good our benefit To which end he willingly subjected himself unto that Law whereof as God he was Lord. God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law Gal. 4.4 that is subjected to it which he was as to the Moral so to the Ceremonial Law both which were fulfilled in and by him It becometh us to fulfill all righteousness Mat. 3.15 I am not come to destroy the Law but to fulfil Mat. 5.17 So he did the Ceremonial Law which had the full accomplishment in him And so he did the Moral Law which was fulfilled by him by his exact observation of it and perfect obedience to it which was done not only in reference to himself but others that so The righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us as the Apostle hath it Rom. 8.4 though not by us which it could not be being now made weak through the flesh as the verse there foregoing hath it not able to justifie man before God in as much as it could not be kept and fulfilled by him in this corrupted state yet in us through the imputation of Christs Active as well as Passive obedience unto us Thus as by one mans disobedience viz. of the first Adam many were made sinners so by the obedience of one viz. Christ the second Adam many are made righteous viz. by the Imputation as of the sin of the one so the righteousnesse of the other as we have it Rom. 5.19 Thus was he given for us in his Life 4. In his Death 4. And so in his Death He ossered up himself a sacrifice for us Of which more anon 5. In his Resurrection 5. In like manner in his Resurrection he rose again for us He dyed for all that they which henceforth live should not live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5.15 Those for whom Christ dyed he also rose again for them Being delivered for our offences he was raised again for our Iustiflcation Rom. 4. last thereby evidencing and assuring unto his people the truth of that reconciliation which by his death he had purchased and obteined for them 6. In his Ascension 6. So again in his Ascension wherein hee went before to prepare a place for us as he tells his Disciples Joh. 14.2 7. And in like manner in his Intercession 7. In his Intercession Being ascended up into heaven he there sitteth at the right hand of God his Father as our Advocate as he is called 1 Joh. 2.1 to plead our cause It is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 Thus hath Christ loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour as the Apostle sets it forth Eph. 5.2 An Offering and a Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ an Offering and a Sacrifice alluding to those two kind of Altars and Offerings which were in the Temple the bloody sacrifice offered upon the Brazen Altar and the Incense offering upon the Golden Thus did Christ give himself for his people as a Sacrifice in his death so an offering in his Intercession perfuming their prayers with that sweet Incense the pretious odours of his merits as that Text is commonly expounded Rev. 8.3 All these wayes may Christ be said to have given himself for us Christs giving himself in his Death here properly intended Each of these tending to our good our benefit But there is one of them which is here principally eyed and intended in the Text viz. his giving himself a Sacrifice which he did in and by his death This is the giving of Christ which we so frequently meet with in Scripture Who gave himself for our sins Gal. 1.4 I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it Eph. 5.25 All which with many the like Texts are to be understood of Christs giving himself to death And so understand we it here in the Text who gave himself for us viz. Dying for us as we have it Rom. 5.8 Christs Death fitly called a giving himself for us It being Which may well be called a Giving himself for us In as much as what Christ herein did he did it for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nostro bono nostra vice both for our good and in our stead 1. For our good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus se morti devovit nostrâ causâ Grot. in Text. The Socinians sense of the Phrase 1. For our good our benefit So much Socinians will readily yeeld us that Christ in yeelding himself to the death intended chiefly the good of mankind suffering for their sakes viz. that he might first set them an Example And secondly that he might the better know how to compassionate and succour them in all their sufferings These are the two principal if not the only ends which they assign of Christs dying And there is a truth in each of these 1. To set us an Example 1. Christ dyed to set us an Example So Saint Peter giveth it us in express words 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps which Christians are to do as in his Active obedience learning of him how to do the will of God which he taught them in his Life so in his Passive Obedience learning of him how to suffer that will which he taught them as in his Life so specially in his Death 2. He dyed and suffered what he did That he might be the more compassionate to us that having experience of such sufferings he might the better know how to pity and succour others in their sufferings This also the Apostle clearly holdeth forth in that known Text Heb. 2.18 For in that he himself suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Christ was tempted tryed So he was in his Life having experiences of many Temptations from Satan and sufferings from his Instruments Being then as the Prophet calls him Is 53.3 vir dolorum á man of sorrows But specially in his death That was to him an hour of temptation as that troublesome time is called Rev. 3.10 a time of Tryal wherein he was tempted both in Body and Soul as I shall shew you anon And having been thus tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potest anxiliari pro potest moveri ad auxiliandum as Grotius well interprets it Able that is the more readily inclined thereunto in regard of that experience which himself hath had in his own person Thus we read of every High Priest Cap. 5. v. 2. of that Epistle that he is one who being taken from among men can have eompassion on the ignorant c. for that
Scripture Arguments from Reason Arg. 1. Every man bound to believe that Christ dyed for him the assertors of this Doctrine come to Reason arguing after this manner That which every one is bound to believe must needs be true But is this a thing which every man is bound to believe that Christ dyed for him Therefore this is true This is the Argument which is taken up at all hands by the Adversaries and cryed up as unanswerable But upon a due weighing of it it will be found to be but a shadow without a substance For Answer let the Minor the Assumption Ans be examined viz. Whether every man be bound to believe this that Christ dyed for him This they assume and take for granted But this we deny Taking notice 1. That there are some 1. Not Heathens who never heard of Christ yea the greatest part of the world who never heard of the name of Christ And not having heard of him how is it possible that they should thus believe in him as the Apostle concludeth it Rom. 10.14 So then all and every man is not bound to believe this that Christ dyed for him Repl. Yea but say they all those to whom the Gospel is Preached are 2. Nor yet all Christians absolutely Ans Not so neither not to believe this absolutely and without Condition True it is all those to whom the Gospel is Preached are bound to believe that Christ is the Saviour the only Saviour of the world the Saviour of all that shall be saved Neither is there Salvation in any other c. Act. 4.12 This they are bound to believe As also that he is an All-sufficient Saviour that he hath paid a price in it self sufficient for them and that he is able perfectly to save all those that come unto God by him And that upon their coming to him receiving of him as their Saviour and Lord he will do this for them applying the merit of his death unto them for their Justification and Salvation But that all should believe that these benefits of Christs death belong unto them we find no where injoyned Nay for some to believe this viz. wicked and ungodly persons continuing in their sins and resolving so to do it were no other but a groundlesse presumption a thing which they have no warrant to do As for such let it be said to them as Iehu once spake to Ioram when he enquired of him concerning Peace Is it Peace Iehu What hast thou to do with Peace saith he so long as the whordoms of thy Mother Iezabel and her witchcrafts are so many 2 King 9.22 So say I concerning this Prince of Peace the Lord Iesus who hath shed his blood to make peace betwixt God man what have you to do with him or with his blood to lay any claim to the merit of his death to believe that this blood was shed for you whilest you thus trample it under your feet by your continuing going on in your sinful provocations So then all are not bound to believe this that Christ dyed for them Not they who thus daily crucifie him afresh as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6.6 Nay thus continuing in their impenitency they are rather bound to believe the contrary that Christ never intended to spend any drop of his blood for them that any benefit of his death should redound unto them and so that he dyed not for them Thus to apply the death of Christ and bring it home to a mans self is a thing which is peculiar to some viz. to broken-hearted humbled sinners Such Christ calleth to come unto him Come unto me ye that labour and are heavy laden For such it was Christ gave himself whereof they may rest assured Not so others Repl. Yea but it may be said upon repenting and believing they may Ans True herein we shall close with them concluding it as an undoubted truth that Christ dyed for all such and consequently that if all were such Christ dyed for all But this I shall have occasion to deal with more fully afterwards For the present passe it by Taking notice of another Argument as trite and common as the former Arg. 2. Christ offered to all in preaching of the Gospel and all required to believe on him If Christ did not dye for all and every one why then is he offered to all and every one to whom the Gospel is Preached and they required under the penalty of eternal condemnation to believe on him This is his Commandement that we should believe on the name of his Son Iesus Christ 1 Joh. 3.23 We All and every one to whom the Gospel is Preached He that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God Joh. 3.18 Now if Christ did not dye for all to what purpose is this offer this command or what justice in this doom Ans 1. Christ offered to all for the Elects sake For the former first Christ is thus offered unto all for the Elects sake Thus many things are done in the world and in the Church for their sakes For their sakes it is that the Gospel is Preached For their sakes it is that God sends forth his Ministers Even as at the last day he shall send forth his Angels to gather together his Elect from the four winds from one end of the heaven to the other Matth. 24.31 So to bring them into his Kingdom of Glory even so now he sendeth forth his Ministers the Angels of the Churches to gather together his Elect to gather them out of the world and to bring them into his Kingdom of Grace So as were it not for their sakes the Ministers of Christ should not be sent forth neither should the Gospel be Preached at all This was the Reason which the Lord giveth unto his Servant Paul why he would have him abide at Corinth and Preach the Gospel there For saith he I have much people in that City many who belonged to his Election of grace whom he intended to bring home effectually to call by his Ministery Act. 18.10 intimating that had it not been for their sakes Paul should not have Preached there And upon this ground it was that Paul himself both did and suffered what he did Therefore saith he I endure all things for the Elects sake that they may also obtein the Salvation which is in Christ Iesus so he tels Timothy 2 Tim. 2.10 And for their sakes it is that in the Preaching of the Gospel Christ is offered unto all and every one In as much as the Election of God is secret known only to himself The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Not so to others not to Man And therefore is it that the Ministers of Christ must Preach the Gospel to every creature as their Commission runs Mark 16.15 Offering Christ to all and every man that so Gods Elect may be gathered out of all
he sent them forth to preach run thus Into whatsoever City or Town ye shall enter enquire who in it is worthy and there abide Matth. 10.11 And again v. 13. If the house be worthy let your peace come upon it Ans Ans Yet to preach the Gospel ro others also True such they were to enquire for there taking up their lodging where they had hopes of a curteous reception and kind entertainment for their persons and Doctrine which finding they were to abide with them preaching the Gospel of peace unto them Yet not so but that they were to preach it unto others also The Lord sending his Prophet Exekiel to the people of the Iewes he tells him aforehand what ones he should find them Ezek. 2.3 Son of man I send thee to the Children of Israel to a rebellious Nation And v. 4. They are impudent Children and stif-hearted I do send thee unto them and thou shalt say unto them Thus saith the Lord God And they whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for they are a rebellious house yet shall they know that there hath been a Prophet among them And such did the Apostles also find that people when they were sent by their Master to preach the Gospel unto them yet they were sent to them And being so sent they were not to decline that service It was necessary saith Paul that the word of God should first have been spoken to you Act. 13.46 necessary in regard of Christs Command So then it is not the worthiness or unworthiness of a people that is the sole cause why the Gospel is preached unto some and not to others Sometimes yea oftimes where sin aboundeth grace superaboundeth Rom. 5.20 There must then be some higher cause which putteth this difference betwixt Nation and Nation And what shall that be Surely where God hath a people that do belong unto his Election of grace he will reveal and make known his Son to them some way or other Paul must continue preaching the Gospel at Corinth because the Lord had much people in that City Act. 18.10 And were it only mens own unworthiness that hinders the making known of Christ unto them and of that reconciliation which was obteined for them by him the same unworthiness should much more have hindered the obteining of that Reconciliation If it now hinder Christs making known himself to them it should much more have hindered his giving himself for them But I shall proceed no further You now see the sum of what is and may be said Pro and Con for and against this doctrine of Vniversal Redemption Which if you shall but rightly consider duly weighing the Arguments on both sides I shall not doubt of the success Which that it may be answerable to my desire give me leave to propound one Question unto you which I shall desire you seriously to consider before you give any entertainment to this Doctrine viz. Quest What is to be got by it Quest What to be got by receiving the Doctrine of Universal Redemption This do all wise traders before they bargain for any Commodity they first propound to themselves what they shall gain by it And this do you before you receive this new Doctrine see what you shall get by it what spiritual advantage is to be made of it more than of the Doctrine formerly received Repl. O yes will some say very much Here is a ground of Comfort for poor sinners Repl. A ground of Comfort for poor sinners which is not to be found in any other way For if Christ did not dye alike for all and every one how shall any be assured that he dyed for them and that they shall receive any benefit from him Yea what do they know but that coming unto him they may find the like intertainment from him that some of those who take acquaintance of him at the last day are said to meet with whom he dismisseth with a Nescio vos Depart from me I never knew you Matth. 7.23 Even so may he say unto them coming to lay claim to the merit of his Death Depart from me I never knew you never knew you for mine never intended you any benefit by my death So as it is but in vain for them to look after that which they have no right unto This is the great and plausible Argument which is most taking with honest and simple hearts Ans Ans The promise full to them that believe But to this let the Answer be returned in one word Only Believe So doing now the promise is full God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life Repl. Yea but it will be said how can a poor sinner do this how can he believe on Christ unless first he believe that he dyed for him Repl. How shall a man believe on Christ unless he first believe that he dyed for him which he cannot do upon any good ground unless he first intertain this Doctrine and believe that Christ dyed for all Ans Ans To believe on Christ the direct and first Act of Faith So it is looked upon indeed and that not only by Arminians who take this for one of the best shafts in their Quiver but also by some other more moderate spirits who thus conceive of it that a man must first believe that Christ is his Saviour and that he gave himself for him dyed for him before he can believe on him resting upon him for Salvation But herein upon a more narrow search into it we shall find them unwarily mistaken As will soon appear if we do but look upon these two Acts of Faith in their right order The one of which viz. to believe on Christ to take hold of him as a Saviour is the Direct Act the other to believe that he dyed for me and that he hath obteined reconciliation for me the Reflex act an act of Assucame arising from the soules reflecting and looking back upon its own act of believing Which if rightly considered will be of great use and importance as for the clearing of this scruple so for the quieting of doubting souls who by their believing on Christ may be assured of this that he dyed for them and that the merit of his death doth belong unto them This I shall God willing speak to somewhat more fully hereafter Where I shall shew you that there is more true solid comfort to be found in the other the old way than in this For the present only take notice that you cannot assign any spiritual advantage that is to be made of this Doctrine and consequently cannot give any good Reason why you should give intertainment to it Quest Quest The Doctrine of Universal Redemption how disadvantageous Which seeing you cannot do cannot tell me what you may gain by it let me in the second place briefly on the other hand shew
unto the soul of a poor sinner Not such a general apprehension of an universal Redemption that Christ dyed for all to open a door of hope for all by making their Salvation possible upon the condition of their believing in the mean time not meriting faith for them that they should believe and so not intending that the merit of his death should be made effectual to all of them But labour to evidence and ascerting this to our selves that Christ gave himself for us in such a peculiar and efficatious way as our surety in our room and stead undertaking for us making Reconciliation for us and so that we have interest in the merit of his death Quest Quest How shall this be done I but how shall we be able to do this This is a secret A thing known to God The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 his by Election And so doth Christ also I am the good Shepheard and know my Sheep Joh. 10.14 his sheep not only by effectual Vocation of whom he speaketh v. 27. My sheep hear my voice and I know them but also by Election I know whom I have chosen Joh. 13.18 Chosen to eternal life And thus he knew who they were to whom he intended the benefit of his death I lay down my life for the sheep saith he Ioh. 10.15 viz. those sheep whom in the verse foregoing he saith he knew took special notice of and had set a peculiar love upon I but how shall this be made known to us How shall we be assured that we are in this number Ans 1. Answ 1. Gods secret will not to be consulted with For answer hereunto let me first inform you what you are not to do Do not attempt what you shall never be able to compass Do not think of ascending up into heaven there to search the Rolls and Records of Eternity to see whether your names be written in that Book of life whether you be in the list of Gods Elect or no. I mean do not trouble your selves about Gods secret will which belongeth not to you Do not immenge and plunge your selves into those unfaddomable depths where you shall never find the bottom I mean those mysterious doctrines of Predestination Election Reprobation Which the great Apostle having discoursed of Rom. 11. closeth up all with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the depth v. 33. So admiring what he could not comprehend No nor yet of Redemption Of which Hemingius writing upon the Text saith truly that it is Venerandum potiùs quà m serutandum mysterium A mystery rather to be adored than curiously pried into But here as in all other mysteries of like nature content your selves with what God hath revealed Hic conquiescat caro saith he Here let flesh and blood rest in what the word clearly holdeth forth And this do you Hearkning to such Counsels and applying your selves to such wayes and courses as you are there directed to that so you may be sure to have a share in all those benefits which Christ by his death hath purchased for his Elect. Which what they are let me in the second place come to shew you which I shall do as plainly and briefly as I may binding up all in this one general Ans 2 Ans 2. Come unto Jesus Christ Would you be sure to have benefit by the death of Christ then Come ye unto him This is that which renders the death of Christ in effectual to the greatest part of those to whom he is made known they will not come unto him So our Saviour chargeth it upon the unbelieving Jewes Ioh. 5.40 Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life And even so is it with the greatest part of the world those among whom Christ is crucified as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 3.1 before whose eyes he is evidently set forth in the preaching of the Gospel and so offered and tendered unto them they will not come unto him that they might be made partakers of what he hath merited by his death Let not the like be charged upon any of us Hearing of Christ and of what he hath done how he hath given himself now come unto him that we may partake of what he hath purchased for all that shall so do Quest But the question runs on How shall we come unto him Quest How come unto him Ans Ans As to a Prophet Priest and King A question well worth the Answering to which let me beg the best of your attentions Would you so come unto Christ as to be sure to receive benefit from him Come unto him then as to a Prophet as to a Priest as to a King owning and acknowledging him in every of those Offices and Relations 1. As a Prophet hearing him 1. As a Prophet hearing and believing him This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him saith the voyce from heaven Matth 17.5 And this do you who ever would receive any benefit from Christ hear him hearken to him yeelding up your selves to be taught by him This is the ear-mark of Christs sheep My sheep hear my voyce Joh. 10.27 Those whom God the Father hath given to his Son Christ to be redeemed and saved by him they hearken to his voyce hearing and believing the Doctrine of the Gospel And this do you who ever desire to have Christ for your Priest take him first as your Prophet Yeelding up your selves as I said to be taught and instructed by him concerning the great mystery of Salvation by and through him that you may know it and knowing it believe it Know believe Iesus Christ to be what he is even the great God our Saviour as the words before the Text describe him the Eternal only begotten Son of God And how he was sent by his Father upon this arrand for the Redeeming and saving of lost Man-kind Without this knowledge and belief you are not capable of receiving any benefit by the death of Christ This is is a Character which Christ giveth of his sheep those for whom he saith he gave himself in that Text forenamed Ioh. 10.14 I know my sheep and am known of mine They are such as know and believe him to be what he is I am come out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me saith he of his Apostles Ioh. 17.8 And thus must they be in measure qualified who ever expect any benefit from the death of Christ They must be such as know and believe the Doctrine of the Gospel Repent ye and believe the Gospel so our Saviour begins his preaching Mar. 1.15 Thus receive Christ as your Prophet learning of him hearkning to him Believing him 2. Come unto him as your Priest believing on him 2. As a Priest believing on him Ye believe in God believe also in me Joh. 14.1 Not contenting your selves with a general a bare speculative knowledge or dogmatical faith to know and believe what Christ
not to take vengeance for their sins past but to correct and instruct them for the future Obj. Obj. Death being the punishment of sin stil remaineth But how is it then that death which is the proper punishment of original sin still remaineth alike to all A. Ans The quality altered by Christ To this it is Answered as to the former True it is Death at the first came in by sin and in it self it is a punishment of sin but not so to those that are in Christ to true believers To them it is Medicinalis non poenalis not properly penal but Medicinal Death remaines but the sting is pulled out which is sin Even as it is with sin it self that remains in the Regenerate as to the being of it whilest the guilt and power are taken away So it is with Death That remaines as to the power of it Gods Saints being subject to it as well as others but the poyson the bitterness is taken away To them it is no longer a punishment of sin from which all which Christ hath Redeemed them 2. That man is bound to make satisfaction for himself 2. Again If Christ hath Redeemed his people from all Iniquities how is it that they tell us that they are yet bound to make satisfaction for themselves Redeeming and delivering themselves from Temporal yea from Eternal punishment by their own doings or sufferings by their good works prayer fasting alms-deeds by inflicting corporal punishments upon themselves or undergoing what Penances are injoyned them by the Priest Which what is it still but to derogate from this work of Redemption as if Christ had done it but by halves He satisfied for some sins and left us to satisfie for others and so in part to be our own Redeemers to Redeem our selves from our Iniquities Obj. But how is it then that Daniel giveth this Counsel to King Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.27 Dan. 4.27 explained Peccata tua Eleemosynis redime U. L. Redeem thy sins by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor A. So indeed the vulgar Latin as also Montanus and other their Expositors read that Text but Tremellius whom our own Translations therein follow renders it more properly Abrumpe Break off thy sins That is the proper signification of the word Parach Rupit abrac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pit c. which we find so used and rendered Gen. 27.40 where Isaac speaking to his son Esau tells him When thou shalt have the dominion thou shalt break the yoke from off thy neck Vparacta franges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 franges jugum saith Montanus Excutias solvas saith the vulgar Latin thou shalt break off shake off And thus Daniel there adviseth that cruel Tyrant that he should break off his former sinnes of Tyranny and Oppression by betaking himself to the practice of Righteousnesse and Mercy Which doing with an upright heart he might thereby hope to divert those judgments of God which hung over his head Divert them though not by way of merit no It is not one good work or yet many being all but Duties that can make satisfaction to the Justice of God for the least sin But by a way of a gracious Remuneration God being free in rewarding what ever services are done to his name 3. That one may satisfie for the sins of another One may bear the burden and discharge the debt of another c. And it was a ridiculous heresie of Wickleffe to deny the same Rhem. Annotat. 〈◊〉 1 Col. 24. Yet again in the third place If Christ have redeemed his people from all Iniquity how is it then that they affirm that one may satisfie for the sins of another So the Rhemists in express terms lay it down in their Annotation upon Col. 1.24 Censuring it for a ridiculous heresie in Wickleff that he denyed it But what is this again but to make others sharers with Christ in this great work of Redemption As if he had not given himself to this end to redeem his people from all iniquities As for us know we no other Redeemer but him As for Man not being able to Redeem himself how shall he redeem another A thing which we may hear the Psalmist in express terms disclaiming Psal 49.7 No man can redeem his Brother nor give unto God a ransome for him Not redeemed him from Temporal death much less from Eternal But I shall not any longer detain you in the refutation of these Errors which having been so fully discovered by many hands already I hope there is no fear of any infection from them A word in the third place for those whom at present you are in more danger of Arminians 2. Arminians who teach a universal Redemption Whose Doctrine is as you have heard that Christ dyed and dyed alike for all earnestly contending for an Vniversal Redemption Vniversal Redemption This in a good sense we readily grant viz. in that which the Text holdeth forth that Christ gave himself to Redeem his people from all iniquity But not so in their sense that he dyed alike for all impetrating and obtaining the like benefits for all Which if so then must all be Redeemed from all iniquity All not redeemed from all iniquity not onely from Original sin which they look upon as wholly discharged by the death of Christ so as none are condemned for it but from all Actual sins Commissions Omissions And if so how is it then that they are not all made partakers of this benefit to have their sins actually pardoned and persons reconciled unto God A. To this I know they will readily Answer The Cause of this is onely the want of faith Ans Want of faith the cause of this because men do not beleeve on Christ who dyed for them This is it that renders his death ineffectual unto them Repl. But to this we rejoyn Is this Infidelity of theirs an Iniquity Repl. Infidelity an Iniquity or no Surely this they will not deny And if so how is it that they are not redeemed by Christ from it both from the Guilt and Power of it Both these did Christ merit as you have heard for all those for whom he gave himself Giving himself to this end that he might redeem them from all iniquity not onely from sin against the Law but sins against the Gospel Christs people redeemed from sins against the Gospel as well as against the Law Christ meriting faith for his people In particular from this of Vnbelief from which Christ hath merited and obtained that those for whom he gave himself should be freed having among other things merited faith for them and that not onely a power to beleeve that so they may beleeve if they will as they would have it but also the Habit and Act of faith that they shall beleeve To you it is given on the behalf of Christ not onely to beleeve an him but also to suffer for his
the apprehension of this unspeakable benefit obtained for us by Jesus Christ our spiritual Redemption let it affect our hearts with joy and gladnesse Rejoycing in this more than in all our other Temporal inioyments herewith drowning all our carnal fears and sorrows Fear not for I have redeemed thee Isa 43.1 2. And rejoycing in it give unto our Redeemer the Glory of this his work 2. Give unto their Redeemer the Glory hereof 1. Admiring the love 1. Admiring the love of Jesus Christ which the Lord Jesus hath herein expressed to us that he should thus engage for us giving himself to Redeem us purchasing our Redemption at so dear a rate Not with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with his own pretious blood as Saint Peter there hath it 1 Pet. 1.19 O what love was this So a poor Prisoner would look upon it Should another come and freely ingage for him for the payment of his debt though it were but some small sum of ten or twenty pound which himself was no waies able to have payed he would never forget this love What cause then have we to admire and adore this love which the Lord Iesus hath herein shewed unto us in this giving himself to redeem us 2. Admiring it 2. Giving thanks to him return unto him the promise which is due unto him for it This David calleth upon himself to do for his Temporal Redemption Psal 103.1 2 4. Blesse the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits Who Redeemeth thy life from destruction And was he so thankfull for a Temporal O how thankfull should we be for this Spiritual this eternal Redemption which we have obtained by Iesus Christ For this let our Souls for ever bless him giving thanks unto him O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good c. Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so saith the same Psalmist Ps 107.1 2. acknowledging his goodness in their temporal deliverances And this do we much more who are the Redeemed of the Lord Iesus give we thanks unto him for this so unspeakable a benefit 3. And giving thanks to him let it be our in devour to express this our Thankfulness 3. Express their thankfulness to him Which do we 1. 1. By loving of him By answering this love with love loving him who hath expressed such love to us This it was and only this that induced him to undertake this work for us his Love This it was that moved God to work that Redemption for his people Israel out of Egypt In his love and in his Pitty he redeemed them Is 63.9 And what else was it that moved the Lord Iesus to undertake this work of eternal Redemption for us He loved us and gave himself an offering for us Eph. 5.2 He loved the Church and gave himself for it v. 25. who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood Rev. 1.5 O then let us labour to answer this love with love loving this our Redeemer who thus meerly out of his love hath given himself to Redeem us 2. And loving him Live to him 2. Living to him Let this love of Christ constrain us c. That seeing he dyed for us to Redeem us we who live do not henceforth live unto our selves but unto him who thus dyed for us as the Apostle applies it 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Living unto him according to his Prescriptions and to his Glory as you heard that phrase opened before 3. And living to him let us also Dye to him 3. Dying to him Whether we live we live unto the Lord or Whether we die we dy unto the Lord Rom. 14.8 In both dedicating our selves unto him As in life so in death As living to him so dying in him Blessed are the dead which dy in the Lord even so saith the Spirit Rev. 14 13. that is in the faith of Christ Thus dyed the Patriarch All these dyed in the faith Heb. 11.13 in the faith of the promised Messiah And so see that we Dy. Not only in the Profession of the doctrine of faith the Gospel but in the practice and exercise of it Resting and learning upon this our Redeemer Even as Iacob is said to have done upon the top of his staff Heb. 11.21 Bequeathing and commending our spirits unto him as the Martyr Stephen did who breathed out his Soul with these words Lord Iesus recieve my Spirit Acts 7.29 Thus living thus dying now doubt not but that in due time we shall be made partakers of that full and perfect Redemption which Christ is said to be made unto all Beleevers 1 Cor. 1.30 Even that Redemption of our Bodies of which the same Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.23 Our Souls being here Redeemed from the Guilt and power of sin both Souls and Bodies shall be hereafter freed from all the Consequents of it 4. Hath Christ given himself to redeem us from Iniquity Vse 4. The Redeemed of the Lord not to inslave themselves by returning unto sin O then far be it from any of us which are so Redeemed to return to this Bondage again by inslaving our selves to any base lust Which who so shall do they thereby shew themselves unworthy of such a Benefit So we would think of a Captive who being redeemed out of the hands of his Enemies by a great ransom should being in his right wits put himself under their power again returning to his former slavery who but would judge him worthy there to remain unworthy of such a second favour And truly such a Judgment hath the spirit of God passed upon wilfull Apostates whose doom we may read in those two known terrible Texts The one Heb. 6.4 ◠6. It is unpossible for those who were once enlightned with the knowledge of the truth and have tasted of the heavenly gift of Christ that gift of God and of this great benefit of Redemption by him having a general knowledge thereof and made some particular application of it to themselves not without some delight If they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame If they return to to their former estate there is little or no hope of such in as much as by this their wilfull Apostacy they offer so high an affront to him whom once they owned and acknowledged cor their Saviour and Redeemer treading him under foot As that other Text hath it Heb. 10.26 c. If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrîfice for sin but a certain fearfull looking for of Judgement and fierce indignation He that despised Moses Law dyed without mercy Of how much soarer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hathtrodden under foot the Son of God and counted the blood of the Covenant
and willing should Christians be in their services as to God so to their Brethren therein imitating their heavenly Pattern the Lord Jesus who in obedience to God his Father Gave himself And that for Them So it followeth in the third Particular To which I shall now pass Donati 3. Partic. The Persons for whom Christ gave himself The Persons for whom Christ thus gave himself For us saith the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So we find it elsewhere and that often as Rom. 5.8 Christ dyed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 Christ our Passeover is slain for us Gal. 3.13 Being made a Curse for us Eph. 5.2 Christ hath loved us and given himself for us 1 Thes 5.10 Who died for us 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ also suffered for us And 1 Joh. 3.16 He layed down his life for us All speaking one and the same thing with this in the Text Who gave himself for us Quest Quest What to be understood by Vs But what or whom shall we understand hereby Ans Answ Man-kind For us that is for us Men. So it must be here looked upon as excluding all other Creatures So much we may take notice of from that which we meet within the fourth verse of the Chapter following where Gods love in sending and giving his Son Christ is called by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the love of God our Saviour towards man Such is this Gift proper unto man-kind There is one Mediator betwixt God and Men the Man Christ Iesus 1 Tim. 2.5 For their sakes it was that Christ came into the world taking their nature upon him Verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the Seed of Abraham so our Translation renders that Text which is commonly understood of Christs taking the nature of man into a personal union with his God-head Heb. 2.16 In which nature also he suffered Being put to death in the flesh as Saint Peter hath it 1 Pet. 3.18 that is in his Humane nature so suffering for man-kind This is a truth agreed at all hands Quest Whether all Man-kind or no. Quest But whether for all man-kind or no Here is the Question A Question which as heretofore so of late times hath occasioned not a little trouble and disquiet to the Church of God and that as elsewhere so in this Nation and I wish I might not say in this place at this day For the seeling of your Judgements and stablishing of your hearts that you may not be carried away with that wind of doctrine which hath of late broke in among you whereby some unstable souls have been turned aside to the renouncing of that truth which they had been formerly taught and therewith of that Communion which heretofore they imbraced give me leave now having so just an occasion offered for it from this Text to spend a little time upon it Wherein I cannot make promise of much if ought which you may not upon enquiry receive from other hands This being a point which hath been already sufficiently agitated and discussed and I suppose as much said in it pro and con as can in an ordinary way be expected Only I shall affect all possible plainness speaking as near as may be to the apprehension of the meanest Capacity Begin we then with the Text we have now in hand Ans The word in the Text us examined and so those other forenamed where it is said that Christ gave himself for us dyed for us How shall we understand this us Whether of all men universally considered So the Arminian looketh upon it taking the word us here in the greatest latitude that may be from hence concluding their plausible Doctrine so eagerly sucked in by many who understand it not of Vniversal Redemption that Christ dyed for all and every one that alike Vs here restrained to the Elect. But herein I find them more confident tban some of the Romanists dare be Estius the Professor at Doway writing upon this Text professeth himself to be dubious in it expounding this us with a Sive Estius Com in Text. Pro nobis sive omnibus hominibus sivè spectatim Electis For us that is In quorum personâ Paulus saepè lequitur Ib. either for all men or specially for the Elect In whose person saith he the Apostle often speaeketh And surely so we may justly conceive him here to do where he restraineth this us to a peculiar people a people redeemed from all iniquity and purified a people Iustified and Sanctified And who are these but the Elect such as God hath from the beginning chosen unto Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit as Saint Paul describeth believers 1 Thes 2.13 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through Sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ as Saint Peter hath it 1 Pet. 1.2 For such Christ gave himself for all such So much we yeeld may demonstratively be concluded from this Text but no more Quest Quest Whether Christ dyed only for his Elect But what then did Christ dye only for them did he not dye for others also yea for all alike the good and benefit of his death being by his Father and himself intended as as well to one Ans Difference of opinions about it as another So some Romanists Lutheranes and Arminians would have it Therin differing from some others some of them such as upon whose memories I shall write nothing but Blessed who out of a pious intention for the healing of this Breach the compremizing of this difference have with much study sought I cannot say found out a moderate and middle course viz. The middle way sought but not found Arch. B. B. of Armagh in Dr. Barnards vindication that Christ dyed in a general way for all to purchase a possibility of Salvation for them which he did by making satisfaction to the Justice of God for the sins of the whole world and so opening a door for the exercise of his Grace and Mercy towards and upon whom he pleaseth which before was shut It not being a thing consistent with the Justice of God to receive sinners to mercy till such time as satisfaction was made But this being done now the nature of man say they became salvable a subject capable of and fit for mercy which the Angelical nature in those that were fallen for want of such a Mediator is not cannot be Thus did God say they set forth his Son to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness that he might be just aod the justifier of him which believeth in Iesus as the Apostle sets forth the end of Christs death I confess my self to hold fully with them who said Etsi Christus pro omnibus mortuus est tamen specialiter pro nobis passus est quia pro Eclesia passus est Idem ibid. p. 20 Qui
you what you shall loose by it what disadvantage will be made of it if intertained Which take in three or four particulars 1. This is a Doctrine which derogates much from the Grace of God in giving his Son Ans 1. It derogates from the love of God the Father in giving his Son So in truth it doth However it is vulgarly otherwise looked upon as a Doctrine that doth elevate and magnifie this grace far more than the other and that by extending and inlarging of it yet really it extenuates it and derogates much from it whilest it asserts it to be alike extended to and intended for all Which if so where is then that special that singular love of God to his Elect which is every where so highly extolled in Scripture In comparison of which that love which he beareth to others is little better than hatred And therefore so called by the Apostle Rom. 9.13 Iacob have I loved Esau have I hated that is not loved the one with the like love that I did the other Certainly whatever may be conceived of it to make Gods intention in giving his Son to be alike towards all it derogates not a little from that great love wherewith he loved his Elect people which far exceedeth that love which he bare to the rest of Man-kind 2. And as it derogates from the grace of God the Father so also from the love of God the Son 2 It derogates from the love of God the Son in giving himself Which certainly towards his Church his Body was a peculiar and transcendent love Thence is it that the Apostle compares it with the love of a Husband to his Wife Eph. 5.25 Husbands love your wives even as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it Now that love which Husbands bear and shew to their wives is or ought to be greater than that which they bear and shew to any others For this cause shall a man leave his Father and Mother and cleave unto his wife Matth. 19.5 There being the neerest relation betwixt them there ought also to be the dearest affection And so was it betwixt Christ and his Elect there being a nearer Relation betwixt him and them than any other they being given to him by his Father and made one with him he bare a singular and peculiar love to them As the Father hath loved me so have I loved loved you saith he to his Disciples Ioh. 15.9 Now what love like that which God the Father bare unto his Son Christ who is therefore called The beloved Eph. 1.6 and Gods beloved Son Matth. 3.17 And such was that love which Christ shewed to his Elect people in giving himself for them Who loved us and gave himself for us Eph. 5.2 Certainly to make the love of Christ alike unto all is no small derogation from that love which he bare to his Elect And this do they who will have him to give himself alike for all in dying for them Which was as I have shewn you the greatest act and highest expression of love that ever Christ shewed to any 3. This Doctrine as it derogates much from God and Iesus Christ so it arrogates too much unto Man in as much as it layeth the ground of his differing from others in himself 3. It arrogates too much unto Man laying the ground of his differing from others in himself For so it runs As for Christ what he hath done he hath done it alike for all How is it then that some are saved by him others not What is it that maketh one to differ from another Why only because the one receiveth what the other rejecteth So as by this Doctrine it must be left meerly to the liberty of mans own will to difference and distinguish himself from others Which runs directly cross to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 4.7 For who maketh thee to differ from another And what hast thou that thou didst not receive Repl. Yea but it will be said this is from the grace of God that any one cometh thus to receive what is offered to apply what is tendred to believe on Christ Faith a fruit not of Common but special Grace Ans But what Grace is this which they speak of Not any special grace which Christ merited or intended for one more than another but a common grace such as is indifferently reached forth to all to whom the Gospel is preached Now how is it that this Grace is effectual to one not to another Why this is not any thing that Christ hath done or intended more for the one than the other not that he hath merited faith for them that they should believe rather than others but meerly from the liberty of their own will So as the Efficacy of the death of Christ is by this Doctrine in the ultimate resolution of it made wholy to depend upon the will of man A Coar which will stick in the throats of who ever they are that shall swallow this Doctrine of Vniversal Redemption in such a sense as it is vulgarly held forth a Consequence which they will never be able to free it or themselves from Which I desire that it may be taken special notice of that so it may appear that it is not without just and weighty Reason that we are so averse unto this Doctrine which draweth such a train after it upon which follow such mewtable inconveniences A Doctrine which derogates so much from God and Iesus Christ and arrogates too much to a mans self Both which Christians ought to be very wary of 4. To this might be added what also is considerable that this Doctrine breaks in pieces that Golden Chain of Salvation 4. It breaketh in pieces the Golden Chain of Salvation The first Link whereof Election if it be not hereby wholy broken of yet is it disordered made to come after Redemption For so it runs God did first intend to give his Son for the redeeming and saving some among mankind viz. those which should believe on him And then foreseeing who they were that would believe and persevere in so doing he chuse them unto Salvation Which how doth it pervert that Order which Scripture holdeth forth in the Causes of mans Salvation the first whereof is Election Whom he did predestinate them he also called c. Rom. 8.30 God first chooseth some out of mankind whom predestinating and appointing unto eternal life he giveth unto his Son Christ All that the father giveth me shall come unto me Joh. 6.7 that he might execute that his gracious purpose concerning them Which accordingly he doth by Redeeming Iustifying Sanctifying Saving of them Now this being the first and great wheel which sets all the rest a rank if this be disordered as by this Doctrine it is it must needs breed a dangerous confusion 5. And again this Doctrine what ever may be conceived of it is not a little prejudicial to the Comfort and confidence of a Believer 5.
was what he hath done and to what end but Believe in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Believe on me He that believeth on him shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.6 He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God Joh. 3.18 This it is and only this which must make the death of Christ to become effectual unto you so it is agreed at all hands even your applying the merit thereof to your selves by faith Be a plaister or potion never so soveraign yet if it be not applyed if it be not drunk it will never do the Cure which it is proper for Even so is it with the blood of Christ which in it self as we find the Ancients often comparing it is such a Soveraign Medicine of vertue sufficient to cure all sin-sick soules in the world yea were they ten thousand times more than they are so as if all did take it Populum hoc immortalitatis habet quidem in se ut omnibus prosit sed si non bibitur non medetur Prosper Resp 1. ad Object Vincent all should certainly be recovered But as Prosper adds Si non bibitur non medetur If it be not drunk it cures not Not being applyed by faith it becomes in effectual And therefore as ever you desire to receive any benefit from the death of Christ see that you apply it by believing on him receiving him as your Saviour resting and relying on him for the obteining of what he hath merited Remission of sins and eternal Salvation Object Obj. How can they thus come unto Christ who are not assured that he dyed for them I but here a poor soul taking a shaft out of the Arminian quiver to wound it self with will hapily reply How can I do this How can I thus believe on him when as I do not know whether he intended this for me whether he gave her self for me or no This being dubious and uncertain what warrant or incouragement have I thus to come unto him thus to lay my hand upon the head of that sacrifice which I know not whether it was offered for me or no Thus do the Patrones of Vniversal Redemption by this Argument of theirs stane those off from coming to Christ who are not of their perswasion But herein let them not be hearkned to Ans All sin-sick soules invited and incouraged to come unto him Neither let this discourage or dishearten any from coming to him and believing on him Art thou only such a one as feelest the needs thou hast of him seest thy self lost without him One that feelest the weight and burden of sin and art weary and heavy laden under it so as thou earnestly desirest to be Redeemed from all iniquity and to be Purified to be freed and delivered from the guilt and power of sin now come and come boldly unto Jesus Christ laying hold on him by faith as thy Saviour Arguments inducing poor sinners thus to come unto Christ as one who hath given himself for thee so applying the merit of his death unto thy self In order whereunto to put thee upon this attempt of so great concernment take into consideration these few particulars 1. Thine own pressing necessity the need thou hast of a Saviour 1. Their absolute Necessity of a Saviour being in thy self a lost creature and without a Saviour for ever lost not being able to any thing of thy self for thy self for thy recovery out of this lost estate Such is the condition of all men by nature They are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Impotent without strength as the Apostle hath it Rom. 5.6 When we were yet without strength Christ dyed for us Not able to do any thing for the reconciling of themselves unto God And it must needs be so Being all dead in sin as the same Apostle sets forth mans natural state Eph. 2.1 and elsewhere Now what can a dead man do for the raising up of himself No more can a poor sinner do for the freeing of himself from that wretched accursed state and condition wherein he is by reason of sin So as there is an absolute necessity of a Saviour 2. And secondly thus seeing and feeling thy self to stand in need of a Saviour now take notice that there is but one Saviour no other Saviour but Jesus Christ 2. No other Saviour but Jesus Christ no other way or means of Salvation but by through him Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Act. 4.12 No other Mediator whether of Redemption or Intercession but only Jesus Christ There is one God and one Mediator betwixt God man the man Christ Iesus 1 Tim. 2.5 No hope in any other way of obteining reconciliation with God Now this thy condition being so desperate as that there is but this one way left to save thee what should hinder thee from putting thy soul upon this way Should a Shipwrackt man floating among the waves of the Sea ready to perish espy a raft cast forth and seeing no other way whereby he can possibly be saved but by that he should not need to be perswaded to take hold of it he would not spend time in demurring whether it was cast forth for him or whether it would save him or no but he would forthwith cast himself upon it and there hang. Thus standeth the case all men by nature are in a shipwrackt condition all plunged into a Sea of misery by reason of sin all in a perishing state ready every moment of time to sink into the bottom of hell Now loe Iesus Christ is cast forth as such a Plank to such an end Him hath God set forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 And other way or means of salvation there is none What then should hinder poor sinners who see themselves in this condition to put themselves upon this way Not standing to reason whether this Plank was cast forth for them whether Christ was given for them and whether they shall be sure to be saved by him but to take hold of him casting themselves upon him as knowing that if this way save them not they must perish and that for ever Such adventures men often make in desperate cases they put themselves upon any wayes which may give them any hopes of succour And such is the case here Poor sinners are in a desperate condition as to whatever themselves or any Creature whether Man or Angel is able to do for them Onely in this way it cannot be denyed there is hope for them And why then should they not put themselves upon the adventure It was the incouragement which Shecaniah gave unto Ezra to set upon a work of Reformation among the people for the diverting of Gods judgements from them Ezra 10.2 We
have trespassed against the Lord saith he yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing And so upon the like ground it is that the Prophet Ioel exhorts the people to turn unto God by Repentance For who knoweth saith he if he will return and repent and leave a blessing behind him Joel 2.13 14. They were not sure that upon their Reformation and Repentance the Lord would presently free them from those temporal judgements which then lay upon them Yet knowing that there was no other way for the obteining of such a mercy but this and that there was hope in this way therefore they will have them put themselves upon it So standeth it with all poor sinners be their state and condition whatever it will be yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing God hath provided a means of Salvation for such as they are And who knoweth but that he intendeth upon their coming to his Son Christ to apply it unto them So as were there nothing else yet this alone should be sufficient to put poor sinners upon this way of coming unto Christ and believing on him 3. But to this adde in the third place the All-sufficiency of this Sacrifice 3. The Al-sufficiency of his Sacrifice The death of Christ is sufficient for all Mark it Though we do not say what hath commonly but unwarily been received from the Schools and so asserted by many Orthodox Divines that Christ dyed sufficiently for all for that intimates that there was a purpose and intention in God the Father in giving his Son and in Christ giving himself that he should dye for all and so become a surety for all dying in their room and stead which will not be safe in any sense to yeeld Yet we affirm what I suppose will not be denyed or questioned that his death was and is in it self sufficient for all So it must needs be This Blood being the blood of God as the Apostle calleth it in that Text formerly made use of Act. 20.28 God purchased the Church with his own blood And so Saint Iohn 1 Joh. 3.16 God layed down his life for us that is that person who was truly God as well as Man Hence it is that the death and passion of Christ was and must needs be of an infinite value and vertue being the suffering of an infinite person Thus was it sufficient for all men for the whole world yea for thousands of worlds Now were it so that there were such a receit as would cure all diseases who is there but being sick would make tryal of it not standing to question whether it was prepared for him or no. Thus standeth the Case here All men by reason of sin are sick sick unto death Now the Blood of Iesus Christ is such a Panacea a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a true Catholicon The Blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 How it is then that any poor sinners who are sensible of this spiritual aylement should make any demur about the drinking of this blood the applying of the merit of Christs death unto themselves by faith 4. The experience of all who have thus come unto Christ 4. To this in the fourth place add the experience which others have had those who have put their souls upon this way of whom never any one miscaried All have found cure who have rightly applyed this remedy And why then should not others do the like As it was with the Brazen Serpent set up in the wilderness as a cure for the stinging of the fiery Serpents there however at the first erecting of it happily some might look upon it as a meer Pageant having no such vertue in it and so would not trouble themselves to go up to it yet when once they saw by experience that all who came unto it received benefit from it now we may suppose that none should need to perswade those who felt themselves stung to repair unto it Thus standeth the case here For such an end was the Lord Iesus of whom that was a Type lifted up upon the Cross that whosoever believeth on him should not persh but have eternal life as our Saviour himself explains the mystery of it Ioh. 3.14 15. And of the vertue of this mystical Brazen Serpent the Saints in all ages have had experience Those before Christ after The one looking upon him as to come the other as already come Yet believing on him they were all saved by him Even as the Israelites which looked upon that Serpent whether it was before or behind or on which side soever we do not find but they were all cured Thus have the Ages before Christ since the Fathers under the old Testament and Saints under the New both alike found benefit by coming unto Christ and looking up unto him by faith We believe saith Peter that through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ we shall be saved even as they Act. 15.11 We Iewes as they Gentiles None that ever came to Christ in a right way but have been saved by him So was it when he was here upon earth None came to him for cure of their Bodies but received it And so hath it been since his removal to heaven None ever came to him for the Cure of their souls but have found what they came for And what an incouragement then should this be to all poor sinners to take the same course to come unto him upon the same account These are all strong inducements to put Christians upon this way But behold yet more yea and stronger Arguments drawing more forcibly as viz. 5. Gods purpose in giving his Son 5. In the 5th place consider what is the Intimation which we have of God the Fathers purpose in giving his Son which we have in that Text before insisted on Ioh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish c. Now then taking notice what is the Condition whereupon depends the benefit of Christs death and which being performed it shall undoubtedly be made effectual what remains but that without any over-curious enquiry concerning the former part of that verse what is there meant by the world which God is said to have loved or how he may be said to have loved that world you apply your selves to the latter to the performance of what is there required Which shall you through the grace of God inabling make good on your parts do not doubt but God will make good unto you what he hath engaged on his part 6. Christs serious Invitation 6. To which add the Sons Invitation Christs calling you to come unto him which you may hear him doing in that known Text Matth. 11.28 Come unto me ye that labour and are heavy laden viz. under the burden of sin seriously desiring as I said to be freed from the guilt and power of it As also in that