Office of a merciful and faithful high Priest but according to the most exact measureâ— and rules sollicite our case before Almighty God and by this means obtain relief for ouâ— necessities So verse 18. For that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour theâ— that are tempted For that it is undoubtedly true that the doleful afflictions that ouâ— dearest Redeemer underwent do with an high hand make it appear it was Gods desigâ— then that his Son should be compassionate by the unparallel'd experience of temptations he should be inclined to relieve and succour all that fall into temptations and afflictions that attend the best of men on this side the grave Estius saith plainly Whereas the holy Apostle saith that he might be a merciful high Priest it was Vt condoleret miseriae nostrae ex eo commiserationis affectu causam nostram fideliter ex animo apud Deum ageret hae enim partes erant Pontificis quas Christus praestare non potuiâ— nisi naturae conditionis nostrae particeps esset cum multis aliis c. So that we have not onely the testimony of the Apostle and the Learned of subsequenâ— Ages but also reason plainly points at the same viz. that one great reason why Jesuâ— Christ did take upon him the seed of Abraham and was therefore stiled the Son of Maâ— was that he might succour them that are tempted 2. That he might deliver them from the power and fear of death both of which were the dismal consequences of the transgression of our first Parents But of these in their Orders 1. The powers of death which is apparent from that of the Apostle Heb. 2 14. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he himself likewise took part of thâ— same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the deviâ—â— You may easily call to mind what Adam entailed upon his posterity by his neglect oâ— eating of the Tree of life and by eating the forbidden fruit even eternal death under which the generality of Mankind were held till the coming of the Son of Man in the fulness oâ— time As in the first Adam all men die so in the second all shall be made alive 1. Cor. 15.21 By the miscarriage of our first parents way was made for a design of our Enemy the Devil to hold us under death Now therefore it is apparent that the end of Christs coming in the flesh and becoming the Son of Man was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to abolish or to take away all force and power and to frustrate the design of the Devil as the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth import and cancel that testament by which upon the account of sin men coming into the world were bound over to death But Christ he being the son of man deliverd mankind from eternal death For although by Christs death temporal death is not taken away yet it is deprived of that reigning power over man as St. Paul elsewhere saith Ro. 5.17 Firsâ— if by one mans offence death reigned by one man c. of which reigning power I say death is devested so of its sting victorious progress Hence that of St. Paul 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. 〈◊〉 death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strengthoâ— sin is the Law But thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ who got the victory over death for us For it is apparent that Christ overcoming the sharpness of death did rescue man from the power of death so that it is impossible for man to be for ever held under it From all which we may easily gather this that Christians or Believers who are to be brought to Heaven by Christ are here in humane flesh and sufferings And seeing that Brethren or Fellow-children are of like natures Christ therefore who is called our Elder-brother is declared to have part with us in flesh and sufferings to this very end and purpose that he might frustrate and make void the design of him that was our enemy from the beginning which was to keep men under death and its raging power and to rescue man from the grave so that as in Adam all di'd so in him the second Adam all might be made alive 2. From the fear of death When Christ came into the world and did design to establish another Law amongst the sons of men upon which account he could not but expect because of the different nature of this Institution from that which they lived under and the corrupt dispositions that they had contracted by reason of sin that this his Law would be opposed and the professors of this new Law would be persecuted therefore like a great exemplar of true courage he suffers these experiences of temptation and affliction withâ—n his own Soul to this end that he might simpathize with and deliver them who through fear of death were in their life-time subject to bondage And therefore our Apostle St. Paul here layeth it as a foundation of comfort to them that dreaded persecutions because they fear death Now that they might be able to go on in the obedience of faith and act like Champions in their several stations and fight manfully against the opposers of his Gospel viz. the Divel the World and the Flesh the Apostle assures them that Christ hath redeemed them from death O death I will be thy plagues Hos 13.14 O grave I will be thy destruction Therefore if any be under any pressures of spirit upon the account of the profession of Christian Religion though they do not out-live and enjoy the promise of deliverance here in this life they shall rise again to eternal joy felicity through him that loved them gave himself for them is risen again from the dead is become the first fruits of them that slept Therefore the Apostle Heb. 2.15 saith that Christ did take our nature in order to deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage From which I necessarily conclude that the reason why the Messias was the Son of man was that he might take away the fears of persecution and death it self which makes men so cowardly and keeps them in such awe that is in a most unchristian and servile condition whilst they see no hopes of deliverance Therefore Christians are by the same Apostle Heb. 12.1 2 3. admonished that in those afflictions that so easily beset men they â—ay aside all worldly love and fear that may incumber them in their Christian race and in order to this to look unto Christ Jesus who hath in himself endured the highest afflictions and will be sure to crown their sufferings with the greatest rewards if they follow him with all perseverance patience therefore let them consider his patience in enduring such notorious contradictions
believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life Now when it pleased God to direct Moses to make a Brazen Serpent and lift it up he did it not with an intent only of healing a few persons but that whosoever did look upon it should be healed by it Numb 21.8 So Christ who was sent into the World to save man was not sent to some few nor listed up on the Cross for some few but lifted up that all might look upon him with an eye of Faith and live Then consider the following Verse For God sent not his Son to condemn the World Now it is impossible to expound the word World here to be the Elect but all men who by sin were in a state of Condemnation till Jesus Christ came into the World therefore the taking the word world in this fence doth set forth and magnifie the love of our holy good God for certainly it can't appear so lovely in the apprehensions of men when intended but for a few in respect of the sons of Adam as when designed to be extended to all Again consider how God in all the Holy Scriptures hath been pleased to express himself to have abundance of grace sweetness love mercy pity and kindness to hate nothing that he hath made and wills the salvation of them that die and perish for ever look upon those compassionate expressions of his to the vilest of men Why will ye die ye House of Israel c. Now if we take the word world in its genuine latitude we shall find it to have an â—â—exact consistency with all those lively intimations nay demonstrations of those excellencies of the eternal God we find them confirmed in giving his Son to the world to save that which was lost otherwise we must of necessity judge that Jesus Christ did come in his own Name and not in the Name of the great God and to preach Doctrines of his own invention and not the Will of his Heavenly Father or else we must look upon God who â—s Truth it self to pretend very fairly to men in the Old Testament unkindly in the New 〈◊〉 And besides all this let us consider what the learned have said in all Ages upon this very Text now in debate see Gualter in his 20. Homily on the Gospel according to St. â—ohn Et hoe quidem clarius exprimit quando cos nominaturus quos it a dilexerit Deus non Abrahami aut Isaacci aut Jacobi aut Mosis aut Davidis Prophetarum Mariae virginis Apostoloâ—um deniq sanctorum martyrum meminit sed mundi quem totum in malo jacere Evangelist a â—oster testatur cujus principem esse diabolum ipse Christus non uno loâ—o affirmat From which words I do observe that this judicious and reverend Divine doth not terminate Gods â—ove to some few particular persons but according to the sence of our blessed Redeem â—r doth by the word world understand the generality of all Mankind and by this means â—oth rende Jesus Christ to speak that which was consistent with the Intentions Decrees â—nd Predeterminations of the most High God who before Christ did appear in the world had manifested himself o be gracious and merciful in pardoning sins and transgressions Quarâ— Salvator dictus est mundi saith St. Augustine speaking of Christ Nisi at mundum solver so that both modern and ancient Writers have with one consent upon these word now in hand viz. God so loved the world understood by the word world the whole posterity of fallen Adam who was the beginning of sin and entailed the misfortune of dying and being subject to sorrow upon his whole posterity which brings to mind that saying of S. Paul Rom. 5.18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the feâ—â—gist came upon all men to justification of life see vers 19. For as by one mans disobedience many word made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous In which you may see two sorts of persons represented to your consideration the one condemned to death by reason of Adam's offence and the other justified to life by Christ our Lord Now who were they that were condemned they were no more than all and who were they that were justified no fewer than all in the other verse no more than many were made sinners by Adam nor any fewer than many made righteous by Christ God certainly suted the salve not only in respect of its quality but also in respect to its quantity to the sore the larger the malady was the larger extent the remedy was to be of therefore we may see the coextensiveness of the Grace of God in his Son Jesus in order to the justification of men with the sin of our first Parent in respect of the condemnation of men so that as we are induced to believe that by the disobedience of one many have been made sinners and so guilty of and liable unto death that is that all â—â—en as they come respectively to be conceived and born are now made liable to death by the disobedience of one being long since acted and should have perished for ever had â—ot the abundant grace of a good God prevented it so certainly it will appear and be â—ound true in due time that many even as many yea the self same both number and â—ersons in their successive conceptions also and comings into the world with those that â—re already past shall be made righteous that is have been and shall be delivered from â—â—e guilt of that sin and liableness to death by the obedience of one man that is by the â—bmissive deportment of Jesus Christ towards the most high and eternal God in yielding â—imself up to death From all which I draw this conclusion remembring the voice from â—eaven to St. Peter Acts 10.15 Call not thou common that which God hath cleansed that is not safe for any man to make that number less which God hath made greater nor 〈◊〉 assert a signal disproportion between two numbers which God hath computed and â—â—awn up to a perfect equality Another Text appears also ready to vindicate the truth of this Proposition now in â—bate and that is the words of St. Paul in his Epistle to Timothy 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3 4 5 6. I â—hort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made 〈◊〉 all men for Kings and for all that are in authority that under them we may lead a quiet â—d peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviâ—r who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth for there is one â—d and one Mediator betwixt God and Man the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransâ—â— for all In which words confider the duty enjoyned and that we find in the first
Verse â—â—pressed where S. Paul adviseth Timothy all those that were committed to his charge â—d care that not only in publick but in private supplications be made for averting all â—ings that were hurtful either to soul or body secondly Prayer in order to obtaâ—n all â—od things that were necessary and thirdly Intercession for others thanksgivings for â—ercies already received and this not only for themselves but also for all mankind In â— 2. verse this Apostle is more particular in his change and wills that the aforegoing Office be made for the Civil Magistrate and what sort of men Civil Magistrates werâ— when this epistle was written you may easily judge if you consult the History of the Church yeâ— the Church was to perform those good Offices for them And why â—o Because 〈◊〉 them we owe all our peaceable living in any place in the exercise of Religion a virtuoâ— Life and therefore it was then and is now but reason that Prayers and Thanksgiving should be made for them And how is this made good For this is acceptable in the sight 〈◊〉 God our Saviour that is this is that which God Almighty under the most Sacred dispensation of his Gospel requires at our hands he having enjoyned us by his Son the ever bleâ—ed Jesus to pray for our Enemies here enjoyns us by the holy Apostle to pray for Magâ—strates even for those that persecute his Church whether they be Heathens Jews Turks or 〈◊〉 any particular unbelieving that because he gives us his most holy example of desiring thâ— salvation of all men and in order to this he hath provided such powerful and effect oâ— means to bring them to a Reformation of their Lives though never so wicked and now 〈◊〉 entertain the Gospel of his Son and for this he give this reason that there is but oâ— God who designs the good of all and one Mediator and Peace-maker between God anâ— man even he that hath taken our common nature upon him and in it dyed for all thoâ— whose nature he assumed the man Christ Jesus Consider else how weak the Apostles Argument will appear by which he persuadâ— Christians to perform those duties for all men if so be that Christ in coming to save thâ— which was lost did not design and intend the salvation of all and every man for certaâ—â— it is that it is as lawful for me or any man to pray for the recovery of the fallen Angeâ—â—at of their dismal state of darkness as for those men whom God in Christ did never designor intend to save when he came into the World Another Testimony that speaks very plain in vindication of this Proposition is thaâ— of St. Paul 2. Cor. 5.14.15 For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead that he died for all that they which live should mâ—â—â—â—neeforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again The Apostâ—â— here teacheth us that mans love to Jesus Christ is founded on his to us and hath in it aâ— obliging power to make us do whatsoever it will have us making this Argument froâ— this certain truth of Christs having dyed for all men that then certainly all men were sinners lapsed into a lost state and so without hope that unless some means had been used 〈◊〉 recover them they must have perished to eternity Another place worth our serious consideration is that of Heb 2.9 For we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angel for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor that he by the grace of God should tâ—â— death for every man From all which I gather this undoubted Truth that the great desigâ—â— of Almighty God in the humiliation of the Messias for a while even to the death of thâ— Cross was for the Redemption of all and every of the sons and daughters of Adam for we consider rationally the import of this Clause we cannot judge of the atonement made 〈◊〉 Christ to be for any fewer than those that lay under the dismal consequences of Adaâ—â— Transgression for the words shew that the Lord Christ though clothed with a boâ—â— of flesh wherein he was capable of dying as well as other men yet did not suffer deaâ—â— simply through the malice of his Enemies but upon an account far superior unto thoâ—â— for the Apostle attributes his death to the grace of God that be through the grace of God thâ— is through the love and gracious affections of God not towards some or a sew no nâ— yet towards all men collectively taken but towards all men distributively taken that 〈◊〉 towards every particular individnal person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Holy Ghost for eveâ—an that is to procure eternal redemption and salvation for every man without the exâ—usion of any consider 2 Cor. 5.19.1 John 2.2 2 Pet 3.9 2 Pet 2.1 and many oâ—â—er places at your leisure I now come to shew what rational Arguments may be used in order to a clear discoâ—ery of the Truth of the Point in hand and of those in their order 1. Because God hath not determined the destruction of any man but desires the salâ—â—tion of all and every man for certain it is that man or those men cannot be proâ—erly said to be lost in the sence of our Lord Christ if so be God had determined their â—ernal state of misery ab aterno but that I may be plain in the prosecution of this Arâ—ument I will lay it thus If God hath determined the destruction of no man but would â—â—ve all men to be saved then he sent his Son to save all men but God hath determined â—e destruction of no man but would have all men to be saved therefore he sent his â—on to save all men As to the first Proposition of this Argument it is apparent that all Gods actions are â—â—table to his desires and designs especially when spoken of in reference to the Redempâ—â—on of man and if so be we can but persuade you to be convinced of this great truth â—â—at God desires the salvation of all men and determines the destruction of no man then 〈◊〉 will follow that God in point of wisdom and honour would appoint a way for the â—â—demption and salvation of all men even when his Son came into the World as the â—ost proper means of mans recovery God then in him would appear actually to shew â—ercy unto those whose salvation he did thus design As to the second proposition that God determines the destruction of no man but â—ould have all men to be saved will be made appear by many infallible demonstrations â—d those I will offer to you in their place as follows 1. It is inconsistent with the holiness of God to determine any mans destruction withâ—â—t respect to sin for it is apparent that if God hath absolutely determin'd the destruction 〈◊〉 some men then in it follows