PROPOSITIONS V. & VI.
Reading edition
Concerning the Universal Redemption by Christ, and also the Saving and Spiritual Light, wherewith every Man is enlightened.
PROPOSITION V.
[54]God, out of his Infinite Love, who delighteth not in the Death of a Sinner, but that all should live and be saved, hath so loved the World, that he hath given his only Son a Light, that whosoever believeth in him shall be saved, John iii. 16. Who enlighteneth EVERY Man that cometh into the World, John i. 9. And maketh manifest all Things that are reproveable, Ephes. v. 13. And teacheth all Temperance, Righteousness, and Godliness; and this Light enlighteneth the Hearts of all, for a Time, in order to Salvation; and this is it which reproves the Sin of all Individuals, and would work out the Salvation of all, if not resisted. Nor is it less Universal than the Seed of Sin, being the Purchase of his Death, who tasted Death for every Man. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive, 1 Cor. xv. 22.
PROPOSITION VI.
According to which Principle, or Hypothesis, all the Objections against the Universality of Christ’s Death are easily solved; neither is it needful to recur to the Ministry of Angels, and those other Miraculous Means which they say God useth to manifest the Doctrine and History of Christ’s Passion unto such, who, living in Parts of the World where the outward Preaching of the Gospel is unknown, have well improved the first and common Grace. For as hence it well follows, that some of the Old Philosophers might have been saved, so also may some, who by Providence are cast into those remote Parts of the World where the Knowledge of the History is wanting, be made Partakers of the Divine Mystery, if they receive, and resist not that Grace, [55]A Manifestation whereof is given to every Man to profit withal. This most certain Doctrine being then received, that there is an Evangelical and Saving Light and Grace in all, the Universality of the Love and Mercy of God towards Mankind, both in the Death of his Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Manifestation of the Light in the Heart, is established and confirmed, against all the Objections of such as deny it. Therefore [56]Christ hath tasted Death for every Man; not only for all Kinds of Men, as some vainly talk, but for every Man of all Kinds: The Benefit of whose Offering is not only extended to such who have the distinct outward Knowledge of his Death and Sufferings, as the same is declared in the Scriptures, but even unto those who are necessarily excluded from the Benefit of this Knowledge by some inevitable Accident; which Knowledge we willingly confess to be very Profitable and Comfortable, but not absolutely Needful unto such from whom God himself hath with-held it; yet they may be made Partakers of the Mystery of his Death, though ignorant of the History, if they suffer his Seed and Light, enlightening their Hearts, to take Place; in which Light Communion with the Father and the Son is enjoyed; so as of wicked Men to become holy, and Lovers of that Power, by whose inward and secret Touches they feel themselves turned from the Evil to the Good, and learn to do to others as they would be done by, in which Christ himself affirms all to be included. As They have then falsely and erroneously Taught, who have denied Christ to have died for all Men; so neither have They sufficiently taught the Truth, who affirming him to have died for all, have added the absolute Necessity of the outward Knowledge thereof, in order to obtain its saving Effect. Among whom the Remonstrants of Holland have been chiefly wanting, and many other Assertors of Universal Redemption, in that they have not placed the Extent of this Salvation in that Divine and Evangelical Principle of Light and Life wherewith Christ hath enlightened every Man that cometh into the World; which is excellently and evidently held forth in these Scriptures, Gen. vi. 3. Deut. xxx. 14. John i. 7, 8, 9, 16. Rom. x. 8. Titus ii. 11.
Absolute Reprobation, that horrible and blasphemous Doctrine, described.Hitherto we have considered Man’s fallen, lost, corrupted, and degenerated Condition. Now it is fit to enquire, How and by what Means he may come to be freed out of this miserable and depraved Condition, which in these two Propositions is declared and demonstrated; which I thought meet to place together because of their Affinity, the one being as it were an Explanation of the other.
As for that Doctrine which these Propositions chiefly strike at, to wit, absolute Reprobation, according to which some are not afraid to assert, “That God, by an Eternal and Immutable Decree, hath Predestinated to Eternal Damnation the far greater Part of Mankind, not considered as made, much less as fallen, without any Respect to their Disobedience or Sin, but only for the demonstrating of the Glory of his Justice; and that for the bringing this about, he hath appointed these miserable Souls necessarily to walk in their wicked Ways, that so his Justice may lay hold on them: And that God doth therefore not only suffer them to be liable to this Misery in many Parts of the World, by with-holding from them the Preaching of the Gospel and the Knowledge of Christ, but even in those Places where the Gospel is preached, and Salvation by Christ is offered; whom though he publickly invite them, yet he justly condemns for Disobedience, albeit he hath with-held from them all Grace by which they could have laid hold of the Gospel, viz. Because he hath, by a secret Will unknown to all Men, ordained and decreed (without any Respect had to their Obedience or Sin) that they shall not obey, and that the Offer of the Gospel shall never prove effectual for their Salvation, but only serve to aggravate and occasion their greater Condemnation.”
I say, as to this horrible and blasphemous Doctrine, our Cause is common with many others, who have both wisely and learnedly, according to Scripture, Reason, and Antiquity, refuted it. Seeing then that so much is said already and so well against this Doctrine, that little can be superadded, except what hath been said already, I shall be short in this Respect; yet, because it lies so in Opposition to my Way, I cannot let it altogether pass.
§. I.
This Doctrine a Novelty.
First, We may safely call this Doctrine a Novelty, seeing in the first four hundred Years after Christ there is no Mention made of it: For as it is contrary to the Scriptures Testimony, and to the Tenor of the Gospel, so all the ancient Writers, Teachers, and Doctors of the Church pass it over with a profound Silence.
The Rise of it.
The first Foundations of it were laid in the later Writings of
Augustine
, who, in his Heat against
Pelagius
, let fall some Expressions which some have unhappily gleaned up, to the establishing of this Error; thereby contradicting the Truth, and sufficiently gainsaying many others, and many more and frequent Expressions of the same
Augustine
. Afterwards was this Doctrine fomented by
Dominicus
a Friar, and the Monks of his Order; and at last unhappily taken up by
John Calvin
(otherwise a Man in divers Respects to be commended) to the great staining of his Reputation, and Defamation both of the
Protestant
and Christian Religion; which though it received the Decrees of the Synod of
Dort
for its Confirmation, hath since lost Ground, and begins to be exploded by most Men of Learning and Piety in all
Protestant
Churches. However, we should not oppugn it for the Silence of the Ancients, Paucity of its Assertors, or for the Learnedness of its Opposers, if we did observe it to have any real Bottom in the Writings or Sayings of Christ and the Apostles, and that it were not
highly injurious to God himself, to Jesus Christ our Mediator and Redeemer, and to the Power, Virtue, Nobility, and Excellency if his blessed Gospel, and lastly unto all Mankind
.
§. II.
Highly injurious to God, in making him the Author of Sin.
First,
It is highly injurious to God
, because it makes him the Author of Sin, which of all Things is most contrary to his Nature. I confess the Assertors of this Principle deny this Consequence; but that is but a mere Illusion, seeing it so naturally follows from this Doctrine, and is equally ridiculous, as if a Man should pertinaciously deny that
one
and
two
make
three
. For if God has decreed that the reprobated Ones shall perish, without all Respect to their evil Deeds, but only of his own Pleasure, and if he hath also decreed long before they were in Being, or in a Capacity to do Good or Evil, that they should walk in those wicked Ways, by which, as by a secondary Means, they are led to that End, who, I pray, is the first Author and Cause thereof but God, who so willed and decreed? This is as natural a Consequence as can be: And therefore, although many of the Preachers of this Doctrine have sought out various, strange, strained and intricate Distinctions to defend their Opinion, and avoid this horrid Consequence; yet some, and that of the most eminent of them, have been so plain in the Matter, as they have put it beyond all Doubt; of which I shall instance a few among many Passages.
I say, That by the Ordination and Will of God
Adam
fell. God would have Man to fall. Man is blinded by the Will and Commandment of God. We refer the Causes of hardening us to God. The highest or remote Cause of hardening is the Will of God. It followeth that the hidden Counsel of God is the Cause of hardening.
These are
Calvin
’s Expressions.
God
(saith
Beza
)
hath predestinated not only unto Damnation, but also unto the Causes of it, whomsoever he saw meet
.
The Decree of God cannot be excluded from the Causes of Corruption.
It is certain
(saith
Zanchius
)
that God is the first Cause of Obduration
.
Reprobates are held so fast under God’s Almighty Decree, that they cannot but sin and perish.
It is the Opinion
(saith
Paræus
)
of our Doctors, That God did inevitably decree the Temptation and Fall of Man
.
The Creature sinneth indeed necessarily, by the most just Judgment of God. Our Men do most rightly affirm, That the Fall of Man was necessary and inevitable, by Accident, because of God’s Decree.
God
(saith
Martyr
)
doth incline and force the Wills of wicked Men into great Sins
.
God
(saith
Zuinglius
)
moveth the Robber to kill
.
He killeth, God forcing him thereunto. But thou wilt say, He is forced to sin; I permit truly that he is forced.
Reprobate Persons
(saith
Piscator
)
are absolutely ordained to this
twofold
End; to undergo everlasting Punishment, and necessarily to sin, and therefore to sin, that they may be justly punished
.
If these Sayings do not plainly and evidently import, that God is the Author of Sin, we must not then seek these Men’s Opinions from their Words, but some Way else. It seems as if they had assumed to themselves that monstrous and twofold Will they feigned of God; one by which they declare their Minds openly, and another more secret and hidden, which is quite contrary to the other. Nor doth it at all help them to say, That Man sins willingly, since that Willingness, Proclivity, and Propensity to Evil is, according to their Judgment, so necessarily imposed upon him, that he cannot but be willing, because God hath willed and decreed him to be so. Which shift is just as if I should take a Child uncapable to resist me, and throw it down from a great Precipice; the Weight of the Child’s Body indeed makes it go readily down, and the Violence of the Fall upon some Rock or Stone beats out its Brains and kills it. Now then, I pray, though the Body of the Child goes willingly down (for I suppose it as to its Mind uncapable of any Will) and the Weight of its Body, and not any immediate Stroke of my Hand, who perhaps am at a great Distance, makes it die, whether is the Child or I the proper Cause of its Death? Let any Man of Reason judge, if God’s Part be, with them, as great, yea, more immediate, in the Sins of Men, as by the Testimonies above brought doth appear, whether doth not this make him not only the Author of Sin, but more unjust than the unjustest of Men?
§. III.
2. It makes God delight in the Death of a Sinner.
Secondly,
This Doctrine is injurious to God
, because it makes him delight in the Death of Sinners; yea, and to will many to die in their Sins, contrary to these Scriptures,
Ezek.
xxxiii. 11. 1
Tim.
ii. 3. 2
Pet.
iii. 9. For if he hath created Men only for this very End, that he might shew forth his Justice and Power in them, as these Men affirm, and for effecting thereof hath not only with-held from them the Means of doing Good, but also predestinated the Evil, that they might fall into it; and that he inclines and forces them into great Sins; certainly he must necessarily delight in their Death, and will them to Die; seeing against his own Will he neither doth, nor can do any Thing.
§. IV.
3. It renders Christ’s Mediation Ineffectual.
Thirdly,
It is highly injurious to Christ our Mediator, and to the Efficacy and Excellency of his Gospel
; for it renders his Mediation ineffectual, as if he had not by his Sufferings throughly broken down the
middle Wall
, nor yet removed the
Wrath
of God, or purchased the Love of God towards all Mankind, if it was afore-decreed that it should be of no Service to the far greater Part of Mankind. It is to no Purpose to allege, that the Death of Christ was of Efficacy enough to have saved all Mankind, if in effect its Virtue be not so far extended as to put all Mankind into a Capacity of Salvation.
4. It makes the Gospel a Mock.Fourthly, It makes the Preaching of the Gospel a mere Mock and Illusion, if many of these, to whom it is preached, be by any irrevocable Decree excluded from being benefited by it; it wholly makes useless the Preaching of Faith and Repentance, and the whole Tenor of the Gospel-promises and Threatenings, as being all relative to a former Decree and Means before appointed to such; which, because they cannot fail, Man needs do nothing but wait for that irresistible Juncture, which will come, though it be but at the last Hour of his Life, if he be in the Decree of Election; and be his Diligence and Waiting what it can, he shall never attain it, if he belong to the Decree of Reprobation.
5. It makes the Coming of Christ an Act of Wrath.Fifthly, It makes the Coming of Christ, and his Propitiatory Sacrifice, which the Scripture affirms to have been the Fruit of God’s Love to the World, and transacted for the Sins and Salvation of all Men, to have been rather a Testimony of God’s Wrath to the World, and one of the greatest Judgments, and severest Acts of God’s Indignation towards Mankind, it being only ordained to save a very few, and for the hardening, and augmenting the Condemnation of the far greater Number of Men, because they believe not truly in it; the Cause of which Unbelief again, as the Divines [so called] above assert, is the hidden Counsel of God: Certainly the Coming of Christ was never to them a Testimony of God’s Love, but rather of his implacable Wrath: And if the World may be taken for the far greater Number of such as live in it, God never loved the World, according to this Doctrine, but rather hated it greatly, in sending his Son to be crucified in it.
§. V.
6.
It renders Mankind in a worse Condition than the Devils—
Sixthly,
This Doctrine is highly injurious to Mankind
; for it renders them in a far worse Condition than the Devils in Hell. For these were sometime in a Capacity to have stood, and do suffer only for their own Guilt; whereas many Millions of Men are for ever tormented, according to them, for
Adam
’s Sin, which they neither knew of, nor ever were accessary to; it renders them worse than the Beasts of the Field, of whom the Master requires no more than they are able to perform; and if they be killed, Death to them is the End of Sorrow; whereas Man is for ever tormented for not doing that which he never was able to do.
—
Than the
Israelites
under
Pharaoh.
It puts him into a far worse Condition than
Pharaoh
put the
Israelites
; for though he with-held Straw from them, yet by much Labour and Pains they could have gotten it: But from Men they make God to with-hold all Means of Salvation, so that they can by no Means attain it;
Tantalus’
s Condition
.
yea, they place Mankind in that Condition which the Poets feign of
Tantalus
, who, oppressed with Thirst, stands in Water up to the Chin, yet can by no Means reach it with his Tongue; and being tormented with Hunger, hath Fruits hanging at his very Lips, yet so as he can never lay hold on them with his Teeth; and these Things are so near him, not to nourish him, but to torment him. So do these Men: They make the outward Creation of the Works of Providence, the Smiting of Conscience, sufficient to convince the
Heathens
of Sin, and so to condemn and judge them: But not at all to help them to Salvation. They make the Preaching of the Gospel, the Offer of Salvation by Christ, the Use of the Sacraments, of Prayer, and good Works, sufficient to condemn those they account
Reprobates
within the Church, serving only to inform them, to beget a seeming Faith and vain Hope; yet because of a secret Impotency, which they had from their Infancy, all these are wholly ineffectual to bring them the least Step towards Salvation; and do only contribute to render their Condemnation the greater, and their Torments the more violent and intolerable.
Having thus briefly removed this false Doctrine which stood in my Way, because they that are desirous may see it both learnedly and piously refuted by many others, I come to the Matter of our Proposition, which is, That God out of his infinite Love, who delighteth not in the Death of a Sinner, but that all should live and be saved, hath sent his only begotten Son into the World, that whosoever believeth in him might be saved; which also is again affirmed in the sixth Proposition, in these Words, Christ tasted Death for every Man.Christ then tasted Death for every Man, of all Kinds. Such is the Evidence of this Truth, delivered almost wholly in the express Words of Scripture, that it will not need much Probation. Also, because our Assertion herein is common with many others, who have both earnestly and soundly, according to the Scripture, pleaded for this universal Redemption, I shall be the more brief in it, that I may come to that which may seem more singularly and peculiarly ours.
§. VI.
Christ’
s Redemption universal, contrary to the Doctrine of
Absolute Reprobation.
This Doctrine of
universal Redemption
, or
Christ’s dying for all Men
, is of itself so evident from the Scripture-Testimony, that there is scarce found any other Article of the Christian Faith so frequently, so plainly, and so positively asserted. It is that which maketh the preaching of Christ to be truly termed the
Gospel
, or an
Annunciation of glad Tidings to all
. Thus the Angel declared the Birth and Coming of Christ to the Shepherds to be,
Luke
ii. 10.
Behold, I bring you good Tidings of great Joy, which shall be to all People
: He saith not, to
a few
. Now if this coming of Christ had not brought a Possibility of Salvation
to all
, it should rather have been accounted bad Tidings of great Sorrow to most People; neither should the Angel have had Reason to have sung,
Peace on Earth, and good Will towards Men
, if the greatest Part of Mankind had been necessarily shut out from receiving any Benefit by it. How should Christ have sent out his Servants to
preach the Gospel to every Creature
, Mark xvi. 15. (a very comprehensive Commission) that is,
to every Son and Daughter of Mankind
, without all Exception? He commands them to preach
Salvation to all, Repentance and Remission of Sins to all; warning every one, and exhorting every one
, as
Paul
did,
Col.
i. 28. Now how could they have preached the Gospel
to every Man
, as became the Ministers of Jesus Christ, in much Assurance, if Salvation by that Gospel had not been possible to all? What! if some of those had asked them, or should now ask any of these Doctors, who deny the Universality of Christ’s Death, and yet preach it to all promiscuously,
Hath Christ died for me?
How can they, with Confidence, give a certain Answer to this Question? If they give a conditional Answer, as their Principle obligeth them to do, and say,
If thou repent, Christ hath died for thee
; doth not the same Question still recur?
Hath Christ died for me, so as to make Repentance possible to me?
To this they can answer nothing, unless they run in a Circle; whereas the
Feet of those that bring the glad Tidings of the Gospel of Peace
are said to be
beautiful
, for that they preach the
common Salvation
, Repentance unto all; offering a Door of Mercy and Hope to all, through
Jesus Christ, who gave himself a Ransom for all
.
The Gospel is preached to every Man.
The Gospel invites all: And certainly, by the Gospel
Christ
intended not to deceive and delude the greater Part of Mankind, when he invites, and crieth, saying;
Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you Rest
. If all then ought to seek after him, and to look for Salvation by him, he must needs have made
Salvation possible
to
all
; for who is bound to seek after that which is impossible? Certainly it were a mocking of Men to bid them do so. And such as deny, that by the Death of Christ
Salvation
is made
possible to all Men
, do most blasphemously make God mock the World, in giving his Servants a Commission to
preach the Gospel of Salvation unto all
, while he hath before decreed that it shall not be possible for them to receive it. Would not this make the Lord to send forth his Servants with a
Lie in their Mouth
, (which were blasphemous to think) commanding them to bid
all
and
every one
believe that Christ died for them, and had purchased Life and Salvation?
The Absurdity of that Doctrine of
Absolute Reprobation.
whereas it is no such Thing, according to the fore-mentioned Doctrine. But seeing Christ, after he arose and perfected the Work of our Redemption, gave a Commission to preach
Repentance
,
Remission of Sins
, and
Salvation
to all, it is manifest that he
died for all
. For He that hath commissionated his Servants thus to preach, is a
God of Truth
, and no Mocker of poor Mankind; neither doth he require of any Man that which is simply impossible for him to do: For that
no Man is bound to do that which is impossible
, is a Principle of Truth engraven in every Man’s Mind. And seeing he is both a righteous and merciful God, it cannot at all stand, either with his Justice or Mercy, to bid such Men
repent
or
believe
, to whom it is impossible.
§. VII.
Moreover, if we regard the Testimony of the Scripture in this Matter, where there is not one Scripture, that I know of, which affirmeth,
Christ not to die for all
, there are divers that positively and expresly assert,
He did
;
To pray for
all
; for Christ died for
all—
as 1
Tim.
ii. 1, 3, 4, 6.
I exhort therefore, that first of all, Supplications, Prayers, Intercessions, and giving of Thanks, be made for all Men
, &c.
For this is good and acceptable in the Sight of God our Saviour, who will have all Men to be saved, and to come to the Knowledge of the Truth; who gave himself a Ransom for all, to be testified in due Time.
Except we will have the Apostle here to assert quite another Thing than he intended, there can be nothing more plain to confirm what we have asserted. And this Scripture doth well answer to that Manner of arguing which we have hitherto used: For, first, the Apostle here recommends them to
pray for all Men
; and to obviate such an Objection, as if he had said with our Adversaries,
Christ prayed not for the World, neither willeth he us to pray for all; because he willeth not that all should be saved, but hath ordained many to be damned, that he might shew forth his Justice in them
; he obviates, I say, such an Objection, telling them, that
it is good and acceptable in the Sight of God, who will have all Men to be saved.
—
And will have
all
Men to be saved.
I desire to know what can be more expresly affirmed? or can any two Propositions be stated in Terms more contradictory than these two?
God willeth some not to be saved
; and
God willeth all Men to be saved
, or God
will have no Man perish
. If we believe the last, as the Apostle hath affirmed, the first must be destroyed; seeing of contradictory Propositions, the one being admitted, the other is destroyed. Whence, to conclude, he gives us a Reason of his Willingness that all Men should be saved, in these Words,
Who gave himself a Ransom for all
; as if he would have said, Since Christ died for all, since he gave himself a Ransom for all, therefore he will have all Men to be saved. This Christ himself gives as a Reason of God’s Love to the World, in these Words:
John
iii. 16.
God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting Life
; compared with 1
John
iv. 9. This [
whosoever
] is an indefinite Term, from which no Man is excluded. From all which then I thus argue:
Arg. 1.For whomsoever it is lawful to pray, to them Salvation is possible:
But it is lawful to pray for every individual Man in the whole World:
Therefore Salvation is possible unto them.
I prove the Major Proposition thus;
Arg. 2.No Man is bound to pray for that which is impossible to be attained:
But every Man is bound and commanded to pray for all Men:
Therefore it is not impossible to be obtained.
I prove also this Proposition further, thus;
Arg. 3.No Man is bound to pray, but in Faith:
But he that prayeth for that, which he judges simply impossible to be obtained, cannot pray in Faith:
Therefore, &c.
Again,
Arg. 4.That which God willeth is not impossible:
But God willeth all Men to be saved:
Therefore it is not impossible.
And Lastly;
Arg. 5.Those for whom our Saviour gave himself a Ransom, to such Salvation is possible:
But our Saviour gave himself a Ransom for all:
Therefore Salvation is possible.
§. VIII.
Proof 1.
This is very positively affirmed,
Heb.
ii. 9. in these Words,
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the Angels, for the suffering of Death, crowned with Glory and Honour, that he by the Grace of God might taste Death for every Man
. He that will but open his Eyes, may see this Truth here asserted: If he
tasted Death for every Man
, then certainly there is no Man for whom he did not taste Death; then there is no Man who may not be made a Sharer of the Benefit of it: For
he came not to condemn the World, but that the World through him might be saved
, John iii. 17.
He came not to judge the World, but to save the World
, John xii. 47.
Our Adversaries false Doctrine of a great Part of Mankind being pre-ordained for Damnation, refuted.
Whereas, according to the Doctrine of our Adversaries, he rather came to condemn the World, and judge it; and not that it might be saved by him, or to save it. For if he never came to bring Salvation to the greater Part of Mankind, but that his Coming, though it could never do them good, yet shall augment their Condemnation, from thence it necessarily follows, that he came not of Intention to save, but to judge and condemn the greater Part of the World, contrary to his own express Testimony; and as the Apostle
Paul
, in the Words above cited, doth assert affirmatively,
That God willeth the Salvation of all
,
Proof 2.
so doth the Apostle
Peter
assert negatively,
That he willeth not the perishing of any
, 2 Pet. iii. 9.
The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise, as some Men count Slackness, but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to Repentance.
And this is correspondent to that of the Prophet
Ezekiel
, xxxiii. 11.
As I live, saith the Lord, I have no Pleasure in the Death of the Wicked, but that the Wicked turn from his Way and live.
If it be safe to believe God, and trust in him, we must not think that he intends to cheat us by all these Expressions through his Servants, but that he was in good earnest. And that this Will and Desire of his hath not taken effect, the Blame is on our Parts, as shall be after spoken of; which could not be, if we never were in any Capacity of Salvation, or that Christ had never died for us, but left us under an Impossibility of Salvation. What mean all those earnest Invitations, all those serious Expostulations, all those regretting Contemplations, wherewith the Holy Scriptures are full? As,
Why will you die, O House of
Israel!
Why will ye not come unto me, that ye might have Life? I have waited to be gracious unto you: I have sought to gather you: I have knocked at the Door of your Hearts: Is not your Destruction of yourselves? I have called all the Day long.
If Men who are so invited be under no Capacity of being saved, if Salvation be impossible unto them, shall we suppose God in this to be no other but like the Author of a
Romance
, or Master of a
Comedy
, who amuses and raises the various Affections and Passions of his Spectators by divers and strange Accidents; sometimes leading them into Hope, and sometimes into Despair; all those Actions, in effect, being but a mere Illusion, while he hath appointed what the Conclusion of all shall be?
Proof 3.Thirdly, This Doctrine is abundantly confirmed by that of the Apostle, 1 John ii. 1, 2. And if any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. And he is the Propitiation for our Sins; and not for ours only, but also for the Sins of the whole World. Adversaries comment on the Words the whole World. The Way which our Adversaries take to evite this Testimony, is most foolish and ridiculous: The [World] here, say they, is the World of Believers: For this Commentary we have nothing but their own Assertion, and so while it manifestly destroys the Text, may be justly rejected. For, First, let them shew me, if they can, in all the Scripture, where the [whole World] is taken for Believers only; I shall shew them where it is many Times taken for the quite Contrary; as, The World knows me not: The World receives me not, I am not of this World: Besides all these Scriptures, Psalm xvii. 14. Isai. xiii. 11. Mat. xviii. 7. John vii. 7. and viii. 26. and xii. 19. and xiv. 17. and xv. 18, 19. and xvii. 14. and xviii. 20. 1 Cor. i. 21. and ii. 12. and vi. 2. Gal. vi. 14. James i. 27. 2 Pet. ii. 20. 1 John ii. 15. and iii. 1. and iv. 4, 5, and many more. Secondly, The Apostle in this very Place contra-distinguished the World from the Saints thus; And not for ours only, but for the Sins of the whole World: What means the Apostle by [Ours] here? Is not that the Sins of Believers? Was not he one of those Believers? And was not this an universal Epistle, written to all the Saints that then were? So that according to these Men’s Comment, there should be a very unnecessary and foolish Redundancy in the Apostle’s Words; as if he had said, He is a Propitiation not only for the Sins of all Believers, but for the Sins of all Believers: Is not this to make the Apostle’s Words void of good Sense? Let them shew us wherever there is such a Manner of speaking in all the Scripture, where any of the Penmen first name the Believers in Concreto with themselves, and then contra-distinguish them from some other whole World of Believers? That [whole World] if it be of Believers, must not be the World we live in. But we need no better Interpreter for the Apostle than himself, who uses the very same Expression and Phrase in the same Epistle, Ch. v. 19. saying, We know that we are of God, and the whole World lieth in Wickedness. There cannot be found in all the Scripture two Places which run more parallel; seeing in both the same Apostle, in the same Epistle to the same Persons, contra-distinguisheth himself, and the Saints to whom he writes, from the whole World; which, according to these Men’s Commentary, ought to be understood of Believers: As if John had said, We know particular Believers are of God; but the whole World of Believers lieth in Wickedness. What absurd wresting of Scripture were this? And yet it may be as well pleaded for as the other; for they differ not at all. Seeing then that the Apostle John tells us plainly, That Christ not only died for him, and for the Saints and Members of the Church of God, to whom he wrote, but for the whole World, let us then hold it for a certain and undoubted Truth, notwithstanding the Cavils of such as oppose.
This might also be proved from many more Scripture-Testimonies, if it were at this Season needful. All the Fathers, so called, and Doctors of the Church, for the first four Centuries, preached this Doctrine; according to which they boldly held forth the Gospel of Christ, and Efficacy of his Death; The Heathens invited to Salvation; none predestinated to Damnation.inviting and intreating the Heathens to come and be Partakers of the Benefits of it, shewing them how there was a Door open for them all to be saved through Jesus Christ; not telling them that God had predestinated any of them to Damnation, or had made Salvation impossible to them, by with-holding Power and Grace, necessary to believe, from them. But of many of their Sayings, which might be alleged, I shall only instance a few.
Proof 4. The Testimonies of the Doctors and Fathers of the first Church, that Christ died for all.Augustine on the xcvth Psalm saith, “The Blood of Christ is of so great Worth, that it is of no less Value than the whole World.” Prosper ad Gall. c. 9. “The Redeemer of the World gave his Blood for the World, and the World would not be Redeemed, because the Darkness did not receive the Light. He that saith, the Saviour was not crucified for the Redemption of the whole World, looks not to the Virtue of the Sacrament, but to the Part of Infidels; since the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is the Price of the whole World; from which Redemption they are Strangers, who either delighting in their Captivity would not be Redeemed, or after they were Redeemed returned to the same Servitude.”
The same Prosper, in his Answer to Vincentius’s first Objection: “Seeing therefore because of one common Nature and Cause in Truth, undertaken by our Lord, all are rightly said to be Redeemed, and nevertheless all are not brought out of Captivity; the Property of Redemption without doubt belongeth to those from whom the Prince of this World is shut out, and now are not Vessels of the Devil, but Members of Christ; whole Death was so bestowed upon Mankind, that it belonged to the Redemption of such who were not to be regenerated. But so, that that which was done by the Example of one for all, might, by a singular Mystery, be celebrated in every one. For the Cup of Immortality, which is made up of our Infirmity and the Divine Power, hath indeed that in it which may Profit all; but if it be not drank, it doth not heal.”
The Author de Vocat. Gentium, Lib. 11. Cap. 6. “There is no Cause to doubt but that our Lord Jesus Christ died for Sinners and wicked Men. And if there can be any found, who may be said not to be of this Number, Christ hath not died for all; he made himself a Redeemer for the whole World.”
Chrysostom on John i. “If he enlightens every Man coming into the World, how comes it that so many Men remain without Light? For all do not so much as acknowledge Christ. How then doth he enlighten every Man? He illuminates indeed so far as in him is; but if any of their own accord, closing the Eyes of their Mind, will not direct their Eyes unto the Beams of this Light,The Cause they remain in Darkness. the Cause that they remain in Darkness is not from the Nature of the Light, but through their own Malignity, who willingly have rendered themselves unworthy of so great a Gift. But why believed they not? Because they would not: Christ did his Part.”
The Arelatensian Synod, held about the Year 490, “Pronounced him accursed, who should say that Christ hath not died for all, or that he would not have all Men to be saved.”
Ambr. on Psalm cxviii. Serm. 8. “The mystical Sun of Righteousness is arisen to all; he came to all; he suffered for all; and rose again for all: And therefore he suffered, that he might take away the Sin of the World. But if any one believe not in Christ, he robs himself of this general Benefit,The Sun-Beams shut out, heat not. even as if one by closing the Windows should hold out the Sun-Beams. The Sun is not therefore not arisen to all, because such an one hath so robbed himself of its Heat: But the Sun keeps its Prerogative; it is such an one’s Imprudence that he shuts himself out from the common Benefit of the Light.”
The same Man, in his 11th Book of Cain and Abel, Cap. 13. saith, “Therefore he brought unto all the Means of Health, that whosoever should perish, may ascribe to himself the Causes of his Death, who would not be cured when he had the Remedy by which he might have escaped.”
§. IX.
Seeing then that this Doctrine of the Universality of Christ’s Death is so certain and agreeable to the Scripture-Testimony, and to the Sense of the purest Antiquity, it may be wondered how so many, some whereof have been esteemed not only Learned, but also Pious, have been capable to fall into so gross and strange an Error. But the Cause of this doth evidently appear, in that the Way and Method by which the Virtue and Efficacy of his Death is communicated to all Men, hath not been rightly understood, or indeed hath been erroneously taught.
Pelagian
Errors.
The
Pelagians
, ascribing all to Man’s Will and Nature, denied Man to have any Seed of Sin conveyed to him from
Adam
. And the
Semi-Pelagians
, making Grace as a Gift following upon Man’s Merit, or right improving of his Nature, according to the known Principle,
Facienti quod in se est, Deus non denegat gratiam
.
Extremes fallen into by some, making God the Author of Sin.This gave Augustine, Prosper, and some others Occasion, labouring, in Opposition to these Opinions, to magnify the Grace of God, and paint out the Corruptions of Man’s Nature (as the Proverb is of those that seek to make straight a crooked Stick) to incline to the other Extreme. So also the Reformers, Luther and others, finding among other Errors the strange Expressions used by some of the Popish Scholasticks concerning Free-Will, and how much the Tendency of their Principles is to exalt Man’s Nature and lessen God’s Grace, having all those Sayings of Augustine and others for a Pattern, through the like Mistake run upon the same Extreme: Though afterwards the Lutherans, seeing how far Calvin and his Followers drove this Matter, (who, as a Man of subtle and profound judgment, foreseeing where it would land, resolved above-board to assert that God had decreed the Means as well as the End, and therefore had ordained Men to sin, and excites them thereto, which he labours earnestly to defend) and that there was no avoiding the making of God the Author of Sin, thereby received Occasion to discern the Falsity of this Doctrine, and disclaimed it, as appears by the latter Writings of Melancthon, and the Mompelgartensian Conference, [65]where Lucas Osiander, one of the Collocutors, terms it Impious; calls it a making God the Author of Sin, and an horrid and horrible Blasphemy. Yet because none of those who have asserted this universal Redemption since the Reformation have given a clear, distinct, and satisfactory Testimony how it is communicated to all, and so have fallen short of fully declaring the Perfection of the Gospel Dispensation, others have been thereby the more strengthened in their Errors; which I shall illustrate by one singular Example.
The Arminians, and other Assertors of universal Grace, use this as a chief Argument.
That which every Man is bound to believe, is true:
But every Man is bound to believe that Christ died for him:
Therefore, &c.
Remonstrants Opinion strengthens the precise Decree of Reprobation.Of this Argument the other Party deny the Assumption, saying; That they who never heard of Christ, are not obliged to believe in him; and seeing the Remonstrants (as they are commonly called) do generally themselves acknowledge, that without the outward Knowledge of Christ there is no Salvation, that gives the other Party yet a stronger Argument for their precise Decree of Reprobation. For, say they, seeing we all see really, and in effect, that God hath with-held from many Generations, and yet from Nations, that Knowledge which is absolutely needful to Salvation, and so hath rendered it simply impossible unto them; Why may he not as well with-hold the Grace necessary to make a saving Application of that Knowledge, where it is preached? For there is no Ground to say, That this were Injustice in God, or Partiality, more than his leaving those others in utter Ignorance; the one being but a with-holding Grace to apprehend the Object of Faith, the other a withdrawing the Object itself. For answer to this, they are forced to draw a Conclusion from their former Hypothesis of Christ’s dying for all, and God’s Mercy and Justice, saying, That if these Heathens, who live in those remote Places, where the outward Knowledge of Christ is not, did improve that common Knowledge they have, to whom the outward Creation is for an Object of Faith, by which they may gather that there is a God, then the Lord would by some Providence, either send an Angel to tell them of Christ, or convey the Scriptures to them, or bring them some Way an Opportunity to meet with such as might inform them. Which, as it gives always too much to the Power and Strength of Man’s Will and Nature, and favours a little of Socinianism and Pelagianism, or at least of Semi-Pelagianism, so, since it is only built upon probable Conjectures, neither hath it Evidence enough to convince any strongly tainted with the other Doctrine; nor yet doth it make the Equity and wonderful Harmony of God’s Mercy and Justice towards ALL so manifest to the Understanding. So that I have often observed, that these Assertors of Universal Grace did far more pithily and strongly overturn the false Doctrine of their Adversaries, than they did establish and confirm the Truth and Certainty of their own. None, by an irrevocable Decree, excluded from Salvation.And though they have Proof sufficient from the Holy Scriptures to confirm the Universality of Christ’s Death, and that none are precisely, by any irrevocable Decree, excluded from Salvation, yet I find when they are pressed in the Respects above-mentioned, to shew how God hath so far equally extended the Capacity to partake of the Benefit of Christ’s Death unto all, as to communicate unto them a sufficient Way of so doing, they are somewhat in a Strait, and are put more to give us their Conjectures from the Certainty of the former pre-supposed Truth, to wit, that because Christ hath certainly died for all, and God hath not rendered Salvation impossible to any, therefore there must be some Way or other by which they may be saved; which must be by improving some common Grace, or by gathering from the Works of Creation and Providence, than by really demonstrating, by convincing and spiritual Arguments, what that Way is.
§. X.
It falls out then, that as Darkness, and the great Apostasy, came not upon the Christian World all at once, but by several Degrees, one Thing making way for another; until that thick and gross Veil came to be overspread, wherewith the Nations were so blindly covered, from the
seventh
and
eighth
, until the
sixteenth Century
; even as the Darkness of the Night comes not upon the outward Creation at once, but by Degrees, according as the Sun declines in each Horizon; so neither did that full and clear Light and Knowledge of the glorious Dispensation of the Gospel of Christ appear all at once; the Work of the first Witnesses being more to testify against and discover the Abuses of the Apostasy, than to establish the Truth in Purity. He that comes to build a new City, must first remove the old Rubbish, before he can see to lay a new Foundation; and he that comes to an House greatly polluted and full of Dirt, will first sweep away and remove the Filth, before he put up his own good and new Furniture. The dawning of the Day dispels the Darkness, and makes us see the Things that are most conspicuous: But the distinct discovering and discerning of Things, so as to make a certain and perfect Observation, is reserved for the arising of the Sun, and its shining in full Brightness. And we can, from a certain Experience, boldly affirm, that the not waiting for this, but building among, yea, and with, the
Old Popish Rubbish
, and setting up before a full Purgation, hath been to most Protestants the Foundation of many a Mistake, and an Occasion of unspeakable Hurt.
The more full Discovery of the Gospel reserved to this our Age.
Therefore the Lord God, who as he seeth meet doth communicate and make known to Man the more full, evident, and perfect Knowledge of his everlasting Truth, hath been pleased to reserve the more full Discovery of this Glorious and Evangelical Dispensation to this our Age; albeit divers Testimonies have thereunto been borne by some noted Men in several Ages, as shall hereafter appear. And for the greater Augmentation of the Glory of his Grace, that no Man might have whereof to boast, he hath raised up a few
despicable and illiterate Men
, and for the most Part
Mechanicks
, to be the Dispensers of it; by which Gospel all the Scruples, Doubts, Hesitations and Objections above-mentioned are easily and evidently answered, and the Justice as well as Mercy of God, according to their divine and heavenly Harmony, are exhibited, established, and confirmed. According to which certain Light and Gospel, as the Knowledge thereof has been manifested to us by the Revelation of Jesus Christ
in us
, fortified by our own sensible Experience, and sealed by the Testimony of the Spirit in our Hearts, we can confidently affirm, and clearly evince, according to the Testimony of the Holy Scriptures, the following Points:
§. XI.
Prop. I.
First,
That God
, who out of his infinite Love sent his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into the World,
A day of Visitation to all.
who tasted Death for every Man,
hath given to every Man
, whether
Jew
or
Gentile
,
Turk
or
Scythian
,
Indian
or
Barbarian
, of whatsoever Nation, Country, or Place,
a certain Day or Time of Visitation; during which Day or Time it is possible for them to be saved, and to partake of the Fruit of Christ’s Death
.
Prop. II.A Measure of Light in all. Secondly, That for this End God hath communicated and given unto every Man a Measure of the Light of his own Son, a Measure of Grace, or a Measure of the Spirit, which the Scripture expresses by several Names, as sometimes of the Seed of the Kingdom, Mat. xiii. 18, 19. the Light that makes all Things manifest, Ephes. v. 13. the Word of God, Rom. x. 17. or Manifestation of the Spirit given to profit withal, 1 Cor. xii. 7. A Talent, Mat. xxv. 15. A little Leaven, Mat. xiii. 33. the Gospel preached in every Creature, Col. i. 23.
Prop. III.Thirdly, That God, in and by this Light and Seed, invites, calls, exhorts, and strives with every Man, in order to save him; God’s Salvation wrought by the Light in all.which, as it is received and not resisted, works the Salvation of all, even of those who are ignorant of the Death and Sufferings of Christ, and of Adam’s Fall, both by bringing them to a Sense of their own Misery, and to be Sharers in the Sufferings of Christ inwardly, and by making them Partakers of his Resurrection, in becoming Holy, Pure, and Righteous, and recovered out of their Sins. By which also are saved they that have the Knowledge of Christ outwardly, in that it opens their Understanding rightly to use and apply the Things delivered in the Scriptures, and to receive the saving Use of them: But that this may be resisted and rejected in both, in which then God is said to be resisted and pressed down, and Christ to be again crucified, and put to open Shame in and among Men. And to those who thus resist and refuse him, he becomes their Condemnation.
Conseq. 1.First then, According to this Doctrine the Mercy of God is excellently well exhibited, in that none are necessarily shut out from Salvation; and his Justice is demonstrated, in that he condemns none but such to whom he really made offer of Salvation, affording them the Means sufficient thereunto.
Conseq. 2.Secondly, This Doctrine, if well weighed, will be found to be the Foundation of Christianity, Salvation, and Assurance.
Conseq. 3.Thirdly, It agrees and answers with the whole Tenor of the Gospel Promises and Threats, and with the Nature of the Ministry of Christ; according to which, the Gospel, Salvation, and Repentance are commanded to be preached to every Creature, without Respect of Nations, Kindred, Families or Tongues.
Conseq. 4.Fourthly, It magnifies and commends the Merits and Death of Christ, in that it not only accounts them sufficient to save all, but declares them to be brought so nigh unto all, as thereby to be put into the nearest Capacity of Salvation.
Conseq. 5.Fifthly, It exalts above all the Grace of God, to which it attributeth all Good, even the least and smallest Actions that are so; ascribing thereunto not only the first Beginnings and Motions of Good, but also the whole Conversion and Salvation of the Soul.
Conseq. 6.Sixthly, It contradicts, overturns, and enervates the false Doctrine of the Pelagians, Semi-Pelagians, Socinians, and others, who exalt the Light of Nature, the Liberty of Man’s Will, in that it wholly excludes the natural Man from having any Place or Portion in his own Salvation, by any acting, moving, or working of his own, until he be first quickened, raised up, and actuated by God’s Spirit.
Conseq. 7.Seventhly, As it makes the whole Salvation of Man solely and alone to depend upon God, so it makes his Condemnation wholly and in every Respect to be of himself, in that he refused and resisted somewhat that from God wrestled and strove in his Heart, and forces him to acknowledge God’s just judgment in rejecting and forsaking of him.
Conseq. 8.Eighthly, It takes away all Ground of Despair, in that it gives every one Cause of Hope and certain Assurance that they may be saved; neither doth feed any in Security, in that none are certain how soon their Day may expire: And therefore it is a constant Incitement and Provocation, and lively Encouragement to every Man, to forsake Evil, and close with that which is Good.
Conseq. 9.Ninthly, It wonderfully commends as well the Certainty of the Christian Religion among Infidels, as it manifests its own Verity to all, in that it is confirmed and established by the Experience of all Men; seeing there was never yet a Man found in any Place of the Earth, however barbarous and wild, but hath acknowledged that at some Time or other, less or more, he hath found somewhat in his Heart reproving him for some Things evil which he hath done, threatening a certain Horror if he continued in them, as also promising and communicating a certain Peace and Sweetness, as he has given Way to it, and not resisted it.
Conseq. 10.Tenthly, It wonderfully sheweth the excellent Wisdom of God, by which he hath made the Means of Salvation so universal and comprehensive, that it is not needful to recur to those miraculous and strange Ways; seeing, according to this most true Doctrine, the Gospel reacheth all, of whatsoever Condition, Age, or Nation.
Conseq. 11.Eleventhly, It is really and effectively, though not in so many Words, yet by Deeds, established and confirmed by all the Preachers, Promulgators, and Doctors of the Christian Religion that ever were, or now are, even by those that otherways in their Judgment oppose this Doctrine, in that they all, whatever they have been or are, or whatsoever People, Place, or Country they come to, do preach to the People, and to every Individual among them, that they may be saved; intreating and desiring them to believe in Christ, who hath died for them. So that what they deny in the general, they acknowledge of every Particular; there being no Man to whom they do not preach in order to Salvation, telling him Jesus Christ calls and wills him to believe and be saved; and that if he refuse, he shall therefore be condemned, and that his Condemnation is of himself. Such is the Evidence and Virtue of Truth, that it constrains its Adversaries, even against their Wills, to plead for it.
Conseq. 12.Lastly, According to this Doctrine the former Argument used by the Arminians, and evited by the Calvinists, concerning every Man’s being bound to believe that Christ died for him, is, by altering the Assumption, rendered invincible; thus,
That which every Man is bound to believe, is true:
But every man is bound to believe that God is merciful unto him:
Therefore, &c.
This Assumption no Man can deny, seeing his Mercies are said to be over all his Works. And herein the Scripture every Way declares the Mercy of God to be, in that he invites and calls Sinners to Repentance, and hath opened a Way of Salvation for them: So that though those Men be not bound to believe the History of Christ’s Death and Passion who never came to know of it, yet they are bound to believe that God will be merciful to them, if they follow his Ways, and that he is merciful unto them, in that he reproves them for Evil, and encourages them to Good. Our Adversaries unmerciful Assertion of God.Neither ought any Man to believe that God is unmerciful to him, or that he hath from the Beginning, ordained him to come into the World that he might be left to his own evil Inclinations, and so do wickedly as a Means appointed by God to bring him to eternal Damnation; which, were it true, as our Adversaries affirm it to be of many Thousands, I see no Reason why a Man might not believe; for certainly a Man may believe the Truth.
As it manifestly appears from the Thing itself, that these good and excellent Consequences follow from the Belief of this Doctrine, so from the Proof of them it will yet more evidently appear; to which before I come, it is requisite to speak somewhat concerning the State of the Controversy, which will bring great Light to the Matter: For from the not right understanding of a Matter under Debate, sometimes both Arguments on the one Hand, and Objections on the other, are brought, which do no Way hit the Case; and hereby also our Sense and Judgment therein will be more fully understood and opened.
§. XII.
Quest. 1.
The stating of the Question.
First then, by this
Day and Time of Visitation
, which we say God gives unto all, during which they may be saved,
we do not understand the whole Time of every Man’s Life
; though to some it may be extended even to the very Hour of Death, as we see in the Example of the Thief converted upon the Cross: But
such a Season at least as sufficiently exonerateth God of every Man’s Condemnation
, which to some may be sooner, and to others later, according as the Lord in his Wisdom sees meet.
That many may out-live the Day of God’s Visitation.
So that many Men may out-live this Day, after which there may be no Possibility of Salvation to them, and God justly suffers them to be hardened, as a just Punishment of their Unbelief, and even raises them up as Instruments of Wrath, and makes them a Scourge one against another. Whence to Men in this Condition may be fitly applied those Scriptures which are abused to prove
that God incites Men necessarily to sin
: This is notably expressed by the Apostle,
Rom.
i. from Ver. 17. to the End, but especially Ver. 28.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their Knowledge, God gave them up to a Reprobate Mind, to do those Things which are not convenient.
That many may out-live this Day of God’s gracious Visitation unto them, is shewn by the Example of
Esau
,
Heb.
xii. 16, 17. who
sold his Birthright
So he had it once, and was capable to have kept it; but afterwards when he would have inherited the Blessing, he was rejected. This appears also by Christ’s weeping over
Jerusalem
,
Luke
xix. 42. saying,
If thou hadst known in this thy Day the Things that belong unto thy Peace; but now they are hid from thine Eyes
. Which plainly imports a Time when they might have known them, which now was removed from them, though they were yet alive; but of this more shall be said hereafter.
§. XIII.
Quest. 2.
Secondly,
By this Seed, Grace, and Word of God, and Light wherewith,
we say,
every one is enlightened
, and hath a Measure of it, which strives with him in order to save him, and which may, by the Stubbornness and Wickedness of Man’s Will, be quenched, bruised, wounded, pressed down, slain and crucified,
we understand not the proper Essence and Nature of God precisely taken, which is not divisible into Parts and Measures,
as being a
most pure, simple Being, void of all Composition or Division
, and therefore can neither be resisted, hurt, wounded, crucified, or slain by all the Efforts and Strength of Men;
The Light what it is, and its Properties described.
but we understand a spiritual, heavenly, and invisible Principle, in which God, as Father, Son, and Spirit, dwells
; a Measure of which divine and glorious Life is
in all Men,
as a
Seed
,
which of its own Nature draws, invites, and inclines to God; and this some call
Vehiculum Dei
, or the
spiritual Body of Christ, the Flesh and Blood of Christ, which came down from Heaven
, of which all the Saints do feed, and are thereby nourished unto eternal Life. And as every unrighteous Action is witnessed against and reproved by this
Light
and
Seed
, so by such Actions it is hurt, wounded, and slain, and flees from them even as the Flesh of Man flees from that which is of a contrary Nature to it. Now because it is never separated from God nor Christ,
but wherever it is, God and Christ are as wrapped up therein, therefore and in that Respect as it is resisted, God is said to be resisted; and where it is borne down, God is said to be pressed
as a Cart under Sheaves
, and Christ is said to be slain and crucified. And on the contrary, as this Seed is received in the Heart, and suffered to bring forth its natural and proper Effect, Christ comes to be formed and raised, of which the Scripture makes so much Mention, calling it
the new Man
,
Christ within, the Hope of Glory
. This is that
Christ within
, which we are heard so much to speak and declare of, every where preaching him up, and exhorting People to believe in the
Light
, and obey it, that they may come to know
Christ in them
, to deliver them from all Sin.
But by this, as we do not at all intend to equal ourselves to that Holy Man the Lord Jesus Christ, who was born of the Virgin Mary, in whom all the Fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily, That the Fulness of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily, &c.so neither do we destroy the Reality of his present Existence, as some have falsely calumniated us. For though we affirm that Christ dwells in us, yet not immediately, but mediately as he is in that Seed which is in us; whereas he, to wit, the Eternal Word, which was with God, and was God, dwelt immediately in that Holy Man. He then is as the Head, and we as the Members; he the Vine, and we the Branches. Now as the Soul of Man dwells otherwise and in a far more immediate Manner in the Head and in the Heart than in the Hands or Legs, and as the Sap, Virtue, and Life of the Vine lodgeth far otherwise in the Stock and Root than in the Branches, so God dwelleth otherwise in the Man Jesus than in us. We also freely reject the Heresy of Apollinarius, who denied him to have any Soul, but said the Body was only actuated by the Godhead. As also the Error of Eutyches, who made the Manhood to be wholly swallowed up of the Godhead. Wherefore, as we believe he was a true and real Man, so we also believe that he continues so to be glorified in the Heavens in Soul and Body, by whom God shall judge the World, in the great and general Day of Judgment.
§. XIV.
Quest. 3.
That the Light is a Spiritual Substance, which may be felt in the Soul and apprehended.
Thirdly,
We understand not this Seed, Light, or Grace to be an Accident, as most Men ignorantly do, but a real spiritual Substance
, which the Soul of Man is capable to feel and apprehend, from which that real, spiritual, inward Birth in Believers arises, called
the New Creature
, the
New Man in the Heart
. This seems strange to Carnal-minded Men, because they are not acquainted with it; but we know it, and are sensible of it, by a true and certain Experience. Though it be hard for Man in his natural Wisdom to comprehend it until he come to feel it in himself, and if he should, holding it in the mere Notion it would avail him little, yet we are able to make it appear to be true, and that our Faith concerning it is not without a solid Ground: For it is in and by this inward and substantial Seed in our Hearts as it comes to receive Nourishment, and to have a Birth or Geniture
in
us, that we come to have those spiritual Senses raised by which we are made capable of
tasting
,
smelling
,
seeing
, and
handling
the Things of God: For a Man cannot reach unto those Things by his natural Spirit and Senses, as is above declared.
Next, We know it to be a Substance, because it subsists in the Hearts of wicked Men, even while they are in their Wickedness, as shall be hereafter proved more at large. Now no Accident can be in a Subject without it give the Subject its own Denomination; as where Whiteness is in a Subject, there the Subject is called White. The Degrees of its Operation in the Soul of Man.So we distinguish betwixt Holiness, as it is an Accident, which denominates Man so, as the Seed receives a Place in him, and betwixt the holy substantial Seed, which many Times lies in Man’s Heart as a naked Grain in the stony Ground. So also as we may distinguish betwixt Health and Medicine; Health cannot be in a Body without the Body be called Healthful, because Health is an Accident; but Medicine may be in a Body that is most unhealthful, for that it is a Substance. And as when a Medicine begins to work, the Body may in some Respect be called Healthful, and in some Respect Unhealthful, so we acknowledge as this divine Medicine receives Place in Man’s Heart, it may denominate him in some Part Holy and Good, though there remain yet a corrupted unmortified Part, or some Part of the evil Humours unpurged out; for where two contrary Accidents are in one Subject, as Health and Sickness in a Body, the Subject receives its Denomination from the Accident which prevails most. So many Men are called Saints, good and holy Men, and that truly, when this holy Seed hath wrought in them in a good Measure, and hath somewhat leavened them into its Nature, though they may be yet liable to many Infirmities and Weaknesses, yea, and to some Iniquities; for as the Seed of Sin and Ground of Corruption, yea, and the Capacity of yielding thereunto, and sometimes actually falling, doth not denominate a good and holy Man impious; so neither doth the Seed of Righteousness in evil Men, and the Possibility of their becoming one with it, denominate them good or holy.
§. XV.
Quest. 4.
Fourthly,
We do not hereby intend any ways to lessen or derogate from the Atonement and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ
; but on the contrary do magnify and exalt it. For as we believe all those Things to have been certainly transacted which are recorded in the Holy Scriptures concerning the
Birth
,
Life
,
Miracles
,
Sufferings
,
Resurrection and Ascension of Christ
; so we do also believe that it is the Duty of every one to believe it to whom it pleases God to reveal the same, and to bring to them the Knowledge of it; yea, we believe it were
damnable Unbelief
not to believe it, when so declared; but to resist that holy Seed, which as minded would lead and incline every one to believe it as it is offered unto them, though it revealeth not in every one the outward and explicit Knowledge of it, nevertheless it always assenteth to it,
ubi declaratur
, where it is declared. Nevertheless as we firmly believe it was necessary that Christ should come, that by his Death and Sufferings he might offer up himself a Sacrifice to God for our Sins, who his own self
bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree
; so we believe that the Remission of Sins which any partake of, is only in and by Virtue of that most satisfactory Sacrifice, and no otherwise.
That Remission of Sins is only and alone by Christ.
For it is
by the Obedience of that One that the Free-gift is come upon all to Justification
. For we affirm, that as all Men partake of the Fruit of
Adam
’s Fall, in that by Reason of that evil Seed, which through him is communicated unto them, they are prone and inclined unto Evil, though Thousands of Thousands be ignorant of
Adam
’s Fall, neither ever knew of the Eating of the Forbidden Fruit; so also many may come to feel the Influence of this Holy and Divine
Seed
and
Light
, and be turned from Evil to Good by it, though they knew nothing of Christ’s coming in the Flesh, through whose Obedience and Sufferings it is purchased unto them. And as we affirm it is absolutely needful that those do believe the History of Christ’s outward Appearance, whom it pleased God to bring to the Knowledge of it; so we do freely confess, that even that outward Knowledge is very comfortable to such as are subject to and led by the inward
Seed
and
Light
. For not only doth the Sense of Christ’s Love and Sufferings tend to humble them, but they are thereby also strengthened in their Faith, and encouraged to follow that excellent Pattern which he hath left us,
who suffered for us
, as saith the Apostle
Peter
, 1
Pet.
ii. 21:
Leaving us an Example that we should follow his Steps
: And many Times we are greatly edified and refreshed with the gracious Sayings which proceed out of his Mouth.
The History is profitable with the Mystery.
The
History
then is profitable and comfortable with the
Mystery
, and never without it; but the
Mystery
is and may be profitable without the explicit and outward Knowledge of the History.
Quest. 5. How Christ is in all Men.But Fifthly, This brings us to another Question, to wit, Whether Christ be in all Men or no? Which sometimes hath been asked us, and Arguments brought against it; because indeed it is to be found in some of our Writings that Christ is in all Men; and we often are heard, in our publick Meetings and Declarations, to desire every Man to know and be acquainted with Christ in them, telling them that Christ is in them; it is fit therefore, for removing of all Mistakes, to say something in this Place concerning this Matter. We have said before, how that a divine, spiritual, and supernatural Light is in all Men; how that that divine supernatural Light or Seed is Vehiculum Dei; how that God and Christ dwelleth in it, and is never separated from it; also how that, as it is received and closed with in the Heart, Christ comes to be formed and brought forth: But we are far from ever having said, That Christ is thus formed in all Men, or in the Wicked: For that is a great Attainment, which the Apostle travailed that it might be brought forth in the Galatians. Neither is Christ in all Men by Way of Union, or indeed, to speak strictly, by Way of Inhabitation; because this Inhabitation, as it is generally taken, imports Union, or the Manner of Christ’s being in the Saints: As it is written, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, 2 Cor. vi. 16. But in regard, Christ is in all Men as in a Seed, yea, and that he never is nor can be separate from that holy pure Seed and Light which is in all Men; therefore may it be said in a larger Sense, that he is in all, even as we observed before. The Scripture saith, Amos ii. 13. God is pressed down as a Cart under Sheaves, and Christ crucified in the Ungodly; though to speak properly and strictly, neither can God be pressed down, nor Christ, as God, be crucified. In this Respect then, as he is in the Seed which is in all Men, we have said Christ is in all Men, and have preached and directed all Men to Christ in them, Christ crucified in Man by Iniquities.who lies crucified in them by their Sins and Iniquities, that they may look upon him whom they have pierced, and repent: Whereby he that now lies as it were slain and buried in them, may come to be raised, and have Dominion in their Hearts over all. And thus also the Apostle Paul preached to the Corinthians and Galatians, 1 Cor. ii. 2. Christ crucified in them, [Greek: en hymin: εν ὑμιν], as the Greek hath it. This Jesus Christ was that which the Apostle desired to know in them, and make known unto them, that they might come to be sensible how they had thus been crucifying Christ, that so they might repent and be saved. And forasmuch as Christ is called that Light that enlightens every Man, the Light of the World, therefore the Light is taken for Christ, who truly is the Fountain of Light, and hath his Habitation in it for ever. Thus the Light of Christ is sometimes called Christ, i. e. that in which Christ is, and from which he is never separated.
§. XVI.
Sixthly
, It will manifestly appear by what is above said, that
we understand not this Divine Principle to be any Part of Man’s Nature, nor yet to be any Reliques of any Good which
Adam
lost by his Fall
, in that we make it a distinct separate Thing from Man’s Soul, and all the Faculties of it: Yet such is the
Malice
of our Adversaries, that they cease not sometimes to calumniate us, as if we preached up a natural Light, or the Light of Man’s natural Conscience. Next there
are those that
lean to the Doctrine of
Socinus
and
Pelagius
, who persuade themselves through Mistake, and out of no ill Design to injure us, as if this which we preach up were some natural Power and Faculty of the Soul, and that we only differ in the wording of it, and not in the Thing itself; whereas there can be no greater Difference than is betwixt us in that Matter: For we certainly know that this
Light
of which we speak is not only distinct, but of a different Nature from the Soul of Man, and its Faculties.
The Faculties of Man’s Reason.
Indeed that Man, as he is a rational Creature, hath Reason as a natural Faculty of his Soul, by which he can discern Things that are Rational, we deny not; for this is a Property natural and essential to him, by which he can know and learn many Arts and Sciences, beyond what any other Animal can do by the mere animal Principle. Neither do we deny but by this rational Principle Man may apprehend in his Brain, and in the Notion, a Knowledge of God and spiritual Things; yet that not being the right Organ, as in the second Proposition hath more at length been signified, it cannot profit him towards Salvation, but rather hindereth; and indeed the great Cause of the Apostasy hath been, that Man hath sought to fathom the Things of God in and by this natural and rational Principle, and to build up a Religion in it, neglecting and overlooking this Principle and Seed of God in the Heart;
Anti-Christ in the Temple of God.
so that herein, in the most universal and catholick Sense, hath
Anti-Christ in every Man set up himself, and sitteth in the Temple of God as God, and above every Thing that is called God
. For
Men being the Temple of the Holy Ghost
, as saith the Apostle, 1
Cor.
iii. 16. when the rational Principle sets up itself there above the Seed of God, to reign and rule as a Prince in spiritual Things, while the Holy Seed is wounded and bruised, there is
Anti-Christ in every Man
, or somewhat exalted above and against Christ. Nevertheless we do not hereby affirm as if Man had received his Reason to no Purpose, or to be of no Service unto him, in no wise; we look upon Reason as fit to order and rule Man in Things natural.
The Divine Light and natural Reason distinguished.
For as God gave two great Lights to rule the outward World, the Sun and Moon, the greater Light to rule the Day, and the lesser Light to rule the Night; so hath he given Man the Light of his Son, a Spiritual Divine Light, to rule him in Things Spiritual, and the Light of Reason to rule him in Things Natural. And even as the Moon borrows her Light from the Sun, so ought Men, if they would be rightly and comfortably ordered in natural Things, to have their Reason enlightened by this divine and pure Light. Which enlightened Reason, in those that obey and follow this true Light, we confess may be useful to Man even in Spiritual Things, as it is still subservient and subject to the other; even as the animal Life in Man, regulated and ordered by his Reason, helps him in going about Things that are rational.
The Light distinguished from Man’s natural Conscience.
We do further rightly distinguish this from Man’s natural Conscience; for Conscience being that in Man which ariseth from the natural Faculties of Man’s Soul, may be defiled and corrupted. It is said expresly of the Impure,
Tit.
i. 15.
That even their Mind and Conscience is defiled
; but this Light can never be corrupted nor defiled; neither did it ever consent to Evil or Wickedness in any: For it is said expresly, that
it makes all Things manifest that are reproveable
, Ephes. v. 13. and so is a faithful Witness for God against every Unrighteousness
in Man
.
Conscience defined.
Now
Conscience
, to define it truly, comes from [
Conscire
,] and
is that Knowledge which ariseth in Man’s Heart, from what agreeth, contradicteth, or is contrary to any Thing believed by him, whereby he becomes conscious to himself that he transgresseth by doing that which he is persuaded he ought not to do
. So that the Mind being once blinded or defiled with a wrong Belief, there ariseth a Conscience from that Belief, which troubles him when he goes against it.
Example of a
Turk.
As for Example: A
Turk
who hath possessed himself with a false Belief that it is unlawful for him to drink Wine, if he do it, his Conscience smites him for it; but though he keep many Concubines, his Conscience troubles him not, because his Judgment is already defiled with a false Opinion that it is lawful for him to do the one, and unlawful to do the other. Whereas if the Light of Christ in him were minded, it would reprove him, not only for committing Fornication, but also, as he became obedient thereunto, inform him that
Mahomet
was an
Impostor
; as well as
Socrates
was informed by it, in his Day, of the Falsity of the Heathens Gods.
Example of a Papist.So if a Papist eat Flesh in Lent, or be not diligent enough in Adoration of Saints and Images, or if he should contemn Images, his Conscience would smite him for it, because his Judgment is already blinded with a false Belief concerning these Things: Whereas the Light of Christ never consented to any of those Abominations. Thus then Man’s natural Conscience is sufficiently distinguished from it; for Conscience followeth the Judgment, doth not inform it; but this Light, as it is received, removes the Blindness of the Judgment, opens the Understanding, and rectifies both the Judgment and Conscience. So we confess also, that Conscience is an excellent Thing, where it is rightly informed and enlightened: Wherefore some of us have fitly compared it to the Lanthorn, and the Light of Christ to a Candle: The natural Conscience compared to a Lanthorn, and the Light of Christ is a Candle.A Lanthorn is useful, when a clear Candle burns and shines in it; but otherwise of no Use. To the Light of Christ then in the Conscience, and not to Man’s natural Conscience, it is that we continually commend Men; this, not that, is it which we preach up, and direct People to, as to a most certain Guide unto Life eternal.
Lastly, This Light, Seed, &c. appears to be no Power or natural Faculty of Man’s Mind; because a Man that is in his Health can, when he pleases, stir up, move, and exercise the Faculties of his Soul; he is absolute Master of them; and except there be some natural Cause or Impediment in the Way, he can use them at his Pleasure: But this Light and Seed of God in Man he cannot move and stir up when he pleaseth; but it moves, blows, and strives with Man, as the Lord seeth meet. The Waiting upon the Movings of the Light and Grace.For though there be a Possibility of Salvation to every Man during the Day of his Visitation, yet cannot a Man, at any Time when he pleaseth, or hath some Sense of his Misery, stir up that Light and Grace, so as to procure to himself Tenderness of Heart; but he must wait for it: Which comes upon all at certain Times and Seasons, wherein it works powerfully upon the Soul, mightily tenders it, and breaks it; at which Time, if Man resist it not, but closes with it, he comes to know Salvation by it. Even as the Lake of Bethesda did not cure all those that washed in it, but such only as washed first after the Angel had moved upon the Waters; so God moves in Love to Mankind, in this Seed in his Heart, at some singular Times, setting his Sins in Order before him, and seriously inviting him to Repentance, offering to him Remission of Sins and Salvation; which if Man accept of, he may be saved. Now there is no Man alive, and I am confident there shall be none to whom this Paper shall come, who, if they will deal faithfully and honestly with their own Hearts, will not be forced to acknowledge that they have been sensible of this in some Measure, less or more; which is a Thing that Man cannot bring upon himself with all his Pains and Industry. This then, O Man and Woman! is the Day of God’s gracious Visitation to thy Soul, which if thou resist not, thou shalt be happy for ever. This is the Day of the Lord, which, as Christ saith, [68]is like the Lightning, which shineth from the East unto the West; and the [69]Wind or Spirit, which blows upon the Heart, and no Man knows whither it goes, nor whence it comes.
§. XVII.
Quest. 7.
And lastly, This leads me to speak concerning the Manner
of this Seed
or
Light’s Operation in the Hearts of all Men
, which will shew yet more manifestly how widely we differ from all those that exalt a natural Power or Light in Man; and how our Principle leads above all others to attribute our whole Salvation to the mere Power, Spirit, and Grace of God.
To them then that ask us after this Manner, How do ye offer from the Pelagians and Arminians? For if two Men have equal sufficient Light and Grace, and the one be saved by it, and the other not; is it not because the one improves it, the other not? Is not then the Will of Man the Cause of the one’s Salvation beyond the other? The Light’s Operations in Order to Salvation.I say, to such we thus answer: That as the Grace and Light in all is sufficient to save all, and of its own Nature would save all; so it strives and wrestles with all in order to save them; he that resists its Striving, is the Cause of his own Condemnation; he that resists it not, it becomes his Salvation: So that in him that is saved, the working is of the Grace, and not of the Man; and it is a Passiveness rather than an Act; though afterwards, as Man is wrought upon, there is a Will raised in him, by which he comes to be a Co-worker with the Grace: For according to that of Augustine, He that made us without us, will not save us without us. So that the first Step is not by Man’s working, but by his not contrary working. And we believe, that at these singular Seasons of every Man’s Visitation above-mentioned, as Man is wholly unable of himself to work with the Grace, neither can he move one Step out of the natural Condition, until the Grace lay hold upon him; so it is possible for him to be passive, and not to resist it, as it is possible for him to resist it. So we say, the Grace of God works in and upon Man’s Nature; which, though of itself wholly corrupted and defiled, and prone to Evil, yet is capable to be wrought upon by the Grace of God; even as Iron, though an hard and cold Metal of itself, may be warmed and softened by the Heat of the Fire, and Wax melted by the Sun. And as Iron or Wax, when removed from the Fire or Sun, returneth to its former Condition of Coldness and Hardness; so Man’s Heart, as it resists or retires from the Grace of God, returns to its former Condition again. I have often had the Manner of God’s working, in order to Salvation towards all Men, illustrated to my Mind by one or two clear Examples, which I shall here add for the Information of others.
The Example of a Diseased Man and the Physician.The first is, Of a Man heavily diseased; to whom I compare Man in his fallen and natural Condition. I suppose God, who is the great Physician, not only to give this Man Physick, after he hath used all the Industry he can for his own Health, by any Skill or Knowledge of his own; as those that say, If a Man improve his Reason or natural Faculties, God will superadd Grace; or, as others say, That he cometh and maketh Offer of a Remedy to this Man outwardly, leaving it to the Liberty of Man’s Will either to receive it or reject it. But He, even the Lord, this great Physician, cometh, and poureth the Remedy into his Mouth, and as it were layeth him in his Bed; so that if the sick Man be but passive, it will necessarily work the Effect: But if he be stubborn and untoward, and will needs rise up and go forth into the Cold, or eat such Fruits as are hurtful to him, while the Medicine should operate; then, though of its Nature it tendeth to cure him, yet it will prove destructive to him, because of those Obstructions which it meeteth with. Now as the Man that should thus undo himself would certainly be the Cause of his own Death; so who will say, that, if cured, he owes not his Health wholly to the Physician, and not to any Deed of his own; seeing his Part was not any Action, but a Passiveness?
The Example of Men lying stupified in a dark Pit, and their Deliverer.The second Example is, Of divers Men lying in a dark Pit together, where all their Senses are so stupified, that they are scarce sensible of their own Misery. To this I compare Man in his natural, corrupt, fallen Condition. I suppose not that any of these Men, wrestling to deliver themselves, do thereby stir up or engage one able to deliver them to give them his Help, saying within himself, I see one of these Men willing to be delivered, and doing what in him lies, therefore he deserves to be assisted; as say the Socinians, Pelagians, and Semi-Pelagians. Neither do I suppose that this Deliverer comes to the Top of the Pit, and puts down a Ladder, desiring them that will to come up; and so puts them upon using their own Strength and Will to come up; as do the Jesuits and Arminians: Yet, as they say, such are not delivered without the Grace; seeing the Grace is that Ladder by which they were delivered. But I suppose that the Deliverer comes at certain Times, and fully discovers and informs them of the great Misery and Hazard they are in, if they continue in that noisome and pestiferous Place; yea, forces them to a certain Sense of their Misery (for the wickedest Men at Times are made sensible of their Misery by God’s Visitation) and not only so, but lays Hold upon them, and gives them a Pull, in order to lift them out of their Misery; which if they resist not will save them; only they may resist it. This being applied as the former, doth the same Way illustrate the Matter. Neither is the Grace of God frustrated, though the Effect of it be divers, according to its Object, being the Ministration of Mercy and Love in those that reject it not, but receive it, John i. 12. but the Ministration of Wrath and Condemnation in those that do reject it, John iii. 19. A Simile of the Sun’s melting and hardening Power.even as the Sun, by one Act or Operation, melteth and softeneth the Wax, and hardeneth the Clay. The Nature of the Sun is to cherish the Creation, and therefore the Living are refreshed by it, and the Flowers send forth a good Savour, as it shines upon them, and the Fruits of the Trees are ripened; yet cast forth a dead Carcase, a Thing without Life, and the same Reflection of the Sun will cause it to stink, and putrify it; yet is not the Sun said thereby to be frustrated of its proper Effect. So every Man during the Day of his Visitation is shined upon by the Sun of Righteousness, and capable of being influenced by it, so as to send forth good Fruit, and a good Savour, and to be melted by it; but when he hath sinned out his Day, then the same Sun hardeneth him, as it doth the Clay, and makes his Wickedness more to appear and putrify, and send forth an evil Savour.
§. XVIII.
All have Grace sufficient for Salvation given them of God.
Lastly
, As we truly affirm that God willeth no Man to perish, and therefore hath given to all Grace sufficient for Salvation; so we do not deny, but that in a special Manner he worketh in some, in whom Grace so prevaileth, that they necessarily obtain Salvation; neither doth God suffer them to resist. For it were absurd to say, that God had not far otherwise extended himself towards the Virgin
Mary
and the Apostle
Paul
, than towards many others: Neither can we affirm, that God equally loved the beloved Disciple
John
and
Judas
the Traitor; yet so far, nevertheless, as none wanted such a Measure of Grace by which they might have been saved, all are justly inexcusable. And also God working in those to whom this Prevalency of Grace is given, doth so hide himself, to shut out all Security and Presumption, that such may be humbled, and the free Grace of God magnified, and all reputed to be of the free Gift; and nothing from the Strength of Self. Those also who perish, when they remember those Times of God’s Visitation towards them, wherein he wrestled with them by his
Light
and
Spirit
, are forced to confess, that there was a Time wherein the Door of Mercy was open unto them, and that they are justly condemned, because they rejected their own Salvation.
Thus both the Mercy and Justice of God are established, and the Will and Strength of Man are brought down and rejected; his Condemnation is made to be of himself, and his Salvation only to depend upon God. Also, by these Positions, two great Objections, which often are brought against this Doctrine, are well solved.
Object.The first is deduced from those Places of Scripture, wherein God seems precisely to have decreed and predestinated some to Salvation; and for that End, to have ordained certain Means, which fall not out to others; as in the Calling of Abraham, David, and others, and in the Conversion of Paul; for these being numbered among such to whom this Prevalency is given, the Objection is easily loosed.
Predestination to Salvation, and Pre-ordination to Destruction, answered.The second is drawn from those Places, wherein God seems to have ordained some wicked Persons to Destruction; and therefore to have obdured their Hearts to force them unto great Sins, and to have raised them up, that he might shew in them his Power, who, if they be numbered amongst those Men whose Day of Visitation is passed over, that Objection is also solved; as will more evidently appear to any One that will make a particular Application of those Things, which I at this Time, for Brevity’s Sake, thought meet to pass over.
§. XIX.
Having thus clearly and evidently stated the Question, and opened our Mind and Judgment in this Matter, as divers Objections are hereby prevented, so will it make our Proof both the easier and the shorter.
Prop. I.Proved. The first Thing to be proved is, That God hath given to every Man a Day or Time of Visitation, wherein it is possible for him to be saved. If we can prove that there is a Day and Time given, in which those might have been saved that actually perish, the Matter is done: For none deny but those that are saved have a Day of Visitation. Proof I.This then appears by the Regrets and Complaints which the Spirit of God throughout the whole Scriptures makes, even to those that did perish; Those that perish, had a Day of Mercy offered them.sharply reproving them, for that they did not accept of, nor close with God’s Visitation and Offer of Mercy to them. Thus the Lord expresses himself then first of all to Cain, Gen. iv. 6, 7. Instances. 1. Cain.And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? And why is thy Countenance fallen? If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? If thou dost not well, Sin lieth at the Door. This was said to Cain before he slew his Brother Abel, when the evil Seed began to tempt him, and work in his Heart; we see how God gave Warning to Cain in Season, and in the Day of his Visitation towards him, Acceptance and Remission if he did well: For this Interrogation, Shalt thou not be accepted? imports an Affirmative, Thou shalt be accepted, if thou dost well. So that if we may trust God Almighty, the Fountain of all Truth and Equity, it was possible in a Day, even for Cain to be accepted. Neither could God have proposed the doing of Good as a Condition, if he had not given Cain sufficient Strength, whereby he was capable to do Good. This the Lord himself also shews, even that he gave a Day of Visitation to the Old World, The Old World.Gen. vi. 3. And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always strive in Man; for so it ought to be translated. This manifestly implies, that his Spirit did strive with Man, and doth strive with him for a Season, which Season expiring, God ceaseth to strive with him, in order to save him: For the Spirit of God cannot be said to strive with Man after the Day of his Visitation is expired; seeing it naturally, and without any Resistance, works its Effect then, to wit, continually to judge and condemn him. From this Day of Visitation, that God hath given to every One, is it, that he is said to wait to be gracious, Isa. xxx. 18. God is Long-suffering, and long waiting to be gracious unto all.—And to be Long-suffering, Exod. xxxiv. 6. Numb. xiv. 18. Psal. lxxxvi. 15. Jer. xv. 15. Here the Prophet Jeremy, in his Prayer, lays hold upon the Long-suffering of God; and in his expostulating with God, he shuts out the Objection of our Adversaries in the 18th Verse; Why is my Pain perpetual, and my Wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? Wilt thou altogether be unto me as a Liar, and as Waters that fail? Whereas, according to our Adversaries Opinion, the Pain of the most Part of Men is perpetual, and their Wound altogether incurable; yea, the Offer of the Gospel, and of Salvation unto them, is as a Lie, and as Waters that fail, being never intended to be of any Effect unto them. The Apostle Peter says expresly, that this Long-suffering of God waited in the Days of Noah for those of the Old World, 1 Pet. iii. 20. which, being compared with that of Gen. vi. 3. before-mentioned, doth sufficiently hold forth our Proposition. And that none may object that this Long-suffering or Striving of the Lord was not in order to save them, the same Apostle saith expresly, 2 Pet. iii. 15. In order to save them.That the Long-suffering of God is to be accounted Salvation; and with this Long-suffering, a little before in the 9th Verse, he couples, That God is not willing that any should perish. Where, taking him to be his own Interpreter (as he is most fit) he holdeth forth, That those to whom the Lord is Long-suffering, (which he declareth he was to the Wicked of the Old World, and is now to all, not willing that any should perish) they are to account this Long-suffering of God to them Salvation. Now, how or in what respect can they account it Salvation, if there be not so much as a Possibility of Salvation conveyed to them therein? For it were not Salvation to them, if they could not be saved by it. In this Matter Peter further refers to the Writings of Paul, holding forth this to have been the universal Doctrine. Where it is observable what he adds upon this Occasion, Some Things in Paul’s Epistles hard to be understood.how there are some Things in Paul’s Epistles hard to be understood, which the Unstable and Unlearned wrest to their own Destruction; insinuating plainly this of those Expressions in Paul’s Epistles, as Rom. ix. &c. which some, unlearned in spiritual Things, did make to contradict the Truth of God’s Long-suffering towards all, in which he willeth not any of them should perish, and in which they all may be saved. Would to God many had taken more Heed than they have done to this Advertisement! That Place of the Apostle Paul, which Peter seems here most particularly to hint at, doth much contribute also to clear the Matter, Rom. ii. 4. Despisest thou the Riches of his Goodness, and Forbearance, and Long-suffering, not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance? Paul speaketh here to the Unregenerate, and to the Wicked, who (in the following Verse he saith) Treasure up Wrath unto the Day of Wrath; and to such he commends the Riches of the Forbearance and Long-suffering of God; shewing that the Tendency of God’s Goodness leadeth to Repentance. How could it necessarily tend to lead them to Repentance, how could it be called Riches or Goodness to them, if there were not a Time wherein they might repent by it, and come to be Sharers of the Riches exhibited in it? From all which I thus argue.