21,22.Then began he(faith the texr,meaning k* fus) to upbraid the Cities, wherein molt of his mighty works were done,becanfe they repented not: Wo unto thee Corarjn>\Xo unto tile-' Betbjaida'fct: if the mighty works, which were doiiL- in you, had been done in T) re and Sydon, they would have repented long agoe in fack-cloih and afhes. But I lay unto you, ic mail be more tolerable for T)re and S)don, in the day of judgement then for you- For it cannot be fuppofed, that God fhouM condemn men for not doing the thing .vhichdoth not peculiarly appertain unto them to doe-And that it is by the opinion of Gods neceflltating re-pejiunce^rc. made the peculiar work of God k -/ident, the opinion it feif plainly imtimating, Then 10 man by all his beft endeavours in the ufe of the "neans, can poflibly attain thereunto 1 which oppoit-ion cannot be applied unto God, as proceed-i)g from him, becaufe tliat in the Scriptures it is to be obferved, that he is fo far from requiring of men the loing of fuch things, which peculiarly belong unto limfelfro perform, that in all fuch cafes he requireth hem to ftand ftill, and wait upon him for his help md falvation. As we may rcade* EaoJ.14.13. where >y his Almighty power he made it his work to give he people palfage thoiow the red fea, he commanded hem that they lhould not fear, but (land ft ili, and fee D 4 h

his falvation. As alfo in 2 54^.5.23. where having before undertaken to difcomfit the lioaft of the Phili-films in the behalf of the Ifraelhes, he commanded! David that he fhould not move untill he heard the found of a going in the tops of the Mulbery trees: as alfo again, when he was pleafed to make it his peculiar work to deliver the Jfraelites fordi of their captivity, 1 he commanded them only to wait upon him with con*, t?dence for their delivery from thence. Hab.2. 3.

Secondly, Becaufe it is alfo to be obferved, That when he ufeth the concurrence of man for the acconv piifhing of any worke, he alwaies diftinguifheth the work of man from that *hich bclongeth to himfelf to perform therein : and whatfoever he requireth of them in fuch cafes, that he will ruve to be performed! .by them : and will not himfelf do it for them.

As riift, when he gave the people in die wildernes water out of the rock, Numb* 20. 8. he precifely diftinguifheth unto Mofesy the work that he required of him thereunto. Take the rod (faith he) and gather the AfTembly together, thou and Aaron thy brother* and fpeak ye unto the reck before their eies, and it' ftiall give forth his water-Secondly, Likewife when hepromifed to deliver the City of Jericho unto his people, for the over-throw of the walls thereof, he plainly and evidenty declared^ what lie required of them to that end, Jo(b . 6. 3, 4,5. Yefhalicon^ffetheCity (faith he) all ye men of wafre, and goe about the City once j thus fbalt thou doe the dales And feven Priefts (hall bear before the Ark feven Trumpets of Rams-horns, and the feventji day ye lball compare the City kven times, and the Priefts fljail blow with the Trumpets. And it fhaH

cdmj

eometopalfe, that when they make a long biaft with the Rams-horns, and when ye hear the found of the Trumpets,all the people fhall fhout with a great fhout, and the wall of the City fhall fall.

Thirdly, And alfo when he made it his work to de-ftroy the Catiaanites, and the other Nations, for their gi eat and abominable wickedneife, and to give the poifeffionoftheirLandto the children of lfraeU he clearly roanifefted unto them,what he would have performed on their part for the accomplilhment thereof} They were to cb'fc rve his Word, and to obey his voice: Aswereade 5 Exod.2j&6&i>22'' and in particular to goe armed before the Lord unto battel, Num. 322c. And liehimfelf would caufe the hearts of their enemies ro fail them for fear, and make them turn their backs upon them, untill they were deftroyed, Excel. 23-27.

And this he doth, Eecaufe that he will net give his glory unto another, //i.42.2. which would necefl ly follow upon his requiring of men, and aligning unto them the performance of rhofe things, which immediately concerneth himfelf, or by his not diftin-guiihingthe work of man from his own, in fuch action:, wherein his concurrence Is required* In regard that no man can pofliblv afciibe unto hkn the honour of that work, which is noc evidently difcovered to be wrought by him.

Whereas therefore we finde that men are abfolurely commanded to repent,^, and are no where required to hand ftiil, 01 wait upon God, untill fuch time as he fhall nectfrirare rhem thereunto, nor yet can finde any diftinciion made therein, as that man Ihould doe this or that, and that God will doc the reft 1 repent-

ance>

ance, as it isconfidered, whether in the difpofition of the minde, or in the aclions, and exercife thereof y \ muft be concluded the peculiar work of men , by the ufe and improvement of the means vouchfafed unto them by God for that purpofe > the which will further appear from thefe grounds.

i- Becaufe that the penitent ffcall rife up in judgement againft the impenitent:, and condemn them ; as appeareth by the words of Chrift, in 3ftfr.12.41. $The men of Nineveh ( faith he) ihail rife up in judgement againft this generation, and condemn them, becaufe they repented at the preaching of Jonas, and behold a greater then Jonas is here ', which could not be, if that repentance were the peculiar work cf God, and not of men, by the improvement of the means. For where there is no difference in men, but that which is enforced in them by God, the one can be no accufa-tion againft the other, inrefpecl: of any fuch difference: for as he that did repent would not have repented, if he had not been enforced; fo he that did not repent, would have repented, ifthathehad been enforced. And therefore the men of Nineveh, if they were enforced to repent, can be no greater an accusation againft the lews for their impenitency in the day of judgement, then Benjamins brethren can be a-gainft him, in refpeft of the cup that was put into his lack, againft his will or procurement.

2. Becaufe the Scriptures doe plainly declare, That God doth not require of men, beyond what he giveth, unto them, means to attain unto, as we may perceive in the Parable of the talents, inlM; *9 *$• where none are called to give an account before Chrift at his coming, tut thefe to whom before hand he had deli-

»vered

vered his money to be improved, nor nothing required of any of them, but proportionably to that which was delivered to them, to whom he giveth much, he askeththe more again, according to his faying, in JLH^.12.48. And fo on the contrary? From whence it doth follow, That feeing repentance is required of all men, and that all men fhall be accountable to God concerning the fame, Thar therefore all men have the means of repentance voudifafed uuto them, & that repentance by the improvement therof peculiarly appertained! unto them,and is no otherwife to be obtained-3. Becaufe that the unpenitent arc charged with rebellion a^aiiift Gcd in lcipeft of their impenirency, plainly argueth, repentance not only to be the peculiar work of man, but alfo within his power to be 'erfcrmed, rebellion being none other then a wilfull :nd ltubbom refufall of that known duty which a man bled to perform. And fo much the words of the ex: do evidently declare, £^.12.2. Son of man laith the Lord to the Prophet ) thou dwelleft in the nidrt cf a rebellious houfe, That have eies to fee> and ire not,they have ears to hear, and bear not. Their re-•ellion being demonrtrarcd from this gronnd, That hey have eies,and fee not,&-r .(j.c)they know and un-crftand how to perform their duty, but they will not o if, according to that in Cbs.p. 3$. 51-^2. He that noweth to do well, and doth not, to him it is fin, '*m.4 1 7' Whereas that which a man underftandeth or, nor is any waics able to perform, is imputed to is infirmity only, which God will never lav to hts large, Heb.$.2. For we have an hioh-Pridt that can ive compaffion on the ignorant, and of thofe that c out of the way, I obtained rr.ercs becaufe I did it uorantiy, I Tim.113. CHAP.

CHAP. VII.

Tlat the opnion of enforcing Faith, and Ke^ feritance in men^ cannot Jiand with the na-ture of the laft Judgement by Cbrift.

THis BocVme (namely of Gods neceffirattng re pentancc, fyc. in men) is inconiiitent with the laii fcntence of Chrift>(which as dieScripturesdeclare; ihal be according ro every mans works v And therfon forafamch ae al fuch things wherunto men are enforcec by a power which they cannot reilft , are imputable only unto that power whereby they are fo enforced It muft follow that if that fome men fhould by God b« liecefTKated to repentance,^*:, they could be no mop justified according to the fentence of Chrift in relario thereunto, then any other men could be condemn© with reference to Inch evill aftions whereunto the were enforced by a power which they could no wait ppftibly refiibTo make this evident by the Scripture: in Mat-16. 27. it's declared by Chi ift himfelf, Th when he commerh in the Glory of his Father with h Angels? he will reward every man according to ti workes. In like manner? Revel 22. 12. he faith, B< hold I come quickly? and my reward is with me, t give to every man according as his worke fhall be , ; greeable unto which is the Tefiimony of the ApoftI 2 Cor. 5. 10. We muft all appear before the Judg

me

rientSeacofChrift, that every oneinay receive the iiings done in his baby, according to that be hath ione, whether it be good or bad- Ace e< ding to which rule (the Scriptures aforehanddelnibing unto us die nanner of the laft "judgement, afs if it were already paii) we rinde the fentence ofChrift denounced towards all perfons, Mat. 25.34. with iceiv. 20.12,13.

Secondly, That all inch a&iom, fyc. whei eunto perfons are enforced a^ainft the choice and aflent of iheir own wilt, are nor imputed unto them as, their Dwn aftions,will plainly appears firft, by Deut. 22.25, : 5. If a man faith the Text, rinde a betrothed DamfeU irt the field, and force her j then the man only that fenced her (hall die- But uaco the Damlell thou fnak doe nothing, there is in the Damfell no fin worthy cf death: for as when a man rifeth againft his neighbour, and flayeth him, even fo is this matter. Likewife by the words of the Apoflle, in Roviu 7-2. If I dee thai i would nor, it is no more I that doe it, but fume thac dwelleth in r^e j from which in the 24^ajst} 2*^ verier, he concludeth, That God, would acquit him. And thereupon in the i- yerfe of the 8. chapter, deckreth ills That there i^ no condemnation belonging Dntq men for fuch a&ons* The reafon hereof is, Beirut God looktth only at the heart 0 j Sun . coord ing to

what lie obfervcth thereto, whether it be gcod or bad;

. iswilkd snddcteimined therein, he nek.

i r as if it were done, th >rot-

nicy or abiliry it ne\ er be eflefto whence it is

hcApoftJe declaj .rail rule,

1 .ilin£

..".. , :in n harh,

and nor according to that he hath not j which we find* verified unto us by a clear inftance, in the 1 King* 2 18. 19. of Gods kinde acceptation of Davids atfectiotv to build him an Houfe, though that it was never built by him, Whereas it was in thy heart (faith the Lord} to build me ati houfe, thou didft well, that it was ii thine heart', nevertheles, thou fhak not build me the Houfe, ^rc And we may alfo obferve that Solomon, who by Gods appointmeut did build it, received net 1 greater reward for his aftion therein* then David did for his arfecYion thereunto: And fo on the other fide, Chrift informeth us, That the things that defile a man, are only thofe that proceed from his heart, Gut of the heart,faith he,Mat. 1 $.19,20. proceeded! evil thoughts (hefpeaketh not of thofe that are fuggefted, or that at unawares arife therein, and are forthwith quenched* and fuppreffed, fcr thefe defile no man) but of thofe that are conceived and harboured therein, which when opportunity ferveth, break forth into murthers, ad«ltcries,fornication5. 3 thefcs,faIfewitnes,blafphemies, thefe defile the man; upon which ground it is, That the Scriptures declareth David to be a man according to Gods own heart, fave only in the matter of Vriah % 1 Kings 15.5. "Wherein deliberately and with purpofe of heart (as mnft needs be conceived) he chofe the thing which he knew to be etill, which in other cafe (wherein his aftions much fwerved from the rules of perfect juftice) he did not} and therefore is neither 1 blamed nor accufed for them.

Ob)t&. God doth not juftifie men for Faith, but by \ Faith : nor reward them for their workes, but accord- j frig tQ tteif worked the reward of good workes being

Grace !

Grace belonging to Adopted Children, not to fervants for the worke done.

Anfo. The diftinction betwixt jufiification by Faith, and for Faith, is altogether vaine : feeing that he that is juftined by Faith, cr by reafon thereof, which is all one, is fo juftitied for Faith: Eecaufc that Without Faith he cannot pleafeGod, Hebr. 11. $, 6. nor obtain acceptation with him- Thy Faith, faith Chrift to the woman, hath (aved thee, Luke 7. 5. The like may be faid concerning the diftinctien betwixt reward for workes, and according to workes; in regard that he that is rewarded according to his workes, is fo rewarded for his workes : as he that is rewarded according as he hath fed y relieved, and feafted the poor,that were not able to feaft him again , {as Chrift hath promifed in Luke 14.13,14.) or as he that is rewarded according as he hath given a cup of cold «water in the name of Chrift, (having no better in his power to give) he is fo rewarded for that he hath fo done, by reafon that otherwife he mould have received no fuch Reward-

And yet it is not to be denied but that Juftifica-tion through Faith, and reward of good workes, originally proceedeth from the meer Grace and fpectall Favour of God in jefus Chrift, conOdering that by the Law we can lav claim unto no Inch thing, but muft acknowledge our felves, according to that Coven^t, gniltyofeverlafting death, or the difiblution of our natures for ever in the Grave \ and therefore whatfo-ver we either doc or fiiall receive from G<xi more or lefle than this, as our prefent being in this lifc,theen-loymcnt of the Creatures, a time of repentance, wirh -h* means there ^ .1 he cufft of

Ac

**mQmm*

48 A DoGre of Salvation

the Law, Refurre&ion to another life, Adoption and Salvation through Fairh, rr conformity to the will of God,known and underftood by us j muft be attributed I to the alone Grace of God in Jefus Chrift, through whom he hath obtained thefe things for us, and Covenanted and granted to beftow them Upon us, According to which diiVmftionbenvixc tlie Covcnancs,is that diftinftion which runneth through the Rodie of the New-Teftament, betwixt righteouiVies and rigbteouf? nes,workes*aud workes, reward and reward, to be unr derfiood according to the firft covenant,There is none that doth good, none righteaub, but all have finned and are fallen, mor: of the Glory of God , accurfedi dead and excluded from, all happineffe for ever. Bat in relation to the fecend Covenant made with us in Chrift, as we were confdered in this eftatej we are through his death and refurre&ion redeemed from death, made alive from the dead.uuder a Law of liber-ty futable to our frailty, and capable of working righteoufnefle thereby, under the pron>iies of Adoption, of reward of good workes, and of raigning together with God and Chrift for ever and ever. It doth not therefore follow/That becaufe men obtain Juftiti-cation and Adoption through Fairly and are rewarded for their good workes, that therefore all thefe diings are not obtained through Grace j feeing that it is from the unfpeakabie Grace of God,:hat we who were dead doe live, that we enjoy fuch precious promifes, and upon fuch gracious termer, whereby we are or may be made partakers oi them.

And yet although that Juftification and Salvation, are thus founded upon the Grace of Gpd,yec hath every m*a through the performance 01 thofe tilings

where-

whereunco the fame is pr.omifcd.as jlift, a right and dainie thereunto, as our firft Father Adam could have had urrto life by obedience to the Law., as the words of the Apoftle in Iiebr- 6. 10. dee plainly witneffe, God is not unfaithfull (faith he) to forget your worke and labour, of love, the righreoufnefle cf God is engaged to performe whatfoever^ forth of his gcodneiTe he hath promi fed.

And as for. the pretence of fome (gathered frcm thefe and fach like Scriptures, 1 John 5. 10, 11. Luke 27-)That Salvation is freely bellowed upon men with-jut any thing required on their part thereunro j their niftake therein is dearly dilcovered from thele yopunds.

r. That the A potties of Jtfus Chrift who handled lot the Word of God deceitfully, but cemmendeef hemfelves to every mans conicicnce, as in the fight of od, 2 Cor- 4. 2. doe every where in Anfwer to the Jueftion, What men fhould dee to be faved'j De-lare,That men rouft repent and beiieve,A r // 2.37,38. \lls 1 6. 30, 31.

2. From the praftkre of the Apoftles themfelves, ho being fully intti lifted in the knowledge of the race,of God, Aft; 2c 2;. yetttrove to ebrain the rown ofeternalllife, And notun-necefinity, as men sating the Aire, I Cor. fl.25, 26 zlim.2.

.

3. From the tenure of the promifes, which all Brie conditionally, 1 will give to him that is a thirft

the water of life freely, Rom. 20. 6. Ee rhuFaith-11 unto death, and 1 will give thee a Crown of life,

11 hive fought a good fight, I have rinifh-H»vc kcpttheFajthj heneef r h there ■

m^mmmm

50 A Doorc of Salvation

k laid up for me a Ciown of Fighrcoufnefie, which the Lord the righteous Judge will give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all thofe that love liis appearing, 2 fink 4. 6, 7. Rev- 3,. 11. Rev. 3.24.

4. And laftly, from hence that Salvation it felf is intituled, The inheritance of reward, Col. 3. 24. For-afiiuich as reward do'thalwaies prefuppofc fomething: either dont or to be doae, in recoirpence whereof rhe lame is given- Mofes chofe to fuffci with die people •£ God,beca«fe he had refpeft to the recompence of reward, i/e£r. 11.25, 2d

5- And although in 1 John $.10,11. It is faid that God hath given-us eternall life j yet in verf- the 12. k is alio faid,That this life is in hi$ Son, and that he that hath it muft have the Son. And the fame Aportlein his 2 Epift.v.p r plainly decFareth/Thatwhofoever rranf-greffeth and abideth not in the doftrine of Chrift,hatft neither the Father nor the Son > He is the author oh Salvation to thole that obey him, Hebr. 5. £.

And as for Luke 1 • 77- where it is prophefled, That John the-Baptiit lhouldgive knowledge of Salvation" to the lewes, by the remhTion- of hnnes. The meaningi thereof is beft interpreted by the tenour of his owin peaching unto them '<> whereby they are taught not to expect either remiffion of fins, or Salvation other wife then through repentance, and amendment of life,L«^. 3. 5. Mat. 3. 8,9,10. Luke 5. 8. according to that m Ails 3. y$.

Objefl. Faith being the gift of God, Efh. 2. 8. Salvation in reference whereunro it is given, is the gift oi God alfo-

Anfrr. Firft, It is not clear in this Text that die Apoftlc doth intend Faith to b* the gift of God > but

rather

rather that falvation is the gift of God, and in what nature Salatiwi is given by him, hath been fhewed before.

2. But admit that Faith is the gift of God', it doth not therefore follow, that Faith whereunto Salvatioa Is promifed is the gift of God; for Faith in the Scriptures is diverfly taken : As iirft, it is taken for the Doftrine of Faithj in which refpeft , they that have preached the fame, are faid to preach the Faith, Oalat, 1.23. and thofe to whom it was preached, are faid to ficai the Faith, (/<*/. 3$. and thofe that received and fubjefted themfelves thereunto, are faid to be obedient to the Faith, Atts 6. 7. Secondly, it is taken for he bare credence and belief of the Doftrine of Chrift; hi which refpeft, The Rulers that loved the praife of *ieh more tlian the praife of God, are faid to believe in Chrift, John 12.42,4$. And thus the Devils are ilfo faid to believe and tremble, James 2. i$>. Thirdly (t is taken for the knowledge, love and obedience of :he Doftrine of Chrift j In which refpeft, thofe that fiave departed from the love and obedience thereof, jrefaid to make Shipwrack of Faith and a good con-cience, 1 Tim. 1. 19. And laftly, it is taken for an ifiured hope and expeftation of eternall life: begotten n men through a confcientious privity of the truth of heir repentance,finceiity of tlieir obedience, and the gracious promifes of God made thereunto (according sthe words of the Apoftle, in 2 Tim- 4. 7, 8. before 'ehearfed do declare.) Now although that Faith in the irft and fecond acceptation j whereunto the Apoftle n thefc words, (yi^.) (It is the gift of God) may have efpeft) be acknowledged the gift cf God, and be after • fort neceffarily impoied upon men (efpeciallv when E 2

A Doore of Salvation

as the Do&rine of Chrift is clearly and evidently de-monitratcd unto them (by the miraculous power of God, as it was by the Miniftery of the Apoftles.) Yec in the third 'acceptation, by which alone men are intituled ro Salvation, it cannot from hence be concluded to be the gift of God \ it being begotten in men only through a due and ferious confederation of the truth, ceftatnty>wqrth, and excellency of the Doftrine thereof di {covered unto them : For like as a foft anlwer turneth away wrath, and a foft tongue breaketh the bone, (according to Prev. 15. 1. and 2$. i$.) Even Cm the unfpeakable love and goodnefle or God appearing unto men, received into, and laid up in their hearts,-(as it is required in Vm. 6. £,11, 18. Prev. 4. 4.) be-getteth in them a love towards God, obedience to his Word, crucifieth them to the world, calteth downe imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it felfagainft the knowledge of God, and bringeth into captivity every thought, to the obedience of Chrift, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. Epk. 6. id, 17. From whence it is that thofe perfons who have had the mercy and good-neiTe cf God demonftrated unto them (in a more a-bundant mcafufe than others) and have not thereby been fubdued to the love and obedience of him, are charged with fcrge r ting God -heir Saviour and rruker, with forgetting his worke, Pfalm- 100. 21, 15. Den*. 32. 18. With forgetting that thcry were purged from their old imnes, 2 Pet. *.£. Are called forgetfull hearers of the word, Jam. 1.25. and refembled to 4 man beholding his natural! face in a glafle, and ftraighc way forge rteth what manner of man he was, J&m. 1. 25, 24. plainly arguing that the consideration of the love and gcodneiTe of God towards men 7 is the only

and

and effectual means to becec the love and obedience of God in them.

3. Etr let it be granted, That the Apoftle in theft words doth conclude, that faith whereuhtp Salvation

11, is the gift of Gpd, yet it will not from the follow, That i- r-bv him necei^irily begotten Or forced in any men.

1. Becaufethacin the Scriptures* tliat is dec.. to be given,* whichls only ottered tc mens accepc:

to receive or rcfufe, is themselves bhall pleale : So the neld of Machpelah, and the Caved!:' <aham*> Gtn- 29V1W

Andthefoi! Chriit, gate him to

drink wine mingled with mynbe, but neither the one nor the other of them, were thereby -pofiefled wirh jhac which . t\ unto them, becaule they rciu *

led ro acce] :->. 12,13,17. Mai\

«?•

2. That in the Scriptures

untc men, which is no otherwifc obtained, through a free , ufe and improvement ov

fuch means, which he hathvouchfarld Unto them for thofe ends- Thefe arc the children, faith J .nob, •

5.5- which Ov 1 huh jgricioftfty vant, hep'r.e h food t<> all flefh rgd.ay* He

gave the Ifraefites their corn, and their wine, and

heir filvcr and their gold, //of.2.8. H veth u: ( faith the Ay ity all things to en]

r T7/u.<j.i7. And thus God hath given eternal life to all men in his Son , 1 Job. 5. 10,11. So God being nen, when he only ariordeih unto therrt the means thereof, jtff. 17.31. Thar faith which is obtained by the ufe of that mean;, mult E 3 need*

*4 A Doore of Salvation

n eeds be acknowledged to be his gift alio. And therefore as the Scriptures teftimony, that falvation is of grace, and the gift of God, is no fufticient evidence to prove, that therefore it is conferred upon men any otherwife then in the nature of a reward and reconv pence of their obedience, repentance, fac* So neither is the Scriptures evidence, That faith is the gift of God, a fufticient ground to prove, that therefore it is either infufed into mens hearts by the Spirit of God, or intruded upon them by the irrefiftable operation thereof, or that it is any otherwife obtained by them, then through the voluntary ufe and improvement of the means that God hath vouchfafed untjo them fcr that purpofe.

It is declared, That God gave the Israelites bread from heaven, and fed them thereby, Pfal. 78.2$. Joh*6.$i. Deut.2.3. Aud yet none will from thence affirm, That he either infpired them therewith, or enforced them to eat thereof, or that their fuftentati-on thereby, did not wholly depend upon their own voluntary gathering and applying the fame thereunto, according as the Lord commanded, Exodus 16. i&

To conclude therefore this Argument feeing(as ic was fliewed before) that God only regardeth the hearts of men- And that his love and difpleafui e is direfied

towards them, accord-' * Life and death U there- ing to that which he firefaid to be in the power of obferveth to becho-the tongue, Prov. 18.21. And fen or refufed thereto, that by our words we (hall be vertue and vice, life pftifedy and by aur words we and death proceeding ffiaUbe condtmuedflltt 1 2.37, from thence, 4 " Pro- 4-

23. If that faich and repentance did not proceed frcm the free and voluntary choice of mans will, as thereby in thefighc of God .hefticnld not be di-'ftinguiflird fiorn the •impenitent and difo-[focdicnt \ fc neither fhould he finde any favour 01 acceptation with God by rcafon thereof, or receive a-eward from him at the lafr day for the fame- If 1 doe this

becaufe that the longue k \ juftofed to be the infallible In -te v preter of the hearty and tka nothing it uttered by the one^ which U not fir ft cbofen, Ami determined in the other, Mat-12.34. which plain!) arguetk, That all vertue and vice pro-cecdethfiam thence y a::d that every mans 'judgement in the day ofCbrift, /ha!! be, not according 10 fuel) thought* or a' ttions whereunio they were enforced, but according to that which wns ft eel) chofen, embraced and accepted by tlyem in

their own hearts. thing willingly ( faith Paul J I have a reward, 1 ( if but orherwife not, as his words doe clearly imply.

And therefore to the end that all men may obtain eternal life, life and death being by Almighty God fet before them,Df at.30.19.it ccnccrneth them ro hearken diligenrly to wifdoms voice, calling upon them to choofe the fear of the Lord, Frov. 1.29. And from a jthankfull app/ehenfion of his gocdneile difcovered unite them, wichuprightnefie of heart to apply themselves to the-obedience of him '■> and that vlutfoevev they doe, to doe it willingly, and act grudgingly 1 nor of necefiity, knowing that he only loverh rlre cheaifull giver : from whence the widdows miter being offered with aftccYien, becometh a moft acceptable facrifice unto him. He defireth not to reap,wbere E 4 he

$6 A Doore of Salvation

he hath not firft fowed, yet he expefteth from us, according to the talents delivered unto us, the which therefore every man ought faithfully to improve- And ill fo doing, when the Lord fhall return to take an 'account of his fervants, he may afiuredly conclude, That he will gracioufly imbrace and receive him with this heavenly Eulogy, Well done good and faithfnll fervant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, when the wicked and ilotbfull fervant fhali be caft into* outer darknefte.

C H A P. VII L

Servetbfor the clearing of'jucb Texts cf Scripture^ which feem to imfly a disability in men to improve the means vouchsafed unto tbem 0 for their t falvation.

AGainft that which hath been faid there are two main Objections, which require feme further Anfwer to be given unto them 3 Tfe &"ft °f which h grounded upon fuch Sciiptures-vvMch feem to imply a difability in men to improve the means vouch&fed to their falvation : The fecond is grounded upon fuch c-rher Scriptures which feem to import repentance,faith, fyc. to be neceffitated in men by the irrefiftable power ofGoct.

The Scriptures appertaining to the firft of thefe Ob-jecYions are thefe and fuch like, Ephef-2.1,2,3. iCor. ■2.14- John 5.44. 2 Cor. 3.5, which in order I mail

endea-

endeavour to clear, and fo proceed co thofe which belong co the fecond.

I- From the firft of thete Eph?f.2. 1,2,5. die words whereof are as followeth ( And you hath he quickned who were dead hi trefpafles and fins. Where in times part ye walked, according co the courfe of this world, according ro the prince of the power Gftheair,£rc. fulfilling the lufts of the flefh, and of the iincte, and were by nature the children of wrath) Its conceived that a man deprived of his natural life, is not more incapable oi ng the actions of living

men then a man in his natural condition, is of performing any thing required of him to his -Salvation. 'Which \vi i! appear very incredible, if that we doe but confider, that the Scriptures doe evidently declare, 1 that God requireth net of any men, but according to the talents delivered, unto them, he requireth not five* where he giveth but two, nor two, where he giverh but one, not'yet one, wheichehath not vouchsafed If ye were blinde' (faith Chriit) ye had not fin, . •■-?•

2. Therefore fecondly, I arifwer, That although 'that this text doth declare, that the Ephefaiu were in trefpafles and fins: Vet \t doth hot argtae that 'they were necdfarily dead therein, or that they n hot have avoided the lame, for mens being bad is no good ground to prove that they could not be good. If that they were neceflarity fncli, it mult be either by reafon that they were fuch by birth, or elfe through .want of inltmcTion, but that they were fuch by birth, car,nor be gathered from this text-

I. Becaufe that thofe fins and rrefpafies, wherein 'they arc faid robe c-caJ, arc declared to be fucb, as

relate

relate to their convention, and time of ripe age,they walked according to the courfe of this world, the prince that mleth in the air, fulfilled the detires of the minde, fyc. which is not incident to the eftate of infancy.

2. [twasobferved before, That all fins have their original in the wils cf men *, and then forafmuch as children cannot diftinguifh betwixt good and evil, DfNM.39. they cancoc poffibly choofe the thing that is evil y and therefore cannot be guilty thereof, rcucl lefle dead therein-

If it be objected, That they are faid to be the children of wrath by nature-Its anfwered, Tliat by nature in this place probably may be underltood that flefnly, fenfuall cr devilnh courfe of life, wherein they had their converfat'en ( for fo the word naturall in the 3. Chapter of lames the i$.verfe, compared with the nmrgent, appear-eth to be rendered ) in reference unto which, they may here be faid, to be children of wrath : Bur if that thereby we muft underftand their eftate by birth, then in that refpeS are they to be efteemed none otherwife

the children of wrath, [ * By wrath in thU place tannot then as they were fub-poffibly be underftood the con- jeci to the wrath or demnatlon of hell, becaufe that curfe of mortality, in-funifbment relates to the rcfur- herein to their na-refrion, which could not have tures by their defcenc been had not Chrift died and fiom Adam *. From rofe again j and t fore fore the whence being ranfom-curfe ef the fall ("of which on- ed by the death and iy we are chargeable'by no,- refurre&ion of lefus turej muft oftiecefftty end in Chnft, the more to

endear

. ^

Opened unto all Men. 5 9

c ndear them unto the grave , and the being of Jiim for his goodnelfc fallen Adam, there ceafing, no towards them there- funijbment be) end the fame can in, the Apoftle in this be inflifted. And therefore place may put them in the wrath or condemnation of minde thereof. bell mufi ofnecejfity be proper

And as they were to the being that it to come,and not dead in trefpaiTes the reward of difobedience in and fins by birth : So thefecond Adam, and not of 'neither were they our fall in the firft Adam, dead therein through wane of divine illumination or demonftiation ( though that neither the Mofakal Law r Doclrine of the Prophets, or of Chrift, were delivered unto them) as appeareth by Atl-iq.iy. where we reade that Paul and Barnabas having before reproved the men ofLyflra, for walking after ftrange gods, and facriricing unto them (to convince them, and difcover to us, that k was not through want of divine evidence that they fo walked) They declare, that God did not leave himfelf without witneffe, that he only ought to have been worfhipped by them, in that he did them good, and gave them rain from heaven, filling their hearts with food and gladnefte : and the fame Apoftle further declareth, in Rom- 1. 19. That that which may be known of God was manife-ft unto them ( to wit the Gentiles J for God fhewed it avothera: For the invifible things of him ffaith lej from the Creation of the world, are clearly feen, 3eing understood by the things that are ntade, even his

tenia 1 power and Godhead.

And yet the more fully to evidence this truth,

nverfiiy it's plainly declared, that bv the afore-aid means they did attain to the knowledge of God,

and

and of that worihip thafrhe required of them, when they knew God, faith the text, they glorified him, not .as God, neither were thankfull, $rc But knowing the judgement of God* that rhey which did commit fuch thuigs, were, worthy of death, did not only doe the fame, but took plcafure in thofe true did them, vcrfez. Andthereupon in Cbap.2-i,%. are declared to be tfkhoat excufe, both in their difobedi-enteand condemnation.

2.. This is yet more clearly demonftrated by the< words of the ApcS13i in Cib^.^TajiS-^When tte Gentiles fhnhhcj which have not the Law, doe by nature die things contained in the Law : thefe hi viag not the Law are a Law unto themfdves, which lheweth the work of the Law written in their he their conferences alfo bearing them witiicffe, and cheif thoaghes in the mean while acceding and excufmg ob* another in the day; when God fhall judge the fecreii of men by IeiusXhrift. In which words thele twe things are plainly declared; Firft, Tha" whatibever was neceiforily required of them to their-falvation fully known unto them. Secondly, That the think* io known by them, was within their power to perform and pra&ife. That tlieir duty was fully knowne unco them, he demonftraterh from thefe two grounds-

i. That feme of them did perforate'the fanraC which according as he argued!, they, could not have done, had they been■-ignorant thereof, when the Gentiles ( faith he J dee by nature the things contained m the Law, they fhew thereby, that they have the. worke of the written in their hearts.

j 4 Fiorr

2. From hence (^i*.) iha: thole of them wiiich id not per forme the things required of chetn ro their alvation, had therein confciences accufins them a: »refent (andfnould accufe them) by reatcu thereof in he day when God fhal judpe the fearers of men by ]e-js Chrift j the which ihould be impoifibie, were noc he fame things known and underftood by them, as we iay perceive by a very plain inftanee, in Gen. 20. ■'here we read, That Abimelech having raken unto him ibrahims wife,upon his denying her to be his Wife, nd of Gods threatning him with death, in caie that he id not reftore her again unto him, he net being privy o himfelf of any evil committed therein \ Id trf. the 4. and 5- thus replierh in his own defence, ^ord wilt thcualfo Hay a righteous Nation? Said he ioc unto me (he is my filter \ And the, even fhe her elf faid,He is my brother', in the integrity of my heart nd mnocency cf my hands I have done this > the ihich grounds alfo ferve plainly to demoBl'irate the ruth of the later portion, (t/7^.)

required of diem to their lalvaticn, v/as within their pesver to be pet formed by hem. For by the fame reaton that fomc perlormed hem by nature , others in the fame condition might uvc done fo likewiie, i\\& cciifcjoufuelie tiut tney rould not performe them, being known unto diem, ivoulJ quiet their niindes both in this world, and ac he day ofChriit, as much asconfaioufnefieoMiek ig-1 the competence;of a man n the cmiflion or mifdoing 01 his duty r.c: LMidcr-iood, acquitteth him therein on. tii ground,

Fhjt the doing or right i*-i s utv

:o nim ; nor •idca-

■Lt vouis,

vours 7 the which ground of impoffibility, to performe his duty will appeafe his confcience in the omifiion thereof, in any other cafe whatfoever. And thus this Objeftion with the ground thereof is taken away.

Thefecond text is, I Cor. 2. 14. the words whereof are thcfe: But the naturall man perceiveth nor the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolifhnes unto him,neither can he know theni becaufe they areSpi-ritually difcemed j from whence it is fuppofed that no man in the eftate of nature, not endued with the Spirit of God, can pofiibly underftand or doe any thing required of him to his Salvation.

1. The groundlefneffc of this fuppofition was clearly difproved before, by the testimony of the Apo-ftle, concerning the Gentiles, their doing, by nature the things required of them to their luftiftcation and Salvation.

2. But yet die more fully to take away the ground thereof. By the things of the Spirit in this place mult needs be understood, either fach things which are peculiar to the Spirits revelation to thofe which after their believing have received the fame, according ta hhn 15.12. where Chrift telleth his Difciples, That he had many things to fay unto them,whichthey could not then (vfe before the Spirit was given unto them) bear: How be it (faith he) the Spirit of Truth when he is come, he will guide you into all Truth, and will fhewyou things to come. Or elfe fecondty, By the thingsof the Spirit muft be imderftood the Dodrinc cftheGofpel in general 1, mentioned chap. 1. 17, 18. 21. 2.4- $. By the wifdome of the World is accounted foolifhnefie. If that the things of the Spirit be taken ill Ae firft acceptation,^! may be conceived from the

12, and

12 , and 13, verfes, where the Apoftle intimateth, that the things whereof he here fpeaketh, were none otheF then what was revealed or taught unto himfelf and o-thers> by the Spirit which they had received) then this text pretendeth not at all to prove, thar men in the eftate of nature cannot perceive or doe any thing required of them to their Salvation, but only that none can undcrftand the myrteries or fecrets of die King-dome of God, untill firft they believe the Gofpel,Mzr. 13 • 11 • and are Baptized wi th the H6ly Ghoft *, which the World cannot receive, John 14. 17. Nor yet fe-condly, If that by the things of the Spirit are understood the Doftrine of the Gofpel in generakk will not thereupon follow, that a man in the eftate of nature, by the exercife of his underttanding, cannot perceive or receive the knowledge thereof, when it is plainly preached>and by the evidence of 1 he Spirit deraonftra-ted unto him. Seeing it is manifeft by the Scripturer* that the very worft of naturall men, The Ruler?, Scribes and Pharifees, have attained :o the knowledge of the moft fundamental! points of Chriltianhy; under which the whole Doflrine therof is comprehended. As 1 They believed that there was a God. 2.They befiev-that jefus Chrift was the Mefiias and Saviour of the World, and fo confequently that his whole Doftrine was none other theH the undoubted Oracles of God, Iobn. 2.23,24,25. John 12. 42,42. And thirdly, They believed the redirection of the juft and of the uniuft, AR* 23. 7,9. A&f 24. 15. And rle Gofpel being thus underftood by men, they are thereby fuhiciendy enabled to the 1 obedience thereof, whence it is that the Scriptures unto fuch perfons fpeaketh on this wAi Receive not the grace of God in vain; having

thefc

thefe promifes, let us cleanfe our telves from all tikhi-nefleoftiefhand fpirit, and pel fed holineffe in the fear of God.He that knowerh todo wel,and doth no:, or that knpweth his mailers v/il,and doth ir not^to him it is fin,and lie fhall be beaten with many ftripefr ouch manner of fpeech alwaies prefuppollngan ability in the perfons ro whom it is directed to improve thofan.e to rhe end thereof.

i Wherefore we are not to conceive (that becaufe ir isfaid, Thenatundlmanpercciveth not the things of the fpirit> nor can receive them) that Therefore no man deftitute ofthe fpirit can poffi-bly underhand or give obedience to the Go-fpel of Chrift, when it if-evidently (in the preaching thereof) demonftrated unto' them. But we are thereby given co Know, That? no man whatfoever meafuring the Gofpel of Grace, teaching him to deny al ungodlines &world-ly iuii,& to live right-eouily,foberly& godly in this prefent world*

fydit.2. ii,i2-J by the natural, earthly 8c fenfual principles and wifcfoir* of rhe world * ( reaching

* -S.John in hk 1 }o\\.2.iy exhorting not to love the world, nor the things that are \herein y inver.id, teacheth m, what he would have Hi to under [land thereby fvi^J tie lujis of ihefiefh, the luftsiofthe eyes, and the pride of life j whereby we are affe taught to under-ftandj&brreunlo the wifdome of tbt world, fc often ffoken of in thefirftyfecond and third Chap. of the 1 Cor. k ta be confined C\\l.J to the promoting and accomflijhing the fore-faid ends, becaufe that it cannot extend beyond it felf, or direll mtn unto any thing that is not comprehended therein , the which may ferve to admonijh all men to beware of branding

'teaching him to de- the vertuout and juft princi-iy all godl'metfe and pals , whether of the Hea->codnes in this world, thens> or any other ferfons indto live according whatsoever ('though learned o the lufts of the in the iookof Creation only J lefh, the lofts of the with the odious infamy of ?yes, and pride of worldly wifdom : An evil too ife, 1 Joh-i-iC. can ordinary in our times. X)flibly receive the

ame, and become obedient thereunto, but mint re-eft it as foolilhnerYe. God and the world, the wif-JomeofGod, and the wifdome cf the world, being 3 direftly oppofite and contrary each unto other, "hacwhofcever will love the one, muft hare the o-ler', or that will embrace the one, muft reject the ther- If any man, faith James , will be a friend ) the world, he muft be an enemy unto Gcd, hmes 4.4.

Jofiua having put it to die Israelites choice, whe-

ier they would ferve the Lord, cr the gods tliac

*cir bathers had woifhipped, Chap.24.1$. And they

living in* anfwer thereunto declared, Thar they

Ould ferve the Lord only, verf\ 8. He replieth unto

fern, Wf/'.io. in thefe words (Te cannot fe t v e toe

ord J wherein his meaning is not, that it was im-

oflible for them to ferve the Lord ( for then he

ould not have put it to their choice, whether they

fould ferve him or not) but his meaning is, that ihey

puld not ferve him acceptably, unlefle they did

y cleave unto him, and rejeft Idols, verf. 14-1^.

etfife in this place, when the Apoftlcfairh,Thac

curalman cannot receive the things of the Spr

jod (that is to fay, approve and fubjeft him-

F b

:

CtJfto the wifdomeand inftru&ion of God, contained v in the doctrine of the Gofpel) wc may not fuppofe that thereby h^ concludeth it abfolutcly impoftible for them fo Co do > but impoflible only fo long as they retain and nouriih in themfelves the vicious vvifdome of the world; whereby they are inftrufted to gain-fay, ref.ft and oppofe all godlinefie, vertue and ho-nefty.

The third Text, is, loh. 6*44.. The words whereof are thefe, No man can come unto me, except the Father that fent me dravy him. From whence it is ordinarily fuppofed, That no man can believe in Jefus Chrift, except that he be neceflarily en forced thereunto by an immediate exercife or operation of the power of God upon his foul-

For anfwer whereunto, I defire that it may be ob-ferved, that this word f draw J whereupon the whole weight of this Obje&ion ftandeth, is diverfty underftocd in the Scriptures, and is not alwaies ta ken for a necefiary compulsion, as it is here fuppofed; but ordinarily for an argumentative perfwafion only. asappearethbyyl#.$.37. Where (fpeaking concerning one Judas, afeducer of the people) it is laid-That he drew away much people after him. As alfc by the words of the Apoftle, in AU. 20.30. where Ik declared! to the Church, That from amongft themfelves men mould arife, fpeaking perverfe things, anc fliould draw away Difciples after them. And tha God only draweth merf to the love of himfelf, tin Faith and Obedience of Chrift, by the difcovery,$ ; his goodncfe towards them , and of the danger 0 their ingratitude towards him, doth evidently a] by thefe following Scriptures, Hofea u.3,4. when

(con

' concerning backfliding Ifrael, \*hcfe goodneslike he morning dew parTed away ) the Lord thus fpeak-^th, I taught Ephraim alio to goe, taking them by ;heir arms, but they know that I heah d them, I drew hem with cords of a man, with bands of love, and I was ro them as one that taketh of the yoke on the jaws, ind I laid meat unto them. And in /&&. 10.38,39. rhe juft fhall live by faith i but if any man draw back faith the Lord ) my foul fhall have no pleafure in him. But we are not of thofe (faith the Apoftle) .hat draw back to perdition, but of thofe that believe to the faviri£ of their foul.

In which Scriptures aredifcovered(befjdes the means thereby Gcd draweth men) thefe two things-

i. That God draweth all men, the backfiiding 5 and :hofe that draw back to perdition, as well as thofe that: believe to the faving of their fouls. And

2. That he fo draweth none, but that pofiibly I may draw back to perdition (as Ephraim, and' th^fe xhers fuppofed in-the later Text) it being other-wife to no purpole, to prefcnt men, with the danger of Irawing back, nor would it be any matter of commendations, either in the Apoftle, or that number wherewith he joyneth himfelf, that they did not draw back, is well as others : For what praife is it not to draw sack, when as it is impoffible fo to do.

Secondly, The words of the Text, compared wich he former, and following verfes, doeclearlv import, That the drawing of the Father, whereof Chrift i. confiftcthonly in external means, and dec; initroftion delivered imto men by his preaching In jtrf.41. Chrift declaring himfelf to he the living bread

' Cfl)i ^fromheaven,whichgiv<tt

Fa i:r

hie

A Doore of Salvation

life unto the world, and that by eating thereof, a man ftionld live for ever ( of which he had fpoken before, verf. 55.3> ) And tlje jews carnally weighing his* words therein; and not connecting that he fpake not unto them concerning material bread, wherewith their natural lives ikould be fnftained- In verf-4i,42. Murmur againfthim, faying, Is not tliis lefus the few ofhfrpb, whole father and mother we know * How then faith he, I came down from heaven ? Whereupon in verf.4$,44,4v Chrift that he might remove from before them the occaiion of their ftumbling at him, by leafoa of his parentage, and inftruft them by what means they fhould attain to the Belief and Obedience of his Doftrine j anfwereth them to this efteft, AW though that my father and mother be known unto" you, yet notwithftaodmg, murmur not againft me,be-caufe I faid, I am the bread which came down from heaven, to give life unto the world : For it is not my bodies descending from heaven, but the promifed : Grace of God touching your Redemption, Refun eftt; on, and eternal Salvation thorow my Death, and Obe : f dience to my doftrine, which I intend, when I k| fpake unto you, the which you cannot receive^except^ s my Father which lent me, draw you, according as ici is written in the Prophets, They fhall be all taught of God i Every man therefore which hath heard and* learned of the Father CyiKs received his inftruftion, and fubmitred themfelves thereunto) cometh unto; me. Arid then in verf.46. leaft that he fhould be mi-Itaken in what he had here faid concerning the Fathers drawing and teaching,and be thought thereby to affirm,That none could believe him to be the bread of life 8c Saviour of the world,except that the Fatherim-

me-

mediately in his own perfon,or by his fpirit fhculd in (truer then? therein,& enforce them thereunto-He fub-joyneth thefe words, Not that any man Iiath feen the Father at any time,fave he that is of God,he hath feen the Father i intimating thereby, That although that the Father teacheth men, yet he teacheth them not perfonally or immediateIv, but mediately by the Mi-niftery of his Sonne, who is God with us, Mat.i.zj* and (exit into the world, to the cod? that we may te taught of God by him, according to thefe plain pcures, 7«/j.i.i3. heb-i.2 hhj*l6* lob. 12.49, so-So that when it is Uid, That none can come onto Chrift, except that he be drawn thereunto by the teaching of the Father i The meaning thereof is only this, That no man can receive jefusChiift to be the Saviour of the world, and become obedient unto him> except that he hear and rtara,be drawn and perfvvaded thereto by the infuuetion of the Father , in the I fiery of his Son.

iourth Text allcadged to prove men incapable of improving the means of falvaticn, is, 2 Ctn . rhe words whereof are thefe, Not that we are fuffici-cot of our felves to think any thing, as of our -felvo, 3iir our fufliciency is of God.

1. To which i aniwer, hift, That this Scripture b leaft of all to the piupofe for which it is alleadged, feeing that it is not pleaded, that of our felves, a* of our Telves, or as we are men limply completed, without cither having the Law written in our hearts, or fome diicovery made unto us of our deliverance from mor-rality and happineifc in the world to came, to thinke my good thought, either towaids God, or of reforming our felves according to the rules of vcrtue or Chri-V 3 ftianianicy*

ft ; anity. It being according to the teftimony of the Apoftle, if that the dead were not raifed, and con-fequently no felicity to be expe&ed after death, our only wifdome to eat and drink, to free and acquit our felves from all manner of troubles and fufter-ings whatfoever in this world (as for confeience fake)' 1Or.15.32. with the 19. 31, 2,2. To fill our felves with coftly wine 3nd ointments, and to let no flower ofthefpringpafie by us, to crown our felves with Rofe-buds, before they be withered, and to leave tokens of our joyfulnefie in every place, it being our portion and only lot, Wifd.2. 7,8,9. Its thorow Faith only in the Refurreclion and eternal Salvation, that' we overcome the world, iIobn<.4.> The crolle of Chrift cruciiieth us to the world, Gal.6.14. The bloud of Chrift, or the bloud of the Covenant fancYifieth" us ; in the'world, Heb. 16.29. And we love God, and keep his Commandments, becaufe he hath commended his love unto us. by fending his Son into the world, that we might live thorow him,i Iob~i. ip.with v.o,ta., £ cap. 5.3.

But the intent of the Apoftle in this place doth ma* nifeltly appear to be only this C^'iK.O That neither 4 hehimfelf, nor any other of the Apoftles were off themfelves, fufheient to think or conceive that glorrl ous Miniftery that was committed unto them. For hiving in the %'Xttte declared, That the Corinthians: were the Epiftle of Chrift miniftred by them, not-written with inke, but with the Spirit of God, not in rabies of ftone, but in tiefnly tables of their hearts, leaft that they fhould think of them, above* that which was meet, 1 Cor* 4. 6. And afcribe honour of this miniftration unto them ; as if that rl

Radnor received it, 1 Cor .4.ft 7- In the fifth an<! fixth verfes, he addeth thefe words, Not that we are fnfficientofour felves to think any thing, as of our felves, but onr fuftkiency is of God, who hath made us able Minifters of the new Ttftament, not of the letter, hjtof thefpirit. And therefore in 1 Cor.4.1, defireth, that they fhould account of them only^5 Minifters and Stewards of thefe things.

So that all that can rationally be inferr'd from hence, is only this. That like as the Apcftles of them-felves yvere not fufficient to conceive that Minifterie, that was given unto them, nor to accompliih any fuch things, as wereeffefteH m men thereby : So neither are any men iufficienr of themielves to conceive or believe the things declared therein, or to purine their hearts thereby, imleife that die fame be revealed unto them : Faith herein (and file eftefts thereof) being by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, Rem. 10-17.

1 Some other Scriptures there are of this nature, hue the anfwers to thefe duly conlidered, may be fufficiefit to enlighten any indifferent mans undemanding ther-in. And therefore I fhall proceed to anfwer to the fecond mamObjecTion,and to fuch principal Scriptures which belong thereunto.

F 4 CHAP-

A Doore of Salvation

CHAP. IX.

Containing [everatf Anfwers for the clearing of fuch Scriptures, which feem to import faith to beneceptatedintnen by the irrefiffable power

cfGod.

THe Scriptures alleadged in favour of the fecond main Objection, are fuch as thefe, Rom.2.2%,2p, 30. Pbil.2.i$* tbil.1.19. 2T///1.2.25. A0m.11.5,-6. Jer.31.is.

1. From the firft of which, the words whereof are thefe ( And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God , to them who are the chofen according to his purpofe j for whom he did fore-know , lie alfo did predeftinate to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne? Moreover whom he did predeit'inate , them he alfo called, and whom he called, them he juftified,&r. ) Its conceived that of man-kindefoHen in Adam, God in that eftate before the world, chofe a certain number thereof unto himfelf for his fons and dan jhters. And that in reference thereunto in time begetteth them to faith,in his Son juftifieth them,(£rc

1. To which I anfwer, firft, That none are chofen to Adoption or Salvation before the world, otherwife then in relation to their obedience to thofe duties vhich God in the Scriptures by lefus Chrift , and his Apoftles requirech of men unto thofe ends ; 2 77/tm •?• ;

with

_ *

'with the 10. TzM.1,2. with die 3.

2. Secondly, The Scriptures doe pofitively declare, That election is only in IefusChiih, Epbef. 1.5. with the 2 Thejf.2.13. God hath chofen you to Salvation from the beginning, through fan&itiea:ion and belief cf the truth.

3. IfthatGodthonldchoofeniento Adoption and Solution Before the world, otherwife then in relation to their obedience to his will made known unto them, Then the will of God in this refpeft, fhouid be two-folJ, andcontradi&ionsinitfelfi The one whereby he choofeth and accepI option and Solvation, the wicked, difebeditf.: and impenitent: The other whereby he will net choofe, nor receive to adoption or Salvation, any other then the godly, Philip. 4. 3. the rich in faith, Jcim.z.%. The penitent, 2 Cor,6. 17,18. And obedient, Matth-z:. ; to the fourteenth, which contradiction is impciuble to be in God-

4. Nor doth'the words of the Text prove the contrary \ Wherein firft is laid down the happy eftare of thofe that are called according to purpofe, ver.iZ. And 2. the ground thereof, which in vet. 29. is declared to be thib ( ii^.) That all thofe whom God fore-knew ( that is to fay before the world beheld in his Sonne through obedience unto him, who arc therefore in verfe the i8. deiaibed to be fuch as love God, leaft that we fhouid conceive that God knew the workers of iniquity before time, whom he refufeth to own or know in time, Ato.7.23.) thofe hepredefti-nared, that they fhouid be conformable to the Image of his Sonne in glory, Phil. 3.21. For the accom-pUihmen- whereof he udminiltrcth unto them the ITV mean

si

means for their calling, and upon their obedience thereunto, receivcth them to juftiheation, and in the end to glory.

The lecond text is, Phil. 2.13. the words are thefc: For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe cf his good pleafure. From whence it is conceived, That whitfoever any man willeth or doth acceptable unto God and tending to his Salvation, he is ne-ceflarily enforced diereunto by God.

Anfw. For the removall whereof its to be obferved> That in the Scriptures things are apprehended unto God, as done by him upon feverall grounds: As

1. Such tilings are faid to be done by him, which he only fuftereth, or permitted! to be done, Job 1.

12 21- whether by men or devils,70^.1.15,1^,17^

21. 706.2.7. with the 10.

2. Such things are faid to be done by him, which are no otherwife cftefted, or brought to pane, then by the ufe and improvement of the means that he afforded! for the doing thereof. Thus he giveth man day by day his daily bread y and feedeth the young ravens that cry, Pf. 147.5?.

3. Alfo fuch things are faid to be done by him* which he aftorde^h fit and necelfary means unto men for the doing of: Although that through their neglect orabufe of thofe means the fame he never accompliih-ed, E^ek: 24.13. becaufe I have purged thee, an thou waft not purged; therefore thou'fhalt not b purged from thy fikhines, untill I have ciufed my fu to reft upon thee.

And that God in this fenfe only is feid to work the Philippianr, to\villand to doe, plainly appearerh by comparing the 12. verfe with the 13. where tfo

fill

feme perfons are required, to work out their own falvation with fear and trembling, becaufe that God worketh in then?, &c whereby his working in them, to will and to doe, is neceftarily implied, to confift only in providing and yropounding prompt and fit means to induce and perfwade them to will, and to do the things, that in the former verfe is required of them, becaufe that otherwife the Argument which the^pcftle ufeth to ftirre them up, to work out their falvation with fear and trembling, fhould more fitly ferve to perfwade them to fit ftil! and doe nothing,nor take any thought or care at all for that purpofo For if that God did work in them the will and the deed, which is all that is neceliary to falvation , there fhould then remain nothing at all on their part to be done thereunto. So that the words cf the Apoftle in this pLce> are to be underltood only j as if he fhould havefaid, Be you di.

ligent and carefull *God wrought in the Pharifees to performe the and Law\ ers, to will and to do> tilings rhat God the things required of them to requireth of you to their Salvation, by the Mini-your Salvation * ', for firry of John : or elfe in reje-he ( is not wanting, Iting the fame, they could not It but) aftorderh unto charged with fufkrating and you alnectlTary means reletting the couvfd of God to enable you there- within themfelves> Luke 7.50. unto. with the margent.

3. And this may alfo ferve to enlighten us in the underftanding of Phil. 1.29. ( which is the next Scripture to be anfwered ) the words whereof are thefe : For uato you it is given in the behalf of Chrift, nor

only

j 6 A Doore ofSahaticn

only to believe on him, but alfo to fufter for his fake •> being delivered in the very fame nature as the former, (i^.)us a ground toperfwade the Philippians to hand faft in the Spirit with one minde, ltriving together for tlie Faith of the Gofpel, and in nothing to be terrified, by their adverfaries. Forafmuch as that which is made* the ground of an exortation^muft not only admit,but alfo with fome kinde of vehemency, ftirre up and provoke to induftry and diligence for the obtaining of whatsoever is from thence urged,prened or perfwaded untc- And that the prefence and aftured poffefTiou of a thing doth prohibit a man to feeke and endeavour after the fame, and any other to exhort him therunto', therefore the giving cf Faith and perfeverance in this place muft not be conceived to contift in the actnall conveiance thereof, but in the giving of fuch means and helps, through the ufe and well improvement whereof, they might be enabled to believe, and believing to perfevere therein, to the end,againft all op-pofition whacfoever: becaufe that otherwise, the Apo-ftle muft be underftood to exhort them to ftrive for what they already have,or elfe to keep what they cannot loofe, yea to ftrive for them, becaufe that they have thefe things already and cannot loofe them,which is moft abfurd, and not to be imagined : And therefore as God is faid to give food unto all iiefn,?/^/. 136. 2$. By affording unto them means for the obtaining thereof, Fyov. 10. 4. Frov. 20. 4.

And as he is faid to give affuiance (or faith) unto all men (as touching the refurreftion and Judgement to come by Jefus Chrift) by his rneer granting unto them 3 ground for their afliirance therein, Alls 17. 3. Even fo in this place God is faid to give unto thePhilippiaus

to

!&*»&/'ft.

Opened unto all Men. yy

to believe in Chrift, and ro fuffer for his fake , by affording unto them means, through the improvement whereof, they were brought thereunto, and might be fiirnifiled with power and ftrength to perftvere therm, againft ail the malice of their adverfaries.

4 • The fourth text is the 2 Tim .2.25. the words arethefe, (17^.) In meekneffe inftrufting thofe that oppofe themlefcs : if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth ; from whence it is conceived, chat repentance is not to be obtained by the ufe of external! means, but is given unto men, or wrought in them by the immediate hand of God.

Anjw. To which I anfwer, That this inference doth neither fuite with that which is exprcftinthe 13, and 2i,verfes, afore-going in the chapter: nor yet with the text it felf.

For fiift, in the 18, verf. it is declared, that forne by the errour of Hymemus and Phiktm (who raught,thac the refurrecTion was pair already) had their faith overthrown, that is to fay, were thereby feduced to the belief of that opinion ', and from the deniall of that, the foundation of God and godlineife to Apoftates, from all the duties of Chriftianity, and workes of repentance, implved verfe ip, which muft needs be imputed either to fon-ie change and alteration in God, or elfc in themfelves; but unto God it cannot be imputed, for hechangeth not, Mat. 5. 6. His foundation ftandeth furej therefore it mult be imputed to themfelves : and if lb, tlien it muft thcrupon needs fcllow,That repentance in men is not any otherwife obtained, then eh their own improvement of the means vouch-fefoJ for that end j for if that it did not wholly depend

y8 A Doore of Salvation

pend upon themfelves, then it ihoulcl be altogether impofiible, either that any thing done or mif-done, o-mitted or committed, fhould be prejudiciall unto them in that refpeft.

And that this is fo, doth further appear by that in the 21, verfe, the words whereof are as followeth : If a man therefore PURGE HIMSELF from thefe, he fhall be a veffell of honour, fanftined and meet for his Mafters ufe, &c. Wherein is plainly <ie-dared how, and by what means Sanftification (where-' in repentance contifteth) is to be endeavoured and obtained, (i#tO That every man by the Doftrine of the RefurrecYion and Glory in the World to come, through conformity to Chriit, vcrfe u, 12. DOE PURGEHIMSELF from the forefaid opinions, with all the evil confequences thereof. Flee youthfull lufts, 2nd follow after righteoufnelfe, faith, charity*-peace, with thofe that call on the Lord out of a pure heart 5 the neglect whereof occalioned the falling a-way of thofe afore-mentioned, as by the coherence of thefe verfes doth manifeftly appear-

2. Nor doth it any better (bite with die Text it : felf: wherein Timothy is required with meekneffe to inftrucl: thofe that oppofe themfelves, the end whereof, as alfo of Gods forbearance, being every where in the Scriptures declared to be none other than mens repentance > and therefore to whomfoever the fame is vouchfafed, the potTibility of their repentance thereby muft needs be fuppofed j becaufe ic doth not ftand with the wifdome of God to propound an end, from fuch means whereby it cannot poiTibly be eftefted. And its frequently robe obferved in Chrift, that he dircfteth his inftruftion only to thofe that have ears,

re

Opened unto all Men. j$

rp hear. Mat. n. 15, 15, 43. Revc 2. 7,11,17, 29, /erfes, chapter $,6,13, 22, verfes, Thereby doubtletfe roinfoimcus, that if men were abfoluteiy urxapable af hearing andreceiving the Time, it fhould not at all be preached imro them.

Eefides, It cannot be fuppofed, that God fhoirid command his fervants, to caft holy things unto Swine to be trampled under their feet,or to fpil the immor-all and incorniptible Seed of his \Vcrd,as water upon the ground, (the confequence of the contrary opinion) feeing that it is delivered by him for a general! •ulc to be obferved by them*, That when men by their ^reaching unto them were fully enlightened in the knowledge of his Grace, and of eternall Salvation Drought unto them by jefus Chrift , and fhculd then wilfully and ftubbornly reiefr the fame, put it from rhem, and judge themfelves unworthy thereof,(thereby declaring that no hopes of their repentance were to be expefted from thence) that then they fhould depart from them, and ceofe to preach any further un-rothem,^/f 19. 45^^47-

And therefore it may not be imagined, that either the perfons intended in the text, whom Timothy \va> ; equired to inftnict, or aiy other to whem the Gofpcl au- fa\% to be preached, were altogether uncapable of mproving the fame, to the end thereof.

Which confidertd, 1 he meaning of the Apofllein this place, muft beunderftood only as if he fhould have commanded Timothy to inftruft with meeknefie, thofc that oppofe themfelves, becanic that parad Hire at one time or other they Blight heaik< to, lay it to heart, and impro- c the fame to their re-nice, £c.

God

God being (aid (as was (hewed before) not only to give unto us fuch tilings wherewith we are-immcdiatly pofieffed by his nicer devotion, but all fuch things likewife which are obtained by our laborious induftry, and improvement of the means vouchfafed unto us for' thofc m&%: He giveth unto us richly ail things to enjoy, i 37m. 6. 17. Day by Day, he giveth unto us* our daily bread.

$. The fifth text alleadgedj is Rom. 11. $, 6. The words are thefe, Even fo at this prefent rime alfo there'. is a remnant according to the Eleftion of Grace, and ifhy Grace, then is it no more cf workes, othe^wrfe-Grace is no more Grace : but if it be of workes, then it is no more of Grace, other* ife woike is no more worke*. From whence it is conceived that by the Covenant of Grace, all workes on mens part,either in reference to their Eleftion or Salvation, are wholly excluded j and that there is not any thing required to be done by them thereunto.

Anfw. To which I anfwer: firft, That it was the td before in anfwer to Rom. 3. 28, 2p, 5c. Tliat Ele-v ftion is not in the firft, but in the fecoHd Adam > not i of the difobedient but of the repentant, godly, rich in I Faith, fyc which with comparing the 4, verfewith the-5, before alltadgcd, will receive further confirmation > For when iw the 4, verf. the Apofile having declared. That thofe whom Gcd referved to himfelf in the daies of Elitts, were fuch only who in obedience unto him, J refufed to bow the knee to the Image of Baal. In the 5, verfe he addeth, That even fo at this prefent time alfo, there is a remnant according to the Eleftion of , Grace , which is as if he fhould have fa'-d, Whereas a great number of the Ifraelites are rejected andcaft oft, |

from

from the favour of Gcd, yon are not to conceive them to be fo rejected for anv other caufe, then for their wilmll and ftubborn difobedience againft his word revealed unto them, chap. 1.17. chap. ic. i3, 21.chap. 1 f. 20. For as in the dates of Eliai he referved to him-feif, all thole that hearkened unto him, and refufed ro bow to the Image of Baal: Even fo likewife at this time he referveth to hirpfelf for his fonnes and daughters, all thofe that fubmit themfelves to his righteouf-nefie, chap. 10. $. Harden not their hearts, Hebn 3. 8, 17,18, ip. Nor judge themfelves unworthy of eter-nall life, Alh 13. 46, 47. Nor yet doth he fo rejeft any of them for their unbelief', but that he will readily accept of them again, if due they doe not continue therein, Rom. 11-25.

2. I anfwer, That when the Apoftlefaith, That E-leftion to Salvation ;s not of workes, but cf Grace* he doth not thereby exclude all works in reference ther-Linto, but the workes of perfection, according to the law of innocency and creation',only from which eftate man-kinde being fallen, Eccl.*j. Zf. their juftincation ind Salvation thereby mult needs be altogether im-poflible-

That Graced:th not exclude all Workes, doth evidently appear from hence, (viz-*) That integrity and lprightncs of hearcCwhich properly confifteth in a»ref-ly and chcarfuli conformity to all the Commandn of God made known unto us, lb far forrh as opporruni-:v and ability doth arford )is required of every ma Vis Salvation, Gen. 17. 1, 2, 7. 1 Cijro 1 Wat,6*

4.8. Mat. 19. if, 17,21.

In which refpect Chrift implieth the youog man,

1 9 2 1, 29. (that rcfuftd to fell all that he had

G and

and give ro the poor, and to take up his Croffe anji follow h<m, when it was required of hiribto be imperfect, and incapable of entring into eternall life. And S. John denieth that man to have the love of God

dwelling in him, that

* Abrahams integrity engaged him to offer up hit Son upon the Altar -, when it was required of him'-, and by offering of htm up,. he u [aid to' fulfill the Scrip-ture, which [aid that he believed, God, Jam. 2. 22,. Which 'plainly argueth that all knowne duties, or works within a mans power to be performed, are fo effentiall to integrity and'faith, that they cannot poffibly be di-ftingui(l)ed: whence Abraham, that one while U faidtobe'ju-ftified by faith, Rom. 4. 0. U ofherwhiles by S. James chap. 2.2 1. declared to be jujiifed by worker.

feeth his brother ftand in need, and fhutteth up his bowels of coin-pal Hon towards him, 1 John 5. 17. And from hence it is, that S. Jamc-s declareth, That that faith which obtaineth juftifkation is made perfeft thorough workes, lames 2. 21,22,22, *. For where workes (fuch as are within a mans power) are wanting, integrity is warning* and where integrity is wanting, faith is dca<J, verfe 17, 26.

Unprofitable, Gal 5. 6. And not to be diftinguifhed from -that of the Devil, .fam.v ip.

And feeing then rhat all fuch workes which are within qpeas power tc performe, are required of them to theiF Salvation : It niuit needs be granted,^ hen the A\ :-ftle faith, That it is not of workes, that his meaning therin is none other, then that it is not of workes ofpeiiccrJon according to the lav/of our creation, winch are impofliblc for any man to performe, fo as to

be

be juftifced thereby* Gal 2. i<5. And that the difference betwixt Workes, and Grace, or che Law, and the Gofpel, ftandeth only in this, C V K- J That the firft requireth unto life, that which is impoflible unto men in their fallen eftate: the later no more then what is pojfible unto them therein j and ft) c quently,that life and Salvation which could no: be obtained by any through the covenant of v. orkes, may be obtained by all, through the covenant of Grace: which will more evidently appear, if it be considered.

Firft, That rhe cniy and fpeciall reafon, why tlie firft Covenant v>ai repealed, and the kcond vouch-fafed, is declared to be this,f vi^.J That the tirft con!d not give life unto men, (that k to fay, in their fallen eftare, for in the eftate of innocency, jr mult needs be acknowledged it could) If there had been a Law that could have given life (faith the text, Ga!. 3-21.) verily riglueoufnefie had been by the Law, bur hi 1'egard it could not, therefore . (as the words of the Apoftle to Hebr. 8. 6,7. doe plainly intimate) the Lord found Quit therewith,aboiiiked it, and gave unto men a more excellent Covenant inftead thereof, (that is to fay, a covenant wherby lalvation might be obtained by them in their fallen eftate) for, (eeing that die goodnefle o. 3od, and h i Salvariou was fuch, as cau-

ed him lO abolilli the tirlx Covenant, becagfe it could lot give life unto them: no realonable man can con-xive, that his faidgoodneue and love towards them vouldfurfer him togivc unto them a fecond Cove-lant, asfaulcy and unable, to give life unto them, as .ibolifhcd : and if not, Then foraimuch as by the atcr woil.u aie required to be performed by men to heir Salvation^ Well a* by the form** > dieexcellen-G 2 cy

cy of the later above die former, muft needs be acknowledged to confift only in this, (yi^.) That the workes required thereby, and the conditions upon which life is promifed therin, are performable by men in their fallen eftate, whereas thofc required thereunto by the other were not. In which refpeft it is, that in the <5, verfe, the Apoftle declareth, that the later is eftablifhed upon better promifes, then the former.

Secondly, That thefe that endeavoured to reduce men from the Doctrine of the Gofpel, to the obferva-tion of the Law, are by die Apoftles,j4#J" 15.10. charged with tempting God, by putting a yojk upon the necks of the Difciples, whkh they were not able to bear. And to the Galathians which were perverted by thofefalfe teachers,Pa«/in G<*/. 3.1,$* thuswriteth: O foolifh Galathians, who hath bewitched yon, that ye fhouldnot obey the truth J Are ye fo foolifh that having begun in the Spirit, are ye made perfect by the Law ? which plainly argueth, that the Doftrine of the Gofpel which they preached was no fuch yoak,be* caufe that then they themfelves in preaching the Gofpel, & turning men from Mofes toChrift, fhould have bin liable to the fame reproof which they laid upon cithers : And as foolifh fhould the Galathians have been, m hearkening to them preaching the Gofpel: as they were in hearkening to the falfe Apoftles preaching the Law. For of two yoaks alike intolerable, wifdome di-refteth a man to choofe the one as foon as the other, and not to prefer the one before the other ; and tliere-fore unleffe that we will fuppofe the A pottles to be guilty of tempting God in the faqie nature, wherein they accufe and cenfare others; (and thereby to make

them-

themfelves inexcufoble , both before God and men, Rom. 2.1.) we muft needs conclude that the yoak or precepts of the Gofpel, which they endeavoured to impofe upon men, were not intolierabie or grievous, 1 John 5. 3. Like unto thofe of the Law , but eafie and light, Mat. 11. 30. and fo confequently, that righ-teoufneffe, life and falvation impofiible by the former, ispoffible, and may be attained by the later.

3. That Paul in the 2 Cor. 3. 7, 9. fpeaking of the Law, callethit the Miniftration of death and of condemnation. And contrariwife fpeaking of the Gofpel, or New Teftament, he calleth it the miniftration of righteuufnefie 3 and in verfe the £, faith, That the firft killcrh, but the later giveth life : Now forafmuch as the Law in it's own nature, is neither the miniftration of death nor condemnation,being holy, jnft and good, promifmg life, and would alfuredly bring us to the polTeffion thereof, could we but obferve what it requi-reth, or attain unto that cnginall innocency and puxi-ty in which we were created ', therefore ic is (o called on!y,in refpeft that in the neceffary confequence ther-of (by reafon of our inability to fulfill the lame) it be-commerh fuch unto us- And therefore if that the conditions of the new Covenant were no more perform-able then thofe of the Law : the Gofpel could noc be called, the miniftration of righteoufnefle and life a-ny more then the Law: becaufe it is the favour of death unto death, unto all thofe that difobey it as well as the Law, John 3. 1?. Hebr. 10. 28, 29. and conferreth neither righteoufnes nor life unto any that obferve it not, any more then the Law ; therefore vrhereas it is called, the miniftration of righceoufnefle Jud life, in oppotition to the Law, ic mult needs b<-G 5

nnderftcod in this refpec^That rightcoufnevTe, life and Salvation, impofllble by the Law, may be obtained by it.

4. The fame Apoftle likewtfe difcourfmg of the two Covenants, in the ninth and tenth chapters of the Romans, and having hi the g2,vafe of the p. chapter, after a large difcourfe concerning the fame, concluded rightcoufnelfe not to be attainable by the Law: in the 8,verfe of the 10. chapter, he declareth,That the righ-teoufneJTe that is by the Goipel, is nigh unto us (even in our mouthes and in our hearts) then which nothing can be more near unto us. And in Dent.30. 11,12,13, 14. w hereunto he hath allufion, to prevent all objections concerning this thing, Mofes thus fpeaketh : The commandment that I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is k fane off: It is not in Heaven that thou fhoirldft fay, who fhall go up for us to Heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may tear k and do it. Neither is it beyond the Sea, that thou fhouldft fay^ who fhall goe over the Sea for us and bring it unto us, that we may hear it and doe it ? But the word is nigh unto thee, in thy mouth awd in. thy heart, that ihou.rnaieft doe it , then which,what words can poffibly be ufed more emphatically to fet forth to our underftandings that righteoufnefTe which was im-pofiible by the Law, is not only poflible, but eafie to £e obtained by die Gofpel '■> it is not hidden from us flor for off, but near unco us, in our mouthes, and k our hearts, that we may doe it. Far from their opinion that afrkme, That God muft bow the.Heavens and come down into our Souls, and mfufe into them fu-pernarurali light faith,&c before that we can either underffand or doe any thing Fequifite to our Salvation.

5.Euc

11

5. But to put this point cut of all difpute-Where-as the Scriptures do inrorme us, that according to the Law of worker There is none righteous} none that doth good, no, not one, Rom. 9. ic, 12. and yet notwithstanding doe alfo informe us. That Abel, Heb. 11. 4. Noah, Gen 7.1. Abimelech, Gen. 20. 4. Lot. 2 Pet. 2,8. & Zechariah,Luke 1.6. were all of them righteous men. That Jacob Mat. 1.19. Simeon, Lkh^e 2-2^. Cornelius, were juft men, A8s ic 1, 22. That Jeb r chap. 1. 18. Afa, 1 Chron. 15. 17. and others, wereu' r righc and perfect men, Phil. 3. 1$. That Akimaas the ibn of Zadockj 2 Sam. 18.27 a »a Barnabas the fon ofcon-folation, were both of them good men, Afts \\. 24. It muft therefore neceffanly foliow,That what was im-pofhble by the Law or covenant cf workes, is pcflible by the GofpeL, or covenant of Grace : and (hat righte-oufnefTe, juftice, goodnefs, and eternall Salvation, w hich could not be obtained by the former, hath, and may be obtained by the later.

And yet notwithstanding, although *hat the Covenant of Grace (or the Gofpelj doth require to Salvation, the performance cf all fuch good workes, which are within our power :o peiforme j yet ought it, and that eminently to be efteemed by us a Covenant of Grace: and tha: for thefe refpefts-

Firft, In regard of the time, fftate, and condition, wherein all man-kinde were) when this Covenant was vcuchfafed unto them. That is to fay, When all n±\\-kinde by rcafon of Adams tranfgreffon, were brought under the grrtlt of condemoat'u n, and tve; livion , having no eie to pity them, £7^

ibifity to deliver thenofclves from thence (but 1 of nectfliiy have perilhed therein G 4

i Cor. \*>.\6, 17,18.) That then Gcd the Father of all pity and companion, commended his love nnto them, Rom. i$. 8. and fonh ofhis "mfinite goodneffe, was gracioufly pleated by the death of lV*s only begotten Son, to pay the price of their redemption, to ranfome them from that eftate, 2 Cor. 5.14. 1 Cor. 15. 21,22. and to fay unto them, return from corruption, yepeiiihing fans of men, and live, and in relation thereunto, to grantthis Covenant of life and Salvation unto them.

2. That becaufe in this Covenant Gcd requireth of us lefle than his due, and no more then what in our fallen eftace we are fufficiently enabled to performe and render unto him , we owed unto him perfect in-nocency, being in creation made perfeft by him,£cc/. 7. 29. heaskethofusbut integrity coniiftent with nocency and imperfeftion fo considered) as plainly appeareth by that which is fpoken concerning David,

1 Kings 9. 4. Afa, 1 King* 15. 14. Simeon, Luke 2. 25. Cornelius, Afts 10. 22. and divers others, declared to be perfect, juft, and upright men, (notwithftanding all-their frailties, fenfurable by the covenant of works) and are by God approved and accepted, in reference to his covenant of Grace-

3. In regard that although we have our lives of Grace, and that he asketh of us fo little in comparifon of what we are indebted unto him, he is fo bountiful, as to grant us a reward of all our workes, Hebr* 11. 6. ye fuch an exceeding great reward, that our light afflictions which are but for a moment, worketh for us. a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory>

2 Cor. 4. 17.

That he fhould grant us any reward at all for any

fer-

fervice done unto him, (if we confider that it was nothing but his owne which we gave unto him, that wc received it of him, and that we our felves likewife are his, and that by a double debt) it muit needs according to the humble confeffion of David, be acknowledged great bounty in him, 1 Chro. 2$- 13, 14^ 15, 16. but that he mould fo far regard cur bounden 2rlecTion> as to reward us for our very meancft workes, even for a cup of cold water given in his name j and to grant us fo great a reward for fo fmalia worke : as a Prophets reward (doubtles one of the greatest) for but receiving a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, Mat. 10.41. muit needs be acknowledged tranfcendent Grace, love thac pafjethall knowledge.

The 6. Text is Jerem. 31. 31,32, 33, 54. the words whereof are as followtth: Eehold the daies come,faith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the houfe of lfraely and with the houfe of Judab: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I tooke them by the hand, to bring them out of the Land of Egypt j which covenant they brake, although that I was a husband unto them- Bur this (hall be the covenant thar I vill make with the houfe of Ifrael : After thofe daies faith the Lord, I wii put my Law in their inward pans,and write it in their hearts, &c.

From whence it is ordinarily objected, That God hath covenanted neceifarily arid unavoidably to in-ftruft tome men in the knowledge ofhimfelf, and by putting his Lawes intp their hearts, to worke in them repentance, faith, fee. The which objection, as it fup-pofeth fome men to be more accepted and beloved of God, in the eftate of unbelief tl 'uth been

often

often before difproved ; yet in regard that it hath fo teeming a countenance cf truth put upon it by this Scin mre , with fome others fpeaking in the fame language, I fhall further anrW thereunto, de-firing,

Firft, Thatitmaybeconfidered, that feeing there are but two Covenants known at any time to be given by God unto-men, the oi\e of works, the other of Grce : ail man-kinde muft be concluded, either to be under the firft, or under the later of them.

i. But under the firft they are not, becaufe that God find nig fault therewith hath repealed it, caufed it to wax old, and tovanifh away, Heb^^"i^.

2. Secondly , H:.th redeemed all men from the curfe and penalty therecf, death, G4/.3.13.

3. Thirdly, Hath prohibited all men from feeking righreoufnefie thereby, A&s 15. 10. Romans 10. 5. And therefore all men mult be concluded to be under the fecond. And not for thefe reafons only > Eur. alfo,

4. Fourthly, Becaufe that the duties of the fecond Covenant C V K-J Repentance,^, is required of all, .i4#. 17.30- And

5. Fifthly, That Salvation the end thereof is thereupon promifed unto all, whence thofe that perifh arc charged with neglefting Salvation, Heb. 2. &

d. Andlaftly, Becaufe than the fecond death, Rev. 2-1 t. or condemnation inrlifted byChrift at the tart day, is none other then the penalty of the breach of the fecond Covenant. This is the condemnation of the world ( faith S.John J Chap.g.ip. That light h

come

come into the world, and men love darknt& ra then light, becaufe their deeds are evil: Wl reaibn received! confirmation fircm hence, Thit Chiiit by a meft lively embleme in rhe Parable of rhe Taler.ts, hath declared unto ns, That God at that day will ie-quire nc more of any men, but according to rhe Talents of Grace delivered onto them by himfelf, the Mediatour of the new Covenant, and will then condemn none, but for not well ufing what they hid, fo received o( him. Whereupon it doth necefarily fellow, That all men being under the new Covenant, whatfeever Grace neceflary to Salvation, is there-n r y God promifed unto any (he being faithful! than hah promifed, and the Covenant confirmed unto all man-kindeby thebloud of Jefus Chrift ) the fame mtift needs be acknowledged to be granted unto all- And then forasmuch as we fee, that all men b&t not the Law and Fear of God written in them (ctherwife then was (hewed before concerning the Gentiles,/^. 2.14,15-) nor their ftony hearts taken out of their liefh,^rr. we muft not therefore imj God

hath covenanted abfolutely to do thefe things for any men.

But there are two things in this Tey.t, which tho-row want of due confederation mi f-lead many men from the right underftanding thereof.

Firft, Becaufe it is laid, Thar this Covenant which God promifed ro make with the lews in the laft d fhowld not be like unto the Covenant that he With cheir fathers, wh< ightthem ou: of the

Land of JEgypt (which C : lant they brake, jfrc.) It is conceived, Th. could not by any be kept, fothelatei v any

that arc comprehended therein be broken.

For the clearing of this niiftake, I delire that it may be obferved,

That if by tliefe two Covenants here fpoken of, we muft underhand the Law and the Gofpel, Works and Grace ( which is much qaeiiioned by fame, who con ceive them to be particular Covenants, prcpet and peculiar to the lews only, and fo nothing at all to the point in hand) than they were neither of them unmade, untill the time that God broughc the Ifraelites out of the Land of Mgypt. And therefore much lefle, until the daies of the Prophet Jeremy, as this Texc feemeth to import.

That the firft Covenant was given unto our firft parents in Paradife, appeareth from hence, That the curfe thereof entered into the world by Adam, and raigned over all men before the Law was given at mount Sinai, Rom.5.14. For where the curfe of the Law is inflicted, there the breach of the Law muft needs be imputed. And feeing (as the Apoftle teach-eth, icom.^.ig. that fin is not imputed, where there is no Law given, therefore the Law muft needs be acknowledged to be given unto Adam, and in him to all man-kinde, before the'punifhmenc thereof, death, thorow his difobedience did enter into the world, and raign therein. And like as the Law was given unto Adam, before he incurred the punifhmenc thereof- 56 the Gofpel or fecond Covenant muft needs be 'granted immediately to fucceed upon his tranfgreffion of the firft: becaufe that otherwife the curfe of the Law, mould forthwith, according as it was threatued, Oen. 2.17. ) have feized upon him to have deftroied him, and in him all man-kinde then in his loins finning in

hrroi

him, the truth whereof is confirmed unto us from hence-

1. That the end of Gods patience and forbearance towards linners, is none other then their Repentance and Salvation, Rom. 2.4. Defpifeft thou (faith the A-poftle fpeaking to the Gentiles) the riches of his goodnelfe, and forbearance, and long-furlering, not knowing that the goodneife of God leadeth thee to Repentance- A^ain, 2 Pet.3.9. Peter telleth thofe thar fccrled at Gods forbearance towards them in their wickednefie ( contrary as they fuppofed to his threats denounced againft them) That God was not Hack con-caning his Promife, as they counted flacknelTe, btk Jong-fuflei ing , not willing that any fhouid perifh, bot that all fnould come to Repentance. And Paul, m Aft. 17. 26,27. plainly informeth us, That the end why God made of one bloud (that is to fay of Adam J

^rions of men to dwell upon the face of the earth, was, That they fhouid feek the Lord : Nov? forafmuch as feeking of the Lord, Repentance and the obtaining of Salvation dorh neceflarily prcfuppofe the granting and exhibiting of the new Covenant: thefe ends being otherwife impoQible to be attained, it mufr needs follow, That as God is declared to fpare and forlx-ar Adam, and ail men,to the end they might repent, &c. that in reference to thefe ends he vouchfafed unto them the Covenant of his Grace, whereby they might be enabled to attain thereunto.

2. Befides, If that God fhouid have fpared our fir ft parents, and granted unto them the prccrearion of feed, and not in order to the Grace of the new Covenant, Redemption from death, the curfecf the Law,

S llvarion in the world to ccme, thorow Repentance,

ance, then there fhoui4 have been no proportion betwixt the iimne of man-kinde in Adam, and rhe.pu-nUhmenc thereof becaufe tinning hiit inpeteniia, they iiiouid bepuniihed in aliu, which inequality of pio-ccicii:ig i: by Gcdin £^^.i3. difclaimedj fo that if .1 not prepared foi man-kinde another life after deaih, and vouchsafed means to make them happy therein, they liion'rd never perfonaliy have fuller ed death/ but fuch as was their ftp* fuch (hould have been their pL:ii'ihmenc.

3. Moreover, If that the Covenant of Grace had not been from the beginning, then Salvation ihould not have been from the beginning, feeing.tha r it is of Grace only, and not or works, £f/;ef.2.8. whereas therefore the Scnptures enformern us, That remifft-onoffms, acceptation with God, and confequently Salvation w^s preached unto Cain, Gen. 4. 6,7. And that Abel, the third man on earth, obtained the fame> Heb.11.4. k mv.fi neer:? be granted* That the Covenant ofvjiac.-w;.. vouchfafed unto men from the beginning, gffu i:o:n the very time that they ftood in any need tht r, >cf.

Thefe t)vo Covenants of Works and Grace then being made and givqn fo long before the time,tmplied by the Prophet ^rarn, his words cannot pofiibly be un-derftooU.ro im rr :he time wherein either the fail was, or thi ad be made with man-kinde, but

the trnie wherein the hi ft was, and the Jater fhould te more cie.".; iy riia and demo nit rated both un^

to theksvsand urito 1 en at any time from

the h( £ the woi Id 1 hey had been. In whjci

j-efpc Chrift ( (peaking unto his Djfcjples)

tiirh, blehedare yoar eyes, for they fee, and your

ears,

ears, for they hear \ for verily I fay unto yon, That: many Prophets and righteous men, have delved to fee thefe thin es which ye fee, and have not feen theRi, and to hear thefe things which youheur* and have not heard them, Mat. 13 10, 17. And hence are the words of the Apoftle, in Ephef. 3.8,£,ic, 11, Unto mc whoamleiTeihen the leaflet all Saints, is this Grace given, that I mould preach amongit the Gentiles, the unfearch-ble riches of Chrift, and to make all men fee, what is the fellowship of the myftery which from the beginning of th. th been hid in God, who

fcd all thing! ft, to ;he intent that

now unto the principalities and p . hea-

venly places, m ght be known by the Church the manifold wifdome of God, according to the eternall piupofewhichhepurpofedin Chrift lefus our Lord. And hereunto alio is the words of the fame Apoftle, in Row-16.25,26. to be applied-

Which centered, the emphafis contained in the words of rhe gopher ( before rehearfed ) are to be nnderltood only, as if the Lord mould have laid, I exhibited unco your fathers the Covenant of works, wbta he brought them out of the Land of ^grpt, not to the intent that they mould leek righteoufndie and life by ir,Gal.$.j-'i2 y Y\om.\o.3. but to ihew them their in-:-purrty and weakneffe, Gal^.i^, Row. 7.7. Gal 3.22. And that they mould feek Salvation only thorow the promife preached unto Abraham their father four hundred years before the Law was given, Gal. 3.17 The which Covenant they brake, though that I was a huf-band unto them. But the Covenant of my Grace •preached unto you by all the Prophets fmce the world began, Luke 1.70/Aft.43.26.22,23. and which in

the

the later daies I will more clearly demonftrate unro your children by the Miniftery of niv Son, is not like unto that Covenanting eftablifhed upon better pro-mifes,whcrby I (hall fo abundantly commend my love unco them. That although poflibly they may defpife the fame, and ruin my Grace therein manife-fied unto them into wuntonnefTe, yet furely (or: in all reafon ) they will not, but will reverence my Sonne, when they fee him, receive my word from him into their hearts, and become obedient ■Bto me.

For God having made men rationall (in reference w hereunto only he treateth with them , by arguments different from all other his creatures; and naturally di-fpofed to their own happinefie, whenfoever more clearly then ordinary, he openeth unto them a way thereunto, and uferh Arguments extraordinary to endear them unto him for his goodneffe towards them therein (in ;the Scriptures) lie olten taketh it for granted? That then more efpecially they will be induced to the love and perpetual Obedience of him, as is fliewed in If** 53.7,8,9 • where from the confideraticn ofthescodnellethathehidvouchfafed to the houfe oHfrael, the mercies and multitude of loving kinde-- neiTes that he had teftowed upon them, in faving diem • by the Angel of his pretence, redeeming them in his love and pity , carrying them thorow the wilderacne, and in all their affiiftions being afflifted with them, (frcphe concludeth them to be his people,in fuch fore ^dat^hey would never deal untruly with him, becaufe that (although pofTibly they might, asinverf. 10. it, appearcth rheywere, yet) rationally they could not fee unthankful! unto him, nor difobedicnt againft bifli

after

after fuch extraordinary mercies received from him. From whence alfo it is that S- Paul ftileth thofe men that refufed and oppofed the Gofpel of Salvation,when it was preached unto them unreafonable men, 2 Thef. 3.2. degenerated from men into brute beafts, 1 Cor. 15-52. becaufe that rtafon cannot ov pofe it felf- And therefore feeing that it teacheth and direfteth all men endued therewirh, to feek their own happinefie and felicity, as it rauft needs prohibit them the reje&ion thereof, and rhe abufe of the means leading thereunto : So on the contrary, it muft needs engage them to fincerity oflove, and hearty affeftion towards God, by how much the more he difcovereth himfelf in Love> Mercy and GoodnelTe towards them in that nature.

And hereupon it is, that God confidering how a-bundantly the riches of his grace, Fatherly aftecYion, and bow N els of compaffion towards all men, fhould by rhe Miniftery of IefusChrift at his appearance be repealed, and by figns and wonders, confirmed .beyond ill contradiction ( to the lews efpecially, to whom moft immediately he was fent, Joh.1.1 1. Mat. 15.24.) more than at any time from the beginning of the woxld it had been (infomuch that hearing and beholding the fame, and not reje&ing reafon and humanity > md judging themfelves unworthy of eveilaftiiig life, tfiey could not poffibly but re Joyce therein, be humbled for their former difobedience againft fo merciful a Sod,receive with thankfulnes his holy inftruftions, delivered unto them,and ever afterwards become obedient unto him,he concludeth therefore that they would be converted, and united unto him for ever, although that through favage and brutifh folly (unto which H rnen

ay A Daore of Salvation

men mav pcftibly degenerate, J fa- 46. 6, 7, Z.J they both might, and did reject and defpifc his unfpeaka-ble gotokefie towards them. All which is moft clearly :.\ .d \ lainly deitiowftraterf by the wcrds of Chrifl himfelf, in Mat'2\. from the 33. to the 39- Mark^io. from the firft to the ninth. And Luke 20. from tht 9* to the 15.

Hear a Parable ( faith Chrift fpeaking to the lews to whom the prcmife in ley. 2,1. hath the moft efpecia. relation) There was a certain houfholder which planted a Vineyard, and hedged it round about, and dig* god a wine-preffe in it, and built a tower, and let it out to hufbandmen, and went into a farre countrey; and when the time of fruit drew near, hefent his fer-vants, that he might receive from the huibandmen the fruit of the vineyard, &r. But the hulbandman tooi his fer-vantf,and beat one, and killed another, andfto-ned another. Again he fent other fervants more then the firft, and they did unto them likewife ; 2 Chrsn. 38. 1$, 16. A8s 7. $t, 52. Luke 9, 49> 5o.

Whereupcn (to the end, that he mVght to the admiration of all men and Angels, exprefle his patience goodnefle, and hearty affection to the Salvation of the very worft of men ) the Lord of the Vineyard ( faith Luke J faid unto himfelf, What mall I doe * I wil fend my beloved Sonne, my only and well-beloved Sonne fMark 12. 6. J faying, THEY WILL, (note) Reverence my Sonne, when they fee him, Mar.12.6.Mat.21.3j.(But what followcth?) when the hufbandmen fcw his Son, they reafoned among them-felves> faying,This is the heir,come let us kill him,that the inheritance may be onrs.* and they caft him out

Opened unto all Men.

of the vineyard, and killed him-

Secondly, The miftake concerning the fence of this Scripture, is grounded upon the(e words fvi^J 1 will put my larvs into their mirides, and write them in their hearts, <fyc From whence it is conceived, that God hath promifed unavoidably, to beget the Love, Fear, and Obedience of himfelf, in fome particular perfons, not in others-

i. For the clearing whereof, it is to be remeirf bred, that the reafon why God promifed to write hi s Iawb in the hearts of the Ifradites in the later daies, ra" ther then in the former, was, becaufe that in the later daies (by theMiniftery of his Sonne) he would more abundantly demonftrate his love an<£ goodnefle onto them, then formerly he had done by the Mini-jtery of any of his fervants •, The which although it did moft powerfully tend to imprint his Love and Fear id them,and to perfwade them to deny all ungodlines and worldly lufts,and to ferve him in righteoufnes and true hjlines all their daies,Lw. i. 74,7$.yec forafmuch as thac means did not inevitably ertecx the fame in them, for if it had, then they fhould all of them been converted thereby*, therefore it cannot frcm hence be rightly inferred from this text, That God hath promifed et-feftually to beget the love and fear cf himfelf in any one nun more then another-

2. It is alfo to be confidered, That when God (in the Scriptures^ faith, that he will doe rrrs or that, ic do:h not alwaies imply, an abfolute and peremptory refolution in him, necdfarily to enforce and bring the (anic to palTe, but toadminilterfuch means, where-knoweth, that men either by a dircft or indirect ufe thereof, will, or may be induced H 2 to

to ihe doing of that which he faith, he wil uoe.

In thelaterrefpefticisthathcfpeakcth, when he faith, I wiII harden Pharaohs heart: becaufe that con-fidering him to be a proud, covetous tyrant, ht knsw that he would take occafion of obftinacy againfi hm by reafon of his mercy towards the eppreffed // raelites ( notwithftanding all his fignes and wonden ihewed unto him, ppwerfclly tending to humble hin: to the very earth before him J and refufe to he their, depart out of his Land, as he was commanded.

And in the former refpeft, are the words of the Apoftle, i Tim 2. 4. to be underftood > when ht faith, That God would have all men to be faved. Auc fo likewife are the words ofChrift, in John 12. 32. tc betaken, where he faith. And I, if I were lifted up from the earth, I WILL DRAW all men after. me*, becanfe that by his Death and Refurreftion he fhould further man i reft himfelf to all men to be the Saviour of the world : For as when he atiordeth unto men the mt.tr.s of repentance; he is faid thereby to purge them from their filthindTe, though that they be not aftwilly purged thereby (^as was ihewed before in f^/^a.i^.J So ^according to thefe Scriptures^ when he difpenferh meanes extraordinary, tending to kad men to Conversion and Salvation, Then more efpecially it is faid,TIut he will put his Laws into their hearts, will draw them to Chrift, and will have them to be faved-

Thirdly, It is ro be coniidered, That like as God faith, That he will write tin Laws in mens heart?, cir-cumcife their hearts, make them new hearts and new fpirirs, frr.31.33. pfiir.30.1d. frr-35,25. Evenfo

h<

he alio requireth men to write his Laws in their hearts, Erov.7.$. Circumcife their liearts, /er.4.4. and make to themfei/es new hearrs and new fpirits, £3^.19.31. Now as the Evangelical precepts are not to be expounded againft the prcimfes, fo neither are the promifes thereof ro be expounded againft the precepts ; and if confidertd together, they are to be underltood, as if Gcd fnould fay, I willgftcra means unto you for thefe ends, do ycu improve them thereunto.

Ifitbefaid, that rhefe precepts ferve only to ex-prelTe unto men, that which God promifeth to work hi them.

It is anfwered tint, That this is a very forraign ex-pofition, and will neither be warranted by Scripture or found reafbn : God being never known to require of men that which he himfelf promifeth to doe for them, and moft irrational! to conceive, that he lhould not rather exprefie his goodnelfe towards men, in requiring them to wait upon him for the things that he purpefeth to beftow upon them, then to give them precepts for the doing thereof, thereby to divert their hopes and expectation, as from the promifes, and to let them on work to beat the air, or to make brick without ftraw.

But fecendly, feeing it is manifeft, that thefe precepts are unto all men, and as manifeft that all men have not the things enjoyned therein eriefted in them, ic cannot in any wife be fuppofed, that the intent of God In them mould be ro exprctTe what he himfelf would work in men, hue to enforme us tint his promifes to pu: his Liws in mens mindes to write them in their hear-o to nuke them new hearts frc. H 3 conlirteih

coniifteth only unto them in affording means ferving for rhofe ends, which they themfe'ves are enjoyned to improve for the effecting thereof.

4. Laftly, It is to be obferved, That thofe very peribns the Ifraelites to whom this promife hath the moft principal, unto whom the Apoftle moft direftly applieth the fame, in the tenth Chapter to the Hebrews, are notwithftanding by him evidently decla-ed to be mider a pcfiibiliry of finning wilfully againfi: he knowledge of the truth, of trampling the Sonne of God under their feet, and counting his bloud the bloud of rhis Covenant wherewith they were fanfti tied an unholy thing, and of doing defpite unto the fpi-rit of Grace, and thereby of incurring to themfelves the foreft punifhmenr, judgement and fiery indignation, that which pofnbly could not be, if that God in this Covenant had abfolutely promifed, or undertaken to put his laws in their hearts, and write them in their mindes,^rc. as it is fuppofed, or any otherwife then by adminiftring unto them means for thofe ends, t which pofiibly might be neglefted and contemned by lyhem. But becaufe that this Scripture lerveth fo clear-to difcover the intent and nature of this Covenantee fh all be rehearfed verbatim.

Heb.io.i<5. This tithe Covenant that 1 will make ■with them after thofe daies, faith the Lord : / will put my laws into their hearts, and in their mindes will I write them : And their finnes and iniquities will I re-memher no more. Now where remifrion of thefe tijhere U no more offering for fin- Having therefore, bret hren, b oldneffeor liberty, to enter into the holieft by the bloud of Jefw, By a new and living way which he hath confe-ratedforns, through the vail, that ti to fa), hii flefl> *

And

r

Opened unto all men. 102

And having an high Prieft over the houfe of God : Let w draw near with a true heart jn full ajfurance of faith, having our hearts fprinkled from an evil confcience, and cur bodies wafted with pure water. And let m consider one another, to provoke unto love, and to goodworkes: Kot forfakjng the ajfembling of our feh es tegether, as the manner of fome U : but exhorting one another, and fo much the more as)efee the day approaching. For if we finne wilfull) after that we haie received the knowledge of the truth, there remrinetb no more facrifice for finnes, But a certain fearfull looking for of judgement, and fiery indignation, which (hail devour the adverfaries. He that defpifed Mofes Law, died without mere) under two or three witneffes. Of how much forer punifoment, fi }e(hall he be thought worthy, who hath troden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the ( nant, wherewith he was fanHif.ed, an unhol) thing, and hath done defpite unto the Spirit of Grace ?

Now forafmuch as where God hath abfolurely pro-mifed to doe all for men which is any waies necefiary to be done, to bring them to an end , there remained) not any thing to be done by them for that pur-pofe: and that not only all danger, but the very leaft fuppofition cf mifcarriage, or pcffibility of failing thereof, is thereby wholly taken away: fo neither can there reafonably be any thing required cf them thereunto, or any danger of falling be juftly fuggelted unco thern^ (the power .ind truth of God being thereby di-jeftly impeached of impotency and falfhood)and therefore feeing that the Apoftle (who in ail fuch things which dependeth altogether for tiieir aecom-pMhment, upon the faith and omnipotence of God a-lonc, as the refuneftion of the dead, and the reward H 4 of

of Faith, withChrift in the world ro come inftruft-ethmen (according to the example of Abraham,Rom* 4.) not toftagger at the promife of God through unbelief, but againft hope to believe in hope, to be firong in faith, giving glory to God, being hilly perfwaded that whatfoever (in that nature) he hath promifed,he is able, and will bring it to pafle, and that ueither death nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things prefent, nor things to come, nor heighth, nor depth, nor any other creature, fhall be able to prevent or hinder the fame) doth notwith-ftunding this covenant (or promife) of God made unto the Hebrews (to put his Lawes in their hearts, and write them in their mindes, &c.) fo earneitiy exhort them to draw near unto God, in purity of heart, con-fcience, and converficion verfe, 22, to hold faft the profefiion of their faith without wavering, verfe 23, and for that end not to forfake the afiembling them-felves together: but to exhort, and provoke one another unto love, and to good workes, verf. 24, 25. To looke diligently that no man fail (or fall from the Grace) of God, chap- 12. 15- And leaft there be in any of them a heart of unbelief (hardened through the de-ceitfulnes Of (in) in departing from the living God, chap. 2. 12, 13.

And all this from the ground and confideration of the danger of finning wilfully againft the truth, verfe 2<S, and falling into the hands of God by trampling his Son under their feet, and counting his blond (the bloud of the Covenant given unto chem, rehearfed in verfe i£,T7. J whereby they were fanftified an unholy thing, and doing defpite unto the Spirit, verfe 2£, 30. (which witnefled and confirmed him unto them to be

the

the Son of God, and that the principles of this Do-ftrine, C V *K*J repentance from dead workes, &c. chapter 1. and chapter 6. 1. with chapter 2. 5,4. were of God,) muft of neceflity argue unto us, That neither he nor yet the Hebrews themfelves, did understand this Covenant (as now ordinarily it is taken) or as in this Objeftion it is urged : For if they had then, doubtles he would not (^having no reafon for the fame) have exhorted and cautioned them in this manner, but contrariwife would have encouraged them, wholly to have refted themfelves upon the faith and power of God, engaged unto them to do for them,and work in them wliatfoever was neceffary to their Salvation, & to prevent all fuch things that might any waies poflibly hinder them thereof, nor would they themfelves ever have regarded any thing, that he mould have fpoken unto them to the contrary ,any more then if he mould have exhorted them after death, to raife themfelves from thence, upon the danger of perifhing for ever and ever in the Grave. Which fhall ferve for anfwer to this Objetfion.

Th

The Conclusion.

THe ccnfideration of this difcourfe, may ferve. Firft, as a means to remove out of all mens mindes, all prejudicial! and evil thoughts, as concerning the decrees, and precepts of Almighty God: It having been fhewed, That in his Eleftion he refped- J ech not the perfons of any, nor prefereth one man before another therein : but eKtendeth and vouchfaferh the fame freely and indifferently to every one who doth not voluntarily, knowingly, and of malicious wickednes debar themfelves thereof: his decree of Reprobation being grounded 6nly upon the known, wilfull, and ftubborn difobedience againft his Commandments, and means of Grace ufed and vouchfafed for their repentance, and reformation, lerem. 6. go. with the 28, 20. And his Commandments having been fhewed not to be grievous, but eafie and light, for every man to obferve and praftice.

2. It may ferve to admonilh every man to take heed and beware of all kinde of difobedience againft God, and that they doe not approve or allow them-i^any or the leaft thing which they know to be dHpleafingunto him, either forth of a conceit of their Section, or of an opinion of impodibility of falling away totally, and finally, forth of his love and favour, g it appeareth that he only choofeth unto him-fdf the mavi that is godly, the rich in faith. And that

he

he will not jiiftifie the righteous, in the day that he tnrneth away from his unrighteoufnes, to commit iniquity , nor necefTarily prevent him therein: nor will know the works of iniquity in the day of Account.

3. It may alfo adminifter found comfort and con-folation to all iimple hearted, fincere and godly aliened perfons, agauui: all their fcruples, fears, doubts,and jealoufies, as concerning their ignorances, weaknefics, and infirmities, wherewith their mindes are ordinarily perplexed ', It having been fhewed that Gcd will never lay any cftheie thirds to their charge, or any whit the Idle efteem or them, by reafon thereof: but doth and will alwaics behold and judge of them (""through the riches of his grace in Jeiiis ChriftJ zc-ccrding to the integrity, purpofe of heart, and finceri-t/of arfcftion, which he obferveth in them towards his name.

4. And laftly, The confderation hereof, doth stf-fo abundantly ferve to beget in all men an unfeigned love, and obedience towards Gcd. I will love the Lord ffaith David J becaufe he harh heard my voice, fcc. Ffal ii<5. 1. And being but advanced, from the fheepfold to an earthly Crown, and receiving a pro-mife for the continuance thereof to his houfe, harh his heart thereby exceedingly rilled with arteftiou towards him*, how much more then may the consideration of his goodnes TbeforeeyprefiedJ in advancing us, not from a fheep-fold, but from death it felf, the fold of Satan, Hebr. 2.14- Nor to a rcrreftial and corruptible crown, but to a gloiious eftate cf immortality (even when we were his enemies, Rom- $8, 10. and neither asked nor defired any fuch thing of himj

id vc

Ic8 A Doore of'Salvation, &c.

ferve to kindle and inflame onr hcarrs with an unfain-cdlove and fincere aftefton towards him j efpecially if we confider what an heavenly City, immorml crown, and weight of Glory he hach therein prepared to be-ftow upon us for an inheritance and crown of reward, even for that love, fervice and obedience, which of botifiden duty we owe unco him. -The conhderation of this Grace, caufedS- John to love God, i Joh.4.19. with the 9,10. chap. 3. 16. And conftrained Paul to the obedience of him, 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15.

FINIS.

Poftfcript.

Poftfcript.

BEcaufe 1would not be mijfaken in my meaning, concerning that which I have jpoken in the favour of ignorance $ I thought it necejjary^ more clearly to dif-cover 5 That my intention therein is not to patronize any mans voluntary and rv ilfull ignorance, (fitch as that mentioned by s. Peter in his 2 Epifi. chap 3.4,5. or that of the Jews difcovered in John 9. 9. to the end of the chapter^) For 0 for men to refufe to know^ because they would not obey^or wilfully to oppofe evident grounds ofreafon^ and light appearing unto them^ (whether forth of a hatred again (I it^ or a Uve to walke in ctarkneffe, John 3.19.

Poftfcript.

Andfom effeUto fay unto God^ Depart from asfor we del, re not the knowledge of thy waie^ Job 21.14.) can be no more excufable then Jlubbom rebellion 3 and .disobedience againfi the truth , clearly known and understood. But the ignorance for which I "plead excufe 0 is that only which befalleth men ^ either through imbecility in nature? or want of means. For as it cannot be required of an ideot to underhand reafon 0 nor of a childe to dijlin-guijh betwixt good and evilly naturallin-ternity having hidden thofe things from their eies 5 and no talent given to them to enable them thereunto : So neither (by the like reafon) can the particular knowledge and faith of the Gospel (or any thing elfe whatfoever) be required of thofe to whom the necejjary means thereof, is not offered ; Vpon which ground Chrift declareth : Tihat if he had not come and (poken unto the]c\vs p and doneamongft them fuch worl{j which did evidently demonjirtte

unto

Pofticript.

imhem the truth and excellency of his dbfine^nd that he was the Mejjlas pro-mj to come 3 they had not had (in> re-je&g eitherhim 0 orit^ohn 15/22,25. vribht io^ 27. And therefore ignorance W fs nature cannot be concluded any gre**fn then Uriah his carrying of the Ljer to take away his own life^ 2 Sanp] 18.14^ 15. which will never be laid t Of charge.

-J-

"•ft*