More Particularly of the Immediate End of the Death of Christ, with the Several Ways Whereby It Is Designed
More particularly of the immediate end of the death of Christ; with the several ways whereby tt is de- - signed.,
What the Scripture affirms in this particular, we laid down in the entrance of the whole discourse: which now (having enlarged in explication of our sense and meaning therein) must be more particularly asserted, by an application of the particular places (which are very many) to our Thesis, as before declared, whereof this is the sum: «¢Jesus Christ, according to the counsel and will of his Father, did offer himself upon the cross, to the procure- - ment of those things before recounted, and maketh con-Chap. Ill. End of the Death of Christ asserted. 87
tinual intercession; with this intent and purpose, that all the good things so procured by his death, might be actually and infallibly bestowed on, and applied to all and every one for whom he died, according to the will and counsel of God.’? Let us now see what the Scripture saith hereunto; the sundry places whereof we shall range under these heads, viz. Ist, Those that hold out the intention and counsel of God,. with our Saviour’s own: mind: whose will was one with his Father’s, in this business. 2dly, Those that lay down the actual accomplishment or effect of his oblation; what it did really procure, effect and produce. 3dly, Those that point out the persons for whom Christ died; as designed peculiarly to be the object of this work of redemption, in the end and purpose of God. - 7 I. For the first; or those which hold out the counsel, purpose, mind, intention, and will of God, and of our Saviour, in this work: they are, 7
Ist.. Matth. xviii. 11. The Son of man is come to save that which was lost: which words he repeateth again upon another occasion, Luke xix. 10. In the first place, they are in the front of the parable of seeking the lost sheep; ‘in the other place, they are in the close of the recovery of lost Zaccheus; and in both places, set forth the end of Christ’s coming; which was to do the will of his Father, by the recovery of lost sinners: as Zaccheus was recovered by conversion, by bringing him into the free covenant, making him a son of Abraham; or as the lost sheep, which he lays upon his shoulder, and bringeth home: so that unless he findeth that which he seeketh for, unless he recover that which he cometh to save, he faileth of his purpose. — 2dly. Matth. i. 21. where the angel declareth the end of Christ’s coming in the flesh, and consequently of all his sufferings therein, is to the same purpose; he was to save his people from their sins. Whatsoever is required, for a complete and perfect saving of his peculiar people from their sins, was intended by his coming: to say that he did but in a part, or in some regard effect the work of salvation, is of ill report to christian ears.
3dly. The like expression is that also of Paul, 1 Z%m.
i. 15. evidently declaring the end of our Saviour’s coming, according to the will and counsel of his Father, viz. to save sinners: not to open a door for them to come in, if they will or can; not to make a way passable, that they may be saved; not to purchase reconciliation and pardon of his Father, which perhaps they shall never enjoy; but actually to save them from all the guilt and power of sin, — and from the wrath of God for sin; which if he doth not accomplish, he fails. of the end of his coming: and if that ought not to be affirmed, surely he came for no more than towards whom that effect is procured. The compact of his Father with him, and his promise made unto him, of seeing his seed, and carrying along the pleasure of the Lord-prosperously, Zsaiah lil. 10, 11. I before declared; from which it is apparent, that the decree and purpose of giving actually unto Christ a believing generation, whom he ealleth the children which God gave him, Hed. 11. 13. is inseparably annexed to the decree of Christ’s making his soul an offering for sin, and is the end and aim thereof. - Athly. As the apostle further declareth, Hed. 11. 14, 15, For as much.as the children are partakers. of flesh and blood, he himself likeways took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Than which words, nothing can more clearly set forth the entire end of that whole dispensation of. the incarnation and offering of Jesus Christ; even a deliverance of the children whom God gave him, from the power of death, hell, and the devil, so bringing them nigh unto God: nothing at all of the purchasing of la possible deliverance for all and every one; nay all are not those children which God gave him, all are not.delivered from death and him that had the’ power of it; and therefore it was not all for whom he then took flesh and blood. 5thly. The same purpose and intention we have, Eph. y. 25, 26, 27. Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it, with the washing of water by the word; that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy, and without blemish.
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As also 7Ytus ii. 14. ,He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. I think nothing can be clearer than those two places; nor is it possible for the wit of man to invent expressions so fully and lively to set out the thing we intend, asin both these places by the Holy Ghost. What did Christ do? he gave himself, say both these places alike: for whom? for his church, maelh one; for us, saith the other; both words of equal extent and Sibi as all men know. To what end did he this? to sanctify and cleanse it, to present it to himself an holy and glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, saith he to the Ephesians; to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, saith he to Titus. I ask now, are all men of this church? are all in that rank of men, among whom Paul placeth himself and Titus? are all purged, purified, sanctified, made glorious, brought nigh unto Christ? or doth Christ fail in his aim towards the greatest part of men? I dare not close with any of these. 6thly. Will you have our Saviour Christ vinrinelt expressing this, more evidently restraining the object, deelaring his whole design and purpose, and affirming the: end of his death? John xvii. 19. For their sakes I sanetify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. For their sakes; whose I.pray? the men which thow gave me out of the world, ver. 6. not the whole world, whom he prayed not for, ver. 9. I sanctify myself; whereunto? to the work I am-now going about, even: to be an: oblation: and to what end? wa x, Gvraw aow yyvacpevos év Giqdea, that they also may be truly sanctified. The cay there, (that they,) signifies the intent and purpose of. Christ; it designs out the end he aimed at, which our hope: is, and that is the hope of the gospel, that he hath accomplished; (for the deliverer that cometh out a Sion, turns: away ungodhness from Jacob,. Rom. xi. 26.) and that herein there was a concurrence of the will of his Father; yea, that this his purpose was, to fulfil the will of his Father which he came to. do: Tthly. And that this also was his counsel, is s apparent, ‘Gal, i, 3.4. For our Lord Jesus gave. hinagele for our sins,. H.2.
- that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God, and our Father. Which will and purpose of his, the apostle further declares, chap. iv. 4. 5. 6.°God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of Sons; and because ye are Sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Our deliverance from the law, and thereby our freedom from the guilt of sin; our adoption to be sons, receiving the Spirit, and drawing nigh unto God; are all of them in the purpose of oe Father, giving his only Son for us.
‘8thly. I shall add but one place more of the very many more that might be cited to this purpose; and that is 2 Cor: vs. 2). He hath‘ made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. The purpose of God, in making his Son to be sin, is, that those for whom he was made sin, might become righteousness: that was the end of God’s sending Christ: to be so, and Christ’s willingness to become so. Now, if the Lord did not purpose what is not fulfilled, yea what he knew should never be fulfilled, and what he would not work at all, that it might be fulfilled, (either of which are most atheistical expressions,) then he made Christ sin for no more than do in the effect become actually righteousness in him: so that the counsel and will of God, with the purpose and intention of Christ, by his ob- lation and bloodshedding, to fulfil that will and counsel, is’ from these places made apparent.
From all which; we draw this argument: that which thts Father and the Son intended ‘to accomplish, in and towards: all those for whom Christ died, by his death, that is most: certainly effected; (if any shall deny this proposition, I will at any time, by the Lord’s assistance, take up the assertion of it:) but the Father and his Son intended, by the death of Christ, to redeem, purge, sanctify, purify, ‘deliver: from death, Satan, the curse of the law, to quit of all sin, to make righteousness j in Christ, to bring nigh unto God, all those for whom he died, as was above proved: therefore Christ died for all those, and only those, in and towards whom all these things recounted are-effected; which whether they are all and every one, I leave to all and every one to judge that hath any knowledge in these things.; §
II. The second rank contains those places which lay down the actual accomplishment and effect of this obla- tion; or what it doth really produce and effect, in and towards them for whom it is an oblation. Such are,
Ist. Heb. ix. 12, 14. By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us: — the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, shall purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the livin God. Two things are here ascribed to the blood of Christ; one referring to God, it obtains eternal redemption; the other respecting us, it purgeth our consciences from dead works: so that justification with God, by procuring for us an eternal redemption from the guilt of our sins, and his wrath due unto them, with sanctification in ourselves, (or as it is called, Hed. i. 3. a purging our sins; is the immediate product of that blood, by which he entered into the holy place, of that oblation which, through the eternal Spirit, he presented to God. Yea, this meritorious purging of our sins is peculiarly ascribed to his offering, as performed before his ascension. Heb. i. 3. When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; and again most expressly, Hed. ix. 26. He hath appeared, to put away sin by. the sacrifice of himself; which expiation, and putting away of sin, by the way of sacrifice, must needs take in the actual sancti- -fieation of them for whom he was.a sacrifice; even as the - blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, ver. 13. Certain it is, that whosoever was either polluted or guilty, for whom there was an expiation or a sacrifice allowed, in those carnal ordinances which had a shadow of good things to come, that he had truly a legal cleansing and sanctifying, to the purifying of the flesh, and a freedom from the punishment which was due to the breach of the. law, as it was the rule of conversation to God’s people: ‘so much this sacrifice carnally accomplished for him that was admitted thereunto. Now, these things being but a shadow of ood things to come, certainly the sacrifice of Christ did effect spiritually, for all them for whom it was a sacrifice, whatever the other could typify out: that is, spiritual cleansing by sanctification, and freedom from the guilt of sin; which the places produced do evidently prove.. Now, whether this be accomplished in all, and for them all, let all that are able, judge. Again,
adly, Christ, by his death and init, is said to bear our sins, 1 Pet. ii. 24. His own self bie our sins: where you have both what he did, bare our sins — (dvyveyxev, he carried them up with him upon the cross,) and what he intended, that we being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness; and what was the eflect — by whose stripes ye were healed.. Which latter, (as it is taken from the same place of the prophet, where our Saviour is affirmed to bear our iniquities, and to have them laid on him, Jsa. lili. 6, 11. so it) is expository of the former; and will: tell us what Christ did by bearing our sins, which phrase is more than once used in the Scripture to this purpose. Christ then so bare our iniquities by his death, that by virtue of the stripes and afflictions which he underwent, in his offering himself for us; this is certainly procured and effected, that we should go free, and not suffer any of those things which he underwent for us. To which also. you may refer all those places, which evidently hold out a commutation, in this point of suffering, between Christ and us; Gal. iii. 13. He hath redeemed us from the curse; being made a curse for us: with divers others, which we shall have occasion afterwards to mention.:
3dly, Peace also, and reconeiliation with God, that IS), actual peace by the removal of ail enmity. on both sides, with all the causes of it, is fully ascribed. to thi§ oblation; Col. i. 21, 22. And you that were sometime alienated, — and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now — hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death ;, to: present you holy and unblameable, and unreproveable in his sight: as also, Hpf. 11. 13 — 16. Ye who sometimes were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ; for he is our peace, having abolished in, his flesh: the enmity, even the law of commandments, that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the:
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enmity thereby. To which add all those places, wherein plenary deliverance from anger, wrath, death, and .him that had the power of it, is likewise asserted as the fruit thereof, as Rom. v. 8, 9, 10. and ye have a further discovery made of the immediate effect of the death of Christ. Peace and reconciliation, deliverance from wrath, enmity, and whatever lay against us, to keep us from enjoying the. love and favour of God; all these he effected for his church with his own blood, cfs xx. 28. Whence all and every one for whom he died may truly say, Who shall lay any thing to our charge? It is God that justifieth.; who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again; who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us, Rom. viil. 33, 34, which, that they are procured for all and every one of the sons of Adam, that they all may use that rejoicing in full assurance, cannot be made appear. And yet evident it is that so it is with all for whom he died, that these are the eflects of his death, in and towards them for whom he underwent it: for by his being slain, he redeemed them to God by his blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and peo- ’ ple, and nation; and made them kings and priests unto our God, Rev. v. 9, 10. For he made an end of their sins, he made reconciliation for their iniquity, and brought in everlasting righteousness, Dan. ix, 24.:
4thly, Add all those other places where our life is aseribed to the death of Christ ;-and then this enumeration will be perfect. John vi. 83.. He came down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world: sure enough, he giveth life to that world, for which he gave his life. It is the world of his sheep, for which he laid down his life, John x. 15, even that he might give unto them eternal life, that they might never perish, ver. 28. So, he appeared to abolish death, to bring life and immortality to light, 2 Lim. i. 10. as also Rom. v. 6 — 10.
Now, there is none of all these places but will afford a sufficient strength against the general ransom, or the universality of the merit of Christ. My leisure will not ‘serve for so large a prosecution of the subject, as the explaining of that would require, and therefore J shall take from the whole this general argument, viz. If the death
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and oblation of Jesus Christ (as a sacrifice to his Father) doth sanctify all them for whom it was a sacrifice, doth purge away their sin — -redeem them from wrath, curse, and guilt — work for them peace and reconciliation with God — -procure for them life and immortality — bearing their iniquities and healing all their diseases, then died he only for- those that are in the event sanctified, purged, redeemed, justified, freed from wrath and death, quickened and saved; but that all are not thus sanctified, freed, &e. is most apparent, and therefore they cannot be said to be the proper object of the death of Christ.. The supposal was confirmed before; the second proposition is plain from Seripture and experience, and the whole arsument, if I mistake not, solid.: IIT. Many places there are that point out the persons for’whom Christ died, as designed peculiarly to be the object of this work of redemption, according to the aim and purpose of God; of which, some we will briefly recount. In some places they are called many, as Matth. xxvi. 28. ‘The blood of the New Testament is shed for many for the remission of sins: and, by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities, Jsa. liii. 11. For the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many, Mark x. 45. and Matth. xx. 28. He was to bring many sons unto glory; and so was to be the captain of their salvation, through suffering, feb. 11. 10. And though perhaps the word many, itself, be not sufficient to restrain the object of Christ’s death unto some, in opposition to all; because many is sometimes placed absolutely for all, as Rom. v.19. yet, these many being described in other places to be such, as it is most certain all are not; so it is a full and evident restriction of it. For those many are the sheep of Christ, John x. 15. The children of God that were scattered abroad, John xi. 52. those whom our Saviour calleth brethren, Hed. ii. 11. The children which God gave him, which were partakers of flesh and blood, v. 13, 14. and frequently those who were given unto him of his Father, John xvi. 2. 6. 9.11. who should certainly be preserved, ver. 12. The sheep whereof he was.the shepherd, through the blood of the covenant, Hed. xiii. 20. His elect, Rom. viii. 33, and his people, Matth. i. 21. farther explained to be his visited and redeemed people, Luke i. 68. even the people which he foreknew, om. xi. 2. even such a people as he is said to have at Corinth before their conversion; his people by election, cts xviii. 10. The people that he suffered for without the gate, that he might sanctify, Hed. xiii. 12. His church, which he purchased with his own blood, cts xx. 28. which: he loved, and. gave himself for, Eph. v. 25. the many, whose sins he did bear, Heb. ix. 28. with whom he confirmed the covenant, Dan. ix. 27. Those many being thus described and set forth, with such qualifications as by no means are common to all, but proper only to the elect, do most evidently appear to be all and only those that are chosen of God, to obtain eternal life through the offering and bloodshedding of Jesus Christ. Many things are here excepted, with much confidence and clamour, that may easily be removed. And so you see the end of the death of Christ, as it is set out in the Scripture.
That we may have the clearer passage, we must remove the hindrances that are laid in the way, by some pretended ‘answers and evasions; used to escape.the force of the argument drawn from the Scripture, affirming Christ to have died for. many, his sheep, his elect, and the like. Now to this it is replied, that this reason, as it is called, is weak and of no force, equivocal, subtile, fraudulent, es ungodly,.deceitful and erroneous; for all these several epithets are accumulated, to adorn it withal, (More’s Univer-. sality of free Grace, pag. 16.) Now this variety of terms, (as I conceive), serves only to declare, what copia verborum the unlearned eloquence of the author is woven withal: for such terrible names, imposed on that which we know not well how to gainsay, are a strong argument of a weak cause. When the Pharisees were not able to resist the Spirit whereby our Saviour spake, they call him devil and Samaritan. Waters that make a noise are usually but shallow. It is a proverb among the Scythians, that the ‘dogs which bark most, bite least, But let us see,
Quid diznum tanto feret hic responsor hiatu, and hear him speak in his own language. He says then,
Ce ee ee Ce ee ee eS
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ist, “This reason is weak, and of no force; for the word [many] i is often so used, that it both signifies all-and every man, and also amplifieth or setteth forth the greatness of that number; as in Dan. xii. 2. Rom. v. 19. and in other places, where [many] cannot be, nor is by any christian understood, for less ees all‘men.’’ To which I reply, that,
Deere the proof and argument were taken merely from
the word many, and not from the annexed description
of those many, with the presupposed: distinction of all men into several sorts by the purpose of God; this exception would bear some colour: but, for this see our arguments following. Only by the way observe, that he that shall divide the inhabitants of any place, as at London, into poor and rich, those that want, and those that abound; afterward affirming, that he will bestow his bounty on many at London, on the poor, on those that want: he will easily be understood to give unto, and bestow it upon them, only. 2. Neither of the places quoted prove directly, that many must necessarily in them be taken for all. In Dan. xil. 2, a distribution of the word to the several parts of the affirmation, must be allowed; and not an application of it to the whole, as such: and, so the sense is, the dead shall arise, many to life, and many to shame; as in another language it would have been expressed: neither are such Hebraisms unusual: besides, perhaps, it is not improbable, that many are said to rise to life; because, as the apostle says, all shall not die. The like also may be said of Rom. vy. 19. Though the many there seem to be all, yet certainly they are not called so; with any intent to denote all, with an amplification, (which that many should be to ail, is not likely): for, there is no comparison there instituted at all, between number and number, of those that died by wader s disobedience, and those that are made alive by the righteousness of Christ; but only in the effects of the — sin of Adam and the righteousness of Christ, together with the way and manner of communicating death and life from the one and the other; whereinto any consideration of the number of the participators of those effects, is not inserted. 3. he other places whereby this should be’ confirmed, fam confident our author cannot produce, notwithstanding his free inclination for such a reserve; these, being the places which are in this case commonly urged by Arminians; but, if he could, they would be no way material, to infringe our argument; as appeareth by what was said before.:
2dly, “This reason (he adds) is equivocal, subtile, and fraudulent; seeing where all men and every man is affirmed of, the death of Christ, as the ransom and propitiation, and the fruits thereof only, is assumed for them; but, where the word many is in any place used in this business, there are more ends of the death of Christ, than this one affirmed of.”
Reply. It is denied that the death of Christ, in any place of Scripture, is said to be for all men, or for every man; which, with so much confidence, is supposed and imposed on us, as a thing acknowledged.
2. That there is any other end of the death of Christ besides the fruit of his ransom and propitiation, directly, intended, and not by accident attending it, is utterly false: yea, what other end the ransom paid by Christ, and the atonement made by him can have, but the fruits of them, is not imaginable. The end of any work is.the same with the fruit, effect, or product of it; so that this wild distinction, of the ransom and propitiation of Christ with the
fruits of them to be for all,.and other ends of his death to be only for many, is an assertion neither equivocal, subtile, nor fraudulent; but I speak to what I conceive the meaning of the place, for the words themselves bear no tolerable sense.:
3. The observation, that where the word many is used, many ends are designed, but where all are spoken of, - there only the ransom is intimated, is, (1.) Disadvantageous to the author’s persuasion, yielding the whole argument in hand, by acknowledging that where many are
- mentioned, there all cannot be understood; because more ends of the death of Christ than do belong to all, are mentioned: and so confessedly all the other answers, to prove that by many, all are to be understood, are against the
, author’s own light. (2.) It is frivolous; for it cannot be proved, that there are more ends of the death of Christ,
’ 3
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besides the fruit of his ransom. (3.) It is false; for where the death of Christ is spoken of, as for many, he is said to give his life a ransom for them, ’ Matth. xx. 28. which are the very words, where he is said to die for all. 1 Zim. ii. 6. What difference is there in these, what ground for this observation? Even such as these, are divers others of that author’s observations: as his whole 10th chapter is spent to prove, that where ever there is mention of the redemption purchased by the oblation of Christ, there they for whom it is purchased are always spoken of in the third person, as by all, the world, or the like; when yet, in the first chapter of his book, himself produceth many places to prove this general redemption, where the persons for whom Christ is said to suffer, are mentioned in the first. or second persons, as 1 Pet. ii. 24. and iii. 18. Lsatah liii. Soe. Cory xv. 82 Gals iio 13, &e. Sdly. He proceeds: ‘This reason is false, and ungodly: for it is no where in Scripture said, that Christ died or gave himself a ransom but for many, or only for many, or only for his sheep; and it is ungodliness to add to, or di- - minish from, the words of God in Scripture.” Reply 1. To pass by the loving terms of the author,
and allowing a grain to make the sense current, I say, that Christ affirming that he gave his life for many, for. his sheep, being said to die for his church, and innumerable places of Seripture witnessing, that all men are not of his sheep, of his church; we argue and conclude, by just and undeniable consequence, that he died not for those who are not so. If this be adding to the word of God, (being only an exposition and unfolding of his mind therein,) who ever spake from the word of God, and was guiltless? But it were easy to recriminate.
2. Let it be observed, that in the very place where our Saviour says, that he gave his life for his sheep, he presently adds, that some are not of his sheep, John x. 26. which, if it be not equivalent to his sheep only, I know - not what is.
Athly. ‘But (says he) the reason is deceitful and erroneous: for the Scripture doth no where say, those many he died for are his sheep, (much less his elect, as the rea-,
son intends it.) As for the place, John x. 15. usually ins
Chap. UI. End of the Death of Christ asserted. 99
stanced to this end, it is therein much abused: for our Saviour, John x. did not set forth the difference between such as-he died for, and such as he died not for; or such as he died for so and so, and not so and so; but the difference between those that believe on him, and those who believe not on him, ver. 4, 5. 14. 26,27. The one hear his voice and follow him, the other not. Nor did our Sa- - viour here set forth the privileges of all he died for, or whom he died for so and so; but of those that believe on him through the ministration of the gospel, and so to know
iim, and approach to God, and enter the kingdom by him,
ver. 3, 4. 9..27.. Nor was our Saviour here. setting forth the excellency of those for whom he died, or died for. so only; wherein they are preferred before others; but the excellency of his own love, with the fruits thereof, to those (not only that he died for, but also) that are br ought in by his ministration to believe on him, ver. 11. 27. Nor was our Saviour here treating so much of his ransom-giying and propitiation-making, as of his ministration of the gospel; and so of his love and faithfulness therein, where in he laid down his life for those ministered to, and therein gave us an example — not to make propitiation for sin, but to testify love in suffering.”
Reply. I am persuaded that nothing but an acquaintedness with the condition of the times wherein we live, can afford me sanctuary from the censure of the reader; to be lavish of precious hours, in considering and transcribing such canting lines as these last repeated. But yet, seeing better cannot be afforded, we must be content to view such evasions as these: all whose strength is incongruous expressions, incoherent structure, cloudy and windy phrases; all tending to raise such a mighty fog, as that the business in hand might not be perceived — being lost in this smoke and vapour, cast out to darken the eyes and amuse the senses of poor seduced souls. The argu ment undertaken to be answered, being, that Christ is said to die for many, and those many are described and designed to be his sheep, as John x. What answer, I pray, or any thing like thereunto, is there to be picked out of this confused heap of words which we have recited? So that I might safely pass the whole evasion by, without further observation on it; but only to desire the reader to observe, how much this one argument presseth, and what a nothing is that heap of confusion which is opposed to it. But yet, lest any thing should adhere, I will give a few annotations to the place: leaving the full vindication of them, until I come to the pressing of our arguments. I say then,
1, That the many Christ died for, were his sheep, was before declared; neither is the place of John x. at all abused, our Saviour evidently setting forth a difference between them for whom he died, and those for whom he would not die; calling the first his sheep, v. 15, those to whom he would give eternal life, v.28. those given him by his Father, chap. xvii. evidently distinguishing them from others who were not so. Neither is it material, what was the primary intention of our Saviour in this place, from which we do not argue, but from the intention and aim of the words he uses, and the truths he reveals, for that end aimed at, which was the consolation of believers.
2, For the difference between them he died for so and so, and tere he died for so and so, we confess he puts none: for we suppose that this so and so, doth neither express nor ante any thing that may be suitable to any — purpose of God, or intent of our Saviour in this business; to us, for whons he died, he died 1 in the same bes and for the same end.
3. We deny, that the primary difference that. vont is made by our Saviour, is between believers and not belevers, but it is between elect and not elect, sheep and not sheep: the thing wherein they are thus differenced ‘being, the believing of the one, called hearing of his voice and knowing him, and the not believing of the other; the foundation of these acts being, their different condition in respect of God’s purpose and Christ’s love, as is apparent from the antithesis and opposition which ye have in ver. 26 and 27. Ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep; and, my sheep hear my voice. First, there is a distinction put in, the act of believing and hearing: and then is the foundation of this distinction asserted, from their distinguished state and condition; the one being not
Chap. Ili. End of the Death of Christ asserted. 101
his sheep, the other being so, even them whom he loved and gave his life for.
4, It is nothing to the -business before us, what privileges our Saviour here expresseth; our question is, for — whom he says he would give his life, and that only: Again, the frequent repetition of that useless so and so, serves for nothing but to puzzle the poor ignorant reader. Moreover we deny that Christ died for any, but those who shall certainly be brought unto him by the ministration ‘of the gospel: so that there is not (a not only those whom he died for, but also those that are brought in unto him) for he died for his sheep, and his sheep hear his voice, they for whom he died, and those that come unto him, may receive different qualifications, but miner are not several persons.
5. The question is not at all, to what end our Saviour here makes mention: of his death, but for whom he died, who are expressly said to be his sheep, which all are not. His intention is, to declare the giving of his life for a ransom, and that according to the commandment received of his Father, ver. 18.
6. The love and faithfulness of Jesus Christ in the ministration of the gospel; that is, his performing the office of the Mediator of the new covenant, is seen in nothing more than in giving his life for a ransom, John xv. 13. Flere is not one word of giving us an example, though in Javing down his life, he did that also; yet. here it is not improved to that purpose.
From these brief annotations, I doubt not but that it is apparent, that that long discourse before recited, is nothing but a miserable mistaking of the text and question; which the author perhaps perceiving, he adds divers other evasions; which follow.
sthly, ‘‘ Besides, (saith he) the opposition appears here to be, not so much ‘between elect and not elect, as between Jews called, and Gentiles uncalled.”’
Reply. The opposition is between sheep and not sheep; and that with reference to their election, and not their vocation. Now, who would he have signified by the not sheep!? those that were not called, the Gentiles: but that is against the text, terming them sheep;; that is, in desigrn
102 False Ends removed, and the proper Book It.
nation, though not as yet called, ver. 16. And who are the called? the Jews: true, they were then outwardly called; yet many of them were-not sheep, ver. 26. Now truly, such evasions from the force of. truth as this, by so. foul corrupting of the word of God, is no small provocation of the eye of his glory. But he adds,!
6thly, “Besides, there is in Scripture great differendé between sheep, and sheep of his flock and pasture, of - which he here speaketh, verses 4, 5. 11. 15, 16.”
Reply. This unrighteous distinction, well explained, must needs no doubt (if any know how) give a great deal of light to the business in hand. If there be a distinction to be allowed, it can be nothing, but that the sheep who are simply so called, are those who are only so to Christ, from the donation of his Father; and the sheep of his pasture, those who by the effectual working of the Spirit are actually brought home to Christ: and then of both sorts we have mention in this chapter, ver. 16. and 27. both making up the number of those sheep for whom he gave his life, to whom he giveth life. But he proceeds:
7thly, “Besides, sheep (ver. 4, 5. 11. 15.) are not mentioned, as all those for whom he died, but as those whe by his ministration are brought in to believe, and enjoy the benefit of his death, and to whom he ministereth any communicateth the Spirit.”’ —
Reply 1. The substance of this and the other excep: tions is, that by sheep is meant believers, which is contrary to ver. 16. calling them sheep who are net as yet gathered to his fold. 2. That his sheep are not mentioned as those for whom he died, is in terms contradictory to ver. 15. I lay down my life for the sheep. 3. Between those for whom he died, and those whom he brings in by the ministration of his spirit, there is no more difference than there is between Peter, James and John, and the three Apostles that were in the mount with our Saviour at his transfiguration. This is childish sophistry, to beg the thing in “question, and thrust in the opinion controverted, into the room of an answer. 4. That bringing in, which is here mentioned, to believe, and enjoy the benefit of the death of Christ, is a most special fruit and benefit of that death, certainly to be conferred on all them for
Chap. IIL. End of the Death of Christ asserted. 103
whom he died, or else, most certainly. his death will do them no good at all. Once more, and we have done.
Sthly, “Besides, here is more ends of his death mentioned than ransom or propitiation only, and yet it is not said, only for his sheep; and when the ransom or propitiation only is mentioned, it is said for all men. So that this reason appears weak, fraudulent, ungodly and erroneous.”’
Reply 1. Here is no word mentioned nor intimated, of the death of Christ; but only that which was accomplish- ed by his being a propitiation, and making» his death a ransom for us; with the fruits which certainly and infallibly spring therefrom. 2. If more ends than one, of the death of Christ, are here mentioned, and such as belong not unto all; why do you deny, that he speaks here of his sheep only? take heed, or you willsee the truth. 3, Where it is said of all men, I know not; but this I am sure of, that Christ is said to give his life a ransom: and. that only mentioned, where it is not said for all, as Matth. xx. 28. Mark x. 45. And so, from those brief annotations I hope any indifferent reader will be able to judge; whether the reason opposed, or the exceptions against it devised; be to be accounted weak, fraudulent, ungodly and erroneous. |,
Although I fear, that in this particular I have already entrenched upon the reader’s patience; yet I cannot let pass the discourse immediately following in the same author, to those exceptions which we last removed, (laid by him against the arguments we had in hand,) without an obelisk; as also an observation of his great abilities, to cast down a man of clouds, which himself had set up to manifest his skill in its destruction. To the preceding discourse, he adds another exception, which he imposeth on those that oppose universal redemption; as though it were laid by them, against the understanding of the general expressions in the Scripture, in that way and sense wherein he conceives them: and it is, that those words were fitted for the time of Christ and his apostles, having another meaning in them than they seem toimport. Now, having thus gaily trimmed and set up. this man of straw, to whose framing I dare boldly say, not one of his adversaries did ever contribute a penful of ink; to show his rare skill, he chargeth it with I know not how many errors, blasphemies, lies; set on with exclamations and vehement outcries: until it tumble to the ground. Had he not sometimes answered an argument, he would have been ‘thought a most unhappy disputant: now, to make sure that once he would do it, I believe he was very careful that the objection of his own framing, should not be too strong for his own defacing. In the mean time, how blind are they who admire him for a combatant; who is skilful, only at fencing with his own shadow: and yet with such empty janglings as these, proving what none denies, answering what none objects; is the greatest part of Mr. More’s book stuffed. ’