sendeth out his good Word into the whole World and his Good Spirit along with it that all the Earth may be full of Good People and of his Glory That they may be prepared and fitted to Participate of his Infinite Goodness and Glory in another Life And if after all this any come short of that Glory of God and of their own Happyness that they may have no reason to accuse any but their own Perverse and Wicked Selves This is the real way of leaving all Men without Excuse They are not Inexcusable for not doing things which are out of their Power or for being Miserable when they cannot avoid it for Impossibilities would excuse all Mankind But this renders Wicked People Inexcusable that Salvation is Tender'd them and means given them of attaining to it and they willfully neglect the things which belong unto their Peace This is the Condemnation That Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather because their Deeds are Evil Joh. 3. 19. AGAINST all this which hath been said to prove the Universality of God's Love to Mankind from the Universality of that Grace which hath been exhibited to the World by the Preaching of the Gospel every where I foresee it may be Objected THAT the Gospel is not yet Publish'd to the whole World ARE there not divers parts of the Earth that are yet Undiscover'd And in those we know or have heard of are there not multitudes of Blind and Idolatrous poor Wretches without any Footsteps of Christianity among them And if so how then was the coming of Christ an Argument and Expression of God's Unfeigned Love to them and especially to those their Ancestors who since Christ's time have Dyed in a State of invincible Infidelity TO this I presume to say these four things 1. FIRST That it is impossible for Us now to tell where the Gospel hath not been Preached And consequently it is not a certain Principle that neither any of the Apostles nor yet any of their Successors Publish'd it in those Countries which are unknown to us at this distance or in others which are known to be addicted still to Heathenish Idolatries and Superstition How probable soever Mens Conjectures may be 't is impossible for them in this as in other Cases to prove a Negative 2. SECONDLY Nor can we tell but that in those Regions of the World which are now Infidels the Christian Faith hath been formerly rejected upon the Preaching of it Nothing is so contrary to the Perswasions Customs and Vices of Heathens as the Christian Religion and therefore it is no Wonder if it hath not been Received by People every where The Gergesens desired Christ himself to depart out of their Coasts He came unto his Own and his Own Received him not and so it is no Wonder if his Disciples found ill Usage at the Hands of Strangers When he sent them out he foresaw that they would not find the Sons of Peace every where and therefore he Commanded them to leave Obstinate People and to shake off the Dust of their Feet as a Testimony against them St. Paul told some of the Jews that they put the Word of God from them and Judged themselves unworthy of Eternal Life And for that Reason that he would turn to the Gentiles Acts 13. 46. Nor were all among the Gentiles disposed to Believe Though the Apostles had generally better success among them than among the Jews yet among some of those too they met with unconquerable Opposition 3. THIRDLY Suppose some whose Office it was to propagate the Faith were wanting t o some People either through Carelessness or for fear of Death and Persecution This doth not Argue any want of Love in God whose Intentions were that all Men should come to the knowledge of the Truth and whose Commands were that the Gospel should be Preach'd to every Creature CHAP. III. Proved Secondly from the Universality of that Redemption which was Purchased by our Saviour's Death HAVING thus Proved the Universal Love of God towards Mankind from the Amplitude of that Commission which Christ gave his Apostles and their Successors to Publish the Gospel Universally I proceed now to a farther Demonstration of it from the Consideration of the Extensive Merit of our Blessed Saviour's Death AS to this Matter I think fit to premise these two preliminary Observations 1. FIRST That the Doctrine of our Universal Redemption by the Blood of Christ is Deliver'd in the Holy Scripture in as plain and as clear Terms as could possibly have been used Supposing the Doctrine were Unquestionably True nay as fully in as few Words as could have been Wish'd had Mankind been Empowr'd to have Penn'd the Doctrine themselves for their own Satisfaction HERE the Lord Jesus himself saith God so Loved the World that he gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life Joh. 3. 16. And elsewhere it is said That God will have all Men to be Saved 1 Tim. 2. 4. That Christ gave himself a Ransom for all v. 6. That He is the Saviour of all Men especially of those that Believe 1 Tim. 4. 10. That he Tasted Death for every Man Heb. 2. 9. That he was Deliver'd up for us All Rom. 8. 32. And that he is the Propitiation for our Sins and not for our Sins only but also for the Sins of the whole World 1 Joh. 2. 2. These Expressions are Clear and Open to the Sence of every one in the World nor is any Article of our Faith Deliver'd in Terms that are freer from Ambiguity or less liable to doubtful meanings than these are The very Being of God though the Belief of it be the Foundation of all Religion yet it is no where more clearly Taught nor I think of sett Purpose so often and so Expresly Inculcated as this Principle is For the Holy Scriptures suppose God's Being and tho' they be full of Declarations and Proofs of God's Attributes his Singularity Omniscience Immutability Mercy Justice and the like Divine Perfections yet his Existence and Being Consider'd Abstractedly from his other Infinite Glories is no where to my Remembrance so Expresly Openly Directly and Frequently Proposed to our Belief as this Truth is That he gave his Son to die for all Men. 2. SECONDLY It is Observable That in those Places of Scripture I have now Cited this Principle is laid down as the Ground-work Motive and Reason of some Important Duty wherein all Mankind are concerned Our Saviour's Words about God's Love to the World were intended to Invite and Incourage all People to come unto Him and to Believe on Him In the next place it is used as a strong Argument for Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks to be made for all Men. Then it is laid down as a sure Ground for our Trusting in the Living God notwithstanding all Labouring and suffering Reproach Next it is mentioned as the great Reason of our Universal Obedience
Therefore to kindle and maintain in our Hearts a Rational Holy and Divine Love we should represent God to our Minds under such charming Ideas as become a Being so admirably Perfect in himself so Transcendently and Gloriously Excellent We should Conceive of him as a Being that knoweth how to order all things for the best and with a strict regard to the good of his whole Creation and of every part of it that is but capable of participating of his Goodness As a Being that taketh a Particular care of Mankind and more especially of those Men who Study to live in conformity to his Laws as a Being that is always steddy and constant to his Promises nor is capable of Lying a thing so Repugnant to his most Blessed Nature that none but the Devil can be the Father of it As a Being that is Righteous in all his ways that loveth Righteousness and hateth Iniquity that giveth Laws which are Just and Good that rewardeth every one according to his Works and punisheth none but according to Equity and Eternal Reason We should Conceive of him as a Being that is ready to take Compassion upon all that need it and are capable of his Mercies that is unwilling to have any of us Lost that is slow to Anger that is patient towards all that is Merciful Gracious Long-suffering abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin In short we should Conceive of God as a blessed Being that loveth and careth for our poor Souls Infinitely more than we our selves do Under these lovely Ideas God representeth himself in the Holy Scriptures and to behold him under such ravishing Conceptions is an effectual way of raising in us a Rational affection to him because one great Branch of Love consisteth in Esteem in that Honour and Admiration which springs from the Excellencies we Discern or believe to be in the Object of our Affections 2. ANOTHER Branch of it is the placing of our Hearts upon the Object we highly Admire the desiring and Seeking after it and delighting in it as the precious and dear thing wherein we conceive our Happiness to be Lodged And to raise our Affections to this noble pitch we should represent God to our Minds also as a Being that is actually Communicative of Goodness and Happiness to us Love naturally commandeth Love again 'T is an Affection of the Soul that cannot resist any thing which is like it self but presently closeth with the object that by suitable expressions of Kindness invites and meets it Here then we should consider how that most perfect and excellent Being hath been before hand with us what good he hath done us and doth do for us daily The Life we now live and are so very tender of was given us at the first by that Father of Spirits and is every Moment supported by his sole Providence which Feeds and Cloaths us and hath Preserved us all along from innumerable Dangers from many which Time may have worn out of our Memories and from more which we have not minded or were so hidden that we could not discover them Those Blessings which lie in common to Mankind every one hath had his share of And were particular Persons so advertent as to observe God's particular Providence to them there is not one in the World but would find himself obliged to make God particular returns of Thankfulness and Affection God is so Good to the meanest and most Ungrateful People that if every one would but keep by him two private Registers one of God's Mercies and another of his own Actions the very sense of God's Goodness to every Man I mean as to the things of this Life could not but warm all our Hearts towards him especially if we did open both Registers and then fairly compare what we have had with what we have deserv'd BUT above all we should consider what God hath done for our Immortal Souls by his wise and gracious ordering all things that relate to a Life Eternal That State being Everlastingly Unchangeable when once Men enter into it whether it be a State of Blessedness or Torments God of his Infinite Goodness and most tender Compassion was pleased to make such ample Provision for the well-fare of us all that one might think it hardly possible for People of Probity and Thoughtfulness to miss of a Blessed Eternity He sent the Son of his Love to transact the weighty business of a Mediator that God and Men might be no longer at a distance The Lord Jesus did innumerable Miracles to prove and confirm his Divine Authority He declared unto the World the whole Counsel of God that nothing of Light might be wanting He deliver'd us such Precepts as are suitable to our own Reason and such as are Easie and Delightful to those who will but Accustom themselves to the observation of them He hath encouraged us with such Promises as are enough to Animate us in the greatest Difficulties and to carry us undauntedly through all He submitted to a most Painful and Reproachful Death that he might offer up a full perfect and sufficent Oblation Sacrifice and Satisfaction for the sins of the whole World and that in Vertue of his Death he might for ever make Intercession for us He gave his Holy Spirit to inspire his Apostles and to assist us all by such kindly Operations as are suitable to Creatures endued with Rational faculties to Illuminate our Understandings to perswade our Wills to purifie our Affections to strengthen our Hopes and to Comfort and Cherish us in our Trials He wooeth us daily by his Ambassadors who beseech us in Christ's stead that we would be reconciled unto God He hath instituted Ordinances to Seal the Mercies of God to every particular Soul which will use those Ordinances in a due manner In short he hath afforded us all the means which Reasonable and Immortal Souls stand in need of and all this for no other end but to make us Eternally Happy happy in the fruition of Himself who is so infinitely Happy in his own Perfections and Condition that he needeth not the Service or Attendance of Men or of Angels These things therefore could not flow from any other Principle but a Principle of Goodness And this is the true genuine Reason of Love whereas those frightful Ideas under which some have misrepresented the most Blessed God serve to cast a Damp on Men's Spirits and to Alienate their Minds and Affections from that Divine and most Amiable Being Plutarch in his Book of Superstition describes those People as God's Enemies and their own too who think hardly of God and believe him to be Fierce False Mutable Revengeful Cruel Angry upon every light occasion Austere Rigorous and Hurtful He tells us there that of all Men such are in the very worst condition that they are Afraid of him even when they have Recourse to him that they Reproach at the same time and Flatter him that they
holiness in the fear of God because such onely are Capable of his Divine and Special Communications such onely are in a fit condition to Receive them such onely are meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light BUT yet there is a Love which God extendeth unto others also a Love of Benevolence a Sincere True and Unfeigned Affection which he beareth even to the Children of Disobedience although it be not so Extensive and Unmeasurable as that he expresseth to the Children of Light He is good and doth good unto every Man offers happiness unto the very worst of men desires them to accept of his offers intends to make them happy upon their hearty acceptance and doth all things on his part which are necessary and proper for a merciful God a Wise and Holy Lawgiver to do for Reasonable and voluntary Agents so that if they perish after all their destruction is of themselves O that my People had hearkned unto me that Israel had walked in my ways Psal 81. 13. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die saith the Lord God Ezek. 18. 23. As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his evil way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die O house of Israel Ezek. 33. 11. He will have all Men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2. 4. He is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. These few places of Scripture speak so positively and plainly that unless men will have the Front to Question the Veracity of God which is one of his Essential Attributes necessarily and naturally included in the Notion of a Deity they must needs acknowledge that God loveth all mankind and every one though he be the most Irreligious and Profligate amongst them He hath for all a Love of Benevolence whereby he wisheth every ones Good especially his everlasting Happiness I shall hereafter shew you how it cometh to pass that God's wishes have not their due effect at present my business is to explain the Notion of the Divine Philanthropy and to make it evident to such as are Teachable that more or less the God of Mercy and Compassion Loves us all without Partiality or Discrimination Though his Affections are of a Scantier Measure and a Lower Degree to some who harden their own hearts than they are to others whose Perswasions and ways please the Lord yet to all it is a Sincere Affection Love Unfeigned Inexpressible Unconceivable WHEN therefore our Blessed Saviour said God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son his meaning was that though of Adam's Posterity some that held the Truth held it in Unrighteousness others had given themselves up to Lewdness and direct Apostasy and all were so Corrupt before God that Divine Vengeance might justly have passed upon all yet all their Impieties and Provocations notwithstanding God had so great a Love for all that of his meer Grace and Goodness he determined to do whatsoever was Needful for and Becoming him to act that he might Reclaim them and bring them into the ways of Righteousness and Peace and for that end gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life CHAP. II. The Point to be insisted on viz God's unfeigned Love to all Mankind Proved First from the Command touching the Universal Promulgation of the Gospel AND now the Point which ariseth hence is this That the Son of God's coming into the World was a strong Argument and an evident Expression of God's sincere and boundless Affection to all Mankind FOR the clearing of this important Article there are Two things for me to insist upon First The Amplitude of that Commission which was given the Apostles and their Successors for the Promulgation of the Gospel to all the World Secondly The Extensive Merit of our Holy Redeemer's Death 1. FIRST The Amplitude of that Commission which was given the Apostles and their Successors for the Promulgation of the Gospel The Directions given them when the Lord was ready to depart from them according to St. Matthew's Account runs thus Go ye and Teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have Commanded you And loe I am with you always even unto the end of the World Math. 28. 19 20. Though by all Nations here may be meant Primarily all the Tribes of Israel and Christ's Purpose might be that the Apostles should begin their Preaching at Jerusalem and thence Proceed to the Jews that were dispersed among the Heathen yet no Nation under Heaven was to be Excluded but from Age to Age and from one Nation to another the Tidings of Peace were to be carried over all the Earth until the Consummation of all things Therefore not the Apostles onely but also their Successors for ever were intended in this Commission because the Lord's Spiritual Presence and Assistance was to be not for the Apostles time only but Perpetual to the very End of the World Which shews the Universality of the Divine Grace and that the Gospel was to be Preached every where before the close of all things that at the Day of final Account God may Judge the whole World by Jesus Christ in Righteousness according as they have obey'd or disobey'd the Gospel sent unto them Hence the Account St. Mark gives is this Go ye into all the World and Preach the Gospel to every Creature Mark 16. 15. to shew that God's intention was that no People no not in the Heathen part of the World should be passed by But that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached in Christ's Name among all Nations begining at Jerusalem as St. Luke hath it Luk. 24. 47. Accordingly the Apostles went forth and Preached every where saith St. Mark meaning to all People and Nations within their reach because they were to be Witnesses unto Christ both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea and in all Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the Earth saith St. Luke Act. 1. 8. And because God Commanded all Men every where to Repent saith St. Paul Act. 17. 30. And were it needful for me to Collect Observations to this purpose out of the Ancient Writers of the Christian Church I could shew you particularly when the Apostles parted Solemnly from one another to Execute their Redeemer's Commission how they took their particular Provinces and went every one into the Country that was assign'd him and how those Apostolical Persons who were engaged in the same weighty Employment some in the Apostles Days and many after all Travell'd into distant places and Territories that the sound of the Gospel might go forth into all Lands and
that there might be no People Nation or Language but the good News of it should be heard among them Indeed it was the great End for which the Miraculous Gift of Tongues was poured out on the Day of Pentecost and continued for several Years after that no means of instructing People in any Nation might be wanting any where NOW whence could all this come but from the Astonishing and Tender Love of God to a miserable and forlorn World and to every Generation of Men that then was or should be to the World's End And what could be the good God's design in all this but that every one should come to the Knowledge of the Truth and so be Converted and Live It was the End of John the Baptist's Preaching to give Knowledge of Salvation to his People for the Remission of their Sins through the Tender Mercy of God whereby the Day-spring from on high visited them to give Light to them that sate in Darkness and the shadow of Death and to guide their Feet into the Ways of Peace Luk. 1. 78 79. The same was the end of our Saviour's Preaching that all People might come unto him and by him might have Life because God sent not his Son into the World to Condemn the World but that the World through him might be Saved Jo. 3. 17. And the very same was the end of the Holy Apostles and their Successors Preaching that they might Save that which was Lost and Save all to the uttermost Because God's desire was to Bless them in turning away every one of them from their Iniquities Act. 3. 26. And because He Commanded all Men every where to Repent Act. 17. 30. AFTER all this so expresly and plainly told us in the Holy Scripture for Men to say as some have had the great Confidence to Publish to the World That God hath Absolutely and Irrevocably consigned the greater part of Mankind to Eternal Torments that he sendeth his Word to them that they may be yet more Deaf that he sets up a Light before them that they may be the more Blind that he gives them Remedies that they may refuse to be Healed that he knocks at their Hearts that they may deny him Entrance and this that in the end they may be all Damned and render'd Inexcusable These and many other the like bold Assertions do fix such a foul Imputation upon the Divine Being and are such an horrible Reproach to his most Glorious Attributes especially his Goodness Holyness Mercy Justice and Truth as I almost Tremble but to think of and can never Wonder sufficiently how it could enter into the Heads and Hearts of any Christians to Conceive such Abominable and Blasphemous Notions of God Blessed for ever more JUSTIN MARTYR tells us of some Princes who have been so Salvage that least Axes and Gibbets should be Idle they have laid Traps and Snares in Men's Way on purpose to sport and divert themselves with their Destruction And among divers base things which have been told of Tiberius the Emperor of Rome two barbarous Stories fall here into my Memory One was That having a vehement Desire to hang some Virgins because the Roman Government had that Honour for Chastity that they would not suffer Virgins to die after that Shameful manner he Order'd the Common Executioner first to Corrupt and Deflow'r them that then he might have them Strangl'd with a Non-Obstante to the Laws The other Story is That intending to Kill both the Sons of Germanicus he used all possible means of Provoking them to Defame him that he might have some Colour and Pretence for his Villainous Resolution MANY such Scandalous Instances there have been of Men who have so far put off all Humanity as to thirst for Blood and to delight in Acts of Cruelty and Oppression But they have been abhorred as so many Botches and plague Sores among Man-kind And for Men who are called by the Name of Christ to represent that most Perfect Being the Father of Spirits and the great Lover of all our Souls so as if he used Arts to draw his Poor Creatures into Eternal Perdition and then think to excuse it by a fulsome Distinction between God's Secret as contrary to one another and his Revealed Will. This is such Vileness and Blasphemy as I must beg all good Peoples Pardon for Offending their Ears by mentioning it only Indeed it is said that God giveth some a Spirit of Slumber Eyes that they should not See and Ears that they should not Hear But these and the like Expressions though at the first hearing they sound harsh yet they do not relate to any Antecedent Decree or Desire or Work of God but are only Declarative of the Event which sometimes falls out accidentally by the just Judgment of God upon Obstinate People who harden themselves so that in the End God gives them up to themselves so that they become Stupid Blind and Deaf But the Original of this is their own Willful Temper and Sinful Courses whereby their Hearts wax gross and their Ears become dull of Hearing and their Eyes they close themselves by repeated Acts of their own as if they were afraid least at any time they should See with their Eyes and Understand with their Hearts and should be Converted and Healed Such Phrases import the Perverseness of some Peoples Minds but nothing of any presumed purpose in God that they should be Eternally Miserable No far be that from the Righteous Judge of all the Earth Let God be True though all Men are Lyars Where the Word of God is Preached and People thereby are called on to Believe and Reform their Lives the call on God's part is Serious and Unfeigned and they that Disobey it will be severely Punisht at the last for despising the Riches of God's Goodness We are Embassadours for Christ saith St. Paul as though God did Beseech you by Us We pray you in Christ's stead be ye Reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 20. This is the great End of the whole Work of the Ministry to make Peace between a wronged and good God and wretched Men that they may be everlastingly Happy in the Fruition of God and if this End be not Accomplish'd Foolish and untoward People have none to blame but themselves In the Parable of the Sower the Fault was not in the Seeds-man nor in the Seed but in the Stony-ground it is for want of an Honest and Good Heart that the Devil and the World prevent a Crop In the Parable of the great Supper the Epulator was Kind and the Feast ready and nothing hinder'd an Happy Meeting but the Foolish Obstinacy of the Guests that were Invited BY these common and familiar Representations our Saviour was Pleased in Condescention to the weak Capacity of his Hearers to shew the Mysteries of God's Kingdom that God is Essentially and in his Nature Good and in his Actions Good and seeketh to do Good to all the Children of Men And in order thereunto
to Christ considering the High Dignity of his Person though in his state of Exinanition he was made lower than the Angels that he might be in a Capacity to taste Death for every Man Next it is proposed as the great Motive for our Patience and Perseverance and confident Hope in God amidst all our Tryals in this World And then it is used as a very powerful Reason to Encourage us all to Amend our Lives in case we have Heinously Sinned or to depend upon Christ's Merit and Intercession for the Pardon of all our Trangressions THESE two observable things being throughly well consider'd are enough to make all Thoughtful and Teachable Men afraid of contradicting a Principle so very clear in itself and of such vast importance and concernment in its Use After these Manifest and Express Declarations over and over touching the Universal Extent of the Merit of Christ's Death to make a Monopoly of it for the Benefit of a Jew only leaving all the Residue of Mankind under an absolute inevitable Necessity of Perishing for ever What is this but to give the Holy Scripture the Lye and to shake the Minds of People in the Practice of their Duties nay to Deterr them from the practice of Religion by Ruining and Diging up the very Foundation which was designedly laid for the Building up of all Men in Faith and Holiness and to Support the whole Fabrick of Piety and Vertue BUT there are some particular Passages which serve to Demonstrate and Confirm the Point in Hand beyond one would think all possibility of Cavil and therefore I shall insist upon those after a more Copious rate omitting many others which if Critically Enumerated would presently swell into a great Heap AND the first shall be the Words of St. John which indeed I mentioned before but have not distinctly consider'd where he tells us positively That Christ is the Propitiation for our Sins and not for our Sins only but also for the Sins of the whole World 1 Jo. 2. 2. There is no question but when he saith Christ is the Propitiation for our Sins he means his own Sins and the Sins of others who Professed Christianity with him In the first verse he calls them His little Children which cannot but signifie Believers And if we may pretend to guess at God's Elect we have Reason to think both the Apostle and those he there Wrote to to have been of that Blessed Number and that St. John thought so too by the Account he gives of himself And then truly saith he our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ cap. 1. 3. And again I Write unto you little Children because your Sins are forgiven you for his Names sake v. 12. Much more to the same purpose he saith afterwards That they had overcome the Wicked one That they had known the Father That the Word of God did abide in them That they had an Unction from the Holy one That they were the Sons of God That they had passed from Death to Life And divers other such Characters he gives of them whereby we may easily perceive that St. John looked upon them to be in a State of Salvation And whosoever Reads his Epistles throughout will find Reason enough by the strain of them to believe that the Divine Apostle thought his own Salvation very secure Now in that speaking in his own Person and in the Person of other Faithful Christians he affirmeth Christ to be the Propitiation not for their Sins only but also for the Sins of the whole World He must be understood to mean the whole World of Infidels for there lies the Antithesis And the whole World being distinguished into two great Divisions the Sheep and the Goats those who are the Sons of God and those who are not and Christ being said to be the Propitiation for all we must conclude that he died for more than are supposed to be Predestinated to Eternal Life or else I cannot conceive to what purpose St. John spoke those Words or what Truth or Sence they can bear if he died for Believers only To say he is the Propitiation also for the sins of the whole World if it were not so would have been Superfluous and False and therefore this single Text should put it out of Controversie That he died for all Mankind He Paid on his part a Ransom for All he made on his part an Atonement for All so that all were Deliver'd from a Necessity of Perishing all were put anew into a possibility and capacity of being happy for ever And if after all this some will not lay hold on the Blood of Christ by a free and lively Faith nor perform the Terms of a New-Covenant of Grace which was Sealed by the Blood of Christ but will trample under foot the Blood of the Son of God this is no diminution to its infinite Valour nor to his Act and Intention but an Aggravation of their Guilt who were put by him into a good Condition and might have been Eternally Saved had they not been wanting on their own part to themselves by willfully neglecting so great Salvation This is a Plain Easie and Natural Account of St. John's meaning And to the same Effect though in other Words St. Paul tells us That Christ is the Saviour of all Men especially of those that Believe 1 Tim. 4. 10. This Assertion could not be True nor the Distinction Needful or to any purpose were he not the Saviour of them that Believe not Why should the Apostle come off with an especially of those that believe if Christ did not his part to Save all in general the whole Race of Mankind He might have said who is the Saviour of the Elect and no more if no more had been in Christ's Eye and Heart His saying especially doth not Limit or Restrain the Merits of his Death to Believers but only restrains the Application of his Merits to them through the fault of others who make his Blood of no effect to them by being Unbelievers It shews that they exclude themselves from having that Benefit by his Death which he purchased for All and intended for All if they would Believe and Repent None were passed by by any absolute Decree of God or for want of Affection in the Son of God he died for every Man with a Sincere purpose and upon Condition that every one would lay hold on his Cross and cleanse himself from all Filthiness by the Blood of Sprinkling Upon that Account he is the Saviour of all Men and the propitiation for the Sins of the whole World as to Merit and Intention But because all do not come unto him after all but continue still in a State of Wickedness and Infidelity therefore as to Efficacy he is not so much their Saviour as he is others to all intents and purposes he is a Propitiation and Saviour especially to Believers 2. SECONDLY For the farther Confirmation of this Point let us hear
St. Paul 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a Faithful Saying and worthy of all Acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the World to Save Sinners The stress of my Argument hence lyeth here that the Doctrine of our Redemption by Christ is a most comfortable Doctrine Not only a Truth but a most acceptable Truth a Principle that sufficiently recommends it self to every Man and Deserves to be Received by every one in the World for the inestimable Consolation it carryeth along with it Now this necessarily implies and proves That Christ came into the World to make every Sinner in it capable of Salvation in a better World because this is the onely substantial ground of that Comfort I speak of the only Principle whence we can with Reason gather that Satisfaction which makes the Doctrine of our Redemption worthy to be Accepted by us all A Man's Soul had neeâ— have all possible satisfaction touching the Reasonableness of his Hopes especially when he prepares himself for important Offices of Religion or is about to Die Then it stands in need of a solid and sure bottom to support it and give it rest nor do I see any other such grounds for reasonable satisfaction and the Comforts of a Man as this great Truth That Christ Died for the good of all Mankind Though some are ready to flee to God's Decrees for succour and to Cherish themselves with a confident perswasion that they were Elected to Salvation from Everlasting yet this is no sure Foundation to build on 't is unreasonable to take Sanctuary there and to fly for Refuge to the secret Counsels of God's Will This is the Work of Fancy and strong Imagination and many People may be willing to work themselves into it partly out of a principle of spiritual Pride and partly to quiet an evil Conscience and heal some inward sores which a Vicious Life hath made Nor are any so ready to run to God's Decrees as immoral People whose Sins pursue them with a great Cry Alass it is impossible for any of us without immediate Revelation which is not afforded now to Read our Names in the Book of Eternity or to know Infallibly that they are there those secret things belong unto the Lord our God by us they are Unsearchable and past finding out and therefore we cannot gather any reasonable Comforts that Way NOR Indeed doth the Revealed Will of God the Holy Scriptures themselves afford us much without that most acceptable Doctrine which I am now defending For neither in this Book can any of us find our Names Written no more than in the Volum of God's Decrees The Scripture is silent as to the state of particular Persons and all the Comfort any single Man can gather from it comes by making reasonable conclusions as to himself out of general Premises There are in the Bible many necessary Laws prescribed and many excellent promises given to the Faithful indefinitely and at large and when a particular person compares his private state with the common Rule and upon a due comparison discovers that according to his Power he hath sincerely and honestly observed God's Commands or doth now do so and resolves stedfastly by God's Grace to persevere to the end in so doing he may then very reasonably Hope and Cherish himself with an Humble Modest Confidence that he shall be Happy Yet all this is upon a supposition that Christ Died for him for if Christ be not a propitiation for his Sins such a Man is lost and utterly undone notwithstanding all his performances And how I pray can any particular Man be reasonably assur'd of that but by being assur'd first That Christ tasted Death for every Man This general Truth being believed That Christ was a Sacrifice for all Mankind and for the whole World it is easy and necessary for that particular Person to conclude That Christ was a Sacrifice even for him because he is one of Mankind and a part of the World But without this most Acceptable Principle I cannot see with what Reason and Comfort he can conclude for himself the Scripture tells him nothing of that as to his own particular all that he hath reasonably to rely on is That the Son of God Died for all Take away this Principle and farewel all Faith all Obedience all hope and comfort with it I mean all solid Reason of Hope and Comfort Fancy and Imagination there may be in this Case too but I speak now of Rational Convictions and Rational Consolation all that must depend upon this bottom and foundation that Christ came into the World to Die and offer himself up for every Child of Man This makes the Doctrine of our Redemption a most Acceptable Doctrine indeed a most Comfortable Saying worthy of all Men to be received whereas without this Latitude and as some People are willing through the pride of their Hearts to understand it 't is so far from being Acceptable unto all Men that it seemeth a very Frightful Doctrine For if the Son of God Died not for all Men to the utmost extent though he had past by but One in the whole World and had excluded but One from having any Benefit by the propitiation upon the Cross that one Person being not Known nor Mentioned how could any one of us all tell but he was that Person I might have been fearful it was my self another might have been though with less Reason as fearful as I a third as fearful too a fourth as fearful as the rest and so on ad infinitum For every one in the World might have thought himself equally concern'd to Fear and consequently to Despair as well as another Every one would have been in suspence and perplexity at least as People that are forced to draw Lots for their Lives not knowing how the chance would fall out till the Day of Judgment To be sure this Tormenting Doubt would be incident to all People of scrupulous Minds and great numbers of very Pious People are such and then what would become of Christianity Considering the Hereditary Weakness of our Nature the many Actual Sins we are Guilty of and how unworthy the very best are of eternal Happiness what Heart or Encouragement would any one have to undertake or persevere in Religion if Christ by passing any one by had put every one thus under Fears and Dangers of being Cast-aways at last This would have served to spoil the whole Work of Redemption and to have damp'd the Faith of all at least it would have brought on such a Faith as St. James speaks of in those most Miserable Spirits who Believe and Tremble I have insisted upon this Argument the longer to shew you of what great Consequence this Point is and what weighty Reasons we have to inculcate and urge the Belief of it The Interest of Christ's Religion and the Peace of every Christian's Mind depends upon it for which cause the Catholick Church of Christ hath maintained it from the Beginning to
God's Everlasting Kingdom The Reason of this and what the things are which we are bound to perform Fifthly CONSIDERING therefore what Qualifications are necessary in Us to make our present Calling and Election firm effectual and eternally Beneficial to us our care must be in the fifth place to make such a due Use of the Divine Love and Goodness towards us all as to perform those things which are indispensibly necessary in order to the actual Possession of God's Everlasting Kingdom As yet the way to it is laid open for us and we have a Liberty and Power given us to enter in but it is upon certain Conditions We are delivered from a necessity of Perishing notwithstanding our many Provocations we are made capable of Eternal Life notwithstanding our former guilt But yet divers things are required on our part that we may be actually admitted into a fixt State of Happiness in Heaven Though God loved us and gave his Son to us to tender satisfaction in our stead and by undergoing a Temporary Death himself to Rescue us from Everlasting Torments in which Services of the Divine Oeconomy the World had not any the least Hand they were acts of pure Grace of Mercy undeserved unthought of by Mankind yet God being the Soveraign Governour and Legislator of the Universe it would have been inconsistent with his Honour and Greatness to have given up the Authority of his Laws which yet he must have done had he permitted us to take our own Courses and to live according to our own Wills without any danger Therefore that he might at once provide for our Indemnity and secure his own Authority also when Christ was pleased so freely to undertake the Office of a Mediator it was Covenanted between the Father and Him that upon such and such Conditions his Obedience Death and Intercession should be perfectly available on our behalf And for the making of those terms good it was Covenanted likewise that the Holy Spirit should be given to inable us for the performance of those Duties which were expected from us and that such a Measure should be accepted at our Hands as we should perform by our sincere endeavours according to our Capacities and Power Hence it was that Christ brought us Laws from Heaven to Regulate and Govern our Actions that we might not frustrate the Counsel and Love of God towards us that we might not at last fail of God's Grace nor come short of his Glory and of that Happiness which the Lord Jesus came into the World to purchase for us all The Price is paid and it was Love unspeakable in Christ to lay it down and in his Father to accept it at his Hands for us But though the general Purchase be made yet for the compleat Possession of it we must be careful to behave our selves so as God requires us in order to the conveyance of the Title to every particular Soul We must believe stedfastly on the Name of the Son of God and to this Faith we must add sincere Repentance from all Dead Works and make it our business to serve God in true Holiness and Righteousness all the days of our Life Without these Performances on our part Christ will in the end profit us nothing because he is the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 5. 9. They only will have the Final and Everlasting enjoyment of God's Love to the World For the Law by which the Righteous Judge of all the Earth will proceed is very plain Rom. 2. 6 7 8 9 10 11. He will render to every Man according to his Deeds to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality God will render Eternal Life But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the Truth but obey Unrighteousness He will render Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul that doeth Evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile But Glory and Honour and Peace to every Man that worketh Good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile for there is no respect of Persons with God You see Men's Eternal Doom depends upon the Quality of their Lives and Actions here as they are either Good or Evil so will God reward them with Happiness or Misery hereafter And for this Reason it was that St. Paul calleth God the Saviour of all Men especially of those that believe 1 Tim. 4. 10. He is the Saviour of all Men Intentionally because He intended not to Reject any by an Absolute Decree or to exclude any from the Hopes and Means of Salvation but by the Doctrines and Holy Life of his Son Jesus Christ did intend to open and shew the way of Peace unto all and encouraged all People to follow it to the end and because too he sent Christ to offer him satisfaction for the Sins of all Men to Die for all Men and to Merit Eternal Salvation for all if all would lay hold on his Merits by such a lively operative and purifying Faith as is perfected by Charity In short because he hath done those things which were becoming and proper for a Wise and Merciful God to do for Sinful and Reasonable Creatures in order to their Salvation He is rightly called the Saviour of all Men Sufficiently Meritoriously Intentionally and if he be not to all Actually and Effectually so too it must proceed from the voluntary Neglect and Crimes of some who by their Evil Deeds hinder themselves from being Actually and Effectually Saved To Illustrate this by a plain Similitude such as it is Suppose a great number of us were Captives and Bond Slaves sold as Slaves were formerly wont to be Sold into the Hands of Arbitrary and Merciless Masters And suppose the King of his tender Compassion and Goodness towards us as having been his own Subjects should send a valuable Consideration and Ample Ransom with a gracious purpose to Redeem us all without exception but with a Proviso and upon condition of our true Faith and Allegiance to him though some out of a strange Love of Slavery or through Carelesness or Crosness of Temper or by some other Miscarriages might hinder themselves from being Actually Ransomed and so throw away their Liberty for ever yet this could be no disparagement to the King's Clemency and Goodness He would deserve the Name of our common Redeemer nevertheless the intentional Redeemer of us all and I doubt not but in such a case we should all think it very Reasonable for us to acknowledge the Kindness intended for all To apply this instance and to use the Scripture Expressions which relate unto it We were all once sold under Sin become the Servants of Unrighteousness taken Captives by the Devil who laid his snares for all Mankind But God of his Mercy sent his Son into the World to recover us all out of the snare of the Devil to lead Captivity Captive to give himself a Ransom for all to