8. That there is a right in the gospel, and a fitness in that gi'acious dispensation to be made known to all people in the world ; that no singular portion of the earth should bQ any longer a holy land, or any mountain of the world lift up its head above its fellows. And this right hath a double foundation.
(1.) The infinite value and worth of the blood of Christ, giving fulness^ and fitness to the promises founded thereon to be pro- pounded to all mankind; for through his blood remission of sins is preached to whosoever believes on him, Acts x. 43, — " to every creature," Mark. xvi. 15. God would have a price of that infinite value for sin laid down, as might justly give advantage to proclaim a pardon infinitely to all that will come iu and accept of it, — there iDcing in it no defect at all (though intentionally only a ransom for some), but that by it the world might know that he had done whatsoever the Father commanded him, Jolin xiv. 31.
(2.) In that economy and dispensation of the gi-ace of the new covenant, breaking forth in these latter days, whereby all external
' Acts xiv. 16, 17, xvii.30, 31.
« Uom. viii. 32; Joel ii. 28; John xvii. 22; Rom. i. 5, xvi. 26.
UNCHANGEABLE, FREE MERCY. 21
distinction of places and persons/ people and nations, being removed, Jesus Christ taketh all ^ nations to be his inheritance, dispensing to all men the grace of the gospel, bringing salvation, as seemeth best to him, Tit. ii. 11, 12. For being lifted up, he drew all unto him, having redeemed us with his blood, "out of every kindred and tongue, people and nation," Apoc. v. 9. And on these two groimds it is that the gospel hath in itself a right and fitness to be preached to all, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
These things being premised, I come to the proof of the assertion.
Deut. vii. 7, 8 : Moses is very careful in sundry places to get this to take an impression upon their spirits, that it was mere free grace that exalted them into that condition and dignity wherein they stood, by their approach unto God, in the enjojrment of his ordinances; — in this most clearly rendering the cause of God's love in choosing them, mentioned, verse 7, to be only his love. Verse 8, his love to- wards them is the cause of his love, — his free love eternally deter- mining, his free love actually conferring, those distinguishing mercies upon them. It was not for their righteousness, for they were a stiff- necked people, Deut. ix. 6.
Matt. xi. 25, 26: Our Saviour laying both these things together, the hiding of the mysteries of salvation from some, and revealing them to others, renders the same reason and supreme cause of both, of which no account can be rendered, only the good pleasure of God : " I thank thee, O Father." And if any will proceed higher, and say. Where is the justice of this, that men equally obnoxious should be thus unequally accepted? we say, with Paul, "That he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he >vill he hardeneth. And who art thou, O man, that disputest against God?'' "Si tu es homo, et ego homo, audiamus dicentem, 0 homo, Tu quis?"^ To send a pardon to some that are condemned, suffering the rest to suffer, hath no injustice. If this will not satisfy, let us say, with the same apostle, ''n ISaSog, Rom. xi. S3, " O the depth," &c.
Yea, so far is it from truth, that God should dispense and grant his word and means of grace by any other rule, or upon any other motive, than his own will and good pleasure,* that we find in Scrip- ture the direct contrary to what we would suppose, — even mercy showed to the more unworthy, and the more worthy passed by; reckoning worthiness and unworthiness by less or greater sm, with
1 Roni. ix. 13. 2 Eph. iii. 14, 15; IMitt. xxviii. 19. 3 August.
* " Si hoc voluntatum mentis voluerimus ascribere, ut malos neglexisse gratia, boiios autem elegisse videatur, resistet nobis innumerabilium causa populoruni, quibus per tot secula, nulla ccBlestis doctrinte annunciatio corruscavit. Nee meliores fuisse eorum posteros possumus dicere, de quibus scriptum est, ' Gentium
populus qui sedebat in teuebris, lucem vidit magnain.' " Prosp. de Voc. Gen.
lib. i. cap. 15.
22 A VISIOxN OF
less or more endeavours. Christ preaches to Chorazin and Bethsaida, which would not repent ; and at the same time denies the word to Tyre and Sidon, which would have gotten on sackcloth and ashes, when the other continued delicate despisers, Matt, xl 21. Ezekiel is sent to them that would not hear him, passing by them that would have hearkened, chap. iii. 5,^ which is most clear, Rom. ix. 80, 31, " The Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith ; but Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness." If, in the dispensation of the gospel, the Lord had had any respect to the desert of people, Corinth, that famous place of sinning, had not so soon enjoyed it, — the people whereof, for worship, were led away with dumb idols, 1 Cor. xii. 2 ; and for their lives, you have them drawn to the life, 1 Cor. vi. 9-11, " Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers ; effeminate, abusers of themselves A\'ith mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners," xa} raurd rivsg ^rs, which is to be repeated, kto roD -/.oivov, — " Some of you were fornicators, some idolaters ; but ye are sanctified." Seem not these to the eye of flesh goodly qualifications for the gospel of Jesus Christ? Had these men been dealt withal according as they had disposed themselves, not fitter fuel for hell could the justice of God require ; but yet ye see to these the gospel comes with the first, " a light shines to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death."