whole body of the Congregation but I doubt you meane the execution of it which is to be inflicted not by all but by many 1 Cor. 5.3 2 Cor. 2.6 and so they are to admit of Infidels when they become Christians but those that are already baptized neede not such admittance The three and fortieth article You beleeve that a particular Church must trie their Officers gifts and then they may preach publickely and take upon them the charge of a Pastor but I doubt of it your answer is that when Christ gives ability to any they ought to improve it for their Masters advantage but I say it must be also in that place where their Master sets them or else they doe it for their owne advantage and not for his but you say if they be found false your Churches will not be corrupted by them but I say if children be left fatherlesse and have none to take care of them they will soone be corrupted and to say that you will not be corrupted and yet use no meanes to preserve your selves is but presumption like Peter who said that he would not deny his Master and yet tarried in the High Priests hall so your Church will not be corrupted and yet you take away those that are appointed to keepe you from corruption The sixe and fortieth article you beleeve that none must separate from a Church rightly constituted for corruptions that are in it but if you doe not dissemble you make it an article of your faith to beleeve your selves to be Schismatickes The nine and fortieth article You beleeve that you are bound to yeelde subjection to all civill Lawes made by the King and Parliament and yet you daily oppose Government The two and fiftieth article you beleeve that you have a conscience voyde of offence both towards God and towards man when as you cast off Gods Law in the worke of conversion Article 25 and mans law in Ecclesiasticall things Witnesse your setting up Churches without their authority these be your articles of faith then you saide you would beleeve all that is written by the Prophets and Apostles desiring to disclaime all heresies and opinions which are not after Christ But I charged you upon this promise of your owne and upon your generall promise together with your seven Churches to be as good as your word and not to dissemble in the very articles of your faith but when I had waited the full time appointed and saw no answer come I went to know the cause of it and he told me flatly that he would never write more unto me CHAP. II. Behold greater Abominations the Anabaptists maintained against me That the bodies of men consisting of flesh and bones is their Soules and that they have no other Secondly that the breath of men and beasts is their spirits and that it is immortall and liveth when their bodies are dead Thirdly They hold that in the resurrection the bodies both of men and beasts shall rise againe and their breath shall be infused againe into them TO these things I answer First That man hath two natures the one a Divine or spirituall substance like that of Angels adorned with divine faculties as the Understanding Judgement Reason Will Affection and Conscience the other part of man is humane being made of the foure Elements as all mortall creatures are and what casualties befall a beast may befall a man and man hath no preheminence above a beast for all is vanity Eccle. 3.19 but the soule spirit or heart of a Man that divine thing may be bound in the bundle of life 1 Sam. 25.29 being uncorruptible 1 Pet. 3.4 so then when the corruptible body dies the spirit depart from it and returnes to God that gave it Eccl. 12.7 Therefore when the Scripture calls this divine thing a Spirit distinctly it is for the most part to be understood of those principall faculties of it as the Understanding Reason and Judgement This is the spirit of your mind Ephes 4.23 because the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 And when the Scripture distinctly calleth this divine thing the Heart it is to be understood the Conscience If thy heart condemne thee God is greater 1 Joh. 3.2 Davids heart smote him 2 Sam. 24.10 The Law written in the Heart or Conscience Rom. 2.15 And when that divine thing is called the Soule distinctly it is to be understood the Will and all the affections saith Paul We were willing to have parted unto you our owne soules because you were deare unto us 1 Thes 2.8 Hannah powred out her soule before the Lord 1 Sam. 1.15 Yet when that divine thing is called by any of those names it is to be understood the whole inward man although sometimes Spirit signifies the principall ruling faculties and by Soule is meant the Will and Affections that are to be regulated by them and so here is meant the Conscience as an officer in trust to see that this divine order be kept within us yet for substance it is the same thing although declared by severall faculties of it Now I shall prove that this divine thing the soule spirit or heart of man is not the body consisting of flesh and bones first from the immediate causes from whence they came and they differ thus we have fathers of the flesh and we give them reverence but God alone is the father of spirits Heb. 12.9 Numb 16.22.27.16 then although the fathers of our flesh begot our bodies yet saith the Lord all soules are mine Ezek. 18.4 for he formed the spirit of man within him Zaâ—h 12.1 and he gave it Eccles 12.7 then the soule is not the body Secondly the soule and body differ when they returne out of the world then the body returnes to dust from whence it came Gen. 3.19 and the spirit or soule returnes to God that gave it Thirdly when the separation is made the body dyes for it is appointed for all men once to dye Heb. 9.27 We must needes dye all and be as water spilt upon the ground 2 Sam. 14.14 but after death to Judgement When the body is dead the spirit of man goes upward Ecces 3.20 21. to a particular Judgement Then this living soule Gen. 2.7 this incorruptible heart of man goes before the Judge and receives either the sentence of absolution or of condemnation while the body is dead and at the resurrection when the bodies of all are raised and made capable to receive their finall estate then they shall be brought before the Judge to have the sentence passed upon them for it then if the soule can live and receive judgement when the body is dead then the soule is not the body Fourthly the body lives no longer then the soule is in it for when the soule of the childe was gone the body lay dead but when the soule came into him againe the Prophet said see thy sonne liveth 1 King 17.20 21 22 23. but to
be made alive but every man in his order 1 Cor. 15.21.22 23. So then although we beleeve the resurrection of men we dare not beleeve the resurrection of beasts But they say That when the Lord hath takeâ— the breath of all creatures and they are dead and turned to dust then he sends forth his spirit and they are created and so he renues the face of the earth Psal 104.29 30. this they say is a plaine resurrection of all the creatures from death to life I answer Here in this place they are said by the Spirit of God to be created and so in Gen. 1. The Spirit of God moved upon the waters in the work of Creation And saith Job The Spirit of God made me Job 33.4 all this I grant yet this will not prove a resurrection unlesse you make the worke of Creation to be a resurrection from death to life But they say this was spoken after they were dead and returned to dust Psal 104.29.30 I answer this is frequent in scripture For things that were done first to be set downe last 1. Sam. 15.35 There is mention of Sauls death and Samuels mourning for him and then Chap. 17. Saul conferres with David about his going to fight with Goliah and afterwards he persecutes David But was all this after his death because it is set downe after it Againe thou renuest the face of the earth this cannot be meant of the resurrection from death to life but rather it is to be understood an enlarging of strength and comfort after some great scarcity with a new supply of plenty But here is nothing concerning resurrection from death to life Thirdly the Saints of God never expected any resurrection of beasts that ever I read of before these Anabaptists but they have alwayes expected a resurrection of men for saith Job Job 19.25 When wormes have destroyed this body yet in my flesh I shall see God And Martha saith I know that he shall rise againe in the resurrection of the just Iohn 11.24 and saith David My flesh shall rest in hope Psal 16.9 And besides the Saints in all ages embalmed the dead and buried them in coffins and sepulchers and cleane linnen to declare that they expected that they should rise againe but I reade of no such thing done to beasts and they that expect their resurrection might doe well to bury them more decently that the world may see that they beleeve a resurrection of beast Fourthly there is no example in Scripture that any beast ever did rise from death to life but we have many examples of men and women received their dead raised to life againe Heb. 11.35 and the man that was buried in the Sepulcher of the Prophet and touching his bones he revived and stoode upon his feete 2 King 12.21 And in the New Testament one newly dead and another in the coffin and another dead foure dayes and many came out of their graves at the death of Christ then if we have so many examples of men that arose and not one of beasts we must beleeve the one and reject the other as an abominable errour Fifthly beasts can neither dye the death of sinne nor suffer the death of eternall punishment neither can they rise to the state of grace nor to the state of glory which were a most miserable and shamefull thing for any to affirme therefore there is no resurrection for beasis Sixthly To rise from death to life at the last day is called the resurrection of the just and the unjust Acts. 24.15 Now if they say that beasts have done evill they shall come forth to the resurrection of damnation Iohn 9 25. or if some have done good and some evill then some of them shall be saved and some damned and then they must come before Christ the Judge on the Throne to receive either the sentence of absolution or condemnation These abominable errours are not fitting to be named amongst Christians much lesse to be embraced and defended by any and it would seeme incredible that any should be so blinde as to harbour such errours where the light of the Gospell comes but onely we know at the downefall of Antichrist The divell will stir up all the old heresies that ever was to uphold that tottering Babell But to come againe to the argument the covenant of workes was not made with beasts but with man onely then it was not the beasts but man onely that sinned against that Covenant of workes and man onely was punished for the breach of it and not the beasts although his punishments was not only upon his person but upon his whole estate and so accidentally the beasts were punished but not as their punishment for their sinne but as mans punishment for his sinne Then if beasts have neither sinne nor punishment from what should they be redeemed but they say if all men were not redeemed how should they rise again I answer Although all men are not redeemed neither doe they all rise by vertue of redemption yet Christ by his power will raise those that are not redeemed to partake of that punishment that is due to them for acting in that sinne with their soules when the whole man broke Covenant with the Eternall God But they say it is sufficient to punish the soule eternally although the body rise not I answer if they had kept that Covenant the body should have had the benefit of it to eternity therefore because it sinned with the soule it must suffer with it eternally But they say the body riseth without sinne I answer yet if it did so the soule being filthy and comming out of hell will defile it as a just requitall to the body which defiled the cleane soule as soone as it was infused into it but I suppose the bodies of reprobates shall not rise without sinne But as the tree falls so it lies there is no repentance in the grave but the same body and no other shall arise Job 19.26 For sin shall lye downe with him in the dust Job 20.11 and having the guilt of sinne upon it As a Part of the curse it shall be raised to partake with the soule in punishment for the whole man sinned and the whole man shall be punished eternally But they say As by the sinne of one man death came upon all men and beasts so by one man came the resurrection of the dead For in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15.21 22. Answ Beasts were but the goods of men it was man onely that sinned and was punished for all men being in Adam sinned and died for their owne sinne for it was theirs as soone as they were in him by nature so also those that are in Christ shall rise againe to grace here and to glory hereafter CHAP. III. Turne thee yet againe and see greater abominations They hold an Vniversall Redemption if not both of men and beasts yet of all men although they be already
therefore he died for 〈◊〉 Thirdly Christ died not for all and every man in the world for He was the good shepheard who gave his life for the sheepe Iohn 10 11.15 but all are not the sheepe of Christ neither by election nor calling For at the day of Judgement Christ will divide the she perfrom the gâ—â—tes and sar to the sheepe Come ye blessed and to the goats Goe ye cursed Math. 25.33.41 then Christ did not die for all and every man in the world but they will grant this saying Christ died for all and therefore for his sheepe but I say againe that they must be sheepe either in election that shall be brought into this folde Iohn 10 16. or else they are already in the folde by calling but this will not prove that he died for the goates and dogges that shall Fourthly Christ dyed onely for them that he knows The Lord knows who are his 2 Tom. 2.19 And Christ knows his sheep John 10.27 and as the Father hath his book wherein the names of all his are written Luke 10.20 So the 〈◊〉 hath his book of life Revel 13.8 But some at the last day will neither be found written in the book of life nor in the Lambs book therefore he will professe unto them that he never knew them Mat. 7.21 22. Luke 13.17 So that if Christ knows his sheep for which he died and yet at the day of judgement there shall be some that he never knew then Christ did not die for all and every man in the world Fifthly Christ dyed for no more then he prayed for and now makes intercession but sayth he I pray not for the world John 17.9 and not to make intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Rom. 8.27 He makes intercession for all that come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 And sayth he I pray not for these alone but for them also that shall beleeve through the Word John 17.2 Thus Christ prayed for all the elect that shall come unto God by him and that shall believe in him but some he would not pray for but sayth I pray not for the world Joh. 17.9 for then if Christ would not vouchsafe to pray for all and every man in the world shall we thinke that he would die and spill his bloud for all But say they all were given to Christ and if he prayes for all those that were given to him then he prayes for all I answer all reprobates are given to his power to be ruled by his rod of iron these are under his regall government that they shall not doe what they list he hath a bridle for their lips and a hook in their nose these hee rules with rigour and because they will not doe his will they shall suffer this displeasure But the other he rules with sanctifying and saving grace but to the other hee will neither give grace not glory therefore he neither prayed nor dyed for them Sixthly Those for whom Christ dyed it was to redeem them from all iniquity Titus 2.14 The precious bloud of Christ redeemed us from our vain conversation 1 Pet 1.18 19. The bloud of Christ shall purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 He washed us from our sins in his bloud Rev. 1.5 But some shall never have their sins purged Ezek. 24.13 Some their sins shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Mar. 12.31 Then if Christ dyed to redeem from sin and by his death to reconcile some to God Rom. 5.10 and yet some shall never be forgiven neither sin purged then Christ did not die for all and every man in the world But they say Christ takes away the sins of the whole world yet they believe that he justifies none from their sins till they behold and believe it John 1.29 I Answer If none be justified till they believe that Christ takes away the sins of all and every man in the world then they shall never be justified for as I said before some shall never be forgiven nor their sins purged then if all sin shall he token away by Christ and yet the Father will not justifie them this were to taâ—e God to bee unjust Again shall not I be saved unlesse I make CHRIST a lyer Doth hee say some shall never bee forgiven and cannot I bee justified unlesse I believe that he taketh away the sins of every man in the world Again If Christ takes away the sins of every man in the world I would know what else can hinder their justification or salvation Is not God true in his word to CHRIST to save them that hee hath freed from sinne â—â—s For this is the Fathers will sayth Christ That all which hee hath given mee I should lose nothing but that I should raise it up at the last day John 6.39 Then doth the Father want power to keepe those that Christ hath redeemed No My Father is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand John 10.29 Then did Christ lose them again no hee saith All those that thou hast given me I have lost none but the sonne of perdition who was onely given to him by office but not by grace and favour then what is the fault are their sins forgiven and taken away by Christ and yet they will not bee saved this cannot be for sayth the Father to the Sonne Thy people shall bee willing in the day of thy power Psal 110.3 Then let Popish Arminians bee ashamed to say CHRIST taketh away the sinnes of every man in the World and yet the greatest part of it damned For nothing but sinne separates between us and our God Esay 50.2 Then they say it is not the death of Christ that makes any difference of men For he gave his life a ransom for all and would have all saved 2 Tim. 6.1 2. And it is predestination and faith that makes the difference I Answer It is true It was decreed that CHRIST should die for the elect and their faith believes that hee hath done it and so they are justified and shall be saved But then they say there bee two elections one generall for all men But the other is not decreed till men believe and is particular for beleevers For say they if God should make some men which hee doth not elect to be saved he would be the positive cause of sin in them and then for that sin he caused to damne them which would be miserable Truly I answer God is not the positive cause of sin in any hee never infused sinne into them hee made man righteous yet mutable and hee was not bonnd to support him therefore hee fell yet God did not make man to damne him nor desires hee the destruction of any creature but hee desires the glory of his justice and better all creatures should perish then hee should lose the glory of his justice as in our own case
better the creatures die then wee should want food yet wee doe not kill them as desiring their destruction but to satisfie our hunger so doth the Lord for the glory of his Justice But they say God doth not decree to damne them till hee hath tryed and found that they will not be saved but I say again God never decreed to damne any but onely he decreed to glorifie his justice and for that he need not stay to see what man will doe can any deliver out of his hand if he worke who can let it Esay 43.13 Seventhly Those for whom Christ dyed shall be justified and saved for The free gift came upon all to justification of life Rom. 5.18 and Whom he justified shall be glorified Rom. 8.30.33 Who shall condemn if Christ hath dyed for them ver 34. The ransommed of the Lord shall come to Sion with everlasting joy Esay 35.10 But some shall neither be justified nor glorified but condemned and punished everlastingly therefore they are none of those that Christ dyed for nor none of those ransomed of the Lord then Christ did not die for all and every man in the world But they say the death of Christ for all and every man in the world is the foundation of justifying faith I Answer That cannot be but this is rather a ground of it that Christ hath not dyed for all but for some of mankind and then with a speciall faith to believe that he hath dyed for me in particular and this faith instrumentally justifies us but when we believe with a generall faith that Christ dyed for all men this cuts off a speciall faith for our selves are one of the whole world and so wee shall apply it to our selves no more then to any reprobates Then they say If all shall be saved for whom Christ dyed then none of them could perish but some shall perish for whom Christ dyed and are damned that he bought 1 Cor. 8.11 2 Pet. 2.1 I answer It was but in the judgement of charity that Christ dyed or bought them but they say Christ came not to judge the world but to save the world Iohn 12.47 48. Therefore he dyed for all I Answer while Christ is mediator he is come to save the world and not to judge them that believe not but at the last day his words shall judge them and condemne them So then his first comming is to save the world not the universall world but the multitude of the elect which may well be called a world being so great a multitude Revel 19. And as the Iews said The world is gone after him Iohn 12.19 Then they say God so loved the world that hee gave them his onely begotten Son and yet none are saved but they that believe in him Iohn 3.16 Hence say they Christ is given to all and yet faith makes the difference and hath the promise of eternall life and not the other although Christ dyed for them and Gods love to all and yet not all saved But if God love them I would know what could hinder their salvation shall Gods beloved ones perish so then their conclusion is this not he whom God loves shall be saved but he that will of himselfe believe shall have eternall life but it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie for his will shall stand and hee will doe all his pleasure Then they say Christ came to his own and his own received him not Iohn 1.12 but that is not his fault for he comes unto them but it is their own fault for they will not receive him so they conclude they are his by purchase and yet they will not be saved I answer they were his own visible Church by a Nationall Covenant having his Ordinances and distinguished from other Nations by circumcision and not by any true work of grace in their heart and so others might goe to heaven when those children of the Kingdom are thrust out Mat. 8.12 Or if it be spoken of any of the elect that were his own and yet would not receive him it was but onely at that present yet after they had crucified him at Peters Sermon they received him Act. 2.41 Then they say put the case that Christ taketh away the sins of the world and this world is the elect then it must needs follow that some of the elect shall perish but what a damnable inference is this Christ taketh away the sins of the elect therefore some of the elect must needs perish I answer It is true if wee should maintain as they doe that God hath elected everyman in the world which would be no election to take all but the elect is a certain number chosen of God and given to Christ whose sins he hath taken away or at least is taking them away and when that work is finished they shall be glorified and that world meaning the multitude of the elect that Christ came to save shall certainly be saved For the Lord hath laid help upon one that is mighty Psal 89.19 He is mighty to save Esay 63.1 And he hath finished the work his Father gave him to doe Iohn 17.4 and still he is his Son in whom he is well pleased then how shall they miscarry when Christ takes away their sins to this they have a bundle of arguments together as if they would prove that Christ dyed for all and every man in the world although the greatest part be not saved but damned 1 They say Christ dyed for all those that are damned that he might get the victory over sin death hell and the Devill by his own death and triumph over all Mat. 28.18 1 Pet. 3.2 Iob 2.9 Ephes 1.19 20 21 22 23. Philip. 1.10 I Answer Is it a signe of victory over hell death sin and Satan when they shall take from Christ those that he hath bought with his heart bloud if Christ hath paid for them shall death and hell sin and Satan take them out of his hand when as he sayth no man shall pluck them out of his hand and his Father is greater then all and no man shall pluck them out of his Fathers hand Joh. 10.28 29. then shall the devill and sin doe it to get victory to your Saviour but it seems by this that the Devill is your Saviour and not Christ for if Christ have the keyes of hell then none shall perish that he hath bought and this is his victory that he will save them in spight of all his enemies Psal 110.2 But they say if all the Sins in the world had not been laid on Christ but the sins of the elect onely then he had not gotten the victory over all sin but over some sin I answer all sorts of sins are in his people which he hath overcome that it dies daily in them and for the sins of reprobates they shall be restrained by him and at lest all things that offend shall be taken out of
in hell torments ELias will come and restore all things I answer Elias is already come for it was John the Baptist See Math. 11.13.14 Luke 1.17 Mark 9 11 12. But John cannot redeeme a soule from hell but then they say As all bare the image of the first Adam and so were cast out of that Paradise so all beare the image of the heavenly Adam and shall come to his Paradise But I say the text saith not all But as we have borne the image of the earthly we shall beare the image of the heavenly But no flesh and bloud shall inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 15.49 50. But they say though they belong in that boyling lake it will be happy for them in the end for they shall be there but till they have put off their mortall estate and at the resurrection these Captives ransome shall be fully paide and Origin was of their Judgement but see here how they pleade for Purgatory But those in hell shall suffer the vengeance of eternall fire Iude. 7. They shall depart from Christ into everlasting fire Math 25.41 where the fire is not quenched Mark 9.46 But they say God reprobates none but upon some fore-seene evill nor elects any but upon some fore-seene good but here it seemes they hold it possible to doe some good in hell where they blaspheme God for ever and doe not repent to give him glory Revel 16.9.11 but they say those that sinne against the Holy Ghost shall be in danger of eternall fire but not in it but I say They that blaspheme against the Holy Ghost shall neither be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Math. 12.32 Then how shall they escape it but they say Abraham gives Dives in hell a loving title calling him Sonne Luke 16.25 therefore there is hope to come out I answer It was but a complement yet he was the Sonne of God by creation and yet not his Sonne by redemption from hell But they say Christ would not have preached to those Spirits in prison if they should for ever abide there I answer Christ did not preach to them in hell but to those that were imprisoned by their sinnes in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was preparing 1 Pet. 3.19 20. and by this argument divels may be saved out of hell as well as they but they say there is hope that Iudas shall come out of hell because Christ seemes to be sorry for his being there saying It had beene good if he had not beene borne Math 26.24 I answer It had beene well for Iudas himselfe if he had not beene borne because of his eternall misery But his damnation addes no sorrow to Christ Neither mens righteousnesse nor his finne nor his salvation nor damnation neither profits God nor takes any thing from him Iob. 22.2 3.35.6 7 8. but they say although he deserved to be tormented millions of yeares in hell yet with Christ there is plenty of redemption◠Psal 130. I answer Christ hath merits sufficient but not efficient for reprobates But then if those be not redeemed out of hell torments yet they are confiden◠that it is the truth and nothing but the truth that Christ died for all and ever man in the world Their scriptures are those Christ was mad◠lower then the A◠〈◊〉 that by the grace of God he should taste death for every man Heb. 2 9. And he 〈◊〉 himself a ransome for all 1 Tim 2.6 I Answ that neither of these places will prove that Christ died for all the world or for every man in the world for the word World is not in those texts And if any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke Revel 22.18 Let us see what more proofes they have that Christ died for all and every man in the world Then they say All we like sheepe have gone astray and we have tnrned every man to his owne way and the Lord hath laide on him the iniquity of us all Isai 53.6 I answer this text is limited to us and therefore is not to be taken for all and every man in the world but onely it was a comfort to those to whom he spake being either then converted or else in the use of the Ordinances which is the meanes of conversion and salvation and therefore in the judgement of charity we have gon astray but the Lord hath laide on Christ the iniquities of us all and yet he might be deceived as well as Paul was in Demas But then they say The Angel brought glad tidings of great joy which shall be for all people Luke 2.10 But here I hope they will not say that all and every man in the world shall be glad and truely rejoyce in Christ for then all and every man in the world shall be truely converted and saved which themselves deny and besides the word World is not in that text But then they say Christ taketh away the sinnes of the world Iohn 1.29 And Jesus Christ is a propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world 1 Iohn 2.12 I answer That world whose sinnes Christ taketh away and for whose persons Christ is an Advocate and a Propitiation that world must needes be saved as we shall see anon But themselves doe not holde that every man in the world shall be saved and none of them shall perish then if they holde that some shall not be saved but shall perish I hope those that perish are none of that world whose sinnes Christ hath taken away and for whose persons he is an Advocate and that world for whose sinnes Christ is a Propitiation then let us see the meaning of this word World which in the Scriptures hath various significations First the Lord saith the world is mine Psal 50.12 this is to be understood All the whole Fabricke of heaven and earth and all the creatures in them For the Lord made all things for himselfe Pro. 16.4 and he desposeth the whole world Iob 34.13 Secondly this word World is sometimes understood this World here below in opposition to the world to come for saith Christ I am no more in the world but these are in the world While I was with them in the world Now I come to thee these things I speake in the world I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world Iohn 17.11.12 13 15. In this world you shall have an hundred fold and in the world to come eternall life Luke 18.28 Thirdly this word World is sometimes understoode the Gentiles or all people besides the Iewes If th◠fall of them be the riches of the world Rom. 11.12 Fourthly Sometimes this word World is meant the whole race of mankinde That every mouth may be stopped and all the world may be guilty before God Rom. 3.19 Fifthly Sometimes this word World is meant all the reprobates that ever were or ever shall be saith Christ I pray not for the
world Iohn 17.9 Sixthly This word World is sometimes taken for all the elect that ever were or â—ver shall be Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Iohn 1.29 Iohn 2.2 Seventhly This word World sometimes is meant the wicked of the world who are in present being The world hateth you Iohn 15 19 Eighthly The World is sometimes meant the godly in present being Behold the world is gone after him John 12.19 Ninthly This word World is sometimes taken for the elect in present being before conversion Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Sonne to be a Propitiation for our sinnes 1 Iohn 4.10 God that purpoased to love his people from all eternity loves them actually as his creatures as soone as they have being in the world so God loved Adam and Eve when they had sinned as not to hate his owne worke in them but loved it and therefore sent them a Saviviour God so loved the world those in present being yet not as his children till he hath sent to them his Sonne and hath given them saith to receive him then as many as received him he gave power to become the Sonnes of God to them that beleeve in his name Iohn 1.12 Now let us trie whether Christ died for all these worlds if not let us see for which of these worlds he died First if Christ died for the universall world then he died for divels and for Angels that never sinned and for the creatures in the whole world yet I deny not but the Angels that never sinned and all mortall creatures have some benefit by his death in respect of establishment Isai 49.8 but I utterly deny that Christ died to redeeme any creatures but mankinde only He tooke not on him the nature of Angels but the seede of Abraham to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people Heb. 2.16 17. To save his people from their sinnes Math. 1.21 neither can it be understood that Christ died for the world of Gentiles onely For he was sent to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Math. 14.24 and the Angels told the Jewes saying Vnto you is borne this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord Luke 2.10 And for the world of the elect I know none that makes question of it whether called or uncalled to the estate of grace yet in Gods due time they shall be sure to finde the benefit of it So then here lies our controversie they affirme that Christ died for all the wicked and reprobats in the world but I affirme the contrary upon these grounds First Christ died for the elect onely for saith Paul From the beginning God hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and beleefe of the truth 2 Thes 2.13 He saith I have chosen and ordained you that you should goe and bring forth fruite Iohn 15.16 Christ was ordained for you who doe beleeve in God seeing you have purified your soules in obeying the truth 1 Pet. 1.20 21. As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Acts 13.48 that is called the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1 1. Those who are predistinated he calleth justifieth and glorifieth Rom. 8.30 But Heaven is not appointed for all it shall be given to them for whom it was prepared Math. 20.23 Some stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto they were appointed 1 Pet 2 8. Some of old were ordained to this condemnation Jude 4. And some are called to inherit a Kingdome prepared for them and some are charged to depart into everlasting fire prepared for them Math. 25.34 41. Some are vessels of mercy prepared for glory and some are vessels of wrath fitted for destruction Rom. 9.22.23 Those unnaturall brute beasts were made to be destroyed 2 Pet. 2.12 Then are some ordained to salvation and others to damnation and some ordained to the meanes 〈…〉 and not others and for some heaven is prepared and for others hell is prepared then sure Christ did not dye for all and every man in the world and that world whose sinne Christ taketh away and is a Propitiation and for whose persons he is an Advocate is onely the elect which may be called a world for multitude Iohn 12.19 Revel 19.6 But then they scornfully answer saying they will reade world alwayes where they finde the word elect and elect alwayes where they finde the word World then thus saith Christ I pray for them I pray not for the elect but for those that thou hast given me out of the elect and I am no more in the elect Iohn 17.9.11 And this is condemnation that light is come into the elect Iohn 3.19 Thus changing the signification of the word World they bring in this damnable conclusion in scornfull derision of the truth of God But they say if Christ died for none but the elect then unbeleefe is no sinne and some would sin in beleeving Christ hath died for them when it is not so I answer God gave man faith at the first to beleeve that it he had done as he commanded he should have lived for ever and although man hath lost this grace of faith yet God hath not lost his power to command man to use this faith Man is to beleeve in Christ and if he doe not he sinnes against the Gospell no man can sinne in beleeving that Christ hath died for his sin when it is not so for if he truly beleeve he shall be saved and then it is so Secondly Christ did not die for all and every man in the world for he died for none but those which his Father gave him He came not to doe his owne will but the will of his Father that sent him He must doe his Fathers businesse Luke 2.49 And he must finish the worke he gave him to doe Iohn 17 4. But it is the Fathers will that all which he gave him that he should lose none Iohn 6.39 but all was not given to Christ not the world but those that thou hast given me Iohn 17.6 and God gave him no reprobates for Christ gave his eternall life to all that his Father gave him verse 2. And the Father commanded him to lay downe his life for those that he gave him Iohn 10.17.18 But if Christ had died for more then his Father gave him then it seems Christ would have more then was agreed by the Father to give him but this would fasten sinne upon Christ in not being content but to will have more then his Covenant then Christ died not for all and every man in the world but then they will grant that Christ died for no more then his Father gave him for say they All things are delivered unto him of his Father Math. 11.27 Psal 2 7.8 I answer It is true divels and reprobates are under his Regall power to rule them with a rodde of iron but none are under his Scepter of grace and glory but his elect