which expresly assert Universal Satisfaction or Christs Dying for all And then I shall answer the contrary Arguments This First Argument shall be A conditionali remissione Jure ad Regnum caelorum omnibus per Testamentum Christi donatis Argum. I. If all men have a Conditional Pardon Justification Adoption and Right to Glory given to them by the New Testament then Christ suffered and satisfied for all But the Antecedent is true therefore so is the consequent I add by way of Explication that the Condition is no Natural impossibility or unreasonable thing but Faith in Christ or the accepting of the good that is bestowed and offered them which is such a condition that many Learned Divines who incline to the Antinomian way say it is no condition but it is equivalent to an absolute gift and that it is so Naturally necessary that in the most absolute gift acceptance is still supposed and that it is all one to say I will give thee this benefit and I will give it thee if thou wilt take it I am not of their mind as to the case in hand but hereby it may appear how reasonable Gods condition is when Learned Men do take his gift to be absolute or equivalent The Antecedent is proved by multitudes of express Texts of Scripture John 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave c. That whosoever believeth c. 1 John 5. 10 11. He that believeth not God hath made him a Lyar because he believeth not the reccord that God gave of his Son And this is the record that God hath given to us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son hath not Life Mark 16. 15 16. Go ye into all the World and Preach the Gospel to every Creature He that Beeth and is Baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned John 7. 37 38. If any man thirst let him come to me and Drink He that believeth on me c. Acts 13. 39. By him all that believe are Justified c. Acts 16. 31. Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Rom. 3. 22 23 24 25 26. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare c. That he might be the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Rom 4. 24. To whom it shall be imputed if we believe c. Rom. 10. 6 7 8 9. But the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wiâ—e c. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy Heart that God raised him from the Dead thou shalt be saved Rev. 22. 17. Whosoever will let him take the Water of Life freely Act. 10. 43. 1 Pet. 2. 6. John 5. 24. and 6. 35. 40 47. and 7. 38. with many the like Where note that these are in several respects called a Gift a Promise and an Offer They are Christs Testament and so properly his Deed of Gift and do confer Right to the mentioned Benefits conditionally first and actual and absolute when the condition is performed And this is the principal consideration of them that they are the Premiant act of the New Law and the Testament of Christ and his Deed of Gift They are an Offer of Christ and these benefits when they are applyed by promulgation to particular Sinners And this Application or Offer is either by the meeâ— terms of the Written Deed of Gift in Scripture or else by the further proclamation by Christs Ministers and Officers In the former sence the Gift and the Offer are materially the same but formally it is first Gods Conveyance or Deed of Gift and then afterward in order of Nature it is his Offer It is Gods Written Instrument constituting a Conditional Right to Christ and his Benefits but such an instrument is a proper Conveyance or Deed of Gift And the conditional Right must be constituted before it can be offered Or else the Offer should be an act without its Object But in regard of Actual Absolute Right the offer is antecedent and supposeth the thing offered not to be his to whom it is offered but that the Condition of Acceptance must first be performed Yea every man that is the owner himself who doth seriously offer a benefit to any man without any meritorious or retaliating condition but meerly to be accepted doth Eodem actu convey or give Right to that Benefit on the said condition Now God doth offer his Son 1. By his Written Instrument or Word which must needs be his own act and consequently his Gift as well as offer 2. By his Messengers whose act is morally his own act in that he hath bid them say what they say and commanded them to proclaim it to every Creature It is called a Promise not in respect to the Conditional Right but the Absolute because it promiseth them that if they will accept Christ he shall be theirs with his benefits And it doth not Promise that God will perform any other Natural Act for Conveiance of the benefit but that by that same promising Instrument the Right shall be conveyed 2. It is undeniable that this gift offer or promise If thou wilt believe thou shalt be saved or Whosoever will let him take c. is made to unbelievers as the Subject We may not say to a Believer If thou wilt believe thou shalt be saved Except we speak of the continuance or renewal of Faith It is properly to Unbelievers that God offers or gives Christ so be it they will accept his gift Now if it be to unbelievers then it must needs be to all Elect and Non-elect For the Promise makes no difference nor the Minister knows no difference God saith not Thou Elect person shalt be saved if thou believe For then no Man could apply the promise nor know whether he have warrant to believe as not knowing whether he be Elect But he saith to any Man If thou wilt believe thou shalt be saved 3. Either Christ and his benefits are given conditionally on condition of believing to all or to none To the Non-elect or not to the Elect. But rhey are given to some even to the Elect Therefore to all The Major is evident in the tenour of the promise 1. It is Universal Whosoever will Whosoeve believeth It is no where limited to the Elect. 2. If it were limited to the Elect it were useless because none could know before believing whether he be Elect. Indeed the thing promised is proper to the Elect and so is the Effectual Actual Donation or Conveyance of Right by the promise But that is not as to the Sense of the promise as they are Elect but as believers or performers of the condition And in this Sence only Believers are Heirs of the promise that is its effectual conveying act and so to the thing promised But the Great doubt is of the Minor
in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation ungodly Men turning the Grace of our God into lasciviousness and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 2. 5. 6. For there is one God and one mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time 1 Job 2. 2. He is the Propitiation for our Sins and not for ours only but also for the Sins of the whole World Rom. 5. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all Men to condemnation Even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all Men to justification of Life Heb. 2. 9. That he by the Grace of God should tast Death for every Man Tit. 2. 11. For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men 1 Tim. 2. 3 4. Who will have all Men to be saved and to come to the knowledg of the truth Joh. 3. 17. 18. God sent not his Son into the World to condemn the World but that the World through him might be saved He that believeth on him is not condemned But he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God And this is the Condemnation that light is come into the World and Men loved darkness rather then light because their deeds were evil 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judg that if one died for all then were all dead And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again 1 lim 4. 10. We trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all Men specially of those that believe Mat. 22. 2 3 4. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a certain King which made a Marriage for his Son And sent forth his Servants to call them that were hidden to the Wedding and they would not come And he sent forth other Servants saying tell them that are bidden behold I have prepared my dinner my Oxen and Fatlings are killed and all things are ready Come unto the Marriage And vers 8. Then said he to his Servants The Wedding is ready but they which were bidden were not worthy Add vers 12. 13. So 2 Cor 5. 18 19 20 21. And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the Ministry of Reconciliation to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of Reconciliation Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as though God did heseech you by us We pray you in Christs stead be reconciled to God For God made him sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Joh. 4. 42. This is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World 1 Joh. 4 14. 15. And we have seen and do testify that God sent his Son to be the Saviour of the World Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God 1 Joh. 5. 9. 10 11. For this is the Witness which he hath testified of his Son He that believeth on the Son of God hath the Witness in himself He that believeth not God hath made him a Lyar because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son And this is the Record that God hath given us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son hath not Life Heb. 6. 4 5. 6. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the World to come if they shall fall away to renew them again to Repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to open shame Heb. 10. 26 27. 28 29. For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledg of the Truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the Adversaries He that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three Witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the Blood of the Govenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despight unto the Spirit of Grace Heb. 4. 1. 2. Let us therefore take heed lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them But the Gospel preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation c. Joh. 12. 47 48. And if any man hear my words and believe not I judg him not For I came not to judg the World but to save the World He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words he hath one that judgeth him The word that I have spoken the same shall judg him at the last day Luke 13. 39. How oft would I have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her Brood under her Wings and ye would not Behold your House is left unto you desolate c. Mar. 16. 15. Go ye into all the World and Preach the Gospel to every creature He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Act. 13. 38. 39 40 41. Be it known to you therefore Men and Brethren that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of Sins And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses Beware therefore least that come c. Behold ye despisers and wonder c. Verse 46. Seeing ye have put it from you and judged your selves unworthy of Everlasting Life c. Mar. 18. 27 32 34 35. Then the Lord of that Servant was moved with compassion and loosed him and forgave him the debt c. Then his Lord after that he had called him said unto him O thou wicked Servant I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me shouldst not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow Servant even as I had pitty on thee And his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due unto him So likewise shall my Heavenly Father do also unto you if ye from your Hearts forgive not every one his Brother their Trespasses Joh. 6. 51. I am
Workmanship But he loveth man after his Faith and Love to him as Rector per Leges as putting on the resemblance of goodness and justice in civil Sense and as he now stands in that Relation to them in which he is by his own Law as it were obliged to do them good Note this difference of Christs love Prov. 8. 17. I love those that love me and those that seek me early shall find me So ver 21. Luke 7. 47. Many sins are forgiven for she loved much If it be meant therefore she loved much yet it would not make against this From John 3. 19. I argue thus If men are condemned for loving darkness rather than Light and Christ is this Light then they were obliged to love Christ the Light But c. Ergo c. And I have shewed it is as Redeemer that he must be loved For to Love Christ as an excellent Prophet only that a Turk may do for Mahomet so confesseth him to be Mat. 10. 37. It is Christs condition propounded to all That if they love not him better than Father Mother House Land or Life they cannot be his Disciples So that those that are not yet his Disciples are obliged at once to love him above all and become his Disciples 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maran-atha And then more specially for Gratitude because I have hitherto insisted on the other species Love there are many Parables in the Gospel that shew that wicked men are condemned for ingratitude to their Redeemer Mat. 21. 37 40. c. Christ convinceth his Auditors that those unthankful Husband-men that refused to pay the Fruits and killed the Son that was sent to them he was sent to be entertained as Redeemer would deservedly be destroyed with a miserable destruction and the Vineyard let out to others i. e. that the Kingdom of God should be taken from them and given to a Nation bringing forth the Fruits thereof And what is that Kingdom here meant but the Gospel The proclaiming and offer of Christ as Redeemer and of mercy in and with him Mat. 22. 8. It is unthankful refusal of the feast prepared when all things were ready and they invited which was the unworthiness that there is mentioned which shut out those Guests Mat. 18. 32. Unthankfulness is intimamated as part of the Sin of that wicked Servant who took his fellow Servant by the throat for 100. Pence when himself had been forgiven 10000 Talents I forgave thee all the debt signifieth such a mercy as Men may have that perish as is plain verse 34. 35. and yet certainly presupposeth Christs dying for them and obligeth them to thankfulness If any ask the sense of the Text I shall give it after by it self more fitly Let me therefore conclude thus That Doccrin which subverteth a very great part of Religion is not of God But so doth this which denieth Universal satisfaction Therefore it is not of God The Minor is proved from what is said It destroyeth the ground of all Mens first love to Christ for Redeeming them It justifieth all the Non-Elect in their ingratitude and not loving Christ as their Redeemer Besides what was said before of its destroying the use of repentance and all Means But we shall recollect more of these consequences in the end and shew you more fully the face of the Doctrin which I dispute against I have proved that all Men that hear the Gospel owe Christ love and thankfulness for Redeeming them by dying for them I should next shew that all Men in the World do owe God love and thankfulness for those mercies which are the effects of Christs satisfaction But especially those within the Church who have in the New Covenant made over to them a conditional remission of their Sins and adoption and everlasting life viz. If they will accept Christ with his benefits Those that are sanctified with the Blood of the Covenant and are made partakers of the Holy Ghost and were escaped from the pollutions of the World through the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and and have tasted the good word of God and the Powers of the World to come c. Certainly these have received the fruits of Christs satisfaction for which they were bound to be thankful But of those more particularly in their place Arg. 14th Acertitudine fidei possibilitate rectè credendi If Christ hath not satisfied for the Sins of all then no Man hath a sufficient ground for his first justifying Faith All Men are left at an utter uncomfortable uncertainty whether they may believe to Justification or not But the consequent is false Therefore so is the Antecedent That which is said before doth shew so much of the grounds of this Argument that I shall be the shorter in it now All the doubt is of the consequence of the Major and to clear that I suppose it is granted that all firm sufficient Faith for justification must not only have a command to warrant it but also a fit object about which it must be exercised God commandeth no Man to believe a falshood to make it become true by believing it nor to trust to a person or promise that is not to be trusted as being not only fallible but certainly will deceive As for the Act of affiance or recumbency commonly called the justifying Act no Man can groundedly or comfortably rest on Christ for justification by his Blood who doth not first know that his Blood was shed for him and hath satisfied for him Else he must rest on that which he knows not to be sufficient for him to rest upon For it hath been proved that Christs death is not sufficient to justifie any for whom it was not suffered though they should believe He suffered not superfluously as I have shewed Take the confession of a Divine that for fear of Arminianism joyned Hands with the Antimonians Maccovius colleg disp de justif disp 5. § 22. Quoad substantiam poenae nihil olus perpessus est Christus quam per legem debebatur Neque enim vel Amor Patris vel etiam justitia permittere potuit plura ut filio imponerentur quam quae illi necessariò tanquam sponsori ferenda erant Quoad circumstantias autem patientis personam patiendi causam passionis efficaciam plusquam sufficiens satisfactio Christi Neque enim lex requirebat ut Deus moreretur neque ut sine peccato proprio quis moreretur neque morstalis quae suffecisset pro peccatis totius mundi sive pro omnibus singulis hominibus Here he confesseth that Christ suffered no more than was due by Law and than was necessary for him to suffer as Sponsor And yet that his Death was sufficient for the Sins of all the World even for all Men and every Man And if so then either he suffered as Sponsor for all Or else circumstances did make that Death sufficient for
Non-Elect to use no means at all for their Recovery and Salvation or else to have appointed them means which are all utterly useless and insufficient for want of a prerequisite cause without them yea which imply a contradiction 7. It maketh the True and Righteous God to make promises of Pardon and Salvation to all men on condition of believing which he neither would nor could perform for want of such satisfaction to his Justice if they did believe 8. It denieth the true sufficiency of Christs Death for the pardoning and saving of all men if they did believe 9. It makes the cause of mens Damnation to be principally for want of an expiatory Sacrifice and of a Saviour and not of believing 10. It maketh Christ to have suffered much in vain enduring as much for the sins of the Elect only as if the sins of all men had layen on him 11. Or else it dangerously extenuateth and denieth the sufferings of Christ as if he did not suffer as much as was due for the sins of all and it extenuateth his love as if he took on him only the sins of the Elect. 12. It either denieth that any but the Elect should love Christ or be thankful to him as their Redeemer yea or any Elect that have not the knowledg of their Election and so should not repent of the want of this love and thankfulness or else that they should love him and be thankful for that which never was true and never was done for them or given them 13. It maketh God to have inflicted more on Christ then was due even as much for the Sins of the Elect only as was due for the Sins of all the World 14. It leaveth all the World Elect as well as others without any ground and object for their first justifying Faith and in an utter uncertainty whether they may believe to justification or not 15. It maketh the knowledg that we have justifying Faith to go before the having of that Faith 16. It denieth the most necessary humbling aggravation of Mens Sins so that neither the Minister can tell wicked Men that they have sinned against him that bought them nor can any wicked Man so accuse himself no nor any Man that doth not know himself to be Elect They cannot say my Sins put Christ to Death and were the Cause of his sufferings Nay a Minister cannot tell any Man in the World certainly thy Sins put Christ to death because he is not certain who is Elect or sincere in the Faith 17. It subverteth Christs new Dominion and Government of the World and his general legislation and Judgment according to his Law which is now founded in his Title of Redemption as the first Dominion and Government was on the Title of Creation 18. It maketh all the benefits that the Non-Elect receive whether Spiritual or corporal and so even the relaxation of the curse of the Law without which relaxation no Man could have such mercies to befall Men without the satisfaction of Christ and so either make satisfaction as to all those mercies needless or else must find another Satisfier 19. It maketh the Law of Grace to contain far harder terms then the Law of Works did in its utmost rigor 20. It maketh the Law of Moses either to bind all the Non-Elect still to all Ceremonies and bondage-ordinances and so sets up judaism or else to be abrogated and taken down and Men delivered from it without Christs suffering for them 21. It destroys almost the whole work of the Ministry disabling Ministers either to humble Men by the chiefest aggravations of their Sins and to convince them of ingratitude and unkind dealing with Christ or to shew them any hopes to draw them to repentance or any love and mercy tending to Salvation to melt and win them to the Love of Christ or any sufficient object for their Faith and affiance or any means to be used for pardon or Salvation or any promise to encourage them to come in or any threatening to deter them 22. It makes God and the Redeemer to have done no more for the remedying of the misery of most of faln mankind then for the Devils nor to have put them into any more possibility of pardon or Salvation 23. Nay it makes God to have dealt far hardlier with most Men then with the Devils making them a Law which requireth their believing in one that never died for them and taking him for their Redeemer that never redeemed them and that on the meer foresight that they would not believe it or decree that they should not and so to create by that Law a necessity of their far sorer punishment without procuring them any possibility of avoiding it 24. It makes the Gospel of its own Nature to be the greatest Plague and Judgment to most of Men that receive it that ever God sendeth to Men on Earth by binding them over to a greater punishment and aggravating their Sin without giving them any possibility of remedy 25. It maketh the case of all the World except the Elect as deplorate remediless and hopeless as the Case of the damned and so denieth them to have any day of Grace Visitation or Salvation or any price for happiness put into their Hands 26. It maketh Christ to condemn Men to Hell Fire for not receiving him for their Redeemer that never redeemed them and for not resting on him for Salvation by his Blood which was never shed for them and for not repenting unto life when they had no hope of mercy and Faith and repentance could not have saved them 27. It putteth sufficient excuses into the Mouths of the condemned 28. It maketh the torments of conscience in Hell to be none at all and teacheth the damned to put away all their sorrows and self accusations 29. It denieth all the privative part of those torments which Men are obliged to suffer by the obligation of Christs Law and so maketh Hell either no Hell at all or next to none 30. And I shall anon shew how it leads to Infidelity and other Sins And after this what Face of Religion is left unsubverted Not that I charge those that deny Universal satisfaction with holding all these abominations but their Doctrin of introducing them by necessary consequence It is the opinion and not the Men that I accuse 2. Next let me give you some express Texts of Scripture which I shall anon run over more fully and vindicate and see which opinion is the truth of God Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life 2 Pet. 2. 1 20 21. But there were false Prophets also among the People even as there shall be false teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction 20. 21. And as Jude hath it 4. There are certain Men crept
the living Bread which came down from Heaven If any Man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever And the Bread that I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the Life of the World So verse 33. 34 35. Joh. 1. 29. Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sin of the World 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. For as by Man came Death by Man came also the Resurrection of the Dead For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive Rom. 14. 15. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died 1 Cor. 8. 11. And through thy knowledg shall thy weak Brother perish for whom Christ died Heb. 9. 15. 16. And for this cause he is the Mediator of the new Testament that by means of Death for the Redemption of the transgressions under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of Eternal inheritance For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the Death of the Testator Col. 1. 20. And having made peace through the Blood of his Cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven Col. 2. 14. Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his Cross Act. 3. last unto you first God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities Hos 7. 13. Though I have redeemed them yet they have spoken lies against me Destruction to them c. Isa 53. 6. He laid on him the iniquity of us all Rom. 14. 9. For to this end Christ both died rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the Dead and of the living Isa 45. 21 22. There is no God else beside me a just God and a Saviour there is none beside me look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the Earth Joh. 1. 7. The same came for a Witness to bear Witness of the Light that all Men through him might believe See 1 Cor. 10. 1. 2. to the 13th John 3. 17. And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Eternal Life Rev. 22. 17. Whosoever will let him take the water of Life freely Col. 2. 28 whom we Preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus John 5. 22 23 26 27 28. For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father c. For as the Father hath Life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have Life in himself and hath given him Authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of Man Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in which all that are in the Graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good to the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil to the Resurrection of Damnation Acts 3. 22 23. A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you and it shall come to pass that every Soul that will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the People Luke 20. 13 14 15 16 17 18. Then said the Lord of the Vineyard what shall I do I will send my beloved Son it may be they will reverence him when they see him c. The Stone which the Builders rejected is become the head of the Corner whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to Powder 1 Cor. 6. 20. And ye are not your own ye are bought with a Price therefore glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirit which are Gods Deut. 32. 4 5 6. They have corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of his Children they are a perverse and crooked Generation do you thus requite the Lord O foolish People and unwise is not he thy Father that hath bought thee hath he not made thee and established thee ver 15. Then he forsook God that made him and lightly esteemed the Rock of his Salvation see Psal 78. throughout ver 35 36. They remembred that God was their Rock and the high God their Redeemer nevertheless they flattered him with their mouth and lyed unto him with their tongues for their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant but he being full of compassion forgave their iniquity c. Isa 63. 8 9 10 He said surely they are my People Children that will not lye so he was their Saviour in all their afflictions he was affâ—icted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the days of old but they rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit wherefore he was turned to be their Enemy and fought against them see Rom. 10. 6. to the 14th Acts 13. 23. 26. 32. Of this Mans Seed God according to his promise hath raised unto Israel a Saviour Jesus Men and Brethren Children of the stock of Abraham and who ever among you feareth God to you is the word of this Salvation sent and we declare unto you glad tidings c. see ver 38 39 40 46. before cited And compare this with Luke 1. 67 68 69 c. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his People and hath raised up an horn of Salvation for us in the Honse of his Servant David c. Mat. 25. throughout Mat. 28. 19 20. All Power is given to me in Heaven and Earth go ye therefore and Preach c. Acts 10. 36. 43. And this contains power to forgive Sins Mat. 9. 6. So that you see what the Scripture saith to this point 3. And then there is neither one Text of Scripture nor one solid Reason against it nor any ill consequence at all that followeth on it 1. There is not one Text of Scripture that saith Christ died not for all or Christ dyed only for his Chosen or any thing equivalent The Texts commonly alledged are John 17. 9. I pray for them I pray not for the World 19. and for their sakes I sanctifie my self Joh. 10 11 The good Shepherd giveth his Life for his Sheep Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his Son but gave him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things 1 Cor. 5. 18. God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing to them their Trespasses Rom. 5. 8 9 10. For if when we
some which he had not as to others We easily grant that he hath effected satisfaction for all but he that intended only the Saving of Believers could not intend to save those Persons actually by his death who he knew would not believe but perish in unbelief From these Reasons we proceed to some from particular Texts of Scripture First John 17. 2. As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him Here Christs Authority as Redeemer is said to be over all flesh and so all are his purchased ones but the purpose of giving actually Eternal Life is expresly restrained to those that are specially given him by the Father Object By Giving is not meant absolute Electing from Eternity but giving them by Vocation to Christ as true Disciples Answ Suppose that be so 1. That Giving them to be true Disciples can import no less than God's making them Disciples that is Believers And so it is not Man that gives himself to Christ primarily or makes himself a Believer And God makes not all Disciples which he could do if he pleased 2. And if God give men to Christ by effectual Vocation in time then no doubt he decreed so to do from Eternity Secondly Eph. 1. 22 23. And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church Here the intent of God in giving Christ is expressed to be that he might be the head over all but not the Head of All but of the Church only And it is he that makes his Church and not the Church itself principally Thirdly John 10. 15. I lay down my Life for the sheep which implyeth that it is laid down with a special intent for them more than for others Object The Sheep are Believers undeterminate as to Individuals Answ 1. Men are Believers before Christ's Pardoning of them but not before Christ's laying down his Life for them nor so considered else the Act of Faith should be before and without its Object 2. It 's confessed that God knew who the Persons were that would believe therefore his purpose was of determinate Individuals Fourthly Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar People zealous of good works 1. If he did not intend to purifie every man and make them zealous of good works eventually then he intended this much more to his chosen than to others But c. Ergo c. 2. If he intended the separating of some as a peculiar people from others then he dyed not with equal Intentions to all But c Ergo c. Fifthly John 11. 51 52. He Prophecied that Jesus should dye for that Nation and not for that Nation only but that also he should gather together in one the Children of God that were scattered abroad Here is expressed a peculiar intention of gathering God's Children which was not of others Object God's Children are Believers Answ 1. It seems rather that they are called Children because they are decreed to be actually Children and will be such and not as Grotius of them and of the Sheep Joh. 10. 16. as if it were from some disposition of mind antecedent to Faith 2. However still it is Determinate Individuals else it were indeed none at all Sixthly Acts 13. 48 And as many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed The wriglings and shiftings of those that would pervert this Text and their new devised strained expositions of the word Ordained I shall not now stand to detect and confute Seventhly The instances of the Conversion of Manasseh Paul the Thief on the Cross and other particular Sinners do plainly tell us that Faith and Conversion proceedeth from God's differencing grace Acts 26. 16. 22. 14. Paul was called because first chosen So Rom. 8. 30. Whom he predestinated them he called c. But in the Conclusion I must say that even in this point of notable difference between the Remonstrants and the Contra-remonstrants the difference is not so great as some imagine or pretend It is confessed by the understanding sort on both sides that Christ at his death had a special intention to bring certain individual persons to a state of Justification and Salvation But then they say that this was only upon the foresight of their believing yea some of them say that God purposed to give the grace of Faith to some individuals only but they say that it was upon the foresight of their non-resistance or of their voluntary disposedness to receive it or of their right use of former preparing grace so that the same decree as to these gifts is confessed on both sides and it cannot be denyed but that the foresight which they presuppose is from Eternity and therefore Mans fall or Christs Mediatorship and that there is no priority or posteriority of Time between the foreknowledge and the Decree but only in Nature And then it is commonly confessed that though Knowledge and Will in Man are two things yet in God they are but one and are only distinguished denominatione extrinsecâ by Man for the accommodation of his narrow imperfect apprehension Therefore though I confess that a difference still remaineth yet let it not be thought to be greater than it is Yea more not only many yea most of the Schoolmen confess an Absolute Election to Faith and so to Salvation and so hold in this the same that we do but also many of the Jesuites and Moderate Lutherans and Arminians hold the same though not an Absolute Reprobation which was also Augustine's Prosper's and Fulgentius's Opinion And I have elsewhere yet more contracted this Controversie FINIS BOOKS Printed for John Salisbury at the Rising-Sun in Cornhil THe End of Doctrinal Controversies which have lately troubled the Churches by reconciling explication without much Disputing The Certainty of the Worlds of Spirits fully Evinced by unquestionable Histories of Apparitions and Witchcrafts Operations Voices c. proving the Immortality of Souls the malice and misery of the Devils and Damned and the blessedness of the Justified both by Mr. Richard Baxter The Protestant Religion truly stated and justified by the Late Reverend Divine Mr. Richard Baxter Whereunto is added by way of an Epistle some account of the Learned Author never before published by Mr. Matthew Sylvester and Mr. Daniel Williams The Christians Converse with God or the insufficiency and uncertainty of Human Friendship and the improvement of Solitude in Converse with God with some of the Authors Breathings after him by Mr. Richard Baxter Recommended to the Readers serious thoughts when at the House of Mourning and Retirement by Mr. Matthew Sylvester A Plea for Scripture Ordination or Ten Arguments from Scripture and Antiquity proving Ordination by Presbyters without Bishops to be valid by J. Owen Minister of the Gospel To which is prefix'd an Epistle by the Reverend Mr. Daniel Williams The Harmony of the Divine Attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of Mans Redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ or Discourses wherein is shewed how the Wisdom Mercy Justice Holiness Power and Truth of God are glorified in that great and blessed work by William Bates D. D. The Christian Laver or a Discourse opening the Nature of Participation with and Demonstrating the Necessity of Purification by Christ by T. Cruso The Duty and Blessing of a Tender Conscience plainly stated and earnestly recommended to all that regard acceptance with God and the prosperity of their Souls by the same Author Four Sermons on various Occasions by the same Author Some Passages of the Life and Death of the Right Honourable John Earl of Rochâ—ster written by his own direction on his Death-Bed by Gilbert Lord Bishop of Sarum Practical Reflections on the late Earthquakes in Jamaica England Sicily Malta c. Anno 1692. with a particular Historical Account of those and divers other Earthquakes by John Sâ—ower Earthquakes explained and practically improved occasioned by the Earthquake on September the 8th 1692. in London many other parts in England and Beyond-sea by Thomas Doolittle M. A. A Practical Discourse of Silence and Submission shewing that good Men should possess their Souls in patience under the severest Providences and particularly in the loss of Dear Relations Preached at St. Thoma's Hospital Southwark by William Hughes Hospitaler there The Changeableness of this World with respect to Nations Families and particular Persons with a practical Application thereof to the various Conditions of this Mortal Life in a Funeral Discourse occasioned by the Death of Mr. Edmond Hill who dyed April 16. 1692. by Timothy Rogers M. A. The Mourners Memorial in two Sermons on the death of the truly Pious Mrs. Susanna Soame late Wife of Bartholomew Soame of Thurlow Esquire who Deceased February the 14th 1691 2. With some account of her Life and Death by Timothy Wright and Robert Fleming Ministers of the Gospel Mr. William Oughtred's Key of the Mathematicks newly Translated from the best Edition with Notes rendring it easie and intelligible to less skillful Readers in which also some Problems left unanswered by the Author are Resolved absolutely necessary for all Gaugers Surveyors Gunners Military Officers Mariners c. Recommended by Mr. E. Halley Fellow of the Royal Society Barbarian Cruelty being a true History of the Distressed Condition of the Christian Captives under the Tyranny of Mully Ishmael Emperor of Morocco c. by Francis Brooks ERRATA PAge 43. l. 3. r. violated p. 45. l. 4. r. as p. 129. l. 8. r. foreknown or p. 139. l. 15. r. to do so p. 157. l. 17. del not p. 160. l. 5. r. lovingly p. 171. l. 18. r. per. p. 198. l. 7. del the paid p. 203. l. 29. r. summus p. 224. l. 33. r. conversion convesiron p. 234. l. 20. r. objecto objectio p. 254. l. 6. r. I am l. 21. del but. and l. 22. r. But the punishment c. p. 303. l. 29. r. sense are p. 331. l. 24. r. 〈◊〉 p. 338. l. 28. r. effectum p. 470. l. 2. r. and of the. p. 479. l. 23. r. per. Quod percipitur ita est Obedientiae materia proxima est Agere vel Non agere non Pati sid Pati potest esse materia remota
by Christ be offer'd in those Fruits to Men if it were not first given and accepted for them as well as others in Law Sence by God from the Redeemer The Rector or Creditor must first receive the satisfaction before a discharge can be offered to the offendor or Debtor on consideration of that satisfaction made and accepted Much more before Men can be condemned justly for refusing it If the satisfaction were given and accepted for the Elect only it could not in the Benefits which wholly presuppose it be so offered to the Non-Elect and they judged for refusing the benefit of a satisfaction never made for them Prop. XXXVI Christs dying for Men is Antecedent to their believing in him Their believing presupposeth his dying for them His Death saveth them because they believe but he did not die for them because they believe but they must believe because he dyed for them The Act both as performed and commanded here presupposeth the Object The Command therefore of believing presupposeth that Christdyed for Men. Prop. XXXVII No Mans name or Description so as to difference him from others being in the offer and promise conditional but it being made alike to all it will follow that no Man could have any true ground to believe or accept Christ if he knew not that he is one of those to whom he is universally offered and conditionally given and consequently for whom he satisfied Prop. XXXVIII If the condition on which Christ is given to all and Life in him were something of natural proper impossibility or unreasonable or if it were long of Christ that the condition is not performed by them then it were less proper to say that Christ is given them or that he dyed for them in respect to this conditional gift But seeing the condition is nothing of natural proper impossibility nor unreasonable being but their hearty acceptance of Christ as he is offered them and not the least Repensum requital price or repayment and nothing but their own wicked disposition and obstinacy can cause their non-performance so that they may have Christ and Life if they will therefore it is proper to say that Christ is given them and conditional Pardon and Life in him and that Christ therefore dyed for them Prop. XXXIX It is Gods Law or Covenants which constitute the Right or Dueness of obedience rewards and punishments and it is not Election or the meer Decree of God that doth any of these We have no Right to Christ upon Election till the Covenant or Law give us Right Prop. XL. Elect and Non-Elect therefore have equal Right to Christ till believing difference them That is all have a conditional Right and none an actual and absolute Prop. XLI The Covenant berween the Father and Mediator commonly so called gave Christ a full Power to confer pardon and Life but gave not to Men any Right ot Title to the benefits Prop. XLII Nor did that Covenant or promise which God made to fallen mankind of sending a Saviour to Redeem them give this Right actually to these benefits Prop. XLIII Nor doth that promise or Covenant which God hath made of giving a new and soft Heart to the Elect give any Man an actual Right to Remission Justification or Glory No nor to renewing Grace it being but a prediction what God resolveth to do for the saving of some known only to himself and so a discovery of his purpose and not a conferring of Right Or if it were a Promissum vel Donatio in diem sine conditione as some would make it yet it would not give actual Title till the time come Non daâ—â—r actio ante diem in talibus promissis inter homines It is the nature of such gifts that upon the Donors will the Right should be as it were in passing from the Donour to the receiver till that day Et si cessit dies saltem non venit It is not ours in Title till the Day But indeed here is no prefixed day nor proper Gift Prop. XLIV We Must therefore carefully distinguish between these three forementioned Covenants and that universal Law or conditional Covenant of Grace made to all mankind which is it by which Christ ruleth and will judge us And which is his Instrument of conferring Right and so of pardoning Justifying and Adopting us Prop. XLV Christ hath a threefold Kingdom Of one all the World are Subjects these he over-ruleth and partly ruleth to restraint at least by the Law of Nature Of the other the visible Church all professed Christians are members These he ruleth by his Law of Grace and Spirit but differently Of the third which is the Souls of believers only true believers are members These only Christ ruleth to Salvation but the rest also as Redeemer Prop. XLVI When the Schoolmen and our own Divines say that Christ dyed for all quoad sufficientiam pretii but not quoad efficientiam they cannot without absurdity be interpreted to mean that his Death is sufficient for all if it had been a Price for them and not a sufficient Price for them For that were to contradict themselves And so Christ could not be said to dye for Men quoad sufficientiam pretii For it is neither for them nor a Price so considered Prop. XLVII It seems an injurious feigning of Christ to suffer much in vain to say that he paid a Price sufficient for all the World when yet it shall be no way efficient Unless they think that Christs sufferings are no greater for all Men than if he had suffered but for one or few and that minima guttula sanguinis Christ i sufficit ad redimendum mille mundos which our Divines disclaim as a dangerous Error They therefore that think it a making Christ to suffer in vain to say He dyed for some that perish do themselves make him much more to suffer in vain in saying he paid a Price for some which was sufficient for all but shall be no way efficient for them Prop. XLVIII Christs Death is a sufficient Price and satisfaction to God for the Sins of all Mankind The Efficiency of satisfaction passive is it wherein the sufficiency to further uses doth consist But it effecteth actual Remission Justification Adoption Salvation only for Believers This is the plain truth and the Sense of Divines in saying that Christ dyed for all quoad sufficientiam pretii non quoad Efficientiam Prop. XLIX It hath not so much as a shew of Injustice or wrong to any for God to punish unbelievers for the same Sins that Christ died for if we do but understand 1. The difference between suffering by our selves or our delegate substitute or Vicar and a Mediator suffering for us 2. And between solutio ejusdem satisfactio which is Redditio equivalentis and so 3. Between a refusable suffering or payment as the last is which doth acquit but on what terms the accepter pleaseth and not ipso facto and a not refusable payment such
with some For they deny that Christ is given conditionally to any Unbeliever Elect or not Elect but only is decreed for the Elect before time and given to Believers in time The Sence is that there is no conditional promise or deed of Gift but all absolute For if it be made only to Men that do believe their first believing cannot be the condition and if it be made on condtion of First believing it is made to Men that do not yet believe But the main Scope of the Gospel proves the Minor by proving the conditional Gift or promise As the Texts even now cited among others Where note to put it out of doubt 1. That the time of Gods enacting this Law or making this Testament Gift or promise was before we were born and therefore before we believed 2. that in its nature it first speaks to unbelievers as its Subject For who will offer a gift to us to be accepted that it may be ours if we have accepted it already Nay how can it be accepted before it is offered And how can we consent to have Christ and so be united to him except he first give himself to us on condition that we will consent 3. Note that the promise is made in most proper conditional terms If thou confess with thy Mouth and believe in thy heart Rom. 10. That whosoever believeth should not perish c. 4. And also note that faith hath here the Definition of a condition agreeing to it i. e. It is an Arbitrary act on which the free Donour hath suspended the efficacy of his Testament or Deed of Gift It is Arbitrary conditions that we have here to speak of which some call Potestative And not casual or mixt So to suspend the effect of the Instrument that hoc posito efficiet donec ponatur non efficiet that upon the doing or not doing the Effect shall follow or not follow and this by the Positive ordination of the Donor is the very essence of a Condition in Law-sence And such â—s Faith And what Divine except Antinomians doth deny Faith to be the Condition And if it be so then the Promise or Conditional Gift must needs be made to Unbelievers that it may become effectual when they believe For it can be no condition in this proper sence if it be past already And therefore it must needs be made to all Unbelievers seeing Scripture limitteth it not to any but speaketh universally Inded it is a very hard questionhow far the promulgation may be said to be Universal and how far not But that is nothing against the Universality of the Tenor of the Law or Gift And the command to the Promulgators is Go into all the World and Preach the Gospel to every Creature Next let us prove the consequence of the Major Proposition and that thus The thing conditionally given is Pardon purchased by Christs Blood shed for the Sinner to whom it is Given Therefore the gift presupposeth the shedding of his Blood for that Sinner The Antecedent hath two branches to be proved 1. That the Pardon conditionally given to all is a pardon purchased by Christs Blood 2. That it is by Christs blood as shed for him to whom that pardon is given For the first there is no Pardon given any other way but by Christs blood shed therefore this is from his Bloodshed 1. If there be Remission which is not purchased by Christs blood shed then there are two distinct ways of Remission one by his blood and another without But the consequent is false Ergo c. 2. If there be a remission without Christs bloodshed then all remission might have been without it But the consequent is false else Christ Dyed needlesly 3. Heb. 9. 22. Without shedding of Blood there is no Remission 4. Heb. 9. 16. For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the Death of the Testator But this conditional Gift is Christs Testament So ver 15. For this cause he is the Mediator of the new Testament that by means of Death for the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of Eternal Inheritants viz. all that are externalâ—y called receive the conditional Promise and Believers the thing promised 5. Luke 24. 46 47. It behoved Christ to â—uffer and Rise from the Dead the third day and â—hat Repentance and Remission of Sins should be reached in his name among all Nations c. â—o that even Remission Preached that is offered â—n condition of repentance and Faith presupposeth Christs Death as the Cause 6. In the Institution of his Supper he calleth â—e Cup the New Testament in his Blood that this signifieth my Blood which procureth the â—ew Testament Now none sure dare say that the â—â—omise of Pardon and Life on condition of Beâ—â—ving is not the New Testament either whole or â—â—t 7. And therefore it is called the Blood of the â—venant even to them that tread it under â—â—â—t Heb. 10. 29. and 13. 20. Zech. 9. 11. 8. Justification is by Christs Blood Rom. 5. 9. Being Justified by his Blood But Justification is the Effect of this Conditional Covenant or Gift when the Condition is performed therefore the effect of this Covenant is from Christs blood and consequently the Covenant it self which is an intermediate cause Though there be other sorts of Justification yet that this is one and the first is undenyable 9. Actual Remission to Believers is from Christs Blood Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the remission of Sins Col. 1. 14. therefore conditional remission to unbelievers is from his Blood The reason of the consequence is that Christ procureth the Effect of Justification or Remission not immediately by his Blood as shed but by procuring the Covenant or Promise as the immediate Cause and the effect by that Cause and it is the same Gift oâ— Covenant which conditionally Justifieth all and actually Justifieth Believers and that without any other â—â—tervening act of God When the condition is performed whose Nature is to suspend the Effect then the effect resulteth from thaâ— same Promise which before did not effect Indeed Christ giveth his Spirit to causé his Own tâ— perform the condition but still the justifying aâ— is by the conditional Covenant If therefore iâ— be the same promise which effectually justifieâ— the Elect and only conditionally justifieth otheâ— and Christs Blood causeth that promise which eâ— fectually justifieth the Elect then his Bloâ—â— caused that promise which conditionally justifieâ— all John 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gâ— his only begotten Son 1. For men on the Crâ—â— 2. To men by the promise that whosoever believe c. So that this conditional grant of Life comes from the giving of Christ to Death And for the second part of the Antecedent viz. That it is from Christs Blood as shed for him to whom the Promise is made And 1. Ab â—nefficacia
Christs Dying for one man cannot procure these great benefits to another It cannot have causality as to such an effect God doth not forgive Thomas because Christ Dyed for Peter 2. A non necessitate There was a necessity of Christs Death as is before proved to the procuring of this pardon But there was no necessity for procuring pardon to one man that Christ should Die for another therefore the necessity was that he Dyed for the person himself 3. If Christs Death were not necessary to the conditional pardoning of the Non-elect but that God doth it without Christs Dying for them then it was not necessary for the conditional pardoning of the Elect but God might have done it without Christs Dying for them But the Consequent is â—alse therefore so is the Antecedent The Major is plain in that there is the same reason both as to their Sin and Case and Remission 1. The Sins of the Elect did not differ from â—hose of the Non-elect so as that they more â—eeded a satisfactory Expiation 2 They were both under the same Law â—urse and Wrath of God 3. The Deed of Gift or Promise which reâ—itteth one is the same with that which remitteth the other The Minor is plain for if any â—ould say that without Christs Death God â—ight conditionally have pardoned all Elect and Non-elect but not Actually I Answer 1. Then Christ should Die only to purchase Faith which is false For God doth perform no new act to make the conditional Gift become actual but only the giving of Grace to believe and so perform the condition 2. Then God might have made this new Law and Covenant of Grace Believe and be pardoned and saved or Whosoever will let him take the Water of Life freely without any expiatory Sacrifice or Satisfaction by Christ which 1. So contradicteth it self seeing the thing given is a Dead revived Saviour with his Benefits and therefore it cannot be given which is not 2. And so subverteth Christianity it self that I think I need not spend more words on it Only I add this which is of considerable moment that on the contrary the great necessity and ends of Christs Death are in respect to God as Rector per leges and not as Dominus absolutus or benefactor merè arbitrarius God received no addition of Love or Goodwill nor of Wisdom or Natural Power by Christs Death But he received a Reparation of his honour as Legislator and a Moral Power consisting in Convenientâ— rei efficiendae to pardon sin by making a general act of pardon to all that will accept the Redeemer and his Benefits So that the proper use of Christs Death was to be an Expiatory Sacrifice for Sin offered to God as the offended Rector And therefore the New Law or Covenant of Grace which followeth hereupon giving Christ and Pardon to all that will Receive him must needs be the proper effect of Christs Death Whereas Faith is given rather by God as Dominus Absolutuâ— arbitrarily doing good to his Creature then as Legislator and is said to be purchased by Christs Death but in a more remote sense as shall anon be shewed so that to deny this Conditional Gift Covenant or Promise to be the fruit of Christs satisfaction is to deny a very great part of the fruit of it and tantum non to make Christ to dye in vain The Consequence needs no proof Therefore I pass to the next Arg. II. If God do offer by his Word and Messengers Remission Justification Adoption and Right to Glorification to all Elect and Non-Elect then Christ hath satisfied for all But God doth so offer these to All Ergo c. A Remissione Salute omnibus Oblatis The former Argument was drawn from the Gift and this is drawn from the Offer which though it be inseparable from the former and so implyed in the former Argument yet I shall annex it because of them who deny the Conditional Gift but confess the Offer The Antecedent I think few will question as to All who hear the Gospel and God as Legislator hath done his part in offering it to those that yet â—eâ—er heard it 1. In making the Tenour of the promise or Offer of Universal extent 2. And in Commanding his Officers to go into all the World and Preach the Gospel to every Creature The Consequent is proved thus 1. The Pardon offered is either a Pardon purchased by Christs Satisfaction for them to whom it is offered or else procured some other way But there is no other way of procurement Ergo c. 1. Not without Christs Blood as is proved 2. Not by Christ's Blood as shed for others as is proved Object But it is by his Blood as shed for all that will Believe Ans 1. Believing is not the Condition of Christs Dying for us but of our participation of the benefits thereby purchased not of the Impetration but of part of the Application Christ never said If men or this man will Believe I will dye for them But If thou Believe thou shalt be justified and saved by him that hath died for thee Belief is not presupposed as the Qualification of the subject for whom Christ must dye but is required after and given freely to his chosen for the further Application of his Death 2. His dying for them that will Believe was either for certain determinate persons who should Believe or else without a determination of the persons If the latter only then he died certainly for none If the former then his dying for one man would not procure pardon for another 2. God doth not offer that which he cannot give for his offer is a gift on condition of Acceptance and we must not dare to charge God with illusory or ludicrous actions But God cannot give Pardon and Justification and Right to Salvation to any sinful man for whom Christ never satisfied When I say God cannot I mean not that he cannot for want of Power but because of his Wisdom Goodness and Justice He cannot being Rector of the World do that which is so Inconvenient and such a Monster in Government and so destructive to the ends of his Government All grant that quoad potentiam ordinatam now he cannot that is He will not If God may give these to one man yea to All the Non-Elect to whom they are offered without Christs satisfaction procuring them then he may do so by all but that is not true Ergo c. Object But iâ— men will Believe God Can and Will give them what he offers Answ This Objection supposeth the Believing of that person for whom Christ died not or else it changeth the subject of the question For the Question now is Whether God can give Pardon to a Man for whom Christ hath not satisfyed And it is hereby answered that He can if that man Believe To which I reply that he cannot or will not supposing that such a Man should believe For it is Christs Death that is
all which yet quoad substantiâ poenae as he calls it had none of that which the Law required and was necessary for the Sponsor to undergo And thus I think with that added which is said before it is evident that none have ground to rest on Christs Blood to justifie them or on Christ to justifie them by his Blood till they know that his Blood was shed for them seeing it is sufficient for no more But no Man before justifying Faith knows that Christs Blood was shed for him any more then for others that shall never be justified by it therefore no Man hath ground thus to believe And for the intellectual Act of Faith if it be that which Maccovius saith it is ibid. disput 3. § 17. Fides in Christum quae requiritur a nobis ad nostri justificationem est ut credamus pro redemptionem sanguinem nos justificari salvari then most Men are bound to believe an untruth if they are bound to believe to justification If it be said that it 〈…〉 believe that Christs Death is sufficient to pardon him if he believe I answer that no Man can truly believe that neither but he that first knows that he died for him which none can do but he that knows that he died for all I marvail how such Divines as Twiss and Maccovius who hold the main Antimonian Principles who say that Faith justifieth only as we are ascertained or receive the knowledg of justification already past at Christs death can tell how to Salve this How can they choose but say that either God doth not command all where the Gospel comes to believe to justification or else that he commands most Men to believe a falshood Or else that all Men are justified by Christs death Let me add here for I will not make another Argument of it being built on the same grounds with the former that if Christ died not for all then not only all Men at their first invitation but even all true believers whenever they loose the fight of their evidences that is of their own Faith and other Graces have no ground left them to renew an Act of justifying Faith nor to cast their Souls with any confidence on Christ For as long as he knows not himself to be Elect and a true believer he cannot tell whether Christ died for him and consequently he knows not whether he may rest on him as a sufficient Redeemer as not knowing whether he satisfied for him or not If any say he must believe that he may know I answer 1. It must be a revealed truth before it is believed 2. Believing will not make it true if it were not true before We are not to believe that Christ may die for us but to believe that he did die for us Hear Maccovius his confession of that also Ibid disp 9. § 16. At toto caelo errat Haereticus Socinus Neque enim fidem requiri ad hoc dicimus ut pro nobis satisfiat sed ut pro fidem satisfactio ista Christi quae perac to est ante fidem nobis innotescat so that when God commandeth Men to believe he commandeth them to take knowledg of Christs satisfaction for them before made And surely men cannot know that which is not true unless it be to know it to be false And thus it seems plain to me that many if not most true believers will be left without any sufficient ground to believe through a great part of their lives For I think assurance is not so common a thing as some imagine nor so constant with them that have it Though Maccovius saith as one Error draws on another Ibid. disp 9. § 11. Respondeo salvo aliorum judicio negando sensum illum qui in nobis oritur ex agnitione nostrae Iustificationis aliquando tolli penitus in homine Our Divines that teach poor Souls to use their Faith of Adherence when they want evidence do go another way to work and suppose an Universal promise and before that an Universal satisfaction Or else Adherence without evidence hath no sufficient object or ground and then farewel the Christians most constant stay Arg. 15. Ab ordine credendi perverso If Christ satisfied not for all then the knowledg or assurance that we have justifying Faith must go before justifying Faith But that is impossible as being a contradiction Ergo c. The reason of the consequence is plain in what was said on the last argument For no Man can believe to justification but by believing that Christ is a sufficient Redeemer and hath made sufficient satisfaction for his Sins and by accepting him as offered to apply the fruits of that satisfaction to us and by resting on him for those fruits Now all this hath no ground till a Man knows that Christ hath already died and satisfied for him And that cannot be known if Christ died not for all till Men first know themselves to be Elect and believers and that cannot be known till after we do believe For if the thing to be believed is that Christ died for believers and for me if I believe I must know that I believe before I can know that he died for me and yet I must know that he hath died and satisfied for me before I can believe to Justification See what contradictions are here and how Men are put upon impossibilities I know the necessity of believing that Christ hath satisfied for me is denied but I have proved it before Arg. 16. A peccatorum aggravatione If it be the great aggravation of all Mens Sins committed against that mercy which tendeth to their Recovery that they are against the Lord that died for them then Christ did die for all such Men But the Antecedent is true Ergo c. Only the Antecedent requires proof That wicked Men do partake of Mercy tending towards their recovery as to the nature of the mercy and in Gods legal Ordination I think I need not prove among Christians And that they Sin against such mercy is a thing that needs as little proof The main proof of the Antecedent that these mens Sins are aggravated in that they are against Christ that died for them will be from several Texts of Scripture which do thus aggravate such Mens Sin which because I intend to handle particularly I will refer you thereto and now pass them by Further 1. It is confessed that these Mens Sin is aggravated in that they are against the Blood of Christ as offered to them in its Fruits and as against Christ himself offered to them as Crucified and as Redeemer and as against the offers of pardon Adoption and Salvation which are all Fruits of Christs satisfaction But all these imply satisfaction for them to whom they are offered as is proved already Ergo c. Many of our Divines as Perkins Reform Cathol of Justif and others say that in this we differ from the Papists that they make Christs satisfaction
these are given according to the Law of Works If not then it must be according to the Law of Grace and the New Covenant or according to no Law If the former then none will question I think but it must come from Christs Blood For the New Law and Testament is founded in his Blood and Sealed by it If the later then at least the Law of Works must be first relaxed and they so far pardoned seeing according to that Law they should have lived not among these mercies but in misery And Scripture assures us that it was the Blood of Christ that delivered us from the Curse of the Law and that on the Cross he took down the hand writing that was against us c. And without his suffering there is no Relaxation of the Laws obligation They that set open so wide a door of mercy to all the World beside Jesus Christ do not lightly wrong him and do dangerously deceive themselves and others I am sure Christ will expect repentance thanks and obedience for these mercies and condemn Men for not improving these Talents which he committed to them however Men may now tell Sinners that all comes but from common providence and not by the Blood of Christ 3. Yea that which they call common providence is the disposal of things by the Redeemer For all things are delivered to him of the Father and all power given him and to that end he died rose and revived that he might be Lord of the Dead and Living And therefore if Men have any mercy now it must come through the Redeemers Hands and consequently is a fruit of his Blood But this will yet further be proved in the next which is 3. That it is Christs dying for those same persons to whom he gives these mercies that is the ground of them And this further is proved thus 1. Some of the mercies given are such as could no other way be procured and given as is ordinarily granted Such as are the Universal Remission Justification Adoption and gift of Christ himself on condition that Men will accept them Christ given as Redeemer supposeth his Redemption as to paying of the price to be past Without Blood there is no Remission neither conditional not absolute as is proved in the first Argument But a conditional Remission to all is given in the New Testament Ergo c. The Remission also of their punishment for the time of this Life or at least of so much of it is actual though not plenary Remission and wicked Men partake of that Of one of these two Christs speaks in the parable of the ungrateful unmerciful Servant Mat. 18. 27. 32. 35. The Lord of that Servant was moved with compassion and loosed him and forgave him the debt c. His Lord said O thou wicked Servant I forgave thee all that debt c. So likewise shall my Heavenly Father do also by you if ye from your Hearts forgive not every one his Brother their Trespasses But of this Text more hereafter So that God doth remit to the Non-Elect most of the temporal punishment of their Sin actually and all the Eternal punishment conditionally That he remitteth the temporal punishment is further proved Psal 78. 38. But he being full of compassion for gave their iniquity and destroyed them not Yea many a time turned he his anger away and did not stir up all his wrath He that reads out the rest of the Psalm will not believe that all these dissembling Israelites were Elect. So for the legal forgiveness of Sin upon the use of Ceremonies See Lev. 4. 26 31 35. and 5. 10 13 16 18. and 6. 7 and 19 22. Numb 15. 25 26 28. It shall be forgiven all the Congregation of the Children of Israel and the Stranger that sojourneth among them seeing all the People were in ignorance but all Israel were not Elect Numb 14. 19. Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this People according to the greatness of thy mercy and as thou hast forgiven this People from Egypt even until now 20. And the Lord said I have pardoned according to thy Word Dev. 21. 8. Psal 85. 2. Isa 40. 2. So the Example of Ahab the Ninevites c. Shew clearly For that which God did in mercy in respect to their humiliation was some kind of Remission 2. And further I prove it as by these express Texts of Scripture so by this Scripture reason Either God remitteth much of the temporal punishment or else he shews them no mercy And consequently they are not beholden to him nor owe him any thanks but God doth shew them mercy Ergo c. He that remitteth none of the punishment due sheweth no mercy in this case And he that sheweth mercy remitteth part of the punishment for it was part of the punishment to be deprived of the mercies which wicked Men enjoy Who dare once imagine that Health Strength Friends Liberty Peace Riches Honour Food Raiment Houses Accommodations Cattel all Creatnres to serve us Publick Peace Sun Rain Fruits of the Earth prospering of our Labours c. Knowledg Parts Motions of the Spirit excellent means and offers of Grace Godly society and Examples Admonitions Tast of the good word of God and the powers of the World co come Illumination Partaking of the Holy Ghost working Miracles casting out Devils hearing the word with joy believing for a time clean escaping the pollutions of the World by the knowledg of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to be sanctified with the blood of the Covenant to be loved of Christ as the man was Mar. 10. 21. to have the easiest place in Hell c. who dare say that none of all these are Mercies Or that the enjoyment of these may stand with the full execution of the sentence of the Law If the Curse lay in the deprivation of these then the enjoyment of them is a remission of that curse or Penalty But c. Ergo c. read Deut. 28. Now that this Remission is granted to none but by virtue of Christs dying for him I will now but refer you to the whole multitude of Reformed Divines in their Writings against the Papists about Purgatory Indulgences and Humane Satisfactions where they argue with greatest Zeal and many Arguments that temporal punishments are remitted only for Christ's Satisfaction even the same men that deny Universal Satisfaction not remembring how this overthroweth their own cause The reason I conceive is that here the evidence of truth constraineth them but in the denial of Universal Redemption they constrain themselves to it meerly because they have not found out the way of reconciling Universal Satisfaction with Special Predestination and therefore think they are necessitated to deny the former though against the clear light of many express Texts of Scripture for fear of contradicting the later 1. Amesius saith Bellarm. Enervat To. 2. li. 5. c. 2. p. mihi 158. Christus per spiritum suum nihil in nobis operatur
all Men to believe in Christ as their Redeemer when they know he redeemed but the smallest part Or to charge them to rest on his Blood for Remission when he knows it was shed for the smaller number and will profit none but those whom it was shed for Yea how can he urge any to rest on Christ at all For till they know they are Elect they know not that Christ died for them according to the opposed Doctrin And till they know that Christ died for them they cannot rest on him as their Redeemer nor on his Blood as sufficient to procure their pardon seeing as is confessed it is but materially and not formally sufficient to pardon them if they should believe And they cannot know that they are Elect or that Christ died for them till they rest on him And therefore I see not how any Minister can press Men groundedly to rest on Christ by a justifying Faith or to accept him as their Lord-Redeemer And then for the duties of repentance Love and Thankfulness to Christ for redeeming them I have shewed before how this Doctrin evacuates them all and so that no Minister can groundedly press them 3. And for the promise how can any Minister in Christs Name assure a sinner of pardon by that Blood which was never shed for him on condition he will believe As if you should say to a Debtor believe that such a Man hath paid thy debt or trust him and then thy debt shall be discharged when you know he hath not paid it or know not that he hath Indeed a Man may come off with some kind of truth in his words if he certainly know that the Party will not believe But the certain knowledg that Men will not believe is not the reason why God calls them to believe and offers them Christ and Life 4. And for the threatening with what Heart can a Minister tell Sinners Christ is a Redeemer but to the Elect yet all the rest of you shall perish for not taking him for your Redeemer and for not resting on that Blood that was never shed for you And that as to the ends of preaching 1. How will the divulging of these glorify God When he hath purposely designed the glorifying of Love and Mercy directly and justice accidentally by this great work of the Redemption of the World and hath unhinged the Sabbath which was for Commemoration of the work of Creation to the first day of the Week for the Commemoration of the Work of Redemption which he will now have admired as his most glorious work which as Ames in the place cited in Argument 18. saith is to the works of Grace the same that Creation is to the works of Nature and so is the ground of Gods New Right of Dominion and Empire and of his governing and judging the World And how is this glory eclipsed by the opposed Doctrin 2. And for Mans Convesiron to the Faith I have shewed how unfurnished a Minister is rightly to endeavour it on the opposed grounds Whereto let me add this The Soul is never closed to Christ sincerely till it close in Love Love â—eing as all Divines say at the same moment of time as Faith produced And as Maccovius before-cited truly saith and so doth Chamier and many more Love to the Redeemer the object of Faith is of the Essence of justifying Faith it self Now it is Love that must cause Love I mean objectively and not only efficienter He cannot close in Love with Christ that knoweth nothing of Christs Love to him though he know it to others so near is Man to himself and Christ is to be received as my Redeemer and not only as another Mans. Now no Man can know that Christ loveth him with a special love before he know that he himself loveth Christ that 's past question And yet no Man can soundly love Christ as Redeemer that knows not Christs love to him What remains therefore but that it must be Christs common love in redeeming the World and making the conditional gift of pardon and Life and this offered to me in particular among others that must first cause my grounded love to Christ Let us see what Scripture saith of the ground of Ministerial duties Math. 22. The work of the Ministers was to invite the Guests and compel them to come in And the ground was all things are ready Else might not the Guests have said If we should come there is nothing for us we may go as we come You do but take this advantage to jeer us because you know our minds that we will not come 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20. The work of Preachers is the Ministry of teconciliation And wherein lies it vers 20. Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye Reconciled to God so then the work of the Ministry is to beseech Men in Christs stead and Gods name to be reconciled to God But on what ground is this verse 19 21. To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses to them and hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation which Text we shall afterwards further explain and vindicate Is there not an absolute necessity that the price of Reconciliation be first paid to God and accepted by him before any Sinner can be intreated to be reconciled to God on the ground of that price paid and accepted Let me desire Ministers seriously to consider with what Face they can stand up in the name of the Lord Jesus to beseech poor Sinners to be reconciled to God and tell them that else they shall be doubly miserable when yet there is no price paid for making them way to God nor Gods justice satisfied for their Sin which is supposed before any of their own endeavours can do any thing towards Reconciliation Let me imagine such a Dialogue as this between such a Teacher and a Sinner Minister Sinner I beseech thee in Christs stead be reconciled to God Sinner I have Sinned so much that he will not be reconciled to me All that I can do will do nothing to bring me again into his favour Min. Christ hath satisfied for all the Elect. Sinner But what 's that to me unless I knew my self to be Elect. M. But Christ hath satisfied for all if they will believe Sinner Did you not tell me he satisfied only for the Elect and that determined by name Either he hath satisfied for me before I believe or not if not my believing will not satisfie nor cause him to do it now If he have how shall I know it Min. You must believe first and then you shall know it afterwards For God hath ordained inseparable connexion between Christs dying for Men and their believing And therefore for all my beseeching you to believe if you be not one that Christ died for you neither will nor can believe for none is able
but those for whom he purchased it But if you can believe it will be a sign to you ab effectu that Christ died for you Sinner Alas Then all that are not redeemed and I if I be one of them are far worse then hopeless and remediless For they have neither any price paid for them nor any one hath redeemed them nor are they able nor can be able to believe and yet their torment must be multiplied for ever because they did not believe and take him for their redeemer that never paid one farthing of their debt But what is it that you would have me believe Min. That Christ hath died for all that will believe Sinner Will that justifie When the Devils believe that Min. That Christs Death is sufficient to pardon all if they would believe Sinner Then I should believe an untruth for â—is all should believe it is not sufficient to pardon them because it was not suffered for them Besides the Devils do believe the sufficiency of Christs Death as far as it is true Min. But they believe not that it is sufficient for themselves Sinner Nor can I except I knew that it was suffered for me Min. But you must rest on Christ as a sufficient Redeemer and then by reflecting on that Act you may know as by a certain sign that he redeemed you Sinner Then I must believe a Proposition of uncertain truth that I may know it to be true and rest on an uncertain ground of trust that I may have a Sign of its certainty And so my first faith must be groundless and uncertain But as it is not in my power of my self to believe so I have long been endeavouring to believe and trying my Faith and though I find I have some Faith and so had many that perish yet I cannot find whether it be sincere and saving And I know many yea most that seem godly that never are sure all their life time that their Faith is that which is justifying and proper to the Elect and more then the unrooted Faith of temperaries How shall I then or any that are uncertain of the truth of their Faith know that Christ died for them Min. You must labour for assurance of the Truth of your Faith that you may know that Christ died for you Sinner I no where find the Scripture using that motive to perswade Men to believe or to get assurance But what must I do in the mean time and all such as I that never come to assurance Min. Adhere to Christ as thy Redeemer sufficient and willing to save Sinner But I have no knowledg whether he be either my Redeemer or sufficient or willing And must I still continue that groundless Act and that meerly to get a Sign when yet it will be no sign till I attain assurance of the truth of my Faith And must I never love Christ as my Redeemer nor be thankful to him nor praise him for it till I have assurance Respondeat qui potest Arg. 22. A differenti statu hâ—minum non-electorum Daemonum If Christ died only for the Elect. then all the rest have no more remedy provided for their misery then the Devils nor are in any more capacity or possibility of Salvation But the Consequent is false therefore so is the Antecedent Only the Minor requires proof for the consequence of the Major is evident For he that hath no expiatory Sacrifice or satisfaction made for his Sin is left utterly remediless To say he is not remediless because Christ is offered him is but to deride him while they say withal that he is offered only an interest in the satisfaction that was never made for him that so by not believing as by a sign he might manifest that it was not made for him and so that Christ did not purchase him Faith And can the Devils be left worse then remediless Now that Christ hath not left the Non-Elect as remediless as the Devils appears 1. Christ speaketh of his coming into the World and executing his office as having such ends to all Men as they had not to the Devils as he was the 2d Adam and took on him our nature and not the nature of Angels so he never saith that he came into the World to save Devils but he saith that he came into the World not to judg the World but to save the World of whom he expresseth unbelievers to be part Joh. 12. 47. 48. And God sent his Son into the World not to judg the World but that the World by him might be saved Even that World which in the next verse is distinguished into believers and unbelievers Joh. 3. 16 17 18. It is never said that God sent his Jesus to bless the Devils in turning every one of them from their iniquities But it is said so of every one of the Jews Elect or not to whom the Apostle spake Act 3 last unbelievers perish not for want of an expiatory Sacrifice but for rejecting it not for want of a Jesus but for want of Faith But it cannot be said so of the Devils God sendeth Men in his stead to beseech unbelievers to be reconciled to God upon supposition of the payment of the price of Reconciliation by Christ to the Father But he doth not so to the Devils All say Christs Death is sufficient to pardon all Men if they will believe Ames cont Belâ—ar saith we never doubted of it Sadeel cont human satisfact saith let him be blotted out from among the number of Christians that denieth it But I know none that dare say â—o of the Devils To unbelievers is given Christ himself and all his benefits by Gods Act and Deed on condition they will receive him But who can shew such a deed of gift to the Devils Giving Christ though but on condition of acceptance to any one implieth and presupposeth giving him on the Cross for them God entreateth wicked Men daily to accept of Christ that they may live but he never did so by the Devils The Spirit of Christ convinceth and soliciteth some of the Non-elect to believe and striveth with them till they grieve and quench it But so he doth not by the Devils All Men in the Church Elect and Non-Elect are called on to take heed lest a promise being left them of entering into rest any of them should prove to come short of it through unbelief Heb. 4. 1. The wicked are condemned and everlastingly punished for refusing a Redeemer and not coming in to the â—east when all things were ready and for neglecting so great Salvation and treading under Foot the Blood of the Covenant and because they would not have Christ to Raign over them But it is far otherwise with the Devils the wicked will be left unexcusable at the Redeemers Bar when they are judged according to the New Law for refusing Christ that bought them But the Devils would have excuse enough if they were judged on those Terms So that I may
pardoned and saved the efficacy of Christ's satisfaction is before all possibility of any power or snccess of Man's Faith So in those that perish if they had no price of satisfaction paid for them the want of a Redeemer would be the first want concluding their damnation and non-deliverance from former misery and the want of Faith could be but the secondary consequential want which Faith if it were present would not satisfie or save no more than believing now would save the Devils And thus it is evident that on the grounds opposed the Gospel would causally per â—e unavoidably be the greatest plague on earth to all where it comes except the Elect and not only accidentally by their own Sin Now for the Minor that the Gospel is not so I prove from Scripture it is called the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God Luke 8. 1. Before men are Converted the Apostles say we declare unto you glad tidings Acts 13. 32. 33. The Preachers of it bring glad tidings of good things preaching the Gospel of peace Rom. 10. 15. even the unsanctified receive the word with joy Mat. 13. 20. and not so great joy as they had cause so Mark 4. 16. it is called the Gospel of the grace of God Acts 20. 24. it is a Wedding-Feast even ready for those that would not come to it who are therefore said to be unworthy of it and so it was to him that came without the Wedding garment Mat. 22. if it were not a mercy then Men did not sin against mercy in rejecting it which who dare say It gives men promises of entring into rest who yet by wilful unbelief may come short of it Heb. 4. 1 2 3 c. See 1 Cor. 10. to the 13th God sent Jesus to bless the Jews more than Elect in turning every one of them from his Iniquity Acts 3. last The unthankful Servant had his debt freely pardoned him and that was a mercy who after took his fellow by the throat and by ingratitude lost that pardon which he had It declareth God's tender Mercies over all his works and such mercies as are to lead all men to Repentance Psal 145. 9. Rom. 2. It is good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people Acts 2. 10. It freely giveth to all the water of life if they refuse not the gift Rev. 22. It is the Gospel that bringeth Salvation to all men Tit. 12. 11. A hundred Texts might be brought to prove how great a blessing of it self the Gospel is to that People to whom it is given and if it be turned to a Judgment and hurt them it is meerly accidentally through their wilful rejecting it or turning the grace of God into wantonness or sinning because Grace hath abounded and not from any thing in it nor for want of a reality in the benefit which it offereth Arg. 25. A differentiâ status damnatorum viatorum If Christ dyed not for all men then the state of most men all that he dyed not for were as deplorate and remediless as the State of the Damned But the consequent is false therefore so is the Antecedent The Consequence of the Major proposition is plain in that the state of all men that Christ dyed not for must needs be utterly hopeless and remediless for there is no other satisfaction to be hoped for besides that made by the blood of Jesus and that is nothing to them nor is there any hope or possibility that ever they should have part in a satisfaction that is no satisfaction for them without blood there is no remission If they should believe and repent and pray for mercy night and day it would be but as the Rich Epicure in Hell pray'd for a drop of water all in vain for betwixt God and them is so great a gulf or distance by sin that nothing without a Redeemer can do them any good as to the least hope of Salvation If you say it is not to be supposed that they can believe repent and pray I answer that is in your own sense because it is supposed they are not redeemed and the impossibility of their not repenting and believing shews the more fully the impossibility of their Salvation And the reason why they do not actually despair is not because they have any more remedy than the Damned or cause to hope but only because they are yet ignorant of the hopelesness of their own Condition and as soon as they know the truth they will fully despair So that there is no more possibility that a Man for whom Christ dyed not should be pardoned or saved than that the Damned should for both are equally impossible If any say that God can find out another remedy besides and without Christs satisfaction though he will not and therefore it is not impossible I will not examine the truth of that now but if it be true of them on Earth why not also of them in Hell When once Men are in that state that there is no Sacrifice for their sin then there remaineth nothing but the fearful expectation of Judgment and Fire that shall devour the Adverâ—ary Object But doth not God's foreknowledge and decree make mens Salvation impossible as well as Christs not Dying for them and so your argument is as much against them Answ No They do nihil ponere in Objecto nor are the removal or denyal of any efficient cause of Salvation they infer only Necessitatem Consequentiae they make no Mans Salvation impossible but only prove it not future And as it is not omne Possible that is futurum so neither omne non futurum that is Impossibile And it is agreed that foreknowledge presupposeth the futurition or non futurition of the thing foreknown But there is much more necessary to be said to resolve this doubt which I may not now insist on only I add that the matter of God's Decrees and the futurition of things as depending thereon are so high and so far above us that it becomes us not to be too inquisitive into them much less so peremptorily to determine of them as some do and least of all to try plainer Cases by such determinations and reduce certainties to uncertainties when we should tather reduce uncertainties to certainties And for the Minor that the state of most men even in the Church is not so hopeless deplorate and remediless as is the case of the Damned I prove it thus They might be saved who are yet on Earth if they would but receive the love of the truth 2 Thes 2. 9 10. If they would believe they might all be justified and should not perish but have everlasting life whoever of them will may have the water of Life freely and it is offered them and they intreated to take it and if they have it not it is because they will not and not because there was no object or ground for their willing or no Sacrifice for their sin God offers them pardon and
Salvation but God offers no other Pardon or Salvation but what is purchased by Christ's Blood He that tells us there neither is nor can be any other Remission or Salvation but what Christ purchaseth will not offer any other to men and urge them to accept it yea Pardon and Life as purchased by Christ are in Gods deed of gift together with Christ himself conditionally bestowed on all even if they will have them a Condition which among men is seldom thought worthy the name of a Condition it being supposed in nature that every man is willing of his own good and so of all excellent advantages thereto Is all this so with those in Hell Christ is neither given nor Pardon and Life offered to them they are not commanded to repent and believe to this end that they may be justified and saved But those on Earth are and therefore their Pardon and Salvation is possible for God will not command them to seek or to accept of an impossibility and then Condemn them for not seeking and not accepting it If the Damned could repent or believe it would not save them but it would save them on Earth Nor is their belief it self such an impossibility as is the Damneds believing Moreover Christ saith now how oft would I have gathered you But he would not gather the Damned God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth but he saith not that he would have the Damned to be saved This Life is called the day of their Visitation the day of grace the acceptable time the day of Salvation and they are called on to hear the voice of God to day while it is called to day and not to harden their hearts least he swear in his wrath that they shall not enter into his rest that is least their case become desperate and their Salvation impossible therefore it was not so before They are warned to take heed least sinning wilfully after the knowledge of the truth there remain no more Sacrifice for Sin c. Implying that before there is a Sacrifice for their sin it is said that it is impossible to renew them by repentance who tread under foot the blood of the Covenant and do despight to the Spirit of Grace implying that before it was not impossible and also that they might have had if they had not a share in that blood and that Spirit They have a promise left them of entring into his rest Heb. 4 1. and a Salvation proclaimed to them and if they perish it will be for neglecting so great Salvation Heb. 3. 2. They are invited to come in because all things are ready they are commanded to seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near None of this is so with the Damned God is not near them nor may be found of them nor have they any day of Grace Visitation or Salvation where the word is preached it is that they might be saved 1 Thes 2. 16. Paul sought the profit of many and to please all men that they might be saved 1 Cor. 10. 33. Even when men are delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh it is that the Spirit might be saved 1 Cor. 5. 5. yea God sent his Son into the World that the World thro him might be saved that World which consisteth of Believers and Unbelievers Joh. 3. 16. 17. when Jesus was proving his Mediatorship to the Jews he saith These things I say that ye might be saved Joh. 5. 34. so that Mens Salvation is possible while they are on Earth till they have sinned against the Holy Ghost or totally Apostatiz'd by abrenunciation of Christ else what business have Preachers with them Why do we intreat them to be reconciled to God Do we not tell them daily and truly that yet there is time yet there is hope and advise them to take time while they have it and let not slip the Day of Grace and Salvation 2 Cor. 6. 1 2. We beseech them that they receive not the Grace of God in vain for behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of Salvation And Christ saith weeping over Jerusalem If thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things that belong to thy Peace but now they are hid from thine eyes c. Because thou knewest not the time of thy Visitation Luk. 19. 41 42 43 44. An hundred places more might be produced to prove that men on Earth are not left as desperate deplorate or remediles as those in Hell which yet they must be if they had no Redeemer or no Sacrifice for their sin Arg. 26. A processu Judiciali causa condemnationis If Christ himself shall therefore condemn men in Judgment because they received him not as their Lord-Redeemer or because they abused the fruits of his Death suffered for them then he died for All men But Christ will condemn men in Judgment because they received him not as their Lord-Redeemer or because they abused the said fruits of his Death Therefore he died for All-men That he will condemn all the Unbelievers that heard his Gospel because they did not believe in him nor receive him for their Redeemer and Saviour and Lord to Reign over them nor rest on him for Salvation is confessed by all and past dispute Luke 21. 27. Joh. 1. 10 11 12 3. 18. 1 Joh. 5. 11. 2 Thes 1. 8. 2. 10 11 12 Mar. 16. 16. Job 5. 22. Mat. 25. per totum That all men shall be judged according to their well or ill usage of the Talents of Mercy bestowed on them and repenting or not repenting in the day of Grace is plain in Mat. 25. in the Parable of the ten Virgins and of the Talents I have proved before that these Talents are Grace i. e. Miserecordiae contra meritum effectus and procured by Christs satisfaction and not given without Christs satisfaction The consequence therefore of the Major proposition is evident For shall any man dare without better proof to affirm that Christ will sit as Lord-Redeemer in Judgment and condemn most of the World to everlasting flames for refusing a Redeemer that was not their Redeemer and for not believing in him to save them by his death who never died for them and for not resting for Salvation on him that never made the least satisfaction for them and therefore was not a sufficient stay to rest on and for not believing where if they had believed Faith would do no good And where it is objected as before they should have believed that it might have been a sign to them that Christ died for them I answer besides what I answered before 1. It being first granted that Christ did not dye for them then if they had believed it would have been no sign that he died for them for it cannot be a sign of that which was not And Christs dying or not dying for them
will tell me then we must say Christ is a Door a Way a Vine and the Bread is his Body c. But this is nothing to what I am speaking of For I did never say that we must take the literal sense in opposition to the figurative but only the plain obvious sense in opposition to a wyer-drawn extorted sense Some figurative speeches are so usual or plain and well known that he that should interpret them literally would be derided by any Plowman And every ignorant man useth figurative speeches in his common talk and use makes the true sence as plain and obvious as if they were not figurative You can scarce hear three sentences from any Countryman but will convince you of this If any man of common reason had heard Christ say I am the way to the Father would he have thought his plain obvious sense to be I am an Earthly or other Material way to be trodden on by the Feet of them to come to God What will not the lust of contradicting persuade men to Now I would know of any man would you believe that Christ died for all men if the Scripture plainly speak it If you would do but tell me what words can you devise or would you wish more plain for it than are there used Is it not enough that Christ is called the Saviour of the World You 'l say but is it of the whole World Yes it saith He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole World Will you say but it is not for All men in the World yes it saith he died for All men as well as for all the World But will you say it saith not for every man Yes that it doth he tasted death for every man But you may say It means all the Elect if it said so of any Non-Elect I would believe Yes it speaks of those that denied the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction And yet all this seems nothing to men prejudiced 3. Furthermore it deserves consideration whether men can considerately go against the plain light of so many express Texts of Scripture without some reluctancy and regret of Judgment And then whether using a mans Judgment to such a course to bear down the evidence of of many express texts of Scripture be not a matter of a dangerous nature both symptomatically and effectually Doth it not signifie a defect in our belief of the truth of Scripture Or at least of our reverend esteem of it when we dare use it as a Leaden rule and Nose of Wax as the Papists presumptuously call it He that can think it will endure such bending is in danger of thinking it may endure breaking Hath it not too plain a tendency to infidelity and disobedience It is the truth of this word that must preserve us from both And he that thinks so meanly of the Scripture as that it will patiently endure such violence and stretching is in great danger of being drawn to question whether it be Gods Word or no and of venturing over its bounds in practicals in case of temptation For what have we to persuade us that Christ is the eternal God but plain Scripture And is it plainer in this than in its affirming that Christ died for All All tender conscionable Christians should be as fearful to adventure against the plain meaning of Scripture in the matter of Faith as to adventure against its plain precepts and prohibitions in matter of practice And therefore I conclude that when God saith so expresly that Christ died for All and tasted death for every man and is the Ranfom for all and the propitiation for the sins of the whole World It beseems every Christian rather to explain in what sense Christ died for All men then flatly to deny it The first text of Scripture ordinarily used and which I shall insist on is Job 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Here it is plainly expressed that the giving of Christ proceeded from Gods Love to the World as the principal efficient and that it was to this end that whosoever of this World believe in him should be saved One would think all were plain here yet men have found or made almost as many knots as words If a King had his whole Army prove false to him and turn to the Enemy and when they are in his power the Enemy Imprisoneth them and maketh them Slaves in this misery the King saith of them I so love my Army that I give so much money or my own Son in Ransom that whosoever will thankfully accept my kindness and return to his Allegiance shall not remain in slavery but be delivered fully into my favour and their dignities would not ordinary men easily understand this speech Would so many doubts be raised whether he mean the whole Army or part What is meant by Love by Whosoever c. yet here we have such a dust raised in as plain a case or as plain words as such Divine mysteries could well be expressed by 1. It is doubted what is meant by the World 2. And then what is meant by Loved 3. And what is meant by Whosoever The 4. What is meant by Believeth in him we need not here stand on And for the first some say by the VVorld is meant the Elect part of the VVorld some say as Dr. Twiss and others it is meant of Mankind as distinct from Angels excluding none and not of the Elect only and withal that it speaks only of the sufficiency of Christ's Satisfaction which if it were not sufficient for All there were no place for the General Promise Whoever believeth shall be Saved There is more truth and soundness in this exposition than will stand with some other contradictory passages in the same Authors For my part I stand to this exposition of Dr. Twiss as you may find him industriously explaining this text Vindic. Grat. lib. 1. part 2. § 7. pag. mihi 203. I will repeat part of his words Ad locum illum Joh. 3. 16. quod attinet negamus ex his evinci posse Mundum eo in loco significare Electos in mundo degentes Ad cujus loci majorem elucidationem observandum est cum decrevisset Fidem Rescipiscentiam electis suis non modo concedere sed easdem modo naturae ipsorum rationali convenientissimo nempe per Suasionem exhortationem in ipsis operari consequenter Evangelium sub generali invitationis formâ proponendum esset in hunc modum Quisquis crediderit salvus erit qui non damnabitur hinc evincitur mittendi Mediatoris duplicem Deo habendam fuisse rationem alteram Pretii alteram Efficaciae Nam Pretium oportuit sufficiens esse redimendis omnibus alias enim tam generali promissioni quisquis crediderit salvus erit locus nullus fuisset rursus oportuit
efficax esse redimendis electis alias enim frustra fuissent constituti ad obtinendam salutem per Jesum Christum si salutem per Christum non fuissent assecuturi His hunc in modum constitutis apparet fieri posse ut quaedam loca Scripturae de Christo mediatore tractent quoad pretii ipsius sufficientiam alia vero quoad mortis ejus efficaciam Locum autem hunc de quo agimus existimo significare tantum pretii ipsius sufficientiam Ratio est quia agit non de efficacia Spiritus sancti in danda hominibus fide sed de modo quo fides dari solet nempe per predicationem Evangelii Generalem omnium invitationem ad fidem in hanc formam Quisquis credit in Christum non peribit sed habet vitam aeternam Hujus autem invitationis Generalis fundamentum est pretii a Christo soluti sufficientia Atque hic rursus sese in gerit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peculiaris divinae clementiae propensio in genus humanum quod scilicet pro peccatis humani generis pretium sufficiens solutum iri voluit non autem pro peccatis Angelorum For the better understanding of this it must be remembred that there is a double efficacy of Christs death 1. It s satisfying God's Justice for the Sins which Christ bore 2. The effecting of Pardon Justification Sanctification and Salvation of Sinners It is only of this latter that solid Divines speak when they distinguish the efficacy of Christ's death from its sufficiency But the former the effecting of satisfaction is presupposed to the sufficiency as being the proper immediate end of Christ's death for there is a double sufficiency First a sufficiency material antecedent to satisfaction passive as we may call it by which it is said to be sufficient to satisfie God for all Men. Secondly A sufficiency of this price and satisfaction so made for the pardoning and saving of all that will believe It is the latter sufficiency which is to be distinguish'd from the latter efficiency and that implies some efficiency as necessary to that sufficiency viz. The efficiency of satisfaction And the Doctor can be understood no otherwise here than according to this interpretation 1. Because he makes it the necessary ground of the general promise without which it could have no place Now leave out the efficiency of satisfaction to Justice from Christ's death and it is no more a ground for an Universal promise than if he had not paid a satisfaction materially sufficient at all For it is not sufficient to pardon all men if they did believe except Justice be first satisfied for them 2. He expresly makes it to be sufficientia pretii and not ut sit pretium though I know elsewhere he contradicts that 3. He makes it the interpretation of those Scriptures that speak of Christs dying for all which cannot be if he satisfy'd not for all 4. He makes a general promise and invitation to be grounded on it But surely Christ is not with his Salvation given so much as conditionally to any but whom by satisfying for them he hath purchased that mercy to 5. Yea he expresly in his Reason shews that by the efficacy of Christs death he means that which consisteth in the Spirits efficacy in working Faith Others say that by the World is meant only the Elect but not as Elect but as they are Gentiles who are called the World in contradistinction to the Jews This cannot be true for First Then no Elect Jews should be included but it should run thus God so loved the Gentiles that he gave his only Son c. whereas Christ was sent to Jews as well as Gentiles and that first in some respects Secondly This way crosseth themselves also for the Gentiles consist of Elect and non-Elect and therefore according to their Doctrine it should only run thus God so loved part of the World if the Gentiles be the World or else they must say that by the World is meant the Elect part of the Gentiles But I shall prove further that this is false by proving that it includeth the Non-Elect also By the World it is evident is not meant the containing World the Air Earth c. Nor Angels or unknown Superiour Creatures nor yet brute Beasts but the Men living on Earth It is granted that the usual obvious sense of words is not to be denied without evident cause and when there is cause of denying that sense we must go but to the next obvious and usual sense and not to a remote unusual improbable one Now it is known that the word World used for Men doth most directly and obviously signifie Mankind in general without excluding any Next to that it signifieth the greater part or common sort of the World Next that it signifieth the generality or greater part of some Country where the speaker then is not to speak of more remote significations If therefore we be forced to forsake the first signification it must be proved that we are also forced from the second before we must take the third and both second and third must be disproved before we can take the World for the Elect only 2. The effects of that love and giving of Christ here mentioned are undoubtedly such as are given to all and not only to the Elect as to the Tenor of the Law or Deed of Gift they are given to all Mankind and as to the promulgation they are given to all those that hear the Gospel Therefore the World here mentioned is all and not only the Elect. I think none will deny the Consequence and for the Antecedent it is evident through all the Scripture as well as this Text. The effect of the giving of Christ here expressed is the conditional gift of Salvation But the conditional gift of Salvation is to all and not only to the Elect Ergo c. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish is a plain giving of Salvation on condition of believing it being usual in Scripture and common speech to make whosoever will and if you will equally conditionally Whosoever will let him take the water of Life freely is equivalent to this it shall be yours if you will take it If you beat up the Drum for Souldiers you proclaim whosoever will come to such a place and list himself under such a Commander shall have Entertainment and Pay here whosoever will come and list himself is equivalent to if any or all of you will come and list your selves So that where they put the question whether the word whosoever be distributive I answer no not directly it is but the universal extension of the Conditional Promise with an expression of the conditionality but consequently it is distributive though Antecedently and directly it be not As in the former Comparison when you say whosoever will list himself c the word whosoever is not directly distributive for you offer all that hear you that priviledge and
all may accept it if they will and then there would be no distribution But because all will not and this is foreknown therefore consequently it is distributive So here and that it is distributive is from the will of Man and the event and other exteriour differencing Causes but not properly from the promise or deed of gift at all except by accident 3. The next words shew what World it is that is here spoken of viz. That which comprizeth men that believe and so are not Condemned and those that believe not which Consideration is consequential and not antecedent to Christ's dying for them and so are Condemned already because they have not believed c. v. 18. They that will affirm a greater restriction in the sense of the word must prove it For though I have proved here the larger sense yet indeed it belongs to them to prove their assertion who recede from the commoner and more extensive sense I shall briefly examine what they say to that end Only I must intreat the Reader that if they compare my Writings with any Book which contains the Reasons which I confute that you would not expect that I should take any notice of any of those strangely-confident Juvenile Triumphant Expressions which some do abound with but that I draw out only the pith of their Arguments and set Reason against Reason and let the heaps of Worldly Rhetorical Gloryings alone Much more must I expect that you will not take me to be engaged to defend any Arminian misinterpretations and weaknesses and to confute what any man saith against them but only that which seems of force against the interpretations or assertions that I my self do maintain The first Reason they give for proving that it is only the Elect that here are called the World is drawn from the Love which is here said to have the World for its object which cannot be common to all but is proper to the Elect. This we deny and they attempt to prove by these five Reasons 1. Say they it is the most transcendent and remarkable Love and therefore proper to the Elect. I must desire the Reader to see this answered afterward in my answer to their interpretation of John 2. It is an Eternal act of God's will Answ But what that is to the purpose I know not 3. It was the cause of sending Christ Answ That 's true it was one cause but how follows the consequence 4. They say that Love which is the cause of giving Christ is always the cause of bestowing all other good things Answ That Love which caused the giving of Christ for the Elect is the cause of giving them all things with him but that love which caused the giving of Christ for all shall not eventually give them all things I refer you to what I shall say anon to Rom. 8. 32. for the full answer to this 5. They say this Love is an assured Fountain of Salvation to all that are beloved with it Answ I deny it if they mean by assured such as shall eventually be saved but say they the issue of this Love being not perishing but obtaining Eternal Life happens only to the Elect Ergo c. Answ The Text speaks of no other effect of this Love but the giving of Christ and the giving of Eternal Life on Condition of believing Now for the former there is a twofold giving of Christ First giving him on the Cross for us Secondly Giving him in the word of Promise to us The Text seems to comprehend both He is given on the Cross for all he is given in the word conditionally to all and so is Eternal Life with him Now though the actual right to Eternal Life and fruition of it be not the portion of all yet that makes no alteration or differencing nature in this Universal Conditional promise it is because one believed and another did not The Promise antecedently to the performance or non-performance of the Condition gave Christ alike to the Elect and non-Elect and Life with him But that some believed rather than others was not from the gift of this Universal Conditional Promise but from another cause even Gods secret decree of Election Their second Reason for proving that by the World is meant only the Elect is because it is the same World that Christ came to save ver 17. but that is only the Elect else God should fail of his intention Answ This is to pervert one Text by perverting another as I shall shew anon when we come to that Text. Their Third Reason is that its usual to call the Elect the World Answ It was a very Pious Judicious Grave Divine that said I profess I cannot find any one clear place where the World must of necessity be taken for the Elect only Ezek. Culverwell in his Answer to Objections against his Treaty of Faith They alledge for what they say these Texts John 4. 42. where Christ is called the Saviour of the World a Saviour of Men not saved is strange Answ So are all things strange to Men till they understand them It 's no more strange than that God Created all Men to Life that Happiness which the first Covenant promised who yet did dye for Sin The Second is John 6. 33 57. which shall be vindicated anon The Third is Rom. 4. 13. Abraham is said by Faith to be Heir of the World which ver 11. is called to be the Father of the Faithful Answ A bold interpretation but here 's no proof nor appearance of any that the Father of the faithful is all one with Heir of the World is too unlikely a thing to be received on a Mans bare word Especially considering that it is proper to Abraham to be Father of all them that believe verse 11. But to be Heir of the World verse 13. is not proper to him For it is said the promise that he should be Heir of the World was not to Abraham or to his Seed through the Law I never read where Abraham is called Heir of the Faithful nor can he so be conveniently called But he is called Heir of the World Therefore by the World is not meant only the Faithful The Next is Rom. 11. 12. If the fall of them be the Riches of the World and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles c. Ans It is more than the Elect Gentiles that shall be and are enricht by Christ though not as the Elect others are enriched with that Church state visible which Paul here speaks that the Jews were broken off from As also with the Gospel and ordinances and conditional gift of Christ and justification and glory besides many other mercies The next Text cited to prove that the World is put only for the Elect is Col. 1. 6. Which Gospel is come unto you as it is in all the World and bringeth forth fruit as it doth also in you c. Ans 1. It is not said that it bringeth forth
an Universal Cause as the Sun is of Light which is the same in its shining to all though some are blind and therefore see not by its Light yet that is not either for want of Light in the Sun or because it shineth differently to one and to the other but because their Eyes are not capable of enjoying and using its Lights so is Christ as a Satisfier and as the object of justifying Faith though efficienter as the Author of Faith by his Spirit he worketh differently 2. It is the World into which and among whom Christ is said to come as a Light 3. The end of his coming is the conditional Illumination of all That whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness 4. This World containeth such as hear Christs words and believe not 5. Lest any should have a pretence to think that the World which he came to be a Light to was only the Elect and those that believed not were no part of them he repeateth all again more plainly saying he came not to judge the World but to save the World 6. To put all out of doubt that Unbelievers were part of this World that he came to save he addeth the causal conjunction For proving that or giving it as a reason why he would not Judge Unbelievers because he came not to judge the VVorld what force was in that reason if they were none of that VVorld but that to save the VVorld VVas it any proof that he would not judge Unbelievers because he came not to judge but to save the Elect 7. Yet that there might be no place for doubting left he again sheweth that Unbelievers are part of this VVorld that he came not to Judge but to Save saying He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that Judgeth him which is plainly opposed to the former negation I judge him not and for I came not to Judge the World I know not what can be said against this but the former objection that it is only the VVorld of the Elect that Christ came to save But I have said enough in answer to that and shall say more anon As for their feigned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here are expressions plain enough to exclude it and were it granted it would do them no good except withal they prove not only that by the VVorld v. 46. is meant the Earth which yet is unsound but that by the VVorld in both parts of the 47. v. is meant only the Elect which they will I think never be able to prove And indeed their pretended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth make Christs reason to be invalid and so contradicteth the Text. The fourth Text to the same sense is Joh. 6. 32 33 35 36 40 51 64 66. compared where note 1. That the persons he spake to were many unbelieving murmuring Jews yea and many of his own Disciples which yet believed not ver 60. 61 64. that is such as followed him and professed to be his Disciples yet did not heartily and firmly believe and therefore they then went back and walked no more with him v. 66. Yet 2. Note That to all these Christ saith ver 32. My Father giveth you the true Bread from Heaven For the Bread of God is he which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life to the World yet ver 36. he tells them that they believe not and ver 51. I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven If any man eat of this Bread he shall Live forever and the Bread that I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the Life of the World Where note not only that the gift is universal for the Life of the World but also that he puts the giving his Flesh for the VVorld 1. As that which he will do absolutely without any condition 2. And which he puts in order of nature before the second act which is the giving his Flesh to men to eat which is the application of the benefits of his death 3. And then comes their eating or not eating and so living or not living after both these At least it is undeniable that Christ here gives his Flesh to more than do take and eat it even to them that believe not but forsake him from that day And therefore the Jews say ver 52. How can this man give us his Flesh to eat Now what is said against this The answer I find in these words in one VVriter That the VVorld here cannot signifie All and Every one that ever were or should be is as manifest as if it were written with the beams of the Sun and that because it is made the object of Christs intendments to purchase for them and bestow upon them Life and Salvation Now I ask Whether any man not bereaved of all Spiritual and Natural sense can imagine that Christ in his Oblation intended to purchase Life and Salvation for all them whom he knew to be damned many ages before or who dares affirm once that Christ gave himself for the Life of them who notwithstanding that by his disappointment do come short of it to eternity so that if we had no other place to manifest that the word VVorld doth not always signifie All but only some of all sorts as the Elect are but this one produced by our Adversaries to the contrary I hope with all equitable Readers our defence would receive no prejudice Ans If this be true I must confess my self bereaved of all Spiritual and Natural sense which yet I am not willing to do seeing by one I should confess my self no Christian and by the other not a man at least to have no reason in exercise This is a heavy charge on all the Fathers and later Divines and Godly People that differ from this Author Specially unless his Reasons were stronger for I confess his Sun-beams are wholly clouded to me His first reason is answered briefly already and must be fully afterward by it self The flesh of Christ was Morally given presently on the fall before any of the VVorld was in Hell and therefore it must be physically given on the Cross in time according to that undertaking which was the moral gift and satisfaction 2. His second Reason is also answered fully before and shall be after If Christ give Salvation to all on condition they will receive it in him then we may dare to affirm that this is the fruit of the giving himself on the Cross may we not dare to affirm that God created all mankind in Adam that they may live to him and so be blessed as Ursine and multitudes of our Divines do affirm though yet he knew that man would do otherwise eventually For God commanded him to live to him and gave him means and promised him everlasting Happiness if he obeyed And why may we not as well say Christ Redeemed men to Salvation that yet for rejecting it are not saved As shewing themselves unworthy of eternal Life But
Condition of the Continuance of Justification and tells them what will be their misery if they perform it not though yet he may as to the event nevertheless Decree to cause them effectually and infallibly to perform it Seeing I have spoken so much here of Forgiveness I shall refer you to it when I come to speak of other Texts of the like sense I might here add lest any upon any other Interpretation of this Text should think it of no weight that other Scriptures do expresly assert some kind of Remission to the Wicked upon their half Repentance as to Ahab the Ninivites those Heb. 10. that were Sanctified by the Blood of the Covenant i. e. purified and those Numb 14. 20. I have pardoned them according to thy word saith God of the whole People of Israel Yea forbearance of Punishment with hope and means for Everlasting Escape is a sort of Remission Those that say this Remission needed not the Sacrifice of Christ's Blood to procure it do say that which they will never be able to prove The Tenth Text that I shall insist on is â— Tim. 4. 9 10 11. This is a Faithful Saying and worthy of all acceptation For therefore we both laâ—â—â— and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all Men specially of those that believe These things command and teach Davenant putteth in the frontispiece of his Dissertations these words of Prosper on this Text quae sententia si tranquillo consideretur intuitu â—â—um controversiam dirimit De vocat Gent. li. 2. â— 31. Here it s left past dispute that by all Men â—â— meant more than believers for it is such an all Men as is contradistinct from believers even as the whole from a principal part There is no room therefore left in this Text for any cavil or exception but this one viz. whether by Saviour be not meant God the Father as the common preserver of his Creature or of Mens natural lives Rather then Jesus Christ as Redeemer This is commonly affirmed and upon this ground because it is only said we trust in the living God who is the Saviour and therefore say they this proves not that Christ is a Saviour of all by his Death Answ 1. Whether it be the Father or Son that is here spoken of is no whit material seeing God the Father Redeemeth and saveth by his Son as the Son doth by himself If it be spoken of saving the Soul and not only the Body then it 's no matter which person it is spoken of For God saveth none but by the Death of his Son Now that it is spoken de Deâ— Redemptore and not only of God as preserver oâ— Mens Bodies I prove 1. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say then the generallity oâ— Criticks signifieth moren then Servator yeâ— than salvator and therefore Laurentius and Grotius turn it sospitator and Grotius saith that servator salvator may be spoken of one that preserveth those that are safe and never were miserable but so it is not here 2. The same word is applied to God in the same manner of Speech twice before in this same Epistle and in both places is he called a Saviour in respect to Eternal Salvation and not to Temporal only 1 Tim. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ our Hope 1 Tim. 2. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour Who will have all Men to be saved and to come to the knowledg of the Truth For there is â—â—e God and one Mediator between God and Man â—â—e Man Jesus Christ who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time He that denieth that the Apostle doth in both these places â—â—ll God a Saviour in respect to Spiritual and Everlasting Salvation is either very blind or perverse And is it not fit for us to understand the same phrase used in the next Chapter save â—â—e as in the same Sense If one Scripture must interpret another sure it is On 1 Tim. 1. 1. â—â—scator himself can expound the same Phrase â—â—us observa nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servatoris etiam Patri â—â—ribui Is enim servat nos per Filium Quippe â—â—m salutis nostrae causd misit per quem nos sibi â—conciliavit per quem etiam Spiritum Sanctum â—â— nos mittit And will not an impartial Man â—â—en expound the same Phrase here in the â—â—me manner Specially there being no reaâ—â— to be brought from the Text to the contraâ—â— Even so doth Calvin expound 1 Tim. 1. 1. â—â—d 2. 3. and generally all interpreters that I have observed Yea let every place in the New â—estament be examined where God the Father â—â— called a Saviour and it will be found to have â—â—ference to Everlasting Salvation and not to â—â—poral only T it 2. 10. That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things For the â—â—ce of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared â—â—all Men Tit. 3. 4. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward Man appeared not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Luke 1. 47. My Soul doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour So Tit. 1. 3. and Jud. 25. both in the same Sense And I remember no more in the New Testament And I think no considerate Man will in this case refer us to the Phrase oâ— the Old Testament for exposition of the New who knows and hath well weighed how seldom and darkly Eternal Salvation in Heaven iâ— mentioned in the Old Testament 3. It seems manifest to me from the contexâ— that Paul meant it not only of a Temporal Salvation For Paul makes this office of God to be the reason of Christians constancy in labour and in suffering reproach for godliness sake For the Apostle oft shews us that it was the hope of Glory and not of temporal deliverance that caused him to labour and suffer and therefore he trusted here on God as a Saviour Even lasting and not so much as a Temporal Saveour For he professeth that he knew that where ever he went bonds and afflictions did abiâ— him Yet did he not regard this nor accouâ—â— his Life dear that he might finish his courâ—… with joy And on this ground he perswade Christians to be stedfast unmovable alwaâ—… abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuâ—… as they know that their labour was not in vaâ—… in the Lord When as if in this Life only 〈…〉 had hope in Christ we were of all Men mâ—… miserable 2. And indeed God is not a Saviour of all Mens Bodies in danger by any obligation at all that I know of No though they be wronged and
suffer injustly He doth what he doth of this kind for unbelievers arbitrarily Let any Man shew where God is engaged by any Covenant to save unbelievers from bodily dangers But their Souls he hath redeemed by Christ and so saved them quoad pretium And he hath made a Deed of Gift of Christ and Eternal Life to all on condition they refuse it not So that he may in respect of his Covenant and so in a fuller Sense be called their Saviour in Spiritual respects than in temporal for all that they are not eventually saved The word Saviour here implies such a Relation as God hath undertaken and that Men may assure themselves he will perform all that belongs to it Or else it could not be the ground of our confidence But wicked Men have no promise for or assurance of an hours Life or any outward deliverance whatsoever no not though it were never so good for them For God will not be in Covenant with them for common things till they first accept of his Covenant of Grace in Christ But for Salvation he hath made them a conditional promise as aforesaid 3. And it is less probable that the Apostle calls God a Saviour here so equivocally as not to mean in the same kind of Salvation when yet he intimateth no difference in the Text. 4. But let us suppose all this were as the opponents would have it yet for ought I can see the Text will fully prove the point in question For even in temporal respects God is the Saviour of no Man but those whom Christ died for For all Men have forfeited all his Salvation and are under his Curse And he can be no Saviour to them according to the tenor of that cursing violated Law It must be therefore according to the New Law or Covenant or not at all And the New Law is founded in the Blood of Christ shed for those to whom it is made Indeed according to the first Law he may uphold the Life and Being of Sinners But it is only as he doth the Devils to make them capable of punishment But neither do we for that call him the Saviour of the Devils nor would it be any such great encouragement to Paul and all Christians in labour and sufferings for godliness sake So that even this Temporal Salvation doth presuppose the Relaxation or Non Execution Plenary of the Law of Works And that is done only by the remitting Law of Grace and that presupposeth Christs Blood shed or undertaken to beshed for the sinners I know nothing more that needs to be spoken to for vindicating this Text. The 11th Text shall be 1 Joh. 5. 9 10. 11 For this is the witness which he hath testified of his Son He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself He that believeth not God hath made him a Lyar because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son And this is the Record that God hath given us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son hath not Life Hence I thus argue If Eternal Life in Christ be given to unbelievers who make God a Lyar and have not Christ or Life then Christ was first given on the Cross as a Sacrifice for those unbelievers But the Antecedent is true Therefore so is the Consequent And consequently Christ died for more than the Elect and therefore for all 1. I Suppose none that is not willing to be deceived will maintain that it is only such unbelievers as afterward shall be converted and are Elect who are here said to make God a Lyar For the Record which they are condemned here for not believing is the object propounded to Elect and not Elect without such Distinction as they are all considered in number of sinful Mankind 2. As for the Minor or Antecedent of the Major proposition it is very plain in the Text. If all men should believe who hear the Gospel that Eternal Life in Christ is given them and those that believe it not do make God a Lyar then it 's certain that Eternal Life in Christ is given to them all But c. Ergo c. There is nothing here to be questioned but only who are meant in the term Us when it is said God hath given Us Eternal Life And it is plain that it is the same persons included with others who are charged with making God a Lyar. 1. Else their Unbelief should consist only in not believing that Life is given to other men and consequently the Faith required of them should consist only in believing that God hath given Life in Christ to others without any inclusion of themselves But that is not true Ergo c. The falshood of this consequent is proved thus 1. True saving Faith is of a Receiving or Applying nature as it is the act of the Will and it is introductory thereto as it is the act of the Understanding But believing that God hath given Life in Christ to other men is not receptive nor applicatory nor introductory thereto Ergo c. All our Divines against the Papists do fully maintain the Major 2. The Devils and the most despairing men have not saving Faith But the Devils and Despairing men do believe that God hath given Eternal Life to others therefore to believe that God doth give that Life to others is not saving Faith 3. True saving Faith is of greatest concernment to the Believer as to the object of it as being the means of his Salvation But the believing meerly what God giveth to other men is of no such concernment to any Ergo c. Obj. It is not Saving Faith that is here mentioned nor any act that is proper to a true Believer nor is it the want of that which is here condemned But it is the not believing the Truth of the Gospel which is only a preparatory act and which the Devils themselves may have who believe and tremble For though this meer assent will not save yet the want of it will condemn Answ 1. Saving Faith hath two parts according to the Souls faculties which have each their several Offices about this saving object the one is the assent of the Understanding the other is the consent of the Will and affiance thence following when ever Justifying Faith is mentioned in the Scripture it is usually by one of these acts alone sometime one and sometime another And when one only is expressed the other is still implied And so it is in this Text. 2. Assent is true saving Faith though not the whole of saving Faith 3. It is not meerly assent to this proposition in general the Gospel is true that is here made the Record of God and object of Faith nor yet assent to this Jesus is the Son of God and Saviour of Believers But it is this God hath given us Eternal Life and this life is in his Son so that it
is to believe that God hath made such a Deed of Gift of Christ to us that is to Mankind including our selves Now no Devils do believe this nor can say God hath given us Eternal Life 3. And where it may be said that Wicked men may believe it I Answer It is true but not with that deep intense effectual operative Belief which is savingly sincere when the Scripture requireth believing and condemneth for want of it it always implieth the necessary modification even that the Act be in some measure answerable to the nature of its object It still means sincere cordial believing though it do not alway express it nor were it convenient so to do And so undeniably doth this Text. And this Assent no wicked man can have 4. The Text plainly evinceth the falshood of the objection and shews that it is a saving Faith that is here mentioned and is opposed to the Unbelief here condemned For it saith He that Believeth hath the witness in himself which beyond dispute is the Holy Ghost which is Christs great witness in the World especially in the Souls of Believers And it is the Holy Ghost in such a kind as is common to all true Believers or else the proposition were not universally true And this must needs be if not only yet chiefly the Holy Ghost illuminating and sanctifying And to this is the condemned Unbelief directly opposed in the next words He that Believeth not God hath made him a Lyar. Here Amyraldus and Dallaeus coming forth stopt me CHAP. VIII Arguments against Universal Satisfaction answered Argum. I. ALL those are certainly saved for whom Christ Satisfied But all men are not Saved Therefore Christ Satisfied not for all men The Major is proved thus It will not stand with Gods Justice to punish one sin twice or to punish twice for one sin the first punishment being a full satisfaction for that sin God can require no more But Christs sufferings were a full satisfaction for every sin of those persons for whom he suffered Ergo c. The Satisfaction was full 1. In respect of the sins of the person there being none unsatisfied for 2. As to God who was offended he being fully reconciled or well-pleased with the Sinners for whom the Satisfaction was made and not only conditionally or in part Answ This is the main Argument urged by Dr. Twiss and most others against Universal Satisfaction and which prevaileth most with those of that way so far as I can find But it is grounded on an unhappy ignorance of the Nature of Satisfaction and a confounding of satisfaction and solution of the proper Debt and a sore mistake about Christ's undertaking and performance Solutio ipsius debiti strictè sic dicta the proper discharge of what was due was supplicium ipsius Delinquentis and of any other in his stead as I have proved before The Law did neither Threaten the Innocent nor make any mention of a Surety And therefore Christ did not fulfill the Law in Suffering as he did in Obeying or the Law was not properly fulfilled on Christ in his Suffering Satisfaction is taken sometime generally for the fulfilling of anothers desire and so a Believing Repenting Obedient person may be truly said to satisfie God himself But this is not all the sense of the word as it 's now in question with us in the present case 2. Sometimes it is taken specially for a debtors satisfying his Creditor not by submission and deprecation but by such a sufficient way as that the Creditor shall be no loser by him From a Creditor and Debtor it is by translation applied to a Rector and Delinquent In this special sense Satisfaction is taken 1. Sometime more loosely and largely for the Payment of the proper Debt the same with Solutio ipsius Debiti Or 2. More strictly and properly For the Satisfying the Creditor by giving him as good a thing or taking such a course as that he shall be no loser though the Debt be not paid And in this sense is the word Satisfaction ordinarily used as its proper strict sense the former sense being one of them too general and the other improper and loose And so Satisfaction is commonly by Lawyers and Schoolmen defined to be Redditio aequivalentis alias indebiti or solutio vel Redditio tantidem and it is contradistinguished from solutio strictè sumpta which is ejusdem quod debetur And so in Criminal Cases the Punishment of the Offender is the Ipsum Debitum and not properly satisfaction to the Comminatory part of the Law though all Punishment may be called a satisfaction as to the Preceptive part of the Law because it is not the ipsum quod debetur as to the Precept but something to provide that the Law and Lawgiver lose not by the delinquent But if any other sufficient means be found which without the Punishment of the offender may provide for the Indemnity of the Law-giver and the publick good and this both for what is past by reparation and for time to come by Prevention that so the main ends of the violated Law may yet be attained this is satisfaction to the Lawgiver Satisfaction alway supposeth the non-payment of the Debt And in Criminal Cases as ours is satisfaction still supposeth the Duty or Punishment or both to be overpassed which the Law required The Punishment of the Delinquent himself which may be called a satisfaction to the Law supposeth that the Precept was violated by Omission or Commission The punishing of another for us or any other such Satisfaction supposeth the Delinquent himself not to be punished So that it must needs be remembred by all true Christians that Christ did not only satisfie for our not obeying but for our not suffering the Punishment threatened by the Law and so due to us for our disobedience yea most directly did he Suffer for our not Suffering and so secondarily for our Sinning Further it must be remembred that satisfactio est solutio Recusabilis sed solutio ejusdem est non recusabilis The Creditor or Rector may chuse to take satisfaction by receiving the value in another kind But he cannot refuse the proper Debt unless by remitting it freely He can require nothing else but the Debt Moreover satisfaction being a refusable payment the Creditor may take it on his own terms and there must intercede a New Agreement for the accepting of it and if the Satisfier will not come to the Creditors terms he may refuse it as no satisfaction whereas if the Debt it self be paid he must ipso facto acknowledge the Debtor acquit and to be no longer a Debtor The like may be said in the Punishment of a Delinquent To apply all to the case in hand Christ was not the offender therefore Christs Sufferings as is said before were not the fulfillin of the Law but satisfaction to the Law-giver His Satisfaction supposeth that no man was himself Punished when Christ satisfied morally by undertaking his
natural suffering nor ever was to be punished meerly on the old score that is meerly for violating and incuring the penalty of the first Law by God as Rector according to that Law God might have refused to accept Christs Sufferings as a Satisfaction for Sinners much more to have freely provided it out of his own Treasure as it were when God therefore did freely himself provide a Satisfaction and freely Accept it He did both only on these terms that as Legislator of the strict Law of Works as standing without remedy he would punish no Man but yet he would not actually and absolutely discharge them for they are still his Subjects and now by a double right and bond viz both of Creation and Redemption and therefore must still be governed by him and therefore must still be Governed by Laws and therefore must still be under Precepts Prohibitions Promises and Threatnings which are the Parts of the Law For the Nature of Man is such as that it must be governed not meerly by Commanding but also per Praemia Poenas Experience tells us that of the best Men on Earth as propounded to them therefore God in mercy would make a New Law commanding all men to repent and that hear the Gospel to Believe and giving to the Redeemed the actual pardon of all their Sins on these Conditions making Christ the Fountain of our Life and Head of all that shall be Saved and Ordaining that Christ and with him Pardon and Adoption and the Spirit for further Sanctification and Salvation shall be given to all that will take Christ and that those that refuse him shall be unpardoned for all his Sacrifice and Satisfaction and shall moreover incur a far sorer punishment These are the terms on which God took Christ's Sufferings as satisfactory to his Justice which terms are well pleasing to the Son himself nor did he ever desire to ransom them on other terms or to bring them into any other Condition than under this his own Government and Laws nor to convey Pardon and Glory the Fruits of his Death to any that refused him still supposing his Everlasting secret Decree of procuring his chosen infallibly to perform the Conditions and partake of the benefits which belongs to another part of Theology Also it must be well observed as the very Principal Point for avoiding the common Errours in this business that the satisfaction is made to God as Legislator and so Rector per Leges and so hath its main direct respect to his Legislative Will His Will de Eventu is naturally Antecedent to it and the Cause of it as Event But his Law was the cause or occasion of it as due or morally necessary and also there are no Acts of his Decretive Will de Eventu caused by it but there are Acts of his Laws and so as to our manner of conceiving of his Will de Debito caused by it and so it was not for Christ's Death that God decreed to give Faith to any and consequently to give actual Pardon and Glory But God Decreed to give these for Christ's death when he so gives them And it is because of Christs death that they are due though not immediately from his death but mediante donatione Testamenti vel faderis Christ's death is the Cause of Faith but not of the Decree to give it Again it must be understood that it is not God as Legislator of the New Law that is satisfied for Sin by Christ's death that were to dye to satisfie himself the Mediator for the Non execution of his own remedying Law But it is God as Legislator of the Law of Works constituting Everlasting Death the due Penalty of every Sin Or if any had rather say that it is not formally the Law of Works which is now in force conjunct with the Law of Grace but it is become part of the Law of Grace the matter comes all to one sense though we change the words There is one Law that saith He that Sinneth shall dye call it what you will this Law as to the end Christ hath satisfied i. e. he hath properly satisfied the Law-giver There is another Law or as they call it the peremptory part of the New Law which saith He that believeth shall be Saved and he that believeth not shall be Damned Christ hath not satisfied the Justice of this Law by his Sufferings The sense of the Commination is He that in the time of this Life believeth not shall be Damned This Law is ever executed on all that are guilty and by it obliged to Everlasting Death that is on those that in their life time here do not Repent and Believe For the violation of the precept of this Law as it requires Belief or other Duty at the present time Christ did dye but not for the non-performance of the Condition which Death is threatned to Lastly It is therefore certain that Christ dyed not for the Sin of Final Impenitency in a prevalent degree and unbelief or Final Rebellion against himself or his Father And therefore when I said before that he satisfyed God as Legislator of the Law of works for sin as sin it is to be understood of the Law of Works as contradistinct from the Law of Grace and so all the sins peremptorily Condemned by the Law of Grace are excepted from the satisfaction Not only nor at all because they are the sins of such Persons but because they are such excepted sins who ever the person be Now therefore to the Argument and first to the Major I deny it and never saw any fair colour of proof of it and therefore having full plain Scripture to the contrary do confidently believe that all those are not Saved that Christ satisfied for and to the Proof brought I answer 1. It is untrue that Christ satisfied for every sin of every Man for whom he satisfied and it will never be proved He hath excepted all those Sins which are comprized in the final non-performance of the Condition of Salvation Object None that he satisfied for are ever guilty of that and that 's the Reason why he may not be said to dye for such Sins Answ That 's denyed and to be better proved before it can be received by Sober Men. I have already proved that he dyed and satisfied for those that are final Unbelievers or Apostates and so perish And I now prove that the Reason why Christ satisfied not for such sins as final Impenitency Infidelity or Rebellion is not accidental from the state of the Redeemed viz. because none of them are guilty of such but it is directly from the Nature of the sin without respect to this person more than that If Christ have expresly excepted the final non-performance of the Gospel Conditions from among the number of those sins which he hath satisfied for and that even in the New Law which he hath enacted for all Elect or Non-Elect then it is not only accidentally or because it
attainment of it in vain for his attaining Life after by Christ is nothing against his losing it in the first way Most certainly those that see not the glory of Christs new Administration in the Government of the World in general in Title and so legislation judgment and execution as it differs from the Administration of the former Government they do rob God of a very great part of the glory of the work of Redemption and if they overlook so glorious an effect of this work which should be part of the matter of their weekly solemn Praises on the Lords days in the Church Assemblies for which the day was translated from the seventh which was for the commemoration of the Creation as the cause of our being and ground of the former Government no wonder if they speak and write again Universal Redemption The whole World is now governed by Christ and so by God as he is God Redeemer And it is no small flaw or errour in their Theology that deny the Foundation of the whole Government and then cry out that we make Christ to dye in vain if he bring not all infallibly to Heaven that he dyed for 5. And also he hath in subordination hereto attained this by his death that he hath power to abrogate or alter the Law that was against us And that men before their believing are now his Prisoners and not the Fathers as Rector according to the first Law unremedied and so they are Prisoners of hope and not of despair 6. He giveth them under his hand a Conditional Remission and grant of Salvation If they will have him and Life with him they may For this is the Record which men perish for not believing that God hath given us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son for all that gift hath not Life 1 John 5. 10 11 12. This end Christ attained and therefore dyed not in vain 7. He putteth men in a way towards recovery appointing them some means to be used thereto and giving them sufficient grace or help to that use of those means which he first requireth of them 8. These men do actually partake of a multitude of mercies in this Life besides the forementioned They enjoy a comfortable healthful Life with the supply of their wants being provided for with necessaries and usually with delightful abundance having the service and use of all the Creatures They are kept from all cause of desparation and the self-tormentings of Conscience which are its inseperable concommitants and which those that feel do often call the torments of Hell within them They are not only kept out of Hell it self but as is said have a possibility of everlasting escaping it and if they will not reject it they shall certainly enjoy Eternal Life All the mercies in one word which ever they receive are from the Blood of Christ and therefore as to them he Died not in vain Their Lives indeed might have been continued according to the tenour of the first violated Law but it would only have been as a fit subject of misery It would not have been such a Life of Hope Delights and Abundant Mercies 9. They shall all have their Bodies raised up at the Resurrection Day and that by the power of Christ as the Redeemer 10. They shall all be judged by Christ as their Lord-Redeemer and so acknowledge him before all the World 11. They shall be judged according to the Talents of Mercy which they abused and the Grace which they rejected after the tenour of the Redeemers Law and not according to the unremedied Law of works And so shall be left without all just excuse even at the bar of Grace To their greater shame and the Redeemers greater glory than if they had been judged according to the meer Law of works by God-Creator as the Legislator of that Law 12. Lastly They shall in their just everlasting Damnation bring double Glory to Gods Justice as Belilevers in their Salvation shall bring a double Glory to his Mercy As in our Salvation God will not be honoured only as Creator and Rector according to the first Law but also as Redeemer and Rector according to the New Law So in the Damnation of Unbelievers it is not only the Justice of God as Creator and Rector according to the first Law but it is specially the supereminent Justice of Christ and God as Redeemer and Rector according to the new Law which will be everlastingly glorified on the rejectors of Grace They will then fully acknowledge that Christ died for them and Redeemed them and that in mercy and that for the undervaluing and rejecting of that mercy they do justly suffer So that here will be a more glorious advantage for the demonstration of Gods Justice than ever could have been according to the tenour of the first Law and without Christs satisfaction for the Sinners And I think if Christ attain his own and his Fathers Glory he Dieth not in vain and loseth not the fruits of his Blood-shed He knows how to manage the business so as that he shall be no loser let men prove as ungrateful and obstinate as they please All these ends Christ actually obtains for they are ends fully intended by himself But then the very Salvation of all men is finis prescriptus propositus propounded to man to be intended and Christs satisfaction is made a sufficient means thereto in suo genere and so this may be called the end of Gods Legislative will though he attain it not as is said before Argument the Fifth against Universal Satisfaction 5. All those for whom Christ Died or satisfied have the Gospel Preached to them But all men have not the Gospel Preached to them Therefore Christ Died not for all men The Major is proved thus 1. Christs Dying for men would be in vain if it should never be revealed to them that they might believe But Christ doth not Die for any in vain Ergo c. 2. For whomsoever Christ Died for them did he procure Remission Salvation and all means necessary thereto But the Preaching of the Gospel is a means necessary thereto Ergo c. Proved in that the Preaching of the Gospel is a necessary means to believing and Faith is a necessary means of Remission and Salvation The Minor of the main Argument is proved by experience Answ 1. Let it be observed that this Argument makes nothing against the Redemption of all men that hear the Gospel Elect and Non-Elect but only of those Pagans or others that never hear it And if they grant that Christ satisfied for all that hear the Gospel few will contend much with them about others as judging it partly so far beyond us and partly so little to concern us as not to be worth much contention Yet for my part I think the Argument weak and the Conclusion untrue 2. Davenant in his Dissertation of Universal