·

probate and damned in hell, as well as for the elect and sints in heaven.

But Dr Preston answered, that there was a special salvation afforded to believers, 1 Tim. iv. 10. that Christ was indeed a ransom for all, 1 Tim. ii. 6. but the saviour only of his body, Eph. v. 23. that he redeemed all, but called, and justified, and glorified whom he knew before, and had pedestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son, Rom. viii. 29, 30. that to whom in this sense Christ was given, to them were given also all things appertaining unto life and godliness, 2 Peter i. 3. as faith, 2 Peter i. 1. Phil. i. 29. Eph. ii. 8. repentance, Acts xi. 18. 2 Tim. ii. 25. a new heart, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. his Spirit, Gal. iv. 5, 6. So that nothing can be charged on them, but Jesus Christ hath undertaken, and is engaged to discharge them, Rom. viii. 31, 32, 33, 34. So that they can never perish, nor be taken out of Christ's hand, John x. 28, 29, 30. but as they are begotten again unto a lively hope, 1 Peter i. 3. so they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, • ver. 5. whereas Judas was lost, John xvii. 12. and is gone to his own place, Acts i. 25. and there are many ⚫nations and people of the world, that have no outward offer made unto them in the gospel, Psalm cxlvii. 19, 20. Acts xvi. 6, 7. and those that have it, have not hearts given them to understand it and believe it, Deut. xxix. 2, 3, 4. Isaiah vi. 9, 10. Matt. xiii. 13, 14, 15, and therefore they are lost, 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. and are damned, 2 Thess. ii. 10, 11, 12. For he shewed, that in Adam ⚫ all men were lost, Rom. v. 12. and none recovered but by Christ; therefore such as had not Christ's intercession could not recover; but Christ prayed not for some, John xvii. 9. and therefore such could not be saved, Heb. vii. 25

Dr White acknowledged there was a difference; for though all had so much as by good improvement might serve their turn, , yet the elect had more, for God abounded towards them, Eph. i. 8, 9. Rom. v. 15, 17, 20. As all the troop have horses, but the officers have better. Both travellers have staves to leap over the ditch, but the one a better and stronger than the other. The worst had grace enough to keep corruption, and the renitency of their natures down; but the elect, such as would do it easily; for Christ had tasted death for every man, Heb. ii. 9. and died for those which yet might perish,

Cor. viii. 11. and bought those that yet brought

• upon

· upon themselves swift damnation, 2 Peter ii. 1. because they did not husband and improve the favour offered to ❝ them.

Dr Preston, answered, that Christ was in himself suf⚫ficient to save all, and might be said to be provided for that end and use, as a medicine is to cure infected persons, though it cure none actually, but those that drink it, as Prosper. Habet in se quod omnibus prosit, sed si non • bibitur non medetur. As 1 John v. 11, 12. but many did not thus apply Christ, because they had him not so offered and exhibited as others had, Matt. xi. 21. Luke x. 13. for God gave some faith and repentance as we have shewed; as the serpent Moses was commanded for to make, was in itself sufficient to cure those that were bitten, Numb. xxi. 8, 9. yet cured none, but only those that looked on it. So as Moses lift up the serpent in the wilderness, shall the son of man be lift up, that whoso• ever believeth in him should not perish, but have life everlasting, John iii. 14, 15.

6

< But Dr White urged that place Isaiah v. 4. that God had done all he could, but they neglected and rejected the counsel of God against themselves, Luke vii. 30.

Dr Preston answered, that God had done all they could challenge of him, for he had given them in Adam power, Eccl. vii, 29. and proposed another way of mercy in a mediator, and therefore he appeals to any one that was indifferent, Isaiah v. 3. but this was unto Israel; he dealt not so with other nations, Psalm cxlix. 20. Be side, he had done what he could, without reversing and rescinding his decree, John xii. 38, 39, 40. for otherwise he could have given them the same spirit of faith, < 2 Cor. iv. 13. the like gift that he did unto others who believed on the Lord Jesus, Acts xi. 17. could have wrought in them both to will and to do according to his good pleasure, Phil. ii. 13. could have healed them as he promised, Isaiah lvii. 18. and as he did persecuting Saul, 1 Tim. i. 6. but God had other ends, Rom. ix. 17. and attributes, Rom. ix. 22. which he was willing to discover, Prov. avi. 4.

But Dr White asked, how then he could require faith and repentance, Mark i. 15. Acts xvii. 30. which was all one, as if he should require one to give his judgment. and opinion of a colpur that had his eyes shut, and then shut his eyes as fast as he could.

Dr Preston answered, that he might do it to shew $ and discover our impotency, as we bid our little chil• dren

<dren rise, that by their own fault fell, that we may let < them know their inability, and be the more beholding unto us to help them up, as Mark ix. 23, 24. and be6 cause the call and command of Christ is the vehiculum and conduit-pipe of strength and power, Acts xiv. 10. John v. 8, 9. as Lazarus, John xi. 43, 44. Thus God < by bidding and commanding men to take grace, doth thereby fit them and enable them to do it, as that cripple, Acts iii. 6, 7, 8. was by the command enabled; so Saul, Acts xxii. 13. being commanded to receive his sight, was enabled the same moment to look upon him; and so ver. 16. being commanded to wash away his sins, had the blood of Christ provided ready for to do it. So ⚫ these commands are not like those the apostle speaks of, James ii. 16. for here is something given; when God bids, he doth not, verba dare, sed rem.

、

But it was further urged by the doctor, that God had no pleasure in the death of wicked men, Ezek. xxxiii. 11. but that he would rather they should repent and leave their sins, Ezek. xviii. 23. and ver. 32. if therefore God were not ready to the utmost of his power to give them grace, he could not be excused from dissembling and • double-dealing.

But Dr Preston answered, that superiors may command unable persons for many reasons, but cannot be ⚫ said for to dissemble, unless they refuse to give when the required condition is performed. As if I bid one come unto me, and I will give him six-pence, if I refuse when he is come, I did dissemble; but if he comes not, he ⚫ cannot charge me; for their not coming may be for want of will, John v. 40. as well as for want of power, John vi. 44. Now if I know a cripple will not come, though he could, I may punish him for it. It is true, God delights in nothing but himself, his joy and comfort is terminated only in himself, not in the creature, but as some way served and represented by it; for God made all things for himself, Prov. xvi. 4. yea, for his pleasure, Rev. iv. 11. that is, the exercise and illustration of some one of his attributes; as his power, Exod. ix. 16. Rom. ix. 16. his wrath, Rom. ix. 22. Never did man glory of his strength, more than God doth of his sovereignty and omnipotency, Job xl. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Now if it fall out, that, in the illustration and < exercise of these his glorious attributes and excellencies, * some creatures smart, yet he delights not in their smart and sufferings, but in the demonstration of his own om" nipotency.

nipotency. Ahasuerus makes a feast to all the states < and orders of his kingdom, and the honour of his excellent majesty, Esther i. 3, 4. This was not done without the smart and suffering of many of the creatures, yet he ⚫ delights not in their sufferings, but in his own magnificence and bounty. When Christ was at the feast, John ii. 1, 2. he doth not condole the death of all those inno⚫ cents that went to make it up; Qui fruitur pœna, ferus est: But rejoiced in the good cheer and good will of the friend that bade him.

There were few present of doctor Preston's friends, and accordingly this conference was represented and reported with all the disadvantage that could be to him; ⚫ insomuch that many parliament men, that were his friends, were much offended at it; which occasioned him, as soon as he came to Cambridge, to write the several passages, and send them to those friends that were ⚫ unsatisfied.

• When a man is forced to be where he would not, as St Peter was foretold he should be, John xxi. 18. yet • he may in despite of them retire into himself. St Paul made it his business to have his conscience always void of offence, Acts xxiv. 16. and so did Dr Preston; for though his actings, being many of them above the common size, were not always understood, and very often misinterpreted, yet he was innocent and upright always in them. An undeniable argument whereof was, that • he never sued for the least preferment, as we have said, but studied, and often consulted how, without breaking, he might avoid them. And though he lived like himself, and gave relief to others, yet it was ever of his ' own, as very many yet alive can witness. And indeed he was a man of very much communion and sweet society with God; prayed much in private, and by himself; besides as tutor with his pupils, and after, as master in his family. Whatever weakness he was in, or • business did occur, he kept many private days of fasting by himself, especially before the sacraments and sabbathdays; and accordingly enjoyed a constant clearness and assurance of his justification, and interest in the blood of Christ; even then, when frailties and infirmities did most of all afflict and wound him. He never (that I know) was troubled or perplexed about adoption, though very often about the imperfection of his graces, and the unconstancy of sanctification; so as he studied most exactly that "Treatise of the Saints Infirmities," and

there

there is nothing in all his works that may more properly < be called his.' Thus far Mr Clarke,

Dr Preston's preaching and labours were exceeding great, yet he never could be prevailed upon to spare himself; giving it as his opinion, that our life, like iron, would consume with rust, as much without as by employment; that every one could not be said to have lived long that was old, for that seven years in the life of some men were as much as seventy in others; and therefore the question is not so much, "How long I have lived, as how I have

lived?" GOD allows a proper time for his servants to do their work in. Moses lived an hundred and twenty years, Deut. xxxiv. 7. David died in a good old age and full of days, 1 Chron. xxix. 28. and the great apostle of the Gentiles is called Paul the aged, Phil. xi. 9. But it was no discouragement to good Josiah, that he died young, nor to Dr Preston that he died about his age. Cur British Josiah, K. Edward, scarce out-lived his minority; yet he out-stripped most of his longest lived predecessors in doing good. So the Lord, who hath appointed the time for all men upon earth, Job vii. 1. allotted the doctor but a short time; but enabled him to do a great deal of work in it, and, in point of service to his day and generation, to die an old man at the age of forty-one.

In his last sickness, being worn out with fatigue, or rather (as he would often say) with care and trouble for the church's safety and weltare; he was obliged to abate a little of his great labour. His old complaint returned, the want of rest; and tobacco now failed to help him, as before; he therefore sent for Dr Despotine of Bury, and proposed to him the opening of a vein; but the doctor told him, that though it might allay his heats and procure sleep; yet, if it were within the verge of a consumption, it would prove fatal: However, through the desire of present ease, he was let blood, but never lived to repair

that loss.

His disorders increasing upon him, he went to London, to consult the most eminent physicians there, who ordered him to Newington, and then to Hertfordshire, as being a thinner air; for they all agreed that the malady was in his lungs; from thence he went to Preston, within four miles of Heyford, with a desire to give up his breath, where he first drew it. From hence he paid a visit to Oxford; and Dr Ashworth, whom he had formerly consulted, returned with him to Preston; and, supposing his disorder to be the scurvy, gave him great plenty of antiscor