Universal Redemption of Mankind, Chapter 7 · Argument 19
Arg. 19. A comparatione Legis Gratiae cum Lege operum.
If Chriſt Died not for all (to whom the Goſpel comes) then the Law of Grace doth contain far harder terms than the Law of Works. But the conſequent is falſe, therefore ſo is the Antecedent.
The Conſequence of the Major Propoſition I prove thus: The Law of Works, as given to man in Innocency, required nothing that was Impoſſible for man in that ſtate to do: But (if Chriſt ſatisfied not for all) the Law of Grace ſhould require Impoſſibilities, and condemn men for want of them, and ſo ſhould contain much harder terms than the Law of Works; Yea the Law of Works as given to fallen man (if ſo it were) contained nothing contradictory, and ſo impoſſible in it ſelf, though man through ſin was diſabled to perform it: But the Law of Grace, ſhould, if this Doctrine oppoſed were true. If the Law of Grace require men to take him for their Redeemer, and reſt on him as their Redeemer, that never redeemed them, it ſhould contain a contradiction. If according to this Law, men muſt be everlaſtingly condemned becauſe they did not receive him as their Lord-Redeemer, that never paid for them any price of Redemption; and becauſe they did not receive and apply to themſelves the effects and benefits of a ſatisfaction, which was never made for them▪ and ſo could not poſſibly be a cauſe of ſuch effects▪ and becauſe they did not reſt on Chriſt to Juſtifie and Save them by his Blood which was never ſhed for them; theſe are impoſſibilities, and far harder terms than thoſe of the Law of Works. Yea, if when man is already condemned, the Law of Grace ſay, that he ſhall undergo a far ſorer puniſhment, and it ſhall be eaſier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgment than him, except he will do theſe impoſſibilities, this is ſtill harder. It is not all the believing in the World (ſuppoſing it were performed) that would make Chriſts Death, which is paſt, to be ſuffered for thoſe that it was not ſuffered for. This makes Chriſt to come into the World to condemn the World, and that to a far ſorer puniſhment than the Law of Works did oblige them to, without procuring them any poſſibility of eſcaping; For there's no poſſibility of that mans eſcape, for whom no price of Redemption is paid. Nay it lays an abſolute neceſſity ab extra, and unavoidable, on men of periſhing under this double damnation. For he that before I am born makes a Law, that I ſhall dye except I have part in a payment that was made 1000 years ago and that only for others and not at all for me, he doth neceſſitate my Death by that Law: For it is impoſſible that I ſhould ever have part in it, if it were not paid for me. Now I know our Divines ſpeak of Gods neceſſitating mans Damnation by Foreknowledge and Decree, which they call only Neceſſitas Antecedentis, non Cauſae: But who ever affirmed that Chriſt in giving the New Law [He that believeth ſhall be ſaved, and he that believeth not ſhall be damned] did neceſſitate and that Cauſally, and that Antecedenter ad Culpam, the far greater damnation of miſerable wretches that were condemned already.
And that the Goſpel is not ſo much harder than the Law I prove: Mat. 11. 27, 28, 30. My Yoak is eaſie, and my Burden is light, Heb. 8. 6. Jeſus is the Mediator of a better Covenant ſtabliſhed on better promiſes [Heb. 7. 22. And the Author of a better Teſtament] Rom. 5. 14, 15, 20. Where ſin abounded, Grace much more abounded, John 3. 16. God ſo loved the World, that he gave, &c. Eph. 3. 19, 20. Heb. 11. 40. His ſervice is a reaſonable ſervice: His Commandments are not grievous: His tender mercy is over all his Works. He is kind to the unthankful and unjuſt. His mercies lead men to Repentance: He delighteth not in the death of him that dyeth but rather that he Repent and Live: He calleth all men every where to repent and ſeek after God: All the day long doth he ſtretch out his hand to a froward and gain-ſaying generation: He dealeth not with us after our ſins: He inviteth the Non Elect to the Wedding Feaſt and telleth them that all things are ready: and ſome of them he compelleth to come in: as he did him that had not on the Wedding Garment: he chargeth his Meſſengers to beſeech men in his ſtead to be reconciled unto God: He would gather under his Wings even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens, thoſe that Will not be gathered. All theſe with a multitude the like, are the Scripture expreſſions, of Gods gentle and merciful dealing with men under the Law of Grace. And ſo much of the execution as we ſee is anſwerable. He offers mercy to all in the Church: and confers much Mercy on every man in the World; He dealeth with no man according to the ſtrict rigour of the unremedied Curſe of the Law of Works. Abuſe of the Talents of undeſerved Mercy, is the thing that men muſt be condemned and periſh for. No one ſinner on Earth is excepted or excluded by him out of his Offer and Promiſe of Mercy, ſo be it, they will themſelves conſent, whoever Will may have the Living Waters freely, without Money and without Price: and if their ſins be as red as Scarlet, he offers to make them as white as Snow; and to caſt them all behind his back, and bury them in the depths of the Sea: He calls to them, return; why will ye dye? How long ye ſimple ones will ye love ſimplicity! and ye ſcorners delight in ſcorning and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof, behold I will pour out my ſpirit unto you; I will make known my words unto you, Prov. 1. 22, 23. He hath received Gifts for men, even for the Rebellious that the Lord may dwell among them God hath ſent his Son Jeſus to you (ſaith the Apoſtle Act. 3. laſt) to bleſs you, in turning every one of you from his iniquities. And when men will not hear, he ſaith, O that my People had hearkened unto me, and Iſrael had walked in my mays, Pſal. 81. 13. O that there were ſuch an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and their Children for ever. Deut. 5. 29.
Can any man then believe that the tenour of the new Law or Covenant, is ſo much harder than ever was the Law of Works, as is before expreſſed? As for them that ſay, the New Covenant is no Law, and Wicked men or the Non-Elect are not under it, they manifeſt ſo great ignorance, and go againſt ſo full light of expreſs Scripture, that I think them not worthy a confutation: Only I would have the Lutheran Divines remember, that near to the Apoſtles times, it was not only an unqueſtioned truth, but alſo was part of the Chriſtian Creed, [Chriſtum predicaſſe Novam legem, & novam promiſſionem Regni Caelorum] Tertullian. de Preſcription cap.