The vniversallity of God's free-grace in Christ to mankind.: Proclaimed and displayed from 1 Tim. 2.6. and Hebr. 2.9. according to their genuine sense. That all might be comforted, encouraged; every one confirmed and assured of the propitiation and death of Christ for the whole race of mankind, and so for himself in particular. / Through urgent importunity, written by Thomas Moore.

ANSWER.

This Objection denieth neither the Death nor Ransom of Christ to be for all men; But onely any intendment of Life, and saving Grace thereby: neither doth it bend force to denye, That, for any, but onely these, where the Declaration of the Gospel, is not granted, and the force of the Objection is weake.

For 1. The Scripture hath expresly affirmed Gods intention to be, that they all might be saved, and repent, and beleeve, and to be sur∣ther saved. Ezek. 33.11. Joh. 3.17.1.4, 7. Rom. 2.4. 1 Tim. 2.4. 2 Pet. 3.9.

2. If wee cannot in the Workes of God, see a fulfilling of the say∣ings of God,

It becomes us to admire his Wisedome, and Holi∣nesse, to bewaile our ignorance, and waite and supplicate for Light from him, and not by rash judgeing and mistaking of his Workes, to denie the truth of his Words. Rom. 11.33, 34.

3. The Scripture testifieth that God hath, and doth use some meanes towards all men, not onely in his Workes of Creation and Providence; which giveth some Testimony of his Goodnesse, to lead to Repentance. Rom. 1.19. Act. 14.16, 17. and 17.26. with Psal. 19.1.6. Rom. 10.18. and 2.4. but with some further Light: yea, it may be, some rumour of the Gospel (as much as drew Rahab to beleeve,) for was it not declared to all the World? Gen. 13.15. Did not Adam and Evah, and the long lived Fathers, and Noahs Preaching, and Arke-building; spread the fame through the World? 1 Pet. 3.19, 20. after the Flood, was is not declared by Noah, to all the world? Gen.

8.9. Did not Sem live to Abrahams time? and (whether it were hee or no?) was not Melchisedeck a Priest then living? Did not Abra∣ham travell? and Israels, and Jacobs spread farre? Did Joh, and his three Freinds, and Elihu, in their severall Countrys, nothing this way? Did not Davids friendship with divers Kings, Solomons Reigne over divers Countreys, the Queen of Sheba, comming and return∣ing to Solomon; spread the fame of the Gospel? Did not the Cap∣tivities and dispersion of the Jewes: The advancement of Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiab and Mordecai; make some spread of this knowledge? Was not our Saviours Starre seen in the East? Were not the Jewes in all Countreys at the comming of Christ? And doth not the A∣postles say expresly, their sound went out into all the Earth, and their words to the ends of the world. Rom. 10.18. And shall any of us say, God hath used no meanes to lead them to seek him, because wee know not of it; farre be such rashnesse from us, to contradict the Scripture. Joh. 1.9. Rom. 1.17. Act. 14.17. neither doth Psal. 147.19, 20. say, he hath used no means with them, but onely not such, and so great meanes: He hath not dealt so with any Nation, as hee did with Israel; nor then had he; but that is not used no meanes at all:

4. Gods deniall of his Servants to preach in some places for a time, as in Act. 16.6, 7. proves not an utter deniall of all meanes to them: for,

1. God might have formerly used means, which for their contempt of: the greater might now be denied to them. Mat. 13.12. & 25.29.

2. God may deny the meanes for one time, and grant it in ano∣ther, as to the Gentiles and Samaritans: denyed. Mat. 10.5. but gran∣ted. Mat. 28.20. Act. 8.11.

3. This deniall might be in mercy; it may be God had not yet prepared them to receive the Gospel, and so they might violently have resisted it, and procured a curse, and God would after prepare them, and then they should receive it. Matt. 4.5, 6. It might be ma∣ny Jewes amongst them, that now would have stoned these Apostles, that should after receive the Gospel; as the Samaritans once; stoning after receiving: But this is certaine, Gods time was not yet come, and some other were to have the Gospell before them: that yet had it not, suitable to that, Rom. 15.22.

4. Both Jewes and Gentiles there, not long after both, had the Gospel: and many received it; and obtained like precious Faith with the Apostles. Acts. 19.10. 1 Pet. 1.1. So that this Objection hath lost all his strength.

5. Yet GOD may holily and justly denie the cleer Revelation of the Gospel to some, and their Posterity also, when they have resisted the light in the lesser meanes, used before, especially when they have contemned the greater meanes also, when offered, and hardned their hearts from profiting thereby; Hee may then denie those meanes to Father and Children also, that walke in their Fa∣thers wayes: yea, and harden their hearts from Profiting by such meanes as are left them: And this is a good warning to others, to take heed of any sleighting and abusing any meanes, much more to heed that the Gospel be not abused and sleighted; But no Proofs that God never used meanes, to those so deprived and hardned; for why then did he deprive and harden them. Rom. 1.18, 24. Act. 28.25, 28. Matth. 23.37, 38. Rom. 11.20, 21, 22, 23.

And thus have I answered all that I have found of any force, Ob∣jected, as for that foolish and senselesse Cavill: That this opini∣on; that JESUS CHRIST Dyed for All men; Importeth, That all men have Free-will by Nature to seek and receive him. It is so false and groundlesse a fancy, as needeth no Answer; yet when such as say, Hee dyed not for All men, doe prove those (they beleeve hee did Dye for:) have such Free-will by Nature; That also shall be Answered.