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
therefore hee laboured to strengthen the faith in that Doctrine onely Luke 24.37 39. John 20.27 and this doctrine of the resurrection being confirmed all other doctrines taught before were confirmed also But they say the ceremonies of Moses Law may as well continue now as that prayer of Christ for hee did as well then command them to goe and offer sacrifice as Moses had commanded Mat. 8.4 I Answer although the sacrifices of beasts did end at the death of CHRIST yet the sacrifices of prayer and praise was not then to end for praise and thanksgiving must be continually in heaven Heb. 13.15 and that of those Lepers was such a sacrifice nine of them went not at all and the tenth returned to CHRIST and gave him thanks and it was approved of him as sufficient Luke 17.16 18. so then whether they were brought to Christ by the helpe of a sacrifice or immediately it was not much materiall so that they came to him then although the sinne offering of beasts be ceased by the Sacrifice of CHRIST once for all yet the sacrifice of prayer for pardon of sin may still bee a sweet incense Psal 141.1 but they say When Christ taught them thus to pray the Law was in its full strength but now Christ hath put an end to the Law which is the strength of sin 1 Cor. 15.56 And the Law being ended sin also is ended and needs no prayer for the pardon of it I Answer The morall Law is eternally setled in heaven Psal 119.89 103.20 and sin remains in hell for they shall blaspheme God in their torments and cannot repent Revel 16.9 11. and if sinne should cease the fire would goe out for It is sin and the wrath of God that is like ariver of brimstone to it Esay 30 33. so then as in heaven is neither sin nor misery to the elect but in hell is both the reprobate and in this world all things are alike to all Eccles 9 1 2 the Soints and reprobates have both sin and miserie although in a different manner for it reigns in the one and is dying in the other but he is a lyer that saith he hath no sin 1 John 1.8 For no man liveth and sinneth not 1 King 8.48 Eccles 7.20 Then feeing as the Saints have sin they must pray for the parden of it as the best means in the world to subdue it then the godly may say this prayer But then they say the ungodly may not say this Prayer of Christ as a Prayer because they cannot call God Father I Answer although they bee none of his children by grace and adoption yet they are his children by creation thus Adam was the Son of God Luke 3.38 and so God is the Father of all things Job 38.28 and if carnall men doe pray they may obtain some temporall things as well as Ahab did by fasting 1 King 21.29 so God hears all mortall creatures Psal 104.21.145.15.147 9. Then they say carnall men ought not to say the first petition praised be thy name for they cannot doe it from the heart I Answer the best of us all when we pray if Christ did not put the incense of his merits amongst them could not be pleasing unto him Revel 9.3 and if none should praise the Lord but those that doe it with their whole heart God would have very little praise in this world when as every creature that hath breath is commanded to praise the Lord Psal 150.6 Then they say none can give God thanks but they that have received somthing of him but this I grant for what creature in heaven earth or sea that hath received nothing from God if there be none such but all have received of him somthing then let all praise him But they say for carnall men to pray Thy Kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven were to pray for their destruction but how can that be when they pray that the will of Christ were done hy man on earth as Saints and Angels doe it in heaven both chearfully and constantly in salvation rather then by suffering his will upon them in hell torments for ever Then they say that carnall men may not say Give us this day our daily bread for that is to be understood The word of God which the Saints have had and still desire but how can this be must we aske for so much of the word as may onely suffice for a day and doth the word of God consume in the using of it when not one jot of it shall fail Mat. 5. It was the loafes that Christ said was meate that perisheth John 6.26 27. Again if Christ in this petition did not teach us to pray for temporall things then how could his prayer be perfect and why would hee give thanks for meate that perisheth if he would not pray for a blessing upon it Then they say here is to be understood that Christ taught them to pray for his spirit but I say again how much of his spirit will suffice for a day and I hope they will not so blaspheme the eternall spirit of God as to say it consumes in the using of it no It is a well of living water springing up unto eternall life John 4 14. then this petition being for carnall things and not the spirit of God carnall men may pray for them and obtain them Then they say if carnall men should say forgive us as we forgive them that trespas against us in this they would seale up their own damnation because they will not forgive others Mat. 18.29 30. But what of this shall they escape damnation by not saying of it and if they cannot they had as good say it to obtain some temporall things as to be both miserable in not saying of it both here and also hereafter and besides the using well of these gifts in seeking them by prayer and giving God thanks for them is Gods way to obtain better mercies as some in asking temporall things by that prayer obtain spirituall mercies Mat. 9.2 Then they say carnall men must not say Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill because they are never out of temptation I answer the godly are in the same condition tempted either by the world flesh or the devill continually and they cannot escape them all together except they goe out of the world 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. then must they not pray and use the meanes to escape them Then they say carnall men are temptation it selfe but I say how can that be For as they are Gods creatures they are good and not to be so called and it is but their words and deeds that tempt for their thoughts cannot neither is it all their words and deeds but some of them onely and they have a naturall conscience to oppose those words and deeds that are tempting to others and why may they not pray against them then we ought not to discourage any but rather teach
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
his Kingdom and cast into the furnace of sin Mat. 13.41 42. Both reprobates and their sins shall be cast into hell fire and the Saints shall inherit all things Revel 21.7 Their second reason why Christ dyed for all and yet all not saved is this because he would have nothing preached to man but what is true but if Christ dyed not for all men and yet the Gospel preached to all and requires all to believe then some men are required to believe that which is not true I answer it is not sin in God to command man to believe in Christ although he knows they cannot because he made them able at the first to doe it if he had then required it and if man by sin hath now disabled himselfe yet God is not to be blamed for requiring that which he made them able to do at the first no more then a man is that hath two debtors and both disable to pay him the one he freely forgives and of the other he requires the debt nor doth he require them to believe that which is not true when the Gospel is preached unto them but if they can truly believe they shall be saved and preaching the Gospel is the instrumentall means to work faith in men that they may believe Rom. 10.1 and then He that beleeveth shall be saved Mar. 16.16 Again the Lord somtimes sends his Gospel to try if men will repent and believe and if we doe not repent and believe it makes us guilty of a great sin in not doing of it when he requiers it of us and to say God requires some to believe that which is not true is a sin to judge of the secret will of God before that he hath revealed it unto them Their third reason why Christ dyed for all and yet all not saved they say is to leave man without excuse for man cannot say that Christ hath not dyed for him and the Gospel was preached to every creature to leave many without excuse I Answer Will God give the greatest gift that ever hee gave to man as well to reprobates as to the elect to leave them without excuse Would not a lesse gift then Christ himselfe bee sufficient to leave them without excuse But then they would confirme this from these words of Paul saying The free gift came upon all men unto justification of life Rom. 5.18 Hence they would gather that Christ hath dyed for all men For by him all are justified and have life by Christ and yet many of them shall bee damned O hellish inference all this is to leave them without excuse but the truth is this as by the offence of Adam judgement came upon all men that were in him by nature even so sayth this Text by one Christ the free gift of righteousnesse came upon all the elect when they are in him by grace unto justification of life for as none is guilty of the first Adams sin till they are in him by nature so nor is righteousnesse by Christ till they are in him by grace and not many ages past they said although Christ taketh away the sins of all the world yet none are justified from the sin till they by faith behold it but here they are not ashamed to say that the righteous God should pronounce all to be just having given them Christ to die for their sins and the life of grace to believe it and after all this that God should condemne these justified persons What miserable blasphemy is this Shall not the Judge of all the earth doe right Gen. 18.25 Is God unrighteous that taketh vengeance how then shall he judge the world Rom. 3.5 6. Then doe not harbour such blasphemous thoughts of God for whom he justified them he also glorified It is God that justifieth who shall condemn It is Christ that dyed Rom. 8.30 33 34. The fourth reason Why Christ dyed for all and yet not all saved is this they say Christ dyed for Adam and all his posterity because the elect should proceed out of his loynes I Answer as they are flesh and bloud they are the children of the first Adam and so in him under sin and condemnation but as they are new borne they proceed from the second Adam which is Christ Hee shall see his seed and he shall see the travell of his soule and be satisfied Esay 53.10 11. God the Father by Covenant gave them to Christ from all Eternity therfore sayth he Behold I and the children which thou hast given me Esay 8.18 But will it follow that all must be elected because all sinned and must all be given to Christ because they are descended of Adam or must Christ die for all because all came of Adam By this reason what is done to any is done to all if any be saved all are saved if any be damned all are damned because wee have all our nature from one man but cannot God bestow his gift on whom hee will must all have a like because all are alike descended I hope when Adam had condemned all it was Gods free grace to pardon any and as many as he pleaseth The fifth reason why Christ dyed for all and yet all not saved is because by Christ all shall rise again at the last day 1 Cor. 15.21 22. Hee is called the resurrection John 11 25. For by the sin of Adam all die and so lost their bodies so by Christ shall all rise again some to the resurrection of salvatian and some to the resurrection of damnation Iohn 5.29 Then say they because Christ raiseth all therefore he dyed for all I Answer although it is by Christ all reprobates are raised that is by his power those vessels of wrath that are fitted for destruction may be filled with it and because the body of Adam sinned as well as the soule against an infinite God therefore the bodies of reprobates should be punished with their souls eternally and because Christ will send his Angels to gather up the bodies of reprobates to bring them to their soules to bee tormented eternally Is this a good argument that Christ hath dyed for them and bought those soules and bodies this shews plainly they are goats and none of the sheep that the good sheepherd dyed for they are dogs and shall bee without when as his sheep shall never perish but shall have eternall life John 10. Sixthly They say Christ dyed for all and yet not all saved because the Father gave him all I answer Those that are given in to his wrath to be ruled with a rod of iron to say he dyed for all such you had as good say that hee died for devills being so given on to his regall power that they shall not doe what they list but then they say he died for all to purchase to himselfe a Church But cannot a man purchase a Lordship unlesse he lay down money and bargain for the whole World and when he hath purchased all the World and then
stand to their courtesie whether any will bee saved or not what miserable arguing is this Seventhly They say Christ dyed for all and yet all not saved because His Father made him Iudge of all John 5.27 28 29. I answer as before by this Argument he dyed for Devills and Angels that never sinned for he is the judge of all but if Christ shall slay those that will not have him to rule over them and cast unprofitable servants into utter darknesse Luke 19.22 27. and render vengeance on these that obey not the Gospel 1 Thes 1.7 8 9. Is this sufficient to prove that Christ hath bought them with his heart bloud when hee shall thus condemne nhem let all wise men judge But then they say if Christ should condemne these that he dyed not for in that he would be unjust I Answer as before If this were so then Christ were unjust to condemne the Devills or else they must prove that Christ dyed for Devills but men and Angels were all condemned for their sin against the Covenant of works and hee was not bound to send men a Saviour to redeem them and to establish those Angels that did not sin This may suffice to prove that Christ did not die for all and every man in the world CHAP. IV. They hold it unlawlull to use that Prayer of Christ Matthew 6.9 at a Prayer both by the godly and ungodly THey say the godly must not use this Prayer of Christ because the fift petition is forgive us our trespasses when as they are forgiven already and therefore ought not to pray for pardon of sin being pardoned already I Answer David a man after Gods own heart when Nathan the Prophet told him that the Lord had put away his sin yet he prayed the Lord to deliver him from bloud guiltinesse 2 Sam 12.13 Psal 51.14 and in his old age he prayed the Lord not to remember the sins of his youth and to pardon his iniquity for it is great Psal 25.7 11. And although the Lord will cleanse the house of Israel from all their uncleannesse yet for this he will be enquired of by them Ezek. 36.25 26 29 97. And they must take up words and say take away all our iniquity Hos 14.2 and the Apostles by Christ were taught daily to say forgive us our sins because we sin daily and our assurance is but for the time present and who knows how soone he may lose it and say with David and Jeremiah I am cut off Psal 31.22 Lam. 3.54 and with Iob Though thou holdest me for thine enemy and settest me as a mark for thine arrow Iob 7.20.13 24. But they say if any man lack assurance of Gods favour let him pray for it rather then for pardon of sin being done already I answer assurance of Gods favour is employed in that prayer for pardon of sin for it is sin onely that separates betweene us and our God Esay 59 2. and we should more desire the pardon of sin being an offence to God then our own comfort that comes by that pardon again the way to get assurance and to keepe it is by praying for the forgivenesse of sins for suppose we have at the present our comfortable assurance that all our sins past are forgiven yet we sin continually and every new sin is as a cloud betweene God and us and darkens our assurance of it now by this prayer we disperse and dispell these clouds which would soon deprive us of all our comfortable assurance of Gods favour therefore David prays to be clensed from all his secret sins although unknown Psal 19.12 for all sinnes will cause the Lord to hide his face from us more or lesse Esay 54.2 but they say Christ taught his Disciples to pray for pardon of sin before hee suffered because hee had then appeased the wrath of his Father yet afterward hee required no such thing but if Christ had not satisfied the wrath of God before he came in the flesh and suffered in it then I would know what became of all the Patriarks and Prophets that died before but I have often said that God made a Covenant with Christ from all Eternity to give him all the Elect as they fall in the severall ages of the World upon condition that he should give his life a ransome for them and so the Father set him a day and trusted the Son for the payment of it and gave him all the elect according to their Covenant that fell in those ages before the day of payment for the purchase and then in the fulnesse of time he paid for the purchase and now the Son trusts the Father to give him all the Elect that fall in those ages since the purchase was paid so then the death of Christ was vertuall to save those before his comming as well as those after for God was in Christ reconciling the World or multitude of the Elect in every age of the World from the first to the last to give them to Christ and so by vertue of the Covenant he was slaine from the foundation of the World Revel 13.8 Therefore it is said by Isaiah unto us a child is born Esay 6.9 And Abraham saw his day and was glad Joh. 8.58 And Christ was as pleasing to his Father before he came in the flesh as after for sayth he I was set up from everlasting then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight Prov. 22.23 30. Therefore if Christ say in Jobs time I have found a ransome then he will deliver his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see the light Iob 33.24 28. so then in every age when the Father gave any to Christ his death did vertually satisfie for them they being in Christ by faith with whom the Covenant was made but they say before Christ suffered all power to forgive sins was in the Father and afterward given to him Mat. 28.18 And then and not before he got the keyes of hell and death Revel 1.18 I Answer Christ had power to forgive sin before he suffered Mat. 9.5 6. for he was King of his Church ever since that promise was made to Adam Gen. 3.15 and had the keyes of hell and death ever since although he never made it known to the world till then Rom. 16.25 and if that covenant had not been made before the covenant of works was broken by Adam all creatures had perished eternally but they say although Christ taught remission of sins after his death yet then he did not teach to pray for pardon of sinne I Answer that prayer which he had taught before was to remain to the worlds end for sayth he When you pray say forgive us our sins and to denie this were to renounce all those truths taught by him before his death and to confine our selves onely to what hee taught afterwards Again then the Doctrine of resurrection was most in question to be resolved on
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