An Answer to the Twentieth Chapter of the Book Entitled The Universality of God's Free Grace
An answer to the twentieth chapter of the book entrtled, The Universality of God’s Free Grace, §c. being a collection of all the arguments used by the author, throughout the whole book, to prove the une-We aan of Sagi ne
The title pretends deiebction to them who desire to have reason satisfied; which that it isa great undertaking, T easily grant: but for the per formance of it, Ate labor, — hoc opus. That ever christian reason, rightly informed by the word of God, should be satisfied, with any doctrine so discrepant from the word, so full of contradiction in itself and to its own principles, as the doctrine of universal redemption is, I should much marvel: therefore I am persuaded that the author of the arguments following, — (which lest you should mistake them for others he calleth reasons) will fail of his intention, with all that have so much reason as to know how to make use of reason, and
298 Oljections pariicularly answered, Book IV.
so much grace as not to love darkness more than light. The only reason, as. far as I can conceive, why he calls this collection of all the arguments and texts of Scripture which he had before cited and produced at large, so many reasons, being:a supposal that he hath given them a logieal argumentative form in this place, I shall briefly consider them: and by the way take notice of his skill in a regular framing of arguments, to which he evidently pretends. His first reason then is as followeth, viz.
ARGUMENT If.
“That which the Scripture oft and plainly-affirmeth in plain words, is certainly true and to be believed, Prov. XX. 20. 21, Lsa. viii. 20. 2. Pet. i. 19, 20.» But that Jesus Christ gave himself a ransom, and by the grace of God tasted death, for every man, is oft and plainly affirmed in Scripture; as is before shown, chap. vii. to the xiii. Therefore the same is certainly a truth to be believed, John xx. Shs! e2els KXV1. 27.7?
“nsw. 1st, The proposition of this argument is clear, evident, and acknowledged by all professing the name of Christ; but yet univers with this caution and proviso; that by the Scripture affirming any thing in plain words, that is to be believed, you understand the plain sense of those words which isclearby rules of interpretation so to be. It is the thing signified, that is to be believed; and-not the words only, which are the sign thereof: and therefore the plain sense and meaning is that which we must inquire after; and is intended, when we speak of believing plain words of the Scripture. But now if by plain words you understand the literal importance of the words, which may perhaps be figurative or at least of various signification, and capable of extent or restriction, in the interpretation; then there is nothing more false than this assertion; for how can you then avoid the blasphemous folly of the Anthropomorphites, assigning a body and human shape unto God; the plain words of the Scripture often mentioning his eyes, hands, ears, &c, it being apparent to every child, that the true importance of those-expressions answer not at all their gross carnal conception? Will not also transubstantiation, or its younger brother consubstantiation, be an article of our creed? With this limitation, then, we pass the proposition, and the places of Scripture brought to confirm it; only with this observation, that there is not one of them to the purpose in hand: which, because they do not relate to the argument in consideration, we only leave to men’s silent judgments.
2dly, The assumption, or minor proposition, we absolutely deny as to some part of it, that Christ should be said to give himself a ransom for every man; it being neither often, nor once, nor plainly, nor obscurely affirmed in the Seripture, nor at all proved in the place referred unto: so that this is but an empty flourishing. For the other expression, of tasting death for every man, we grant that the words are found, “Heb. iis 9. but. we deny that every man doth always necessarily signify all and every man in the world: vesEeTBVrEs Naveen aVSpanov, 1G ScSaoxovres eve o aVSP@TOV, COL ITA 28. Warning every man, and teaching every man 3 every man, is not there every man in the world: neither are we to believe that Paul warned and taught every particular man, for it is false and impossible So that every man in the Scripture, is not universally col-. lective of all of all sorts; but either distributive, for some of all sorts, or collective, with’ a restriction to all of some sorts: as in that of Paul, every man was only of those to - whom he had preached the gospel. Moreover, in the original there is only ixép xavzds, for every, without the substinitive man; which might be supplied by other — as well as man, as elect, or believer.
3dly,’That every one is there clearly restrained to all the brethren of Christ, and the sons by him brought to glory, we have before ‘declared §; so that this place is no way useful for the confirmation of the assumption; which. we deny in the sense intended; and are sure we shall never see a clear, or so much as a probable ey for the confirming of it. |:
‘To the conclusion of the Bplidaie) the author (to. manifést his skill in disputing such an argumentative way as he undertaketh) addeth some further proofs. Conscious it’seems he was to himself, that it had little strength from the propositions from which it is enforced; and therefore thought to give some new supportments to it: although with very ill success; as will easily appear to any one that shall but consult the places quoted, and consider the business in hand. - In the mean time, this new logic, (of filling up proofs to the conclusion which are suitable to neither proposition, and striving to give strength to that by new testimonies, which it hath not from the premises) deserves our notice, in this age of learned writers: hezguantum. est sapere; such logic is fit to maintain such divinity. And so much for the first argument.
ARGUMENT II.
¢’Those whom Jesus Christ and his apostles in plain terms, without any exception or restraint, affirm that Christ came to save, and to that end died, and gave himself a ransom for, and is a propitiation for their sin, he certainly did come to. save, and gave himself a ransom for them, and is the propitiation for their sins, Matth. xxvi. 24. John vi. 38. Cor. xv. 3,4. Heb. x. 7. John viii. 38, 45. 2 Pet. i. 16. Heb. 11.3, 4. But Jesus Christ and his apostles have in plain terms affirmed, that Christ came to save sinners, 1. Z¥%. 1.15. the world, John ili. 17. that he died for the unjust, 1 Ped. i. 18. the ungodly, Rom v. 6. for every man, Hed. 11. 9. gave himself aransom for all men, 1 Zim. il. 6. and is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world, 1- John ii. 2. And every of these affirmations, without any exception or restraint, all being unjust, ungodly, sinners, and men, and of the world, Rom. iii, 10, 19, 20. 23..Ephes. ii. 1, 2, 3.. Tit. iii. 3. John ui. 4. 6. Therefore Jesus Christ came to save, died and gave himself a ransom for all men, and is the propitiation for their sins, John i. 29.” 2
/insw. 1st, To the proposition of this argument, I desire only to observe, that we do not affirm, that the Scripture doth in any place lay an exception or restraint upon those persons for whom Christ is said to die; as though in one place it should be affirmed he died for all men, and in another some exception against it; as though some of those all men were excluded, which were to feign a repugnancy and contradiction in the word of God. Only
Chap. VI. And places of Scripture opened. — 801
we say, one place of Scripture interprets another, and de- elares that sense, which before in one place was ambiguous and doubtful. For. instance, when the Scripture showeth that Christ died or gave himself a ransom for all, we believe it: and when in another place it declares that all to be his church, his elect, his sheep, all believers, some of all sorts, out of all kindreds and nations and tongues under heaven; this is not to lay an exception or restraint upon what was said of all before, but only to declare that the all for which he gave himself a ransom, were all his. church, all his elect, all his sheep, some of all sorts; and so we believe that he died for all. Rie With this observation we let pass the proposition; taking out its meaning, as well as the phrase whereby it is expressed will afford it: together with the vain flourish and pompous show of many texts of Scripture brought to confirm it, whereof not one is any thing to the purpose; so that 1am persuaded he put down names and figures at. a venture, without once consulting the texts; having no small cause to be confident, that none would trace him in his flourish, and yet that some eyes. might dazzle at his supernumerary quotations. Let me desire the reader to turn.to those places, and if any one of them be any thing to the purpose or business in hand, let the author’s credit be of weight with him another time. O let us not be as many who corrupt the word of God. But perhaps it is a mistake in the impression: and that for Adaith. xxvi. 24. he intends verse 28. where Christ is said to shed his blood for many ;. as also that in John vi. he mistook verse 38, for 39. where our Saviour affirms that he came to save that which his Father gave him, that none should be lost, which certainly are thelelect. In 1 Cor. xv. 3, 4. he was not much amiss; the apostle conjoining In those verses, the death and resurrection of Christ, which he saith was for us: and how-far this advantageth his cause in hand, we. have before declared. By Hed. x.-7. 1 suppose he meant verse 10. of the chapter, affirming that by the will of God, which Christ came to do, we are sanctified; even through the offering of the body of Jesus, ascribing our sanctification to his death, which is not effected in all and every one: though perhaps he ia the last clause of e the verse, once for all, to make for him; but some charitable man, FE hope, will undeceive him, by letting him know the meaning of the word ég¢aaé.* The like may be observed of the other places, that in them is nothing at all to the proposition in hand; and nigh them, at least, is enough to evert it: and so his proposition in sum is, all those for whom the Scripture affirms that Christ did die, for them he died: which i is granted to isi true and doubt-Jess. + 2dly, The assumption affirms, that Choise and his apos- tles, in the Scriptures, say that he died to save sinners: unjust, ungodly, the world, all: whereupon the conclusion ought barely to be, therefore Christ died for sinners, unjust, ungodly, the world, sie the ike. To which we say, fe That this is the very same argument foe substance, with that which went before; as also are. some of those that follow: only some words are varied, to change the outward appearance; and so to make show of a number. -g, That the whole strength of this argument his, in turning indefinite propositions into universals: concluding, that because Christ died for sinners, therefore he died for all sinners; because he died for the unjust, ungodly, and the world, that therefore he died for every one that is unjust or ungodly, and for every one in the world: because he died for all, therefore for all and every one of all sorts of men. Now if this be good arguing, I will furnish you with some more such
arguments, ‘against you have occasion to.use them. As (1.) God justifieth the ungodly, ‘Rom. iv. 5. therefore he justifieth every one that is ungodly; now whom he justifieth he glorifieth; and therefore every ungodly persorfshall be glorified. (2.) When Christ came, men loved darkness rather than light, John iii. 19. therefore all men did so, and so none believed. (3. ) The world knew not Christ, John i. 10. therefore no mar in the world knew him. (4) The whole world lieth in wickedness, 1 John v. 19. therefore-every one in the world doth 50. Such arguments; as. these, by pin in-.
* An adverb, signifying ence only, with an enutilagel Sor all, not being in the Greek.
definite propositions into universals, I could easily furnish you withal, for any purpose that you will use them to.
3. If you extend the words in the conclusion, no further than the intention of them in the places of Scripture recited in the assumption, we may safely grant the whole, viz. that Christ died for sinners and the world, for sinful men in their several generations living therein: but if you intend an universality collective of all, in the conclusion, then the syllogism is sophistical and false; no place of Scripture that is produced, affirming so much. ‘The assignation of the object of the death of Christ in them, being in terms indefinite, receiveth light and clearness, for a more restrained sense, in those places where they are expounded to be meant of all his own people, and the children of God scattered throughout the world.
4. The particular places of Scripture urged, viz. 1 Zim. i. 15, 1 Pet. 11i.18. Rom. v. 6. in the beginning of the assumption, are not at all to the purpose in hand: and John iti 17. Heb. ii 9. Tim. ii 6. John ii 2. (with John i. 29.) have been already considered. ftom. iii. 10. 19, 20, 23. Ephes. ii. 1, 2, 3. Tit. ili. 3. John il. 4, 6. added in the close of the same proposition, prove that all
are sinners and children of wrath; but of Christ’s dying - for all sinners, or for all those children of wrath, there is not the least intimation. And this may suffice, in answer to the two first arguments; which might easily be retorted upon the author of them: the Scripture being full and plain, to the confirmation of the position which he intends to oppose. he
ARGUMENT III.
“That which the Scripture layeth forth, as one end of the death of -Christ, and one ground and cause of God’s exalting Christ to be the Lord and judge of all, and of the equity of his judging, that is certainly to be believed, Psal. xii. 6. and xviil. 130. and cxix. 4. But the Scripture layeth forth this for one end of the death and resurrection of Christ, that he might be the Lord of all, Rom. xiv. 9. 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. and for that cause, (even his death and resurrection) hath God exalted him to be the’
304 Objections particularly answered, Took IV.
Lord and judge of all men, and his judgments shall be just, Rom. wiv. 9, 11,-12. 2 Cor. v.10. Phil. 1.7, 11. Jtets xvii. 831% Ron yi. 16. Therefore that Chtist so died, and rose again for all, is a truth to be believed. 1 Tim. ii. 0,”
Alnsw. ist, The unlearned framing of this argument, the uncouth expressions of the thing intended, and failing in particulars, by the by, being to be ascribed to the person, and not the cause, 1 shall not much trouble myself withal: as, 1. His artificial regularity, in bringing his minor proposition (viz. Christ’s being made Lord and judge, of all) into the major; so continuing one term in all the three propositions, and making the whole almost unintelhigible.. 2, His interpreting, “that cause for which God exalted Christ. to be his death and resurrection; when his resurrection, wherein he was declared to be the Son of God with power, Rom.i. 4. was a glorious part of his exaltation. “To examine and lay open the weakness and folly of innumerable such things as these, which every where occur, were to be lavish of precious moments: those that have the least taste of learning, or the way of reasoning, do easily see their vanity. And for the rest, especially the poor admirers of these foggy sophisms, — I shall not say, guontam hic populus vult decipi, deciprantur; but God give them understanding and repentance, to the acknowledgment of the truth.
- 2dly, To this whole argument as it lies before us, I have nothing to say; but only to entreat Mr. More, that if the misery of our times should be calling upon him to be writing again, that he would cease expressing his mind by syllogisms, (and to speak in his own manner,) which by its confusion, in innumerable tautologies, may a little puzzle his reader. For truly this kind of arguing here used, (for want of logic, whereby he is himself deceived, and by delight in sophistry, whereby he deceiveth others;) ds ‘exceedingly ridiculous: for none can be so blind, but that at first reading of the argument he will see, that he asserts and infers that in the conclusion (strengthening it with a new testimony) which was not once dreamed of ‘in either of the premises; they speaking of the exaltation of Christ to be judge of all, which refers to his own glory, the conclusion of his dying for all, which necessarily aims at and intends their good. Were it not a noble design, to banish all human learning, and to establish such a way of arguing in the room thereof. Hoc Ithacus velit, hoc magno mercentur Atride. 3dly, The force and sum of the argument is this:
Christ died and rose again, that he might be the Lord and judge of all; therefore Christ died for all. Now ask what he means by dying for all: and the whole treatise answers, that it is a paying a ransom for them all, that they might be saved. But how this can be extorted out of Christ’s dominion over all, with his power of judging all committed to him,-which also is extended to the angels for whom he died not;) let them that can understand it, rejoice in their quick apprehension; I confess it flles my thoughts. we
. 4thly, The manner of arguing being so vain, let us see a little, whether there be any more weight in the matter of the argument. Many texts of Scripture are heaped up, and distributed to the several propositions: in those out of Psal. xii. 6. xviii. 30. (as I suppose it should be, not 130, as it is printed) cxix. 4. there is some mention of the precepts of God, with the purity and perfection of his word; which that they are any thing to the business in hand, I cannot perceive. That of 1 Zim. ii. 6. added to the conclusion, is one of those places which are brought forth upon every occasion, as being the supposed foundation of the whole assertion ;-but causelessly, as hath been showed oft. Of those which are annexed to the minor proposition, is 2 Cor. v. 14,15. but as I have already cleared the mind of the Holy Ghost in it, and made it manifest that no such thing as universal redemption can be wrested from it, so unto this present argument it hath no reference at all, not containing one syllable concerning the judging of Christ, and his power over all; which was the medium insisted on PAil. ii. 7, 11. Acts xvil. 31. om. ii. 16. 2 Cor. v. 10. make mention indeed of Christ’s exaltation, and his judging all at the last day: but because he shall judge all at the last day, therefore he died for all, will ask more pains to prove, than our adversary intends to take in this cause. = la GOR
The weight of the whole must depend on Rom. xiv. 9, 11, 12. which being the only place that gives any colour to this kind of arguing, shall a little be considered. It is the lordship and dominion of Christ over all, which the apostle in that place at large insists on and evidenceth. to believers; that they might thereby be provoked to walk blameless, and without offence one towards another, knowing the terror of the Lord; and how that all men, even themselves and others, must come to appear before his judgment-seat, when it will be but a sad thing, to have an account to make of scandals and offences, Further, to ingraft and fasten this upon them, he declares unto them the way whereby the Lord Christ attained and came to this dominion and power of judging; all things being put under his feet: together with what design he had as to this particular, -in undertaking the office of meditation, there expressed by dying, rising, and reviving; to wit, that he might have the execution oF judging over all committed to him;; that being part of the glory set before him, which caused fa to endure the cross and despise the shame, Hed. xii.
So that all which is veo intkaiated concerning the death of Christ, is about the end, effects, and issue that it had towards himself; not any thing of what was his intention towards them for whom he died. ‘To die for others, does at least denote to die for their good, and in the Scripture always, to die in their stead: now that any such thing can be hence deducted, that Christ died for all, because,. by his death, himself made way for the enjoyment of that power ‘wher eby. he is Lord over /all, and will judge them all, casting the greatest part of men into hell, ‘by the sentence of his righteous judgment, I profess sineerely, that 1am no way able to perceive. If men will contend. and have it so,» that Christ must be said to die for all, because by his death and resurrection he attained the power of judging all, then I shall only leave with them these three things, viz. 1. That. innumerable souls shall be judged by him, for not walking according to the light of nature left unto them, directing ‘them to seek after the eternal power and Godhead of their Creator; without the least rumour of the gospel, to direct them toa Redeemer, once arriving at their ears, Rom, 11. 12. and of what good will it be for such, that Christ so died for them? 2, That then he also died for devils; because he hath, by his death and resurrection, attained a power of judgine them also. 3. That the whole assertion is nothing to the business in hand; our inquiry being about them whom our Saviour intended to redeem and ‘save by his blood, but this return being about those he will one day Judge: quees-~ tio est de alliis, responsto de caepis,
ARGUMENT Iv.
“That which the Seriiaers so sets forth in ‘weiter for the world: of mankind, asa truth for them all, that whosoever of the particulars so believe as to come into Christ and receive the same, shall not perish but have everlasting life; is certainly a truth to be believed, cis v. 20. But that God sent forth his Son to be the Saviour of the world,’ is in Scripture so set forth in general for all men, that whosoever of the particulars so believe as they come into Christ.and receive the same, they shall not perish, but have everlasting life; John ii. 16,17, 18. 36. & i. 4, 11,12. Therefore that God. sent his Son to be the Saviour-of the world, is a certain truth, 1 John iv. 14.”
Answ. I hope no ingenious man, that knows any thing of the controversy in hand, aad to what head it is driven between us and our adversary» or iS in any measure acquainted with the way of arguing,. will expect that we should spend many words about such poor flourishes, vain repetitions, confused expressions, and illogical deductions and argumentations, as in this pretended new argument, (indeed the same with the two first, and with almost all that follow;) or that I should cast away much time or pains about them. For my own part, I were no way able to undergo the tediousnéss of the review of such things as these; “atk that eundum est quo trahunt fata ecclesiz.
Not then any more to trouble the reader with a ceclaration of that in particulars, which he cannot but be sufficiently convinced of by a bare over-looking of these reasons, viz. that this author is utterly. ignorant of the way of reasoning, and knows not how tolerably to express his own conceptions, nor to infer one thing from another in
308 Olyections particularly answered, - Book IV.
any regular way; I answer, 1. That whatsoever the Scripture holds forth as a truth to be believed, is certainly so, and to be embraced. 2. That the Seripture sets forth the death of Christ, to all whom the gospel is preached unto, as an all-sufficient mean for the bringing of sinners unto God; so.as that whosoever believe it and come in unto him, shall certainly be saved. 3. What can be concluded hae but that the death of Christ is of such infinite value, as that it is able to save to the utmost every.one to whom it is made. known; if by true faith they obtain an interest therein, and aright thereunto, we cannot perceive. This truth we have formerly confirmed by many testimonies of Scripture; and do conceive that this innate sufficiency of the death of Christ, is the foundation of its promiscuous proposal to elect and reprobate. 4. That the conclusion, (if he would have the reason to have any colour or show of an argument) should at least include and express the whole and entire assertion contained in the proposition, viz. “that Christ is set forth to be the Saviour of the world, that whosoever of the. particulars believe, &c.”’ And then it is by us fully granted, as making nothing at all for the universality of redemption, but only for the’ fulness and sufficiency of his satisfaction. Of the word world, enough hath been said before.
ARGUMENT V.
That which God will one day cause every man confess to the glory of God, is certainly a — for God will own no lie for his glory, John xiii. 3, 9. * Rom. iil. 3, 4, But God will one day cause every man to confess Jesus (by virtue of his death and ransom given) to be the Lord, even to the glory of God, PAzl ii 7.8, 9, 10,11. Zsa. alas. 22, 23. Rom. xiv. 9.12. Psal. lxxxvi. 9.. Therefore it - is certainly a truth that Jesus Christ hath given himself a ransom for all men, and hath thereby the right. of lordship over them; and if any will not believe and comie into this government, yet he abideth faithful and cannot deny himself; but will one day bring them before him, and
*It would seem that this ought to be John iii. 33.
Chap. VI. ind places of Seripture opened. 309
cause him to donee him Lord to the glory of eas when they shall be denied by him, for denying him in the days of his patience, 2 7%m. ii. 12, a3 14. Matth. x. 32, 33, 2 Cor. vy. 10.”
Answ. Theconclusion of this pear ought to be thus, and no otherwise, if you. intend it should receive any strength from the premises, viz. therefore, that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and to be confessed to the glory of God, is certainly truth. This, I say, is all the conclusion that this argument ought to have had; unless, in stead of a syllogism, you intend three independent propositions, every one standing upon his own strength. That which is Inserted concerning his giving himself a ransom for all; and that which follows, of the conviction and condemuletion of them who believe not nor obey the gospel, confirmed from, 2 7m. ii. 12, 13, 14. is altogether heter ogeneous to the business in hand.
“Now this being. the abaelistdn intended; if our. ‘author suppose that the deniers of universal redemption, do question the truth of it, I wonder not at all, why he left all other employment. to fall a writing controversies having such apparent advantages against hhis adversaries as such small mistakes as this are able to furnish his conceit withal. But it may be an act of charity to part him and his own shadow, so terribly at variance, as here and in other places: wherefore I beseech’ him to hear a word in his heat, and to take notice, 1. That though we do notascribe a fr uitless ineffectual redemption to Jesus Christ; nor say, that he loved any, with that entire love which moved him to lay down his life, but his own church, so that all his elect are effectually redeemed by him; yet we deny not but that he shall also judge the reprobates, viz. even all them that know not, that deny, that disobey and corrupt the truth of his gospel; and that all shall be convinced, that he is Lord of all, at the last day: so that he may spare his pains of proving such unquestionable things. Something else is
extremely desirous to follow; but indignation must be -bridled. 2. For that clause ih the second proposition,
(by virtue of his death and ransom given) we deny, that it is any where in the Scripture once intimated, that the ransom paid by Christ in-his death for us, was the cause of “his exaltation to be Lord of all: it was his obedience to his Father in his death, and not his satisfaction for us, that is proposed as the antecedent of this exaltation, as is apparent, PAz/, ii. 7 — 11.
ARGUMENT YI.
c That which may be. proved in and by the Scripture, both by plain sentences therein and necessary consequences imported thereby, without wrestling, wrangling, adding to, taking from, or altering the sentences and words of Scripture, is a truth to be believed, Matt. xxii. 29. 32. Rom. xi. 2. 5,6. But that Jesus Christ gave himself a ransom for all men, and by the grace of God tasted death for every man, may be proved in and by the Scripture, both by plain sentences therein, and necessary consequences ae aes thereby; without wrestling, wrangling, add-
, or taking away, or altering the words and sentences; as - already showed, chap. vii. xili., which will be now ordered into several proofs. Therefore that Jesus Christ gave himself for all men, and by the grace of God tasted death for every man, is a truth to be believed, Wark, i. Ne and xvi. 14 — 18. 1 John. iv. 14.”
Answ. lst, The meaning of. this argument. is, that universal redemption may be proved by the Scripture ;-which being the very thing in question, and the thesis undertaken to be. proved y ‘there is no reason why itself should make an argument, but only to make up a number. And for my part they should pass, without any further answer than that they are a number; but that those who are the number, are to be considered.
Qdly, Concerning the argument itself, seeing it must go for one, we say,
1. To the first proposition, that laying aside the unnecessary expressions, the meaning of it I take to he this, wiz. That which is affirmed in the Scripture, or may be deduced from thence by just consequence, following such ways of interpretation, of affirmation, and consequences, as by which the Spirit of God leadeth us into the knowledge of the truth, is certainly to be believed: which is granted of all, though not proved by the places he quoteth (A@a7¢. xxii.
32. Rom. xi. 2. 5, 6.); and is the only foundation of that “pee of faith, ‘which you seek to oppose.
. To the. second; that Christ gave himself a. ransom inip naveav for all, and tasted death dnp novos for all, is the very word of Seripture, and was never denied by any: the making of all, to be all men, and every man in both the places aimed at, is your addition, and not the Scripture’s assertion. If you intend then to prove that Christ gave himself a ransom for all, and tasted death for all, you may save your labours; it is “confessed on all hands, none ever denied it. But if you intend to prove those all to be all, and every man, of all ages, and kinds, elect, and repr obate, and not all his children, all his Blect, all bis sheep, all his people, all the children given him of God, some of all sorts nations, tongues, and languages only: I will by the Lord’s assistance, willingly join issue with you, or any man breathing, to search out the meaning of the word and mind of God in its; holding ourselves to the proportion of faith, essentiality of the doctrine of redemption, scope of the places where such assertions are, comparing them with other places, and the like ways; labouring in all humility to find the mind of the Lord, according to his own ap- pointment. And of the success of such a trial, laying aside such failings as will adhere to my personal weakness, I am by the grace of God exceedingly confident; having by his goodness received some strength and opportunity to search into, and seriously to weigh, whatever the most famous assertors of universal redemption, whether Lutherans or Arminians, have been able to say in this cause.
For the present, I address myself to what is before me: only desiring the reader to observe, that the assertion to be proved is this, wz. that Jesus Christ, according to the counsel and will of his Father, suitable to his purpose of salvation in his own mind and intention, did by his death and oblation, pay a ransom for all and every man, elect and reprobate, both those that are saved and those that perish, to redeem them from sin, death, and hell, to recover salvation, life and immortality, for them; and not only for his elect or church, chosen to an inheritance before the foundation of the world. To confirm this, we have divers proofs produced; which, by the Lord’s assistance, we shall consider in order.
Proof ist. God so loved the world, that he gave his Son to be the Saviour of the world, 1 John iv. 14. and sends. his servant to bear witness of his Son, that all men through him might believe, fohn i. 4, 7. That whovobwer believes on him, might have- everlasting life, Fohn iii: 16. 17. And he is willing, that all should come to the knowledge of the truth, 1 Z%m. ii. 4.and be saved, 1 Tm 4,15. Nor will he be wanting in the sufficiency of helpful- “ness to them, if as light comes they will suffer themselves to be wrought on and to receive it, Prov..i. 23. and viii. 4, 5. And is not this plain i in Seripture: Cis
nsw. 1. The main, yea, indeéd, only inne to be proved {as we before observed) i is that those indefinite propositions, which we find in the Scripture concerning — the death of Christ, are to be understood ‘universally; that the terms ad, and world, do signify in this business, when they denote the object of the death of Christ, all and every man in the world: unless this be done, all other labour is altogether useless and fruitless. - Now to this there is nothing at all urged, in this pretended proof; but only a few ambiguous places barely recited, with’a false collection from “being or observations upon them which they give no colour to. For (1.) as to 1 John iv.. 14. God’s sending his Son to be the Saviour of the world, and his servant to testify it, is nothing but to be the Saviour of men living in the world, which his elect are; an hundred such places as’ these, so clearly interpreted as - they are in other places, would make nougns at all to the purpose.
(2.) The next place: is, John i. 4.7. Werse’4. imports that Christ was the life of men, which is most true; no life being to be had for any man, but only in and through him;; but this is not at all to the question. The next words of verse 7. are, that all men through him might believe; which words, being thrust in to piece up a sense with another fraction. of Scripture, seem to have some weight; as though Christ were sent, that all men through him might believes a goodly show;; seeming no less to make for universal redemption, than the Scripture, cited by the devil (after he had cut off part of it) did, for our Saviour’s casting himself from the pinnacle of the temple. But if you cast aside the. sophistry of the old serpent, the expression of this place is not a little available, to invalidate the’thesis sought to be’ maintained by it.:
The words are: There was a.man sent from God, whose name was John; the same came. for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might be — lieve. Now who do you think is there 1 meant by 6; dveg through him; is it Christ. think you, the light; or John, the witness of the light?“Certainly J ohn, as almost all expositors do agree, except some among the Popish, and Grotius, that Ishmael: .so the Syriac interpreter, reading,. by his hand, or ministry. So the word infers: for we are not said to believe dia Xpisd by Christ, or as it should be here, dia 7% pato’s by the lght; but Fis zo ous, John xii. 36, in the ght, not by it; and én cov xv’ptory Acts 1x. 42. believed in the Lord; so also Rom. ix. 33. 5 nes 6 mustviy én? dura every one that believeth on him So iv Xpesg in divers places, is 7m Aim: but no mention of believing by Aim; 3 which rather denotes the instrument. of believing, as is the ministry. of the word, yen the object of faith, as. Christ is.
This being apparent, let us see what is affirmed of J ohn; why he was sent, that all through .him might believe. Now this word ail here, hath all the qualifications which our author requireth for it, to be always esteemed a certain expression of a: collective universality; that it is spoken of God, &c. And who I pray you were these all, that were intended to be brought to the faith by the ministry of John? were they not only all those .that lived through the world in his.days, who preached (a few years) in Judea only; but also all those that were dead before his nativity, and. that were born after his death; and shall be to, the end of the.world, in any place. under heaven.2- Let them that can believe it, enjoy their persuasion, with this assurance, that I will never be their rival, being fully persuaded that by. all men here, is meant only. some of all sorts to whom his word did. come: so that the.necessary sense of the word ail, here, i is wholly destructive to the REPposigrs For what is ined from Folte: ili. 16, 17.
d that God so sent his Son, that whosoever believeth in him should have everlasting life; as far as I know it is not under debate, as to the sense of it among Christians.
(3.) For God’s willingness that all ‘should be: saved,
1 T%m. ii. 4. (to which 1 Zim. 1.15. is needlessly added to make a show; that text being quite to another purpose:) taking all men there, for the universality of individuals; then I ask, [1.] What act is it of God, wherein this his willingness doth consist ?- is it in the eternal purpose of his will, that all should be saved? why then is it not accomplished’:? who hath resisted his will? Is it in an antecedent desire that it should be so, though he fails in the end? then is the blessed God most miserable; it being not in him, to accomplish his just and holy desires. Is it some temporary act of his, whereby he hath declared himself unto them? then I say, grant that salvation is only to be had in a Redeemer, in Jesus Christ, and give me an instance how God, in any act whatsoever, hath declared his mind and rev @aied himself to all men of all times and places, concerning his willingness of their salvation by Jesus Christ a Redeemer: and I will never more trouble you, in this cause. [2.] Doth this will, equally respect the all intended, or doth it not ?. If it doth, why hath it not equal effects towards all:? what reason can be assigned? if it doth not, whence shall that appear? there is nothing in the text to intimate any such diversity.
For our parts, by all men, we understand some of all sorts throughout the world; not doubting but that, to the equal reader, we have made it so appear from the context and circumstances of the place: the will of God there, being that mentioned by our Saviour. Yon vi. 40. That which follows i in the close of this proof, of God’s not being wanting in the sufficiency of helpfulness to them who,
“as light comes, ‘suffer themselves to be wrought upon and receive it, is a poisonous sting in the tail.of “the serpent: wherein is couched the whole Pelagian poison: of free-will, and Popish. merit of congruity + with Arminian sufficient grace, in its whole extent and universality; to neither of which, there is-the i witness given in the plete produced. Thus,
2. The sum and meaning “of dhe ote nasuhine is, that that there is an universality of sufficient grace granted to all, even of grace subjective, enabling them to obedience; which receives addition, increase, degrees, and augmentation, according as they who have it, do make use of what they presently enjoy :-which is a position so contradictory to innumerable places of Scripture, so derogatory to the — free grace of God, so destructive to the efficacy of it, such a clear exaltation of the old idol free-will into the throne of God, as any thing that the decaying estate of christianity hath invented and broached. So far is it from being plain and clear in Seripture, that it is universally repugnant to the whole dispensation of the new covenant, revealed to us therein: which if ever the Lord call me to, I hope very clearly to demonstrate. For the present, it belongs not immediately to the business‘in hand, and therefore I leave it: coming to... ., Pay wey
Proof .2d. Jesus Christ.the.Son of God came into the world, to save the world, Join xii. 47. to save sinners, - 1 Tim, i, 15. to take away our sins, and destroy the works of the devil, 1 John iii. 5. 8. to take away the sins of the world, Sohn i i. 29. and therefore died for all, 2: Gorse 14, 15. “and gave himself a ransom for all, 1 Tim: it. 6. to save that which. was lost, Mafth. xviii. 11. and-so his propitiation was made for the world, 2 Cor. y. 19. the whole world, 1 ohn il. 2. Heten gs all this i is at and plain in Scripture.’””
Insw. Those places of this ed oho there is mention of all or world, e Yohn xit. AT. Fohn i. 29. 2 Cor. Veda Soe DD ii 166.25 Cote, Vic Vs A Fohn i li, 2. have been already a. and I am unwilling to trouble the reader with erp ine: see the places, and I doubt’ not but you will find, that they are so far from giving any strength to the-thing intended to be proved by him, that they “much rather evert it.- For the rest, 1 zm. i. 15. Matth. xvitiv 1. 1 Fohn iii. 5. 8. how any thing can be extracted from them, to give colour to the universality of redemption, I cannot see: what they make aBAneh ity hath been declared. Pass we then to. Proof. 3d. «*God in Christ doth, in some means or other of his appointment, give some witness to all men of his mercy and goodness procured by Christ, Psal. xix. 6.
ee a Rom. x. 8. Acts xiv. 17. and there-through, at one time or other, sendeth forth some stirrings of his’ Spirit, to move in and knock at the hearts of men, to invite them ‘to repentance and seeking God, and ‘so to lay hold on the grace and salvation’ offered; and this not in a show or pretence, but in truth and good will, ready to bestow it on them: and this is all fully testified in Scripture, Gen. vi. Isa. xlv, 22. Acts xvii. 30, 31. John i. 19.7?’
Answ. Parvas habet spes Troja, si tales habet: if the universality of redemption have need of such proofs as these, it hath indeed great need, and little hope of supportment. ‘Universal vocation is here: asserted, to maintain universal redemption ;( Manus manum fricat; or Yrather, Mula@ se mutuo scabiunt:;) this being called in oftentimes, to support the other; and they are both the two legs of ‘that idol, free will, which is set up for men to worship; and when one stumbles, the other steps forward, to uphold the Babel. Of universal vocation, (a gross figment) I shall not now entreat: but only say for the “present,
1. That it is true that God at all times, ever since the creation, hath called men to the knowledge of himself as the great Creator, in those things which of him, by the means of the visible creation, might be known; even his eternal power and God-head, Se xbee i. 19, 20,“” Psdl. XIX. 1, 2. Acts xlvi 17.
—2. That after the death of Christ, fi did, by the pirelick ing ef the gospel extended far and wide, call home to him- self the children of God, scattered abroad in the world; whereas his elect were before confined almost to one na- .tion: giving a right for the gospel to be preached to every creature, Mark xvi. 15. Rom. ms 16. dsa. “iv. 6 227 Acts xvil. 30, 31.. But,
3. That God should at all times, in all places, in all ages, grant means of grace, or call to Christ as a Redeemer, or toa participation of his mercy and goodness in him manifested, with strivings and motions of his Spirit, for men to close with those invitations; is so gross and groundless an imagination, so opposite to God’s distinguishing mercy, so contradictory to express places of Scripture and the experience of all ages, as I wonder how iad man hath the boldness to assert it, much more to produce it asa proof of an untruth more gross than itself. Were I not resolved to tie myself to the present controversy, I should not hold from producing some reasons to evert this fancy, something may be done hereafter, if the Lord prevent not, in the mean time, let the reader consult Psal. exlvii. 19, 20. Matih. xi. 25. and xxii. 14. cts xiv. 16. and xvi. 7. Rom. x. 14, 15. We pass to
Proof 4th. “The Holy Ghost that cometh from the Father and the Son, shall reprove the world of sin-(even that part of the world that. refuseth now to believe, that they are under sin,) because that they believe not on Christ; and that it is their sin that they have not believed on bine and how could it be their sin not to believe in Christ, and they for that cause under sin, if there were neither enough in the atonement made by Christ for them, nor truth in God’s offer of mercy to them, nor will, nor power in the Spirit’s moving, in any sort sufficient to have brought them to believe, at one time or other, and yet is this evident in Scripture, and shall be by the holy Spirit, to be their great sin, that fastens all other sins on them, Jofn iil. 18, 19. and vill. 24, and xil. 48. and XV. 22, 24, and xvi. 8, 9, 10, 11.”
Answ. 1 The intention of this proof is to show that men shall be condemned for their unbelief, for not believing in Christ; which (saith the author) cannot be, unless three things be granted: First, that there be enough in the atonement made by Christ for them; Secondly, that there be truth in God’s offer of mercy to them; Thirdly, that there be sufficient will and power given them by the Spirit, at some time or other, to believe. Now, though I believe no man can jperceive what may be concluded hence for the universality of redemption, yet I shall observe some few things: and
(1.) To the first thing required, I say, that if ey enough in the atonement for them, you understand that the ie. ment which was made for them hath enough init; deny it: not because the atonement hath not enough i in it 3 for them, but because the atonement was not for them. If you mean that there isa sufficiency in the merit of Christ to save. them, if they should believe, we grant it,
pd2
318 Objections particularly answered, Pook IV
and aflirm that this sufficiency is the chief ground of the
proposing it unto them, (understanding those to whom it is proposed, that is, those to whom the gospel is preached. )
(2.) To the second; that there is truth, asin all the ways and words of God; so in his offer of mercy to whomsoever it is offered. If we take the command to believe, with the promise of life upon so doing, for an offer of mercy, there is an eternal truth in it; which is, that God will assuredly bestow life and salvation upon all believers, the proffers being immediately declarative of our duty, and of the bableatenation of faith and life; and not at all of God’s intention towards the particular soul to whom the proffer is made, for who hath known the mind of God, and who hath been his counsellor.
(3.) To the third; the Spirit’s giving will or power; Tsay; [1.] that if you set the cart before the horse, placing will before power. [2.] I deny that any internal assistance is required, to render a man inexcusable for not believing, if he have the object of faith propounded to
him, though of himself he have neither power nor will so.
to do, having lost both in Adam [3.] How a man may have given him a will to believe, and yet not believe, I pray declare, the next controversy you undertake.
2. This being observed, I shall.take leave to put this
proof into such form as alone it is capable of, that the
strength thereof may appear. And it is this, if the Spirit shall convince all those of sin to whom the gospel is preached, that they do not believe; then Christ died for all men, both those that have the gospel preached unto them, and those that have not; but the first is true, for their unbelief is their great sin; ergo, Jesus Christ died for all: which if any, is an argument a baculo ad angu-Jum from the beam to the shuttle.. The places of Scripture, John iii. 18, 19. and vill. 24. and xii. 48. and xv. 22, 24. prove that liabelict is a soul- condemning sin, and that for which they shall be condemned in whom it is privative, by their having the Beepel preached to them, but quidad nos.
3. One place is more ssa and consequently more abused, than the-rest; and therefore must be a a clean ho — = ed, it is John xvi. 7, 8,9, 10,11. The words are, I will send the comforter unto you, and when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because J go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. Now it is uncertain, whether. our author understands the words, of the Spirit in and with Christ at the last day, or in and with the ministry of the word now in the days of the gospel, if the first, he is fully mistaken; if the latter, then the conviction here meant intends only those to whom the gospel is preached, and what that will advantage universal redemption, which compriseth -all as well before as after the death of Christ, I know not. But it is likewise uncertain, whether he supposeth this conviction of the Spirit to attend the preaching of the gospel only; or else to consist in. strivings and motions, even in them who never hear the word of the gospel, if he mean the latter, we wait for a proof. Moreover, it is uncertain, whether he supposeth those thus convinced, to be converted and brought to the faith, by that conviction and that attending effectualness of grace, or not.
But omitting those things, that text being brought forth and insisted on, further to manifest how little reason there was for its producing, I shall briefly open the meaning of the words. Our Saviour Christ intending, in this his last sermon, to comfort his apostles in their present sad condition, whereto they were brought by his telling them that he must leave them to go to his Father, which sorrow and sadness he knew full well would be much increased, when they should behold the vile ignominious way whereby their Lord and Master should be taken from them, with all those reproaches and persecutions which would attend them so deprived of him; he bids them not be troubled, nor filled with sorrow and fear, for all this, assuring them, that all this loss, shame, and reproach, should be abundantly made up, by what he would do for them and bestow upon them, when his bodily presence should be removed from them. And as to that particular, which was the head of all, that he should be so vilely rejected and taken out of the world, as a false teacher and seducer; he telleth them that he will send darov nopaxanrov, John xiv. 16. another Comforter; one that shall weartiam nevare operam, (as Tertul.) be unto them in his stead, to fill them with all that consolation, whereof by his absence they might be deprived: and not only so, but also to be: present with them in other greater things, than any he had as yet employed them about. This again he puts them in mind of, chap, xvi. 7. Now 6 xapaxay7os who is there promised, is properly an Advocate; that is, one that pleadeth the cause of a person who is guilty or accused before any tribunal, and is opposed 7& xaryyopd, Rev. xii. 10. and so is this word by us translated, 1 John ii. 1. Christ then here telleth them, that as he will be their Advocate with the Father, so he will send them an Advocate to plead his cause which they professed, with the world, that is, those men in the world, which had so vilely traduced and condemned him asa seducer, laying it as a reproach upon all his followers. This doubtless, though (in some respect) it be continued to all ages in the ministry of the word, yet principally intended the plentiful effusion of the Spirit upon the apostles at Pentecost, after the ascension of our Saviour, which also is made more apparent, by the consideration of what he affirmeth that the Advocate so sent shall do, viz.
[1.] He will reprove, or rather evidently convince the world of sin; because they believed not on him: which surely he abundantly did, in that sermon of Peter, Acts ii. when the enemies themselves and haters of Christ were so reproved and convinced of their sin, that upon the pressing urgency of that conviction, they cried out (ver. 37.) Men and brethren what shall we do? Then was the world brought to a voluntary confession of the sin of murdering Jesus Christ. iv
[2.| He shall do- the same of righteousness, because Christ went to his Father; not for the world’s own righteousness, to reprove it of that, because it is not, but he shall convince the men of the world, who condemned Christ as a seducer, of his righteousness, that he was not ablasphemer as they pretended, but the Son of God as
himself witnessed, which they shall be forced to acknow-.
ledge; when by the effusion and pouring out of the Spirit
ae upon his apostles, it shall be made evident that he is gone to and received of his Father, and owned by him, as the centurion did, presently upon his death.
[3.] He shall convince the world of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged: manifesting to all those of whom he speaketh, that he whom they despised as the carpenter’s son, and bade come down from the cross if he could, is exalted to the right-hand of God, having all judgment committed to him, having beforehand, in his death, judged, sentenced, and overcome Satan the prince of this world, the. chief instigator of his crueifiers, who had the power of death. And this I take to be the clear, genuine meaning of this place, not excluding the continued efficacy of the Spirit; working in the same manner (though not to the same degree) for the same end, in the ministry of the word, to the end of the world. But what this is, to universal redemption, let them that can understand it, keep it to themselves, for I am confident, they will never be able to make it out to others.
Proof 5th. “God hath testified, both by his word and his oath, that he would. that his Son should so far save, as to work redemption for all men; and likewise that he should bring all to’ the knowledge of the truth, that there-through redemption might be wrought in and upon them, 1 Timii 4. with ohn ili. 17. So he willeth not, nor hath any pleasure in the death of him (even the wicked) that dieth, but rather that he turn and live, Ezeé. xviii. 23, 32. and’xxxiii, 11. And dareany of us say, the God of tr uth saith and sweareth that, of which he hath no inward and serious meaning? Oh far be such blasphemy from us.
Answ. 1. This assertion, that God testifieth by his word and oath, that he would that Christ should so far save us,. &e: isa bold calling of God to witness that which he never affirmed, nor did it ever enter into his heart, for he hath revealed his will, that Christ should save to the utmost them that come to him, and not save so far or so far, as is boldly, ignorantly, and falsely intimated. Let men beware of provoking God to their own confusion; he will not be a witness to the lie of false hearts.
2. That Christ should so bring all to the knowledge of the truth, that therethro’ redemption might be wrought in and upon them, is another bold corruption of the word, and false witness-bearing in the name of God: is it a small thing for you, to weary and seduce men; will he weary our God also?
3, For places of Scripture corrupted, to the sense imposed: in Yohn iii. 17.-God is said to send his Son, that the world through him might be-saved; not be saved so far or so far, but saved from foie sins, Matth. i. 21. and to the uttermost, Hed. vii. 25. so that the world of God’s elect, who only are so saved, is only there to be understood; as hath been proved. In 1 Zim. 11. 4. there is something of the will of God, for the saving of all sorts of men as hath been declared; nothing condueing to the bold assertion used in this place. ‘s
4, To those are added that of Ezek. xviii. 23. that God hath-not any pleasure. at all that the wicked should die; and ver. 32. no pleasure in the death of him that dieth; (with chup. xxxill. 11.) Now, tho’ these texts are exceeding useless to the business in hand, and: might possibly have some colour of universal vocation, but none of universal redemption; there being no mention of Christ or his death, in the place from whence they are cited;: yet, because our adversaries are frequently knitting knots from this place, to inveigle and hamper the simple, I shall add some few observations upon.it, to clear the meaning of the text, and demonstrate, how it belongs nothing at all to: the business 3 in hand. And,
[1.] Let us consider to bem Pr of whom inven words are spoken. Is it to and of.all men; or only the house of - Israel? doubtless these last; they are only intended, they only are spoken to; hear now, O house of Israel, ver. 25. Now will it. follow, that bepauise God saith he deliehts not in the death of the house of Israel, to whom he revealed his mind and required their repentance and conversion; that therefore-he saith so, of all, even those to whom he never revealed his will by such ways as to them, nor called to repentance, Psal. exlvii. 19, 20. So that the very ground work of the whole conclusion is s removed by this first observation.
[2.] That God willeth not the death of a sinner, is, either God purposeth and determineth he shall not die; or, God commandeth that he shall do those things wherein he may live. If the first; why are they not all saved? why do the sinners die? for there is an immutability in the counsel of God, Hed. vi. 17. His counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure, Isa. xlvi. 10. If the latter way, by commanding; then the sense is, that the Lord commandeth, that those whom he calleth should do their duty, that they may not die, (although he knows, that thus they cannot do without his assistance:). now what this makes to general redemption, I know not.
[3.] To add no more, this whole place, Gaith the scope, aim, and intention of the prophet in it) is miserably mistaken by our adversaries; and wrested to that; whereof there is not the least thought in the text.. The words are a part of the answer which the Lord gives to the repining Jews; concerning their proverb, — The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge. Now, about what did they. use this proverb? ‘Why? concerning the land of Israel, vers. 2, the land of their habitation; which was laid waste by the sword (as they affirmed) for the sins of their fathers, themselves being innocent. So that it is about God’s temporal judgments, in over turning their land and nation, that this dispute is: where the Lord justifieth himself, in declaring the equity of these judgments, by reason of their sins; even those sins, for which the land- devoured them and spewed them out; telling them that his judgment is, that for.such things they should surely die, their blood should. be upon them, vers. 13. they should be slain with the sword, and cut off by those judgments which they had.deserved.. Not that the shedding of their blood, and casting out of their carcases, was a ‘thing in itself so pleasurable or desirable to him, as that he did it only for his own will: for let them leave their abominations, and try pacines their lives were not prolonged in peace.
This being the plain genuine scope and meaning of this place, at the first view presenting itself to every unprejudiced man; I have often admiteds how so many strange conclusions for a general purpose of showing mercy to. all, universal vocation, and redemption, have been wrested from it: as also, how it came to be produced; to give co-
324 Objections particularly answered, BooklV.
lour to that heap. of blesphemy: which our author calleth his fifth proof. — :
Proof 6th, “The very words and phrases used by the Holy Ghost in Scripture, speaking of the death of Christ and the ransom and propitiation;.to whom it belongs, and who may seck it, and in believing find life; implies no less than all men. As to instance; All nations, Matth. Xxviii.19,20. The ends of the earth,/sa, xlv. 22. and xlix. 6. Every creature, Mark xvi. 15. “All, 2 Cor Neb, 15. 1 Tim. ii. 6.. Every man, Hed. ii. 9. The world, John Mii. 16, 17.2 Cor..v.19: The whole. world, 1 Tpaet ity 2. That which was lost, Luke xix.10. Sinners, Matth. ix.13. Unjust, 1 Pet. iii. 18. Ungodly, Rom. vy. 6. And that whosoever of these repent and believe in Christ, shall receive his grace, Fohn ui. 16,18. Acts x. 43, Now all these being so often and indifferently used; were it not pride and error, to devise glosses to restrain the sense the PAR: ture holdeth forth, so full and large for all men?; Answ. 1. This argument, taken from the words and phrases whereby the object of the death of Christ is in the — Scripture expressed, is that which filleth up both pages of this book; being repeated, and most of the places here cited, urged an. haodred times over; -and, yet it is so far Snr being any pressing argument, as that indeed it is nothing but a a bare naked repetition ‘of the thing in debate, concluding according to his own persuasion. For the main query between us is, whether the words all and the world, be to be taken. universally: he saith so, and he saith so, which is all the proof we have; repeating over the thing to be proved, instead of a proof; for, those places where all, every man, the world, the whole world, are used; we have had them over and over,.and they have been considered: and for those places which affirm Christ to die for sinners, ungodly, that which is lost, &c. as, Luke xix. 10.
Matth. ix. 13. 1, Pet, “iii..18. Rom. v. 6. T have before declared, how exceedingly unserviceable they are to universal redemption.
2. For those expressions, of all nations, Matth. XXViil. 19. every creature, Murk xvi. 15. used concerning them to whom the gospel is commanded to be preached; I say, (1.) That they do not comprise all individuals, nay not all nations at all times, much less all singular persons of all nations, if we look upon the accomplishment or the fulfilling of that. command: for de facto the gospel was never so preached to all; although there be a fitness and suitableness in the dispensation thereof, to be so preached to all, as was declared. (2.) The command of preaching the cospel to-all, doth not in the least manner prove, that Christ died asesty an intention to redeem all; but it, hath other grounds, and other ends, as hath Me a manifeste t. (3.) That the ransom belongs to all, to whom it is proposed, we deny; there be other ends of that proposal: and Christ will say to some of them, that he never knew them; therefore certainly he did not lay down his life for them.
Moreover, the ends of the earth, Jsa. xlv. 22. are those that look up to God, from all parts, and are saved; which surely are not all anid every one. And Christ being g given to be a salvation unto the end of the earth, chap. xlike 6.
is to do no more among the Gentiles, than God promiseth in the same place that he shall do for bis own people;
even to gather the preserved of Israel: so shall he hear
forth the salvation of God, and gather the preserved remnant of his elect, to the gnds of the earth.
3. And now, I hope I need not mind the Sntetligent reader, that the author of these collections could not have invented a more ready way for the ruin of the thesis which he seeks to maintain; than by producing these places of Scripture last recounted, for the confirmation of it; granting that all, and the world, are no more than all the ends of the earth, mentioned in Jsa. xlv. 22, and xlxix. 6, it being evident beyond denial, that by these expressions in both these places, only the sleet of God and believers are —
clearly intimated: so, that interpreting the one by the other, in those places where all and the world are spoken of, those only are intended. If pride and error had not taken full possession of the minds of men, they could not so far deny their own sense and reason, as to contradict themselves, and the plain texts of Scripture, for the maintenance of their false and corrupt opinions.
Proof 7th. “That whereas there are certain high and peculiar privileges of the $ mpi eeniined in the New Tes-: ‘:
tament sealed by the blood of Christ; which. belong not to all men, but only to the saints, the edtied and chosen of the Lord; and when they are alone distinetly mentioned are even 30 spoken of, as belonging to them only, Matth. sin PY, Vohn xiv. 17, 2922529, 8 xvi,” Pay 1a tor Xvil. 19, 20, Acts ii 38, 39. 1 Cor. ii. 9, 14. Heb. ix. 15. and viii. tot. 1 Pet. ii. 3.9. Yet many of these peculiar privileges are so spoken of, as joined together with the ransom and propitiation which belongs to all; then are they not spoken of in such a restraining and exclusive manner, or with such appropriating words; but so, and with such words, as room is left to apply the ransom to all men, in speech. “And withal, so hold out the privileges to them that believe, that are proper to them; that they may both have their comfort and especial hope; and also hold forth the ransom, and keep open the door for others, in belief and receipt of the propitiation to come in, and partake with them. And so it is said, for his sheep, and for many; but no where only but for his sheep, or but only for many. Which isa strong proof of the ransom for all men; as is shown chap. ui. x.”’
nsw. The strength of this proof as to the business in hand, is wholly hid from me; neither do I see how it may receive any such tolerable application, as to deserve — the name of a proof, as to the main thesis intended to be maintained. ‘The force which it hath, is in an observation, which if it hath any sense, is neither true, nor once attempted to be made good; for,
1. That there are peculiar high privileges belonging to ‘the saints and called of God, is a thing which needs no proof: Amongst these, is the death of Christ for them, not as saints but elect; which, by the benefit of that death and blood-shedding, are to be made saints, and accounted to be the holy ones of God; for he redeemed his church with his own blood, .2cts xx. 28. loved and gave himself for it, Ephes. v. 25. even us, 72d. ii, 14. And divers of those privileges here intimated, are expressly assigned unto them as elect; such as those, ee xvu.19, 20. Amongst which also, as in the same rank with then; is reckoned Christ’s san etifying himself for their sakes; that is to be an ob- — Tation, verse 19, dn a word, all peculiar saving privileges belong only to God’s elect; purchased for them, and them alone, by the blood of Jesus Christ, Hphes..1. 3, 4.
2, For the other part of the observation, that where mention is made of these together with the ransom, there is room left to extend the ransom to all; I answer, (1.) This is said indeed, but not once attempted to be proved; we have but small cause to believe the author, in a thing of this importance, upon his bare word. (2.) For the leaving of room for the application: I perceive that if it be not left, ye will make it though ye jostle the true sense of the Scripture quite out of its place. (3.) I have already showed, that where many are mentioned, the ransom only (as ye use to speak) is expressed; as also where sheep are spoken of; and the like is said where the word al/is.used, so that there is not the least difference. (4.) In divers places the ransom of Christ, and those other peculiar privileges, {which indeed are fruits of it,) are so united together, as it is impossible to apply the latter to some, and the other to all, being all of them restrained to his saved ones, only. As in Rev. v. 9,:10. the redemption of his people by the ransom of his blood, and the making them kings and priests are united, and no room left for the extending of the ransom to all: it being punctually assigned to those saved erowned ones, distinguished from the rest of the nations and languages from among whom they were.taken, who were passed by 1 in the payment of the ransom: which is directly opposite to all the sense which I can observe, in this observation. (5) Of sheep and sheep only, enough before.
Proof 8th, «The restoration wrought by Christ in his own body for mankind, is set forth in Scripture to be as large and full for all men, and of as much force, as the fall of the first Adam by and in himself for all men: in which respect the first Adam is said to have been a figure of Christ the second Adam, Rom. iii. 22, 23, 24. and v. 12, 1A4abBa 1 Cor, Me 21, 22. 45, 46, 47. As is before shown, chap. vill.’
“insw. 1. It is most true, that Christ and Adam are compared together, (in respect of the righteousness of the one communicated to them that are his; and the disobediénce and transgression of the other, in like manner communicated to all them that are of him,) in some of the places here mentioned: as Rom. v. 12.18. But evidently, the comparison is not instituted: (between the righteousness of Christ and the disobedienée of Adam) éextensively in respect of the object; but intensively in respect of the efficacy of the one and the other: the apostle asserting the effectualness of the righteousness of Christ unto justification, to answer the prevalency of the sin of Adam unto condemnation; that even as the transgression of Adam brought a guilt of condemnation, upon all them that are his natural seed, so the righteousness of Christ procured the free gift of grace unto justification, towards all them that are his, his spiritual seed, that were the children given unto him of his Father.
2. This text 1 Cor. xv. 21, 22. speaketh of the resur- - rection from the dead, and that only of believers: for though he mentions them as ald, verse 22. in Christ shall all be made alive; yet verse 23. he plainly interprets those all, to be all that are Christ’s. Not but that the other dead shall rise also: but that it is a resurrection to glory, by virtue of the resurrection of Christ, which the apostle here treats of; which certainly all shall not have.
3. The comparison between Christ and Adam, verse
45. (to speak nothing of the various reading of that place) is only in respect of the principles which they had and were entrusted withal, to communicate to others: Adam a living soul, or a living creature; there was in him a prinelple of life natural, to be commuricated to his posterity Christ a quickening Spirit; giving life, grace and spirit, to his seed. And here I would desire that it may be observed, that all the comparison that is any where institutad between Christ and Adam, still comes to one head and aims at one thing, viz. that they were as two common stocks or roots; communicating to them that are ingrafted into them, (that is, into Adam naturally, by generation 5 into Gheist spiritually, by regeneration;) that. mHatecith they were replenished: Adam, sin, guilt, and disobedience; Christ, righteousness, peace, and justification. For the number of those that do thus receive these things, from one and the other, the consideration of it is exceedae ingly alien from the scope, aim, and end of the apostle, in the places where the comparison is instit ited.
4. It is true in Rom. iii. 23. it is said, all have sinned, and come.short of the glory of God; which’the apostle had at large proved before, thereby to manifest that there was no salvation to be attained but only by Jesus Christ: but if you will ask, to whom this righteousness of Christ is extended, and that redemption which is in his blood, he telleth you plainly, it is unto all and upon all them that believe, verse 22. whether they be Jew or Gentile; for there is no difference.:
Proof 9th. “The Lord Jesus Christ hath sent and commanded his servants to preach the gospel to all nations, to every creature; and to tell them withal, that whoever believeth and is baptized shall be saved, Matth. XXviil. 19, 20. Mark xvi. 15, 16. and his servants have so preached to all, 2 Cor. v. 19. Rom. x. 13.18. And our Lord Jesus Christ will make it to appear one day, that he hath not sent his servants upon a false errand, nor put a lie in their mouths, nor wished them to dissemble, in offering that to all which they knew belonged but to some, even to fewest of all, but to speak truth, dsa. xliv. 26. and lxi. 8. 1 Zim. i. 12.
Answ. 1.. The strength of this proof is not easily apparent, nor manifest wherein it lieth; in what part or words of it. For, (1.) It is true, Christ commandeth his apostles to preach the gospel to all nations, and every creature: to tell them, that whosoever believeth, shall be saved, Matth. xxviii. 19, 20. Mark xvi. 15,16. That is, without distinction of persons or nations, to call all men, (to whom the providence of God should direct them, and from whom the Spirit of God should not withhold them, as from these, cfs xvi. 6,’7.) warning them to repent and believe the gospel. (2.) It is also true, that in obedience unto this command, his servants did beseech men so to do, and to be reconciled unto God; even all over the nations, without distinction of any, but where they were forbidden, as above; labouring to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, and not to tie it up to the confines of Jewry, 2 Cor. vy. 19,20 Rom. x. 18. (3.) Most certain also it is, that the Lord Jesus. Christ sent not Ee 2 his servants with a lie, to offer that to all, which belonged only to some; but to speak the truth, of which there nee {s no proof. But now, what can be concluded from hence for universal redemption, is not easily discernib e.
2. Perhaps some will say, it is in this; that if Christ did — not die for all to whom the word is preached, then how ean they that preach it, offer Christ to all? A poor proof indeed! for, -(1.) The gospel was never preached to all and every one; nor is there any such thing affirmed in the places cited: and yet ye are to prove, that’Christ died for all, as well those that never hear of the gospel, as
those that do. (2.) What do the preachers of the gospel offer to them, to whom the word is preached? is it not life and salvation through Christ, upon the condition of faith and repentance? And doth not the truth of this offer consist in this, that every one that believeth shall be saved? And doth not that truth stand firm and inviolable, so long as there is an all-sufficiency in Christ, to save -all that come unto him? Hath God entrusted the ministers of the gospel with his intentions, purpose and counsels; or with his commands and promises? Is it a lie to tell men, that he that believeth shall be saved; though Christ did not die for some of them? Such proofs as these, had need be well proved themselves, or they will conclude the thing intended, very weakly.
viProof 10th. The Lord ‘willeth believers, to pray even for the unjust and their persecutors, Matth. v. 44, 48. Luke vi. 28, yea even for all men; yea even for kings and all in authorily, when few in authority loved Christianity: yet he said, not some of that sort, but for all in authority;’and that on this ground, it is good in the sight of God, who will have all men saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth, Luke x. 5. 1 Tin. iin 1. 4. Surely there is a door of life opened for all men, 2 Zim. i. 10. for God hath not said to the seed of Israel, seek ye me 1a vain, tsa. xlv. 19. He will not have hid: children pray for vain things.”
/insw. ‘The strength of this biobt lieth in supposing, t That indefinite assertions, are to be interpreted as equivalent to universal, which is false; (see Rom. iv. 5.) 2. That by add, 1 Tim. ii. 1. is not meant all sorts of men, and the word ad, not to be taken distributively; when the apostle, by an enumeration of divers sorts, gives an evident demonstration of the distribution intended. 3. That we are bound to pray for every singular man, that he may be saved; which (1.) we have no warrant, rule, precept, or example for. (2.) It is contrary to the apostolieal precept, 1 John v. 16. (3.) to our Saviour’s example, John xvii. 9. (4.) to the counsel and purpose of God, in the general made known to us, Rom. ix, 11, 12. 15. and xi. 7. So that evidently our praying for all, is but for all sorts of men, excluding none, and that those may believe, who are ordained to eternal life. 4. It supposeth, that there is nothing else that we are to pray for to men, but that they may be saved by Christ; which is apparently false, Jer. xxix. 7. And 5. that our ground of praying for any, is an assurance that Christ died for them in parti- cular; which is not true, cts vill. 22, 24. Yea, 6. it most splendidly takes for granted, that our duty is to be conformed to God’s secret mind, his purpose and coun. sel,
Until every one of these supposals be made good, which never a one of them will be very suddenly, there is no help in this proof, nor strength in this argument, viz. we must pray for all, therefore God intends by the death of Christ to save all and every one: its sophistry and weakness being apparent. From our duty to Ged’s purpose, is no good conclusion, though from his command to our duty, be most certain. anes
Proof 11th. “The Lord hath given forth his word and
promise, to be with his servants so preaching the gospel to all, and with his people so praying for all, where they come, that they may go on with confidence in both, Matth. xxviii. 20. 1 Zim. u. 3. 8. Luke x. 6, Isa. liv. 17.” Answ. That God will be with his people, whether preaching or praying, according to his will and their own duty; is as apparent, as it is that this makes nothing for universal redemption: than which, what can be more evident? re
Proof 12th. “The Lord hath already performed and made good his word to his servants and people, upon, some vs of all sorts of men, and all sorts of sinners, showing them mercy, to the very end that none might exclude themselves; but all be encouraged to repent, believe, and hope thereby, Acés ii. and ill. and viii. and ix. and x. and xi, and xvi, and xix.and xxviil. 1 Cor. vi. 10,11. 1 Tim. HG 5,16; 7-7?
Answ. If you had told us, that God had already ade good his word to his servants, in saving all and every man, and proved it clearly, you had evidently and undeniably confirmed the main opinion. But now affirming only, that he hath showed mercy to some of all sorts, and all sorts of sinners; that others of the like sort (as are the remainder of his elect yet uncalled) might be induced to believe; you have evidently betrayed your own cause, and established that of your adversaries: showing how the Lord in the event declareth on their side, saving in the blood of Jesus only some of all sorts, as they affirm; not all and every one, which your tenet leads you to. —
Proof 13th. ‘The blessing of life hath streamed in this doctrine of the love of God to mankind; yea, in the tender and spiritual discovery of the grace of God to mankind, (in the ransom given and atonement made by Christ for all men, with the fruits thereof,) hath God in the first place overcome his chosen ones to believe and turn to God, cts xiii. 48. Tétus ii. 11, 13. and iii. 4, 5.”
Answ. 1.-That the freedom of God’s grace, and. the transcendency of his eternal love towards men, with the s-nding of his Son to die for them, to recover them to himself from sin and Satan, is a most effectual motive, and (when set on by the Spirit of grace) a most certain operative principle of the conversion of God’s elect; we most willingly acknowledge: it is that wherein our hearts rejoice, whereby they were endeared, and for which we desire to return thankful obedience every moment. But that ever it was effectual, in extending this love to all, or at least that any effectualness is in that 2 geravation of ity: we utterly deny: and that, (1.) because ‘it is false, and a. corrupting of the word of God, as hath been showed, and of a lie, there can be no good consequence. (2.) It quite enervates and plucks out the efficacy of this-heavenly motive; by turning the most intense and incomparable love
Chap. VI. And places of Strinture opened. 333
of God towards his elect, into a common desire, wishing, and affection of his nature, (which indeed is opposite to his nature,) failing of its end and purpose; which might consist with the eternal destruction of all mankind, as I ‘shall abundantly demonstrate; if providence call me to the other part of this controversy, concer ning the cause of sending Jesus Christ.
2. There is nothing of this common love to all, in the
places urged: for, (1.) The grace mentioned, 7Z%¢. 11. 11, 13. is the grace that certainly brings salvation, which that common love doth not, and was the cause of sending Christ, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works: where our redemption and sanctification, is asserted to be the immediate end of the oblation of Jesus Christ; which how destructive it is to universal redemption, hath been formerly declared. (2.) So also is that love and kindness mentioned, chap. iii. 4, 5. such as whereby we receive the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, ver. 5. justification, and adoption to heirship of etanial Jife, ver. 7. which, whether it be a common ora peculiar love, let all men judge. (3.) cts xiii. 47. (for ver. 48, there cited, contains as clear a restriction of this love of God to his élect as can be desired) sets out the extent of the mercy of God in Christ, through the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles also, and not only to the Jews, as was foretold by Zsa. xlix. 6. which is far enough from giving any colour to the universality of grace; it being nothing bat the same affirmation which ye have, John xi. 52. of gathering together in one the children of God that were scattered gbroad.
Proof 14th. “Those ‘that when the gospel comes san any spiritual light therein to them, when they refuse to believe and suffer themselves to be withdrawn by other things, they are affirmed to love or choose darkness rather than light John iii. 19. (which how could it be, if no light in truth were for them?) in following living vanities, to forsake their own mercies, Jonah il. 8. to harden their own hearts, Rom. ii. 5. to lose their souls AZatth. Xvi. 26. and to destroy themselves, Hosea xiii. 9. And they being from Adam fallen into darkness, hardness, and loss of their souls, and death.passed on them, how could these things be; if by Jesus Christ no life had been attained, no atonement made, no restoration of their souls, nor means procured and used that they might be saved? God is no hard master, to gather where he hath not - strown.’”’::, y
“insw. The sum of this argument is, that those who do not believe upon the preaching of the gospel, are the causes of their own ruin and destruction; therefore, Jesus Christ died for all and every man in the world. Now though it cannot but be apprehended, that it is time cast away and labour lost, to answer such consequences as these, yet I must add a few observations, lest any seruple should remain with the weakest reader: as,
1, All have not the gospel preached to them; nay, from the beginning of the world, the greatest part of men have been passed by, in the dispensation of the means of grace, ftom. ii. 14. Acts xiv. 16. and xvii. 30. All these, then, must be left out-in this conclusion, which renders it alto- ’ gether useless, to the business in hand: for the universality of redemption falls to the ground, if any one soul be not intended in the payment of the ransom.
2. It is nota disbelieving the death of Christ for every individual soul that ever was or shall be, (which to believe is no where in Scripture required,) that is the cause of man’s destruction, but a not-believing in the ali-sufficiency of the passion and oblation of Jesus Christ for sinners, so as to accept of the mercy procured thereby, on those terms and conditions upon which it is held forth in the gospel, which doth not attend the purpose and intention of God for whom Christ should die, but the sufficiency and efficacy of his death for all that receive him in due manner; he being the only true way, life, and light. No other - name under heaven being given, whereby men may be saved. It is a loving darkness rather than light, asin John ul. 19, the place urged in the proof, where the word zernrorv, rather, doth not institute a comparison between their love of darkness and light, as though they loved both but darkness chiefly, but plainly intimates an opposition unto the love of light, by a full love of darkness. And» this men are said to do; which being spoken indefinitely,
Ghap. VI. And places of Scripture opened. 335
according to the rules of interpreting Scripture followed by this author, should be taken universally for all men, but we are contented, that it be the most of those men to Christ preached; for some also of them received him, to whom he gave this privilege, that they should become the Sons of God, John i. 12..
Why you should interpret love here, by choose, as though either the words were equivalent, or the word in the original would signify either, I can see no reason, for both these are exceeding false. ‘There is a difference between loving and choosing, and as for ayerncar, he would be as bad a translator as you are an interpreter, that should render it they choosed. Now what is this loving of darkness rather than light, but a following and cleaving in affection and practice to the ways wherein they were; being - alienated from the life of God, labouring in the unfruitful works of darkness, and refusing to embrace the heavenly doctrine of the gospel, holding forth peace and reconciliation with God through Christ, with life and immortality thereby. To conclude from hence, that therefore Christ died for all and every man in the world, because the greatest part of them to whom he preached the gospel did not believe; is a wild kind of reasoning, much better may we infer, that therefore he died not for all men, because it is not given unto them for his sake to believe on him, Phil-’1. 29.: ) Neither will that parenthesis (which how could it be, if no light in truth ‘were for them?) give any light to the former inference: because if the word (for) should denote the intention and purpose of God, the truth is, we dare not say that God intends and purposeth that they should receive light who do not, lest by so saying we should make the strength of Israel to be like to ourselves, and contra- - dict him who hath said, my counsel shall stand and I will I do all my pleasure, fsa xlvi. 10. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, Psal. xxxili. 11. He being the Lord* and changing not, Afal. iii. 6. James i. 17. 2 Tim. ii. 19. Rom. ix.11. But if by (for them) you mean such a stock and fulness of light and grace, as there is of light in the sun for all the men in the world, though some be blind and cannot see it; then we say that such a light there is for all in the gospel to whom it is preached, and their own blindness is the sole cause of their not receiving it: so that this hath not got the stone a step forward, which still rolls back upon him.
3. The other Scriptures urged, have not so much as any colour that should give advantage to consider them as with any reference to the business in hand. That of Jonah ii. 8. is concerning such as forsake the true God to follow idols; so forfeiting the mercies, temporal and spiritual, ‘which from the true God they had before received. Rom. ii. 5. speaks of the Gentiles who had the works of God to teach them, and the patience of God to wait upon them; yet made no other use of them both, than by vile rebellions to add new degrees of further bareness upon their own heart? That of men’s losing their souls, Matth. xvi. 26. and destroying themselves, (Hos, xili. 9.) by sin; is of equal force with what went before.
But 4. The close of this reason seems to intimate a further view of the author, which at the first doth not appear, viz. that all men are in a restored condition by Christ; not only a door of mercy opened for them all, but that they are all actually restored into grace and favour, from which if they do not fall, they shall surely be saved: and the argument whereby he proves this, is, because being lost in Adam, they could not. be said to lose themselves, unless they were restored by Christ; being darkness and hardness in Adam, unless all were enlightened and mollified by Christ, they could not be said to love darkness nor to harden themselves. Now if this be his intention, (as it is too apparent that so it is,) I must say something, first to the argument, secondly to»the thing itself. And,
1.) For the argument, it is this: because by original sin men are guilty of death and damnation, therefore they einnot by actual sins make sure of and ageravate that condemnation, and so bring upon themselves a death unto death: or, because there is a native inbred hardness of heart in man, therefore none can add further degrees of e ntracted hardness and induration by actual rebellions; because men are blind, therefore. they cannot undervalue light, (when indeed the reason. why they do so, is because they are blind;) and that men who have time and opportunity and means to save their souls, cannot be said to lose them, that is to be condemned, unless their souls were in a saved condition before. Now this is one of the proofs, which in the close is called plain, and according to Scripture: when indeed nothing can be more contrary to reason and Scripture, even the principles of the oracles of God, than this and some other of them are. I shall add ‘no more on this: knowing that no reader can be so weak as to conceive, that the refusing of a proposed remedy; accompanied with infinite other despights done to the Lord, is not sufficient to make men guilty of their own condemnation; I speak of those that ete the pronehing of the gospel.
2.) For the thing itself, or an actual restoration of all men by Christ into such a state (as is intimated) as they had at the first in Adam; (1 mean in respect of covenant, not innocency, which I take to be the meaning of the author; and that because in another place he positively affirms that it is so, and that all are justified by Christ, though how it should be so, he is not able to declare:) to this then I say, that there is nothing in the Scripture that should give the least colour to this gross error; nor can any thing be produced, so much as probably sounding that way. But further,
(1.) It is contrary to very many places, affirming that we are dead in.trespasses and sin, Hphes. il. 1. that except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God, John iii. 3. that until a man come by faith to Christ, the wrath of God abideth on him, John iii. 36. with those innumerable places which. discover. the universal alienation of all men from God, until actual peace and reconciliation be made through Christ.
- (2.) It is contrary to the very nature and essence io the new covenant of grace, proceeding from the free mercy of. God to his elect, carried along with distinguishing promises from the first (putting a difference between the seed of the woman and-the seed of the serpent, as well in the. members as in the head) to the last of them; being effective of and really working every good thing it promiseth, in and towards all to whom it doth belong, which Sertouly! Ff it doth not in all; and being every where said to be made with the people of God, or those whom he will own in opposition to the world: of all which and divers other things, so plentifully affirmed of it in the Scripture, not one can be true, if all men receive a restoration by Christ, into covenant.. bide.
(3.) It is contrary to the eternal purpose of God, in election and reprobation; of which the latter is a resolution to leave men in their fallen condition, without any. reparation by Christ. ee
(4.) It is attended with very many strange, absurd and groundless consequences: as [1.] That all infants, dying
before they come to the use of reason and the committing
of actual sin, must necessarily be saved; (although our Saviour hath said, that except.a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God, John ili. 3. and Paul from him, that the children of infidels are unclean, 1 Cor. vii. 14, but no unclean thing shall enter the new Jerusalem, Rev. xxi. 27.) whereby, the infants of Turks, Pagans, infidels, persecutors, are placed im a far more happy condition, if they depart.in their infancy, than the best of believers; who are not (according to the authors of this doctrine) out of danger of eternal perishing. [2.] That
there is no more required of any to be saved, than a conos
tinuance in the estate wherein he was born, (that is, in
‘the covenant, as being actually restored by Christ thereunto) when the whole word of God crieth out, that all such as so abide shall certainly perish everlastingly. [3.] That every one that perisheth in the whole world, falls away from the grace of the new covenant; though the promises thereof are, that there shall never be any total falling away of them that are in the covenant. [4.] That none can come unto Christ, but such as have in their own persons fallen from him; for all others abide in him. -Innumerable other such consequences as.these, do necessa- — rily attend this false heretical assertion; that is so abso-
lutely destructive to the free grace of God. I doubt not
but such proofs as these, will make considering men fur- - ther search into the matter intended fo be proved, and — yield them good advantages, to discover the wretched lie of the whole.
5. To the last words of the proof, I answer, that God sowed that seed in Adam, and watered it with innumerable temporal blessings towards all, and spiritual in some, whose fruit he will come to require from the world of unbelievers: and not in the blood of Jesus Christ; any further, than as it hath been certainly proposed to some of them, and despised. ie
Proof 15th. ‘‘ God’s earnest expostulations, contendings, charges, and protestations; even to such as whereof many perished.: Rom. xi. 27. Isa. x. 22.. As to instance, O! that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, &e. that it might be well with them, Deut. v. 29. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? &e. Jsa. v. 4, 5. What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me? Jer. ii. 5. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel, a land of darkness? Wherefore say my people we are Lords, we will come no more unto thee? ver. 31. O my people! what have I done unto thee? wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me, Micah vi. 3.. How often would I have gathered, &c. and you would not, Matth. xxiii. 37, O that my people had hearkened unto me, &c. I should soon have snbdued their enemies, &e: Psal. lxxxi. 13,14. Because I have called and ye refus- éd, and no man regarded, &c. Prov. i. 24, 25. 32. Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, Rom..i. 21. 28. Therefore thou art inexcusable, Q man, &c.. Thou after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath, &c. Rom. il. 1. 5. No Christian, I hope, will reply against God and say, thou never meant us any good, there was no ransom given for us, no atonement made for us, no good done us; no mercy shown us, nothing in truth whereby we might
tye been saved, nothing but. an empty show, a bare pre- >, But if any should reason so evilly, yet shall not “vers stand.’: rie brilnsw. ““o this collection of expostulations, I shall very of how lii’ * sith some few observations; manifesting Sa That in all ws ‘s, to the business in hand. As, >. of *ny ransom giver, oo eaations, there is no mention ~“”» OF atonement made for them that
such a. perish, which is the thing pretended in the close; but they are all about temporal mercies, with the outward means of grace: concerning which we may observe, that as God doth not expostulate with them about it, no more. shall they with God about it at the last day. Not that I deny, that there is sufficient matter of expostulation with sinners, about the blood of Christ and the ransom paid thereby; that so his elect may be drawn and wrought upon to faith and repentance, and believers more and more endeared to forsake all ungodliness and’ worldly lusts, to hive unto him who died for them; and that others may be left more inexcusable: only, for the present, there are no such expostulations here expressed; nor can any be found, holding out the purpose. and intention of God in Christ towards them that perish.
2. That all these places urged, (excepting only those of fom, i. 28. and ii. 5. which apparently and evidently lay the inexcusableness of sin, upon that knowledge which. they might have had, by the work of creation and providence, of God as eternal, almighty, and powerful; without the least intimation of any ransom, atonement and redemption;) that all the rest, I say, are spoken to and of those that enjoyed the means of grace; who, in the days wherein those expostulations were used towards them, were a very small portion of all men: so that from what is said to them, nothing can be concluded of the mind and purpose of God towards all others, Psal, exlvu. 19, 20. which is destructive to the general ransom.
3. That there are no men, especially none of those that enjoy the means of grace, but do receive so many mercles from God, as that he may justly plead with them about their unthankfulness, and not returning of obedience proportionable to the mercies and light which they received.
4. It is confessed, J hope, by all, that there ans of those things, for the want whereof God expe seni o seemed
with the sons of men; but that he could, if * riveree
good before him, effectually work them ix “V©’” *SY that
least by the exceeding greatness of, gg Purpose, which
these things cannot be declarative “se io i ll
Ae
he might if he pleased fulfil; for who hath resisted his
will? Rom. ix. 19.
5. That desires and wishings should properly be aseribed unto God, is exceedingly opposite to his all-suffis ciency, and the perfection of his nature; they are no more in him, than he hath eyes, ears and hands: these things are to bé understood, @sonpends.
6. It is evident, that:all: these’are nathilie but pathetical declarations of our duty, in the enjoyment of the means of grace, strong convictions of the stubborn and disobedient, with a full justification of the excellency of God’s ways, to draw us to the performance of our aay: ergo, Christ died for all men! ‘dmep gdecdecEae.
7. Some particular places, that seem to be of more weight than the rest, have been already examined.
Proof 6th. “The Scripture’s manner of setting forth the sin of such as despise and refuse this grace and their estate, and the persons perishing; as to say, they turn the grace of God into wantonness, Jude 4. tread under foot the Son of God, profane the blood of the covenant, with which they were sanctified; offer despight to the spirit of. grace, Heb. x. 29. deny the ‘Lord that bought them, 2 Pef. Tee & they perish, for whom Christ died, 1°Cor viii. 11. trees twice dead, plucked up by the roots, Jude 12, 13. and bring upon themselves swift destruction, 2 Pet. ii, 1. And how could all this be, if God had given his Son in no sort for them? If Christ had shed no blood to procure remission for them? If he had not bought them, nor had any grace or life by his Spirit to bestow on them?”’
nsw. 1. There are in this proof three places of Scripture, which are frequently urged in this cause, viz. Hed. x. 29. 2 Pet. 11. 1. 1); Cor. viii. 11. and therefore they have been considered already apart, at large, where it was evidenced, that they no way incline to the assertion of that whereunto they are violently wrested, and their sense for that end perverted.
2. For those other places out of Jude 4, 12, 13. I cannot perceive, how they can be hooked into the business in hand. Some are said verse 4. to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness; that is, to abuse the doctrine of the: gospel, and the mercy of by revealed thereby, to en-
FI2 courage themselves in sin, whence to conclude, that therefore Jesus Christ died for all men, is an uncouth inference, especially, the apostle intimating that he died not for these abusers of his grace, affirming that they were
before of old ordained to condemnation; which ordination standeth in direct opposition to that love, which moved the Lord to send his Son Christ to procure the salvation of any. The strength of the proof lieth in the other places; which have been already considered.
-Proof 7th. “Jesus Christ, by virtue of his death, shall be their judge; and by the sospel, in which they might have been saved, will he judge them to a second death: and how can -that be, if he never died the first death for them, and if there were not truth in his gospel preached to them? fom. xiv. 9, 10, 11, 12. PAtl. i. 7. 11. Rom. ii. 16. John xii. 47, 48, 50.”
Ainsw. 1. That Jesus Christ. shall be judge of all, and that all judgment is committed to him, is confessed; that it doth not hence follow, that he died for all, hath been: already declared; unless ye will affirm that he died for the devils also, because they also must be judged by him.
2. That all shall be judged by the gospel, even such as never heard word of it, is directly contrary to the gospel; for as many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without the law, and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law, Rom. il. 12. Every man doubtless shall be judged, according to the light and rule which he did or might have enjoyed; and not according to Lae whereof he was invincibly deprived.
That Christ should be said to die only the first death, re coe an expression of the word, nor can be collected from thence, he died the death which was in the curse of the law; but of this only by the way.
4, You: intimate, as though there were no truth in the gospel preached, unless Christ died for all; when indeed there is no assertion more opposite to the truth of the gospel. The places urged, mention Christ being Lord of all, exalted, above all being judge of all; judging men accord. ing to ‘the gospel, that is those men who enjoy it; but chow they may be wrested to the: end proposed, I know pot.
Proof 18th. “Believers are exhorted to contend for the faith of this common salvation, which was once delivered to the saints; which some having heard oppose, and others turn the offers of it into wantonness, and through not heeding, and not walking in the faith of this salvation, already wrought by Christ for men; they deprive themselves of, and wind out. themselves from that salvation,
which Christ by his spirit in application of the former.
hath wrought in them, and so deprive themselves of the salvation to come, Jude 3, 4, 5.
“‘And every of these proofs.be plain, and according to Scripture, and each of force, how much more altogether; still justifying the sense, that. Z%m. ii, 6. and Hed. ii. 9. importeth, and the truth of the proposition in the beginning?” ee
/insw. I can see nothing in this proof, but only that the salvation purchased by Christ, is called common salvation, which if you conclude from thence to be common to all, you may as well conclude so of faith that it belongs to all, because it is called the common faith, Z7t. i. 4. though termed, the faith of God’s elect, verse 1. Doubtless there isa community of believers; and that is common amongst them, which is extended to the whole church of God, There is, totus mundus ex toto mundo*; and the common salvation, is that whereby they are all saved; without any colour of that strange common salvation, whereby noone is saved, maintained by this disputer. “The remainder of this proof, isa fulness of words, suitable to the persuasion of the author; but, in no small part of them, exceedingly unsuitable to the word of God, and derogatory to the merits of Christ: making the salvation purehased by him, to be in itself of no effect; but left to the will of sinful, corrupted, accursed men, to make available, or to reject. 2
And these are the proofs, which this author calls plain, and according to the Scripture, being a recapitulation of almost all that he hath said in his whole book; at least, for the argumentative part thereof, there is not any thing of weight omitted, and therefore this chapter I fixed on,
That is, a whole world (of believers gathered) cut of the whole betta to return a full and punctual answer unto. Now, whether the thing intended to be proved, viz. the paying of a ransom by Christ for all and every man; be plainly, clearly and evidently from the Scripture confirmed, as he would bear us in hand: or whether all this heap of words, called arguments, reasons and proofs be not, for their manner of expression, obscure, uncouth, and ofttimes unintelligible; for their way of inference, childish, weak and ridiculous, in their allegations and interpretations of Scripture, perverse, violent, mistaken, through ignorance, heedlessness, and corruption of judgment, in direct opposition to the mind and will of God revealed therein, is left to the judgment of the Christian reader, that shall peruse them, with the answers annexed.
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