One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 43
SERMON XLIII. Of the Extent of Chriſts Mediatory Praier, and of his Death; That he Praied and Died not for all and every one of mankinde, but onelyonly for the Elect; And that the Scripture-Expreſſions of Chriſts Dying for all are to be underſtood Indefinitely and not Ʋniverſally.
JOH. 17.9.
I pray for them, I pray not for the world.
HAving handled the poſitive part I come to the excluſive.
The Subject that is ſhut out of Chriſts praiers, and that is the world, I pray not for the world.
The word world is as large in ſignification according to Scripture-uſe as it is in comprehenſion, ſo that we may ſay it hath a world of ſignifications, Some ſay, It's not uſed at all in the Old Teſtament, but that is a miſtake,The ſeveral acceptations of the word World. for in our Tranſlations it's very frequent.
I ſhall inſtance in ſome choice ones.
It is uſed ſometimes for this whole Univerſe in all the parts of it, as when it's ſaid, Before the Foundation of the world; Sometimes and that moſt frequently for men who are the Inhabitants of the world, and it's obſerved by the Learned, that John the Evangeliſt doth uſe it in the moſt various ſignifications: The world when it ſignifieth men the Inhabitants of it, either is uſed …niverſally for all; or elſe Synechdochically for the greater part, for all, as Joh. 3. God ſo loved the world, viz. mankinde, he did more for that then for Apoſtate Angels, Though Learned men expound that otherwaies, it's uſed ſynechdochically for a greater part, but indefinitely good and bad, as when it's ſaid, the whole world went after Chriſt, but it's many times uſed definitely for a certain kinde of men; And that either the wicked and ungodly who are the greater in quantity, and thus by our Evangeliſt often, The world hateth you, and I have overcome the world; Or elſe it's uſed for the better part of the world, though the leſſe, for the world of the Elect, and though this be greatly controverted, yet there are places very probable, 2 Cor. 3. God was in Chriſt reconciling the world, viz. of Elect; Thus Chriſt cals himſelf the bread of the world, and the Lamb that takes away the ſinnes of the world: The doubt then is in what ſence the world is here uſed, And
1. It cannot be the world of the Elect, for they are expreſly praied for, becauſe given of the Father to Chriſt; Neither can it be the world of wicked men meerly as ſo, for many wicked men that are ſo now, yet afterwards are converted, as v. 23. That the world may know thou haſt ſent me, that is, thoſe who for the preſent are of the world, but afterwards are converted to Faith and Repentance.
World how to be taken in this place.It remaineth therefore by the world muſt be underſtood thoſe that are not Elected, the world of Reprobates; And that this is the genuine Interpretation is plain, becauſe the world is oppoſed to that number of men who are given by the Father to Chriſt, as the oppoſition manifeſteth, Not for the world but thoſe thou haſt given me; Neither can it be evaded, as ſome would, I pray not for the world is in the ſame ſence, and for the ſame things as I do for Beleevers, viz. perſeverance and preſervation from ſinne, becauſe where the Text doth not limit or diſtinguiſh we muſt not; And beſides he praieth for thoſe Elected perſons that were as yet actually of the world, that they might know and beleeve in Chriſt, which praier the Reprobates did moſt need, and therefore if Chriſt had praied at all for them, it would have been for that which was moſt neceſſary: The ſence then thus explained obſerve.
Doct. Chriſts Mediatory Praier and his Death is only for the Elect.That Christs Mediatory praier, and ſo his Death is not for all the world but only ſome certain perſons who are given by the Father to Chriſt; Chriſts praier and Death is not intended for all and every particular man, but for ſome only; The Doctrine ſtands upon this bottome, Thoſe that Chriſt would not pray for he died not for, neither was he a Mediatour for, but not for the world would he pray, onelyonly ſome Elected by the Father, Therefore neither did he die for ſuch.
This Point is controverſall, and I have no Inclination to lanch in ſuch deeps, partly becauſe plain practical matter is more profitable for the greater part that hear; It's bread and not a ſtone, fiſh and not a Serpent you ask for; and then partly the Queſtion is of ſo vaſt a comprehenſion, that not one hour or many is ſufficient to leade you into the very porch of it, much leſſe all the ſecret rooms of it, and then partly it hath been agitated by the choiceſt men of Learning, that the former or latter Ages of the Churches ever had, and therefore ſhould be handled in a Scholaſtical ſuccinct manner, not popular and humiletical, as our Sermons are. Theſe things I ſay do diſcourage, but becauſe the doctrine of Univerſal grace and redemption is a gangreen, every where ſpreading, and an Idoll which fleſh and bloud doth adore, and many ſpecious pretences of Scripture are brought for it; Give me leave to ſay ſomething; and becauſe the controverſie like Moſes his face ſhineth gloriouſly, and is ſo ſublime that the common eye cannot endure to look on it; I will put a Vail upon it, and condeſcend to the meaneſt capacity as much as the nature of the Truth will bear, and ſhall make way to clear and ſtate the Doctrine by ſeveral Notandum's or particular Conſiderations, which will be to the main Truth as John Baptiſt was to Chriſt.
And firſt,Conſiderations to clear the Point. Conſider there is a neceſſary connexion between Chriſts praier or Interceſſion, and his Death; They are of an equal latitude and extent, whom he praieth for, he dieth for, whom he dieth for, he praieth for, Rom. 8.34.I. There is a neceſſary connexion between Chriſts Interceſſion and his death. Chriſts Death, Reſurrection, and Interceſſion are all in a Chain together, and applied to the ſame Subjects, And indeed it muſt needs be ſo becauſe Chriſts praier is one part of his Prieſtly office; The oblation of himſelf as a Sacrifice for ſinne was the other; Chriſt then as the great high-Prieſt did partly pray and partly offer up himſelf in a Mediatory way for his people; We might well therefore put both theſe in the Doctrine, praier and his Death; Though the Text ſpeak but of praier, becauſe the one is neceſſarily joyned to the other, and this Praier therefore is made upon the oblation of himſelf, being to leave the world; As for that Praier of Chriſt on the Croſſe. Father forgive them for they know not what they do; It's to be conſidered that ſeeing the Scripture ſaith, he was heard in what he praied for, therefore all thoſe whom he intended in that Praier had the forgiveneſſe of their ſinnes, and we may be the rather induced ſo to think becauſe he names only thoſe that did they knew not what in crucifying of him; Wherefore it's thought thoſe three thouſand Jews converted by Peters Sermon were moſt of thoſe for whom Chriſt praied on the Croſſe, For the Apoſtle chargeth this upon them, that they had crucified the Lord of glory ignorantly.
2. Though Chriſt in his praier and death had ſpecial love and regard to ſome of mankinde and not all, II. Though Chriſt in his praier and death had a ſpecial regard to ſome of mankinde, yet no man that is damned can blame any but himſelf.yet there is no man that is damned can lay the blame any where but upon himſelf; That Rule is of perpetual Truth, O Iſrael thy deſtruction is of thy ſelf, Hoſ. 13.9. And thus the Scripture doth every where make death and hell the wages of ſinne; Therefore if any would from this doctrine inferre ſuch Concluſions, That then a man is not to be found fault with; No blame is to be laid upon him but upon non-Election, or the particularity of Chriſts death; We abhorre ſuch conſequences, and ſay with Paul to ſome who gathered poiſon out of that honey-doctrine he preached, God forbid; Let not then thy heart cavill prophanely in this Point, for there is no eminent doctrine in Religion, but if a man let looſe his carnal heart he may wreſt wicked Concluſions from the beſt premiſes; The true cauſe and ground of every mans damnation, is becauſe of Impenitency and hardneſſe of heart in ſinne, with unbelief: Neither may we or can we conceive a man able to ſay thus, O Lord, I was ready and prepared to beleeve and repent, There was nothing of any good deſires wanting in me, only the death of Chriſt that was too much reſtrained to others but not to me, and therefore not for my ſinne but meerly for want of a latitude in Chriſts death I muſt periſh; Such an Imagination as this is a meer Chimera; There never was or can be any perſon able to pleade ſo, ſo that if you take this along with you, that no ſuch abſurdities and blaſphemies follow from Chriſts ſpeciall love in his death and Interceſſion you have taken away the Gorgons head that uſeth to make it ſo terrible.
3. It's good to take notice of that ordinary diſtinction,III. It's good to diſtinguiſh between the ſufficiency of Chriſts death and the effectual application of i…. The Sufficiency and worth of Chriſts death in it ſelf, and the effectuall application of it; For all do acknowledge that Chriſts death in it ſelf is of value enough to redeem thouſands of worlds, if there were ſo many, It cannot be otherwiſe becauſe it's the obedience to death of that perſon who is God as well as man, and by reaſon of his Deity, there is ſuch a merit and ſatisfaction upon his death that all the ſins of men and devils are not able to counterpoiſe it; Therefore it's great Unbelief to be caſt down as if the greatneſſe of thy ſins exceeded the greatneſſe of Chriſts Sufferings; As the Heavens exceed the earth in magnitude, ſo do Chriſts merits our tranſgreſſions, but then if we ſpeak of the Intention and purpoſe of Chriſt in laying down his life, that is onelyonly for his Sheep, Joh. 10. I lay down my life for my Sheep; And if that be true which Truth it ſelf ſpeaks, Greater love then this can no man ſhew, then to lay down his life for another; Our Saviour if he had died for others beſides the Elect had vouchſafed the greateſt love that could be to them, and certainly to become a Surety for another, to die in anothers ſtead, muſt needs be an high expreſſion: The Scripture uſeth two words when it ſpeaks of Chriſts death for us, foreign and foreign; Now although they may be uſed promiſcuouſly, yet foreign is a great deal more then foreign, for foreign is vice alterius, in ſtead of another; So that what generally he was to undergo, the Surety did it in his room, but foreign is for the good of another, though not in his ſtead, as Paul ſaid he ſuffered his afflictions for the bodies ſake or the Churches ſake, Col. 1.24. that was not in their ſtead, but for procuring of ſome good; It cannot be denied but that all mankinde even reprobates themſelves, do obtain a world of Mercies through Chriſts Death, yet to ſay that Chriſt died for them, viz. in their ſtead to ſuffer all that anger of God which was due to them, is to ſay the higheſt mercy that can be: If we ſay that ſuch are juſtified, ſuch are glorified, it's not ſo much as to ſay Chriſt died for them, as Rom. 8. Chriſts death is made the foundation of all other mercies, and the Apoſtle argueth from the greater to the leſſe, If he hath given us Chriſt how ſhall he not with him give us all things elſe; Therefore to ſay Chriſt died for all, is in effect to ſay Chriſt will actually ſave and glorifie all: We may as well ſay Univerſal Salvation as Univerſal Redemption: For Chriſts death is by the Scripture made the higheſt and greateſt expreſſion of love, as alſo the cauſe of all other priviledges.
IV. Chriſts ſpeciall love to ſome rather then others is no ground of deſpair.4. The special and particular love of Chriſt in his death, and Interceſſion to ſome rather then others is no ground of deſpair; Nor no juſt cauſe for any troubled conſcience to be perplexed about his eſtate, but if a man will act according to reaſon it's more hopeful then for a man to be left to ſuch an univerſal uncertain benefit of Chriſts death, which yet they confeſſe none may be actually ſaved for all that, for this is acknowledged by ſome that hold univerſal grace and redemption, That Chriſt by his death did obtain a ſufficiency of Salvation for all, but through mans corruptions it may fall out that they refuſe this fruit of Chriſts death, and ſo have no actuall application of it at all: Now then Is it not more deſirable to have ſuch a special love whereby to be ſure ſome will be ſaved, then ſuch a general one, by which no man may receive ſalvation at all; But eſpecially this is no ground of deſpair, for we can give as large encouragements and comforts to any humbled ſinner as the adverſaries can, For theſe Univerſaliſts do not ſo hold Chriſt died for all, that whether all repented or not, beleeved or not, that ſtill they ſhould be ſaved; No they hold theſe conditions neceſſary unleſſe men repent and believe, they cannot have any benefit by Chriſts death: Now ſo all the Orthodox ſay, If thou art a Believer, If thou repenteſt, queſtion not but that Chriſts death extends to thee; It's for ſuch as hunger and thirſt, and therefore whatſoever ſoul lieth under any burthen of ſinne, and doth deſire the grace of God through Chriſt, let him not ſtagger but confidently goe unto him; Therefore we can adminiſter comfort to all thoſe that are in a Goſpel-manner qualified, and the Ʋniverſaliſts can do no more; So that here is no dreadfulneſſe nor terrour in this Point, but rather much comfort and encouragement to all thoſe who finde ſinne a burthen,V. In this Point as in all others we muſt not go according to our carnal affections but Scripture. and as for others that love and delight in their ſinnes, that doctrine cannot be of God which would ſpeak any comfort or peace to them.
5. In this Point of Religion as in all others we muſt not go according to our carnal affections and deſires, but the direction and revelation that is in the Scripture; For the way of Salvation being wholly depending upon Gods Will; None are able to judge of it but ſo farre as he diſcovers his will therein; Therefore the Goſpel is ſaid to be Light come into the world; The world had not this Light of it ſelf; We cannot ſay of the things of the Goſpel as the Apoſtle doth of the things of the Law, that they do them by nature, and know them by nature; No, it's neceſſary theſe things ſhould be revealed from heaven, therefore when thou goeſt to ſtudy this Point, do as in all other Myſteries, lay aſide thy own thoughts, thy own imaginations, become an abraſa tabula, have none of thy philoſophical or natural principles within thee; This duſt or humour in the Eye will hinder thee from beholding perfectly this Object; It's true it's a very ſpecious and taking doctrine that Chriſt died for all, that grace is univerſal, but if a man would therefore embrace it becauſe it's ſo pleaſing to fleſh and bloud, then there is that of Origens which goeth further and is much more pleaſing; That all even devils and all ſhall be actually ſaved. Therefore to hold univerſal grace or redemption is nothing ſo pleaſing as to hold univerſal Salvation; Alas, though men hold Chriſt died for all, yet they grant the moſt of them are damned; Therefore that doctrine is nothing ſo deſirable as that which maintains the ſalvation of all; If then you ſay that is too broad a way the Scripture gainſays that; Thus it followeth alſo, If the Scripture gainſay the other we are to attend to what that ſaith, and not to what our own hearts would have; Therefore throw away the head of the Sacrifice as God commanded, all thy own thoughts and natural Imaginations in this matter.
6. It cannot be denied but that the Scripture when it mentioneth the Subject for whom Chriſt died, ſpeaks indefinitely of all; As all died by Adam, VI. That the Scripture ſpeaketh indefinitely of All.ſo all ſhall be made alive, Behold the Lamb that taketh away the ſins of the world, 1 Joh. 2. He is a propitiation not for our ſinnes only but the ſinnes of the whole world; Thus in many other places the Scripture doth expreſly affirm ſuch an univerſality: Therefore the Queſtion is, Whether this muſt be underſtood ſo generally as that it ſhall reach to all, and every ſingular Man and Nation, and that in all Ages, or only indefinitely, he died for all ſorts; So that now no Nation is excluded nor particular perſon, as it was among the Jews, and certainly unleſſe we will make Scripture both ro contradict it ſelf and experience; We muſt take all thoſe phraſes indefinitely and not univerſally.
1. Becauſe we ſee the Scripture expreſly limiting Gods love and Chriſts death to ſome only;Why the expreſſions of Chriſts dying for all is to be taken in definitely and not univerſally. So that thoſe places could never be reconciled without this diſtinction, as Joh. 10. I lay down my life for my Sheep. Rom. 8. Upon Chriſts death we are juſtified and ſaved, and above all in this Chapter we ſee Chriſt often and often again reſtraining all his praier and Mediation to thoſe that the Father had given him; If he would not pour out a praier, will he pour out his bloud? If he would not ſhed a tear, will he ſhed his bloud for them? So that if we will keep up other places with this, we muſt needs ſay, That Chriſt died for all indefinitely not univerſally; Even as when we have to do with the Anthropomorphites, Thoſe that held God is a body: We grant that there are innumerable places of Scripture which ſpeak of Gods eyes, arms, and his hands, yet we ſay that Scripture may not oppoſe Scripture; There are other places though few which deſcribe him to be a Spirit, therefore we are neceſſitated to ſay the Scripture ſpeaks ſo to our condeſcenſion, thus it is here: Though many places of Scripture ſpeak of Chriſts death in ſuch an univerſal ſence, yet other places do plainly limit is to certain perſons who are Elected and given by the Father to Chriſt.
2. We muſt needs interpret it ſo becauſe thoſe places which are brought for this Univerſality ſpeak of the actual benefit and fruit of his Death: Now it is granted by all that none do actually partake of Chriſts benefits but the godly, as 1 Joh. 2.2. He is a propitiation not for our ſins only but the whole world; He is a propitiation in an actual ſence, and he is ſo a propitiation for the ſins of the whole world as the Apoſtle ſaith He is for ours, viz. actual believers; Now then if the whole world ſhould extend to all makinde, it would follow that all are actually pardoned and ſaved, ſo 1 Cor. 15.22. As in Adam all died, even ſo in Chriſt all ſhall be made alive; By being made alive is plainly meant a Reſurrection to glory, as the next Verſe ſheweth, Chriſt the firſt-fruits, Then they that are Chriſts; So that if all be taken univerſally it would follow all and every man ſhould be raiſed to glory: So in that famous place, The Lamb that taketh away the ſinne of the world, that taketh it away in an actual ſence, and therefore to ſay Chriſt died for all, and there is univerſal Redemption, and yet to ſay all are not ſaved is to ſpeak not only falſe doctrine but meer contradiction; Indeed to ſay univerſal Redimibility by Chriſts death may have ſome colour, but univerſal Redemption, and yet not all actually redeemed; Univerſal Propitiation and yet not all have their ſinnes pardoned, is to ſay the Phyſician cured ſuch a man, but yet he did not cure him, or a Magiſtrate delivered ſuch an one out of priſon, yet the man was not delivered.
Laſtly, We are neceſſitated to limit ſuch phraſes becauſe of experience; For if Chriſt died for all men intentionally, how is it that in the Old Teſtament excepting ſome few Proſelites, the offer of grace was onelyonly to ſome few, and though ſince Chriſts time the Goſpel be ſaid to be preached to every creature, yet how many Nations and much more particular perſons have there been to whom Chriſt with his benefits have never been offered; Now who can ſay that Chriſt died for thoſe to whom he never diſcovered ſo much as the very Name of his death; It's true, this ſhould make us adore the goodneſſe of God that gives us to live where this Goſpel-grace is plentifully offered, What are we more then all thoſe Heathens and Pagans who ſit in darkneſſe and have no light, who never heard of a Mediatour, but oh wretched and miſerable if we neglect ſo great ſalvation.