An impartial examination and refutation of the erroneous tenents of Thomas Moor in his dangerous writings intituled Clavis Aurea &c. wherein he is not ashamed to insinuate his being the Elias mentioned in Malachi, denies an Hell, or future punishment, and boldly asserts the inevitable salvation of all men.

Fifithly; That the Children of the Flesh (Rom. 9. 8.) are all Men in the Flesh, whether good or evil; and the Children of the Promise are the Souls of all Men that ever were, are, or shall be (not one excepted of what Nation or Belief soever) in their separated or un∣bodied State.

This is indeed agreeable with his Doctrine of universal inevi∣table Salvation, and equally true. That the Apostle Paul in this and many other concurring Places intended to distinguish two kinds of Persons, as vastly differing in their Principles, Practices and Ends, as light and darkness, is evident beyond all reasonable ex∣ception. How often do we find him using Ismael (Abraham's Son by the Bondwoman) as a Type of the unregenerate part of Mankind; and Isaac the promised Heir, as a lively Representative of all those who truly lay hold on the Promises of God by Faith, whe∣ther under the Legal or Evangelical Dispensation (the Object of Faith being still the same, viz. the Messiah!) And that he limits the true Israel or Seed of Promise to the latter, i. e. the faithful and obedient Servants of God, and not to the Lineage of Abra∣ham descending from him in Isaac by natural Generation; is also clear from the scope of the foregoing Verses. When he had first testified his unparallel'd Sorrow for the obstinate Blindness of the literal Israel, reckoned up those transcendent Priviledges wherewith they were dignified beyond all other Nations, and shew∣ed their Priority of Right to the Gospel; he tells us, That the

Word of God hath not been altogether ineffectual, though for the most part, rejected by these natural Branches; * 1.1 and adds a Reason—For all are not Israel that are of Israel: neither because the Seed of A∣braham are they his Children; but in Isaac shall thy Seed be called—: And lest any should think he meant only the literal Off-spring of Isaac, he explains himself further * 1.2 —That is, they who are the Children of the Flesh are not the Children of God, but the Children of the Promise.—&c. If Isaac therefore (once intentionally Sacri∣ficed, and in whom all the Nations of the Earth were to be Blessed) be considered as a Type of the Messiah, the spiritual Israel will ap∣pear to be all those who are truly obedient to the Faith of the Gospel; and the Children of the Flesh all those (whether Jews or Gentiles) who either remain in the gross Pollutions of unsanctifi∣ed Nature, or exalt the imperfect typical Righteousness of the Law in opposition to Christ the end thereof. Thus much seems plainly imported in the Apostles result * 1.3 —The Gentles have at∣tained to the Righteousness of Faith—; but Israel hath not attained to the Law of Righteousness—; because they sought it not by Faith, but by the works of the Law—; which he further clears * 1.4 —For Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth. The same learned Apostle in his Epistle to the Galatians (who were ready to look back from the ennobling Principle of Faith, to the sandy Foundation of the Law) more largely illustrates this Point in several Chapters, and after a very copious distincti∣on between the fleshly and spiritual Seed, lays down this com∣fortable Conclusion. * 1.5 —If ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's Seed and Heirs according to promise. But let us consider a little how this agrees with T. M's. Sophistical Invention [Second Ad∣dition to Clav. Aur. pag. 29.]—That all Men are damn'd or lost in the Flesh, and all Men are saved in the Spirit—. And [Clav. Aur. p. 10.]—The Children of the Flesh are all Men in the Flesh, Good or Evil; and—&c. as before recited. The Apostle Paul doth not say, We are now the Children of the Flesh, but in the other World we shall be the Children and Heirs of Promise: Nor doth Christ tell the obstinate and unbe∣lieving Jews, whom he pronounces Children of the Devil, * 1.6 that they should hereafter be the Heirs of Promise; but declares posi∣tively, that whither he went they could not come: Neither doth St. John say,—We shall hereafter, &c. * 1.7 but—Beloved, now are we the Sons of God, now, in this present State of imperfection, whilst we are clogged with the relicts of Sin; tho' as born of God we sin not [i. e. not by choice and approbation; not by habitual Subjection, nor by Guilt's imputation:] * 1.8 and tho' we have this as∣surance

of being now the adopted Children of God (in distinction from the unregenerate World, which lies in Wickedness, * 1.9 i. e. habi∣tually enslaved to Satan the wicked One) yet we have higher enjoy∣ments in reversion than our present minority is capable of, knowing that when he (who is our Life, our Head, &c.) shall appear, we shall be like him. The next thing to be examined is,

Notes

• * 1.1

  verse 6.
• * 1.2

  verse 7.
• * 1.3

  verses 30, 31, 32.
• * 1.4

  cap. 10. v. 4.
• * 1.5

  Gal. 3. 29. cap. 4. 28.
• * 1.6

  Joh. 8. 44
• * 1.7

  1 Joh. 3. 2.
• * 1.8

  cap. 1. v 8. cap. 5. v. 18.
• * 1.9

  Verse 19.