that have as good conceits of their wit as Mr. Owen hath have hinted if not expressed such a distinction I can shew him one by name Mr. How who lately put out an Answer to the Vniversalist as he stiles him who in a writing to my self grants that all men had interest in the Act of Christs Death as buying or purchasing men into his dispose and yet stifly denies him to be the ransom for all Well Answ but what was the Answer to the Objection It was this The mediation of Christ is more general or more special More general as he mediates between God and men 1 Tim. 2.5 More special as Mediator of the New Testament Heb. 9.15 Which Answer first he Turkases as if he had said Repl. a general Mediator and a special and then digresses into a little Rhetorical passion against the barbarousness of the expression whenas indeed the sense is plain enough and the proofs pat to the purpose For though he be but one Mediator and the Office one intire Office in it self yet in regard of his mediation or exercise of that Office he may exercise it in some way and for some things for more then in some other way and for some other things Even as God is but one and his Government one in him yet in regard of the exercise of it it in some things and way comprehends more then in some others and so his saving acts in some expressions and exercises are towards more then in others as in 1 Tim. 4.10 is plain Now to me this is plain that the mediation of Christ as spoken of in 1 Tim. 2.5 is of other and larger extent in respect of reference to its Object then as it s spoken of in Heb. 9.15 In the former place it s spoken of as a demonstration of Gods good will to and in some sense a ground for our praying for All men not for the Church and chosen onely but for All men for Kings and all in authority which never any man yet affirmed to be all members of Christ and heirs of life Now that that demonstrates Gods good will to all men and is a ground of our Mediating or Interceding for All ver 1. must it self be something extending to All or else the building should be greater then may be supported by its foundation So that there surely he is spoken of as a Mediator so appointed of God and so acting as a Mediator that thereupon All or as Beza renders it any one may be the Object of our prayers and hath incouragement to seek to God to be saved by him and so as a general Mediator or a Mediator that is set up for All men and hath accordingly given himself a ransome for All men But in Heb. 9.15 his Mediation is spoken of as exercised about a peculiar Object in a more special maner for specal things the performance of the Legacies given to Sion for the called of God that they might receive that to which they are called and of which they are made heirs even the eternal inheritance As a Prince may mediate between his Father offended and rebellious subjects in general for many things and in a special maner for those that lay down Arms and come over to him he may demand or urge his Father to shew more favor to them then to all the rest and yet ask favor for them too But this is admired that Christ should be Mediator and not of a New Testament Whereas we affirm him Mediator of the New Testament and deny it not But that he mediates that for All or that his mediation for men as spoken of in 1 Tim. 2.5 6. is that the New Testament might be performed to them all whose Mediator he is will require some time for him to prove He saies a Mediator is not of one which we grant and all mediation respects an agreement of several parties and every Mediator is the Mediator of a Covenant All which may be granted with reference to Christ if by Covenant we understand the Covenant made between God and Christ but as otherwise it s not always true Joab may mediate for Absolom and yet no Covenant made between David and Absolom and the Vine-Dresser for the barren Fig-tree and yet not mediate any Covenant made with the Fig-tree nor for any Legacies fore-given to the Fig-tree so neither follows it thence that Christ mediates the New Testament for all he mediates for The word there in Heb. 9.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a Testament or Will made and confirmed by Death as ver 16. shews and the New Testament is the promises of God bequeathed to the believer the called the chosen Now though Christ mediates not the giving these to them that are uncalled yet he may notwithstanding mediate for Gods forbearance patience dispensation of means such as in which they may be invited and have opportunities to look to him for mercy to be afforded I think not the Assertor so much as the Opposer of that passage needs further Consideration I will not say Catechising in this business and I am perswaded the Assertor is pretty able to answer for himself were Mr. Owen his Catechiser Nay were Mr. Owen asked this question how he can prove that Jesus Christ mediates nothing but the New Testament nor for any but those that are made heirs of it it would put him to it to finde proofs for it I am confident he could produce no better proofes then what he doth produce here to disprove this general extent of his mediation viz. That it was his Church that he redeemed loved and gave himself for his sheep he laid down his life for appears in heaven for us c. And what then who denies that or how doth that disprove the other It was Israel that God created Ergo none else they that have the Spirit of Christ in them shall be raised Ergo none else God will raise us up by his power 1 Cor. 6.14 Ergo none else or not all Again he sayes Because the children partooke of flesh and blood therefore he also took part with them Heb. 2.14 Therefore he took part with none else in them or mediated for none but them Like this Because many undertook to write the Gospel of Christ therefore Luke wrote also Luk. 1.1 therefore he wrote for no mans cause but theirs as if the word Because always intimates or refers to the whole cause or reason of a thing So for their sakes viz. whom I have sent into the world as thou hast sent me I sanctifie my self John 17.18 19. Ergo I mediate for none but them But then I pray to what purpose sent he them into the world if none in and of the world to which they were sent had and Oblation offered up for them So he rose for our Justification but how far that us extends he tells us not whether it reach to all the Object of his Death and Resurrection and if so whether that be
to shew Whether the condition of believing be procured by him for All or for any I leave to its place and in the mean time desire him to prove by Scripture his perswasion that to whom Christ is in any sense a Saviour in the work of Redemption them he saves to the uttermost from all their sins of infidelity and disobedience with the saving of grace here and glory hereafter and in particular that he so saved those to whom in the knowledg of himself as a Saviour he gave an escape from the pollutions in the world who afterward backslid from him 2 Pet. 2.20 21. Whereas answer was further made to his Objection T. M. that he in some sort intercedes for transgressors the sons of men yet in and of the world that they through Gods blessings on their ministration may be convinced and be brought to acknowledg that Jesus is the Lord c. but more especially for the called believers c. Here Mr. Owen first mistakes his Answer M. O. as if he had said he prayed for them that they might be brought to faith in God through Christ effectually saving to life eternal and then opposes him in that conception Whereas he only said to believe the report of the Gospel according to that in Joh. 17.21 23. and to come to some perceptions of light therein whereto attending they might be brought further or which refusing they may be hardned for it Then he askes 1. In what sort Christ intercedes for that for such John 17 I answer for him in that sort as Christ expresses himself in John 17.21 23. obliquely as we pray for the good of a Kingdom when we pray for a spirit of wisdom and government on Kings and men in authority It s true believers are the direct Object of his intercession for those things conducing to this convincement and to this knowledge and faith even as Kings and Magistrates are in those prayers instanced 1 Tim. 2.2 though in other instances they may be the direct object as the Fig-tree of that Intercession Luk. 13.7 and the persecutors of that in Luk. 23.34 But then he askes whether it be intended to be accomplished I suppose it is and shall be in due time according to the tenor of our Saviours praying for it but to me he seemes to wrangle with our Saviour himself about his expressions because he gives no fuller account of his petitions It s likely he would the same query about our Saviours praying for believers unity and say Did Christ absolutely intend it or no and if so then why is it not better effected but that there are so many divisions even amongst them Christs prayers have I conceive in part their Answer here but not fully till the perfect day when all the world shall see and say This is Sion the City of the Lord and this is the truth of God c. 2. He demands if it be by vertue of his blood shed for them I answer I conceive it is had he not offered up himself a ransom and removed their death and condemnation he had had no ground to ask any further favor for them had he not come with blood for sin that cryed for vengeance no hearing I conceive of any supplication for them But then he saith it follows that by his death he procured faith for all But that 's a mistake For first Neither is this asserted for All though for others then the Elect only Nor secondly Follows it that his death if he mean simply and per se procured it nay rather the contrary for then what need of any further Mediation or petition for it frustra fit per plura c. A man may with boldness go to request a new lone of another for a man that plaid the bankrupt had run far into his debt bringing pay with him for the former debt that perhaps might have had no admittance for his suit in that kinde without that payment made and yet that payment meerly procured not the second lone That may be causa partialis sine quâ non of a thing that is not causa propriè plenè effectiva of it It s not the payment of the old debt that either obliges him that pays to borrow anew or him that lends to lend anew but grace in both from the * Orgiver lender to the borrower and from both to him for whom he borrows it Christ hath such grace in his Fathers eyes that he having paid our old score may ask a new stock and obtain it though his meer payment without that asking did not oblige the Father to it 3. He askes if he interceded for them with an intention and desire that they should believe or not I answer Yes sure for I suppose else he would not so have prayed and so they do and shall though not so far as his question here supposes That which he desires to be granted conducing to that end shal be granted but the end that he would have men attain to by those means afforded may by them not be so far obtained as he desires them to press to He would have them being convinced of the truth cleave to it follow after it acknowledg it c. but many do not grant him his desires even as he would have gathered Jerusalems children and yet they would not and as he rather pleases that men would turn and live and yet many do not Matth. 23.27 Ezek. 33.11 Yet that that he asks of his Father to that purpose as conducing to that end viz. a blessing with his means afforded so far as that they have light drawn to them to attend on that they have and shall acknowledg when their mouths shall be stopt for abusing it And in this is answered his two following Queries As first Whether it be for all and every man in the world That neither was affirmed nor in that place Joh. 17.21 held forth but men of the world others then the Church Secondly Whether absolutely or conditionally so that absolutely that his Disciples might be made fit means for such an end but for the worlds further believing and making good use of what they have that 's left to them upon the means and those convincements whether to chuse the good and refuse the evil or persist in evil and not â—huse the good and yet not without divers exhortations motions end counsels to chuse that that 's good and therefore for not chusing ahe fear of the Lord they are after charged Pro. 1.29 Whereas he t' demands Whether Christ prayes that they may use well the means ' of grace or not I Answer I finde no such prayer and yet it follows not but that he prayed that they may believe those things there mentioned or rather that the Believers may walk so well as that the world did they not wilfully shut their eyes might see and believe those truths viz. both that that Doctrine concerning Christ is the truth and
the truth of what it defendeth rest not in the bare belief of it as if that was enough for thee but follow on to inquire and seek after God that hath such good will toward thee and walk out in what he discovers of himself to thee that so he may be pleased to discover himself more to thee and draw thee by his Spirit into union with and conformity to his Son that thou mayest have the utmost healing that the death of Christ brings to the believer even salvation with eternal glory The right use of truth is in being lead from the world and thy own self to God by it and so attaining the end propounded to thee in it If thou not liking what is writ wi lt reply upon me I desire thee to do it soberly and as a seeker of truth rather then of victory bate pride and passion which will but darken thine understanding and nothing advantage thee in thy answering and take heed lest for fear of losing thine honour or for desire to get any thou robbest God of the honour of his truth and shuttest thine eyes against those flashes of his light that he darts into thee Better lose thine honour then ingage against Gods truth for it If thou likest the truth pleaded for but findest defect or wriness in any of my expressions in asserting it I shall be willing to be helpt to see better by thy spectacles if thou pleasest to lend them me In a word I say to thee with the Poet Si quid novisti rectius istis Candidus imperti Si non his utere mecum And so committing thee with my self and this ensuing Treatise to Gods protection I remain Thy friend and servant in the Gospel of Christ Jesus John Horn. ΘΥΡΑ ΑÎΕΩΓΜΕÎΗ OR A VINDICATION OF THE RECORD of GOD Concerning The extent of the Death of Christ in Answer to Mr. Iohn Owen of Cogshall in Essex The Preface WHereas God who is love it self beholding mankinde faln and through the subtlety of the Serpent plunged into death and misery was pleased out of pitty towards him to finde out a way for his recovery even to send forth his own proper Son his Word and Wisdom to take upon him the nature of man so faln with the infirmities weaknesses death and misery attending it yea the whole punishment that the sin of man had in that fall contracted to it that so he dying for man man might be delivered out of that death and life and immortality might be again brought to light yea whereas the Son of God having accordingly given himself a ransom for all it hath pleased the Father out of the same love he bare to man in sending him further to provide for his good in exalting this his Son that suffered and making him Lord and Christ a Prince and Saviour one that should have and answerably hath power and authority over all things and Salvation in him authority and fitness to save and deliver out of evil and to bring to life and glory whoever of the persons of men listen and look to him for Salvation whoever obey his Word submit to his Spirit and give up themselves to be ordered by him and to that end hath in these last dayes given forth a commission to certain Elected and chosen persons appointed for that purpose by him to be his Witnesses and Embassadors to the whole world in general to proclaim publish and declare this that God hath done in and by Christ Jesus for them and to let them know his good will toward them that he would not that any of them should perish but all come to Repentance and to the knowledg or acknowledgment of his truth that they might be saved to which end he hath also given and constituted his Son to be a witness and a Leader to conduct them to Salvation and upon these grounds hath willed them to exhort command intreat and urge all and every man as they have opportunity to it to accept this grace believe the Gospel repent and turn to God from their dead works and from their follies and to Jesus as the only one constituted by him to be his Salvation even to the ends of the earth So it is that since these holy men of God to whom the tenor of the Gospel and doctrine of truth was first committed have faln asleep the vigilant and wicked enemy of mankinde hath not only through his subtlety prevailed with multitudes of those men to whom this proclamation hath been made to reject persecute and put away this Embassage both from themselves and peoples under them and posterities succeeding them and with many others to be slothful and not to take care to propagate this Doctrine of their Lord and Master but also by occasion of this wickedness and slothfulness of men many that pretend themselves to be understanding men and servants of God unto their brethren have come with a counter-doctrine pretending to have better insight into the minde of God then the letter of the Apostolical preaching doth hold forth even as at first Satan pretended to the woman to have a more sublime knowledg of the minde of God and to teach her better understanding of it then in the simple belief of Gods words to them they had attained telling men that God sent not his Son for all of them but only for here and there one they nor any man else not knowing who they be and that Christ gave himself only for them and for no others and this they pretend to have from a more Seraphical understanding of a more secret will of God by which means they both contradict the tenor of the holy Commission delivered out to his Saints and left by them upon record for us by the instinct of his spirit and take away those certain and more excellent grounds motives and inducements to believe repent seek after and love God which that Commission affordeth making the Gospel to give such an uncertain sound that none can by it be induced to prepare himself to battel as is more largely shewed in the Epistle to the Reader In which doing they greatly deny at least disserve the Lord that bought them in that in stead of making him lovely to all and an object meet for all to commit themselves to and forsake all for the worshipping and confessing of they render it doubtful what one hath cause so to do and not rather to hate him as a fore yea eternal hater of them that had such desire to their misery as therefore to create them yea therefore to do all that he doth about them that they might at last for ever be more heavily tormented by him So that they do herein as a company of slaves or persidious Traitors should do to a King who having made open proclamation of satisfaction received by the hand of some Prince for the mischief done him by a company of rebells and of his good will toward them all that he would have them to lay
justification by a lesser revelation of God then Paul had Josh 2.10 11 12. with Heb. 11.31 and so Cornelius before Peters coming to him believed in a lower act by less light then Peter brought to him and the Ninivites by far lesser then the Jews rebelled against now that power accompanies these mediums too in their lesser or greater dispensations is evident in that the Spirit is said to have preached to striven with men even those that yet obeyed it not Gen. 6 3. 1 Pet. 3 19. the hand of the Lord was stretched out with his reproofs and councels Prov 1.24 and in the effects it produceth as that they attain to some knowledg of God convincements illuminations c. against which they often willfully rebel and close their eyes and I say further that God doth in many by these means effect faith and bring them actually to believe and I conceive many more might have faith did they not wilfully turn away from God for I conceive a fore going act propounded or injoyned to men you may call it a condition if you please upon which they might be brought to believe Whereas Mr. Owen askes what that is I answer it is to listen to the voice of God not hardning the heart So Isa 55.3 hearken diligently and your souls shall live by diligent attendance to the voice of God the soul is quickned up to a life of faith and hope in God so Isa 49.1 Listen O Isles unto me and hearken ye people from far and in Psal 95. To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Lift not up your reasons and understandings against the authority of God be swift to hear hear him out and make not haste to speak and cavil against him As also to minde those demonstrations of his Divine Power and Goodness that he affords not winking with the eye and wilfully turning from the light when he makes it appear or from the means of light which beheld would give us to see what he holds forth to us according to that Call Hear ye deaf and look ye blinde that ye may see Isai 42.18 So Behold my servant whom I have chosen ver 1. And look to me and be ye saved Isai 45.22 And consider the works of God Job 37.14 That that is to be known of God is in them manifested c. Rom. 1.19.20 But then Is not this same hearing and listening believing I answer No It s but a mean to it We are to attend that we may believe by this hearing Faith and the spirit of it are given unto us But it will be objected Its obeying and obeying is believing So M. Owen But there is a fallacy in that for neither is every Act of hearing obeying nor every Act of obeying the believing spoken of As obeying in some acts follows believing so in some it may be but a tendency to the meeting with that which will cause us to believe so believingly to obey Take this Simile Two men are at controversie suppose a Master and a Servant the Master would have him do such things as the servant doth not nor will The Master begins to expostulate with him and to shew him reasons for his demands the servant hears what he says this is not yet an act of obedience to his Master for perhaps he may yet prove refractory and more obstinate then before and perhaps in hearing he may be perswaded and become obedient to him being convinced and changed in minde by what he hears till which change his act of hearing will not denominate him obedient or pass for an act of obedience Mr. Owen saith If we can propound a condition for Faith that is not Faith he will hear it And yet I suppose he will not think his hearing us propound it an act of obedience to us at all But then he says This is procured by by Christ or not In the sense before explained we grant it procured otherwise not and that to the power of exercising it is absolute but as to the act of exercising of it its voluntary and to the most uncompelled or unnecessitated Many have absolute power and ability given them of hearing and seeing the hints of Light and Truth that come from God that yet have it in their choise whether they will act so or so and therefore are faulted for not acting as they might for not chusing the fear of the Lord Prov. 1.29.30 For shutting their eyes against his Light and stopping their ears Matth. 13.15 Acts 28.27 And yet the cause of Faith is not resolved into our selves but into him that gives the power to hear and that speaks such words when we do listen as overcomes our reason and our hearts Our faith is justly still ascribed to him For if he spake not we could not hear yea if he gave us not power to hear yea if when we hear he spake not suitable words and exercised not power with his words we should not yet believe in him So that Inference is as absurd as these That because the blind man went and washed in the Pool of Siloam Therefore he was the cause of his own healing or Not Christ so much as he and The ten Lepers were the cause of their own cleansing because they went on their own legs to shew themselves to the Priests at his Commandment VVe avoid also all his following Consequences If by procuring Faith he means his meriting and obliging God to cause all to believe in him for whom He died For denying that it follows not either 1. That Faith is an act of our own wills and so our own as not to be wrought by Grace and that its wholly sited in our own power to perform that spiritual act No such thing follows upon that Proposition denied 1. That Faith is an act of the VVill no man can deny for in it the Will closes with an Object propounded as good to be relied on but that it s not wrought by Grace is clearly false from what is said above It s our act to hear and yet not that without the VVord of God buts t is Gods Act even the act of his Grace to perswade us by what he speaks to lean upon him and believe in him Besides 2. God might freely work it in some without being obliged to it by the Death of Christ the same love that led him to give Christ may sin being removed and the enmity being slain by Christ work as much as it pleases without being obliged and tied to work it Besides 3. Christ might oblige him to work it in some and yet not in all He died for So that every way this is inconsequent And we neither 1. Contradict any Scripture Nor 2. Speak contrary to the nature of the new Covenant of Grace which indeed is sealed by Christs Death to believers but says not that Christs Death obliged God to make this and that man much less all he died for to believe Nor is it 3. Destructive
Or can we expect that the telling men of its infinite sufficiency will beget hope in them more then if it were onely sufficient for them for whom it was intended whenas they are told they are never the more included in its intendment by vertue of its infinite sufficiency then if it was far less sufficient VVe may its true assure men of salvation if they be believers or do believe but can we upon that ground assure any one of good ground for their believing or that Christ is an object meet for them to believe on that he is appointed as a Mediator for them or is able to save them For can we say he is able to save any more then those that were included in his intention If he should save any more he must make a new bargain for them and pay a new price for their salvation VVhat is this better then Law-preaching to say If thou believest thou shalt be saved The Law promises life to those that keep it but affords not motive and spirit to effect what it requireth So doth their Doctrine promise life upon Faith but gives no straw affords no certain object that such or such have cause to believe on him demonstrates no love to the soul to draw it in to believe for that 's uncertain such Preachers give but an uncertain sound that cannot affirm that the VVord of God saith That there is any thing done by Christ for any one man in their Congregations that may evidence it a just and right thing for him to hope in God for salvation But he tells us That when God calls upon men to believe he doth not in the first place call upon them to believe that Christ died for them but that there is no name under heaven whereby they may be saved but only of Jesus Christ Well and is there not an intimation in that that Christ died for them Sure he that excepts the Name of Jesus Christ intimates he hath a Name by which they may And what is that Name Either signifies Power and Authority or the report and fame that goes on him Now he that leaves it uncertain whether Christ died sufficiently for them as he confessedly doth that leaves it uncertain whether Christ hath died for them leaves it also uncertain whether Christ hath power by his death to save them Nor can they fame him to be one able and ready to save them and so they cannot preach that there is a Name of Jesus by which they may be saved So that the proof he brings overthrows the Assertion which it is brought to prove Can men be called on to believe in God and not through a Mediator And can they look through a Mediator on him when they know not of any they have He then that calls upon me to believe through Christs Mediation as whoever calls upon men rightly to believe must do doth intimate that there is something in his Mediation for me to be incouraged to believe in God by and so by consequence that he died for me else be the merit of it never so great its no ground of Faith to me And surely however Mr. Owen determins God hath no where so determined nor the Apostles so Preached One tells us That the Record of God which he that believes not makes God a lyer is this That God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 Joh. 5.10 11 12. And surely this is the onely full ground of drawing men to the Son when they are told by the VVord of God that God hath given them life in his Son and the way to have it is to have him but rejecting him and not coming to him for life they reject life and deprive themselves of what God hath given them He that believes not this in every part of it when declared makes God a lyer and will not nor can come in to him to believe on Christ If he believe not that God hath given him life then will he either despaire or seek it by Works and not by Faith if not that this life is in Christ then will he not look to Christ for it or believe on him If he think he may have it and not have Christ and have Christ or not have it then will he neglect believing on Christ as a thing unnecessary or unprofitable for him So Peter tells the people Acts 3.23 God sent Christ to turn every one of you from your iniquities And Paul Acts 13.37 tells them that Remission of sins was Preached to them in Christs name both equivalent to Christs Mediating and dying for them and coming for their sakes And so in 2 Cor. 5.19 and Matt. 224.9 The Declaration of Gods good will to them is laid down as the ground of exhorting them to come in to God And to say no more See what the testimony is of which God made the Apostle Paul an Apostle and Teacher of the Gentiles in Faith and Verity Is it not that in 1 Tim. 2.4 5 6 7. God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledg of the Truth for there is one God and one Mediator between God and men the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a Ransom for All And the appearance of the love of God to man was it that brought Paul himself in Tit. 3.4 5. Was it ever found that a man was called by God to trust in that that he never set up for him to trust in to stay upon Christs blood and Christ shed none for him So that I hope by this the vanity of Mr. Owens Inferences from his first premise appears and that his understanding of the Distinction of Sufficiency and Efficiency together with the Consideration of the dignity of the Sacrifice of Christ in regard as of his person so of the greatness of his pains holds forth onely this to us That God to make his Sons sufferings more valuable then needed to be for the bargain intended put him to more pains then he needed to have endured which is a piece of blasphemy But I pass from that Consideration 2. His second premise is about the Dispensation of the Covenant of Grace Consid 2. and inlarging of the Kingdom of Christ after his appearance in the flesh opposed to the former Dispensation restrained to one People and Family And this he says gave occasion to many general expressions in the Scriptures which are far enough from including an universality of all Individuals All which I grant him and will Instance a few such expressions for him as that of Peter Acts 10.34 Rom. 1.16 and 10.13 In every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him And that The Gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Gentile And that The Lord over all is rich in mercy
clear as the noon-light but that was the occasionall way of inriching and reconciling the World not only the Elect and Godly but the rest though many by rejecting the riches of Christ preached amongst and the word of reconciliation preached to them with the grace therein tendred were not actually inriched with the riches proper to the Saints and reconciled in their hearts As wholsom Laws and good Government are the hapiness of a Nation that is the way and means of making a Nation in general happy though many by their evil-bearing them and rebelling against them should actually pull down mischief upon their own heads So the goodness of God extended to men in the Gospel and Ordinances of God is a Table to them though they by their unbelief turn it into a snare Psal 69.22 and is a mercy to men in general though many by observing lying vanities put away their own mercy from them Joh. 2.8 That place in Col. 1.6 Evidently signifies Mundum continentem place not persons Thence the change of the phrase It s come to you as also in all the world He saith Not to you and to All the world In the World signifies Place To the World had signified Persons The Gospel is Preached in the world to men That in 1 Joh. 2.2 We deny to signify the godly onely we shall view his proofs for it when we come at them I might shew also some beg'd presumed and proofless Applications of divers Scriptures quoted by him to shew that the word World signifies men rejected and accursed as Joh. 15.19 and 17.25 with some others which in their expressions might have been applied to Saul and many persecuters of Christ that were after converted but I pass them with divers other things less pertinent VVhat he promises upon this Observation we shall speak to when we meet it Whereas he further notes 1. That there is often in Scripture an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ingemination of the same Word in a several sense We grant it but his Application of it to John 3.17 as concerning the different significations of the word World in those two phrases Not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved we say is begged and desire any one clear proof that any believer or number of believers living in the world are called the world The present world He notes 2. That no Argument can be taken from a phrase of speech in the Scripture in any particular place if in other places thereof where it is used the signification pressed from that place is evidently denied unless the scope of the place or subject matter of it do inforce it This we consess as to Argument though to Faith a place may be sufficient where the Argument will not inforce it by this rule As to Instance All that are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God and shall come forth some to the resurrection of life and some to the resurrection of condemnation By his Rule we cannot conclude That All and Every man shall arise out of their graves because the word All is taken in many places but for the generality of men not for every individual As All men seek their own c. Therefore from the word All we cannot inforce that signification Again The scope of the place will not inforce it for its independent to the preceding Verses except in this that therein Christ asserts his glorious Power and Authority fore-spoken of That he had life in himself power to quicken and raise up whom he would which might be demonstrated as well in quickning the generality of good and bad in their graves as in every individual Again That distribution Some to life and some to condemnation inforces onely that good and bad shall rise not every individual of either Nor is the matter Res necessaria Its in the power of God and in his Will to raise All or some every individual or but the most and generality And yet though reason cannot be pressed to conclude it in so large an extent yet Faith may be perswaded so to believe it It being ground enough for Faith to believe it so largely That the words may bear it and there is nothing of evidence from God against the largest it will bear It being sauciness in man to put in his limitations in matters of Faith where Gods Spirit elsewhere or the matter spoken of doth not necessarily inforce a limitation He nextly instances the word All Denying that it s ever said That Christ died for All men Which we have answered before We grant it sometimes is applied Distributively to sorts and sometime collectively but deny that the word holds forth such a Distributive acceptation onely in the places controverted His instance of Joh. 12.32 I will draw All men to me is but beg'd That it signifies all sorts we grant That it signifies not All individuals we desire him to prove He thinks to prove it thus That all that come to him by the Fathers drawing he will in no wise cast out But herein he prevaricates For it s not said in any Scripture That all that God draws come to Christ Without his drawing none can come to him but that every one that he draws come we finde not He drew Ephraim with the cords of love and the bands of a man but no where says that they came to him upon it but seems rather to complain against him of drawing back from him Hos 11.3 4.2 Nor doth Christ say My Father shall draw all to me but he speakes of his own drawing 3. Nor is it manifest what drawing he speakes of whether of Grace onely to believe or of power also to be judged The latter it may be or both For of judging he was speaking immediately before And that not upon the gratious inquiring after him as most refer it to that vers 20.21 But upon the Fathers voyce coming to him that he would glorifie him vers 28 29. Immediately upon which he says Now is the judgment of this world He says not the conversion of the world but the judgment and that began in the Prince of it Now shall the Prince of the world be cast out and then afterward he will draw All to him being lifted up First on the Cross secondly in the Gospel thirdly By the right hand of God to the Throne of Glory a part of which glory is to judg All. Being thus lifted up he will draw all to him either by Grace to own him or by his Power to be judged by him And this he spake signifying what death he should dye as on the Cross so a publike death and such as in and by which he should receive authority over all flesh c. VVhy any should exclude this drawing to judgment I see not he speaking of judging the world and why to deny it without reason for it I see as little Such a drawing I finde in Psal 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
in him shall not abide in darkness But Mr. Owen says By the World are meant the Elect scattered abroad in the World opposed to the Nation of the Jews that this last clause is untrue appears by this that he was speaking this to a Jew to draw him to believe and therefore the Word World must not be opposed to them as excluding them but let us see how he refutes ours and confirms his own opinion Against our latter observation from the reading of the Words He so loved the Elect that all of them that believe should not perish viz. that it would seem by that as if some of them might not believe he replies why Because he sent his Son that they might not perish To that I answer No but because the phrase is Distributive not that it believing as supposing that all that VVorld that Christ was given for shall believe but that whosoever or every one that believes as supposing that though there is ground for all the VVorld to believe yet all would not So that the place holds not forth that Christ must and will keep from perishing All for whom he was given as Mr. Owen suggests but all whosoever and whatsoever that believe in him But he answers again That God designs the salvation of all them in express words for whom he sent his Son To that I reply that by designing c. meaning his purposing to bring them All to eternal salvation its openly untrue for he says no such thing there that he loved the world and gave his Son that every one of it should be made to believe and be saved as I appeal to the Text it self but if he mean as he doth not that salvation might be propounded to it and it have a way by which it might in believing come to be saved then I deny it not but so it s said of unbelievers John 5.34 40. VVhereas we say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is divisive and partitive as to that Totum the word world going before to this he says that If it be so then it restrains Gods love to some and not to others I answer No but it it shews by whom and by what way the utmost end of this love or most choise blessing of it is to be injoyed Gods love in providing a Medium through which men might look for and meet with salvation respects the world in generall nor doth that saying that whosoever believes put a bar against any of the world as if they might not in looking up to Christ be saved but it implies that the world as simply such or as in that state of sin and blindness in which God out of pity sent his Son for it is not the object of Gods absolute intention to give eternall life but those of it that believe and the word Whosoever is both an incouragement for all or any to believe and carries in it a supposition that the whole VVorld likely might not believe As the setting up the brazen Serpent to whom Christ is compared ver 14. was an act of love to all the strange Israelites though the benefit of healing was to be obtained in their looking up to it and by none of them that refused to look up so was the gift of Christ to the world though the unbeliever not receiving him is not saved But then 2. He denies that that phrase is restrictive but only declarative of his end how it s not restrictive I have even now said but that its Distinctive not taking in the whole world as the certain Object or subject of eternall life is shewed also and is very evident I conceive to all that have but common judgment and so that it s not only Declarative of his end but declarative of it in such a way or expression as implies that the Object that injoyes that end may at least be fewer then the object of giving him to such an end It s not that all the world shall not perish but that whosoever believeth perish not c. Besides no other Scripture says that the whole world for whom Christ was given did or shall believe on him but expresly to the contrary that some to whom God gave Him as the true bread saw and believed not Iohn 6.32 36. and that many to whom he came received him not He came to his own things amongst which his own Nation was and his own Nation or people received him not So that for his exposition we have nothing but his bare saying and that offering violence to the Text too as if it had been said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it should believe and be saved c. indeed he after adds some reasons we shall weigh them also 1. His first is From what he said before about that love wherewith he loved it which was such a love as cannot be extended to All which being refuted before needs no further Answer See before Li. 3. Ca. 9. The world of mankinde share in this great act of Gods love the sending forth of Christ and yet not all attaine the utmost intention of it 2. His second is from vers 17. Giving a reason of this that he says it was an act of his love to the world whereof he gives a double proofe one Negative he sent him not to condemne the world the other affirmative but that the world through him might be saved he says the word World there must needs signifie believers and Elect because it s said that the World through him might be saved which if it be understood of any but believers God must needs fail of his end This is answered before in the first Chapter of the first Book where he have shewed 1. That the word saved is sometimes used in a lower sense then the having eternal life as the deliverance out of that condemnation fore-come upon us and so the world may be said to be saved and the grace of God saving to All men Tit. 2.11 Rom. 5.18 1 Tim. 2.6 2. That such speeches do not always declare the intention of God which he will bring about but an end propounded to men which they in attending to the means set before them ought to press after and might attain to and that its his good will they should look after it and in looking after it attain to it See the Instances thereof Acts 17.26 27. Joh. 1.7 Psal 105.44 45. Like to which is this He sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved that is That he being filled with authority power and sufficiency to save them they might have him as a Saviour or way to salvation to look and listen to and in walking in his Light and Truth might attain salvation Which end set before them they many of them miss by despising him who is the way to it Therefore our Saviour distributing the world in two parts in the next verse tells us not who might have been saved
not finding that which they had mistakingly looked for but that he was a dry tree and barren wilderness to them was it not more excusable that they should leave him and take such comforts as the world would afford them and not go on to suffer for him that would not save them he having not dyed for them Whereas he further adds that the Apostle is silent about washing them in the bloud of the Lamb what a sorry shift is that How many places speak of buying men and yet mention not the washing them in the bloud of the Lamb where yet there is no doubt but his bloud was the price that bought them as to instance in Rev. 14.4 1 Cor. 6.20 Again What is it to wash in the bloud of the Lamb I feare there may be some mistake in that Is it any thing else but when the death sufferings or bloud of Christ declared in the Gospel set home by the Spirit do cause the heart for his loves sake that so loved it to renounce its vanities affections lusts c. and removes its fears despairs horrors c. that the guilt of sin before the remedy was known filled it with do we think that this washing the souls in the bloud of Jesus is without application of the bloud to it Was there ever such a washing heard of in which the medium of the washing and the thing washed were not to each other applyed Or do we fancy any bodily or materiall application of the materiall bloud of Christ that issued out of his side Sure it s nothing but through the Spirits revelation of the death and sufferings of Christ for us and the hope therein set before us a cleansing of the heart and conscience from guilt and pollution And is not that intimated here Is not the knowledge of Jesus Christ Lord and Saviour to know him as one that dyed for us and is appointed to be our Mediator and way to God able and ready to save us by vertue of those his sufferings for us could there be lesse in that knowledge of Christ that will give a man escape from the worlds pollutions and when that knowledge doth wash from pollutions is it not the bloud of Christ therein known that washes Was not that it that washed Paul from his former conceits in his Pharisaisme and from all his pollutions Phil. 3.7 8 9. Tit. 3.4 5 6. and that washed the believing Corinths 1 Cor. 6.11 because he names but the knowledge of Jesus Christ and the appearance of Gods love to man the name of Christ and Spirit of God as the way of his and their washings shall we say neither he nor they were washed in the bloud of Christ These are sorry evasions unmeet to shift off the shining truth with 3. But his last evasion is vainer then any of these viz. That he might speak of them only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not according to Truth but according to appearance for which he quotes again that formerly answered place of 2 Chron. 28.23 As if the Apostle writing Dogmatically and laying down Propheticall declarations of things that would be and aggravating the hainousness of their sinne that should deny Christ should conjoyn things according to truth not conjungible If he had spoken of some particular person then in being there had been somewhat more shew for such an evasion and yet in truth not enough to make the Apostle couple as incompatible things together in his expressions as to talk of Christs or his Elects perishing But much lesse colour when he speaks of things in the Theory and Dogmatically not with Designation of this or that person This is but all one as to say Christ or God seemed but to be their Lord and Master and they to be his servants by way of purchase and so they had the more ground of denying him seeing he was not what he seemed to be nor had done what he seemed to do And whereas he addes That its the custome of the Scripture to ascribe all those things to every one that are in fellowship of the Church which are proper to them only that are true spirituall members of it as to be Saints Elect c. Not to examine the truth of that again were it so yet it could not be of force here these in the very formality of them as the subject spoken of being stiled false Teachers Sure though he might write to All in fellowship with the Church that is in Doctrine and Profession as Saints c. as in some sense they were truly yet it s not supposeable that he judged these he looks upon as departed from the Truth and false Teachers to be such or to be bought by Christ if he thought indeed such manner of people were never so bought To be a member of the Church and to be Elect are terms very competible but to be and so to be spoken of as a false Teacher bringing swift destruction on himself and yet in the same view to be looked upon and spoken of as bought by the Lord if no such are indeed bought is componere non componenda to couple words and things together that are we not competible like those that talk of Almighty nothings So that wee see no solidity in his exceptions to this place neither Whereas in his winding up he tels us that this will not conclude Vniversall Redemption and 2. That those who are so redeemed may perish is contrary to expresse Scripture and 3. That this could be no peculiar aggravation of the sin of any if the matter was common to All. These are but prevarications For 1. We conclude not hence the universality of Christs death but onely that it s not so bounded up to the Elect onely as Mr. Owen and his partners bound it 2. That its contrary to expresse Scripture as to Rev. 14.4 That any so redeemed should perish is a speech fallacious and untrue For 1. How knows he that that in Rev. 14.4 is expresse Scripture and speaks according to truth and not only according to appearance more then this might not we by as good Authority say that the Apostle speaks there but according as things seemed to him in a vision but not that all he sayes there is spoken according to truth as he hath to say so of Peter here 2. What means he by So redeemed if only that Christ dyed really for them and not in shew only and that the knowledge hereof and of that salvation that thereby is in him even for them to look after and attainable to them by Faith bought them really off from the world and engaged them to Christ then there is no such passage in Rev. 14.4 as that none such can perish That speaks onely of a certain number redeemed from the earth and men that were virgins and defiled not themselves but followed the Lamb where ever he went But it says not either that All bought by Christ and brought to escape the pollutions of the