seek him groping after him if happily they may finde him yea such power as that men are fain to suppress and keep them under and bid them be gone and shut their eyes against them lest they work too much upon them Now though they see not what a one or who he it whence these beams come and those operations in their hearts yet they knowing in their consciences that they ought to obey them and that it would be better for them so to do though what that betterness is they comprehend not and contrary to that knowledg they have willfully rebelling they cannot plead ignorance total ignorance of this great physitian but for not obeying what they know shall be excuse less before him So that Mr. Owens comparison of Christ to a physitian tendring cure he wholly unknown Rom. 1.20.28 is a mistake also nor shall men be able to make good that plea when he comes to judge them though many shall say in respect of his person and fuller appearances when saw we thee thus and thus as if they would plead ignorance of him yet he shall take away that plea from them making it appear that in such and such mediums as his poor people Matth. 25.42 43 44 55. he was evidencing himself to them and presenting himself before them and there they would not know him Nor is he as one tendring a thousand pound to a blinde man on condition he will see and yet giving no ability to see but he in tendring gives forth such light that men see some glimmerings and bids them look though but with their blinde holes that they may see which did they the light would make them see and see more clearly yea it would turn them Isa 42.18 and he would heal them Act. 28.27 but many wilfully loving their own ease and wils will not see lest they should be turned and be healed by him they see they should listen to him yea many see that in looking to him they might have healing and yet refuse to look to him they desire not his healing Whereas he saith the condition of faith is procured for us by the death of Christ or not I shall here say but this viz. 1. That Christ is become an object fit for us to believe on and hope in through his death which else he had not been for us sinners 2. That God in Christ hath done so much for All men and doth so much for them through him that he deserves highly at their hands to be trusted in by them I know this agrees not with Mr. Owens principles yet I shall stand to it against him that all men have good cause and ground to believe in him or to betrust themselves to him and so much we are in preaching Gospel to demonstrate to them not having sinned to death or blasphemed against the Holy Ghost It s but a righteous thing for any man to believe in God and in Christ and its unrighteousness and hainous sin not to believe in him being declared to them that is not to commit souls and bodies to him as to one ready to save them 3. All the ways and means with all the power that comes in and with them to inable men to believe are vouchsafed to men through the Death of Christ none of them had been afforded to us had not Christ dyed for us 4. It s the promise of God to Christ so to exalt and glorifie him that some should be brought in to him and be given him to believe and be his seed 5. Yea it s by the discovery of Gods good-will in the death and resurrection of Christ that God useth to overcome men to believe and so his blood and death as so discovered and set home redeems men out of their bondage to Sathan and world and corruption Rev. 5.9 10 14.4 But that Christ obliged the Father to make all those men that he dyed for to walk out in the exercise of such power and liberty of acting as he should in his gracious dispensations afford them for attendance to means receit of light given looking up to him in that light yea to believe in him and rely on him for salvation this I desire him to prove It s not proveable by Scripture so far as I can finde nay I may use this argument against it bottomed upon Mr. Owens own maxime viz. Whatever Christ procured or merited by his oblation that he intercedes to have collated or bestowed on men But Scripture no where shews that Christ intercedes for faith saving faith to be given to one or other Ergo Scripture no where proves that he procured that by his oblation The major is Mr. Owens own in cap. 4.6 7. lib. 1. The minor is easily proved by Induction no one place speaking of Christs Intercession mentions his interceding for saving faith not that platform as some say of his Intercession in John 17. as we shewed lib. 1. chap. 2. if not there no where else for in Rom. 8.33 he mentions his interceding for Vs men in Christ believers but says not for what much less for faith that they had already In Heb. 7.25 It s for those that come unto God by him that some might come to God by him I leave it for him to finde any one place in which Christ prays that God would make any to believe Nor will this diminish at all the honor and love due to him for as Mr. Owen says We are not to invent ways of honoring him but give him that that in the Scripture God gives to him He produces Tit. 3.5 6 2 Cor. 5.21 but neither of them say that Christ procured faith for us as obliging God to give it us the former shews but how God wrought it in discovering his love and the latter that Christ became sin for us that we might in him that is in believing in him be made the righteousness of God and so that he opened the way for our believing and making righteous not that he obliged God to make us or all that he dyed for righteously to believe no more then in vers 15. where He says he dyed for all that they that live might not henceforth live to themselves he shews that therefore he obliged God to make all cease from thenceforth to live to themselves and God performs not his obligation to him in that so many even after believing live so much to themselves and minde their own things as Paul complaineth That he shall bring in a seed to him I grant but that he is obliged to bring in this or that Individual to be of that seed muchless all that he dyed for I no where finde That in Eph. 1.3 Phil. 1.29 We shall meet with afterward and with the point it self also more fully urged viz. in lib. 3. cap. 4. where we shall speak to them only this I shall say to them here that neither of them say that Christ by his death obliged the Father to
bring into Canaan all that he brought out of Aegypt and then prove it by shewing that he so intended to all that believed and followed him Or else 2. Those places show not that those things so mentioned were the absolute intentions of God and Christ taken upon themselves to be effected by them without suspending them upon condition in us and if the Minor take not the word intended in that sense it suits not with the Major but contains a quartus terminus and the major not so taken is untrue If it be said the words are I came to save that that 's lost he gave himself that he might purge Vs and suffered for the unjust to bring us to God c. and where things are so spoken of as the ends and aimes of God in acting there though we have not the expressions He intended this and that yet we are to understand that God absolutely intended to accomplish and bring about those things and so that all those that are the object of those acts which were acted to such an end obtained or shall obtain that end Then I deny it and will prove it that in such speeches where two acts are mentioned as end and means and God the agent in the act directed to such an end it is not safe to say that alwayes that act propounded as the end in his acting was absolutely intended to be and answerably is brought about by him in all those upon whom or for whom he acted that act that 's mentioned as the means as to instance Act. 17 26 27. He made of one bloud all the kinde of men to inhabit all the face of the earth and hath determined the times appointed and the bounds of their habitation that they might seek the Lord c. Here is end and means propounded the making all of one bloud bounding their times habitations the means directed to this end that they might seek the Lord. Will any man hence say that God absolutely intended that he would cause all that he made and whose times and habitations he bounded to seek him and who ever seek him not and so call those in Rom. 3.11 were not made by him So John 1.6 7. John was sent to bear witness to the light that all through him might believe Doth it follow that because that was the end propounded therefore God absolutely purposed to make all believe to whom he bare witness and so its true that he bare witness to none else is not that contrary to Mat. 11.16 17 18. and 21.32 So John 5.34 Christ tels the cavilling Jews that he spake those things to them that they might be saved will it follow that it was his absolute intent that they should all be saved hear him or not or to make all hear him and be saved even those that would not come to him that they might live vers 40. Christ came to save that which was lost Doth it follow that he absolutely determined to bring all them to eternal life to whom he came even those also to whom he came and they received him not John 1.11 So Psal 105.33 34. He brought his chosen into Canaan that they might observe his Statutes and keep his Laws Therefore he intended to make them all do so and all that he brought into that land did so contrary to Psal 106.34 35 36. And to say no more God came down to bring Israel out of Aegypt to bring them into Canaan Exod. 3.7 and he brought them out thence that he might bring them into and give them that land Deut. 6.23 Ergo he absolutely purposed it concerning all that came out of Egypt and no more were brought out thence then were brought into Canaan Such his Argument Like to which he hath another taken from the effects of Christs Death Lib. 2. cap. 3. pag. 66. the Minor of which Affrmes that his Death sanctifies and and purges all them for whom he dyed redeems them from Law Curse Death c. none of all which he proves none of all those Scriptures alledged for proof This argument he hath again in lib. 3. cap. 4 where we shall speak further to it having such a clause in it as All for whomsoever he dyed or any thing sounding that way they being but applicative speeches not universal assertions It s such an argument as this The Lord brought us out of Egypt and brought us into this place viz. Canaan Deut. 26.8 9. And the Lord made you to go up out of Egypt and hath brought you into this Land Judg. 2.1 Therefore all that God brought out of Egypt he brought into Canaan Besides he hath for the bottom of this Argument this proposition in p. 4 line 71. and again in page 66. that the things before recounted are the immediate fruits and products of Christs Death namely Reconciliation Justification Sanctification Adoption Glorification which is as true as that the dispossessing the Canaanites and the giving their Land to the Israelites was the immediate fruit and product of their bringing out of Egypt over the red Sea as may be seen by what we sayed to them p. 10. No one of those things as accomplished in men is the immediate fruit and product of his Death Not Reconciliation though that be by the Death of Christ yet not immediately there is requisite to it beside Christs death the word of Reconciliation to declare it and that heard and submitted to as is plain 2 Cor. 5.19 20. We beseech you be ye reconciled to God yea and all these things come between the death of Christ and Reconciliation and are mediums of it Justification is not the immediate fruit and product of his death but mediante fide We are justified by faith Rom. 5.1 thence we have believed that we might be Justified Gal. 2.16 and that presupposes the word and spirit opening the death of Christ and shedding abroad the love of God and sprinkling the bloud of Christ upon the soul as in Tit. 3.5 6 7. He shed on us the Spirit abundantly that being justified by his Grace we might be made heires c so 1 Cor. 6.11 ye are Justified by the Name of the Lord and by the Spirit of our God Sanctification is not the immediate fruit and product of Christs Death but mediante fide too Sanctified by faith that is in Christ Jesus Acts. 26.18 and so there intervenes the being called out of the world and Church't Ephes 5.26 27. Adoption is not the immediate fruit and product of Christs death but hath Faith and Justification intervening John 1.12 To them that received him he gave this priviledge to be the sonnes of God to them that believed on his Name Gal. 3.26 27. Ye are all the Sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ Tit. 3.7 That being Justified by his grace ye might be made heirs c. And I am sure glory and immortality follows all these except we will have the inheritance go before the heirship and right to it
onely to present his oblation for the bestowing the good things thereby purchased be all the matter of his intercession or all the matter there aimed at is doubtful as also whether he so appear for all he dyed for as is there expressed For I suppose he so appeared as Mr. Owen mentions in his first enterance thither so soon as he entred offered he appeared and his continuance in his Fathers sight is contained in his sitting down or being at the Fathers right hand but the Interceding is spoken of as a thing beyond that Rom. 8.33 34. He is at the right hand of God and also maketh intercession for us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also puts the business of his intercession a little further every single expression of some act of Christ in heaven may not hold forth all his business there as every single expression of his returning acts holds not forth all he shall do at his return as in Heb. 9.29 He shall appear without sin to salvation doth not argue that his very appearing without any other act shall estate the Saints into the full possession of salvation sure he shall raise them and do other acts also Surely his Intercession hath in it also a presentation of his will to the Father concerning such or such particulars as indeed are founded upon his offering or he hath liberty and priviledge thereby to will or ask for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 17.24 may signifie a willing by desire as it is otherwhere used as 1 Cor. 7.7 Mark 12.38 and sure it shall be granted to him whatever he so wils of God But suppose that that 's also included in that phrase of the Apostle and that Mr. Owen means as much in saying he postulates those things which by his oblation were procured yet then that he doth appear to will or ask all those good things to be dispensed to All for whom he dyed which his Death for any procured as his phrase with the whole tenor of his arguing intimates that he means or that Intercession and Advocation spoke of in Heb. 7.25 1 John 2.2 which are there said to be for such as are actually believers is for any but believers at least for all he dyed for that I deny That Advocation or Intercession being a presentation of his will for the believers consolation so as that he is Comforter therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intreat for comfort and procure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a comforter to be sent unto them Now to argue thus He presents his sacrifice yea and his will for some good things which he hath procured or obtained right to demand for all he dyed for Ergo he doth as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make good the case of all he dyed for that 's the thing I say denyed and for which the argument is invalid though that indeed is the thing as is before said and as his expressions in the next argument do declare he chiefly aimes at the whole consideration otherwise making nothing against us or to his chief intended purpose 4. Argu. 4 His fourth argument is from the identity of the end that if the Death of Christ procured and obtained that every good thing should be bestowed which is actually conferred by the intervening of his Intercession then they have both of them the same end and aim his Minor should be that the Death of Christ procured and obtained that every good thing should be bestowed which is actually conferred by his Intercession c. which he neither proveth nor did he doth it conclude the Concludendum that is the same Object in all the things his Death procured So that his after inference viz That the promises upon which his Intercession is founded were an ingagement to bestow and actually collate upon them for whom he suffered all those good things which his Death and oblation did merit and purchase if by them for whom he suffered he mean All them which he must or else he saith nothing neither springs from his premises nor is true in it self For 1. There is no such ingagement on Gods part in Scripture as that All whom Christ should suffer for should have all things collated on them which by his suffering he obtained that in Psal 2.8 mentioned by Mr. Owen doth but say what should be collated on himself not what should be collated upon All the Nations there mentioned that he should be the Anoynted the Christ and King and all given him for a possession not that All he dyed for should be Christ and Lord. Nor do those places of Isa 49. 53. forementioned in chap. 3. say any such thing as that All he dyed or suffered for should have collated upon them all the good things procured by him they ingage that a people should be glorified but not all for whom he suffered 2. The speech in strict sense is evidently false in matters of act for then All of them should be Apostles and Prophets except we shall say that those graces were not procured by his Death and sufferings 3. The way of God in rewarding his Son is in giving him All things into his hands glorifying him and thereby drawing souls to him to stay upon him and then granting him all his desires in them of all the fulness of his glory as he sees good to measure out amongst them Not that he would make them all glorious that he dyed for but only all of them that in the day of grace are brought into him to believe on him So that neither will this Argument serve him up to his intention 5. His fifth proof is from Christs putting them together in Joh. 17. Argu. 5 which only proves that Christ doth as well intercede as he did offer up himself not that he intercedes for all them for whom he dyed much less for those speciall things accompanying salvation there prayed for which was the thing to be proved We have shewed the Impertinency of that in John 17. before in answer to his fourth Chapter his other proofes also of 1 Cor 15.17 Heb. 9.12 are impertinent too neither of them speaking a word of Intercession much less for whom or how many 6. His last Argument is Argu. 6 That the seperating and dividing the Death and Intercession of Christ in regard of the objects cuts off all that consolation which any soul might hope to attain by an Assurance that Christ dyed for him But that 's false for this doctrine of Christs dying for All men though joyned with this that he makes Intercession but for All that come to God by him gives both ground and incouragement for every man upon hearsay of it to look to God and go to him by Christ as one that hath testified such great love to him as to open such a way of accesse for him through the blood of his Son and also assures him of strong consolation upon his going to him
thing I know not what is CHAP. II. On the latter part of his third Chapter lib. 2. in which he urges the phrases For many and for the sheep and pretends to answer what T. Moore hath observed about them HE proceeds in the next place to application and to demonstrate this Assertion That Jesus Christ according to the Councel and will of his Father did offer himself on the cross to the procurement of eternal salvation with all the branches and means of it and makes continual Intercession with this intent and purpose that all the good things so procured by his death might be actually and infallibly bestowed on and applyed to All and every one for whom he dyed according to the will and counsel of God A position manifestly false for then we must all be Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers nay have a name above every name c. for these things Christ procured by his death But to pass that He endeavors to make good this by a threefold consideration 1. From Scriptures holding out the intention and counsel of God 2. From Scriptures laying down the actual accomplishment or effect of his oblation 3. From those that point out the persons for whom Christ dyed His prevarications and weakness in the pointing out and arguing from each of which we sufficiently shewed in our answer to the first Chapter of his first Book and therefore here shall add only this That his arguments run but to this purpose Some one subordinate end of Christs death only agrees to some therefore he dyed only for those and with no respect to the supream end dyed for any other and so by consequence God hath no glory brought to him by the death of Jesus Christ but only in and from the Elect and Christ hath got no glory from any other but them he leaving them as he found them and doing nothing in his mediation for them Truly God and Christ are not beholding to Mr. Owen for his arguing So again Believers have had such and such effects in and by the death of Christ believed in by them therefore he dyed only for them like this such as go to a feast are well refreshed by eating it therefore it was made for no more then them that go to it or this Such prisoners being ransomed and following the Prince that ransomed them met with such bounty from him Therefore he ransomed none but them And again Many were ransomed Ergo not All. God made Israel Therefore he made no body else c. but no more to them arguments only there are diverse passages in the latter part of this Chapter from p. 79. that we have not spoken to and therefore shall take them in here As He denies that the death of Christ in any place of Scripture is said to be for all men For Answer to which I desire the Reader to turn to 1 Tim. 2.5 6. Heb. 2.9 Rom. 5.18 I know his objection is elswhere that the word Men is not in the original To which I answer first That by the same reason he may say that in Rom. 5.12 It s not affirmed that All men sinned seeing its but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word Men is not expressed and the like in 1 Cor. 15.22 that All men dyed not in Adam But 2. The word Men is expresly in Rom. 5.18 And 3. The word Men is the substantive clearly to be supplyed because the whole precedent speech was about men All men to be prayed for 1 Tim. 2.1 and expresly verse 4. that God would have All men to be saved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and that demonstrated by this that there is but one God and one Mediator between God and men the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for All. For All what must it not needs be men between whom and God he is a Mediator and whom he tels us God would have to be saved All men and so in Heb. 2.9 was not the Apostle admiring Gods goodness to man Lord what is man and the Son of man exalting man above all his works which is now verified in one Man Jesus that dyed for every one What can it be referred to as before spoken about but man or the sons of men But of this we shall have cause to speak further hereafter That there are more ends of the death of Jesus Christ then what is the immediate fruit of it by way of ransome and propitiation before faith in it we have shewed in the conclusion of the first Book and upon his first Chapter of the second Some fruits there are of it from God towards men before faith and while in state of unbelief as the opening the door for entrance and for exhortations to strive to enter a feast prepared in Christ and a way of participating of it made and invitations vouchsafed as in Matth. 22.4 Prov. 9.3 4 5. Luk. 13.24 and those for and to more then enter and eat other fruits there are of it that flow in upon faith as satisfaction justification sanctification the contents of the new Testament c. And he that cannot see these to be distinct fruits and produced for or upon diverse objects and objects diversly considered is blinde and cannot see afar off nor into the things evidently held forth in the Gospel And what the ransome either immediately with God and for men or mediately upon and in men produceth were subordinate ends and aimes that Christ had in his eye upon his death as Mr. Owen himself also implies when he makes the ends of Christs death to be coincident with its effects His following observation objected against that that where the word many is used there are more ends of Christs death mentioned I shall pass it being not material and in some passages at least doubtful But in page 80. To this exception of ours Christs death is not limited to many and to his sheep c. as the ransome and propitiation as if he dyed for them only he tels us 1. That Christ saying he dyed for his sheep and Church and Scripture witnessing that all are not his sheep they conclude and argue by undeniable consequence that he dyed not for those that are not so At which assertion I can but wonder when first I heard of Mr. Owens Book he was so commended to me for a disputant that I could not expect any such lame arguments from him If we must take his saying of a thing to be an infallible proof that it s so then we have done with him but sure no Logick rule or good reason that I have ever met with can prove this assertion Had he said Christ saying he dyed for his sheep and the Scripture saying all are not his sheep it argues that in that saying he extended not the speech there about his Death to All he had spoken reason but to argue that because he mentions no more there as the object of his Death therefore he had no greater
give to this or that muchless to all he dyed for effectually to believe in him and to be saved not a word to that purpose So that that piece of doctrine viz. That for whom Christ dyed them he procured faith for is none of those Scripture-truths that will scatter the supposed clouds and mists Nor yet follows it that the whole impetration of Redemption is made unprofitable For 1. God hath ingaged himself so to glorifie his Son that some shall be brought in though he no were say All he dyed for nor that I know of any particular persons so as that this or that individuall must or else he should be unjust 2. He shall have much glory from his good bounteous and merciful dispensations to men through the Death of Christ that yet he compels not to believe on Christ Matt. 22.2 3 4 5. with Rom. 11.36 yea in the just and righteous condemnation of those that sin'd against that mercy and refused to submit to him For that condition upon which he supposes we will say Christ is to bestow salvation viz. so they do not refuse or resist the means of grace It s a mistake we know no such imposition put upon him for men may receive the means and yet rebel against the grace it self that comes in them have a form and deny the power of godliness and for that perish Though that all Pagans and infidels are left destitute of all means leading them to seek after God or that any that have no outward means from Christ nor ever resist Gods workings in them shall be condemned as Mr. Owen would perswade us I leave for him to prove Christ says to the Jews that if he had not come and spoken to them they had not had sin and for ought I know If Christ neither come in Word Joh. 15.22 nor in any spiritual way as he preached to the old world by his Spirit if any such he can finde they may not have sin charged on them to condemnation and destruction Yet if Mr. Owen can shew me otherwise I will believe it For making Christ but a half Mediator its frivolous yet we shall speak to it lib. 3. c. 3. where it occurs again That Christ did not dye for any on condition of their believing I believe nor that he dyed only for the Elect of God that they should believe nor finde I any Scripture calling any man while yet in and of the world an Elect person He dyed for All that being Lord of them and presenting his light to them according to the good pleasure of the Father whosoever believes might not perish but have eternal life And here ends this Second Book and my Answers to it The Third Book His third Book contains Arguments grounded for the most part upon his former premises against the universality of the Death of Christ we shall Favente Deo orderly view them CHAP. I. An answer to his two first Arguments contained in his first Chapter of this Book The first Chapter contains two Arguments Argu. 1 As FRom the nature of the Covenant of Grace established ratified and confirmed in and by the Death of Christ His Argument runs thus The effects of the death of Christ cannot be extended beyond the compass of the new Covenant or Christ died only for those that are within the New Covenant But this Covenant was not made universally with all but particularly onely with some Therefore those alone were intended in the benefits of the death of Christ A very vitious Argument whereof the Conclusion contains a quartus terminus for in stead of any effects the tearm propounded in the Major He says the benefits therein as is clear by what follows in him comprehending the choice benefits of the death of Christ applied The Major also is ambiguous and uncertain For either it is universal as No effect of the death of Christ c. or else particular as Some do not c. If the latter its impertinent and concludes not against the death of Christ for All but onely its having some effects in All which is besides the thing in question if the former as I suppose he intends it then I deny it I deny I say that Christ died for none or that none have any effect of his death extended to them but onely such as with whom the New Testament is made He brings no other proof for it which he perhaps therefore lisped in because he saw himself weak in the proof of it but onely from that title given to his blood that it s called The blood of the New Testament So that his Argument to prove that runs thus It s called the blood of the New Testament Therefore shed onely for them that are heirs of the New Testament Which is like this The Spirit is called the Spirit of Comfort and the Comforter Therefore whoever it works upon it comforts them and so when it convinces the world of sin it s their comforter too and when it kindles the fire of Tophet Isai 30.33 it comforts them that are tormented with it A wilde Argument and yet such is his The truth is As its an office of the Spirit to comfort and he is a Comforter to all that obey him so is it an office of the blood of Christ or rather one end of its shedding to ratifie the new Covenant which it also doth to all that believe in it But as that is not all the work or business of the Spirit to comfort so neither was that all the work or end of the blood of Christ to establish the new Covenant but first of all to ransom from the death that was passed upon men and then to confirm a Covenant to the house of Israel and Judah This blood where ever it s tendered the Covenant is tendred with it Hear and your souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you the sure mercies of David and he that obeys this is entred into Covenant by it but not All for whom it was shed are in Covenant by its shedding no more then all for whom the water of Purification was made were therefore purified because it was made for them and called the water of Purification Numb 19 9.20 Mr. Owen also mistakes the parties with whom the Covenant is made For he understands them to be a certain number of persons yet lying in the world and that its one clause of the Covenant to give them faith or make them to believe whereas indeed especially as pertaining to the Gentiles the proper object with whom the Covenant is made is the called of God believers in Christ Jesus into those mens hearts God will put his fear not to bring them to him but to keep them from departing from him which argues their being brought to him before these shall have the Law written in their hearts an allusion to the old Testament written in Tables of Stone not before they were brought out of Egypt but after they
should not serve sin But quorsum haec how doth this prove that all that Christ dyed for are and shall be sanctified by his blood Why he tels us That the fifth verse says That a participation in the death of Christ shall be accompanyed with a conformity to him in his Resurrection But what mean you Sir by a participation in it an having part in it or being a part of the object of it If so which word in ver 5. says so That says He that 's planted into the likeness of it not he that Christ died for Surely if Mr. Owen had dealt fairly he should have kept the same tearms in both branches of his Assertion as the Apostle doth thus Conformity to Christ in his death shall be followed with a conformity to him in his Resurrection Sure if planting into the likeness of him signify conformity to him in the latter branch as it doth it signifies so in the former too it being the very same maner of expression But Mr. Owen hath a little too much art of making quidlibet de quolibet But what follows The words of the later verse yield a reason of the former Assertion Because our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed c. What gathers he from that why this That our sinful corruption and depravation of Nature are by his Death and crucifying meritoriously slain and disabled from such a rule and dominion over us as that we should be servants to them But suppose this was the Apostles sense That Christ merited that such as are planted into the likeness of his Death by Baptism or conformed to him in his Death should have their sins subdued in them will it therefore follow That he says all that he died for shall be so conformed to him or shall have their sins subdued in them Let Reason judg of that Consequence But which word in the Text signifies a Meritorius slaying I suppose he means the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If so I deny it That signifies there a real crucifying in us according to that in Gal 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh c. That is have nailed it upon the Cross that is the Grace and Spirit of God which is cross to it and lusts against it they have given it up to be mortified by the Spirit that so the body of Sin might be destroyed It is not destroyed yet nor doth the Apostle say so as well he might if he had spoken of a meritorious slaying for what concerns the matter of Merit that is already accomplished though the thing merited be not But when was this crucifying I answer when the soul was brought to give up it self to Christ and not before Rom. 6.4 5. when it was Baptized into his Death not in the outward onely but chiefly in the inward spiritual Baptism 1 Pet. 3.21 and so begun to be planted into the likeness of it But perhaps he will say The word is Crucified with Christ and therefore must be referred to what was done in his crucifying I answer no It signifies but a companionship in being crucified as he was or after his similitude not a thing done when he was crucified as Col. 2.12 we are said to be buried with him but when was that He says not in his being buried but in Baptism which is a thing not inwardly accomplished no nor begun before believing And so You that were dead in sins and trespasses hath he quickned with him the quickning men up to hope in God and bringing them from their dead condition in which before believing they lay without hope is said to be with Christ Yea when we suffer for Christ and dye for his Name we are said to suffer and dye with him 2 Tim. 2.11 12. Rom. 8.17 which are not to be referred to the time of his suffering and dying as if we then suffered and died meritoriously with him So that first express saying is pressed too injuriously to speak for Mr. Owen besides its proper intention Again He brings 2 Cor. 1.20 All the Promises of God are in Christ Yea and in him Amen Which says nothing that God hath promised that All that Christ died for should be sanctified and cleansed from all their sins but that in him all the promises are surely to be met with The Covenant we have spoken to before That 's made or rather promised to be made with the House of Israel and the House of Judah of which houshold men are not accounted till brought to Christ to believe as is plain Ephe. 2.12 17 18 19. After Christ hath preached peace to us and given us access to the Father then we are of the houshold of God and fellow Citizens with the Saints The promise of circumcising the heart which he mentions as most famous in the New Covenant follows after obeying the voice of God in listning to his Son Deut. 30.1 2 3 4 5 6. so the Apostle intimates 2 Cor. 3.16 When the heart turns to the Lord the vail shall be taken away which I conceive answers to Circumcising the heart As impertinent to his purpose is that in Heb. 9.23 of purging the heavenly things except he prove that All that Christ died for are heavenly men even before believing and before their calling to God with a heavenly call And that in Col. 1.14 of the believer brought to Christ receiving and having the Redemption in him with which agrees the 1 Cor. 1.30 which says not all that he died for are made wise redeemed righteous c. by him but they that are in him by faith as see Rom. 16 7. have him in the vertue of his blood and by his Spirit for wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption As impertinent is his allegation of Heb. 2.14 To destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil that he might free those that by reason of death or through the fear of death rather were all their life time subject to bondage No more is his Probandum proved by that then that all that Christ spake to are saved can be proved by that in Joh. 5.34 These things speak I to you you that had neither heard the voice of God nor seen his face And who will not come unto me that ye might have life ver 38.40 that ye might be saved Or from this That he brought us into Egypt that he might bring us into Canaan that all that came out of the one entred into the other Nor is there any more consequence from the other places mentioned in Ephes 5.25 26. and Tit. 2.14 He gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie it provided in his death for the perfecting those that should believe in him Ergo All he died for shall be sanctified and saved So that the contrary to his Conclusion is true that he hath in no one place proved what was by him undertaken But to take off this that we say Many
are not sanctified and purified by it because they believe not and that 's the reason why his death hath not such effects in them not that Christ died not for them therefore he undertakes to prove That Faith it self is a proper immediate fruit and procurement of the death of Christ for all those for whom he died Quod si perficiat fiet mihi magnus Apollo But I fear it for we see great undertakings hitherto but little performances Parturientes montes erepentes verò mures Before he come to perform his promise He premises some things which we must grant him and shall as far as truth appears in them He premises 1. That what ever is freely bestowed upon us in and through Christ that is wholy the procurement and merit of the death of Christ But how proves he this why he saith but his sayings are no proofs that nothing is bestowed through him on those that are his which he hath not purchased the price whereby he made his purchase being his blood If this saying were as firm as Scripture and somewhat firmer yet it would not reach his Assertion for he limits it to those that are his now by those that are his is sometime meant his peculiarly owned by him as his so Rom. 8.9 And so I conceive Mr. Owen means it and then he denies not here but that something granted to others not yet so his that yet have not his Spirit in them though through him may not be his purchase But because his words are no proof and as to the main matter it s but Idem per idem a repetition of his first saying Let us carry it to his Scripture proofs which are 1. 1 Cor. 6. I suppose he means ver 19 20. Your bodies are the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own for you are bought with a price Here is mention made of buying them with a price but no mention made of his buying the holy Ghost and their glorifying of God and yet the holy Ghost was a gift freely given them through Christ much less of all things given them freely in him so that that proof reaches not But then he adds out of Isai 53. That the Covenant made between his Father and him of making out all spiritual blessings to them that were given him was expresly founded on this condition that He should make his soul an offering for Sin But in viewing the place I finde no such expressions It appears but a tradition that that is a Covenant made between the Father and Christ For it s not the Fathers speech to Christ or Christs to Him but the Prophets of Christ to the Father or of both Father or Son When thou shalt make his soul or when his soul shall make an offering for sin he shall see a seed he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand He says not My pleasure as speaking in the person of the Father Nor doth he say because his soul shall put a guilt-offering or make an offering for sin therefore he shall see a seed c. But if his soul shall be so or when it is so then that shall follow Much less saith he that there was before that a people given him that should for that have all spiritual blessings made out to them Indeed in the twelfth verse there is a promise and that grounded upon his intercession and sufferings but then the contents of it are not all good things to be given to men but a glorious portion to be given to Christ So that he is deficient here too in his proofs And yet I will tell him how I will grant him this though he prove it not viz. that we had had none of those things had not Christ suffered I speak according to what is revealed for secret things appertain not to us He opened the way and passage for all good things to come unto us by removing the sin that did obstruct and hinder us of them The earth and we all in it were dissolved he bare up the pillars of it and in him all things now stand together I know not whether M. Owen will except or will also include Election and Predestination to Sonship for they are said also to be in and by Christ Ephes 1.4 5. I shall leave that to his consideration but if by procuring and meriting he means that he ingaged God and procured his good will that such things should be bestowed on us especially if by us he mean as he must all that he died for so as that what ever God bestows on any by Christ he bestows it out of debt to Christ and should be unjust to him should he bestow less on or deal any otherwise with any particular in point of favour then he doth that I cannot but question till I see it better proved 2. He propounds That faith in men of understanding is of such absolute indispensible necessity to salvation that what ever God or Christ hath done in his oblation and intercession for all or some without this in us is in regard of the event to us of no value worth or profit but serveth onely to increase and aggravate condemnation it being certainly true That he that believes not shall be damned all which I conceive true and what may be granted him with those limitations specified of men of understanding in regard of the event to us especially where the Gospel is plainly preached that being evidently the meaning of our Saviour in that last clause viz that the Gospel being preached by them He that believeth not the Gospel so preached and thereby in himself shall be damned and yet I deny not but both in former times and other cases he that by the light afforded was or is not prevailed with to believe on God and seek after him and glorifie him as power was or is vouchsafed thereto shall be condemned also But what infers he hence It follows So that if there be in our selves a power of believing and the act of it proceed from that power then certainly it is in our power to make the Love of God and death of Christ effectual towards us or not To that I say that no man doth at any time believe but he hath power to believe first in himself and in that power he acteth for the act of believing being an intrinsecal act of the soul the power in which the souls acts in it must needs be inward too but I suppose he means so in our selves as to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our selves too but so I say not that we have power in our selves as meerly natural without Grace preventing and inabling us And yet were it so it would not follow that then it s in our power to make Christs Death effectual to our selves but as its the preventing assisting Grace of God that impowers the soul to believe So the soul
CHAP. V. An Answer to his fifth Chapter In which is considered How Christ gave himself a ransom for All. HAving done with those Arguments we follow him now to Arguments taken from words used in this matter which he saith Disagree in their genuine signification from the Opinion that extends to all the matter spoken of in them Arg. 10 And first He lays down his Argument generally thus That Doctrine that will not by any means suit which and be conformable to the thing signified by it but contradicts the expressions literal and deductive whereby in Scripture it s held out to us cannot possibly be sound and sincere But such is the perswasion of Vniversal Redemption or General Ransom Ergo It s unsound And this strange Argument that grants the Doctrine held forth in Scripture expressions Instance 1. and yet contradicts those Scriptures he labors to prove by Induction and first from the word A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dransom or price of Redemption He argues thus That the thing signified in it agrees not to all therefore the word is not to be so applied Which is in substance Paul spake unadvisedly when he made so general an expression this is not to believe the Scripture but to judge and deny it to be right VVell let us see what the word signifies It signifies a price for Redemption Now saith Mr. Owen If Christ pay a price for Redemption his aim is their deliverance for whom it s paid to that end he satisfies the Judge and conquers the Jaylor but this agrees not to All All are not ransomed Shall we believe Mr. Owen or the Apostle here who also tells us in Rom. 5.18 That by one mans Righteousness to all men to Justification of life And again in 1 Cor. 15 22. As in Adam All die so in Christ all shall be made alive But Mr. Owen says Why are not all saved then I might say Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God But I have answered before From the first death they are from the second they are not because many are disobedient against their Saviour As all Israel were saved out of Egypt Jude 5. Its the Apostle Judes expression But why then not all preserved into Canaan He tells us He afterwards destroyed them that believed not So here he afterward in a second death destroyes all those that know like or approve not God and all that disobey the Gospel of Christ 2 Thes 1.7 8. All were in thrall to the sentence of death and so to the execution of vengeance from God upon them all in Adam in an utter ruine and again for slighting and sinning against Light and Goodness afforded deserve destruction to come suddenly upon them in plagues famines c. The bond that held them in the former was their sin in Adam and to the latter many sins against Gods goodness now exposes them VVhat price pays Christ Himself to bear that blow for them and be the propitiation for their sin Now in that the sentence passed not or rather lyes not upon men Men are not debarred reaccess to God for that folly the sentence of banishment is reversed and the banished called home again here is a Redemption made from that thraldom And whereas many times they are liable to destruction again in their persons Christ Mediating and Interposing himself as the Propitiation preserves them And on this ground we are to pray for All and make Intercession with thanksgiving for All as in 2 Tim. 1.2 6. But I suppose he thinks All not ransomed because many remain thralled in their corruption To which I might say but as Prosper Ad capit Gallor Sanguis Christi est totius mundi pretium pro omnium redemptione verè persolutum and that 's as much as 1 Tim. 2.6 says sed illi homines ab eo pretio extranei sunt qui aut captivitate delectati redimi noluerunt aut post redemptionem ad eandem servitutem sunt reversi and again Omnes rectè dicantur redempti sed non ownes a captivitate eruti But to clear it I shall propound these following considerations 1. That men in sinning fell under a double bondage 1. To death to be inflicted from God according to his sentence In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death and death came on all in that all sinned 2. To corruption or sinfulness of Nature in themselves and the delusions of Satan Ephe. 2.1 Dead in sins and trespasses conceived in sin and born in iniquity 2. The latter of these thraldoms was not the curse or death inflicted as the punishment of the fall but the proper consequence of it That it was not its punishment nor any essential part of it appears in this that every essential part of the punishment of it Christ was to bear by way of satisfaction and so he bare anguish in body and soul death of body and separation from Gods presence but he bare not the inherency of sin for us nor inability for serving his Father nor was he subject to the deceits of Satan as if it had been an essential part of that punishment he must have done for it appertains to and spreads over the whole nature But the first was the punishment to which we were subjected and which had we abid never so pure in our natures must have been executed for the fault committed because the word was not If thou becomest so polluted but In the day thou eatest thou shalt die and therefore Christ also suffered that becoming a ransom for us though innocent 3. In the latter the Justice of God did not detain us but as man being debarred from any new grace without that could not do what he should but we ought that notwithstanding to do our best to serve him we had his permission to it if such a thing might be supposed that we might have lived under that sentence unsuffered for us He neither put sin into us nor kept it in us But the former came directly from God upon us and his Justice detained us in our Mediator in it till his sentence was satisfied 4. That first was the death of which Satan had power and the fear of which though but now a carkass detains men in their spirits in bondage Heb. 2.14 Men fear not but love the other their corruptions now Christ conquered Satan when he brake his snare and got victory over that death that should else have swallowed us up for ever So that Satan could not as else he would have done play the Executioner upon us 5. God neither putting men into corruption nor corruption into them nor his Justice standing against our doing better he would that they should come out of it if they could the price was not given to God properly as the price of Redemption from that but onely as the ransoming them from the death inflicted makes a passage for means also to be afforded to them for their recovery and setting free from
that bondage too Were it not for this Ransom he would not afford him any means to help him out of this but his Justice required not any positive influence upon him to hold him in and hinder him from getting out of it till he was satisfied in the other Thence Christ given himself to bear the blow and deliver men from that proper punishment inflicted by God and men being thereby delivered out of that sentence they may be said properly to be ransomed though still they are not brought out of the bondage to their corruption especially the prison door being opened with help afforded for their coming out of that too To clear it by a Simile A King makes a Law That he that shall eat such a fruit suppose as in the eating of it hath a property to make men leprous should for so doing be forthwith adjudged to death and executed A certain company of men notwithstanding being overcome by some evil inticement transgress the Law and immediately become leprous The Executioners seize upon them and are drawing them to punishment in the interim one gives a sum of money for their ransom The intention of it is to ransom them from the sentence to the execution of which they are going the ingagement or performance of the paiment being accepted he that gave the price receives power to rescue them from the Tormentors and doth it still they remain leprous and lye exposed to the subtilty of former inticers shal we say now these men are not ransomed or that he that payed the price ransomed them not because they remain leprous Nay we will go further suppose the Ransomer obtaining by the same price the best Surgeons and skilful Physitians for their healing too and by all loving Arguments intreating them to be healed and no longer to hearken to the contrary suggestions of their inticers some of them trust him and are healed others peremptorily listening to their inticers like their leprous condition better because they like not the Ransomers society and think they shall not be troubled with it so long as they are leprous having great suspition also perhaps that the things he prescribes for them will poyson them and so refuse to be healed and abide lepers all their dayes yea perhaps also for disobedience to their Ransomer and the King again come to be again condemned and executed shall we say now that this man did not give a price of Redemption for them all because they through their folly were never freed and redeemed as it were from the power of their leprosie Such is the case in hand I need not to apply it the case is so clear If it be objected That Similitudes prove nothing I Answer There is no need of proving a Scripture saying that 's to be believed and Similitudes may be apt to illustrate how we may conceive the thing expressed sutably to the expression in Scripture used Let me this say further that the word Redemption is sometime applied to the effect of the believing application of the blood of Christ for healing men in regard of their corruptions and setting their mindes free to serve God as in 1 Pet. 1.18 Rev. 5.9 and 14.3 4. being the same in substance with Heb 9.14 As also sometimes for a powerful freeing the body from mortality weakness and death Rom. 8.23 In which further significations it is not to be confounded with the use of it here but distinguishing from it CHAP. VI. Concerning Reconciliation in answer to his sixth Chapter HIs next Instance and Argument from thence is about Reconciliation Instan 2. Which he rightly makes to be in the mutuall joynt turning of affections to each other and coming into amity accord and friendship His Argument from that runs thus All are reconciled to God for whom Christ died But all are not so c. We are to minde that he speaks here of reconciliation of men in their own persons For otherwise the definition and the thing defined would disagree and he should prevaricate in his arguing Now reconciliation so considered I deny his Major viz. That all for whom Christ died are reconciled to God His proof for it is this That Reconciliation is the immediate effect and product of the death of Christ which though he is confident none can deny I have before disproved Lib. 1. ca. 1. Yea that mens affections are not turned unto God immediately upon Christs death for them as before the Call of God hath overcome them I appeal to Mr. Owens own Doctrine against the Socinians Chap. 8. But he thinks to help it by distinguishing Reconciliation into meritorious and accomplished and so through all are not yet actually reconciled to God yet he says That Christ hath merited that they shall be and so they all shall and must be Which distinction so applied I deny Indeed that God hath done so much for all in dying for them and God in giving him to die for them that he hath highly deserved at their hands that they should all love and live to him I freely grant yea and if we take Reconciliation for a making their peace so with God for them as to * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are of the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to change change their condition into a far better then what it was before so as that whereas they were by sin debarred the Presence and Kingdom of God now God is ready to receive them hath opened the way for them yea calls and commands them to come back again to him in such a sense I will grant his Assertion but that Christ hath obliged or made it due debt to himself from the Father to make all for whom he died affect and live to him I deny nor can he prove it He indeavors it from sundry Scriptures which I shall view and discover his mistakes in His first is 2 Cor 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself c. Which we may understand in the sense even now yielded or else also taking the word World for the Gentiles it holds forth that God in Christ brake down the partition wall and slew the enmity the Law of Commandments in Ordinances that kept them at a distance from fellowship with the Jews and so made way for their coming in to him to be at one with him not imputing their trespasses or contrary walkings to his Ordinances to them but so remitting them as no longer to count them or any of them common or unclean in that respect but all or any of them may be welcome to his Church or Kingdom notwithstanding their uncircumcision according to that Acts 10.22 God hath shewed me that I should call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no one man common or unclean But whether we take it onely in the former or this sense also as I think it comprehends both yet it comes far short of Mr. Owens Assertion viz. That God was obliged by the
death of Christ to make them all affect him It reaches but to a way-making and foundation laying unto that And indeed it s to be minded that Reconciliation is neither there spoken of as the act of Christ toward God as had it signified an ingagement putting upon him it should rather have been but as the act of God in Christ God was in Christ reconciling nor as of a thing accomplished and done as had it been of a meritorious reconciling it might have been with respect to the act of Merit so spoken of the act of Meriting being a thing already done but onely as of a thing then * It s but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in fieri in the doing and as the following vers ver 20. argues not as yet done while that exhortation to be reconciled is but yet a pressing It s as if he should have said God hath been doing that in Christ for the world that tends to and makes for its reconciling or being reconciled to him he hath taken that out of the mid-way that stood against the shewing himself gracious to them and receiving them into favor nothing is wanting on his part to their being at one with him nay he hath done that in Christ that may induce them thereto as in Matth. 22.4 His Oxen and Fatlings are killed and he hath prepared a dinner and all is ready for receiving them upon which ground also as there the servants were sent out to the guests with that good tidings and thereupon to invite them to come to the wedding so here the Apostles were sent out former hints of his goodness in the Wisdom of God afforded Joh. 1 4 5. 1 Cor. 1.21 being not in the wisdom of the World understood or discerned plainly to declare this that God had done in Christ for them and to intreat them to be at one with him which as it intimates as I said before that they were not yet in their hearts reconciled to him for why then needed any further beseeching of them thereto So doth it no more prove that they must be all so reconciled and that Christ had obliged God thereto Mat. 22.4 then that phrase All things are ready come ye to the Wedding argues that Christ had obliged God to make all those bidden guests to feast with him and the following Caveat in Chap. 6.1 warning them not to receive the Grace of God in vain both argues that there is such a receiving it and that there is danger that some such as this grace is affirmed to concern may so receive it and so by consequence not be reconciled in their hearts at all to him So that this place duly weighed rather overthrows Mr. Owens Assertion then contributes any the least mite to its confirmation He produces also Rom. 11.15 The casting off of the Jews is the reconciling of the world which neither speaks a title of Christs death nor can be understood to make any thing for a meritorious reconciling Reconciliation there signifying only the occasional way and means of reconciling As Salvation Acts 28.28 is the means of saving He quotes also Rom. 5.10 If being enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son c. and Col. 1.21 Now are ye reconciled in the body of his flesh through death But neither will they serve him up to his purpose For neither of them either speak in that latitude as All for whom Christ died nor of a meritorious reconciling onely but of Reconciliation at least inchoativè accomplished in mens persons In Rom. 5. The Apostle having said Verse 1. That the believer being justified by faith in Christ is at peace with God which is all one with Ver. 2 3 4 5. is reconciled and is lead to rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God even in afflictions shews how Faith nourishes and acts the soul in that hope from what principle and by what considerations viz. By minding the great love of God in giving his Son to the Death for it when in a miserable condition Ver. 6 7 8. and the great love of Christ in so dying for it and the state to which God hath there-through already brought it viz. Ver. 9 10. A justified and reconciled estate VVhence it leads the soul thus hopefully to judge and reason Hath God shed his Sons blood for me that I might have good ground of believing in him and overcoming me to believe therein hath he justified me there-through Compare ver 1.9 with Chap. 3.25 how shall he not much more now save me me or us that are thus justified from wrath to come And again Hath God made me of an enemy his friend by such a way at such cost as the death of his Son how much more wil he now that I am no more his enemy but his friend reconciled to him save preserve me in and bring me safely out of all afflictions and trials unto glory by his life seeing he shall not need to die again to do that for me Yea not only so says he but it leads too to Glory in God himself through Jesus Christ through or by whom it hath now now that it believes and is justified received the atonement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a Metonymy the Grace of God that effected this reconciliation and brought it in to be the reconciled of God as he had before ver 10. affirmed He says not we were reconciled in the time of Christs dying that would have been rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the reconciliation which we now have received in receiving him to wit and in which we are reconciled we have it by his Death That phrase By his Death that men so stumble at I have explained before lib. 1. cap. 1. This then says nothing of Christ meriting of or obliging God to reconcile that is turn the affections of all to himself for whom he died nor says that in Col. 1.21 22. any thing more for it but that the believing Colossians were of enemies to God become now his friends reconciled to him onely the Apostle there tell us what was the bond or medium of their agreement viz. The body of Christs flesh through or by means of death that is he having in that his body suffered for our sins and offered up himself to God God there takes up his delightful dwelling and is propitious towards us now we also by Faith closing with and feeding on that his body as it hath or he therein died for us God and we are at one But what is this to his meriting of God that he actually reconcile all for whom he died His last proof is Ephes 2.15 16 where the Apostle having said that the Ephesians sometimes strangers to God and his Church were now made neer by the blood of Christ which we may either understand of that cleansing of the state of the Gentiles in general and opening a free access into his Kingdom to
their souls in particular whereby they become weary heavy laden and burdened 4. A serious full recumbency and resting the soul upon Christ in the promise of the Gospel as an Alsufficient Saviour able to deliver and save to the utmost them that come to God by him Ready able and willing through the preciousness of his blood and sufficiency of his ransom to save every soul that shall freely give up themselves to him for that end amongst whom he is resolved to be one Now says he in doing all this there is none called on by the Gospel once to inquire after the purpose and intention of God concerning the particular object of the death of Christ every one being fully assured that his Death shall be profitable to them that believe in him and obey him but after all this and not before it lies upon a believer to assure his soul of the good will and eternal love of God to him to send his Son to dye for him in particular I might here return him his own words with admiration Oh what a preposterous course is this and how differing from the right way of the Gospel 1. I would know what is that Gospel that men in the first place are to believe to be true Is it onely that Jesus Christ is the power and wisdom of God to salvation and the connexion of faith and salvation That we have shewed before to be untrue The Word of God it self tells us that the Gospel used to tell men of Christs being sent of God to turn them in particular from their sins and to lay down that as the ground of Repentance and believing on him 1 Tim. 2 4.6 And the Apostlesays expresly that that wâs the Testimony or Gospel that God ordained and sent him to preach ver 7. Acts 3.26 And that God would have all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth for there is one God and one Mediator between God and man the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for All and can a man believe that to be true and not believe that he gave himself a ranson for him Is he no body So that what he says in this first step overthrows him But 2. See the preposterousness of these men that that the Apostle writ about the High-Priesthood of Christ to the believers as peculiarly useful for them to lead them up to perfection in their faith and confidence viz. That Christ hath the office of an unchangeable Priesthood is able to save to the utmost all that come to God by him because he ever liveth to make intercession for them that is here produced as the ground to draw in unbelievers though the intercession there mentioned is not affirmed there for any as while yet unbelievers and on the other hand that which the Apostle tells us was the Testimony whereof God had made him a Minister an Apostle to preach to the Gentiles that were ignorant of God as that before repeated that is not to be preached as true for any ones particular and as so to be believed by him till they are made believers Who would think that wise men should go so preposterous a way but that its the judgement of God for their leaning to their own wisdom and no more then is fore-prophesied that God will destroy the wisdom of the wise c. 3. He impertinently mixes the object of faith with the operations of that object attended to and believed as conviction by the Spirit of their need of a Redeemer and recumbency in him with the truths of God that lead to that convincement and reliance on him The Argument is about the object of faith needful to be believed by all that hear the Gospel that they may believe to justification And he tells us of an order in the operations of God upon mens spirits before they believe as they should do And yet he minds not that the convincement of the great sin of unbelief is not kindly effected till men see they have ground of believing and yet believe not till when the heart rather thinks it is sin and presumption to believe But when it sees that Christ hath done so much for it then it must needs be convinced that it sins greatly in not betrusting it self wholly to him 4. He confounds the object of faith about the Mediation of Christ and the object of his Death with the secret Purpose and Counsel of God about our particular right to and injoyment of eternal salvation 5. He talks of rolling the soul upon Christ in a Promise whenas he cannot prove that any can have him in a Promise to be rolled on further then he is supposed first to have dyed for him the Promises being sealed in his blood and the way of closing with them is believing in his blood which how should men do whâ—le its wholly doubtful to them whether they have any thing to do with his blood or nor Indeed 6. He supposes that a soul is brought to believe in God and to trust in his mercie through Christ before it know of any love in God toward it whereas he uses to draw with the cords of love and testimonies of his goodness It s goodness seen in him leads us to repentance It s not only a letting sinners see a need of a Saviour that there is one able to save them that go to God by him that will suffice to draw in a man that yet cannot see him as a way for him to go to God by as he is not for any otherwise then he hath died for them Heb. 10.19 20. to rowl himself upon God for salvation Never yet could any sinner that indeed was convinced to be so and to be under wrath and that saw Gods Justice and Anger against him hope in and expect help from God by Christ not being first perswaded that Christ had done so much for him that he might have salvation through him Many men may delude themselves and take their own self-actings for acts of Grace as the Pharisee did Luke 18.10 11. and from their endeavors and self reformations seem to commit themselves to God and conclude themselves to be believers that yet never knew what it is rightly to believe The true Gospel-believers believe through Grace 2 Cor. 6.1 as they Acts 18.27 That is by the grace and goodwill of God declared to them in the Gospel The grace of God appearing to them teaches them to live godlily and saves them from their former disobedient condition Tit. 2.11 12. and 3.4 5. They do no per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Pharisee argue Gods grace towards them by their frames towards him that God loved them first because they as they conceive love him but on the contrary they therefore love him because he first loved them and sent his Son for them Believing Gods Testimony of what Christ hath done for them they are helped through the power of God to believe
not ever true that he that believes that God delivered him from one danger is confident he will from another much less That that belief in all that so believe yea or in any is the confidence that he will deliver from another 2. Whereas he askes if it include not a sense of the spirituall love of Christ I answer That where the Death and Resurrection of Christ are opened to the heart by the Holy Ghost there the love of God is shed abroad into the heart also but not wherever this proposition is believed viz. Christ dyed for me many a man believes that and yet seeth not into the glory of it nor the depth of goodness held forth in it and so hath not the love of God therethrough shed into his heart yet the minding God in this is the way to meet with the holy Ghosts displaying that love Many Israelites believed that God brought them out of Egypt 2 Pet. 1.9 that had not such a view of his power and love therein or at least like them that forget that they were purged from their old sins forgat what they had seen as to be lead to confidence in God for the future by it 3. Whereas he says By this a man must believe before he believe What strange thing is that with reference to diverse acts of believing did not he himself say that we must have a faith of reliance and recumbence in Christ and before that too believe many truths of the Gospell before we can believe that Christ dyed for us so that there is believing before believing and believing before believing again and yet he counts that absurd in us when we say only we must believe the word of God to be true before we can by it be led to believe in God we must believe Gods goodwill to us-ward and a medium provided for us by whom to go to God before we can be perswaded to go to him by faith whom otherwise we look upon as angry and dreadfull ready to consume us We cannot put our confidence in his blood and there through rise up to assurance of eternall life except we first be perswaded that he shed his blood for us So long as we doubt whether he be a Mediator for us or no and whether he hath given himself to ransome us from death we shall doubt whether God will accept us or no or whether he hare us from eternity or not and whether we have any thing to do to take incouragement from the blood of Christ to approach him because we know not we have any right unto it Nor can Master Owen nor all the world beside to help him make it appear to be otherwise but that the soul will question whether it may expect salvation from God or betrust it self with God so long as it knows not but he hates it and Christ hath never done any thing with him for it 3. He denies That a perswasion that it was Gods will that Christ should dy for him in particular neither is nor can be necessary that a sinner be drawn to believe because other grounds will do it without The consequence of this is that many things were spoken unnecessarily by the Apostles Act. 3.26 as when Peter says Christ was sent to turn every one of them from their iniquities And Paul that the grace of God reconciling the world 2 Cor. 5.19 20. 6.1 was to them Corinthians to perswade them to be reconciled That he preached to the Corinths in the first place that Christ dyed for our sins 1 Cor. 15.2 3. And so all those generall phrases that include mens particulars But let us see what other grounds he gives viz. That it is the duty of sinners as such to believe Math. 11.28 Isa 55.1 To believe in what in the blood of Christ as Rom. 3.25 Then it supposes it shed for them all and so it s a truth according to the Gospell-declaration but denying the extent of his Death how can he make it out that sinners as such * A quatenus ad omne valet consequentia which reaches to All sinners ought to believe in Christ What have sinners if not Elect to do with Christ besides he had said before they must be sinners so and so convinced and qualified before they are to be called upon to believe in Christ And I fear he will upon second thoughts say that those Scriptures hold forth that sinners not as such but as so qualified with thirsting after Christ and being weary c. are there required to believe but many a soul is hereby put upon doubting whether it be Elected or so convinced and thirsty c. as is required and so whether God be not an enemy to it from eternity and so whether it hath cause of trusting in him 2. The command of God John 3.23 That shews it to be its duty if it could be proved to extend to it for that says That we believe in his name and a soul may more justly doubt whether that We reach to it seeing they that deny the extent of Christs Death and teach it to doubt of it use such applicatives as We to oppose an Universality and to signify but the Elect and Church c. This therefore yet leaves the soul to doubt whether it may hope in him for salvation especially being told that these things God sends to men indefinitely that the Elect onely might be brought to him he hath no goodwill to any other and that its Elect it knows not commands to believe while men are taught to doubt whether the object to be believed in as such pertains to them can give no more security from doubting then the building with one hand and pulling down with another secures the building from falling 3. The threats against unbelief That indeed doth as much as the threat for not keeping the Law fils the soul with terror on every side while it hears that God commands more to believe then have cause so to do and threatens them for not believing and yet gives them nothing to induce them to it no evidence of his goodwill to them to draw them to believe this may fill them with hard thoughts of God representing him to them like one that bids another eat or else he will kill him but yet gives him no meat to feed on no evidence of his goodness that may induce him to hope and trust in him 4. The alsufficiency of the blood of Christ to save all believers This may make the soul say O how happy are they that do believe and that have his blood to drink for its able to save them but as for me I know not whether it belong to me or not or whether one drop of it was shed for me and so how I can lean upon it I hear it s not sufficient to save any that it was not shed for not for want of inward worth in it but because it s not for them and I may
be one of them for ought I know 4.5 The promise of life upon believing and the assured salvation of all believers without exception These two are of the same nature with the former only the soul hath this to except It s not every believer for many fall away in time of temptation having no root in them as my faith cannot have if I know not that Christ dyed for me and so grow not upon Gods love therein evidenced to me The soul cannot so believe as to love God and so but with a dead faith unless it believe his love first It may see all its endeavors to believe and to rest on God to be but fleshly strivings out of self principles and at the best it argues Gods love but from its own believing which it may justly question the heart being deceitfull and he a fool that trusts for it for evidencing his condition This is but a promise and an assurance of thriving to all that eat duely of a meat which it knows not whether it may or can duely eat or not for to eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ and so to believe on them is when the soul beholding the love of God and Christ in his Death and sacrifice commended to it doth gather boldness and incouragement to love and cast it self upon God and so grows up into the full assurance of peculiar love to him even to eternall life without the knowledge of love to the soul first it can but at highest come to this It may be I am one that God loves and perhaps not well I will leave thinking about it and tyring my self with thoughts if I can and let it alone I must submit when all is done to be disposed to Heaven or Hell by him which indeed is a condition most sit and needfull for the Gospell to be preached to but is far from faith in God which works by Love and is justifying These things The call to believe the command threatning promise c. are good evidences that the ransome is given and accepted for All and there is good provision in Christ for them God never using to call men to any ordinance that he appointed not for them and coming with this they may incourage thee to believe on and love him that gave his Son for thee to believe on And this implyed by them is that declaration that good tidings to sinners that indeed draws them into believe through the spirits working in them or else if they turn their backs upon it renders them throughly guilty when they shall say in their hearts O what did God for me and what cause had I to believe and to have stayed upon him but I refused it As the Israelites in Egypt were indeed sinners for not believing when God had done so much for them to ingage them to it His conclusion then under this head is false viz. That those are enough to remove all doubts and fears much less which I would rather urge against it are they sufficient to incourage and imbolden the heart and frame it to believe but more especially is that false that follows in him viz. That those are All that the Scripture holds out to that purpose It holds out others as we have noted from Acts 3.26 13 37. 1 Tim. 2.4 5 6. but of this he can take no notice they are nothing for his purpose I could give him back here some of his own expressions as that in pag. 283. That if pride and error had not taken too much possession of mens minds they could not so far deny what they reade in plain texts of Scripture as if they had never seen them to maintain their corrupt and false opinions But he answers further 4. That that perswasion which asserts the certainty of the Death of Christ to All believers and 2. That affirms the command of God and call of Christ to be infallibly declarative of that duty which is required of the person commanded and called which if it be performed will be assuredly acceptable to God 3. That holds out purchased free grace to all distressed burthened consciences whatsoever and 4. Discovers a fountain of blood alsufficient to purge all the sin of every man in the World that will use the appointed means for coming unto it that doctrine cannot possibly be the canse of any doubt or scruple in the hearts of convinced burthened sinners whether they ought to believe or no. I answer that this is in a manner the same with the former and there answered I will adde this touching the second particular that its ambiguous whether by the person called he mean by man in the preaching of the Gospell or by God effectually for many are of that mind that God cals not nor holds forth Gospell to all that the Ministers declare it to but only to the Elect if he be of that mind too it s not so undoubtedly true to the hearer as he would make it that God requires what the Minister doth because they may be divided the command and call may be intended only to some that the hearer knows not whether he be one of or not though the Preacher out of ignorance direct it to all and this may beget much doubting in the hearer whether its Gods voice to or him no. Again he supposeth more in this Doctrine he pleads for in two last particulars then is in it as that it holds forth purchased free grace to all distressed burthened consciences there are many among the Heathen have their consciences accusing them yea sometimes like furies burthening them there are many that profess Christ conscious of heinous sins and are ready to despaire and make away themselves for them there are many burthened that they can no more walk up to the righteousness and labor to stablish righteousness to themselves and cannot be setled Will Master Owen say that their doctrine holds forth purchased free grace to all these that I deny for it says he purchased free grace only for the Elect and that all such are Elected I suppose he will be put to it to prove seeing many such go on in their sins notwithstanding their burthens and many seek to put them off and sometimes do stifle them by worldly imployments and vanities and many actually despair and make away themselves If he say he means not such the matter is where it was the distressed conscience may yet doubt and is apt so to do whether it may not be one of those in the issue As for that in the fourth that there is an alsufficiency in the blood of Christ for all that will use the appointed means c. I will not stand to tell him though I might that his speech here is like one of them that in us he uses to tax with-holding Free-will which seeing he declaims against I hope he will be so charitable as to allow us the like liberty of speaking without fastening upon us that Odium But I say
him that yet doubts of Gods love to him reject that devised Doctrine that contradicts the Scriptures and letting alone the secrets of God which pertain not to him yet to know nor shall hurt him if he attend and yield up to that that is revealed yea shall be also profitably revealed to him if he submit to what is revealed Psal 25.14 let him I say mind the record of God that he hath given of his Son that he hath given himself a Ransom for All yea and that God hath given us eternal life even us whom he commands to believe in the name of his Son 1 Ioh. 3.23 and this life is in his Son he that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life thence shall he see both ground to believe that God hath given him eternall life and put it into Christ and also both necessity and incouragement to believe on Christ that in believing he may have that life even that eternall injoyment of God in Christ that will for ever satisfie him and make him happy FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Symphony of some Ancient Doctors of the Church with the truth here defended added to shew that it is no novelty of yesterdays standing as some are pleased to charge it Chrysostome in Joh. 1.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem in Heb. 2.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Clemens Alexandrinus Orat. ad Gentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Athanasius De incarnatione verbi Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Et Paulo Post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those sentences forealledged are in English thus Chrysostome upon Joh. 1.29 That Lamb speaking of the Paschall Lamb or the Lambes offered up in the Jewish sacrifices never took away any one mans sins But this that is Christ the Lamb of God takes away the sins of the whole world for it being in great danger to be destroyed he quickly freed it from the wrath of God The same Author upon Heb. 2.9 saith thus That by the grace of God he might tast death for every one not for the believers only but also for the whole world for he dyed for All but what if all believe not yet he hath performed that which concerned him to do Clemens Alexand. Hear ye that are afar off and hear ye that are nigh hand The Word is not hid from any the Light is common and shineth unto All men Athanasius in his tractate about the Incarnation of the Word of God Now forasmuch as the debt of All ought to be paid for All ought to dy therefore for that cause especially he came and sojourned here and after the manifestations of his Divinity by his works it remained that he offer up a sacrifice for All delivering up his Temple the Temple of his body unto Death for All that he might discharge and free All from the old transgression And a little after in the same Tractate There was need of Death and it behoved that Death should be indured for All that the Debt due from all might be satisfied wherefore the Word for that it could not dy for it was immortall took to itself a body capable of dying that he might offer that as his own for All and that he suffering for All by reason of his conjunction with that he might destroy him that hath the power of Death to wit the Devill Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylact in Johan 6.51 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 August in Joh. 3.14 15. Serpens aneus in ligno positus venena vivorium serpentum superavit Christus in cruce suspensus mortuus antiqua diaboli venena restinxit omnes qui ab eo percussi fuerant liberavit Idem in Psal 69. Judas abjecit pretium quo ipse vendidit Christium non agnovit pretium quo ipse a Christo redemptus erat Prosper in Respons ad object Gallorum Christus dedit pro mundo sanguinem suum mundus redimi noluit Item sent quartâ super capita Gallorum Qui dicit quod non pro totius mundi redemptione salvator sit crucifixus non ad Sacramenti virtutem sed ad infidelium respicit partem quum sanguis Jesus Christi pretium totius mundi sit A quo pretio extranei sunt qui aut delectati captivitate redimi noluerunt aut post redemptionem ad candem servitutem sunt reversi Vide Ambrosium in pag. titul Cyrillus Alexandrinus in Joh. Evang. lib. 11.25 Quemadmodum praevaricatione primi hominis ut in primitiis generis nostri morti addicti sumus eodem modo per obedientiam justitiam Christi in quantum seipsum legi subjecit quamvis legis author esset benedictio atque vivificatio quae per spiritum est ad totam nostram penetravit naturam Leo Epist 72. ad Juvenalem Vt autem repararet omnium vitam recepit omnium causam vim veteris Chirographi pro omnibus solvendo vacuavit ut sicut per unius reatum omnes facti suerant Peccatores ita per unius obedientiam omnes fierent innocentes inde in homines manante justitiá ubi est humana suscepta natura Cyrill of Hierusalem in his Instruction or Catechise 13. The Crown of the Cross is that it inlightned those that were blind in ignorance and loosed All that were held in bondage under sin and redeemed the whole World of mankind Nor marvell thou that the whole world was redeemed by it for he was not a bare Man but the only begotten Son of God that dyed upon it Theophylact in John 6.51 By the life of the World perhaps he meaneth the Resurrection for the Death of the Lord procured the Generall Resurrection of all the whole kind or race of man perhaps also he named the life of holiness and happiness the life of the World for though All have not received that sanctification and that life that is in the spirit yet Christ gave himself for the World and as to what appertained to him the world is saved and the whole nature sanctified inasmuch as he hath received power to conquer sin and sin fled away by that one Man Our Lord Jesus Christ even as by that one man Adam it that is the world or the nature of man fell into sin Austine in Joh. 3.14 15. The brazen Serpent put upon a pole of Wood overcame all the venome of the living Serpents And Christ being hung upon the cross and dying quenched the force of the old poisons of the Devil and freed All that were smitten by him The same upon Psal 69. Judas cast away the price for which he sold Christ and acknowledged or owned not the price by which he was redeemed by Christ Prosper in Answer to some objections of the Gaules Christ gave his blood for the World and the World refused to be redeemed that is actually set at liberty by him So again He that saith the Saviour was not crucified for the Redemption of the Whole world hath not his eye upon the pretiousness or vertue of that mystery but upon the part of them that believe not whereas the blood of Jesus Christ is the price of the whole World from which price they are strangers who either being delighted with their captivity refuse to be set free or after they are set free return again unto their former bondage Cyrill of Alexandria upon Johns Gospell lib. 11. cap. 25. As by the transgression of the first man we were as in the first fruits of our kind bound over unto Death after the same manner by the obedience and righteousness of Christ forasmuch as he subjected himself unto the Law who was the Author of the Law the blessing and quickning which is by the Spirit or Divine nature hath pierced to our whole nature Leo in his 7◠Epistle to Juvenal That Christ might repaire the life of All he took the Cause of All and loosed the force of the old handwriting by satisfying for All. That so as by the Guilt of one All were made sinners so also by the obedience of one All might be made innocent righteousness thence flowing down unto men where is taken the nature of man I Might have added more Testimonies both Ancient and moderne as amongst the ancient Ignatius Jrenaeus Theodoret c. and amongst the moderne Luther Hemingius and in a word the generality of the Lutheran Divines as also Musculus Vrsinus Suffragium Britanicum Bishop Davenant yea the Articles and Catechise of the Church of England but these already alledged may be sufficient
that deliverance from the death that they should have dyed which by his dying he procured for them to All. So that here we have a groundless proofeless Argument though he saith it neeeds no proof yet I think it needs more proof then he can bring for it in every particular Object But this makes but Christ at most an half Mediator Ans But why so If a man undertake to mediate for another to have his life spared and obtains what he undertakes shall that be imputed an injury in him because in so doing he did not also undertake he should never sustain any anger for any after-folly If Christ do his work he undertook in Mediation and that to satisfaction to the justice and will of God who shall dare to call him but a half-Mediator because many a man refusing to make use of his Mediation in higher things that is to come to God by him deprive themselves of the further acts of it which he tels them they shall have if they will be ruled by him A King and some Subjects are at difference they are attached condemned and must dy A third between them comes and procures that the sentence shall be reversed and favor shewed them from the King and then goes to them and tels them if they will follow his counsel and be ruled by him as he hath procured their release from that sentence so he will also bring them to be favorites and familiars some listen to him and are ruled by him and he performs his word to them to the utmost others reject all his counsels will not be beholden either to him or the King being spared break out into new insolencies against them both and for that are again condemned and executed Shall their wickedness be cast as an imputation upon him and make him be stiled but an half-Mediator because they refuse the better half of the benefit they might have had by him If this be rational let rational men Judg. I might illustrate it by the case of Moses mediating for the Israelites and yet refusing to pray for nay praying against the Rebels in Numb 16. But I leave it the matter being so evident CHAP. IIII. An Answer to his eighth Argument in which is considered whether Christ purchased faith for those he dyed for HIs eight Argument is thus If Christs blood doth wash purge Argu. 8 cleanse and sanctifie them for whom it was shed then certainly he shed his blood only for them that in the event are purged cleansed and sanctified But All are not in the event washed purged cleansed and sanctified Ergo He dyed not for All. The consequence of the major that he conceives undeniable is undeniably vitious nor is it any way proved by him The proposition being reduced is thus They whom Christ dyed for are or shall be sanctified and purged by his blood And so it being indefinite it s to be construed Particularly or Vniversally if Particular its peccant in this that the major in the second figure in which this syllogisme thus reduced is ought all to be Vniversal If construed Vniversally as he must needs intend it or else he says nothing then I deny it and he no where proves it that All that Christ dyed for are or shall be parged by his blood The consequence is like this If they that came out of Egypt entred into Canaan by the river Jordan Then they only came out of Egypt that passed over the river Jordan But let us view the proofs of his major as Vniversally taken He assays to do it first by viewing the types and then secondly by plain expressions but first he halts in laying down his probandum for in stead of this That all that Christ dyed for are or shall be so purged he propounds to prove that The blood of Christ is effectual for all those things washing purging sanctifying which I will grant him where it is received by faith but I say that comes no more up to the thing to be proved then if a man should affirm That all that God brought out of Egypt were preserved and kept till they injoyed Canaan and then for proof produce some Scriptures that shew that those that followed God in his leadings of them and believed in him were so preserved c. But let us see his proofes And first From the types he says That the Apostle says that the expiation-sacrifice legally sanctified the unclean as is exprest Heb. 9.13 But by his leave the Apostle saith not It sanctified them all for whom it was a sacrifice but them whom it sprinkled the words are sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh not Being offered for the unclean sanctifies c. But Mr. Owen says These are never divided though distinguished but I see no word to disprove their being divided though he says he was about it Let us see if we can find any thing for proof of it we will then appeal to the Law of the expiation-offering in Numb 19. There we first finde a Commandment to take a red heifer and offer her up and then gather the ashes and keep them and it s said they shall be for The Congregation of the children Israel for a water of purification the sacrifice then was for a preparation of a purifying water for the Congregation here is no exception or exclusion of any in that That pertained to the Congregation and then he tels them how they should purifie themselves with it and in what cases but now mark what he says in vers 20. The man that shall be unclean and shall not purifie himself with it that sould shall be cut off from the Congregation It seems then God supposed the application divisible from the preparation of it and appoints a punishment for those that refuse its application Cutting off from the Congregation It seems he was of it before and ought to have been sprinkled and sanctified with it the refusal of which and presuming to approach to God without it was to be punished with cutting off from the Congregation To which the Apostle I conceive alludes in Heb. 12.24 25. Ye are come to the blood of sprinkling take heed that ye refuse not him that speaketh 2 Pet. 1.2 as in another place the believers are said to be chosen to the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Now unbelievers are disobedient and in what but in not yielding up themselves to God and Christ to be sanctified and cleansed by his blood So that Mr. Owen hath got nothing by that legal typicall expiation his after exception about the Antitype to this we shall speak to in its due place Let us now see the express sayings His first is that in Rom 6.5 6. If we have been planted together with him into the similitude of his Death we shall be also in the similitude of his resurrection knowing that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we