Universal Redemption of Mankind, Chapter 7 · Argument 21
Arg. 21. Ab officio praedicantium Doctrinam Evangelii.
If the whole or main work of the Preachers of the Goſpel do ſuppoſe Chriſts Univerſal ſatisfaction as its ground, then Chriſt hath ſatisfied for all: But the Antecedent is true, therefore ſo is the conſequent.
It is only the Antecedent of the Major propoſition that requires proof. To which end let us enumerate the parts of the Work of Preaching: And the enumeration is to be taken from the enumeration of the parts of the New Law, for that is the ſubject which we muſt preach of: Now the Law, is, firſt a Declaration of the Occaſion, or Narration of the matter of Fact, as an Introduction to the more eſſential parts. 2. Thoſe parts themſelves which are 1. The precept conſtituting duty: To which I joyn the prohibition, as one part of it, being but preceptum de non agendo. 2. The conſtitution of the debitum premii vel beneficii. 1. By an abſolute promiſe. 2. By a conditional promiſe or gift. 3. The conſtitution of the condition as ſuch. 4. The conſtitution of the debitum Poenae, by the threatning. This much quoad materiam. And then quoad finem, the Preacher muſt manage all theſe. 1. To the glorifying of God for the great work of Redemption. 2. For the winning of Souls to Chriſt, and confirming them in the Faith: This is the Miniſterial Work.
Now. 1. For the Narration or Declarative part of the Goſpel, which is matter of Aſſent; I have already ſhewed that if his Univerſal ſatisfaction be not declared, the main part is left out, that ſhould honour the Redeemer; and there is nothing declared that can groundedly encourage a Sinner to believe, and reſt on Chriſt as a ſufficient Saviour. 2. The precept is, that Men believe in Chriſt and reſt on him as their Redeemer, for juſtification by his Blood: And the contrary unbelief and diſtruſt is forbidden. Now what ground can a Miniſter have to preſs all Men to believe in Chriſt as their Redeemer, when they know he redeemed but the ſmalleſt part? Or to charge them to reſt on his Blood for Remiſſion, when he knows it was ſhed for the ſmaller number, and will profit none but thoſe whom it was ſhed for? Yea how can he urge any to reſt on Chriſt at all? For till they know they are Elect, they know not that Chriſt died for them (according to the oppoſed Doctrin: And till they know that Chriſt died for them, they cannot reſt on him as their Redeemer, nor on his Blood as ſufficient to procure their pardon, ſeeing (as is confeſſed) it is but materially and not formally ſufficient, to pardon them if they ſhould believe. And they cannot know that they are Elect or that Chriſt died for them, till they reſt on him: And therefore I ſee not how any Miniſter can preſs Men groundedly to reſt on Chriſt, by a juſtifying Faith, or to accept him as their Lord-Redeemer. And then for the duties of repentance, Love and Thankfulneſs to Chriſt for redeeming them, I have ſhewed before how this Doctrin evacuates them all, and ſo that no Miniſter can groundedly preſs them. 3. And for the promiſe, how can any Miniſter in Chriſts Name aſſure a ſinner of pardon by that Blood which was never ſhed for him, on condition he will believe. As if you ſhould ſay to a Debtor, believe that ſuch a Man hath paid thy debt or truſt him, and then thy debt ſhall be diſcharged, when you know he hath not paid it, or know not that he hath? Indeed a Man may come off with ſome kind of truth in his words, if he certainly know that the Party will not believe. But the certain knowledg that Men will not believe, is not the reaſon why God calls them to believe, and offers them Chriſt and Life. 4. And for the threatening, with what Heart can a Miniſter tell Sinners, [Chriſt is a Redeemer but to the Elect, yet all the reſt of you ſhall periſh for not taking him for your Redeemer, and for not reſting on that Blood that was never ſhed for you.] And that as to the ends of preaching. 1. How will the divulging of theſe, glorify God? When he hath purpoſely deſigned the glorifying of Love and Mercy directly, and juſtice accidentally, by this great work of the Redemption of the World; and hath unhinged the Sabbath which was for Commemoration of the work of Creation, to the firſt day of the Week for the Commemoration of the Work of Redemption, which he will now have admired as his moſt glorious work, which (as Ameſ. in the place cited in Argument 18. ſaith) is to the works of Grace the ſame that Creation is to the works of Nature, and ſo is the ground of Gods New Right of Dominion and Empire, and of his governing and judging the World: And how is this glory eclipſed by the oppoſed Doctrin? 2. And for Mans Conveſiron to the Faith, I have ſhewed how unfurniſhed a Miniſter is, rightly to endeavour it on the oppoſed grounds. Whereto let me add this: The Soul is never cloſed to Chriſt ſincerely, till it cloſe in Love: (Love …eing, as all Divines ſay, at the ſame moment of time as Faith, produced: And as Maccovius before-cited truly ſaith (and ſo doth Chamier and many more) Love to the Redeemer the object of Faith, is of the Eſſence of juſtifying Faith it ſelf.) Now it is Love that muſt cauſe Love, I mean objectively, and not only efficienter. He cannot cloſe in Love with Chriſt that knoweth nothing of Chriſts Love to him, though he know it to others, (ſo near is Man to himſelf; and Chriſt is to be received as my Redeemer, and not only as another Mans.) Now no Man can know that Chriſt loveth him with a ſpecial love, before he know that he himſelf loveth Chriſt (that's paſt queſtion.) And yet no Man can ſoundly love Chriſt as Redeemer, that knows not Chriſts love to him: What remains therefore but that it muſt be Chriſts common love in redeeming the World, and making the conditional gift of pardon and Life, and this offered to me in particular among others, that muſt firſt cauſe my grounded love to Chriſt. Let us ſee what Scripture ſaith of the ground of Miniſterial duties, Math. 22. The work of the Miniſters was to invite the Gueſts, and compel them to come in: And the ground was, all things are ready: Elſe might not the Gueſts have ſaid. [If we ſhould come, there is nothing for us, we may go as we come You do but take this advantage to jeer us, becauſe you know our minds that we will not come] 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19, 20. The work of Preachers is, the Miniſtry of teconciliation: And wherein lies it? verſ. 20. Now then we are Embaſſadors for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us, we pray you in Chriſts ſtead, be ye Reconciled to God, ſo then the work of the Miniſtry is, to beſeech Men in Chriſts ſtead and Gods name to be reconciled to God. But on what ground is this? verſe 19, 21. To wit, that God was in Chriſt reconciling the World unto himſelf not imputing their Treſpaſſes to them, and hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation (which Text we ſhall afterwards further explain and vindicate.) Is there not an abſolute neceſſity that the price of Reconciliation be firſt paid to God and accepted by him, before any Sinner can be intreated to be reconciled to God on the ground of that price paid and accepted? Let me deſire Miniſters ſeriouſly to conſider, with what Face they can ſtand up in the name of the Lord Jeſus to beſeech poor Sinners to be reconciled to God, and tell them that elſe they ſhall be doubly miſerable, when yet there is no price paid for making them way to God, nor Gods juſtice ſatisfied for their Sin, which is ſuppoſed before any of their own endeavours can do any thing towards Reconciliation. Let me imagine ſuch a Dialogue as this between ſuch a Teacher and a Sinner?
Miniſter, Sinner I beſeech thee in Chriſts ſtead be reconciled to God.
Sinner, I have Sinned ſo much that he will not be reconciled to me: All that I can do, will do nothing to bring me again into his favour.
Min. Christ hath ſatisfied for all the Elect.
Sinner. But what's that to me, unleſs I knew my ſelf to be Elect.
M. But Chriſt hath ſatisfied for all if they will believe?
Sinner, Did you not tell me he ſatisfied only for the Elect, and that determined by name? Either he hath ſatisfied for me before I believe or not? if not my believing will not ſatisfie, nor cauſe him to do it now. If he have, how ſhall I know it?
Min. You muſt believe firſt, and then you ſhall know it afterwards: For God hath ordained inſeparable connexion between Chriſts dying for Men, and their believing: And therefore for all my beſeeching you to believe, if you be not one that Chriſt died for, you neither will nor can believe, for none is able but thoſe for whom he purchaſed it: But if you can believe it will be a ſign to you ab effectu that Chriſt died for you.
Sinner, Alas! Then all that are not redeemed (and I, if I be one of them) are far worſe then hopeleſs and remedileſs: For they have neither any price paid for them, nor any one hath redeemed them, nor are they able, nor can be able to believe, and yet their torment muſt be multiplied for ever becauſe they did not believe, and take him for their redeemer that never paid one farthing of their debt: But what is it that you would have me believe?
Min. That Chriſt hath died for all that will believe.
Sinner. Will that juſtifie? When the Devils believe that.
Min. That Chriſts Death is ſufficient to pardon all, if they would believe.
Sinner. Then I ſhould believe an untruth, for …iſ all ſhould believe, it is not ſufficient to pardon them, becauſe it was not ſuffered for them. Beſides▪ the Devils do believe the ſufficiency of Chriſts Death, as far as it is true.
Min. But they believe not that it is ſufficient for themſelves.
Sinner. Nor can I, except I knew that it was ſuffered for me.
Min. But you muſt reſt on Chriſt as a ſufficient Redeemer, and then by reflecting on that Act you may know as by a certain ſign that he redeemed you.
Sinner. Then I muſt believe a Propoſition of uncertain truth, that I may know it to be true, and reſt on an uncertain ground of truſt, that I may have a Sign of its certainty: And ſo my firſt faith muſt be groundleſs and uncertain. But, as it is not in my power of my ſelf to believe, ſo I have long been endeavouring to believe and trying my Faith, and though I find I have ſome Faith (and ſo had many that periſh) yet I cannot find whether it be ſincere and ſaving: And I know many (yea moſt that ſeem godly) that never are ſure all their life time, that their Faith is that which is juſtifying and proper to the Elect, and more then the unrooted Faith of temperaries: How ſhall I then, or any that are uncertain of the truth of their Faith, know that Chriſt died for them?
Min. You muſt labour for aſſurance of the Truth of your Faith, that you may know that Chriſt died for you.
Sinner. I no where find the Scripture uſing that motive to perſwade Men to believe, or to get aſſurance: But what muſt I do in the mean time? and all ſuch as I that never come to aſſurance?
Min. Adhere to Chriſt as thy Redeemer, ſufficient and willing to ſave.
Sinner. But I have no knowledg whether he be either my Redeemer, or ſufficient, or willing? And muſt I ſtill continue that groundleſs Act? and that meerly to get a Sign, when yet it will be no ſign till I attain aſſurance of the truth of my Faith▪ And muſt I never love Chriſt as my Redeemer▪ nor be thankful to him, nor praiſe him for it▪ till I have aſſurance? Reſpondeat qui poteſt.