Relations onely that would be too narrow a meaning for them but according to the Scripture-way of inferring and improving to spiritual Uses and so they will be a good Preparatory proof of the business in hand For if there be an Election personal unto things of a temporary Concernment and that so long afore some of the persons were in being If also there be an absoluteness in God's Decrees concerning these How much more in Matters of Eternal weight And if the Lord did not look out of Himself for the moâ—ing consideration on which He selected those persons to their several honors and atchievments and if He had He should have found none Much less can Election to Eternal Salvation and Vnion with Himself be founded in the Creature Doth God take care for Oxen From the less to the greater is a Scriptural way of arguing and proves strongly I come now to a more direct and positive proving the Proposition wherein my present scope is not so much to prove That there is an Election as What this Election is viz. How it is Qualified and Circumstantiated And this respects the Objects of Election with the Manner Time and Motives of it And yet as introductive to these it may be expedient to touch on the Other And so for the cleerer discussion thereof I cast the Proposition into six branches I. That there is an Election of Men to Salvation II. That this Election is Absolute III. That it is Personal IV. That it is from Eternity V. That the Elect are Chosen in Christ VI. That Election is founded upon Grace These being made good by positive Scripture or Arguments deduced thence It will not much concern us what is alleged to the contrary I. There is an Election of Men to Salvation That is there are Some a certain Remnant that shall be saved and this by virtue of Election This is cleerly implyed in those noted and compendious sentences Rom. 11. 7 The Election â—ath obtained Acts 2. 47 The Lord added to the Church such as should be saved and Chap. 13. 48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed But more expresly in Rom. 11. 5 There is a Remnant according to the Election of Grace 1 Thes 5. 9 God hath not appointed us unto wrath but to obtain Salvation and 2 Thes 2. 13 God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation And these are called The Election or Party of Elect Ones as those Circumcised are called the Circumcision and the Angels that stood are distinguished from those that fell by the title of Elect. They are also said to be chosen Vessels and Vessels of Mercy as those that are left Vessels of wrath and Sons of Perdition The Scripture still sets them forth by distinguishing characters I. As a Party seperate from the World I says Christ have chosen you out of the World Joh. 15. 19. and Ch. 17. 9 I pray not for the World but for them which Thou hast given me and ver 16 They are not of the World even as I am not of the World Mark 4. 11 Vnto you it is given to know the Mystery of the Kingdom of God but unto them without all things are done in parables Of Jacob and Esau who were an evident type of this Seperation it is said to Rebekah Two Nations are in thy Womb and two manner of people Gen 25. 23. And of Jacobs posterity The People shall dwel alone and shall not be reckoned among the Nations Num. 23. 9. Isa 43. 21. Ch. 63. 18 1 Pet. 2. 8 9. And This People says God have I formed for my self These are the People of His Holyness The Rest are Adversaries II. As Men of another Race or Kindred and as springing from another Root 1 John 5. 19. We are of God and the whole World lyeth in wickedness Or in that Wicked One as their Root and Head He that is of God Joh. 8. 47. heareth God's Word Ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God The one Party are said to be Children of Light 1 Thes 5. 5. 1 Joh. 4. 4. 6 Joh. 8. 23. the Other of the Night The One of God the Other of the World The One is from Above the Other from Beneath God is the Father of the One ver 42 44. the Devil of the Other III. As Men subject to another Head We are Thine sayes the Church to God Thou never bearest Rule over them Isa 63. 19 Joh. 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me saith Christ shall come to me My Sheep hear my voice I know them and they follow me And a Stranger they will not follow And this because One is their Master even Christ Matth. 23. 8. Of others He saith that they will not come unto Him John 5. 40 IV. As belonging to Another World Mat. 13. 38. The good Seed are the Children of the Kingdom And they are distinguished from the Children of this World Luke 20. 34. 35 as a Party accounted worthy to obtain the world to come And accordingly we find That None are admitted into the New Jerusalem but whose names were found written in the Book of Life Rev. 21. 27 Ch. 20. 15. And whose name soever was not written there was cast into the lake of fire On the same account Judas is said to go to his own place Acts 1. 25. And the Elect into the Kingdom prepared for them Matth. 25. 34. II. Election is Absolute In this are two things of great import Irrevocableness and Independency The Decree is Irrevocable on God's part and Independent as to humane performances God will not go-back from His Purpose to save His People Nor shall their own unworthiness or aversness make void His most Gracious intendment And hence I suppose it is that those various expressions of this same thing viz Predestinate Ordain Prepare Appoint have nothing subjoyn'd that is like a conditional There are indeed a kind of Conditions or rather Qualiâ—ications that must and alwayes do precede the final compleatment of Election as Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ which therefore may be called Conditionals of Salvation but not so to Election Election is the great Fundamental Institute of the Gospel It is That which in humane States is call'd the Supream Law which is both Irreversible in it self and requires that all inferiour administrations be accommoded thereto So the Salvation of God's Elect being the highest law of the Heavenly State and Kingdom must on the same and firmer ground remain Inviolable It is That for which all things else have their being The Plot whereby God designs to Himself the highest Glory And for which He hath been at such Cost that should His designment miscarry the whole Creation could not countervail the dammage He could not therefore for God cannot deny Himself I say He could not so contrive the grandest Design of His Glory as that it should ever need to be Râ—voked or Altered
if left to the wisdom of Men. But I shall not doubt to affirm That this Doctrine of Election's Absoluteness is much afore-hand with that which teacheth it to be Conditional both in point of Encouragement and otherwise And that as well Afore believing as Afterwards 1. Before a Man comes to believe supposing him to be Notionally instructed therein Before For being under conviction of the Greatness and Multitude of his Sins and finding the power of indwelling corruption so Insuperable Having also a sight of the Holiness of God It needs must prove a difficult Matter to believe that there is Mercy and Pardon for such a One as he Or that ever those domineering lusts should be made to submit But then considering 1. That Electing Love pitches on the Chief of Sinners 2. That it flowes not from nor is sounded upon any condition to be performed by Men And 3. That Election has in it All that conduceth to life and Godliness These things I say considered it cannot but have a farr greater influence on the Soul to cleave unto God and follow hard after Him than if his Election were suspended upon his Doing that which he finds in himself no power to pâ—rform For he sees by woful and yet through Grace happy Experience That as the Law is made weak through the weakness of the flesh so also setting aside the Absoluteness of Electing love all the meanes of Grace which are given in Common among Men would be wholly ineffectual to Salvation Which difficulties Electing love in the Absoluteness of it will Supersede and set him above them all 2. After a man comes to Believe this Doctrine of Absolute Election is of singular use and benefit to him both as tending to keep him on his feet and to raise him when he is down 1 It is a great Preservative in time of Temptation The Remembrance of that love which looked upon him when he was in his blood and said he should live and hath now also made good its Word to him must needs operate strongly with a gratious heart against what ever might be unworthy of such love Let the bait be never so aptly suited he will turn from it in a holy disdain as good Joseph did How can I do this Wickedness Gen 39. 9. and sin against God who hath dealt so bountifully with me 2 Nothing more tends to Recovery after a fall than the Consideration of the Freeness of God's Love at first and His Mighty Power in Quickening when altogether dead And that both these viz. This Love and this Power are engaged by an Absolute Covenant to bring every one that takes hold thereof unto Glory and therefore will receive him not only After upon his Return to his Duty but in the Midst of his backslidings He will come and heal him The Lord's way of dealing with Ephraim ver 17 18. ver 21 22. set down in the 57. of Isaiah is an instance pertinent to the case in hand And in the 44. Chap. He doth as it were Clench and fasten this Nail in a sure place Remember O Jacob I have formed thee Thou shalt not be forgotten of Me I have bloted out thy sins Therefore return unto Me And Jer. 3. 14. Return O backsliding Children for I am married unto you to wit by His Covenant of Election To this purpose also is the edge of Samuel's Argument applied in 1 Sam. 12. 20 22 Fear not ye have done all this wickedness yet turn not aside from following the Lord As if he had said your wickedness indeed is great ye have highly provoked the Lord by your casting Him off yet be not discouraged as if the Lord would therefore cast off you For the Lord will not forsake His people But why Because it hath pleased the Lord to make you His people And in ver 24. he further backs it with the remembrance of the great things God had done for them aforetime Than which there is nothing of stronger tendency to a Soul's recovery III. From the Personality of Election and IV. From the Eternity of its Original I gather in general That since the Scriptures have so highly Renouned these two Circumstantial parts of Election Inference by so frequent a mentioning of them and that on occasions of the solemnest import We ought not to pass them by as things of indifferent notice But as being diversly Instructive Worthy to be kept and soberly contended for The Holy Ghost doth not use to inculcate matters of Ordinary observance or little import But as Noting to us some great importancy in them as taxing also our sloth and aptness to neglect them and to stir up our minds to make the more diligent search What and what manner of things they are and how to be improv'd In particular From the Personality of Election I Infer I. Inference That it ought to be minded as matter of the highest honour to the Parties concern'd The Lord illustrates Moses at no ordinary rate when He tells him I know thee by name and doubtless intended that Moses himself should so account of it and be highly sâ—tisfied therewith though deny'd in some other things he would fain have had Thuâ— also Paul signalizeth those eminent Saints who were his fellow-Labourers in the Gospel Phil. 4. 3. That their names were in the Book of Life And our Saviour propounds it to His Disciples as matter of highest Exultation That their names were written in Heaven That our poor insignificant names should be written in God's book and lâ—id up among His Treasures in Heaven when the Generality of Names even Names of Note are written in the Dust let it not seem a light matter to us Isa 56. 5. For this is that Everlasting Name which never shall be cut-off II. Inference The knowledge of this thing namely that God has thus taken Notice of our Names is a great Priviledge It enlarges the heart to higher expectations it gives boldness or freedom of speech towards God as if Nothing were too great for such a One to ask See how Moses grows upon it No sooner Exod. 33. 17. sayes God I know theeby name But Moses as rapt into the Second and fain would be in the Third Heaven presently replies I beseech thee shew me thy Glory III. Inference As it is matter of Honour and Priviledge So it will prove one of your best Titles to your Heavenly inheritance It will signifie something one day however by some too lightly esteemed Now when it shall be the great distinguishing character between you and the World Whoever he be that derives not his Genealogie from this Register Nehe. 7. 64. will be put from the Heavenly Priest-hood The New Jerusalem admits None Rev. 20 15. but whose Names are written in the Book of life yea every One that is not found written there Ch. 21 27. shall be cast into a lake of fire Therefore Give all diligence to make yâ—ur Election sure IV.
Persecutor in the Company Paul was a Chosen Vessel And this in brief was the Reason of it as you have it recorded in Acts 22. 14 The God of our Fathers hath chosen thee That thou shouldest know His will The Jews had many Means of knowing the Messiah and Inducements to believe in him which the Gentiles had not And yet These embrace the Gospel whiles the Jews Reject it Those who sought after Righteousness fell short of it Rom. 10. 20. when Those who sought it not attain'd it For the bottom-Reason of which different Dispensation We are referr'd to Election Rom. 11. 7 The Election hath obtained and the Rest were blinded How variously are several Men affected in hearing the same word The Sheep and the Rest have both the same Outward means One Neglects it attends not at all or Regards not what he hears A second quarrels it as the Jews often did A Third is perswaded almost as Agrippa was and those that would hear Paul agen of that Matter A Fourth is Pricked in the heart and called effectually It 's a stumbling-block to some Foolishness to Others And to some 't is the Power of God Acts 2. 39. And these some are such as were Elected of Those to whom the Promise was made and are therefore termed The Called according to His Purpose Rom. 8. 28. Rom. 8. And agen in 2 Tim. 1. 9 They are said to be Called according to His own Purpose and Grace which was given them in Christ before the World began They are first Chosen Ps 65. 4. and then Caused to approach unto God There is almost no end of Scriptures to this purpose I shall instance one more so close up this Particular All the blessings which the Saints are blessed with in time are all bestowed according to God's Decree of Election before time as is manifest from Eph. 1. ver 3 4 5. Where I observe 1. That Election goes afore the Actual Donation of Spiritual blessings 2 Tim. 19. For These are given in time That was afore time And That which comes After cannot be the Cause of That which went Afore it One Effect may be the Cause of another but not the Cause of That which caused it self 2. That the Actual Donation of Spiritual blessings is according to Election i. e. Election is the Rule by which the Dispensation is guided It is Adequate with Election and Answerable thereto even as the Impression is to the Printing-Types Or as the fashion of Davids body to the platform thereof in God's book and the Tabernacle to the patern shewn in the Mount According to which all things were made as well in respect of Number Weight and Measure as Form and Figure Spiritual blessings are not given to One More or Fewer or in other manner but just as Election hath laid it forth Which also is further confirm'd by Rev. 21. 27 Where we finde That None are admitted into the Holy City but whose Names were written in the book of life And Whosoever was not found written in that book was cast into the lake of fire chap. 20. 15. Which shews That at the latter day Acts 13. 48. it will be taken for granted That as many as were ordained to Eternal life believed And that all and every One without the list of Election dyed in Unbelief That the Election obtained Rom. 11. 7. and the Rest were blinded Therefore Faith and Holiness are not the Cause but the Certain effect and inseparable Consequent of Election IV. Our last Enquiry is Of the Way and Manner of God's Dispensing spiritual Blessings And that is Effectually and Freely I. Effectually The Soul is not turned to God by a Twyne-Thread Nor doth the Lord content Himself with Wishing and Woulding that it might be so after the manner of Men who either are Indifferent in the thing Or have not Wherewith to Effect their desires Nor merely by propounding Moving and striving by Moral Suasions Instructions Threatnings and the like which are of little avail with a dark Understanding and fixed enmity which every Natural Man is acted by But by the putting-forth of a Power Invincible A Power that will not be said Nay but what it Wills That it will doe What it undertakes it goesthorow with To doe a thing Effectually is to doe it Perfectly Thorowly Successfully that is So to use and apply the Means that the End designed is surely brought-to-pass And this Notwithstanding all the Weakness Aversness and Repugnancy of the Carnal Mind against it I might produce Instances not-a-few touching God's Effectual Working to bring-about things of lesser Moment How unwilling was Moses to be His Messenger to Pharaoh Exod. 3 4. So opposite to it That when he had no farther plea nor excuse to make chap. 4. v. 13. he carries it Perversly towards the Lord send by the hand of him whom thou shouldest send But having designed him for the Work He leaves him not until He had won him to it ver 18. So Pharaoh resolv'd he would not let the people goe But I will stretch out my hand saies God and he shall let you goe ver 20. Much more will He make His Arm bare for the salvation of His Chosen And it must be so done I. Because otherwise the Elect should be in no better condition than Other men For until conversion Satan hath as fast hold of them as of the Rest Adam's fall was the Devil's Master-peece To bring men into his own condemnation is the Trophee he glories in and being a Prince both proud subtile and Imperious you may not think he will be Baffled or Complimented out of his hold Intreaties Menaces and force of Arguments are of no weight with him He laughs at your strong Reasons and Counts them but rotten wood Mark 5. 4. Jesus I know and His Spirit I know but what are these No this kind goes not forth by consent Nothing will move him but that Power which Heaven and Earth do bow under He that made him and he onely can cause his sword to approach unto him and take the Prey from this Terrible One And for this it was that our Saviour tells the Apostles when he sends them to turn Men from Satan unto God That all power in Heaven and Earth was committed to him Math. 28. 18. And that in this power He will be with them to the end of the World Which was indeed but Needfull For they had surely gon on a sleeveless errand a weak and fruitless design if Christ himself thus impower'd had not gone with them And for the Elect themselves They are of themselves no better disposed to this work than those that Never shall be wrought-upon They are Enemies in their minds Darkness Dead in sins and Children of wrath even as Others And this they are by Nature Their State therefore could never be changed if a Power Invincible and Invincibly Resolved in what It undertakes were not engaged in
fast his Integrity Job 13. 15. This is a Love more Noble and of an higher Extract than those are acquainted with who Conclude That upon their doing This and That which they suppose every Man hath power to do they shall be saved For such kinde of love is Mercenary He will not stirr Nor look towards the Vinyard until he have agreed for his penny which yet he is not Content with when he has it The Other goes in and falls to his Work and leaves to his Master to give him What is meet which also he leaves to his Master's Judgment Mat. 20. 2 7 and 10. and not his Own and truly he speeds ne'r the worse for his so doing But I would not be taken to intend a Contentation or Willingness to be destroyed This I hope is cleared afore under the first general Head 2 Do you Own God's Sovereign Commands without disputing Abraham did thus in the business of Isaac although he could not see how the Promise of God and the killing of his Son could stand together And so will Abraham's Children do They know that their Lord is a Great King hath absolute Dominion and giveth accompt of none of his Matters What He is pleas'd to Command their duty is to obey without asking a Reason Why Or how will these things Consist Such demands they know become not the lips of those who live upon Grace 3 Doth your love towards God hold the same Course that His love hath done towards you All that God hath done or will do for His Chosen it is the Product of Electing love Does all your Obedience Rise from Love And does this love of yours grow out of His Is His Electing love the Root of it Is all that you do towards God in a way of Gratitude and with Designe to Glorifie His Grace And when the Lord seems to go from you Do ye follow the harder after Him As He for a long time followed you waiting That He might be Gracious unto you This is truly a God-like Love The eminency whereof lies in this That He loved us when enemies to Him and loved us into a likeness to Himself Answerable whereto we shall love Him Job 13. 15. even whiles our fears may apprehend Him to be our enemy And through the power of His Love secretly working in our hearts go on to love Him until the Glory of the Lord be Risen upon us You could not thus love God 1 Joh. 2. 19. if He had not loved you first 4 Do you Rejoyce in the thoughts of Electing love What it is and Whence it came What it hath designed you for and will bring you unto at last Is it your delight to Converse with the Book of Life And do you Rejoyce more That your Names are written in Heaven than if Devils were Subject to you When your flesh and your heart fail you do you look to Electing Love as your Strength and Portion and Count it a Goodly heritage Do you aim at That which Electing Love hath defigned you for and because so Designed If by any Means you may attain to it And are you better Satisfied to be at the Good Pleasure of God than at your own And bless his Wisdom and Grace for undertaking the disposure of your Eternal Interest Such fruit could not be but from that Seed of God Let me add a few Tokens more of True love according to the Carriage of it among Men. 1. He that loves Another will delight in his presence and seek Occasions of Conversing with him 2. Being absent he thinks much upon him and gives welcome entertainment to whatever may be a Remembrance of him 3. He will seek the Well-pleasedness of him who is the object of his love 1 By presenting things lovely to him 2 By avoiding whatever may disgust him 3 By a wary preventing or speedy removing what might give the Other occasion to be jealous of his love to him 4. He will Candidly Interpret whatever might seem a declining of the Others love to him And not be satisfied until it be recover'd or better understood II. Inference If you be of this happy Remnant of Election Then look for ill usage from the World Esau you know hated Jacob because of the blessing and so will the World you so soon as it comes to be discern'd Think it not strange John 15. 18 19. but take it as an Appendix of Election As a part of That you were Chosen unto And as That by which partly you must be fitted for the main End Heb 2 10. Your Lord Himself was made perfect through Sufferings And Those Foreknown were Predestinated to be Conformed to their Head Rom. 8. 38. ch 6. 5 in Suffering as well as Glory III. Inference Having trusted Electing love for Eternal Salvation see you distrust it not for things of lesser Moment When the Lord Ordained you to life He Ordained also All those various occurrences Windings and Turnings you should be exercised with in your way thither And 't is sure He does nothing in vain There is need of all sorts of weather for the Earth's good All-Fair would destroy it Know it therefore of a Truth that all your Concerns were Fore-determin'd of God and that so well as all your Prudence and love to your selves could not Mend it Nor can all your Care and Solicitude alter any of them either as to Matter or Form No Not to change the colour of an hair Matth. 6. 25. Therefore Take no thought But whence is it That Believers who have trusted God for their Souls should yet make so difficult of Trusting Him for their Outward Man And so Comber themselves with unprofitable burden Earthly things are nearer our Senses and thence we are more sensible of the Comfort of them as also of their want They also seem more within our line and Compass and so we Reach more earnestly after them and are answerably troubled when we fall shoâ—t Whereas we should carry it for Temporals as we do or should do rather for our Souls and Spiritual portion That is look to our present Duty Be diligent in our place and Content with such things as we have Heb. 13. 5. Bearing our selves as becomes the Children of such a Father so Rich Wise Bountiful Tender and Faithful to us Who always gives the best supply and That in the best Proportion Manner and Time Have therefore your Faith exercised As about the Greatest so also about the Smallest and Commonest Matters Use Grace and have Grace It is want of Vse makes lame of your right hand and Much using renders more useful Faith is the head of your Spiritual senses And if That be Active the Rest cannot be idle Nor much at a loss Faith also is a plain Dealer It represents things as they are Shews them in their true Dimensâ—ons with their use and end See therefore that you never hold a Consultation unless Faith be present yea and President
Arg. 4. as of Christ's That Man or humane Body which the second Person was to Assume and Unite to Himself was not Ordain'd to that Union upon any Condition whatever as namely If He should fullfil all Righteousness Destroy the Devil dissolve his works and make Attonement for sin For these He could never have done without that Union And that His Ordination thereto was Absolute appears by Heb. 10 5 A Body hast Thou prepared Me And Luke 1. 35 That Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Matth. 1. 21 He shall save His people from their sins In which places the Absoluteness of the Decree for that Man's being United to the Son of God is evidently set forth And That our Election as to this Circumstance of it holds proportion with that of Christ ye will see more fully afterwards V. It was necessary That Election should be Absolute because of the Absoluteness of God's Decree for the death of Christ Arg 5. unto which He was Fore-ordained unrepealably 1 Pet. 1. 19 20 And all that were saved before He suffered were saved on the Credit of that Decree The Scripture also tells you plainly Rev. 13. 8. That He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Math. 26 39 42. and that it was not possible That Cup should pass from Him And if it be a thing below the prudence of Men to lay down the price without securing the Purchase Then surely the Wisdom of God would never determine the death of His Son for Men's Salvation and leave the Salvation of those very Men at an uncertainty which needs it must be if Election were not Absolute Lastly Arg 6. It might also be argued from the Nature of Divine Promises which are patterns and Declarative Copies of the Decree Now the Promises touching Spiritual blessings are Absolute Ps 119. 89. They are of that Word which is for ever settled in Heaven See the Promises of sending Christ to be a Redeemer Gen. 3. 15. The Holy Ghost to sanctifie and lead into all Truth Joh. 16. 7. To sprinkle clean water upon them Ezek 36. 26 To give them a New heart To cause them to walk in his Statutes That He will be their God and they shall be His people Jer. 24. 7. and shall not depart from Him That if they sin He will Chastise them with the rods of Men but His everlasting kindness He will not take from them And that at last He will present them faultless before the Presence of His Glory Jude ver 24. These all with others of like tenour are delivered in Positive and Absolute Terms without any shew of Reservation Proviso Condition or Hesitation about them And if These which are Transcripts of the Decree be Absolute It followes That the Decree also is the same And on this Ground it is Rom. 8. 33 34. the Apostle stands when he challengeth all the World to Nullifie God's Election which he never would have done had it not been Sovereignly Absolute III. Election is Personal AND IV. It is from Eternity These two I put together in proof because they are frequently joyned in Scripture It was not the whole lump of Mankind that was the Object of Election Nor was this Election as some speak a Decree to Elect such as should happen to be thus and so qualified But Certain Determinate Persons were Chosen by Name or singled out from among the Rest and ordain'd to Eternal life Our Saviour stiles them The Men that were given Him out of the World John 17. 6. And they were Given Him by Name as well as number and by those Names He knows them John 10 3 and 14. And that this Election was transacted from Eternity is evident John 17. 23. with ver 24. Eph. 1. 4. Rev. 13. 8. and Chap. 17. 8. c. These may be Argued I. From the Example of Christ's Election Arg. 1. It was not a person uncertain that was to be Lord and Christ but the Second Person in Humane Nature And this Capacity He sustain'd from Everlasting Pro. 8. 23. 31. Nor was it Any Body which He might assume 1 Pet. 1. 19 20. but that very same numerical Body that was prepared for Him Heb. 10. 5. with Psal 40. 7. And this very Person He loved before the foundation of the World John 17. 24. It is worthy Observation how particular the Decree was even in things Circumstantial to our Lord Christ As that He should come of Abraham's Stock of Judah's Tribe of David's Lineage Be conceived in a Virgin Born at Bethlem and this when the Sceptre was departing from Iudah That He should be Buffeted Scourged Spit-upon hanged on a Tree His hands and His fect pierced That gall and vinegar should be given Him to drink That a bone of Him should not be broken even whiles on both sides of Him they were That His Garments should be parted and lots cast on His Vesture As also That He should rise again the third day c. And that these were all Decreed appears by the Prophesies of them which are the Decree exemplified or Drawn out of the Register As touching His Resurrection It is said Expresly Ps 2. 7. I will declare the Decree And the same is as true of all the Rest And if the Election of the Head was Personal and from Eternity why not theirs that should make up His Body since They did as really exist Then as the Humane Nature of Christ did Besides it was very agreeable That He and They should both be appointed together For He could not be an Head but with respect to a Body And that they were expresly Determin'd of appears by 139 Psa v. 16. In thy book were all my Members written when as yet there was none of them If any say That was meant of David's Members I answer That if God thought the Members of an Earthly body worthy His Registring He could not be less particular and Exact about the Mystical Body of His Son Besides David was His Type Christ also was Ordain'd to be a Saviour and that by His death 1 Pet. 1. 20. and both from the foundation of the World It was therefore expedient Then also to be Determined How many and who in particular should have Salvation by Him He was not To die for Himself but for those whose security He undertook Now it is not a thing proper to speak of Security or Bail but with respect to a Debtor or Offender And that Debtor or Offender must be known too and Named Or else the entring of Bail is an Insignificant Act especially where the Surety hath no debt or default of his own to be charged with Our Lord and Saviour did not offer Himself if I may so speak for some bodie 's sins but uncertain whose Aaron knew Whose Trespasses he offer'd for Their Names were graven on his breast-plate Not their National Name viz. Israelite or
will Believe begins at the wrong end of his Work and is very unlikely to come that way to the knowledge of it The first Act of Faith is not That Christ dyed for All or for you in particular The One is not true the other not certain to you Nor can be till after you have believed He that woulâ— live Must submit to Mercy with Per adventure He will save me alive 3. There are Reasons enough and of great weight to induce Men to believe without laying Generall Redemption for the Ground of their Faith As 1 That faithful saying 1 Tim. 1. 15. and worthy of all acceptation That Jesus Christ came to save Sinners and such are you 2 That He gave His Life a Ransome for Many Math. 20. 28. and you may be of that Number as well as Another 3 That those He died for shall be Justified upon their believing Rom. 5. 8 9. Phil. 1. 29. and shall have Faith also upon their seeking for it as a part of His Purchase and given on His behalf 4 That to Believe on His Son is the will and Commandment of the Everlasting God Whom we ought to obey although our Salvation were not dependent on it Rom. 16. 26. 1 John 3. 23. 5 Those many faithful Promises assuring Salvation to them that believe Mark 16. 16. Joh. 3. 16 36. Chap. 6. 47. Matth. 11. 29. And 6 Lastly The Remediless danger of unbelief He that believes not shall be Damned as Mark 16. 16. Joh. 8. 24. c. And if such Considerations as these will not prevail with you to believe the Notion of General Redemption together with the general successlessness of it to be sure will never do it Redemption is often set forth in terms that import a Vniversality As That Christ takes away the Sin of the World That He is the propitiation for the Sins of the whole World c. The word World hath many and various acceptions in Scripture It is not alwayes meant of Men but something else And when Men are intended it seldom intends the Vniversality of them yea 't is often understood of a very few in comparison of the whole It would therefore be very great Rashness to appropriate or limit so general a term to any particular Sense and much more if extended to Men Universally as is shewn in part by the following Instances 1 The word World is taken for the place of Mens habitation upon earth Nahum l. 5 The earth is burnt up at His presence yea the World and all that dwell therein 2 For the Inhabitants of the World good and bad together Psal 9. 8 He shall judge the World in Righteousness 3 For the Things of the world and dispositions answerable to them Eccles 3. 11 He hath set the World in their heart 4 For the time of the Worlds continuance from one Remarkable period to another The time before the flood is called the old world and the time of Christ's Kingdom the world to come 5 The particular time of a Mans life upon Earth Mat. 12. 32. Whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him in this World Nor in the World to come 6 For the extent or Compass of the Roman Empire Luke 2. 1 There went a Decree from Caesar Augustus That all the World should be taxed 7 For the time and state of things after the dissolution of the present frame Luke 20. 35 They that shall be accounted worthy to obtain that World and the Resurrection c. 8 For the Religion and Manners of the World Acts 17. 6 These that have turned the World upside-down are come hither 9 For the troubles which Christ's Disciples meet with in the World Joh. 16. 33 Be of good Comfort I have overcome the World 10 For the splendour honour wealth pleasure or whatever else in the World is taking with the hearts of Men Gal. 6. 14 I am Crucified to the World and the World to Me. 11 To set forth the greatness of something that cannot well be exprest Job 21. 25. The World it self could not contain the books that should be written 12 For the Gentiles in distinction from the Jews Rom. 11. 12 If the fall of them that is the Jews be the riches of the World c. 13 For the Multitudinous increase of some particular Party Job 12. 19 The World is gone after Him More of this kind might be cited But these may suffice to shew How much it behoves to consider well the scope and Context of Scripture and Not to be led by the Vocal sound of words There are yet two other Senses of the word World which come nearest the Matter in hand One is that which takes-in the whole party of Wicked Men alone and by themselves As where it is said The Saints shall judge the World 1 Cor. 6. 2. It must be intended of the World of ungodly For the Saints shall not Judge one another That All the World wondred after the Beast Rev. 13. 3 4. Ch. 14. 4. And worshipped the Dragon This also must be meant of the Herd of Idolaters exemptive of Those who followed the Lamb. And again The whole World lyeth in wickedness 1 Job 5. 19. Here ye have the very words and in the same Manner connex'd as in the place objected which therefore may well be supposed to be of as large a Comprehension And yet it cannot be meant of the Vniversality of Mankind But of such of them as are under the power and conduct of Satan which the Saints are not and so cannot be any part of the World or whole World there intended The other sense of the Word seems Couched in the places objected where Christ is said To take away the sin of the World And to be a Propitiation for the sins of the whole World For it seems Agreeable to Reason to understand the word in a Restrict and limited sense here as in the places above-quoted For if by World is sometimes meant The World of Vngodly as seperate from the Saints By like Reason at other times it may be meant of the World of Saints as seperate from the Wicked especially when there is Nothing in the Context and scope of the place to Contradict it And what then should hinder but that the word World in the places objected may be soâ—ly intended of the World of Elect exclusive of Others As the World that lies in wickedness is of those Others exclusive of the Elect To be sure There can be no peril in so understanding it For we know that Christ is the Propitiation for their sins But To affirm it of the whole of Mankind as it hath no solid foundation so many uncomly and unruly Consequents do attend it some of which are shewn afore To end this Debate I would ask the Objector What World it was that Christ would not pray for For by knowing that it may be gather'd What World it was that He died for It could not