Universal Redemption of Mankind, Chapter 7 · Argument 13
Arg. 13. A Debito Amoris & gratitudinis erga Redemptorem.
If all Men do owe Love and thankfulneſs to Chriſt for his ſatisfying for their Sins, and for the Fruits of that ſatisfaction, then he hath ſatisfied for all, But all Men do owe him love and thankfulneſs, &c. ergo, &c.
I mean, all Men that hear of Chriſt, are bound to love him as Redeemer, and be thankful to him for making ſatisfaction for them, and thoſe that never heard of him are bound to love Deum Miſerecordem, God as merciful to them and to be thankful for thoſe mercies which are the Fruits of Chriſts Death.
The Antecedent hath two Parts, 1. That all are bound to love and gratitude 2. That they owe theſe for Chriſts dying for them. And as to the debt it ſelf. I hope few Chriſtians will deny it: For if they do, 1. They will deny a great part of the Law of Chriſt, and if ſuch a curſe be denounced againſt him that addeth or diminiſheth, as to the Law of ceremonies, what ſhall be due to him that wipeth out ſo great a part of the Goſpel at a daſh? 2. It is plainly High Treaſon, to diſcharge ſo many of Chriſts Subjects of their Allegiance, or of the chief part of their duty, even Love and Gratitude: His Subjects I may call them, though Rebellious; becauſe though they acknowledg him not, or not ſincerely, yet he is their rightful Lord. 3. It is notorious compliance with Satan, to ſay, Duty is no Duty, and that ſo great Duties as theſe; and that Sin is no Sin, and that ſuch hainous Sins. 4. If tendeth moſt deſperately to the Damnation of Souls, by drawing them to neglect theſe duties, and hardening them in impenitency when they have done. For if it be no duty to Love Chriſt for Redeeming them, and to be thankful for it, then it is no Sin not to love him, and not to be thankful, and if it be no Sin, they need not repent of it. 5. They will wickedly juſtifie Men from the Accuſation of the guilt of theſe Sins, at the Bar of Chriſt, and dare any that now boldly maintain this cauſe in diſpute, undertake to juſtifie and vindicate them at Judgment, and prove, that it was never their duty to love Chriſt, or be thankful to him for Redeeming them, and therefore that it was not their Sin, that they did it not? This will be a harder task, then it is now to find a flouriſh of words which ſeem to prove it. 6. And worſe then all this, They will condemn Chriſt for condemning them for theſe Sins. When he hath ſentenced them, [Go you curſed] For not loving him and ſhewing it to his Members, Mat. 25. And pronounced that Man Anathema Maranatha that loves not the Lord Jeſus; if theſe Men can prove that it was none of their duty, then they muſt accuſe Chriſt and his Law of injuſtice, and condemn his condemnatory ſentence.
2. And as they owe Chriſt this Love and Gratitude, ſo the thing that they owe it for, is his Redeeming them, or dying in their ſtead, or ſatisfying for their Sin: For 1. It is doubtleſs that they owe it him, not only as Creator but as Redeemer, and if ſo, it is either for Redeeming others, or themſelves. Not only for Redeeming others: For 1. The nature of gratitude is to reſpect ſome benefits that our ſelves receive, (either in our own Perſons, or in thoſe whoſe welfare is part of ours) And 2. Man is naturally ſo near to himſelf, and the love of himſelf, ſo deeply rooted by God in his nature, that he naturally looks at himſelf before others, and values things as they reſpect himſelf. 3. Others good is no mercy to us, further then we participate with them in the benefit; Yea Divines generally conclude, that it will be ſo far from comforting the damned to ſee that the Godly are in Heaven, that it will encreaſe their torment. 4. Elſe it would lay no greater an obligation on theſe Men to love Chriſt and be thankful to him, than it doth on the Devils, that Men are redeemed, or than they owe God, that the good Angels are preſerved while themſelves are condemned. 5. Scripture not only alloweth Men to love and be thankful in reference to our ſelves, even for that which is good to us, but ſhews it to be our duty, and the nature of thoſe affections; and that for our own mercies received, we are obliged hereto, 2 Theſ. 2. 10 Men are forſaken and damned for not receiving the love of the Truth that they might be ſaved. How oft are the Iſraelites (all of them) Commanded to love the Lord with all their Hearts, as their Redeemer from Egypt, which was both an effect and Type of Chriſts work of Redemption. Deut. 6. 5. and 10. 12. and 11. 1, 13, 22. and 19. 9. and 30. 16. 20. Yea all Gods mercies as well as this deliverance from Egypt, is made, in divers of theſe Texts, the motive that ſhould provoke them to love and thankfulneſs: And doubtleſs, theſe are all effects of the Death of Chriſt for them. To love for love and for benefits is that which Sinners do, Luk. 6. 32. Not as Sinners, but from the common humanity that is left in them. We love him, becauſe he firſt loved us, 1 Job. 4. 19. This [becauſe] is not meant only Effectivè, but alſo objectivè, as to Gods love. The firſt love of the Soul to Chriſt cannot be moved from the knowledg of Chriſts ſpecial love to the Soul: (For 1. Love accompanieth juſtifying Faith in the ſame moment, (And indeed in ſome Senſe is part of it) And doth not ſtay till the Soul diſcern his own believing, and thence diſcern Gods ſpecial love. 2. There is a love of deſire, which goes before the knowledg of Gods ſpecial love 3. Many a poor Chriſtian loves Chriſt long before they know the ſpecial love of Chriſt) And therefore this firſt ſincere love muſt needs be raiſed from the apprehenſion of Chriſts excellency as to us, and his general love to mankind: Which can be no other then that which is manifeſted in their Redemption.
Object: Wicked Men are bound firſt to believe and thtn to love, when they know by their believing that Chriſt died for them.
Anſ. They are bound immediately in the ſame inſtant to love Chriſt as to believe; and not to delay their love till they try their Faith, or by diſcerning it get aſſurance of Gods favour. They are bound to accept Chriſt as good for them, when he is offered them: And that acceptance is eſſentially love, as it is ſaid to be in the rational appetite. He that loveth not truly, believeth not truly. And how can any Man prove Gods ſpecial love by the evidence of a falſe Faith? Muſt Men firſt believe without love that by the Mark of ſuch a Faith they may have ground for love? That will be a deceitful ground, as it is a deceitfull Mark.
Object At leaſt, Men are bound to be humbled firſt, and believe that there is no other name under Heaven but Chriſts, by which they can be ſaved; and then to reſt on him, and love him.
Anſ. This is anſwered before. If the humiliation and Aſſent that they mention be proper to the Regenerate, and ſo be a true note of Gods ſpecial love 1. Then it will follow that other Graces go before that Faith which unites us to Chriſt, (Which few will grant) 2. Then Men muſt find ſpecial Marks Antecedent to Faith that from thence they may gather a warrant to believe: Which is falſe Doctrine, I think, in the judgment of all 2. But if theſe Antecedent Acts be common and ſuch as reprobates alſo may perform, then either every Man that performs them is bound to love Chriſt as his Redeemer (And to reſt on him for pardon) Or only ſome: If every Man, then ſome reprobates are bound to love Chriſt as their Redeemer (And to reſt on him for pardon by his Blood-ſhed for them) And to be thankful for his ſatisfaction: And then certainly Chriſt did Redeem them by ſatisfying for them. If but ſome, then how ſhall any Man know that he is one of them. So that I think I may conclude, that they that deny univerſal ſatisfaction by Chriſts bloodſhed, do leave Men no ground for their firſt ſpecial love to Chriſt as Redeemer: For that firſt love, muſt be raiſed upon the knowledg of Chriſts general love and mercy, or be groundleſs, Seeing there is no knowledg of ſpecial love and Mercy Antecedent.
Object But how can the knowledg of Chriſts common love cauſe in us a ſpecial love to him. Then we muſt love him firſt with a ſpecial love.
Anſ. Chriſt hath a ſpecial love to us, before we have a ſpecial love to him: But we cannot know it, and therefore cannot love him for it. His ſpecial love is the efficient cauſe of our love to him, but not the objective or moving cauſe of our firſt love. The love of Chriſt is not the leſs becauſe its manifeſtation is general. And therefore that glorious mercy of general ſatisfaction, though common, not only may be, but is, the ground or motive of our firſt ſpecial love, if it be orderly and rightly raiſed: though Chriſts ſpecial love be the efficient.
Object Then none do love God a right at firſt but thoſe that hold Univerſal Redemption.
Anſ. 1. Yet they may love him ſincerely, though they are brought to it (through the fault of their Teachers) in a diſadvantageous and diſorderly way, 2. Young Converts are not uſed ſo ſoon to be troubled with the Controverſy of Univerſal Redemption. 3. I have known few in my obſervation, but at their firſt cloſing with Chriſt, they have had the ſame judgment of the Univerſality of Chriſts ſatisfaction (ſo as to be ſufficient for all Sinners and wanting only their own Faith to make it effectual to Remiſſion) which I plead for. 4. It is the uſual way of Preachers in their popular Sermons to ſpeak far more ſoundly in theſe points then in their diſputations: And indeed their way of Preaching for the Converſion of Sinners, doth plainly intimate Univerſal ſatisfaction; For they uſe to lay all the blame on the Wills of Sinners (and juſtly) as that only which can deprive them of the benefits of Chriſts ſufferings, and to urge them to accept him, and to let them know that their caſe is not left remedileſs and deſperate: Yea and to tell them plainly that Chriſts Death is ſufficient for all, to pardon all their Sins be they never ſo many or great, and if they will believe they ſhall have the Fruits of it: Which is in other words▪ to ſay [Chriſt hath ſatisfied for all] So that upon theſe right grounds they uſe to bring Men to believe and love Chriſt at the firſt, and then they muſt have ſome longer time before they can pervert them again, by working out theſe apprehenſions, and acquainting them, that Chriſt hath not ſatisfied for all, but for the Elect only.
Object Mens firſt love to Chriſt, is not to him for what he hath done, but for what he can do for us, and as he is to us a deſirable good; becauſe it is but Amor Concupiſcentiae.
Anſ. It is alſo a love of gratitude: And all the good that we can expect from him for the future, or deſire him for, is but the fruit of what he hath done for us already, and therefore preſuppoſeth it: And he that looketh for Mercy from Chriſt as not procured by his ſatisfactory ſufferings, knows not the Goſpel nor what he expecteth. The Goſpel at its firſt Preaching is glad tidings, and brings news firſt of what Chriſt hath done for Men, and next, of what he will further do.
Object But it is not for Dying [for me in particular] that I am firſt obliged to love Christ; but for paying a ſufficient price.
Anſ. 1. If by [For me in particular] you mean [more for me then others] I grant it: But it is for dying and ſatisfying for fallen Mankind in general, of whom I am a Member. 2. I have ſhewed that according to this New Doctrin, Chriſts Death is not ſufficient to pardon all, if they did repent; nor formally a ſufficient price but only materially or Aptitudinally, ſufficient to have been a price. Now that this can engage any to love or thankfulneſs is paſt my reach to apprehend: For it is not a benefit, (to ſuch as for whom it was no price.) If 100 Men lie in Priſon for debt, and one ſhall pay as much for the debt and diſcharge often of them as was ſufficient to have ſatisfied for the debts of them all, and yet would not pay it for them, but rather give it ſuperfluouſly then that they ſhould have any benefit by it, how doth this oblige theſe Priſoners to love and thankfulneſs to this Man? At leaſt, not as any Redeemer or Friend of theirs? Rather they will think him envious and an Enemy to them, that would rather caſt away his Mony (Giving for one that which was ſufficient for all) then they ſhould have any benefit by it.
Object But it is not for his Death, that Men are bound at firſt to love Chriſt and be thankful, but for the free and general offer of himſelf and his beneſits to them in the Goſpel.
Anſ. 1. The negative is wicked and Unchriſtian 2. The part affirmed is a contradiction to their denial of Univerſal ſatisfaction. For Chriſt is offered to Men as their Redeemer only. And the Word [Redeemer] ſignifies 1. One that hath paid a price for them already 2. One that will recover them by the effectual conveyance of his benefits, if they accept his offer. And the later always implies the former: The effect cannot be without its cauſe. He is no Redeemer to them for whom he ſuffered not. And he cannot be a Redeemer to them by Pardon and Salvation, for whom he hath not been already a Redeemer by ſatisfaction. And he doth not offer to ſatisfie for them de futuro, a new, and therefore the offer certainly proves a general ſatisfaction, as is ſhewed before. 3. And if Chriſt offer himſelf to any Men, as their Redeemer whom he never did Redeem, no nor can Redeem by Remiſſion and Salvation, becauſe he hath not firſt Redeemed them by price and ſatisfaction, charging the refuſal upon them to their deep damnation, doth this oblige Men to love and gratitude? If he procure by his Death no poſſibility of their Salvation, but induce a neceſſity of their deep condemnation? If he offer them the benefits of a death never ſuffered for them, (that is effects without their cauſe) and which he cannot give them, and deſtroy them for not receiving them; Is this all the obligation?
Object But it is the Law of God that obligeth them to love and gratitude: And therefore they are obliged, though Chriſt be none of their Redeemer, and though his Death were not a benefit to them.
Anſ. 1. Theſe are duties that reſult ex natura rei, viz. boni oblati, & beneficii …ollati, and ſo from the Law of nature, and not from a meer poſitive Law. Love and gratitude are not ceremonies, and therefore where the nature of the thing obligeth not, there is no obligation. 2. There muſt be an objective cauſe of love and gratitude, as well as an efficient, and exemplary cauſe; And therefore our queſtion is only of the objective cauſe. God doth not alter the nature of love and gratitude by commanding them; He doth not command love that hath not good for its object (for there is no ſuch thing in rerum natura) nor doth he command a gratitude that is not for a benefit.
Object But it is unknown to them whether Chriſt died for them or not, For ought they know he did, And therefore they are bound to love and gratitude.
Anſ. 1. An unknown benefit bindeth not to love and thankfulneſs. 2. It is Real favours and not feigned, that Chriſt obligeth Men by: As it is real love and thanks and not feigned that he expecteth from them. 3. Elſe that common love and thankfulneſs which the Non-elect do give Chriſt as their Redeemer, would be a miſtake. 4. And when their Eyes were opened in Hell, they would repent that they loved Chriſt at all, and were thankful to him at all, ſeeing they would then diſcern it was upon a miſtake, and for a benefit that was never given them or for them: Whereas contrarily they will be convinced then of their Sin and folly in loving Chriſt no more, and being no more thankful.
Yet further, that theſe Men are bound to love and gratitude to Chriſt as their Redeemer, I will add ſome more Scripture proof. 1. If the Non-elect are not bound to love Chriſt for Redeeming them or not dying for them, then the Elect are not bound to it, till they know themſelves to be Elect; But the conſequent is falſe, therefore ſo is the Antecedent. He that dare ſay, No Man in the World is bound to love Chriſt and be thankful to him for dying for him, till he know he is Elect (That is, have aſſurance of Salvation which ſo ſo few attain to at all, or at leaſt ſo many Chriſtians want) Dare ſay that which I dare not, Rom 5. 8. But God commended his love to us, in that while we were yet ſinners Chrift died for us. Joh. 3. 16. God ſo loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever, &c. 1. If Gods love to the World and Sinners before Converſion, in his Redeeming them by Chriſt, be propounded to the conſideration of unconverted Sinners, then it is to manifeſt that they owe him love again and thankfulneſs for it: But the Antecedent is true, therefore ſo is the conſequent.
Theſe Texts and many other do propound the conſideration of Gods love, in Redeeming them, to Men before Converſion (as might abundantly be proved) and that muſt need intimate their duty of love and gratitude, or elſe the Law of nature is abrogated, which bindeth us to return love and thankfulneſs for love and benefits. 2. Let me add one other Argument for the Minor (viz. that the Elect are bound to love and gratitude to Chriſt as their Redeemer, before they know themſelves to be Elect) and it is ſuch a one, as I think, makes the caſe ſo clear, that it will be hard for the moſt prejudidiced not to diſcern it, if they will conſider it.
If the Elect are not bound to love and gratitude for Chriſts Redeeming them, before they know themſelves to be Elect, then they are never bound to it at all, (and ſo never ought to perform it) But the conſequent is intollerable, Ergo, &c.
The conſequence is proved thus. They cannot know themſelves to be elect (unleſs by extraordinary Revelation) till they firſt know their love and gratitude to Chriſt for Redeeming them; Therefore if they are not bound to love and gratitude before they know themſelves Elect, then they are never bounnd to it. The reaſon of the conſequence is, that the ſame thing cannot be, [Before] and [Not before] before their knowledg of Election, and not before it. If it muſt go before the knowledg of Election, then they were obliged to it before (for that we are not obliged to, is no duty and that which is no duty, is no Mark of Election:) but it muſt go before, Ergo &c.
The Antecedent is proved thus, There is no other ſign without this love and gratitude which is ſufficient to diſcover a Man to be Elect; Therefore no Man can know himſelf to be elect (by ordinary means) without the knowledg of theſe.
Two things will be replied, to this. 1. That Faith is before love and gratitude, and a ſufficient ſign. 2. That it may be known without ſigns by the Teſtimony of the Spirit.
To theſe in order. And 1. For Faith, as it is in the will and is the acceptance of an offered Chriſt, is the ſame thing with love, as love is in the rational appetite, as I have elſewhere fully proved; & Aquinas oft expreſſeth this love to be but velle bonum. 2. If love be diſtinct (as it is exerciſed on the ſame object, for elſe there's no queſtion of it) Yet it is certain that it is concomitant, and doth not in one moment of time come after Faith: Much leſs ſo long as that a Man muſt firſt by reflection diſcern his Faith before he be obliged to love. 3. Faith is no true Faith that is not accompanied with love, and a falſe faith can be no true ſign of Election, as is ſaid before. The Acts of Juſtifying Faith in the Will are principally theſe two. 1. To accept of Chriſt as he is offered; Now he is offered as a Redeemer, i. e. 1. As one that for the time paſt hath paid the price of our Redemption. 2. And for the time to come will give us the benefits of it, on his own terms. Now Chriſt cannot be received as a Redeemer, without reſpect to both. He that receiveth him to pardon and ſave him any other way then by the price of his Blood already ſhed, doth not receive him as he is offered, nor as the Redeemer; And if it be neceſſary that he muſt be received in reſpect to what he hath done for us, as well as what he will do, then it is as neceſſary that he be loving and thankfully received. For as bonum recipitur volendo, which is our love; and cannot poſſibly be received qud bonum but lovingly; ſo bonum preteritum is the object of this Amor Gratitudinis, (The benefit may remain, but the act of the benefactor is paſt) as bonum futurum is the object of Amor Concupiſcentiae, & Bonum Preſens, of Amor Complacentiae. So that no Man living can know that he hath received Chriſt as a Redeemer, if he do not know that he hath lovingly and thankfully received him. And no Man can know the good that Chriſt will do for the future, nor receive it, without knowing the good that he hath done in his Sacrifice for the time paſt, and thankfully acknowledging it. 2. After acceptance of an offered Chriſt, the next Act, is affiance (which moſt Divines make the Principal, and ſome the only juſtifying Act) And this preſuppoſing the loving conſent, acceptance, the Velle, before mentioned, I do not need to prove, that affiance is no certain Mark of Election, without love; Nay moreover, as it preſuppoſeth love, ſo it containeth love in its own nature, as every Act of the will toward goodneſs, muſt needs do. I reſt on Chriſt as one to do me good for the future by virtue of his ranſome already paid; and ſo here is ſtill the double good, paſt and preſent, which affiance doth reſpect, or elſe it is not in Chriſt as Redeemer that we have affiance. 3. The like I might eaſily ſhew in reſpect of deſire after Chriſt: An early Grace, and before which none finds a diſtinct certain ſign of his Election: Yet goodneſs is its object, and love is in its nature; from whence we uſe the term of Amor Concupiſcentiae.
Object. But you ſaid before, that the Faith and Love of Young Converts that hold not Univerſal Satisfaction may be ſincere, though not rightly ordered, grounded or raiſed.
Anſw. True, for if one ſhould conceit that Chriſt Dyed but for Engliſhmen, or for a very few at leaſt, and that he is one of thoſe few, he might truly love Chriſt for dying for him; though yet he grounded his apprehenſion amiſs of his intereſt in Chriſt. But ſtill here is no certainty of Faith, without certainty of Love: Nor certainty, or any knowledge of Election, without the knowledge of both Faith and Love.
Object. Then a Socinian can have no …ertainty of Election: For he that believeth not Chriſts Satisfaction can have no Love or Thankfulneſs for it.
Anſw. No wonder if he have no certainty of Election, who can have no grounded hope of Salvation. If it be not only ſome circumſtances, or Terms or Law-notions; but the ſubſtance of this Doctrine, which any Man ſhall deny, viz. That Chriſt hath taken away Sin by the Sacrifice of himſelf, and having made Purgation of our ſins, is aſcended, &c. And hath by one Sacrifice perfected for ever them that are ſanctified, and became a Curſe for us, to free us from the Curſe, and ſo hath taken away the Sins of the World (quoad pretium,) And hath born our tranſgreſſions, that we might be healed by his ſtripes, and hath Dyed for us, the juſt for the unjuſt, ſo that now we muſt be juſtified by his Blood: I ſay, he that believeth not this, I think is no Chriſtian. See 1 Cor. 5. 7. Heb. 9. 26. and 10. 1, 2. &c. and 1. 3. and 10. 14. Gal. 3. 13. Iſa. 53. 4, 5. John 1. 29. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Eph. 1. 17. Rom. 3. 25. and 5. 9. Col. 1. 20. Heb. 9. 22. and 13. 12. 1. Pet. 1. 2. 19.
I know nothing more of moment that can be here objected and therefore will go to the next Reply.
2. Which was, that men may know their Election by the Teſtimony of the Spirit.
To which I anſwer.
1. The Spirit ſheweth to us the things given of God, of which Love to Chriſt is a principal.
2. The Spirit witneſſeth our Election mediately and not immediately (that I know of.) 1. By giving thoſe graces that will prove it, and do flow from it. 2. By exciting them. 3. By illuminating us to ſee them, and try by them. 4. Filling the Soul, with thoſe ſweet affections, which are a kind of taſt of the Love of God: But all affections are raiſed mediante intellectu, and therefore knowledge goes before them. Who can know that he rejoyceth Spiritually, and that his Joy is a fruit of Election, that knoweth not why he rejoiceth.
3. However, it is deſperate Doctrine to teach poor Chriſtians, that they have no ground to Love or Thank Chriſt for Redeeming them, till the Spirit have without any ſigns revealed their Election to them (which I think it never doth.
Laſtly, The Spirit witneſſeth with our Spirit: Now our Spirit witneſſeth only from evidence that we are Gods Children, and not without; and therefore whether the Spirit be a concurring witneſs in the ſame Teſtimony, or its Teſtimony be a concomitant Teſtimony, diſtinct from though conjunct with that of our Conſcience, (I think the former) yet alls one to the point in hand, ſeeing they witneſs together.
So much for the Minor, viz. that the Elect are bound to love and thankfulneſs for Redemption before they know themſelves Elect. Now for the conſequence of the Major, it it clear from what is ſaid, that the Elect could not be bound to this, except the Non-Elect are alſo: Becauſe (as is proved) no Man can know whether he be Elect or not, before he know himſelf ſo much as obliged to love and gratitude for Redemption. For Elect and Non-Elect are not to to be diſcerned till Faith and love do put a difference. And therefore, methinks, I may conclude confidently, that the Non-Elect are bound to love and thankfulneſs for Redemption, or ſatisfaction, and therefore they are redeemed or ſatisfyed for.
If any ſhall make the common objection, viz. The Non-elect, or the Elect not yet converted are bound to love and gratitude to Chriſt for ſatisfying for all that will believe, I have anſwered this oft already.
1. The Doctrine which I oppoſe is that Chriſt hath not only died for Men if they will believe, but died only for the Elect that they might believe; ſo that it is determined by name for whom he Died, and the reſt he Died not for at all; and therefore his Dying for another, is not that which obligeth a man to Thankfulneſs: And their Ignorance that they are excluded, I have ſhewed, can add no obligation.
2. Mens believing will not cauſe Chriſt to Die for them, nor is it a condition of it, as if Chriſt would Die for Men if they will believe; Believing preſuppoſeth Chriſts Dying for us, and what then can be their meaning that ſay Chriſt Died and Satisfied for all men if they will Believe? When they ſay abſolutely withal, that he Died not for all at all, but only for the Elect, that they might believe. Will they ſay that he Died for the Non-elect, if they will believe? Then either they muſt mean that he underwent the Penalty, and left it undetermined quorum loco, in whoſe ſtead and for whoſe ſins it ſhould be, till their believing determine it: But 1. This is as much denyed by thoſe whom I oppoſe, as by me. 2. And it is a contradiction. For it is Eſſential to Puniſhment to be propter peccatum; that Relation is its formal Nature, as it differs from Affliction in general; And therefore Chriſt ſuffered no Puniſhment, if it were not determinately for Sin: And the meritorious cauſe is conſidered as before the effect, and not after it; Or elſe if they ſpeak of [Believing] not as any condition on mans part, but a Divinely-infuſed Character of thoſe for whom Chriſt Died, then the ſence of their words is but this [Chriſt Died for the Non-elect, if they be Elect] or [Chriſt ſatisfied for all men, if all men be Elect] or [Chriſt Died in ſtead of all, if he will give Faith to all.] And who ſees not that theſe words are a plain Negation, and all one with theſe [Chriſt ſatisfied not for all] q. d. [I leave in my Will ſuch a Legacy to Titus, if Titus be not Titus, but Sempronius] what Lawyer knows not that is a denyal, or an illuſory nothing! And how then can this bind men to Love and Gratitude.
If I could bethink me of any other conſiderable Objection I would anſwer it: But I cannot.
Furthermore for the Antecedency of the obligation to love, mark how Chriſt maketh it a condition to his own Love and his Fathers (as in a greater degree, and as manifeſted) Joh. 14. 21. He that loveth me ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifeſt my ſelf to him. Chriſt Loveth Men before they Love, as he is Dominus Abſolutus and a free Benefactor, (and as a Natural Lover of his own Workmanſhip) But he loveth man after his Faith and Love to him as Rector per Leges, as putting on the reſemblance of goodneſs, and juſtice in civil Senſe, and as he now ſtands in that Relation to them, in which he is by his own Law, as it were obliged to do them good: Note this difference of Chriſts love, Prov. 8. 17. I love thoſe that love me, and thoſe that ſeek me early ſhall find me. So ver. 21. Luke 7. 47. Many ſins are forgiven, for ſhe loved much. If it be meant [therefore ſhe loved much] yet it would not make againſt this.
From John 3. 19. I argue thus. If men are condemned for loving darkneſs rather than Light, (and Chriſt is this Light) then they were obliged to love Chriſt the Light. But, &c. Ergo, &c.
And I have ſhewed it is as Redeemer that he muſt be loved: For to Love Chriſt as an excellent Prophet only, that a Turk may do, for Mahomet ſo confeſſeth him to be, Mat. 10. 37. It is Chriſts condition propounded to all, That if they love not him better than Father, Mother, Houſe, Land or Life they cannot be his Diſciples; So that thoſe that are not yet his Diſciples, are obliged at once to love him above all, and become his Diſciples. 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt let him be Anathema, Maran-atha.
And then more ſpecially for Gratitude (becauſe I have hitherto inſiſted on the other ſpecies, Love) there are many Parables in the Goſpel that ſhew that wicked men are condemned for ingratitude to their Redeemer, Mat. 21. 37, 40. &c. Chriſt convinceth his Auditors, that thoſe unthankful Husband-men, that refuſed to pay the Fruits, and killed the Son that was ſent to them; (he was ſent to be entertained as Redeemer) would deſervedly be deſtroyed with a miſerable deſtruction, and the Vineyard let out to others, i. e. that the Kingdom of God ſhould be taken from them and given to a Nation bringing forth the Fruits thereof. And what is that Kingdom (here meant) but the Goſpel? The proclaiming and offer of Chriſt as Redeemer, and of mercy in and with him? Mat. 22. 8. It is unthankful refuſal of the feaſt prepared, when all things were ready, and they invited which was the unworthineſs that there is mentioned, which ſhut out thoſe Gueſts, Mat. 18. 32. Unthankfulneſs is intimamated as part of the Sin of that wicked Servant, who took his fellow Servant by the throat for 100. Pence, when himſelf had been forgiven 10000 Talents: [I forgave thee all the debt] ſignifieth ſuch a mercy as Men may have that periſh (as is plain verſe 34. 35.) and yet certainly preſuppoſeth Chriſts dying for them, and obligeth them to thankfulneſs: If any ask the ſenſe of the Text, I ſhall give it after by it ſelf more fitly.
Let me therefore conclude thus. That Doccrin which ſubverteth a very great part of Religion is not of God: But ſo doth this which denieth Univerſal ſatisfaction: Therefore it is not of God. The Minor is proved from what is ſaid: It deſtroyeth the ground of all Mens firſt love to Chriſt for Redeeming them: It juſtifieth all the Non-Elect in their ingratitude and not loving Chriſt as their Redeemer: Beſides what was ſaid before of its deſtroying the uſe of repentance and all Means. But we ſhall recollect more of theſe conſequences in the end, and ſhew you more fully the face of the Doctrin which I diſpute againſt.
I have proved that all Men that hear the Goſpel, owe Chriſt love and thankfulneſs for Redeeming them by dying for them. I ſhould next ſhew that all Men in the World do owe God love and thankfulneſs for thoſe mercies which are the effects of Chriſts ſatisfaction: But eſpecially thoſe within the Church who have in the New Covenant, made over to them a conditional remiſſion of their Sins, and adoption, and everlaſting life, viz. If they will accept Chriſt with his benefits: Thoſe that are ſanctified with the Blood of the Covenant, and are made partakers of the Holy Ghoſt and were eſcaped from the pollutions of the World through the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, and and have taſted the good word of God and the Powers of the World to come, &c. Certainly theſe have received the fruits of Chriſts ſatisfaction for which they were bound to be thankful. But of thoſe more particularly in their place.