Universal Redemption of Mankind, Chapter 7 · Argument 25
Arg. 25. A differentiâ ſtatus damnatorum & viatorum.
If Chriſt dyed not for all men, then the ſtate of moſt men (all that he dyed not for) were as deplorate and remedileſs as the State of the Damned: But the conſequent is falſe, therefore ſo is the Antecedent.
The Conſequence of the Major propoſition is plain, in that the ſtate of all men that Chriſt dyed not for muſt needs be utterly hopeleſs, and remedileſs, for there is no other ſatisfaction to be hoped for beſides that made by the blood of Jeſus, and that is nothing to them, nor is there any hope or poſſibility that ever they ſhould have part in a ſatisfaction that is no ſatisfaction for them; without blood there is no remiſſion: If they ſhould believe, and repent, and pray for mercy night and day, it would be but as the Rich Epicure in Hell pray'd for a drop of water, all in vain, for betwixt God and them is ſo great a gulf or diſtance by ſin, that nothing without a Redeemer can do them any good, as to the leaſt hope of Salvation. If you ſay, it is not to be ſuppoſed that they can believe, repent, and pray, I anſwer, that is (in your own ſenſe) becauſe it is ſuppoſed they are not redeemed, and the impoſſibility of their not repenting and believing ſhews the more fully the impoſſibility of their Salvation. And the reaſon why they do not actually deſpair, is not becauſe they have any more remedy than the Damned, or cauſe to hope; but only becauſe they are yet ignorant of the hopeleſneſs of their own Condition, and as ſoon as they know the truth they will fully deſpair. So that there is no more poſſibility that a Man for whom Chriſt dyed not ſhould be pardoned or ſaved, than that the Damned ſhould, for both are equally impoſſible; If any ſay that God can find out another remedy beſides and without Chriſts ſatisfaction, though he will not, and therefore it is not impoſſible. I will not examine the truth of that now, but if it be true of them on Earth, why not alſo of them in Hell? When once Men are in that ſtate that there is no Sacrifice for their ſin, then there remaineth nothing but the fearful expectation of Judgment, and Fire that ſhall devour the Adver…ary.
Object But doth not God's foreknowledge and decree make mens Salvation impoſſible, as well as Chriſts not Dying for them? and ſo your argument is as much againſt them.
Anſw. No, They do nihil ponere in Objecto; nor are the removal or denyal of any efficient cauſe of Salvation, they infer only Neceſſitatem Conſequentiae, they make no Mans Salvation impoſſible, but only prove it not future: And as it is not omne Poſſible that is futurum, ſo neither omne non futurum that is Impoſſibile. And it is agreed that foreknowledge preſuppoſeth the futurition or non futurition of the thing foreknown. But there is much more neceſſary to be ſaid to reſolve this doubt which I may not now inſiſt on, only I add, that the matter of God's Decrees, and the futurition of things as depending thereon, are ſo high, and ſo far above us, that it becomes us not to be too inquiſitive into them, much leſs ſo peremptorily to determine of them as ſome do, and leaſt of all to try plainer Caſes by ſuch determinations, and reduce certainties to uncertainties, when we ſhould tather reduce uncertainties to certainties.
And for the Minor, (that the ſtate of moſt men even in the Church, is not ſo hopeleſs, deplorate and remedileſs as is the caſe of the Damned) I prove it thus. They might be ſaved who are yet on Earth, if they would but receive the love of the truth, 2 Theſ. 2. 9, 10. If they would believe they might all be juſtified, and ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life; whoever of them will, may have the water of Life freely, and it is offered them, and they intreated to take it, and if they have it not, it is becauſe they will not, and not becauſe there was no object or ground for their willing, or no Sacrifice for their ſin. God offers them pardon and Salvation, but God offers no other Pardon or Salvation but what is purchaſed by Chriſt's Blood: He that tells us there neither is nor can be any other Remiſſion or Salvation, but what Chriſt purchaſeth, will not offer any other to men, and urge them to accept it, yea, Pardon and Life (as purchaſed by Chriſt) are in Gods deed of gift, together with Chriſt himſelf, conditionally beſtowed on all, even if they will have them, (a Condition which among men is ſeldom thought worthy the name of a Condition, it being ſuppoſed in nature that every man is willing of his own good, and ſo of all excellent advantages thereto.) Is all this ſo with thoſe in Hell? Chriſt is neither given, nor Pardon and Life offered to them; they are not commanded to repent and believe to this end, that they may be juſtified and ſaved: But thoſe on Earth are, and therefore their Pardon and Salvation is poſſible, for God will not command them to ſeek or to accept of an impoſſibility, and then Condemn them for not ſeeking and not accepting it. If the Damned could repent or believe, it would not ſave them, but it would ſave them on Earth. Nor is their belief it ſelf ſuch an impoſſibility, as is the Damneds believing. Moreover, Chriſt ſaith now, how oft would I have gathered you? But he would not gather the Damned. God would have all men to be ſaved, and come to the knowledge of the truth, but he ſaith not that he would have the Damned to be ſaved. This Life is called the day of their Viſitation, the day of grace, the acceptable time, the day of Salvation; and they are called on to hear the voice of God, to day, while it is called to day, and not to harden their hearts, leaſt he ſwear in his wrath that they ſhall not enter into his reſt; that is, leaſt their caſe become deſperate, and their Salvation impoſſible, therefore it was not ſo before. They are warned to take heed, leaſt ſinning wilfully after the knowledge of the truth▪ there remain no more Sacrifice for Sin, &c. Implying, that before there is a Sacrifice for their ſin, it is ſaid that it is impoſſible to renew them by repentance, who tread under foot the blood of the Covenant, and do deſpight to the Spirit of Grace, implying, that before it was not impoſſible; and alſo that they might have had (if they had not) a ſhare in that blood and that Spirit. They have a promiſe left them of entring into his reſt, Heb. 4 1. and a Salvation proclaimed to them, and if they periſh, it will be for neglecting ſo great Salvation, Heb. 3. 2. They are invited to come in becauſe all things are ready; they are commanded to ſeek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near: None of this is ſo with the Damned, God is not near them, nor may be found of them, nor have they any day of Grace, Viſitation or Salvation, where the word is preached, it is [that they might be ſaved,] 1 Theſ. 2. 16. Paul ſought the profit of many, and to pleaſe all men, that they might be ſaved, 1 Cor. 10. 33. Even when men are delivered to Satan for the deſtruction of the fleſh, it is that the Spirit might be ſaved, 1 Cor. 5. 5. yea, God ſent his Son into the World, that the World thro him might be ſaved (that World which conſiſteth of Believers and Unbelievers) Joh. 3. 16. 17. when Jeſus was proving his Mediatorſhip to the Jews, he ſaith [Theſe things I ſay that ye might be ſaved] Joh. 5. 34. ſo that Mens Salvation is poſſible while they are on Earth (till they have ſinned againſt the Holy Ghoſt, or totally Apoſtatiz'd by abrenunciation of Chriſt,) elſe what buſineſs have Preachers with them? Why do we intreat them to be reconciled to God? Do we not tell them daily (and truly) that yet there is time, yet there is hope, and adviſe them to take time while they have it; and let not ſlip the Day of Grace and Salvation, 2 Cor. 6. 1, 2. We beſeech them that they receive not the Grace of God in vain: for behold, now is the accepted time: behold, now is the day of Salvation. And Chriſt ſaith, weeping, over Jeruſalem, If thou hadſt known, at leaſt in this thy day, the things that belong to thy Peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes, &c. Becauſe thou kneweſt not the time of thy Viſitation, Luk. 19. 41, 42, 43, 44. An hundred places more might be produced to prove, that men on Earth are not left as deſperate, deplorate, or remediles as thoſe in Hell, which yet they muſt be if they had no Redeemer, or no Sacrifice for their ſin.