Things Previously to Be Considered to the Solution of Objections

Things previously to be considered, to the solution of objections. -! pty

THERE being sundry places in Holy Scripture, wherein the ransom and propitiation made by the blood of Christ, is set forth in general and indefinite expressions; as also a fruitless or want of success in respect-of some, through their own default, for whom he died, seemingly. intimated; with general: proffers, promises and exhortations. made for the embracing of the fruits of the death of Christ, even to them who do never actually perform it; whence some have taken occasion to maintain an universality of. redemption, equally respecting all and every one.; and that with great confidence, affirming that the contrary Opinion cannt possibly be reconciled with those places of Scripture, wherein. the former things are proposed; these three heads, being the énly fountains from whence are drawn (but with violence) all the arguments that are opposed to the peculiar effectual redemption of the elect only 5 I shall (before I come to the answering of objections, arising from a wrested interpretation of particular places) lay down some such fundamental principles, as are agreeable to the word, and largely held forth in it, and no way disagreeable to our judgment in this particular; which do and haye given occasion to those general and indefinite affirmations, as they are laid down in the word, and upon which they are founded; having their trath in them, and not in an universal ransom for all and every one: with distinctions, conducing to the further clearing of the thing in question, and waving of many. false. imputations of things and consequences, erroneously or maliciously imposed on us, hake ey ney AR ie

I, The first thing we shall lay down, is concerning the dignity, worth, preciousness and infinite value of the blood and death of Jesus Christ.. The maintaining and declaring of this, is doubtless especially to be considered: and every opinion that doth but seemingly clash against it, is exceedingly prejudiced, at least deservedly suspected,

yea presently to be rejected by Christians, if upon search

it be found to do so really and indeed; as that which is injurious and derogatory to the merit and honour of Jesus -Whrist. The Scripture also to this purpose is exceeding full and frequent, in setting forth the excellency and dignity of his death and sacrifice; calling his blood, by reason of the unity of his person, God’s own blood, -#cfs xx. 28. exalting it infinitely above all other sacrifices, as having for its principle the eternal Spirit, and being itself without spot, Hed. ix. 14. transcendently more precious than silver or gold, or corruptible things, 1 Pef. i. 18. Able to give justification from all things, from which by the law men could not be justified, cts xiii. 39. Now, such as was the sacrifice and offering of Christ in itself, such was it -intended by his Father it should be: it was then the purpose and intention of God, that his Son should offer a sacrifice of infinite worth, value and dignity ;: sufficient in itself for the redeeming of all and every man, if it had pleased the Lord to employ it to that purpose; yea,.and of other worlds also, if the Lord should freely make them, and would redeem:them. Sufficient we say, then, was the sacrifice of Christ, for the redemption of the whole world; and for the expiation of all the sins, of all and every man in the world. ie a:

This sufficiency of his sacrifice, hath a twofold rise, wiz. the dignity of the person that did offer and. was offered: as also, the greatness of the pain he endured: by which he was able to bear, and did undergo, the whole curse of the law and wrath of God due to sin: and this sets out the

innate real true worth and value of the blood-shedding of -

Jesus Christ; this is its own true, internal perfection and sufficiency. That it should be applied unto any, made a price for them, and become beneficial to them, according to - the worth that is in it, is external to it, doth not arise from it, but merely depends upon the intention and will of God. It was in itself of infinite value and sufficiency to have

Chap. L. Arguments for Universal Redemption. 205

been made a price, to have bought. and purchased all and.

every man in the world: that it did formally become a price, for any, is solely to be ascribed to the purpose of

God, intending their purchase and redemption by it. The -

intention of the offerer,and accepter, that it should be for such, some, or any, is that which gives the. formality of a

-price unto it; this is external: but the value and fitness —

ef it to be made a price, ariseth from’ its own internal sufficiency,;

Hence may appear, what is to be thought of that old

distinction of the schoolmen, embraced and used by divers ‘Protestant divines, though by others again rejected; viz. that Christ died for all-in respect of the sufficiency of the

ransom he paid; but not in respect of the efficacy of its

application; or, the blood of Christ was a sufficient price for the sins of all the world: which last expression is corrected by some, and thus asserted, viz. That the blood of Christ was sufficient to have been made a price for all: which is most true.. For its being a price for all or some, doth not arise from its own sufficiency, worth, or dignity, but from the intention. of God and Christ using it to that purpose, as was declared: and therefore it is denied, that the blood of Christ. was a sufficient price and ransom for all.and every one: not because it was not sufficient, but because it) was not a ransom.. And: so it easily appears, what isto be owned in the distinction itself before expressed. [fit intend no more, but that the blood of our Saviour was of sufficient value for the redemption of all and every one, and that Christ intended to lay down a price which should be sufficient. for their redmeption, it is acknowledged as most true: but the truth.is, thatexpression (to die for them) holds out the intention of our Saviour in the laying down of the price to have been their redemption, which we deny; and affirm that then it could not be, but that they must be made actual partakers of the eternal redemption purchased ’ for them; unless God failed in his design, through the defect of the ransom paid by Christ, his justice refusing

to give a dismission, upon the delivery of the ransom, — ‘ Now the infinite value and worth which we assert to be in the death of Christ, we conceive to be exceedingly underyalued by the assertors of universal redemption: for that — ,

ia) it should be extended to this or that object, fewer or more, we showed: before to be extrinsical to it; but its true worth consists in the immediate effects, products and issues of it, with what in its own nature it is fit and able to do: which they openly and apparently undervalue, yea almost annihilate. For they use those expressions concerning it, viz) That by it a door of grace was opened for -

sinners; where (I suppose) they know not; but that any

were effectually carried in at the door by it, that they deny. Also, That God might if he would, and upon what condition he pleased, save those for whom Christ died: but that a right of salvation was by him purchased for any, they deny. Hence they grant, that after the death of Christ, God might have dealt with man upon a legal condition again: likewise that all and every man might have been damned, and yet the death of Christ have had its full effect: as also moreover, that faith and sanctification are not purchased by his death; yea, no more purchased for any (as before) than what he may go to hell withal. And divers other ways do they express their low thoughts, and ‘slight imaginations, concerning the innate value and sufficiency of the death and blood-shedding of Jesus Christ.. To the honour then of Jesus Christ our Mediator, God and man, our all-sufficient Redeemer, we affirm, that such and so great was the dignity and worth of his death and blood-shedding, of so precious a value, of such an infinite fullness and sufficiency was this oblation of himself, that it was every way able and perfectly sufficient to redeem, justify and reconcile and save, all the sinners in the world, and to satisfy the justice of God for all the sins of all mankind, and to bring them every one to everlasting glory. Now this fullness and sufficiency of the ‘merit of the death of Christ, is a foundation unto two things, viz. (s prt ist, The general publishing of the gospel unto all nations, with the right that it hath to be preached to every — creature, Matth. xvi. 19. Mark xvi. 15. Because the way of salvation which it declares, is wide enough for all to walk in; there is enough in the remedy it brings to light, to heal all their diseases, to deliver them from all their evils: if there were a thousand note ere! “Vo kegae

Chap. I. rguments for Universal Redemption. 205

of Christ might, upon this ground, be preached to them all; there being enough in Christ for-the salvation of them all, if so be they will derive virtue from him by touching him in faith, the only way to draw refreshment from this fountain of salvation. It is then altogether in vain, which some object, that the preaching of the gospel to all, is altogether needless and useless, if Christ died not for all; yea, that it is to make God call upon men to believe that which is not true, viz. that Christ died for them. For, 1; besides that amongst those nations whither the gospel is sent, there are some to be saved, (I have much people in this city, cts xviii. 10.) which they cannot be, in the way that God hath appointed to do it; unless the gospel be preached to others as well as themselves; and, 2. besides that in the economy and dispensation of the new covenant, (by which all external differences -and privileges of people, tongues and nations, are abolished and taken away) the word of grace was to be preached without distinction, and all men called every where to repent; and, - 3. that when God calleth upon men to believe, he doth not in the first place call upon them to believe that Christ died for them, but that there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved, but only of Jesus Christ, through whom salvation is preached: I say, besides those certain truths, fully taking off that objection, this one-thing of which we speak, is a sufficient basis and ground for “all those general precepts of preaching the gospel unto all men; even that sufficiency which we have described.

2dly, That the preachers of the gospel in their particular congregations, being utterly unacquainted with the purpose and secret counsel of God, being also forbidden to pry or search into it, Deut. xxix. 29. may from hence justifiably call upon every man to believe, with assurance of salvation to every one in particular upon his so doing; knowing and being fully persuaded of this, that there is enough in the death of Christ to save every one that shall so do: leaving the purpose and counsel of God, on whom he will bestow faith, and for whom in particular Christ - died, (even as they are commanded) to himself.

And this is one principal thing, which being well observed, will crush many of the vain flourishes of our adversaries; as will in particular hereafter appear. —

If. A second thing to be considered, is the economy or administration of the new covenant, in the times of the eospel; with the amplitude and enlargement of the kingdom and dominion of Christ, after his appearance in the flesh: whereby all external differences being taken away, the name of Gentiles removed, the partition wall broken down, the promise to Abraham, that he should be heir of the world, as he was father of the faithful, was now fully. to be accomplished. Now this administration is so opposite to that dispensation which was restrained to one people and family, who were God’s peculiar, and all the rest of the world excluded, that it gives occasion to. many general expressions in the scripture, which are far enough from comprehending an universality of all individuals, — but denote only a removal of all such restraining exceptions as were before in force. So that a consideration of the end whereunto these general expressions are used, and of what is aimed at by them, -will clearly manifest their nature, and how they are to be understood; with who they are, that are intended by them and comprehended in them. For it being only this enlargement of the visible kingdom of Christ, to all nations in respect of right, and to many in respect of fact, (God having elect in all those nations to be brought forth, in the several generations wherein the means of grace, are in those places employed,) that is intended; it is evident, that they import only a distribution of men through all differences. whatsoever, and not an universal collection of all and every one; the thing intended by them, requiring the one, and not the other.

Hence those objections which are made against the particularity of the ransom of Christ, and the restraining of it only to the elect, from the terms of all, all men, all nations, the world, the whole world, and the like: are all of them exceeding weak and invalid, as wresting the general expressions of the Scripture beyond their aim and intent: they being used by the Holy Ghost, only to evidence the removal of all personal and national distinction, the breaking up of all the narrow bounds of the Old Testament, the enlarging the kingdom of Christ beyond the bounds of Jewry and Salem; abolishing all the old restrictions, and opening a way for the elect amongst all people (called the fullness of the Gentiles) to come in, there being now neither Greek, Jew, circumcision, nor unecircumeision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond or free, but Christ is all and in all, Col. iii.11. Hence the Lord promiseth to pour our his Spirit upon all flesh, Joed ii. 28. which Peter interpreteth to be accomplished, by the filling of the apostles with. the gifts of the Spirit, that they might be enabled to preach to several nations, Acts il, 17. having received grace and apostleship, for obe-. dience to the faith among all nations, Rom. 1. 5. not the Jews only, but some among all nations; the gospel being the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth, the Jew and also the Greek, ver. 16. intending only as to salvation, the peculiar people bought by Christ; which he redeemed out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, Rev. v. 9. where ye have an evident distribution of that, which in other places is generally set down; the gospel being commanded to be preached to all these nations, Matt. xxviil. 19. that those bought and redeemed ones amongst them all, might be brought home to God, John xi. 52. And this is that which the apostles so largely sets forth, Hphes. ul. 14,15, 16, 17. Now in this sense which we have explained, and no other, are those many places to be taken, which are usually urged for universal grace and redemption; as shall afterwards be declared in particular.

Ill. We must exactly distinguish betwixt man’s duty and God’s. purpose, there being no connexion between them. The purpose and decree of God, is not the rule of our duty; neither is the performance of our duty, in doing what we are commanded, any declaration of what is God’s purpose to do, or his decree that it should be done. Especially i is this to be seen and considered, in the duty of the ministers-of the gospel; in the dispensing of the word, in exhortations, invitations, precepts and threatenings, committed unto them: all which are perpetual declaratives of our duty, and do manifest the approbation of the thing exhorted and invited to, with the truth of the connexion between one thing and another; but not of spe

208 General Answers unto - Bookly.

counsel and purpose of God, in respect to individual per- ‘sons, in the ministry of the word. A minister 1s not to make inquiry after, nor to trouble himself about those seerets of the eternal mind of God, viz. whom he purposeth to save, and whom he hath sent Christ to die for in particular; it is enough for them to search his revealed will; and thence take their directidns, from whence they have their commissions. Wherefore there is no sequel from the universal precepts.of the word concerning the things, unto God’s purpose in himself concerning persons: they command and invite all to repent and-believe; but they know not in particular, on-whom God will bestow repentance unto salvation, nor in whom he will effect the work of faith with power. When they make proffers and tenders in the name of God to all, they do not say to all, it is the purpose and intention of God that yeshould believe; ‘who gave them any such power? but that it is his command, which makes it their duty, to do what is required of them; and does not declare his mind, what himself in particular will do. The external offer is such, as from which every man may conclude his own duty: none, God’s purpose; which yet may be known upon performance of his duty. Their objection then is vain, who affirm that God hath given Christ for all, to whom he offers Christ in the preaching of the gospel: for his offer in the preaching the gospel, is not declarative to any in particular, neither of what God hath done, nor of what he will do, in reference to him; but of what he ought to do, if he would be approved of God, and obtain the good things promised: whence it will follow,;. eo ee. ist, That God always intends to save some, among them to whom he sends the gospel in its power: and the ministers of it being, 1. unacquainted with his particular purpose; 2. bound to seek the good of all and every one, as” much asin them lies; 3. to hope and judge well of all, even as it is meet for them; they make a proffer of Jesus Christ, with life and salvation in him; notwithstanding that the Lord hath given his Son only to his elect. 2dly, That this offer is neither vain nor fruitless, being declarative of their duty, and of what is acceptable to God, if it be performed as it ought to be, even as it is re-Chap. I. Arguments for Universal Redemption.. 209

quired: and if any ask, what it is of the mind and will of God that is declared and made known, when men are commanded to believe for whom Christ did not die, I answer, I. what they ought to do, if they will do that which is acceptable to God; 2, the sufficiency of salvation that is In Jesus Christ, to all that believe on him; 3. the certain, infallible, inviolable connexion that is between faith and salvation; so that whosoever performs the one, shall surely enjoy the other; for whoever come to Christ, he will in no wise cast out: of which more afterwards, IV. The engrafted erroneous persuasion of the Jews,

which for a while had a strong influence upon the apostles.

themselves, restraining saly ation: and deliverance by the ‘Messias or promised seed, to themselves alone who were the offspring of Abraham according: to the flesh, must be considered as the ground of many general expressions and enlargements of the objects of redemption: which yet being so occasioned, give no colour of any unlimited untversality. That the ‘Tews were gener ally infected with this proud opinion, that all the promises belonged only to them and theirs, towards whom they had an universality, exelusive of all others, whom they called dogs, uncircumcised, and poured out curses upon them, is most apparent, Hence, when they saw the multitude of the Gentiles com-Ing to the preaching of Paul, they were filled with envy, contradicting, blaspheming, and stirred up per secution against them, cfs xill. 45-50, which the apostle again

relates of them, 1. Tess. ii. 15,16. ‘They please not God, saith he, and are contrary to all men; forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved: being not with any thing more enraged, in the preaching of our Saviour, than. his pr edicting of letting out his vineyard to others.

That the apostles themselves also had deeply drunk in this opinion, learned by tradition. from their’ fathers, appeareth; not only in their questioning about the restoration of the kingdom unto Israel,. “cfs i. 6. but also most evidently in this, that after they had received commission to teach and baptize all nations, Mutth. XxXVil. 19. or every creature, Mark xvi. 15. and were endued with power from on high so to do, according to the promise,

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“Acts i. 8. yet they seem to have understood their com- “mission to have extended only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; for they went about and preached only to the Jews, cfs xi. 19. And when the contrary was evidenced and demonstrated to them, they glorified God, — saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life! cts xi. 18. admiring at: it, as a thing which before they were not acquainted with. And no wonder, that men were not easily nor soon persuaded to this; it being the great mystery which was not made known in other ages, as it was then revealed to God’s holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, viz. that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body, and partakers of his promises in Christ by the gospel, Ephes. iii. 5.

But now this being so made known unto them by the Spirit; and that the time was come wherein the little sister was to be considered, the prodigal brought home, and Japhet persuaded to dwell in the tents of Shem; they laboured by all. means to root it out of the minds of their brethren according to the flesh, of whom they had a special care; as also to leave no scruple in the mind of the eunuch, that he was a dry tree; or of the Gentile, that he was cut off from the people of God: to which end they use divers general expressions, carrying a direct opposition to that former error, which was absolutely destructive to the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Hence are those terms of the world, all men, all nations, every creature, and the like, used in the business of redemption, and preaching of the gospel: these things being not restrained, according as they supposed, to one certain nation and family; but extended to the universality of God’s people, scattered abroad in every region under heaven. Especially are these expressions used by John: who living to see the first coming of the Lord, in that fearful judgment and vengeance which he executed upon the Jewish nation, some forty years after his death, is very frequent in the asserting of the benefit of the world by Christ, in opposition, as I said before, to the Jewish nation: giving usa rule how to understand such phrases and locutions, John xi. 51, 52. He prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation, and not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one, the children of God that were scattered abroad. Conformable whereunto he tells the believing Jews, that Christ is not a propitiation for their sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world, 1 John ii. 2. or the people of God scattered throughout the whole world; not tied to any one nation, as they sometime vainly imagined. And this may and doth give much light, into the sense and meaning of those places where the words world and all are used, in the business of redemption: they do not hold out. a collective universality; but a general distribution into men of all sorts, in opposition to the before recounted erroneous persuasion.

V. The extent, nature and signification of those general terms, which we have frequently used indefinitely in the Scripture, to set out the object of the redemption by Christ; must seriously be weighed. Upon these expressions hangs the whole weight of the opposite cause: the chief, if not only argument for the universality of redemption, being taken from words which seem to be of a latitude in their signification — equal to such an assertion; as the world, the whole world, all, and the lke: which terms when they have once fastened upon, they run with Lo, triumphe; as though the victory were surely theirs. The world, the whole world, all, all men, who can oppose it? Call them to the context in the several places where the words are, appeal to rules of interpretation, mind them of the circumstances and scope of the place, the sense of the same words in other places, with other forenamed helps and assistances, which the Lord hath acquainted us with, for the discovery of his mind and will in his word: they presently cry out, the bare word, the latter is theirs; away with the gloss and interpretation, give us leave to believe what the word expressly saith: little (as I hope) imagining, being deluded with the love of their own darling, that if this assertion be general, and they will not allow us the gift of interpretation agreeable to the proportion of faith; that at one clap they confirm the cursed madness of the nthromoporphites, assigning a human body, form and shape unto God, who hath none;

and the alike cursed figment of transubstantiation, over-.

throwing the body of Christ, who hath one; with divers other most pernicious errors. Let them then as long as they please, continue such empty clamours, fit to terrify and shake weak and unstable men: for the truth’s sake we will not be silent. AndIhope we shall very easily make it appear, that the general terms that are used in this business, will indeed give no colour to any argument for universal redemption, whether absolute or conditionate.

Two words there are that are mightily stuck upon, or stumbled at: first, the world; secondly, all. The particular places wherein they are, and from which the arguments of our adversaries are urged, we shall afterwards consider; and for the present only show that the words themselves, according to the Scripture use, do not neécessarily hold out any collective universality of those concerning whom they are affirmed: but being words of various significations, must be interpreted according to the scope of the place where they are used, and the subject-matter of which the Scripture treateth in those places.

Ist, For the word world, which in the New Testament is called xoozos, (for there is another word sometimes translated world, viz. dcwv, that belongs not to this matter; nothing rather the duration of time, than the thing in that space continuing;) he that doth not acknowledge it to be moav’oxuov, need say no more to. manifest his unacquaintedness. in the book of God. I shall briefly give you so many various significations of it, as shall make it apparent, that from the bare usage of a word, so exceedingly equivocal, no. argument can be taken; until it be distinguished, and the meaning thereof in that particular: place evinced, from whence the argument Is taken.

Monpvus sumitur,
I. Subjective:
Imo, ‘Orxcs.
2do, Mepexws: pro.
1. Celo aspectabili.
2. Terra habitabili.
IF, Adjunctive: -ratione,
imo, Incolarum; idque,
1. Collective, xazo nayvas,
2. Distributive; pro,
(1.) Quibusvis.
(2.) Multis.
3. Signanter; pro,
(1.) Bonis, seu electis.
(2.) Malis, seu reprobis.

4. “Aopis@s, seu communiter.
5, Restrictive, seu ovysx-Ooxixws 5 pro,
(1.) Precipuis.
(2.) Romanus.
2do, Accidentum;
1. Corruptionis, — unde su-
-‘mitur pro,
(1.) Ipsa corr uptione
(2.) Sede corruptionis.

(3.) Terrena conditione.

9: Maledictionis.

The Wonr tp is taken,
I. Subjectively;
Ist, Totally.
2dly, Partially; for,
1. The visible heaven.
2. The habitable earth.
Ii, Adjunctively: in respect of,
1st, The inhabitants; snd that,
1. Collectively for the whole
2. Distributively; Sa
(1.) Any
(2.) Many.
3. Signally; for,
(1) The good, or elect.
(2.) The wicked, or reprobate.:
4, indifferently, or in common.
5. Restrictively, or synecdochically; for
(1.) The chief.
.(2.) The Romans.
sa i The accidents;
. Of corruption, — whence
it is taken for,
(1) Corruption itself.
(2.) The seat of corruption.
(3.) The earthly condition.
2. Of the curse.

These distinctions of the use of the word, are made out

in the following observations:

The word World, in the Scripture, i is in peiieeat when

five ways, VIZ.

1. For the world containing:

and that (1.) generally,

‘onas, for the whole fabric of heaven and earth, with all things in them contained, which in the beginning were created of God; so Job xxxiv. 13, cts xvii. 24, Ephes. i. A, and in very many other places, (2.) Distinctly, [1.] for the heavens and all things belonging to them, distinguished from the earth, Psalm xc. 2. [2.] The habitable earth, and this very frequently, as Psalm xxiv. 1, and xcvili. 4, Matth. xiii. 38, John i. 9, and -iii. 1719, and Vi. 14, and xvil. 11, 1 Tim. i. 15, and vi. 7.

’ 2. For the world contained, especially men in the world: and that either (1.) Universally, for all and every one, Rom. iii. 6 — 19, and v. 12. (2.) Indefinitely, for men, without restriction or enlargements, John vi. 4, Isaiah xiii. 11. (3.) Exegetically for many; which is the most usual acceptation of the word, Mazth. xviii. 7, John iv. 42, and aM ren and xvi. 8, and xvil. 21, 1 Cor. iv. 9, Mev. xill. 3... {4.) Comparatively, for a ereat part of the world, Rom.: 8, Matth. xxiv. 14, and xxvi. 13, Rom. x.18. (5.) Restrictively, for the inhabitants of the Roman empire, Luke ii. 1. (6.) For men distinguished in their several qualifications; as, [1.] for the good, God’s people, either in designation or possession, Psalm Xxil. 27, John iii. 16, and vi. ’33 — 51, Rom. iv. 13, and xi. 12 — 15. 2 Cor. v. 19, Col. 1. 6,1 John ii. 2; 2.] for the evil, wicked, rejected men of the world, John vil. 7, and xiv. 17 — 22, and xv 19,and xvii. 25,1 Cor. Vi: 25 and xi. 92. Feb. Hf 38, 2 Peter; ii- 5,1 John v. 19, Rev. xii. 3.

3 For the world corrupted, or that universal corruption which is in all things in its as Gal. 1. 4, and vi. 14. Ephes. ii. 2, James i. 27, and iv. 4,1 Fohni ii. hog 1 Cor, vii. 31 — 33, Col. i: a Q ior iv. 10, Rom. xii. 2, 1 Cor. i.:20,21, ak in. 18,19.

4. For a ferrene ae estate or condition of men or things, Psalm lxxiii. 12, Luke xvi. 8, Zohn xvni. 36. 1 John iv. 5, and very many other places.

5. For the world accursed, as under the power of Satan, John vil. 7, and xiv. 30, and xvi, 11 — 33, 1 Cor, 11. 12, 3 Cor. iv. 4, Ephes. vis 12

And divers other sigan ie hath this word in holy writ, which are needless to’recount. These I have rehearsed, to show the vanity of that clamour wherewith some men fill their mouths; and frighten unstable souls, with the Scripture mentioning (world) so often, in the business of redemption, as though some strength might be taken thence, for the upholding of the general ransom. Parvas habet spes Troja, si tales habet: if their greatest strength be but sophistical craft, taken from the ambiguity of an equivocal word, their whole endeavour is like to prove fruitless. Now as I have declared, that it hath divers other acceptations in the Scripture; so, when I come to a consi-Chap. 1. Arguments for Universal Redemption. 215

deration of their objections, that use the word for this purpose, I hope by God’s assistance to show, that in no one place wherein it is used in this business of redemption, that it is or-can be taken for all and every man in the world: as indeed it is in very few places besides. So that concerning this word, our way will be clear; if to what hath been ‘said, ye add these observations —

(1.) That, as in other words, so in this, theres is in the Scripture usually an avtavexaraces; whereby the same word is ingeminated, in a different sense and acceptation, so Maith. viii. 22.. Let the dead bury their dead: dead in the first place, denoting them that are spiritually dead in sin; in the next, those that are naturally dead, by a dissolution of soul and body. So John i. 11. he came és 7a *vdc0, unto his own; even all things that he had made: ‘os *cdc00, his own, that is the greatest part of the people received him not. So again, Fohn iii. 6. That which is born of the spirit 1s spirit: spirit in the first place, is the Almighty Spirit of God; in the latter, a spiritual life of grace received from him. Now, in such places as these, to argue that such is the signification of the word in one place, therefore in the other, were violently to petvert the mind of the Holy Ghost.

Thus also is the word, world, usually changed in the meaning thereof; so John i 10. He was’ in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not; he that should force the same signification upon the. word, in that triple mention of it, would be an egregious glosser: for in the first, it plainly signifieth some part of the habitable ear th, and is taken sudjectivé weprxas;in the second, the whole frame of heaven ‘and earth, and is taken subjective’ onUK Gas and in the third, for some men living in the earth, wiz. unbelievers, who may be said to bé the world — adjunctive. So again, John. lil. 17. God sent not his Son into the world, to ‘condemn the world; but that the world through him teh be saved: where by the world in the first, is necessarily to be undefstood that part of the habitable: world wherein our Saviour conversed; in the second all men in the world, as some suppose; (so also there is a truth in it, as our Saviour came not to condemn all men ia the world; for condemnation of any was not the prime aim of his coming; but he came to save his own people, and so not to condemn all): in the third, God’s elect or believers living in the world in their several generations; who were they whom he intended to save, and none else, or he faileth of his purpose,’and the endeavour of Christ is insufficient for the accomplishment of that whereunto it is designed.

(2.) That no ar gument can be taken from a phrase of speech in Scripture, in any particular: place, if in other places thereof where it is used, the signification pressed from that place is evidently denied;; unless the scope of the place, or subject matter, do enforce it. For instance, God is said to love the world, and send his Son; to be in Christ, reconciling the world to himself; and Christ to be a propitiation for the sins of the whole world: if the scope of the places where these assertions are, or the subject matter of which they treat, will enforce an universality of all per- ‘sons to be’meant by the word world; so let it be, without control. But if not, if there be no enforcement of any such interpretation from the places themselves; why should the world there signify all and every one? more than in John i. 10, The world knew him not; which if it be meant of all without exception, then no one did believe in Christ, which is contrary to verse 12: or in Luke. ii. 1. That all the world should be taxed; when none but the chief inhabitants of the Roman empire can be understood: or inJohn. vill. 26. I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him; understanding the Jews to whom he spake, who then lived in”the wor Jd, and every one to whom he.was not sent: or inJohn xi. Behold, the world is gone after him); which world was orien but a great multitude of one small nation: or in 1/ohn v.19. The whole world lieth in wickedness; from which, notwithstanding, all believers are to be understood as exempted: or in Rev. xiii. 3. All the world wondered after the beast; which whether it be affirmed of the whole universality of individuals in the world, let all judge. That all nations, an expression of equal extent with that of the world, is in like manner to be understood, is apparent, Rom i. 5. Rev. xvill, 3, 23. Psal. exviii. 10:1 Chron: xiv.17 Jer xxvii. 7. And it being evident that the words, world, all the

Chap. [. Arguments Jor Universal Redemption. 217

world, the whole world, do, where taken adjunctively for men in the world; usually and almost always denote only some; or many men in the world, distinguished into good or bad, believers or unbelievers, elect or reprobate; by what is immediately in the several places affirmed of them: I see no reason in the world, why they should be wrested to any other meaning or sense, in the places that are in eontroversy between us and our opponents. The. particular places we shall afterwards consider. 2dly, Now as we have said of the word world, so we may of the word all; wherein much strength is placed, and many causeless boastings are raised from it. That it is no where affirmed in the Scripture, that. Christ died for all men, or gave himself a ransom for all men, much less for all and every man, we have before declared. That he gave himself a ransom for all, is expressly -affirmed, 2 Tim. ii. 6. but now, who this all should be, whether all believers, or all the elect, or.some of all sorts, or all of every sort, is in debate... Our adversaries affirm the Jast, and the main reason they bring to assert their interpretation, is from the importance of the word itself; for, that the circumstances of the place, the analogy of faith, and other helps for exposition, do not at all favour their gloss, we shall show, when we come to the particular places urged. For the present, let us look upon the word in its usual acceptation: in. the Scripture; and search whether it. always necessarily requires such an interpre-PateOrale hs 0G eg ee pe tee That the word ad/, — being used among all sorts of men, speaking and writing, or any way expressing themselves, but especially in holy writ; is to be taken either collectively, for all in general, without exception, or distributively, for some of all sorts, excluding none,’ is more apparent, than that it can require-any illustration. That it is sometimes taken in the first sense, for all collectively, is granted, and I need not prove it; they whom we: oppose, affirming, that this is the only sense of the word: though I dare boldly say, it is not-once in ten times so to be understood, in the usage of it through the whole Book of God; but that it is commonly and indeed properly used in the latter sense, for some of all sorts concerning what-

218 General Answers unto Book 1V.

soever it is aflirmed; a few instances for many that might — be urged, will make it clear. Thus then ye have it, John xii. 32, And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto me: that we translate it all men, as in other places, (for though I know the sense may be the same, yet the word men being not in the original, but only aavzas, all) I cannot approve... But. who (I pray) are these all? are they all and every one? then are all and every one drawn to Christ, made. believers, and truly converted, and shall be. certainly saved; for those that come unto him, by his and his Father’s drawing, he will in no ways east out, John vi. 37. 2ll, then, can here be no more than many, some of all sorts, no sort excluded, according * as the word is interpreted in Rev. v..9.. Thou hast redeemed us.out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. These are the all he draws to him: which exposition of this. phrase, is with me of more value and esteem, than a thousand glosses of the sons of men. So Luke xi. 42. where our .translators have made the word to signify immediately and properly (for translators are to keep close to the propriety and native signification of every word) what we assert to be the right interpretation of it: for they render: may .20’za’vor, (which ‘paras is every herb) all manner-of herbs; taking-the word (as it must be) distributively for herbs of all sorts, and not for every — individual herb; which the Pharisees did not, could not tythe. And in the very same sense is the word used again, Luke xviil. 12. I give tythes of all that I possess; where it cannot signify every individual thing, as is apparent. Most evident also is this restrained signification of the word, 4ctsii.17. I will pour. out my spirit upon all flesh, éxé aéoav oa’pxa; which wiether it compriseth -eyery man or no, let every man judge, and not rather men of several and sundry sorts. ‘The same course of interpretation as formerly, is followed by our translators, “cts x. 12, rendering wa’vza ca. verpa’roda, (literally all beasts, or four-footed creatures) all manner of beasts, or beasts of sundry several sorts. In the same sense also I must it be understood, Rom. xiv. 2. One believeth that

he may. eat all things; that is, what he pleaseth, of things te be eaten of: see moreover, Cor. i. 5. Yea in that ‘very chapter, where men so eagerly contend that the word all is to be taken for all and every one, (though fruitlessly and falsely, as shall be demonstrated;) viz. 1 Tim. ii. 4. where it is said, that God will have all men to be saved: in that very chapter (confessedly) the word is to be expounded according to the sense we give, viz. verse 8. I will therefore that men pray every where, éy nave reno; which that it cannot signify every individual: place, in heaven, earth, and hell, is of all confessed, and needeth no proof: no more than when our Saviour is said to cure tacav recov, as Matt. ix. 35. there is need to prove, that ’ he did not cure every disease of every man, but only all sorts of diseases. i

Sundry other instances might be given, to manifest that this is thepmost usual and frequent signification of the word aill in holy Scripture; and therefore from the bare word nothing can be inferred, to enforce an absolute unlimited universality of all individuals to be intimated thereby. The particular places insisted on, we shall afterwards consider: I shall conclude all concerning these general expressions that are used in the Scripture about this business, in these observations, viz.:

1. The word all, is certainly and unquestionably sometimes restrained, and to be restrained to all of some sorts; although the qualification be not expressed, which is the bond of the limitation: so for all believers, 1 Cor. xv. 22. Eiphes. iv. 6. and Rom.’v. 18. The free gift came upon all men unto justification of life: which ald men, that are so actually justified, are no more nor less than those that are Christ’s; that is, believers; for certainly justification is not without farth.

2. The word adé is sometimes used for some of all sorts; as in Jer. xxxi. 34. where the word toon is by Paul ren tered: narvees, all, Heb. vit. 11. so John xii. 32. and 1 Zim. ii. 1, 2, 3. which is made apparent by the ment.o2 of kings, as one sort of people there intended. And I make no doubt but it will appear to all, that the word must be taken in one of these senses, in every place where it is used in the business of redemption; as shall be proved.

8. Let a diligent comparison be made between the general expressions of the New, with the predictions of the

Old veteneny and they will be found to be answerable to, and expository of one another: the Lord affirming in the New, that that was done, which in the Old he foretold should be done. Now in the predictions and prophesies

of the Old Testament, (that all nations, all flesh, all people, — all the ends, families, or kindreds of the pe — the world, the whole earth, the isles, shall be corventan look up to Christ; come up to the mountain of the Lord, and

the like,) none doubts but that the elect of God in all. tiations, are only signified; knowing that-in them alone, those predictions have the truth of their accomplishments; and why should the same expressions used in the gospel,

and many of them aiming directly to declare the fulfilling of the other, be wire- drawn to alar ger extent, so contrary to the mind of the Holy Ghost? In fine,.as when the

Lord is said to wipe tears from all faces, it hinders not but the reprobates shall be cast out to eternity, where there is weeping and wailing: so wken Christ is said to die for all, it hinders not but those reprobates may perish to eternity for their sins, without any effectual remedy intended for them, though occasionally proposed to some of thent.:

VI. Observe, that the Scripture often speaketh of things and persons according to the appearance they have, and the account that is of them amongst men; or that esteem that they have of them, to whom it speaketh; frequently speaking of men and unto men, as in» the condition wherein they are according to outward appearance, upon which human judgment must proseed, and not what they are indeed. ‘Thus, many are called and said to be wise, just, and righteous, according as they are so esteemed; though the Lord know them to be foolish sinners. So Jerusalem: is called the holy city, Matth. xxvii. 53. be- cause it’was so in esteem and ap pennies when indeed it was a very den of thieves. And 2 Chron. xxviii. 23: it is said of Ahaz that wicked king of Judah, that he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which smote him: it was the Lord alone that smote him, and those idols to whom he sacrificed, were but stocks and stones, the work of men’s hands, which could no way help themselves, much less smite their enemies; yet the Holy Ghost useth an expression answering his idolatrous persuasion, and saith, they smote him. Nay, is it not said of Christ, John v. 18. that he had broken the Sabbath; which yet he only did, in the corrupt opinion of the blinded Pharisees. - Add moreover to what hath been said, that which is of no less an undeniable truth, viz. that many things which are proper and peculiar to the children of God, are oft and ’ frequently assigned to others who live in the same outward communion with them, and are partakers of the same external privileges; though indeed aliens in respect of the participation of the grace of the promise. Put, T say, these two things, which are most evident, together, and it will easily appear, that those places which seem to express a possibility of perishing and eternal destruction to them who are said to be redeemed by the bivod of Christ, are no ways advantageous to the adversaries of the effectual redemption of God’s elect by the blood of Christ; because such may be said to be redeemed xard civ defar, not xara rav dandeav; xara rd Horvesdar, NOt xara vd Eivars in respect of appearance, not reality, as is the use of the Scripture, in divers other things. bees of

VIL. That which is spoken according to the’ judgment of charity, on our parts, must not always be exactly squared and made answerable to verity, in respect of them of whom any thing is affirmed; for the rectitude of our judgment it sufficeth, that we proceed according to the rules of judging that are given us: for what is out of our cognizance, whether that answers to our judgments or not,. belongs not to us. Thus oftentimes. the Apostles in the Scriptures write unto: men, and term them holy, saints, yea elected; but from. thence positively to conclude that they were so all indeed, we have no warrant.. So. Peter calls all the strangers-to. whom he wrote, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Capadocia, Asia, and: Bythinia, elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father,. Ped. i. 1, 2. and yet that I have any warrant to conclude de jide that all were such, none: dare affirm. So Paul tells the Thessalonians, the whole church. to whom he wrote, that he knew their election of God,. Thess. 1. 4: and. 2 Thess. ii. 13. he blesseth.God who had chosen: them to: salvation: now, did. not Paul:make this judgment of them:

by the rule of charity? according as he affirms in ee place, it is meet for me to think this of you all, Ph. i. 7, and can it, ought it hence to be infallibly concluded, that they were all elected? If some of these should be found to fall away from the gospel, and to have perished, would an argument from thence be valid, that the elect might perish? would we not presently answer, that they were said to be elected according to: the judgment of charity, not that they were so indeed? And why is not this answer as sufficient and satisfying, when it is given to the objection taken from the perishing of some, who were said to be redeemed merely in the judgment of charity, as they were said to be elected?

WHI. The infallible connexion, according to God’s purpose and will, of faith and salvation, which is frequently the thing intended in gospel proposals, must be considered. The Lord hath in his counsel established it, and revealed in his word, that there is an indissoluble bond between these two things, so that whosoever believeth shall be saved, Mark xvi. 16. which indeed is the substance of the gospel, in the outward promulgation thereof. This is the testimony of God, that eternal life is in his Son; which whoso believeth, he sets to his seal that God is true: he who believes not, doing what in him Héth’to’ make God a liar, 1 John v. 9,10, 11. Now this connexion of the means and the end, ‘faith and life, is the only thing which is signified and held out to innumerable persons to whom the gospel is preached; all the commands, proffers, and promises that are made to them, intimating no more than this will of God, that believers shall certainly be saved: which is an unquestionable divine verity, and a sufficient object for supernatural faith to rest upon; and which, being not closed with, is a sufficient cause of damnation, John viii. 24. If you believe not that I am he, (that-ts, the way, the tr uth and — life) ye shall die in your sins.

It is a vain imagination of some, that when’ thie. command and promise of believing are given out to any man; that though he be of the number of them that shall certainly perish, yet the Lord hath a conditional will of his salvation; and intends that he shall be saved, on condition that he will believe, when the condition lieth not at all in the will of God, which is always absolute; but is only between the things to them proposed, as was before declared. And those poor deluded things, who will be standing upon their own legs before they are well able to crawl, and might justly be persuaded to hold by men of more str ength, do exceedingly betray their own conceited ignorance, when with great pomp they hold out the broken pieces of an old Arminian sophism, with acclamations of grace: to this new discovery, (for so they think of all that’s new to them) viz. that, as is God’s proffer, so is his intention; but he calls to all to believe and be saved, therefore he intends it to all. For,

ist, God doth not proffer life to a2/, upon the condition of faith; passing by a great part of mankind, without any such proffer made to them at all.

2dly, If by God’s proffer, they understand his command and promise, who told them that these things were declarative of his will and purpose, or intention? He commands Pharoah to let his people go; but did heintend he should so do, according to his command? had: he not foretold, that he would so order things, that he should not let them go? I thought always that God’s commands and promises had revealed our duty, and not his purpose; what God would have us to do, and not what he will do. His promises indeed, as particularly applied, hold out his mind to the persons ‘to whom they are applied: but, as indefinitely proposed, they reveal no other intentions of God but what we before discovered, which concerns things, not persons; even his determinate purpose -infallibly to connect faith and salvation.

3dly, If the proffer be (as they say) universal, and the intention of God be answerable thereunto; that is, he intends the salvation of them to whom the tender of it upon. faith is made, or may be so: then, 1. ,What becomes of election and reprobation? neither of them, certainly, can consist with this universal purpose of saving of all. 2. If he intends it, why is it then not accomplished, doth he fail of his purpose; Dum vitant vitium stulti, in contrariacurrunt: is not this certain Seylla worse than the other feared Charybdis?

224 General Answers unte Book IV.

But they say, he intended it only upon condition; and the condition being not fulfilled, he fails not in his purpose, though the thing be not conferred. But, did the Lord foreknow, whether the condition would be fulfilled by them to whom the proposal was made, or not? if not, where is his prescience, his omniscience!? if he did, how ean he be said to intend salvation to them, of whonnke certainly knew that they would never fulfil the condition on-which it was to be attained; and moreover, knew it with. this circumstance, that the condition was not to be attained without his bestowing, and that he had determined not to bestow it? Would they ascribe such a will and purpose to a wise man, as they do ignorantly and presumptuously to the only wise God? viz. that he should intend to have a thing done, upon the performance of such a condition as he knew full well without him could never be performed, and he had fully resolved not to effect it: for instance, to give his daughter in marriage to such a one, upon condition he would give him such a jewel as he hath not, nor ean have, unless he bestow it upon him 3 which he is resolved never to do. Oh whither will blindness and ignorance, esteemed light and knowledge, ses poor deluded souls?

This then is the main thing demonstrated and held out in the promulgation of the gospel, especially for what concerns unbelievers: even.the-strict connexion between the duty of faith assigned, and the benefit of life promised: which hath a truth of universal extent; grounded upon the plenary sufficiency of the death of Christ, towards all: that shall believe. And I see no reason why this should: be termed part of the mystery of the universalists, (though the lowest part ) (as it is by M.S. pag. 202;) that the gospel could not be preached to all, unless Christ died for all: which, with what is mentioned before concerning another and higher part of it, is an old rotten, carnal and long-since confuted sophism; arising out of the ignorance of the word and right reason, which. are no. way contrary.

1X. The mixt distribution of the elect and reprobates, believers and unbelievers, according to. the purpose and mind of God, throughout.the whole world,and in the several: places thereof, in all or most of the single congregationss.

Chap. I. Arguments for Universal edempiion. 225

is another ground of holding out a tender of the blood of Jesus Christ, to them: for whom it was never shed, as is apparent in the event, by the ineffectualness of its propo- — sals. The ministers of the gospel, who are stewards of the mysteries of Christ, and to whom the word of reconciliation is committed, being acquainted only with revealed things, (the Lord lodging his purposes and intentions towards particular persons in the secret ark of his own bosom, not to be pryed into;) are bound to admonish all, and warn all men, to whom they are sent: giving out the same commands, proposing the same promises, making tenders of Jesus Christ in the same manner to all; that the elect,

who they know not but by the event, may obtain, while the rest are hardened. Now these things being thus ordered by him who hath the supreme disposal of all, (viz.

first, that there should be such a mixture of elect and reprobate, of tares’and wheat, to the end of the world; and secondly,*that Christ, antl reconciliation through him, should be preached by men ignorant of his eternal discriminating purpose) there is an absolute necessity of two other things: first, that the promises must-have a kind of unrestrained generality, to be suitable to this dispensation before recounted; secondly, that they must be proposed to them, towards whom the Lord never intended the good things of the promises; they having a share in’ this proposal, by their mixture in this world with the elect of God. So

that from the general proposition of Christ in the promises,

nothing can be concluded concerning his death for all to whom he is proposed, as having another rise and occasion. The sum is, the word of reconciliation being committed

to men unacquainted with God’s distinguishing counsels, to be preached to men of a various mixed condition in respect of his purpose; and the way whereby he hath deters -mined to bring his own home to himself, being by exhortations, entreaties, promises, and the like means, accommodated to the reasonable nature, whereof all are partakers to whom the word is sent: which are suited also to the accomplishment of other ends, towards the rest, as conviction, restraint, hardening, inexcusableness: it cannot be, but the proposal and offer must necessarily be made to some upon condition; who intentionally and in respect of-

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Te the purpose of God, have no right unto it, in the just aim and intendment thereof. Only for-a close, observe these two things: first, that the proffer itself neither is, nor ever was absolutely universal to all, but only indefinite, without respect to outward differences; secondly, that Christ being not to be received without faith, and God giving faith to whom he pleaseth; it is manifest that he never intendeth Christ to them, on whom he will not bestow faith.

X. The faith which is enjoined and commanded in the gospel, hath divers several acts, and different degrees; in the

exercise whereof it proceedeth orderly, according to the natural method of the proposal of the objects to be believed: the consideration whereof is of much use in the business in hand ;. our adversaries pretending that if Christ died not for all, then in vain are they exhorted to believe; their being indeed no proper object for the faith of innumerable persons, because Christ did not die for them: as though the gospel did hold out this doctrifie, in the very entrance of

all, that Christ-died for every one, elect and reprobate;

or as though that the first thing which any one living under

’ the means of grace is exhorted to believe, were, that Christ

died for him in particular; both which are notoriously false, as I hope in the close of our undertaking will be made manifest to all. For the present, I shall only inti-

‘mate something of what I said before, concerning the order of exercising the several acts of faith; whereby it will appear, that no one in the world is commanded or invited to believe, but that he hath a sufficient object to fix the act of faith on, of truth enough for its foundation, and latitude enough for its utmost exercise which is enjoined him.

Ast, The first thing which the gospel enjoineth sinners, and which it persuades and commands them to believe, is, that salvation is not to be had in themselves, in as much

as-all have sinned and come short of the «glory of God;

nor by the works of the law, by which no flesh living ean be justified. Here is a saving gospel truth for sinners to believe, which the apostle dwells upon wholly, fom. chaps. i. ii. iii. to prepare a way for justification by Christ. Now what numberless numbers are they to whom the gospel is preached, who never come so far as to believe so much as this? amongst whom you may reckon Chap. I. irguments. for Universal Redemption. 227

almost the whole nation of the Jews, as is apparent, Rom. ix, x. 3,4. Now, not to go one step further with any proposal, a contempt of this object of faith is the sin of infidelity: adly, The gospel requires faith to this, that there 3 is ale

vation to be had in the promised seed, in him who was before ordained to be captain of salvation to them that do believe: and here also at this trial, some millions of the great army of men outwardly called; drop off; and do never believe, with true divine faith, that God hath Lape vided a way for the saving of sinners.

3dly, That Jesus of Na azareth, who. was craeifers by the Jews, was this Saviour, promised before; and that — there is no name under heaven given whereby they may be saved, besides his. And this was the main point upon which the Jews broke off; refusing to accept of Christ as the Saviour of men, but rather prosecuting him as an enemy of God; and thereupon so oft. charged with infidelity and damnable unbelief... The question was not between Christ and them, whether he died for them all or not; but whether he was that Messias promised: which they denied, and perished in their unbelief.. Now, before’ these three acts of faith be performed, in vain is the soul exhorted further to climb the uppermost steps, and miss all the bottom foundation ones. 4thly, The gospel requires a resting upon this Christ,

so discovered and believed on to* be the promised Redeemer, as an all-sufficient Saviour; with whom is plenteous redemption, and who is able to save to the utmost them that come to God by him, and to bear the burden of all weary labouring souls that come by faith to him. - In which proposal there is a certain infallible truth, grounded

upon the superabundant sufficiency of the oblation of

Christ in itself; for whomsoever (fewer or more) it be intended. Now much self- knowledge, much conviction, much sense of sin, of God’s justice, and free grace, is required to the exercise of this act of: faith. Good Lord! how many thousand poor souls within the pale of the church can never be brought unto it? The truth is, without the help of God’s spirit none of those three before, much less this last, can be performed; which worketh freely, when, how, eae in whom it pleaseth.

5thly, These things being firmly seated in the soul, (and not before) we are every one called in particular, to believe the efficacy of the redemption that is in the blood of Jesus, toward our own souls in particular: which every one may assuredly do: in whom the free grace of God hath wrought the-former acts of faith,and doth work this also, without either doubt, or fear of want of aright object to believe, if they should so do; for certainly Christ died for every one, in whose hearts the Lord, by his almighty power, works effectually faith, to lay hold on him, and assent unto him, according to that orderly proposal that is held forth in the gospel.

Now facavdina to sis order (as by some it is observed ¥) are the articles of our faith disposed in the apostle’s creed,

(that ancient summary of Christian religion, commonly so called;) the remission of our sins, and life eternal, being in the last place proposed to be believed: for before we attain so far, the rest must be firmly rooted. So that it is asenseless vanity, to cry out of the nullity of the object ‘to.be believed, if Christ-died not for all; there being an. absolute truth in every thing which any it called to assent - unto, according to the order of the gospel...

And so I have proposed the general foundations. of those answers, which we shall give to the ensuing objections; whereunto to make particular application of them, — will be an easy task; as 1 hope will be made apparent unte all.; anna 7

ome Gane: *