in hand evidently sheweth for he saith not onely As by one offence judgement came untocondemnation so by one righteousness to justification of life but expresly maketh the comparison too in regard of their objects As by one offence to all men to condemnation so by one righteousnesse to All men to justification of life I would faine know of M. Ow. what the Apostle says in the 18. v. distinct from what he said before in the precedent verses taking away his equalizing of the Object So that that speech looks but like an Assertion of one resolved not to own a truth be it never so plainely exprest if it suit not with his own opinion that he maintaineth Again whereas he denies that Heb. 2.9 holds out that Christ stood in the roome of every man and refers us for proof to what he said to that Scripture his saying to it being proved impertinent and vaine already we need not here give him any further Answer Sure he that dyed for every man stood in the roome of every man in that his dying or else M. Owens own Argument from the force of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 10. lib. 3. are meer vanities Whereas he sayes further that no one word of God sayes that all men were given to Christ to redeem I answer nor did T. M. say so but having spoken of the Death of Christ in the roome of all mankind and his Resurrection he added by Parenthesis that they are all given him and shall be brought unto him quoting for proof Phil. 2.8.11 Rom. 14.9 which intimates his meaning to be that they were given into his dispose as upon his resurrection and that all are given to Christ in that sense Psal 2.8 9. fully declares I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for thy possession and thou shalt rule them with an Iron Rod c. But I deny that ever the Scriptures say God gave any man to him that he should dye for him In dying for men he bought them rather and upon that God gave all to him in a generall way to rule over them and he gives him some by his gracious call to be his peculiar charge and to be set free by him from all their inthralments in conscience and from the power of pollution and temptation Whereas he sayes Christ is called the last Adam in respect of the efficacy of his death to the promised seed If he meane in that regard only it s but his meer Assertion and so till it be proved needs no more answering it being the same in substance with what he said before against the extent of the Object of his death contrary to Rom. 5.18 which we have even now answered Against this passage of T.M. that Christ by his death brought all men out of the Death they fell into by Adam he opposes this that the Death men fell into in Adam was a death in sin and the guilt of condemnation thereupon For which he quotes Ephes 2.1 2 3. To which I desire the Reader to remember what I said above about Redemption Chap. 5. lib. 3. that we fell into a twofold death in Adam one as the naturall and proper fruit and consequence of that sinning the deading all our powers to that that was spiritually good 2. The wages and punishment of this sin that is destruction and utter ruine Ioh. 8.31 32. The latter of these Christ bare for us not the former for then he should have had our pollution in him too which is crosse to truth Therefore when we speak of bringing us from the death we fell into in Adam we are to be understood of that Christ endured for us not the other which he brings us out of by his Word and Spirit received into us and not by his dying onely or Resurrection also And therefore M. Owen here prevaricates as in another passage fastned upon M. More he abuses him for he no where tells us as M. Owen charges him that the presenting himself just before the Father was the ultimate thing by Christ intended not a tittle that way He hath also many heavie words against M. More for saying God accepted the Sacrifice of Christ as if all had dyed risen sacrificed satisfied c. which spring from his owne mistake as if Christ in dying for All was said to dye and satisfie for all sins that ever they should or might commit and so procure an acquittance and discharge from them All to be without faile as on his part and what ever failing in any condition happen on their part made over unto all which as its contrary to those intimations that speak of their perishing for whom Christ dyed as a thing possible yea and of some ments pulling swift condemnation upon themselves whom he bought which could not be were that position true so it s also a gap to all carelesness and licentiousness for then let all men take what course they will Either Christ dyed for them or not if not no endeavour can do them good God is their enemy and hated them before they offended him even from all eternity and they must have no better do what they can then what the hatred of an Omnipotent God will produce unto them if he did Then eia agite nothing can pull a dram of wrath upon them their score are all wiped off both what they have run into and what they shall The Apostle never preached such Doctrine but that they that walk in the light as he is in it that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit that are rooted in the Faith and not moved from the hope of the Gospell shall have this benefit by Christs death that no condemnation shall befall them all their sins are cleansed c. Verily Christ putting himself into the place of Adam in the day that he sinned and in due time bearing that heavie death that else had seised on All and overcoming it and presenting himself to God as a Conqueror over it was far more acceptable to God then if all men in the world had dyed and overcome For we had done it but for our selves and out of love to our selves but he out of obedience to his Father and love to us and the same worke is far more acceptable to God when done out of Charity then when done out of selfe-love and meer necessity Beside the dignity of his Person and neernesse to his Father far above ours but I pass that too Heobjects further against T. M. because he sayes comparing Christ and Adam in respect of the effect and fruit of their works in the publick place that as by the sin of Adam all his posterity were in and by him deprived of that life and righteousnesse they had in him and are fallen under sin and death though secretly invisibly and in some sort inexpressibly so by the efficacy of the obedience of Christ All men without exception are redeemed
sins against his mediation and the fruits of it extended to them as considered in a condition consequent thereto as refusing the light and abusing the power and liberty given them in the strivings and operations of his grace and spirit a turning away from him that did so much for them a denying him that bought them not believing on his name c. But then he says further If this unbelief be a sin then Christ underwent the punishment of it or not if he did then why must that hinder more then other sins c. To which I answer that though properly and most directly those sins and evils came upon him into which the fall of Adam plunged us sins not against him as Mediator or God as giving a Mediator and dealing with us there-through which was consequent to the fall and to mans sinning yet inasmuch as God knew that which they would do against his Mediating for them he not only laid upon him that sin previous to it with its proper operations in that way but also provided in that his Death against other sins that would follow so as that he might be perfectly able to save to the utmost any that should come to God by him And so he did so much in that one Death and offering as by virtue thereof patience and forbearance might be afforded for some space to the Rebellious while God is striving with them by his Spirit and leading them to Repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it s said there is forgiveness with the Lord that he might be feared and with him is plenteous Redemption Psal 130.4 6. with him before it be with us or before we have it made ours before we fear him for it s provided with him and he exercises patience answerably with Declarations of it that he might be feared and this held forth to such as yet are supposed may despise and perish Acts 13.37.40.41 And thence in urging the wicked to Repentance it s added as the motive for he is gracious and will multiply pardon He hath received so much satisfaction for any wicked man whoever short of that unpardonable sin that he hath power and readiness of forgiveness for them with him Matth. 22.3 4 7. and desires not their ruine but that they might turn and live such a Caution hath Christ put in with his Father for them and not onely so but also he so far fore-provided that upon submission of any of them to him all their sins against his light goodness and Mediation during the time of Gods calling findes Remission from him Isa 55.7 and the after-follies to that his own Called-Ones run into are provided against 1 Joh 1.9 remission is in him for them and upon their confession and returning they have it dispensed to them and for them he hath provided that they shall not fail of seasonable operations of Spirit with due chastisements Ephes 5.26 27. whereby they may be sanctifyed and made pure in his sight and for the sanctified he hath provided for their utmost perfection and all this in one sacrifice But all this power of pardoning obtained by his Death is deposited in his hand and the pardon not immediately passed over from God to us or any he died for as if Christ bare all the Curse and Death and then for his sake we have Remission blessing and life presently confer'd upon us but as Christ bare all our evil God-ward so he hath received and is the treasury of Gods fulness of blessing Man-ward and men receive it from him and with him it being Gods Ordinance that he and life go together so as that we have not life till we have him nor Redemption till translated into his Kingdom who then sets us free by revealing his Truth to and in us Iohn 8.32 36. Col. 1.13 14. 1 Corinth 1.30 But the persisting in obstinacy and Rebellion till the space of Grace be expired deprives men of that Mercy and Salvation they might have found in submission to him Jon. 2.8 Psalm 81.10 11 12. Luke 19.41 42 c. And so unbelief Condemns not onely as it deserves Condemnation for in that regard he hath power to forgive it but as its necessary operation is the keeping a soul at a distance from him in whom is all Salvation and Remission and without whom we cannot have whatever of that nature is given to us all being intailed upon and bound up in him 1 Joh. 5.11 So that in a word he hath born all the sins of all men as in their first transgression and as considered precedaneous to his mediation and hath obtained such power against all other sins of all or any man that he hath made them all pardonable except that blasphemy against the Holy Ghost that upon repentance he can and will pardon any of them though yet we say not that he bare upon himself all the sins of all men as considered sinning against his mediation CHAP. III. A Veiw of his fourth Chapter with Answer thereto IN his fourth Chapter he tels us how Christ was Agent in the work of Redemption by voluntary susception of the office imposed on him and so was incarnate and offered up himself a sacrifice to God which we affirme also only some of the Scriptures that he quotes for this though they intimate his suffering and offering yet speak to a further business as the washing us in his blood Rev. 1.5 is in the sprinkling his blood upon our consciences compare it with Heb. 10.22 1 Cor. 6.11 Ephes 5.26 so the sanctifying himself Joh. 17.19 is not his yeelding up himself to death fure or not that only that they might be yeelded up to death by his death but the devoting himself to God to receive and make known the knowledg of God to them that they might be sanctified and set apart through the truth to that ministration to which he sent them for neither speaks he there of all the Elect except Mr. Owen think that all the Elect are sent to minister to the world Psal 18. as Christ was but of those actual believers whom he sent into the world verse 4. for he makes this prayer as one that had finished the work that God gave him to do on earth and as one committing the business of the Father toward the world in point of ministration unto others fitted for it even as Paul prayed for the Elders of Ephesus when he was leaving them and the flock of God to them Asts. 20. but to passe that Besides those other two acts of his undertaking Incarnation and Oblation he mentions also a third viz. Intercession which we grant also but whereas he says It s for all and every one of those for whom he gave himself as an oblation he did not suffer and then refuse to intercede for them do the greater and omit the less that position though I will not peremptorily deny it yet as Mr. Owen by Intercession means and takes in
were Baptized into Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea and were come to Mount Sinai The Apostle alluding to that tells the believing Hebrews partakers of the heavenly Call Heb. 3.1 that they were not come to Mount Sinai to have a Law of works and death put upon them but to Mount Sion * Whence the Law of Grace goeth forth Isai 2.3 to hear him that speaks from heaven and so intimately to have the Law writ in their hearts Heb. 12.18 22 24 25. in which they came also to the blood of sprinkling He doth not say they were come to Mount Sion while they were yet uncalled but in obeying the Call they came thither to meet with and receive the new Covenant opposed to the Covenant made with their Fathers at Mount Sinai That that confirms me in this belief is this that it is by faith that we are made of one body with the Israel of God and are no where called the seed of Promise or Israel of God till brought to Christ but then we are all one with the believing Jews Jews in the inner man the Circumcision the seed of Abraham and heirs according to Promise Gal. 3.26 29. Now the Covenant spoken of is made with the house of Israel and Judah If Mr. Owen think men to be faederates in that Covenant before faith let him shew me that any unbelieving Gentiles or uncalled are called by the name of Israel and Judah Besides That the promises of God are made with Christ Gal. 3.16 and are in him yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 But if any yet out of Christ should be faederates while out of him then they should have a larger object then Christ and a larger performance then in Christ Jesus But I say this ex abundanti to the Minor it being sufficient to the overthrow of the Argument that the Major is proofless Whereas Mr. Owen makes the difference between the Old and New Testament to be That this Covenants the giving of Faith and that not I deny it and say The difference between them is in this That was carnal weak and afforded not such operation of Spirit This spiritual powerful and full of life writing Gods teachings in the heart whereas that writ them but without in Books or Tables of Stones That propounded Precepts and Promises but gave not the performance This in Teaching conforms the heart to Gods VVill and gives in the injoyment and accomplishment of the promises whence as the Apostle saith The righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.4 That this Covenant is propounded conditionally too to those that are not yet believers we have shewed before in Isai 55.3 So that no man short of believing can say as Mr. Owens Objection supposeth The Lord hath promised To write his Law in our hearts but if we listen to Christ he will write them in our hearts but to the believer in Christ to him that is Christs the Covenant is free he being the proper heir of it as is before shewed He repeates his Argument again in the winding up of the Argument That the blood of Jesus Christ was the blood of the Covenant and his Oblation was intended onely for procuring the things intended and promised thereby and therefore it cannot have respect to All c. That it procured the good things contained in the Covenant or rather that he ingages the performance of them to the called for I think the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sponsor hath rather that signification then of a procurer we grant and to that the Quotation of Heb. 7.22 is pertinent but his inference from thence is yet unproved as we have shewed And so we have seen the fallacy and weakness of this Argument 2. His second Argument is thus That if the Lord intended Argu. 2 that he should and so Christ by his death did procure pardon of sin and reconciliation with God for all and every one to be actually injoyed upon condition that they do believe then ought this good will and intention of God with this purchase in their behalf by Jesus Christ be made known to them by the Word that they might believe for faith comes by hearing c. otherwise men may be saved without faith in and the knowledg of Christ or else the purchase is plainly in vain but all men have not those things declared to them in and by the Word c. To this Argument many things may be answered Answ As 1. That it concludes not against the Assertion that he undertook to oppose in lib. 1. cap. 1. pag. 4. viz. That Christ gave himself a ransom for all and every one But against his intention of purchasing pardon and reconciliation for All to be injoyed upon condition of believing which is a fallacy that we call Ignoratio elenchi 2. Again The Antecedent of the Major contains and crowds together divers questions which is another fallacy in arguing As with this Of Christs dying for All it jumbles Gods intention of his procuring Reconciliation and Pardon and the intention of bestowing it and upon what condition Now these are three distinct questions viz. First Whether Christ died for All The thing he set himself to oppose Secondly Whether in dying for them he procured Reconciliation and forgiveness for all And Thirdly Whether he procured it for All with intention that they all should injoy it upon condition of believing The first of these I absolutely affirm and Mr. Owen denies The second I thus affirm That for the offence of Adam and the condemnation that came upon All therefore he hath procured justification or pardon for All so as that God dealeth with All after another manner then according to its Merit and the Obligation to Death that came thereby And for their other sins there is with him a treasury of Forgiveness and Redemption full and free for All. So as that in answer to the third All may have forgiveness of all their sins and Reconciliation upon believing in him and it was his intention that whosoever of All yea were it All believe in him should have forgiveness of sins and be reconciled to God by him Whence it s propounded to men in general upon that condition in the Gospel But yet neither is that condition upon which God propounds it to be confounded as Mr. Owen here doth with the act of purchasing it and Gods intention therein nor may we binde up God to that condition in his dispensing it nor his intention of forgiving and saving men in his giving Christ to dye for them as if because All or Any may have it according to the Gospel-tender upon believing therefore he intended that none should have it that have not that believing condition For I dare not say That God intended not that any Infant dying in its Cradle or deaf man that never heard any word at all should have forgiveness or salvation by vertue of Christs purchase
because they have not that act of believing that comes by hearing whence also 3. I deny the consequence of the major proposition if by ought to made known he means as I suppose he doth that God ought or is bound so to have done for that word ought may be otherwise applyed as we shall see anon for though its true that whosoever by hearing the word believes shall have remission yet God nor tying himself in his dispensation thereof to that condition for them to dy in infancy and to be born and continue deaf to death should be necessary evidences of reprobation which I think none is so hardy as to affirm it will follow that God is not bound to that making known to every one the purchase and intention spoken of lest he should be frustrate of his intention Besides that a man may possibly be brought to believe and receive forgiveness that never heard of that purchase and intention and yet their Faith may come by hearing too a man may be brought to believe that God is is a rewarder of them that seek him which is as much as the Apostle says is of necessity for coming to him Heb. 11.6 yea many have believed so much that have not known of Christs death or that he should dy muchless of the purchase and intention of God in his death As the Disciples had faith and so had Cornelius too such as in which they were accepted of God before they understood that Christ should dye and by dying purchase them forgiveness and reconciliation and doubtless many of the Ancients heard less then they of him as Rahab Ruth Naaman and many others so that at least a making known to all for so he intends so much as he speaks of would not necessarily appertain to God though the Antecedent were granted in the very form in which he puts it Indeed God binds us to preach and declare in these last dayes since the ascension of Christ this his purchase and intention and men are bound to give credit to it when preached that so they might the better be brought to him and they that keep back that doctrine from men if they perish are guilty of their blood but God hath not by any thing he hath done or by his intention therein bound himself to make known to every one for whom he hath so done that his intention doing A Prince may ransom from destruction a Nation appoitned thereto for some default against their Soveraign with intention that every one that obeys his counsels shall injoy the priviledges of free subjects and so that they all shall have such priviledges so obeying yet that may put no ingagement upon him to cause every particular of them to know what he hath done for them what was his intention therein especially too they never knowing distinctly how they came to be lyable to their ruine from which he ransomed them only he may propound though at a distance from them and as to persons unknown to them some advices and counsels in obeying which he may do to them as he intended and in disobeying them frustrate them of the otherwise intended benefits yea and order punishment also to them without any absurdity or crosness to his intention 4. The words ought to be made known may signifie It ought to be made known by men such as are the messengers of Christ and preachers of the word and then indeed we grant it to be a truth that All ought to have it made known to them by us to the utmost of our opportunities and abilities and so it reproves Mr. Owen and many other Ministers for their faultiness herein because they not only make not known to All without restrictions this good will and purchase of Christ for them but they on the contrary make it uncertain to men whether Christ dyed for them or not yea hinder and oppose the making known this good will to All men I would they would cease to do what they ought not and do as they ought 5. But then The minor of this Argument is faulty and containes a Quartus terminus for whereas he should have assumed thus But this purchase good will and intention ought not to be made known to All he hath assumed thus All have not these things made known to them in and by the word But who sees not that between what men have and what they ought to have there is a great difference God may have done what appertains to him not only in giving to Adam and Noah the knowledg of his truth though less clearly that it might be propagated by one to another sucessively in all their generations but also and that more clearly in giving it forth to his servants to be made known to All Nations for the obedience of faith willing all to come to the knowledg of it as indeed he hath done Rom. 16.25 26. 1 Tim. 2.4 and yet those to whom this charge of divulging it appertains being slothful and negligent herein and others not coming to it when and as held forth to them as in many divulgers and others is too true they may not have what they ought to have and might have had had the will of God aforesaid been obeyed by them So that this argument the further we look into it the less hurt it doth us But I shall say no more to it lest I be too tedious many passages he hath about it are but the same with what we had lib. 2. cap. ult where I have answered them and shall not need here again further to repeat Only whereas he saith The Spirit forbad the Apostles to go to sundry places with the word as if God would not have some hear of his word though they might have had it the places he aims at are Acts 16.6 7. where Paul assaying to go to Asia and Bithinia were forbidden this is to be noted that that was not because he would not have the Gospel preached to them but because the Apostle not being able to go two ways at once and there being others whom God pleased to prefer sent them elsewhere first ordering others to preach at those places or the same to preach there when the other work was over therefore the Holy Ghost as if he would give us an account of this action to prevent our rash misprisions particularly names these places to have been peculiarly preached to As concerning Asia we have a fuller testimony then of any other place Acts 19.10 All that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord and for Bithinia there were many believing people scattered abroad in it as appears in 1 Pet. 1.1 who were to shine as lights and shew forth the praises of him that called them in the places where they lived Again whereas in the conclusion of this Argument he saith That Paul tels us that by the works of creation they might be led to know his eternal power and Godhead but that they should know
CHAP. V. An Answer to his fifth Chapter In which is considered How Christ gave himself a ransom for All. HAving done with those Arguments we follow him now to Arguments taken from words used in this matter which he saith Disagree in their genuine signification from the Opinion that extends to all the matter spoken of in them Arg. 10 And first He lays down his Argument generally thus That Doctrine that will not by any means suit which and be conformable to the thing signified by it but contradicts the expressions literal and deductive whereby in Scripture it s held out to us cannot possibly be sound and sincere But such is the perswasion of Vniversal Redemption or General Ransom Ergo It s unsound And this strange Argument that grants the Doctrine held forth in Scripture expressions Instance 1. and yet contradicts those Scriptures he labors to prove by Induction and first from the word A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dransom or price of Redemption He argues thus That the thing signified in it agrees not to all therefore the word is not to be so applied Which is in substance Paul spake unadvisedly when he made so general an expression this is not to believe the Scripture but to judge and deny it to be right VVell let us see what the word signifies It signifies a price for Redemption Now saith Mr. Owen If Christ pay a price for Redemption his aim is their deliverance for whom it s paid to that end he satisfies the Judge and conquers the Jaylor but this agrees not to All All are not ransomed Shall we believe Mr. Owen or the Apostle here who also tells us in Rom. 5.18 That by one mans Righteousness to all men to Justification of life And again in 1 Cor. 15 22. As in Adam All die so in Christ all shall be made alive But Mr. Owen says Why are not all saved then I might say Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God But I have answered before From the first death they are from the second they are not because many are disobedient against their Saviour As all Israel were saved out of Egypt Jude 5. Its the Apostle Judes expression But why then not all preserved into Canaan He tells us He afterwards destroyed them that believed not So here he afterward in a second death destroyes all those that know like or approve not God and all that disobey the Gospel of Christ 2 Thes 1.7 8. All were in thrall to the sentence of death and so to the execution of vengeance from God upon them all in Adam in an utter ruine and again for slighting and sinning against Light and Goodness afforded deserve destruction to come suddenly upon them in plagues famines c. The bond that held them in the former was their sin in Adam and to the latter many sins against Gods goodness now exposes them VVhat price pays Christ Himself to bear that blow for them and be the propitiation for their sin Now in that the sentence passed not or rather lyes not upon men Men are not debarred reaccess to God for that folly the sentence of banishment is reversed and the banished called home again here is a Redemption made from that thraldom And whereas many times they are liable to destruction again in their persons Christ Mediating and Interposing himself as the Propitiation preserves them And on this ground we are to pray for All and make Intercession with thanksgiving for All as in 2 Tim. 1.2 6. But I suppose he thinks All not ransomed because many remain thralled in their corruption To which I might say but as Prosper Ad capit Gallor Sanguis Christi est totius mundi pretium pro omnium redemptione verè persolutum and that 's as much as 1 Tim. 2.6 says sed illi homines ab eo pretio extranei sunt qui aut captivitate delectati redimi noluerunt aut post redemptionem ad eandem servitutem sunt reversi and again Omnes rectè dicantur redempti sed non ownes a captivitate eruti But to clear it I shall propound these following considerations 1. That men in sinning fell under a double bondage 1. To death to be inflicted from God according to his sentence In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death and death came on all in that all sinned 2. To corruption or sinfulness of Nature in themselves and the delusions of Satan Ephe. 2.1 Dead in sins and trespasses conceived in sin and born in iniquity 2. The latter of these thraldoms was not the curse or death inflicted as the punishment of the fall but the proper consequence of it That it was not its punishment nor any essential part of it appears in this that every essential part of the punishment of it Christ was to bear by way of satisfaction and so he bare anguish in body and soul death of body and separation from Gods presence but he bare not the inherency of sin for us nor inability for serving his Father nor was he subject to the deceits of Satan as if it had been an essential part of that punishment he must have done for it appertains to and spreads over the whole nature But the first was the punishment to which we were subjected and which had we abid never so pure in our natures must have been executed for the fault committed because the word was not If thou becomest so polluted but In the day thou eatest thou shalt die and therefore Christ also suffered that becoming a ransom for us though innocent 3. In the latter the Justice of God did not detain us but as man being debarred from any new grace without that could not do what he should but we ought that notwithstanding to do our best to serve him we had his permission to it if such a thing might be supposed that we might have lived under that sentence unsuffered for us He neither put sin into us nor kept it in us But the former came directly from God upon us and his Justice detained us in our Mediator in it till his sentence was satisfied 4. That first was the death of which Satan had power and the fear of which though but now a carkass detains men in their spirits in bondage Heb. 2.14 Men fear not but love the other their corruptions now Christ conquered Satan when he brake his snare and got victory over that death that should else have swallowed us up for ever So that Satan could not as else he would have done play the Executioner upon us 5. God neither putting men into corruption nor corruption into them nor his Justice standing against our doing better he would that they should come out of it if they could the price was not given to God properly as the price of Redemption from that but onely as the ransoming them from the death inflicted makes a passage for means also to be afforded to them for their recovery and setting free from
by him but who they are that attain the end propounded to them viz. He that believeth on his Name he shall be saved He will do his Office to all that come to him for it according to Gods appointment But he that believeth not he that when Christ speaks to them that they might be saved as in Joh. 5.34 turn a deaf ear to his words Heb. 2 3. and 12.25 harden their hearts neglect so great salvation and refuses him that speaks for heaven he is now judged Now in the day of the Gospel However God might wink at mens ignorances in former times yet Now God will not bear it that men should despise him that speaks to them more fully for their good His Son preaching salvation to them but judges him The word judges him and the Spirit condems him and makes this word of salvation a Savour of death unto death to him because he hath not believed on the Name of the onely begotten Son because he did not trust to him for healing when the Gospel declared such readiness and ability in him to heal them Which why or how it should be if Christ was not sent for them and was neither sufficient nor willing to save them as was said Chap. â— I cannot discern So thâ—â— this Argument serves not his purpose 3. The third is That it s not unusual to call Gods chosen people the World This I deny and he indeavors to prove from John 4.42 The Saviour of the world Which saith Mr. Owen he onely is of them that are saved a Saviour of men not saved is strange But how that may be true we have hinted in the former Argument Besides According to 1 Tim. 4.10 Is this so strange to denominate a person by his Authority and Office rather then from his actings onely in that Authority May not a man be called Lord chief Justice of all England though he do not execute Justice to all persons in England or cannot so do by reason that many decline his Justice-executing So may not a man be called and indeed be a Physition for a whole Town by the appointment of Authority though many in it refuse to take Physick of him when they are sick And is not many a man constituted Minister of and preacher to all such a Congregation when yet perhaps half of them despise his Ministery and refuse to hear him Shall not he be called the Minister of that Parish wholly because many refuse to have his Ministry acted towards them So Christ is the Saviour of the World both in that 1. He is He in and through whom God is the Saviour of All men God not saving any man in any sense immediately but his Son doing all from him Joh. 5.22 And 2. In regard that he is set up and held forth in the Gospel as filled and furnished for saving All or any man upon looking to him and all commanded to look to him to be saved by him And in the same sense He is said to give life to the World both in that it s through his Mediation that the World hath a being under goodness and patience contrary to the desert of their sin which had God dealt with man according to the demerit of Adams sin and the strict sense of his own VVord pronounced upon him none in the world had had but if they had not been all forthwith cut off in Adam their beings would have been as far from Gods goodness and mercy as the being of the Devils which is not worthy the name of life nor is so called in any Scripture as mans is And this is as I conceive that life out of which he prayes that his malicious enemies might be blotted for in the book of the righteous which is of eternal life they are not written Psa 96.28 for which life He gave his Flesh to bear that sentence that otherways in the day in which Adam sinned should have faln upon him and the whole world in him As he is called the Light that inlightneth every man that comes into the world meaning it of lower hints of light then what the believer peculiarly receives from him So that his other Quotations of John 6.33.51 are as meerly beg'd as any other and as little pertinent they being thus to be interpreted As also that he gives exposes and holds forth lise in the Gospel to the world as in ver 32. The Father is said to have given him to them and yet the world neither receives him nor the life tendered and freely given in and by him Joh 1.10 11. and 5.4 and 6.36 But he tells us that Christ in John 10.27 28. Says He gives life to his sheep onely which is neither right nor pertinent for he neither puts in the word onely nor speaks of the life of the world but of eternal life Which if we take given for a free holding forth to men Compare Mark 15.23 with Luke 23.36 so as that they may have it for nothing if they will accept of it as the word given is many times used As where it s said the Jews gave Christ Vinegar to drink and he refused it and they gave him gall c. then he gives it to the world even to others then do accept and receive it as is said above to Joh 6.33 But if we take give for such an imparting it as is accompanied with receiving it so neither we nor Joh. 6.33 says that he gives eternal life to the world much less as it is in Joh. 10.27 28. he gives it them and they shall never perish Could he but have shewed us one word to that purpose that the world shall never perish it had been to purpose For Rom. 4.13 and 11 12 15. we have answered them before in the precedent Chapter The falling of the Jews is called the Riches and Reconciling of the world as the decay of Trade in another Country and diverting it hither may be said to be the inriching of this Kingdom In which the word Kingdom may truly fignifie the whole body of the people though many through idleness and riotousness in it may deprive themselves of that inriching which it brought them or gave them fair advantages of Besides the world the Nations in general not the Elect in them onely were reconciled or taken into savor as to the Gospel-preaching to them and opening of the Kingdom for them which before they had no such liberty to but were looked upon as unclean in respect of having the Kingdoms outward Ordinances and Priviledges allowed them but now were cleansed by God and accounted clean as to them and that also was their riches though not the riches of the glory of the Saints they indeed have yet further riches even Christ in them the hope of glory which many of the world reconciled as to the former of which the Apostle evidently there speaks the Jews being cast off from that and not from inward Union with God which they had not