One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 44
SERMON XLIV. Reaſons why the Scripture ſpeaks thus Ʋniverſally about Chriſts Death when yet but ſome were intended; Alſo what Benefits Reprobates have by Chriſt With ſome arguments Further proving the Point of Christs dying not for every man but ſome.
JOH. 17.9.
I pray for them I pray not for the world.
WE are explaining this Doctrine that Chriſts Mediatory Praier, and ſo his death is not for all and every one of mankinde; Many introductory particulars have been commended to you; The laſt whereof was, That though the word uſeth univerſal expreſſions about Chriſts Death, as all men and the world, yet we are neceſſitated both from Scripture, reaſon, and experience, not to take them in a large univerſality but reſtrained and indefinite, ſpecialis quaedam univerſalitas eſt, there is a ſpecial Univerſality, as Auſtin ſaid.
We ſhall go on to further conſiderations.
And 1.I. Reaſons why the Scripture ſpeaketh thus univerſally about Chriſts Death. There may be very good reaſon given why the Scripture ſpeaketh thus univerſally about Chriſts death; Not that we ſhould deduce an error from thence contrary to other Scriptures which reſtrain it to thoſe the Father hath given him, Joh. 6. and Joh. 17.
But 1. It may be to ſhew that this great benefit purchaſed by Chriſt, was deſigned for man, and not Apoſtate Angels; For Iſa. 9. It is ſaid To us a Son is born, to us a childe is given, not to Angels, and the Apoſtle doth amplifie this love of God Heb. 2.17. h at Chriſt took not on him the nature of Angels, but the Seed of Abraham: Hence it's that the Scripture ſpeaks of his foreign not foreign; Seeing that God ſo loved the nature of mankinde that he gave his Son, for thoſe that ſhould beleeve in him, paſſing by innumerable Angels who might have done him more ſervice, It might well be ſaid that Chriſt gave himſelf for the ſins of the world, viz. men the Inhabitants thereof.
2. This might be in oppoſition to the Jews, For a long time the means of ſalvation were only amongſt them, as Joh. 4. Salvation is of the Jews: Therefore we ſee Peter would not ſo much as preach the Goſpel to the Gentiles till from Heaven he was admoniſhed that he ſhould call no perſon unclean, Act. 9. Seeing therefore that formerly to the Jews only were the Oracles of God committed, Now that by Chriſts coming the partition wall is broken down, and God doth not call one Nation more then another; Neither are means of Salvation incloſed in one Countrey more then another; It may very well be called the whole world that Chriſt died for, for commonly the Scripture comprehends all the men of the world under this diviſion, the Jew and the Gentile; Hence there is that command, Go preach the Goſpel to every Creature, that is to Gentiles as well as Jews, Mat. 26. and certainly this ſeemeth to be the moſt genuine Reaſon why the Scripture ſpeaks thus univerſally about Chriſts death. Obſerve a notable place for this, Rom. 11.15. where the caſting a…ay of the Iew is ſaid to be the reconciling of the world, i. e. the Gentiles are taken in, while the Jews are caſt off, ſo that the world there is oppoſed to the Nation of the Jews.
3. As it's uſed in oppoſition to the Jews, ſo alſo to abate and confound the pride of the Iews, who becauſe the Meſſias was to come of them were apt to be puffed up with this priviledge, and to envy or murmure that the Gentiles ſhould be made partaker of this grace; This our Saviour repreſented under the Parable of the Prodigal Son entertained at a Feaſt, and the elder Brother murmuring at it, Luk. 15.30. We ſee how hard a thing it was to bring the Jew off from thoſe priviledges he enjoyed, and the Righteouſneſſe of the Law, ſo as to be beholding to Chriſts Righteouſneſſe only.
4. This might be becauſe when Christ came into the world few of the Iews were converted to Chriſt comparatively to the Gentiles; For Rom. 11. you ſee the Apoſtle ſpeaking of a Veil upon their eyes, and that hardneſſe of heart was come upon Iſrael, and thoſe former branches are ſaid to be broken off, that new ones may be grafted in; Therefore it might well be ſaid That Chriſt died for all, and that he was a propitiation for the ſinnes of the whole world, becauſe the Nations of the world of all parts did now come in and worſhip Chriſt; whereas few of the Jews did receive him; Therefore conſider the time when thoſe paſſages were written, and then you will eaſily underſtand thoſe Scriptures.
5. Therefore the Scripture doth thus make an univerſal Propoſition and Oblation of Chriſts death in the benefits of it, becauſe now no Nations or particular perſons are excluded, For although there be an Election of ſome onelyonly, and Chriſt had a ſpecial love in his death only to thoſe that the Father had given him, yet becauſe who theſe individual perſons are is not manifeſted by God; Therefore the outward propounding of it is univerſall, not excluding any, Thus all the Invitations and commands are univerſal; Chriſt cals all that are heavy laden, all that thirſt to come unto him; And although it he true that many even where the Goſpel is preached, are given up to blinde eyes and hard hearts: That the Goſpel of Chriſt is a ſavour of death unto many, yet we not knowing who are thus inwardly withered and curſed, are to hope that to all thoſe to whom the offer of the benefits of Chriſts death extends, even to them the death of Chriſt it ſelf reacheth, and this may be thought the main reaſon why the Scripture uſeth ſuch expreſſions about Chriſts death.
6. It may uſe ſuch expreſſions, For although the greater part of the world are ſuch that periſh, and Many are called but few are choſen, Mat. 22. yet if we judge of thoſe for whom Chriſt died abſolutely in themſelves, they ariſe to a great number: So that as Auſtin made two Cities, the one of good Men and Angels built by God, the other of wicked men and devils, whoſe authour is the devil: Thus according to the Scripture we may divide the world into two worlds, the world of thoſe that are to periſh, and the world of thoſe that are to be ſaved; The former is the greater part, the latter the better part, yet this better part is very numerous, as appeareth by the many thouſands in the Revelation that are ſaid to be ſealed, ſo that we may not wonder if it be ſaid Chriſt died for the world, ſeeing the number of thoſe he died for in all Ages have been ſo many.
Laſtly, No wonder if the Scripture uſeth ſuch an indefinite expreſſion, becauſe we ſee it doth in other things alſo, when yet there is an acknowledged neceſſity by all that it might be reſtrained, and ſpeaking of Chriſt it's ſaid, All fleſh ſhall ſee the Salvation of God, Luk. 3.6. Now it's confirmed by experience that there were many in Chriſts time who yet did not ſee him either bodily or ſpiritually: Thus Act. 2. I will powr my Spirit upon all fleſh, and their Sons and Daughters ſhall propheſie, when yet all know they were but ſome that had thoſe extraordinary gifts, eſpecially that famous Promiſe, That all Nations of the earth ſhould be bleſſed in Abraham is clear for our purpoſe; For the Apoſtle Gal. 3. doth plainly limit it to the ſpirituall Seed of Abraham.
Thus you ſee that it's no new thing to uſe expreſſions of univerſality, when yet there is a neceſſity of reſtraining their ſence; We might alſo adde thoſe places, Mat. 3.5. Jeruſalem and all Iudea are ſaid to go to Chriſt, and Mat. 9. the whole City is ſaid to meet Ieſus, yea, all the world is ſaid to run after him; Therefore it's not the meer bare words but the coherence and other places muſt direct us herein.
Secondly, Although we cannot ſay Chriſt had a ſpecial love intending his Death a ranſome for all and every one, yet it's very plain,II. Reprobates receive much benefit by Chriſts death. that even the Reprobates and thoſe who for their ſinnes are eternally condemned do receive much good and benefit by his death; Indeed in ſome reſpects their condemnation is the greater, but that is their own ſinne who wilfully refuſe him, and will not have him to be their Lord and King, as Ioh. 3. This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world, and men love darkneſſe rather then Light; And again, If I had not come unto them they had had no ſinne, Joh. 15.22. So that all thoſe who live under Chriſts gracious offer, as their ſinne is greater ſo their condemnation will be greater, it being better for them, if there never had been a Chriſt, or that he had not been crucified: Though mens voluntary wickedneſſe make it thus, yet ſeveral mercies do redound even to the Reprobate by Chriſts death.
1. There is no man but may for his particular, that liveth under the means of grace, be encouraged to repent, and to beleeve for his Salvation; Every one may with a great deal of hope be encouraged to the duties of Repentance and humiliation; Whereas you ſee God hath left the Apoſtate Angels as without remedy, ſo without all hope, It's not ſaid to any of them, Repent and beleeve, and ſo be ſaved: Whereas there is no particular man but this is enjoyned him; Therefore this very conſideration that there is hope for any individual perſon▪ that his caſe is not deſperate; That the door of heaven is not abſolutely bolted upon him is of great conſequence.
2. We who are the Miniſters of the Goſpel by Chriſts death finde a way ſo opened for all Gentiles that now we may promiſcuouſly preach the Goſpel to all; As we cannot, ſo neither indeed are we to let any ſuch thoughts enter our hearts, as whether ſuch be reprobated or no; But we are ſo to preach and exhort as if every one that we publiſh the Goſpel to, were within the Sphear of Chriſts Death; And certainly if the Apoſtle writing to Churches wherein many were corrupt both for doctrine and manners did yet give them the Title of a Church, and Saints, and Beleevers, not excluding any from the benefit of Chriſt; We may alſo do ſo in our preaching, and therefore this is to be obſerved, That the Epiſtles are written to Churches already planted, and therefore it's no wonder if he uſe ſuch univerſal phraſes, for that comprehends thoſe that are within the Church already, and in the judgement of charity we may ſpeak ſo, eſpecially it being their Obligation and duty as Chriſtians to repent and receive Chriſt; But when we ſay that the Miniſters by Chriſts death have a Commiſſion to offer Chriſt to all, You muſt know that is in a due order and method; We do not propound Chriſt as a Saviour to them in the firſt place: But we are to do as Paul when he preached to Felix, Act. 24.25. who deſired to hear of Chriſt, he began firſt with temperance, and righteouſneſſe, and the world to come; Felix being guilty of Injuſtice and unchaſte courſes; Paul preacheth about thoſe ſinnes and hell, laying open the wrath of God, inſomuch that he made Felix to tremble, ſo that Chriſt muſt have a way made for him; The mountains muſt be laid low, and the valleys exalted, and all fleſh muſt be convinced to be graſſe; Before Chriſt can be entertained this ought to be our Method; To men plunged in ſinne we are to diſcover unto them the wrath and anger of God, all the curſes that are due to him who breaks the Law in the leaſt iota; To make men ſee their poverty and miſery, and when men are thus prepared and humbled, then we exalt the brazen Serpent, ſo that by Chriſts death the Miniſters Commiſſion is greatly enlarged and made more ample then in the Jewiſh adminiſtration.
3. Even Reprobates have this advantage by Chriſt that they enjoy all the mercies they have; That they have health, wealth, and the comforts of this world; For ſeeing that by Adams ſinne all was forfeited, and a curſe come upon every thing, now by Chriſt who is the heir of all things they come lawfully to enjoy the mercies they have, Heb. 1. It is Chriſt that beareth up the world, if he did withhold his arm the whole world would fall into rubbiſh; It's true indeed if we ſpeak of a ſanctified uſe, ſo wicked men have none of the comforts they enjoy, but being impure all things are impure to them, ſo that the curſe of the Law is not taken off from them, becauſe they are not yet in Chriſt, otherwiſe they have a lawfull right before God and man to the comforts they enjoy, for that is not to be received though many pious men have preached it, that wicked men have no right to the goods they have, but are as Theeves and Robbers, and ſhall anſwer for every bitt of bread they eat as Uſurpers; This is againſt the Scripture which ſaith, God hath given the Earth to the Inhabitants thereof, Pſal. 115.8. And that command Thou ſhalt not ſteal doth make it evident, that both by Gods Law and mans Law what wicked men have in Righteous waies they are true and lawfull Poſſeſſors of, and this, ſay Divines, cometh by Chriſt, who reſtored the Forfeit, Adam made, elſe the world would not have ſubſiſted a moment: Although it muſt be granted that ſome Learned men attribute the enjoyment of Comforts which the ungodly have, not to Chriſt, but to the patient Providence of God, whereby he doth not take the preſent Forfeiture; But may not this Patience of God be attributed to Chriſts death ſeeing he did not uſe any ſuch to the Apoſtate Angels, but they were immediately chained up in the cloſe Priſon of utter darkneſſe.
4. It is by Chriſts Death, That many unregenerated men are partakers of the common gifts of Gods Spirit; There are many that live within the Church of God, though not regenerated, yet have great gifts and abilities, They have many admirable endowments; Now how come theſe but by Chriſt, as Eph. 4. So 1 Cor. 14. It is the Spirit of Chriſt that giveth ſeverall gifts to men; Chriſt is the Vine, and ſo not onelyonly Grapes but the very Leaves come from his Sap and Juyce, So that what temporary Faith, Joy, Enlargements in Praier and common gifts of the holy Ghoſt any in the Church have it comes by Chriſts death.
Yea Laſtly, Chriſt by his Death is made Lord of the whole world; And hath conquered all the Inhabitants that are therein, So that they are Chriſts as a Lord that bought them by his Death; Thus that place is to be underſtood, 2 Pet. 1.1. ſpeaking of ungodly men whoſe damnation would ſwiftly come upon them, for the damnable hereſies they brought in; It's ſaid, They denied the Lord that bought them, foreign; Chriſt bought them in that by his Death, which was an Atonement only for the godly, yet he thereby was made Lord over all; So that although it cannot be ſaid he is the Saviour of all in the ſtrict ſence of a Saviour; Yet we may ſay he is the Lord over wicked men, they are his Vaſſals and Servants, and he can order and diſpoſe of them as he pleaſeth for his Churches good.
The laſt Notandum to be propounded is to ſee how different they are amongſt themſelves who have maintained univerſal Redemption;How the maintainers of Univerſal Redemption differ among themſelves. For ſome go ſo farre that they are rejected and cried out upon by others, though Univerſaliſts alſo.
And 1. Some have ſaid and endeavoured to prove, That ſo univerſall is the grace of God obtained by Chriſts Death, that it's not only ſufficient but efficacious in all men as they are men; They think that by Chriſts death every man by his own natural Reaſon and power may be able to ſave himſelf; Thus Puccius wrote a Book wherein he glorieth of an hundred and twenty Reaſons to prove this, but this is ſo monſtrous that others cry out of it; For by this means all unbeleevers and heathens ſhould be partakers of the grace of Chriſt, whenas Joh. 3.24. He that beleeveth not, the anger of God abideth on him
2. There are another ſort called Huberians from Samuell Huberus who thought that Chriſt by his Death procured actuall Reconciliation with God without any reſpect to Faith or Repentance; So that he ſaith, Chriſt did as actually and applicatively bring Gods Reconciliation to all mankinde, as Adam did actually condemnation, And that therefore none are damned for their ſinnes as being expiated by Chriſts Death, but becauſe by their unbelief they reject this actuall Reconciliation made for them, ſo that all men have a generall Remiſſion of their ſinnes, but thoſe only have a ſpeciall Remiſſion that by Faith accept it; But this alſo is rejected as abſurd, although it be obſervable that moſt of thoſe places they bring for Univerſal Redemption ſpeak of the act, and ſo the Huberians keep more to the plain words then they do who pleade for univerſal grace, Joh. 1.29. The Lamb that takes away the ſins of the world. 2 Cor. 5. God was in Chriſt reconciling the world, ſpeak of actual not potential or conditional Reconciliation, and they themſelves ſay univerſal redemption not redimibility.
3. There are the Arminians and Remonſtrants, men of greater Learning and more refined underſtandings then the former, and they hold, Chriſt died for all in reſpect of Impetration not Application; Chriſt died intending a Ranſome for all if they beleeve, but who ſhould beleeve and who not, doth not ariſe from Chriſts Death, but comes partly from grace partly from free-will; So that by this Poſition though Chriſt died, yet not one man might be ſaved; But this in the iſſue will be found derogatory to Chriſt, and leaveth the greateſt weight of our ſalvation upon merit.
4. There are thoſe that come nearer and are in the number of the Orthodox about Election, Converſion, Free-will, and Perſeverance in grace; Only they hold Chriſts dying intentionally for all; But how they can reconcile their Opinion with their other Tenents, holding Chriſts univerſal love to all in his Death if they do beleeve, and yet at the ſame time a ſpecial love to ſome to make them beleeve, and not others, is judged very difficult, and alſo wholly unprofitable as to any duty or comfort, The Doctrine whereof they think the more to eſtabliſh by this opinion.
Laſtly, There are thoſe who ſay, Though Chriſts Death is in it ſelf ſuffieient for all, yet the purpoſe and intention of Chriſt was to give himſelf a ranſome for ſome only, with theſe I joyn as having Gods Truth on their ſide.
I w…ll briefly give you ſome grounds becauſe others have largely handled it▪
Grounds of the Point.1. Becauſe we are ſaid to be elected in Chriſt our Head; So that Election though it be originally from the meer will of God, yet we are choſen in Chriſt as the Mediatour; If then Election be only of ſome, as it's plain, Rom 9. then Chriſt died only for ſome, For Chriſt is but the medium whereby Election doth bring about all the effects thereof; Seeing therefore Election is only of ſome and that is in Chriſt as the medium, Chriſt alſo muſt be for thoſe only that are Elected.
2. Out of the Text, For whom Chriſt would not pray as a Mediatour, he did not die; Shall he give his bloud, and will he not vouchſafe a praier, his interceſſion and his oblation go together.
3. Thoſe for whom Chriſt died he did not only die for their ſalvation, but grace to prepare and fit for it, Tit. 2.15. he died to make us a peculiar people zealous of good works: Now this muſt needs convince, for we ſpeak of dying for all, and think only of ſalvation, but Chriſts death was to obtain Faith and Repentance as the means to Salvation, therefore we may as well ſay univerſal Faith and univerſal repentance as well as univerſal redemption.
4. There cannot be a greater love then Chriſt to die for one, and if he hath delivered up Chriſt for us, how ſhall he not with him give us all things, Rom. 8. Therefore to ſay Chriſt died for all, and yet will not ſave all, is to grant the greater and deny the leſſe.
Ʋſe of Inſtruction, In ſtead of needleſſe and impertinent diſputes about Chriſts death for all, do thou labour and apply thy ſelf for a particular ſhare in his death; We know not who they are that are ſhut out, but therefore we encourage and exhort every one; Oh conſider the ſad conſequences of having no ſhare in his death; Who ſhall accuſe? It's Chriſt that died; Chriſts death keepeth off all accuſation and condemnation; Oh then wo unto that man who is to anſwer all accuſations and condemnations in his own Name, and muſt juſtifie himſelf from the works he hath done; It's now a diſpute in every mans mouth; Every one will be arguing in this matter, when alas the Queſtion is of ſuch a vaſt comprehenſion, that it's onelyonly for learned, moderate and ſober men to handle.