efficacie in Christs blood for thee to comfort pacifie and save thy soul then for others that are damned That which a flords real comfort and peace is distinguishing grace and love and I pray you what distinguishing grace is there to one more then another according to the doctrine of Universal Grace and Redemption What peace joy comfort What ground of assurance can a poor soul draw from this Doctrine Herein I shall appeal to a wounded spirit a broken heart that will with meekness hearken to good counsel but as for such as go on in a way of pride and carnal presumption as I cannot but pity them so I shall not wonder though they scoff at the Doctrine of special and effectual grace and redemption special grace will not be prized by men that are full of self confidence but by the self denying soul Lastly The vigorous promoting this doctrine of universal redemption in City Country Army is a ready way to reconcile us to Rome oh what an introduction it makes what an inlet it opens to the worst of popish opinions as conditional elections See Eph. 1.4 5 9 11. 2 Tim. 1 9 Rom 9.11 1 Cor 2.14 Eph 2.1 Phil 2.13 Eph 1.18 19 Ioh 5.25 Rom 8.7 Iohn 7.44 45. Ioh 3.6 Rom 5.12 14 Psal 5.5 that somthing in the creature or done by the creature in time is the cause or condition of Gods decree in predestination That the natural man hath free will and power of himself without spiritual grace to believe in Christ to eternal life if the word of faith be morally propounded to him in the external ministry That there is no such thing as original sin and that all infants dying in infancy are saved not only the infants of believers but of Jews Turks Heathens Atheists How inconsistent this is with Antipaedo-baptisme I shall not now dispute but I suppose the most sober and rational of that judgement will easily apprehend that these two cannot hang together namely that all infants are in a covenant of grace and in a state of salvation and yet that the outward visible seale belongs not to them This opinion of universal redemption is accompanyed with that sad black See Rom 8 38 39 Ier 31.3 Ioh 13.1 Heb 8 12 Iohn 10 27 1 Iohn 5 12 1 Ioh 3 9 dismal and uncomfortable doctrine that a man may finally apostatise and fall away from a state of grace and salvation he may be a true believer a member of Christ in a state of grace and justification to day and yet a limbe of Satan and in a state of wrath and condemnation to morrow Oh how sad and uncomfortable is this to a poor soul what sad discouragements an dispondencies of spirit may this expose a broken heart unto Hence also it is that the Scriptures are debased and vilified For if Christ as mediator be savingly revealed in and by the inanimal creatures the Sun Moon Stars and fruitful seasons as one of the ablest and most daring of that way publikely affirmed in a dispute in London Mr John Goodwin in a dispute with Mr Sym now printed Is not this a ready way to render the glorious word of the Gospel contemptible and may it not well harden the Jews Turkes and Heathens and keep them off from hearing the Gospel preached to tell them that Christ dyed for every man and that salvation through Christ is revealed by Sun Moon and Stars though they have not the written words Here is a doctrine indeed that will please the papist well and therefore we need not wonder that the late innovators a As Dr Laud Mountag Cozens Pockling Heyling did contend so furiously for universal redemption freewill apostacy from grace and other points of Arminianisme and that they preserred such as incline thereunto discountenancing the most faithful and Orthodox ministers of the contrary judgement for they knew that these points would be as so many fit expedients to bring us over and reconcile us to the papacy But as this doctrine was promoted and propagated by formall superstitious men who were enemies to the power and spirit and life of godliness and the preachers and professors thereof so it was much opposed and the contrary asserted by the most reverend ministers of Christ * Preston Sibbs Bayne Hooker Twisse Pemble Ames Cotten Who have left behind them a sweet savor many of them being at rest with the Lord and for whom the whole Church of Christ have and will ever have cause to bless his name But if Christ did not dy for every man and woman in the world Object then I have no ground to believe that he dyed for me This is but a meer fiction Answer for first It is no where said in Scripture that Christ dyed for thee by name John Thomas Robert c. there is no such particular personall scripture revelation and therefore that cannot be the ground of thy faith but that which thou art bound to believe and to rest upon is that Christ dyed for all those sinners that shall truly believe on him whether Jews or Gentiles and if thou believe on him and accept him for thy Saviour Husband Lord and King and resigne up thy seif to him thou mayst then conclude to the comfort of thy soule that Christ dyed for thee and that thou shalt be saved The argument lies thus whosoever believeth on Christ shall be saved But I believe in Christ therefore I shall be saved God so loved the world Ioh. 3.16 18. that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life 1 Tim. 1.15 He that believeth on him is not condemned he that hath the Son hath life This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners By him all that believe are justified from all things Acts 13.39 from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses Secondly It belongs to the Will of God's purpose and good pleasure and is a secret voluntas propositi aut beneplaciti whom Christ dyed for in particular neither canst thou comfortably know it as to thy owne soule till thou hast a particular faith of assurance and therefore you are not to fetch the ground of your faith from thence but you are to look to the will of Gods precept commanding and incouraging you to believe they are to obey the command of God to have a respect to the generality of the offer of Grace and to this call and invitation of God in the ministry of the word Come unto me all ye that are weary and I will give you rest Mat. 11.28 Rev. 22.27 Whoever will let him take of the water of life freely This is open and revealed the other is secret and hid nor caâ—t thou have a particular evidence of Christ dying for thee til the spirit of God come work special faith in thy heart and
Testament Doubtless this is a principle that tends much to division and confusion and so we have found it in the places where it hath been received 9. They usually publish and promote their corrupt opinions and doctrines in places where the Saints abide So did M Brown both at Mountsorrel and Odeby wittness that profane carriage of M. Brown and his followers at Mount sorrel And at Odeby and in contempt of the publike faithful Ministry they will prepossess and invdde the Pulpit though they know beforehand that others are appointed to preach 10. They do ordinarily disturbe and interrupt the faithful Ministers of Christ in publike preaching and prayer putting on their hats in prayer time and laughing in the faces one of another and withal procuring some of the M. Marloe and M. Brown with their followers common Souldiery to guard them with their swords in their hands 11. They daringly challenge the Ministry of Christ to dispute with them and yet will observe no Order nor keep to any rules of Disputation no nor so much as agree on the terms of the propositions to be disputed upon much less will they yeild that there shall be a Moderator for they are altogether for popular irregular confused Disputes that they may make a noise and amuse the people and gain applause to themselves as men of great gifts and excellent parts 12. They quarrel with us for our praying before and after Sermon telling us that there is no precept nor example for it in all the New Testament nor will they enter a dispute with us on these terms M. Brown and his followers in Leicestershire that one of us seek the Face of God by Prayer for direction before and after the Dispute 13. They absolutely deny that there is any Original sin or corruption of Nature they scoff at God's absolute Decree from eternity and openly preach 〈◊〉 Free-will and for total and final Apostacie from Grace and the worst of Pelagian heresies and Popish opinions the very naming whereof was formerly odious to godly Christians 14. They bring their followers into miserable Soul bondage and slavery as the Jesuits and Popish Priests do with their Proselytes not suffering them to be present at our Meetings and Exercises lest they should be acquainted with Gospel priviledges and Christian Liberty and so renounce their Antichristian enslaving doctrines 15. They give out threatning language telling us Witnes M Browns carriage words at Mount sorrel that we dare not shew our faces where they have appeared and endeavouring by all sinister means to render our Persons and Ministry odious to the People as if the despising and hating their faithful Ministers were a ready way and a fit means to make them Christs true disciples If this generation of men should sit at the stern as I hope they never shall for my part I could expect but little Freedom or protection from them either for my self or any godly man that opposes their fancies 16. If we fight against their opinions with Scripture weapons and Arguments and warn the People in the name of Christ to take heed of their Errors In this case they are ready to make an Insurrection upon us yea some of them have beaten some of our hearers With these and such like carnal weapons do they maintain their cause party and kingdom 17. Their great designe where-ever they come is to pull down the powerful Ministry of Christ as that which stands in their light and hinders the building of their Babel and the setting up of their Kingdom 18. They hold that we cannot have true peace of Conscience nor comfortably conclude that Christ dyed for us in particular unless we believe that he dyed for every man in the world and so for Cain Judas Pharaoh c. Thus have I given you a taste from my own experience of their opinions and practises much more might be added but I affect brevity and enough hath been said if God give a blessing to make humble souls beware of them AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST Universal Redemption In X. Arguments IT should not seeme strange to us that there are so many heretical and corrupt opinions broched in these dayes for the Church and faithful servants of God have been from time to time sharply exercised with error and false doctrine and besides do not we find it prophesied and foretold Matth. 7.15 that wolves shall come in sheeps Mat. 24.23.24 1 Ioh. 4.1 1 Cor. 11.19 clothing and shall say los◠here is Christ and there is Christ But we are not to believe them but try the spirits and search the scriptures and again is it not said that there must be heresies even for this end that they which are approved may be made manifest Times wherein errors abound are times of Tryal many professors will stoutly hold out in other stormes and tempests who yet will be born downe and overwhelmed with this storme and make shipwrack of the faith which they once professed 2 Tim. 3.1 2 Tim. 4.3 4. The last times will be perillous times men will not indure sound doctrine but having itching ears will heape up Teachers like themselves and though we may well hope that there are many poor misled souls whom God will in mercy reduce and bring back to the acknowledgment and love of his truth yet for the seducers themselves they do for the most part grow worse 2 Tim. 3.13 and worse and run from error to error it being the just judgement of God upon them 2 Thess 2 10 11. that they should be given up to strong delusions to beleeve lyes who have not received the truth in the love of it that they should be filled with darkness and error who have not spiritually improved that light which they once had It is not in mans power to inlighten the understanding convince the conscience and informe the judgment of an erroneous person we can only morally propound truth to the understanding and the spirit of God must make the understanding yea the heart one with truth otherwise it cannot be effected We often wonder that people should not readily receive and imbrace truth when it is so clearly and plainly held forth and propounded in the word of truth but why should we wonder at it Considering that it is but given to a few savingly to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven Mar 13.13 c. 1 Cor. 2.4 1 Thess 1.5 and though the word and Gospel of Christ come to many in the letter yet but to few in the Evidence Power and demonstration of the holy Ghost Truly my soul mourns in secret to see the holy word of God so wretchedly abused misapplyed and wrested a nose of waxe to serve mens fancies whereas we ought to have a reverend and high esteem of the Majesty and authority of God's holy word by which we must be judged we ought I say to fall under it to submit humbly to it and to frame our heads
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
But if the Covenant of grace I say should externally belong to all to whom the Gospel is preached yet this will not extend to every man and woman in the world for God doth not afford the outward dispensation of his Gospel much less the estectual powerful operation of his Spirit to every one Psal 76.1 2. In Jud his God known his name is great in Israel In Salem also is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Sion Psal 147.19 20. Ier. 10.25 Eph. 2.11 Mar. 11.52 26. Acts 14.16 Acts 16.6 7. He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and judgments unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation At that time ye were without Christ aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel strangers from the Covenants of promise without hope without God in the world In times past he suffered all Nations to walk in their own ways Paul was forbidden of the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia and estaying to go into Bythinta the Spirit suffered him not The Lord God according to the pleasure of his own will sends the Ministry of the Gospel to one place and people and with-holds it from another makes known his Covenant of grace to some and hides and conceals it from others I might further argue thus that all those whom Christ dyed for he dyed in their stead as their surety and representative personating and representing them in his death and sufferings and if so how can the Lord God in justice and wisdom cast them of and reject them for whom his dear Son was a surety and undertaker and that by his own eternal decree counsel and appointment The Lord Jesus saveth his people from their sins Matth. 1.21 and then who can lay any thing to their charge It is Christ that dyed It is the son of God that shed his blood Rom. 8.31 34. who can condemn If Christ the eternal God be for us who can be against us If God spared not his Son but delivered him to death for us How shall he not with him also freely give us all things I shall not insist upon the nature of Redemption reconciliation atonement and propitiation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2.14 Rev. 5.9 10. Rev. 14.3 4. Col. 1.21 22. 2 Cor. 5.18 19. and the import and signification thereof in scripture phrase which comprehends and takes in not onely merit and impetration but also particuler application as to the persons so redeemed and reconciled by Christs blood I could also argue against universal redemption from the analogy and proportion between the type and the antitype doubtless the typical sacrifice was not slain and offered for every individual person nor did the antitype the substance of those shaddowes lay down his life for every man and woman in the world And lastly I would commend this to the consideration of the Christian reader that they to whom Christ is a redeemer and Savior Iohn 1 5. 1. Eph. 1.22 23. he is also a spiritual Root a spiritual head and principle of life to communicate the spirit of grace and holiness to them Redemption by Christ's blood and adoption by the spirit of grace though they may and ought to be distinguished yet they cannot be so divided and separated but that the same persons that are capable of the one are also capable of the other and shall partake thereof Gal. 4.4 5 6. God sent forth his Son to redeeme them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons and because ye are Sons namly by election and redemption God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Psal 68.18 Christ as he suffered for the fins of men so he received spiritual gifts for them yea for the rebellious Iohn 3.34 Iohn 1.16 Heb. 8.10 Zac. 12. Iohn 12.32 33. Phil. 1.29 Eph. 1.3 2 Pet. 1.1 Acts 5.31 Heb 12.2 that the Lord God might dwel among them that they might have communion and fellowship with God He received the spirit without measure as head and mediator that of his fulness we might receive grace for grace If God have given his Son to die for us he will also give us faith repentance holyness newness of heart and life If he so loved all men as to part with this pretious Jewell and Pearle of great price out of his bosome for them he will then give all men a hand to take it with and a casket to keep it in But for these and other argument which might be alledged against the General redemption they are managed by other godly and reverend men in their printed books to whom God hath given more skill and ability advantageously to handle spiritual weapons then I have only I cast in my poor mite into the Lords treasury desiring the Reader humbly and seriously to weigh and examine the scriptures in the margent 1 Tim. 2.6 1 Iohn 2.1 2. Iohn 3.16 Heb. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After I had propounded my arguments against universal redemption I did briefly as the Lord enabled me answer the most considerable objections of the adversarie Taken from those general and indefinite expressions and phrases of Scripture all every the world the whole world for as for these words i.e. Christ dyed for all men or for every man they are not to be found in the original Text of Scripture but are supplyed in the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an challaâ—…e of the number for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all sons heirs For all and every one that shall believe not only Jews but Gentiles So 1 Tim. 2.6 Iohn 12.32 Translation which hath given occasion to the venting of this erroneous opinion But if these words were sound in scripture yet there is no necessity for us to expound them of every individual person but with restriction and limitation as is usual in Scripture for not only these words a Col. 1.28 1 Cor. 12.7 Rom. 5.18 Ier. 29.31 Gan. 3.8 1 Cor. 4.5 Iohn 1.9 1 Cor. 7.2 20 Rom. 1.5 Rev. 18.3.23 Psal 118.10 1 Chron. 14.17 Iohn 8.26 Iohn 12.19 Luke 2.1 2 3. 2 Cor. 5.19 Rom. 4.13.16 Ioh. 3.17 Ioh. 6.33 Ioh. 16.8 17.21 Heb. 2.5 Psal 22.27 Ioh. 1.29 1 Tim. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated by See Mar. 5 34 35. 1 Iohn 5.19 Rev. 13.3 Rom. 1.8 Luke 2.1 Rev. 12.9 all men every man all Nations but also these words the world the whole world are in more places then one limited and restrained to a part of the world and a certain number of men and women Such general phrases are therefore used by the Spirit of God in much wisdom because the proud Jews were so apt ever after the breaking down of the pactition wall to appropriate the benefits of the Messiah and the priviledges of the Church of God to themselves and to exclude the world of the elect Gentiles as dogs and aliens
and strangers from the covenant and promises of grace the Jews being the only political visible church of God under the old Testament administration the Gentiles as opposite to them were counted the world See Exo. 12.19 Deut. 23.2 Lev. 26.33 Pl. 79.1 dogs aliens heathen And indeed the call and conversion of the Gentiles and adding them to the church of Christ was such a great and glorious mysterie a Eph. 3.8 Rom. 11. cap. that many of the Christian Jews yea some of the Apostles themselves b Acts 10 cap. Acts 11. cap. could not at first comprehend it there being in this such a great and manifest alteration in the administrations of the old and new Testament I did also answer the objections which are raised from the generality of the ofter of Christ in the Ministry of the Gospel from the obligation that lies on every man and woman to believe in Christ and to apply his death and lastly from those pathetical expostulations and affectionate invitations in Scripture directed indefinitely to all sinners without exception which passages being spoken after the manner of men and in condescension to our capacity for properly there are no such affections Voluntas signi precepti approhationis passions or workings of spirit in God are to be referred to the signifying preceptive and approving Will of God for so it may be called not so properly as his eternal decree and purpose which shall be accomplished and cannot be resisted for who hath resisted his Will The commands Rom. 9.19 exhortations invitations expostulations which we find in Scripture do not determine for whom Christ dyed in particular by his Fathers appointment nor what shall be the event and shall unavoidably come to pass touching the eternal condition of poor sinners in respect of predestination and redemption Quoad debitum not quoad eventum but they determine man's duty and the rule of his obedience and what God approves as good in it self not what Christ hath done or God will do for us and in us in particular The learned Dr Twiss Mr Ball on the Covenant Mr Rutherford Mr Whitfield Mr Owen Mr How against T. M Universality of Free Grace but what it is our duty to do there being a sweet harmony and connexion between the end and the means It would be too tedious to recite all the particulars which I laid down in answer to these objections and besides they are already more largely and sully answered by divers godly learned men in their elaborate treatises to which I must referr the studious and dilligent reader for in this writing I do affect and intend brevity that so the poore deluded soules in the country whom I pitty with all my heart may have something before them to read and peruse which by God's blessing may undeceive them and settle them in the truth I am perswaded that the Lord in his infinite wisdom suflers this and other erroneous and corrupt opinions to be broched touching the Decrees of God Redemption Reconciliation Justification Vnion with God the new Birth Conversion perseverance the Divinity of Christ the nature operation and evidence of the spirit biprisme and other Church administrations that so we may with more diligence seriousness humllity and selfe denyal search the Scriptures and through the teachings of the spirit of God and the assistance of divine grace a taine to a right and setled and spiritual knowledge of these Gospel mysteries whereof our apprehensions hitherto have been but shallow and wide That which I have said concerning the promises and doubtles others have said far more may helpe to convince you that the doctrine of general redemption as it is comonly held forth is very corrupt and unsound fighting directly against the tenour scope and sense of the word of God rightly understood Let the promoters of this doctrine pretend what they will I am very confident that it will appeare in the great day of Christ to be no better then dross and chasfe and combustible matter which must and shall suffer loss though some that hold that it may be saved so as by fire we shall one day find it to be a doctrine that comes from earth and not from heaven 1 Cor. 3 15. from the flesh and not from the spirit for under the notion and pretence of universal grace it destroyes the efficacy and power of grace under the notion of universall redemption it enervates the verue undermines the benefit that flows from Redemption by Christ's blood And that I may make this evident unto you I shall breifly acquaint you with some sad and dangerous Concomitants and consequences of this opinion which may serve now as so many antidotes against it and preservatives from it And first universal redemption of all and every individual man rises up with a high hand against the glorious attributes of the great and wise and just and holy God and namely against his absolute power soveraignty and wisdom what shall the great and wise God give his Son to dy for the salvation of thousands that shall never be saved as if mans stubbornness could frustrate the designe of God and as if sin and corruption were more powerfull to ruine and destroy the soul then the grace of God and the blood of Christ to save it * Rom. 5.20 21. It makes the powerful and gracious God to suspend the salvation of the creature upon the natural man's ability and the contingency of his Will and not upon his own irresistable decree the efficacy of his sons blood and the powerful and irresistable operation of his spirit in conversion which is directly contrary to the word of Truth * Isa 48.6 Isa 46.10 Psal 33.11 Prov. 21.30 Prov. 19.21 Rom. 9.19 Eph. 1.4 5 6. 1 Cor. 5. ult 1 Ioh. 1.7 Gal. 3.13 14. Again it is an opinion that undermines the glorious wisdom of God Eph. 1.8 1 Cor. 2.7 8. wherein he abounded in the mysterie of our Redemption by the blood of Christ as if the wise God had designed and appointed Christ by his death to put all men into a saveable condition and the end or effect of his death and blood shed may be fully accomplished though in the end there be not one man actually saved and brought to eternal life and glory Doth this suit with the infinite wisdom of God that he should propound to himself in the death of his Son the salvation of every individual man and yet not ordain effectual means for their conversion and for bringing them to salvation And oh how doth this doctrine of general Redemption and reconciliation reflect upon the justice and righteousness of the great God What shall the just God receive full satisfaction in the price of the precious blood of his Son for every man in the world Ps 9.8 Gen. 18.25 Rom. 3.4.25 26 1 Iohn 1.9 and yet thousands perish Now though men be unjust yet let the Judge of the whole earth be