and incomparable greatness of his Love would shed his hearts blood for them whose names were never written in his book of life and love Will any man give his dear son to dy for them whose names were never written in the book of his love of whom he never had any thoughts of special love and favour Surely he will not part with his Son nor give him to suffer death for such ARGUMENT IIII. MY fourth Argument against Universal Redemption is grounded upon John 15.13 compared with Rom. 5.8 10. Greater love hath no man then this that a man lay down his life for his friends God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Hence I may thus argue They for whom Christ died or shed his blood to them God hath commended and manifested the greatest love Greater love then this hath no man But now God hath not commended and manifested the greatest love to every man and woman in the world without distinction or exception for how is it possible that the same persons should be both the objects of the greatest divine love and the greatest divine hatred and displeasure If Christ died for every man then he shewed as great love to Cain and Judas as to Peter and Paul And is not this monstrous Will any soul dare to affirm this that hath experience of the love of Christ and hath tasted the sweetness thereof Yet truly I know not how Arminius and his followers can avoid this desparate consequence according to their principles Sure I am the blessed Apostle appropriates Christ's special and peculiar love manifested in his death to his Church Husbands Eph. 5.25 love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it Husbands are to love their wives with a special love to forsake all other relations for them and to cleave to them alone Is it meet that husbands should love other women with that love which peculiarly belongs to their wives Gal. 2 20. The life which I live saith Paul I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me ARGUMENT V. MY fift Argument is taken from Rom. 9.10 11 13. The children being not yet born neither having done good or evil That the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth It was said unto her the Elder shall serve the Younger As it is written Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated If God had purposed to hate some before they had done evil as he purposed to love others before they had done good then did not he give his Son to dy for every man and woman in the world How can it enter into our hearts to conceive that the eternal God decreed to give his only begotten Son to dy for them whom he purposed to hate and pass by Psal 11.5 See Psal 5.5 Mal. 1.3 God never hates the Elect Though their state by Nature be a state of Wrath yet their persons are ever beloved See Jer. 31.3 2 Tim. 1.9 Eph. 1.4 Iohn 3.16 and not communicate grace and glory to Now it is very plain that God purposed to hate and pass by Esau and also Pharaoh and not communicate grace and glory to them And this truth will further appear by consulting other Scriptures There are certain men crept in unawares Iude 4. who were before of old ordained to this condemnation Vnto you which believe 1 Pet. 2.7 8. Christ is precious But unto them which be disobedient he is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed The Lord hath made all things for himself Prov. 16.4 yea even the wicked for the day of evil But ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep Ioh. 10.26 i. e. because ye are not ordained to life For as many as be ordained to eternal life shall believe Neither let any object here that this decree or purpose of God did not pass upon Esau and Pharaoh till they had sinned and rejected the meanes and offer of grace for certainly if ever God purposed to hate a man it must needs be that this purpose was from eternity for all God's decrees are eternal absolute and unavoydable God himself being unchangeable doth not decree one thing after another I speak now of the decree it selfe not of the execution of the decree nor doth God now will one thing and then another this is sutable to poor weak changeable creatures not to the infinite unchangeable Creator the event proves that the decree of God was from eternity for what comes to pass in time the Lord did before all time decree that it should come to pass Now then can any sober man imagine that God the Father should give his dear son to shed his blood for the redemption and salvation of such as he rejected from eternity and are the objects of his hatred vessells of wrath fitted to destruction whom he hardens according to the absolute soveraignty of his will Rom. 9.18 Besides do not we find that election redemption by Christs blood and remission of sins are so conjoyned Eph. 1.4 5 6 7. and knit together by the Apostle that those who are the objects of the one are also objects of the other those and no more who are capable of the own are also capable of the other ARGUMENT VI. MY sixt Argument is deduced from the nature vertue and efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ and that perfect plenary satisfaction compensation which he hath presented to the Fathers justice in behalf of al those whom he represented in his death and for whom he was crucified The sins of those for whom perfect satisfaction is given and accepted shall not be required of them nor laid to their charge But for whom Christ dyed he hath given perfect and full satisfaction to the Father and it is accepted by the Father for them Eph. 1.6 and in their behalf and therefore God cannot justly require their sins of them and lay them to their charge so as to punish them in hell to eternity How can a debt be justly demanded and required of them for whom it is fully payed and is it not evident that their debt is fully payed for whom perfect and plenary satisfaction is both made and accepted The holy God cannot in Justice require double paiment of the same debt or a double satisfaction for the same sins whether the Redemption of a poor sinner be by way of solution or satisfaction it matters not this is certaine that God cannot justly and therefore wil not demand a double payment or satisfaction for the same debt The Lord laid help on one that was mighty to save a
responsible substantial person that could pay him and hath paid him the utmost farthing Rom. 3.25.26 He hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his Blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that he might be just He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 1 Iohn 1.9 and to clense us from all unrighteousness Iob 33.24 And now the Lord saith deliver the prisoner from going down to the pit I have found a ransom for him But now as for the Reprobates they go down to hell and suffer everlasting punishment for their sins without any injustice and therefore Christ did not dy and satisfie for their sins and so consequently not for every man and woman in the world These following Scriptures do fully declare the efficacie of Christ's death the vertue of his blood shed and the perfect satisfaction exhibited thereby to God the Father in the behalf of all those for whom the Lord Jesus suffered the death of the Cross He that spared not his own Son Rom. 8.32 34. but delivered him up for us all How shall he not with him also freely give us all things Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed When he had by himself purged our sins Heb. 1.3 he sate down on the right hand of the Majesly on high Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people Dan. 9.24 and upon thy holy City to finish the Transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness When Jesus had received the vinegar Iohn 19.31 he said It is finished In whom we have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins Eph. 1 7. according to the riches of his grace God hath not appointed us to wrath 2 Thess 5.9 10. but to obtain salvation by Christ who dyed for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him He hath made him to be sin for us 2 Cor. 5. ult who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him He needed not to offer himself often Heb. 9.25 26. but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself By the which Will we are sanctified Heb. 10.10 14. through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Vnto him that loved us Rev. 1.5 and washed us from our sins in his own blood The blood of Jesus Christ clenseth us from all sin 1 Ioh. 1.7 But God commendeth his love towards us that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Much more then being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him Rom. 5.8 9 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities Isa 53.5 the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed If the blood of Buls Heb. 9.13 14. and of Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh See Lev. 4.20 26. Lev. 17 11. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot or blemish to God Purge your Consciences from dead works Gal. 3.13 14. to serve the living God Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law that the blessing of Abraham might come upon us I beseech thee Reader examine these Scriptures seriously and thou wilt see that the Redemption of every one by Christ's blood and the damnation of thousands are inconsistent and cannot stand together Let the word of the great God by which we must all be judged prevail with you which is all I desire ARGUMENT VII MY seventh Argument or Reason is taken from John 10.14 15. I am the good shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine I lay down my life for my sheep They for whom Christ laid down life are his sheep But all and every man and woman in the world are not the sheep of Christ and therefore he laid not down his life for all and every man and woman in the world This Scripture if there were no other in the book of God is so plain and clear and full against Vniversal Redemption that he that runs may read it Object Oh but it is not said that he laid down his life for his sheep only Answ 1. Nor is it said that we are justified by faith only that we are compleat and accepted in Christ only that the sulness of the Godhead dwels in Christ only Yet who but Papists will say that we are not justified by faith only in that sense wherein the Apostle speaks of Justification by faith who dares say that we are compleat or that the fulness of the Godhead dwes in any other besides the Lord Jesul Neither is it said Husbands Love your wives only yet surely it is not fit that they should love other women with the same love which particularly belongs to their wives But secondly 2. Is there not a plain and manifest division separation and contradiction throughout the Scripture and this whole chapter between sheep and goats elect and reprobate the two seeds the Church and the world Now all and every man are not elected all and every man are not the sheep of Christ all and every man are not of the Church of Christ The separation of the goats and sheep which will be at the great day of the Lord Mat. 25.31 32 33. will make it manifest that all are not of the sheep of Christ Besides the properties of the sheep of Christ are here described They know his voice and follow him and a stranger they will not follow John 10. verse 4. for they know not the voice of strangers They are such as are known of Christ i. e. beloved of him They go in and out verse 14. and find pasture for their souls to feed upon They are such as are given by the Father to Christ who came to give them spiritual life yea that they might have it more abundantly verse 10. Are these properties and qualifications found in every man and woman in the world Doth every man and woman hear and obey the voice of Christ Is every one known and beloved of Christ How then comes it to pass that he will say to some in the last day Depart from me Mat. 7.23 I know you not Doth Christ give spiritual life Yea doth he give it abundantly to every man and woman Why then doth he say You believe not Iohn 10. verse 36. because ye are not of my sheep Doth every man and woman
excells the Princes and Captains of the world who cannot make their prisoners willing to accept of a pardon they cannot put a new will a new principle and disposition into their prisoners But as for Christ the great Captain of our salvation he makes his redeemed ones to accept of pardon he opens the prison dores by his word and spirit and makes the poor prisoners to come forth Isa 61.1 being given for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles to open the blinde eye Isa 42. to bring out the prisoners from the prâ—… and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house To his sheep for whom he dyed he gives eternal life He doth not only merit and impetrate it for them as a Priest but reveals it as a Prophet and applies it to them as a King causing them to accept thereof Iohn 17.2 7 8. Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him ARGUMENT X. ANother argument may be taken from John 17.9.10 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine and all mine are thine and thine are mine These words are so obvious plain against Universal Redemption that I cannot but wonder that any man who pretends to tenderness of conscience and to the love of the Scriptures should dare to Cavill against them If plaine Scripture proof will not satisfie men how can we expect they should be satisfied Behold here is a world which Christ prayed not for the words are laid down both affirmatively and negatively and therefore the argument deduced therefrom must needs be more convincing and concluding They are laid down affirmatively I pray for them which thou hast given me and he backs this with a strong reason for they are thine and all thine are mine Such as are thine by election are mine by Redemption Union and Intercession Negatively I pray not for the world There is a world that I pray not for because there is a world that is not thine a world which thou didst not give me to dy for and therefore a world that I must not pray for The Argument is this If there be a world which Christ prayed not for then there is a world which he dyed not for unless men will say that the Lord Jesus poured out his precious hearts blood for them he would not pour out a prayer for of whom he saith I pray not for them but for others whom thou hast given me and who are both thine and mine for we have a joynt Interest in them As for the Objections against this strong Argument drawn from so plain a Scripture truly they are so frivolous and nugatory that they deserve not an answer Let it be considered 1. That Christ's death and intercession being the two parts of his Priesthood which is an unchangeable and everlasting Priesthood Heb. 7.24 in respect of all those who have an interest therein they are conjoyned and put together in Scripture * Rom. 8.34 1 Iohn 2.1 2. being extended to the same persons such as Christ dyed for he intercedes for such as he poured out his blood for he pours out his prayers for But here is a world you see that Christ prays not for and therefore we may well conclude that there is a world which he died not for 2. The Lord Jesus is heard in the things he prayed for yea our salvation to the uttermost is put upon his intercession * Heb. 7.25 which therefore cannot be rightly applyed to any but such as shall be saved for it is certain that all those for whom he begun his prayers on earth he continues to pray for them now in heaven for as Arminius himself rightly observes The prayer of Christ in Job 17. is the copie and pattern of his intercession in heaven 3. They for whom Christ prayed as contradistinguished from a world which he prayed not for are those for whose sake he sanctified himself i.e. set himself a part to be a Priest and Mediator to dy for them that they also might be sanctified through the truth and they are such as he communicates grace and glory to Iohn 17.19 20 21 22 23 c. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word that they all may be one in us and the glory which thou gavest me have I given them that they may be one even as we are one But it is not said nor should we entertain such a dream that Christ sanctified or set apart himself for every man and woman in the world many of which shall never believe on him nor be sanctified by him through the truth nor doth he communicate grace and glory to every individual man and woman whereas we may plainly see here that all those for whom Christ prayed he gives that glory to them which the Father gave him What Scripture can be so clear and convincing but men may evade it if they be disposed to cavil I might add many more Arguments against Universal Redemption Heb. 9.15 16. Heb. 7.22 Heb. 8.6 as namely that the Covenant of grace whereof Christ is Sponsor surety and mediator for all them which shall be saved and which is sealed and confirmed in and by his blood and therefore called the blood of the new Testament or Covenant Matth. 26.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 42.6 Heb. 8.9 10 11. Gen. 17.21 Rom. 9.8 Rom. 11.5 7 8. Gal 3.13 14 16. Gal. 4.23 24. c. which was shed for many for remission of sins Yea Christ is said to be given for a Covenant This Covenant I say is not made with nor confirmed to no nor so much as propounded and published to every man in the world much less is every man in the world taken by God into this Covenant If the Covenant may be said to belong to all and every one to whom the Gospel is preached as some learned and godly men hold * Ball on the Covenant Baxter's Aphoris Appendix to Aphor. of Justif which for my part I shall find no fault with so they mean only in respect of external oeconomy and administration indeed I cannot see a cleer ground for that which an acute man seems to hold forth * Ball on the Covenant Baxter's Aphoris Appendix to Aphor. of justif viz that there are two Covenants of grace now in the days of the new Testament the one absolute the other conditional the one made to all the men in the world the other only to the elect Certainly there is but one Covenant of grace in substance although it ought to be dissinctly considered by us in respect of special and saving grace and external administration And this Covenant is absolute in respect of election and redemption thing it be conditionally propounded in the external ministry of the Word