of Mind in the Author accompanied with a Serious Admiration and Affection towards the Divine Majesty And when I came to understand who it was and what his Circumstances were I had great reasons to believe that the earnest request to me proceeded from no other principle but a Religious and well governed Zeal for God's Glory I could not but be exceeding glad to find one of his Age and Condition to entertain such worthy Notions of his Creator and to be so concern'd for his Honour because the like Instances are not common especially in some Places and after all this to have slighted a request which I believed could come from nothing but a Thoughtful Mind and a True Principle of Piety would have been an Omission Inexcusable Upon these Motives I resolved to Compose a little Discourse concerning this Matter though one of another Nature was just then under my Hand and for my Subject I pitch'd upon those Words in St. Joh. 3. 16. a place of Scripture which I thought was the more proper to be considered because the pressing of that single Text and the Reasoning out of it at the Famous Synod of Dort had such a wonderful Effect upon our Learned Mr. Hales that it quite changed his Judgment as to some Opinions which he carried with him when he went thither as that Excellent Person Mr. Farindon assures us in his Letter prefix'd to Mr. Hales his Golden Remains One of my mean Abilities and ordinary Station cannot hope to make such Happy and Useful Impressions as were so Providentially made upon the Mind of that great Man My business lieth in a Country Parish where Nice and Scholastical disputations would be lost even among those who are more Intelligent and more Inquisitive into matters of Speculation than others have Time to be And therefore my purpose was to digest what I had to say into such a plain Method and Form as I conceived might be most for the Edification of People whose Education cannot furnish them with Extraordinary and Eminent capacities especially as to this sort of Knowledge In order to it I thought it best to omit a great many things which are Collaterally incident to this Copious Subject and of an Abstruse Nature and to say no more than what was just Necessary that I might contract all within as Narrow a Compass as 't was possible for me And that People might not run away with Notions only as many are very apt to do quite Forgetting or over-looking the Principal business I endeavoured to render the whole Discourse the more Useful by making it as Practical as the subject Matter would allow And first I did not intend this thing should have gone any further than my own Pulpit where I was desired to Satisfie some Scrupulous Persons and that being done I was Satisfied my Self in having answered my Duty But divers of my Parishioners having requested that the Discourse might be made Publick in hopes that it may have the same good Effect upon others which They say it had on Them I am the more willing to comply because some Heady People in these Parts who are very fond of Rigid Principles and seem to value themselves upon them have as I am credibly told scattered abroad many false Representations of the whole thing In short if what is here done may be of good Use to any one Person in the World I shall count my Labour very well bestowed Edw. Pelling Petworth Feb. the 1st 1693 4. John III. 16. For God so Loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life CHAP. I. The Interpretation of our Saviour's words John 3. 16. What is meant by the World and what by God's Love to the World THESE are our Blessed Saviour's own words delivered in as Express and Positive a manner as is possible for any Tongue to speak and therefore Men should take all imaginable care that they do not either Wrest or Mistake the true sence of them THEY contain Two things which are most observable in them 1. The great Principle or Inward Cause that moved God to send his Son in the Flesh it was out of pure Love to the World 2. The great End which he proposed and designed thereby it was That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life FOR our more profitable Instruction out of this portion of Scripture Three things are necessary to be consider'd in their order First What is the true meaning of our Saviour's words in this place Secondly The Article which they yield us Thirdly And Lastly What Practical Inferences may be gather'd from the whole 1. FIRST That we may rightly understand our Saviour's meaning these two things are to be explained 1. FIRST Who are here meant by the World 2. SECONDLY In what sence God is said to have loved the World antecedently to the coming of Christ and while the World yet lay in a state of sin and wickedness 1. SOME understand by the World onely a small part of the World a few People whom they suppose to have been ordained to Salvation by God's absolute will and peremptory pleasure without any consideration had of their Faith and Repentance the little World of the Elect as those Men are wont to express it But this is a very False and Groundless notion for the word is no where used in this sence in all the New Testament It never signifies the Vessels of Election onely but is always taken in a Bad sence for the Children of wrath for the Evil World as the expression is Gal. 1. 4. for the World of the ungodly as it is 1 Pet. 2. 5. Usually the word denotes all sinful Men together in a Lump and sometimes it means the very worst part of them So said Christ to his Disciples John 15. 18. If the World hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you there it signifies the malicious Adversaries of the Lord Jesus and his Religion And so John 17. 9. I pray not for the World there it signifies Impenitent and Obstinate Infidels So 1 Coâ— 2. 12. We have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God there it signifies Men of a wicked and Ungodly Temper Again 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself there it signifies the Enemies of the ever blessed Being Again 1 John 5. 19. The whole World lieth in wickedness there it signifies abominable People whose minds are set upon that which is evil and that continually Again John 14. 17. Christ saith The World cannot receive the Spirit of Truth there it signifies the Oppugners of Christianity And again St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 11. 32. When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the World there it signifies the Sons of Perdition This fearful account cannot possibly be given of God's Elect it is utterly inconsistent
sendeth out his good Word into the whole World and his Good Spirit along with it that all the Earth may be full of Good People and of his Glory That they may be prepared and fitted to Participate of his Infinite Goodness and Glory in another Life And if after all this any come short of that Glory of God and of their own Happyness that they may have no reason to accuse any but their own Perverse and Wicked Selves This is the real way of leaving all Men without Excuse They are not Inexcusable for not doing things which are out of their Power or for being Miserable when they cannot avoid it for Impossibilities would excuse all Mankind But this renders Wicked People Inexcusable that Salvation is Tender'd them and means given them of attaining to it and they willfully neglect the things which belong unto their Peace This is the Condemnation That Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather because their Deeds are Evil Joh. 3. 19. AGAINST all this which hath been said to prove the Universality of God's Love to Mankind from the Universality of that Grace which hath been exhibited to the World by the Preaching of the Gospel every where I foresee it may be Objected THAT the Gospel is not yet Publish'd to the whole World ARE there not divers parts of the Earth that are yet Undiscover'd And in those we know or have heard of are there not multitudes of Blind and Idolatrous poor Wretches without any Footsteps of Christianity among them And if so how then was the coming of Christ an Argument and Expression of God's Unfeigned Love to them and especially to those their Ancestors who since Christ's time have Dyed in a State of invincible Infidelity TO this I presume to say these four things 1. FIRST That it is impossible for Us now to tell where the Gospel hath not been Preached And consequently it is not a certain Principle that neither any of the Apostles nor yet any of their Successors Publish'd it in those Countries which are unknown to us at this distance or in others which are known to be addicted still to Heathenish Idolatries and Superstition How probable soever Mens Conjectures may be 't is impossible for them in this as in other Cases to prove a Negative 2. SECONDLY Nor can we tell but that in those Regions of the World which are now Infidels the Christian Faith hath been formerly rejected upon the Preaching of it Nothing is so contrary to the Perswasions Customs and Vices of Heathens as the Christian Religion and therefore it is no Wonder if it hath not been Received by People every where The Gergesens desired Christ himself to depart out of their Coasts He came unto his Own and his Own Received him not and so it is no Wonder if his Disciples found ill Usage at the Hands of Strangers When he sent them out he foresaw that they would not find the Sons of Peace every where and therefore he Commanded them to leave Obstinate People and to shake off the Dust of their Feet as a Testimony against them St. Paul told some of the Jews that they put the Word of God from them and Judged themselves unworthy of Eternal Life And for that Reason that he would turn to the Gentiles Acts 13. 46. Nor were all among the Gentiles disposed to Believe Though the Apostles had generally better success among them than among the Jews yet among some of those too they met with unconquerable Opposition 3. THIRDLY Suppose some whose Office it was to propagate the Faith were wanting t o some People either through Carelessness or for fear of Death and Persecution This doth not Argue any want of Love in God whose Intentions were that all Men should come to the knowledge of the Truth and whose Commands were that the Gospel should be Preach'd to every Creature CHAP. III. Proved Secondly from the Universality of that Redemption which was Purchased by our Saviour's Death HAVING thus Proved the Universal Love of God towards Mankind from the Amplitude of that Commission which Christ gave his Apostles and their Successors to Publish the Gospel Universally I proceed now to a farther Demonstration of it from the Consideration of the Extensive Merit of our Blessed Saviour's Death AS to this Matter I think fit to premise these two preliminary Observations 1. FIRST That the Doctrine of our Universal Redemption by the Blood of Christ is Deliver'd in the Holy Scripture in as plain and as clear Terms as could possibly have been used Supposing the Doctrine were Unquestionably True nay as fully in as few Words as could have been Wish'd had Mankind been Empowr'd to have Penn'd the Doctrine themselves for their own Satisfaction HERE the Lord Jesus himself saith God so Loved the World that he gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life Joh. 3. 16. And elsewhere it is said That God will have all Men to be Saved 1 Tim. 2. 4. That Christ gave himself a Ransom for all v. 6. That He is the Saviour of all Men especially of those that Believe 1 Tim. 4. 10. That he Tasted Death for every Man Heb. 2. 9. That he was Deliver'd up for us All Rom. 8. 32. And that he is the Propitiation for our Sins and not for our Sins only but also for the Sins of the whole World 1 Joh. 2. 2. These Expressions are Clear and Open to the Sence of every one in the World nor is any Article of our Faith Deliver'd in Terms that are freer from Ambiguity or less liable to doubtful meanings than these are The very Being of God though the Belief of it be the Foundation of all Religion yet it is no where more clearly Taught nor I think of sett Purpose so often and so Expresly Inculcated as this Principle is For the Holy Scriptures suppose God's Being and tho' they be full of Declarations and Proofs of God's Attributes his Singularity Omniscience Immutability Mercy Justice and the like Divine Perfections yet his Existence and Being Consider'd Abstractedly from his other Infinite Glories is no where to my Remembrance so Expresly Openly Directly and Frequently Proposed to our Belief as this Truth is That he gave his Son to die for all Men. 2. SECONDLY It is Observable That in those Places of Scripture I have now Cited this Principle is laid down as the Ground-work Motive and Reason of some Important Duty wherein all Mankind are concerned Our Saviour's Words about God's Love to the World were intended to Invite and Incourage all People to come unto Him and to Believe on Him In the next place it is used as a strong Argument for Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks to be made for all Men. Then it is laid down as a sure Ground for our Trusting in the Living God notwithstanding all Labouring and suffering Reproach Next it is mentioned as the great Reason of our Universal Obedience
do now Faithfully serve him of this purpose of God there is no manner of Question and therefore if Men conceive that we dispute against any such Decree they do but beat the Air and Talk of Matters which they do not understand The thing insisted on is this that none are chosen to Eternal Happiness without any consideration of their Faith and Works and perseverance to the end in well doing And as touching a Man's particular Election unto Glory or the Gracious purpose of God towards this or that Person in particular this we say is a Secret a Decree not to be known till the Book of Life comes to be opened that is till the Day of Doom cometh Therefore every one of us must stay our time nor must any dare to go now upon fond presumptions of their own especially so as to condemn or think hardly of others I call such partial Conceits fond Presumptions of Men's own because though many People be strongly perswaded that they are absolutely and particularly Ordained unto Life and cannot miscarry yet as to this they believe without Book and without sufficient Grounds because they want the Authority of Divine Revelation which is the only sure Ground-work of a right Faith 'T is Imagination only and Opinion how strong and violent soever it may be and instead of being bottom'd upon the Word of God it may proceed from two very evil Causes 1. FIRST From a Spirit of Pride which Tempteth some to think their Names ought to be Written in Heaven and therefore are soon perswaded to believe that they really are so though for this they take either their own Word or the Opinion of others whose Persons they have in equal admiration I heartily wish that all such as go upon this imagination would seriously consider whether this be not one prime reason of it because it is a Notion so very pleasing and suitable to their own Hearts 2. SECONDLY It may proceed too from a Principle of Carnality for it is an imagination that is Friendly and Kind to Flesh and Blood Where-ever it prevails such as are possest withit find no necessity for them to mortifie their Lusts and to be careful of Living Godly Righteouss and Sober Lives This they call good Morality but cannot think it of any use to them because they suppose themselves sure of their Salvation by God's Absoute Decree upon this Account they and their Vices may dwell very quietly and lovingly together They may be Lew'd Dishonest Unjust Hypocritical Malicious Revengeful False Troublesome Uncharitable Proud and Lovers of the World and yet these Vices are as they think consistent with their State of Grace because they are perswaded that stands firtm upon the immutable Will of God Considering therefore the Vanity and Origical of such Pharisaical conceits it is very dangerous for People to give any way to them and more dangerous to trust to them after a presumptuous manner and most of all dangerous to value themselves upon them especially so as to Judge uncharitably of others as if they were no better than Reprobates and Cast-aways This is a very ill thing and that which is far from being a Sign of their particular Election rather indeed an Argument of the contrary because all Uncharitableness is a direct Violation of the Law of Christ by which we shall all of us be Judged in the Day of God Since God Loves us all instead of shutting any out of his Kingdom every one should lend his Brother his Hand to help him in 2dly FOR secondly there is as Divines usually speak an Election unto Grace which we have all a Title unto Election unto Grace is when People have this great Blessing and Privilege given them to Live under the means of Grace when they have the Gospel Mysteries Publish'd and Revealed to them and when they have the Assistance of the Holy Spirit offer'd and afforded them so that they Receive the Truth as it is in Jesus Whatever Fancies some are apt to entertain concerning this matter this is the true Scripture Notion of Election Accordingly the Scripture means by the Elect of God not such as are supposed to have been from Eternity particularly and by name designed for Glory for I can confidently say it that the Word is not in that Sence any where used in the whole Scripture but generally such as now profess true Faith in Christ and especially such Eminent Persons among them as by their Vertuous and Holy Lives adorn the Doctrine of God their Saviour in all things and resolve firmly and faithfully to Persevere unto the end in so doing The Reason of this honourable Appellation is taken from the different Effect which the Word of God hath upon the Hearts of them that hear it On some it maketh a slight and superficial Impression like the Seed cast on the Way side Others receive it with Joy and Believe for a while but in time of Temptation immediately fall away In others it taketh deeper and better Root but yet in time is choaked with the Cares and Riches and Pleasures of this Life so that it bringeth no Fruit to Perfection But others there are though the fewest in number that lay up the Word in Honest and Good Hearts and that bring forth Fruit plentifully and with perseverance in well-doing to their Lives end Now of all that Profess Christ's Religion those who adhere close to it are the best the most Eminent and Principal ones and therefore the Scripture calleth them after a more peculiar manner The Elect. Many are called to the knowledge of the Truth but few are chosen saith our Saviour or according to the Greek the Elect are few that is the Faithful and Choice Professors of the Truth are few in comparison So Matt. 24. 22. Our Saviour speaking of the great Tribulation that was to come upon Jerusalem said That for the Elects sake those Days should be shorined meaning that out of Respect and Love to the true Believers among the Jews God would shorten the time so that a remnant even of the Unbelieving Jews should escape too though they did not deserve it So again v. 24. Our Lord foretold that False Christs would arise which would if it were possible deceive the very Elect that is the most Sincere Persevering Christians to use the Words of our incomparable Paraphrast Dr. Hammond And so in divers other places where it is said that God will gather together his Elect that he will Avenge his own Elect that none shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect that we must put on as the Elect of God Holy and Beloved Bowels of Mercy and the like the Word signifies those who are now in a Blessed State of Faith and Holiness those who Serve Obey and Love the Lord Jesus in Sincerity Briefly if you search the New Testament throughout you will find this Observation true that generally speaking People are called the Elect of God not in respect of any Antecedent particular Decree