The Divine Will Considered in its Eternal Decrees and Holy Execution, Chapter 8 (3 of 3)

The Divine Will Considered in its Eternal Decrees and Holy Execution · Chapter 8 (3 of 3)

p. 2883. I argue from the Ministers Commission which is, Go, preach the Gospel to every creature; by virtue of this, they command all men every where to repent, and to induce them thereunto, they open a door of Hope to them, and to raise up that Hope, they set forth Jesus Christ evidently before their eyes, as if he were crucified among them, opening his bleeding Wounds, and through them shewing his naked Heart, and the inward bruises there made by Gods Wrath for man's Sin; they lift up their voices and cry, Come, O poor sinners! p. 289come, for all things are ready, here's Christ and his redeeming Blood ready, here's an Act of free Grace & Pardon seal'd in that Blood, here's a Heaven of Reconciliation, and at the end thereof a Heaven of Glory open before you; Come, O come without delay; Behold! now is the accepted time, the day of salvation, come, and your Sins shall be blotted out, come and your Souls shall live for ever; whilest it is called to day, we beseech you, be you reconciled unto God; why should your immortal Souls, saveable through Christ, be choaked with worldly Thorns, or inchanted with base Lusts, or inhabited by unclean Devils? Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die? And in all this, they bespeak not the Elect only, but others too; for their Commission reaches to every creature: neither do they utter their own humane Passions, but pursue their divine Commission; for in all their pathetical beseechings God himself beseeches, 2 Cor. 5. 28. in all their loud out-cries Wisdom it self cries out, Prov. 8. 1, 4. in all their earnest expostulations, Christ himself stands at the door and knocks, Rev. 3. 20. in all their holy Doctrines the Kingdom of Heaven comes nigh unto men, Luk. 10. 11. and in all their invitations to p. 290the Evangelical Feast made up of Christ's Flesh and Blood, which is meat indeed, and drink indeed, God himself invites, and bids men, eat and drink for his heart is with them. These things being so, it necessarily follows that Christ died for all men; because the Oblation of Christ in the Gospel is founded on his Oblation on the Cross, and the Ministery of Reconciliation is founded on the Mystery of it. Hence the Apostle joins both together; God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5. 19. And in another place, Christ gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 1 Tim. 2. 6. The word of Reconciliation is extensive to all, therefore so is the work; the Price of Redemption may be testified to all, therefore it was paid for all, so far as to found that testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of Prophecy. But if Christ no way died for all men, how came the Ministers Commission to be so large? They command men to repent that their sins may be blotted out, but how can their sins be blotted out for whom Christ was not made sin? They beseech men to be reconciled to God, but p. 291how shall they be reconciled for whom Christ paid no Price at all? They call and cry out to men to come to Christ that they may have life, but how can they have life for whom Christ was no Surety in his Death? If then Christ died for all men, the Ministery is a true Ministery as to all; but if Christ died only for the Elect, what is the Ministery as to the rest? Those Exhortations, which as to the Elect are real undissembled offers of Grace, as to the rest seem to be but golden Dreams and Shadows; those Calls, which as to the Elect are right Ministerial Acts, as to the rest appear as Extraministerial Blots and Errata's; those Invitations to the Gospel-feast, which as to the Elect are the cordial wooings and beseechings of God himself, as to the rest look like the words of mere men speaking at random and without Commission: for alas! why should they come to that Feast for whom nothing is prepared? How should they eat and drink for whom the Lamb was never slain? Wherefore I conclude that Christ died for all mens so far as to found the truth of the Ministery towards them.

4. I argue from the Blessings purchased by Christ's Death; one great Blessing is p. 292Salvation on Gospel Terms. Lapsed Angels must be damned, but Men, nay, all Men may be saved on Gospel-terms; there is foreign, a common Salvation to them; and O what a blessing is this, especially to such as live under the Gospel! there is nothing stands between them and Heaven but their own Will, they will not come to Christ that they may have life: Oh! what would the damned Spirits in Hell give for such a door of Hope, as hath no other bar but what is in their own Hearts! how would they sweat and strive with tears and strong cries to enter in at it! A second Blessing is the Patience of God, which waits upon Sinners, and by some glimmerings of Mercy leads them to repentance. A third Blessing is the Dispensation of Gifts; even in the Wilderness of the Pagan-world there are Moral Vertues, and in the Eden of the Church there are even in those that perish, some touches of the holy Ghost, tastes of the heavenly Gift and feelings of the Powers of the World to come, and whence are these but from the Death of Christ? As David called the water of Bethlehem the blood of his worthies, so may I call these Blessings the blood of Christ. Wherefore Christ died so p. 293far for all, as to procure some Blessings for them.

5. I argue from the Unbelief of Men, which is wonderfully aggravated in Scripture: through Jesus Christ there is a real offer of Grace made, but Unbelief receives it in vain, 2 Cor. 6. 1. great Salvation is prepared, … …nbelief neglects it, Heb. 2. 3. Eternal … is promised, but Unbelief comes short of it, Heb. 4. 1. the Kingdom of Heaven comes nigh to men, but Unbelief draws back from it, Heb. 10. 39. God himself bears witness that there is Life in his Son, even for all if they believe, but Unbelief saith No to it, and doth what it can to make him a liar, 1 Joh. 5. 10. Christ is set forth before our eyes as the great Expiatory Sacrifice, and evidently set forth as if he were crucified among us, his Blood runs fresh in the Veins of the Gospel, but Unbelief recrucifies the Son of God, Heb. 6. 6. tramples his precious blood under foot, Heb. 10. 29. and doth as it were nullifie his glorious Sacrifice; so that as to final Unbelievers foreign, there no more remaineth a sacrifice, Heb. 10. 26. as to their Salvation, 'tis as if there were no Sacrifice at all for them: But if Christ died not for all men, how can these things be? How p. 294can those men receive Grace in vain for whom it was never procured? or neglect Salvation for whom it was never prepared? How can they fall short of eternal Rest for whom it was never purchased? or draw back from the Kingdom of Heaven which never approached unto them? How can there be life in Christ for thos… for whom he never died? and if not … way doth their Unbelief give God the lye? How can they recrucifie the Son of God for whom he was never crucified? or trample on that precious Blood which was never shed for them? The Devils, as full of malice as they are against, Christ, are never said to do it, and why are men charged with it? I take it, because men have some share in him, and Devils none at all.

6. I argue from the Death of Christ, which hath a superexcellent Redundance of Merit in it, not only because of its intrinsecal value, but because of the divine Ordination; there are unsearchable riches in Christ, enough to pay all mens Debts; there are Pleonasms of Grace in him, foreign, Grace superabounded, saith the Apostle, 1 Tim. 1. 14. Salvation flows out from him actually upon all Believers, and by a glorious supereffluence p. 295it would run over upon all men if they did believe: As it was with the Widows litte Pot of Oil, 2 Kings 4. 6. the Oil did run till all the Vessels were full, and then it staid; the Widow called for another Vessel, and if she had had many more there, the Oil in the Pot would have filled them all; Even so (pardon the Comparison) it is with the immense Sea of Christ's Merits, it actually fills all the Vessels of Faith, and then it stays as it were for want of Vessels; mean-while Christ calls and cries out for more and if all men would come and bring their Vessels to him he would fill them all; doubtless if all men did believe, all would see the Glory of God, all would have the Rivers of living water flowing in them, all would feel spiritual Miracles wrought in their Hearts, by that Christ who sits at the right hand of Power, and consequently all would find an experimental witness in themselves that Christ died for them all.

7. I argue from the general and large Expressions in Scripture touching Christ and his Death; Christ died for all, 2 Cor. 5. 15. for every man, Heb. 2. 9. he gave himself for the world, Joh. 6. 51. for the whole world, 1 Joh. 2. 2. he is stiled the Saviour of p. 296the world, 1 Joh. 4. 14. and his Salvation is called a common salvation, Jude Ver. 3. a salvation prepared before the face of all people, Luk. 2. 31. and flowing forth to the ends of the earth, Isai. 49. 6. the Gospel of this Salvation is to be preached to all nations, Matth. 28. 19. and to every creature, Mark 16. 15. there is foreign, grace bringing salvation to all men, Tit. 2. 11. a door of Hope open to them, because Christ gave himself a ransom for all, 1 Tim. 2. 6. I know not what could be more emphatical to point out the Universality of Redemption? But you'l say, all these general Expressions do but denote genera singulorum, some of all sorts, the World of the Elect, or the All of Believers.

In answer to which I shall only put two Quaeries.

1. If those general Expressions denote only the World of the Elect, or the All of Believers, why is it not said in Scripture, that God elected all and every man, the World and the whole World? in that sence 'tis as true that God elected them all, as 'tis that Christ died for them all; Why then doth the holy Spirit altogether forbear those general Expressions in the matter of Election, which it useth in the matter p. 297of Redemption? Surely it imports thus much unto us, that Redemption hath a larger Sphere than Election; and therefore the Scriptures contract Election in words of Speciality only, whilest they open and dilate Redemption in emphatical Generalities.

2. If those general Expressions denote only the World of the Elect or the All of Believers, why doth the Scripture use such very different language in the same thing? Sometimes Christ is called the saviour of the world, and sometimes the saviour of the body; sometimes 'tis said that Christ died or gave himself for all, or for the world, & sometimes it is said that he died or gave himself for the Church or for his sheep. Who can imagine that such words of universality, and such words of speciality should be of the same latitude? that one and the same thing should be imported in both? Moreover, the Scripture doth make a signal distinction; when it speaks of his giving himself or dying for all, it says only that he died for all or gave himself a Ransom for all: But when it speaks of giving himself for his Church, it says that he sanctified himself that it might be sanctified through the truth, Joh. 17. 19. and that he p. 298gave himself for it, that he might purisie to himself a peouliar people, Tit. 2. 14. and that he gave himself for it, that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by the word, and present it to himself a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle, Eph. 5. 25, 26, 27. Never in all the Scripture is it said that he gave himself for all, or for the World, that he might sanctifie, or cleanse it, or make it a peculiar People, or glorious Church, which yet might have been truly said, if the All were no more than the All of Believers, or the World than the World of the Elect; wherefore to me it seems clear from those various Expressions and the observable distinctions in them, that the All for whom Christ died is larger than the All of Believers, and the World for whom Christ gave himself larger than the World of the Elect.

2. Having laid down my own Reasons, I procede to answer the Objections made against this Opinion.

Object. 1. If Christ died for all men, then all would believe, for Christ's Death procures all Graces, and in particular, Faith; seeing then all men have not Faith, either Christ did not die for them all, or else he loseth part of his Purchase.

p. 299I answer that Christ's Death is procurative of all Graces and particularly of Faith, so far as it is a Price; and it is a Price so far, as it was paid down by Christ and accepted by God for that purpose: for in a Price there must be both Sufficientia nuda consisting in the intrinsecal value of the thing, and Sufficientia ordinata consisting in the intentional paying and receiving that thing as a Price. Now Christ's death was paid down by him and accepted by God as a Price with a double respect. As for all men it was paid and accepted as a Price, so far forth, as to procure for them a ground for their Faith, viz. that they might be saved on Gospelterms. And as for the Elect it was further paid and accepted as a Price; so far as to procure the very Grace of Faith for them. Thus our Saviour Christ (who best knew both upon what Terms he paid down the price, and upon what Terms his Father received it) opens this mysterious Dispensation; I came down from heaven (saith he) not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me, Joh. 6. 38. and what was that? As to all men, 'twas that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life, Ver. 40. and as to the Elect, p. 300'twas that all those should by faith come unto him, Ver. 37. and never be lost, Ver. 39. Christ then died for all men, not so far forth as to procure the Grace of Faith, but so far forth as to procure Salvation on Gospel-terms for them; therefore, albeit all do not believe, it follows not either that Christ did not at all die for them, or that he loseth part of his Purchase. Christ's Death is procurative of Faith, not in reference to all, but to the Elect.

Object. 2. If Christ died for all men, why is not the Gospel revealed to them? many Pagan Nations have no glimpse of a Christ.

I answer two things.

1. God hath not left himself altogether without witness, no, not in the Paganworld; the invisible Spirit renders himself visible in the Glass of the World, Rom. 1. 20. and as it were palpable in the body of Nature; the very Heathens may see and feel him in every creature, Acts 17. 27. nay, and in themselves too, for his Presence is not far off from them, & his candle burns within them, Prov. 20. 27. & when by this Candle it appears, that there is Justice in God and Sin in them; yet that they may still seek after him, he lets out some glimmerings of mercy & placability towards them; the very standing p. 301of the World utters somewhat of this. This Psalmist tells us of a line in the heaven, Psal. 19. 4. God in the Creation drew lines of Power and Wisdom over the Sphere of Nature, but Christ in Redemption struck a line of Mercy quite through it, and that legible even to the Heathens, forasmuch as they know foreign, the vindictive justice of God, Rom. 1. 32. and yet see the World standing, and not dashed down about the Sinners Ears; they know there is a foreign, a divine vengeance, Acts 28. 4. and yet they are not consumed; they see Justice as it were winking, Acts 17. 30. judgment slumbring, 2 Pet. 2. 3. and infinite Patience and Long-suffering waiting and leading them to Repentance, Rom. 2. 4. they have some glimpses of pardoning Mercy; where there is no pardoning mercy at all, there is no room for repentance: but the Patience of God is a kind of temporal pardon of the punishment, & that temporal pardon of the punishment points out that Mercy which can give an absolute pardon of the Sin, and the true duct and tendency of that Mercy is to lead men to Repentance; and if there were any man in the Pagan-world who did in truth repent and convert to God, I make no question at all, but that p. 302he should be saved, and probably not without the express knowledge of Christ indulged to him; for upon all that fear Gods Name will the Sun of rigteousness arise with healing under his wings, Mal. 4. 2. Here then is aliquid Evangelii, though not the express knowledge of Christ.

2. As to the Argument, let us weigh what may be deducted from Christ's death as universal: If Christ died for all men, it follows from thence that Christ may be preached to all, but it follows not from thence that Christ shall be preached to all; it follows that Christ may be preached to all, for he, who was offered for all on the Cross, may be offered to all in the Gospel; there is no Pagan in the World to whom Christ may not be offered. And if there were but one great Ear or Organ of Hearing common to all, how would Christ's Ministers always be filling it with Gospel? But it follows not that Christ shall be preached to all; for the Gospel is God's own, and he may do with his own as he pleaseth; and Christ who purchased for all the Being of the Gospel as far as the general Promises go, yet purchased not for all the publication thereof. In a word; the Pagans have some glimmerings of Gospel, and p. 303may be saved on Gospel-terms, which shews that Christ so far died for them; and that they have not the express knowledge of Christ, is a deep Abyss much fitter to be adored than dived into by us.

Object. 3. If Christ died for all men, then he intercedes for all; but he intercedes only for the Elect, therefore he died for them only.

I answer that Christ doth in some sort intercede for all men; and this I shall clear several ways.

1. From the Nature of Christ's Intercession; that is not a formal Prayer, but an appearing in the Holy of Holies before the face of God as an Advocate, and there presenting his Blood and Righteousness in their freshness and endless life of Merit, with a Will that all the Grace purchased thereby may be dispensed to the sons of men; therefore Christ even in Glory stands foreign, as one slain, Rev. 5. 6. shewing his bleeding Wounds to make Intercession with God. Hence it follows, that his Intercession (being a kind of celestial Oblation) perfectly answers to his Oblation on the Cross; he is an Advocate above, so far as he was a Surety here below; his Blood speaks the p. 304very same things in Heaven as it did on Earth, and his Will stands in the same posture towards Sinners there as here. Now, how far was Christ a Surety for all? Surely thus far, that all may be saved if they believe; else either they cannot be saved at all which is contrary to the truth of the Promise, or they may be saved without a Surety, which is contrary to the current of the Scriptures. But if he were so far a Surety for all, then he is so far an Advocate for all; for he appears an Advocate in Heaven for all those for whom he appeared as a Surety on the Cross. Hence the Apostle saith in general, If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, 1 Joh. 2. 1. he saith not strictly, if the Elect sin, but at large, if any man sin, we have an advocate; and as the true ground-work of this general Advocation, he adds, he is the propitiation for the whole world, Ver. 2. So far forth as he was a Propitiation for the World, so far forth he is an Advocate for it. And another Apostle affirms that Christ is a Mediator between God and men, 1 Tim. 2. 5. he saith not betwixt God and his Church, but betwixt God and men; and the following words give the true reason of it, Christ gave himself a ransom for all, p. 305Ver. 6. he is no less a Mediator for all, than he was a Ransom for all. Christ's Blood shed on the Cross spake thus far for all men that they might have their pardon on Gospel-terms; and afterwards being carried to Heaven it speaks the very same language for them; for the voice or speech of that Blood is its Merit, and that Merit is of an indeficient virtue. Hence that Blood cannot be speechless, because it cannot be meritless; and so far on Earth as it merited for all, so far in Heaven it speaks and intercedes for all. Moreover, as Christ's Blood speaks the same things for them in Heaven, as it did on Earth, so Christ's Will in Heaven stands in the same posture towards them as it did on Earth; wherefore in a sort he intercedes for all.

2. From the Patience of God which waits on men, even such as at last perish. If Christ did not stand with the Incense of his sweet-smelling Merits between the living and the dead, between the reprieved Sinners on Earth and the damned Spirits in Hell, the Patience of God would not wait one moment upon them.

3. From the working of God's Spirit; for as Christ is our Paraclete or Advocate in heaven, 1 Joh. 2. 1. so the holy Spirit is Gods Para. p. 306clete or Advocate on earth, Joh. 16. 7. Surely if the Advocate in Heaven spake nothing for the Non-lect, the Advocate on Earth would not wooe them to salvation; if the Blood of Christ did not at all plead for them, the Spirit of Christ would give no touches at all upon them, much less such touches as to make them taste the powers of the World to come.

4. From the liberty of Prayer. Simon Magus (even whilest in the gall of bitterness) was commanded to pray, Acts 8. 22. but, what without a Mediator? No surely, that sinful man, who hath no Mediator in Heaven, must not presume to pray on Earth. I see no reason why a man merely mediatorless should have more lieve to pray than a Devil, who is therefore without hope because without a Mediator. The Apostle commands men to pray every where, 1 Tim. 2. 8. but a little before he lays down this as the ground-work, there is one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all, Ver. 5 and 6. The Mediation of Christ opens the door to Prayer.

Wherefore as to this Objection I answer thus; Christ intercedes for all men in such sort as he died for them; I say in such sort, p. 307for there is a vast difference between his general Intercession for all, and his special Intercession for the Elect: For as Christ by his Blood shed on the Cross merited for all in general that they might be saved on Gospel-terms, and merited for the Elect in special that they should believe and be saved; so by the same blood presented in Heaven he intercedes for all that they may be saved on Gospel-terms, and intercedes for the Elect that they may believe and be saved. And thus he is the complete Mediator of the Covenant; as the general Promises extend to all, so answerably he intercedes for all; and as the special Promises point only at the Elect, so proportionably he intercedes for the Elect.

Object. 4. If Christ died for all men, then he was a Surety for all and satisfied for the sins of all, and consequently God hath a double Satisfaction; one in Christ the Surety, and another in the persons of the Damned, which is against the nature of his Justice.

In this Argument are two consequences to be weighed.

1. If Christ died for all, then he was a Surety for all & satisfied for the sins of all.

2. If Christ so satisfied for the sins of all, p. 308then God hath a double Satisfaction, which is against Justice.

As to the first consequence I admit it as a very Truth, that Christ was a Surety for all, and satisfied for the sins of all; for if all did believe and repent, the sins of all should be remitted, and remitted they could not be without a Surety, and a Surety making Satisfaction; therefore such a Surety was Christ for them all.

As to the second consequence, If Christ satisfied for the sins of all, then God hath a double Satisfaction, and that is against Justice. I shall first premise some distinctions and then answer.

1. I shall premise three distinctions.

1. Either the first Satisfaction was made to the Creditor or Law-giver by the Debtor or Offender himself, or else it was made by a Surety; if it was made by himself, Justice forbids a second Satisfaction.

2. The first Satisfaction being made by a Surety, was either made by a Surety of the Debtors or Offenders own procuring, or else by a Surety procured by the Creditor or Law-giver; if it was made by a Surety procured by the Debtor or Offender himself, Justice forbids a second Satisfaction; for 'tis all one as if he had satisfied by himself.

p. 3093. When a Surety provided by the Creditor or Law-giver makes the first Satisfaction, either he makes Satisfaction in such sort, as that the Debtor or Offender shall be thereby immediately, ipso facto, without any more ado discharged, or else he makes Satisfaction in such sort, as that the Debtor or Offender shall be thereby discharged, but upon the performance of some Conditions and not otherwise; if the Surety make Satisfaction in the former way, still Justice forbids a second Satisfaction; but if he make Satisfaction in the latter way, then upon the final non-performance of those Conditions, Justice may admit a second Satisfaction. I will illustrate this by two instances: Suppose a man indebted to another in 1000. l. the Creditor procures his Son to lay down the mony in satisfaction of the Debt, but withal it is agreed between them, that the Debtor shall be discharged from his Debt, if he assent to this payment and not otherwise; if then the Debtor dissent, the Creditor may justly demand of him a second Satisfaction. Again; suppose multitudes of attainted Traitors be shut up in Prison, and the King procures his Son to suffer punishment in their stead, but withal the p. 310King and his Son proclame it as a Law, that none of the Traitors shall be thereby absolved, unless such as honour and do Homage unto them; if any Traitor refuse to do it, the King may justly exact a second Satisfaction: and the reason of both is this, because the Debtor or Traitor not performing the Conditions can have no benefit by the first Satisfaction, and therefore must be subject to a second, as if there had been no first at all.

2. These distinctions premised, I answer, Mens Sins are Debts and Rebellions, and satisfaction for them is due to God as the great Creditor and Law-giver; but this Satisfaction was not made by men themselves, but by Jesus Christ as their Surety, and this Surety was not procured by men, but provided by God himself; and being provided by God, he did not pay down his satisfactory Blood in such sort, as that men should be thereby immediately, ipso facto, absolved from their Debts and Rebellions, but in such sort, as that men may be acquitted from their Debts and Rebellions if they repent and believe: wherefore if they do neither, they can have no benefit by Christ's Satisfaction, and by consequence a second Satisfaction p. 311may be justly exacted from them.

Now for the more distinct clearing of this momentous Objection I shall propose Four things.

1. God out of mere Grace procured Christ to be a Surety for men; and therefore it was in his power to prescribe the Conditions, upon the performance or nonperformance whereof men should have or not have benefit by Christ's Satisfaction.

2. According to this power, God hath plainly set down the Conditions in the Gospel, viz. He that believes shall be saved, and he that believes not shall be condemned.

3. These Conditions being thus set down by God himself, no man falling short of them, can have benefit by Christ's Satisfaction: If men will not receive the atonement, Rom. 5. 11. how can they be at peace? If they will not receive remission of sins, Acts 10. 43. how can they be pardoned? We are all in a worse Dungeon than Jeremy's, and if we will not put the cords of Grace under our Arms, we cannot get out; we are all servants of Sin, and if we say to it, We love thee, and will not go out free, we must be bored for eternal Slaves. Christ hath opened the p. 312Fountain of his Blood, but we must wash in it, Zach. 13. 1. Christ hath made a purchase of Souls, but we must believe foreign, to the purchasing of the soul, Heb. 10. 39. not that Faith is part of the Purchase-money, but that it is the Condition of the Gospel, without which the glorious Purchase of Christ profits not; if men live and die in Unbelief, foreign, there remaineth no more sacrifice for them, Heb. 10. 26. Indeed Christ offered a Sacrifice for them, but foreign, the benefit of that Sacrifice doth no more remain unto them; upon their final Unbelief they have no more benefit by it than if there had been none at all for them: In which sence I understand that of the Father, Si non credis, non tibi descendit, non tibi passus est Christus.

4. If final Unbelievers can have no benefit by Christ's Satisfaction, then God may justly require a second Satisfaction of them, because they cannot plead the first; and so 'tis in Law as to them as if there had been no first at all. Shimei had a pardon from Solomon, but passing over Kidron lost it; and therefore (notwithstanding the same) was justly put to death for his offence: Jesus Christ as a Surety made Satisfaction p. 313for men, but they through their final Unbelief lose the benefit of it; and therefore (notwithstanding the same) God may justly require a second Satisfaction from them. If Shimei had pleaded his pardon, Solomon would have told him, that's nothing to thee ever since thou didst pass over Kidron; and if Unbelievers should plead Christ's Satisfaction, God would tell them, that's nothing to you, seeing you have lived and died in Unbelief.

Object. 5. Millions of men in the World reject Christ, and drop into Hell, and God eternally foresaw that it would be so; if then Christ died for these, there seems to be a blot upon the divine Wisdom, a failure in his efficacious Will, and a loss in the precious Purchase made by Christ.

I answer; 'Tis true that God eternally foresaw those Rejecters of Christ, and that Christ in time died for them, nevertheless there is no blot hereby cast on the divine Wisdom; 'tis no disparagement to the All-wise God to bestow Means of Eternal Bliss on such as he eternally foresaw would abuse the same to their own destruction: Oh! what rare Perfections did he set up in the Angels, and yet he eternally foresaw a great part of them apostatizing and p. 314dropping to Hell; What an excellent Image of Holiness did he stamp upon Adam? and yet he eternally foresaw him falling, and breaking all his Glory by the the Fall; what waitings of Patience, wooings of the Gospel and touches of the holy Spirit doth he dispense to such men as he eternally foresaw would abuse all these? and yet in all this God's Wisdom suffers not. The very same I may say of Christ's dying for such as abuse this great blessing; neither is there here any failing in the efficacious Will of God, for he wills that the Elect shall believe and be saved, and he wills that the rest shall be saved if they believe, and both these Wills are accomplished, the first in the Event of Faith and Salvation, and the latter in the Connexion between Faith and Salvation, even as to all men. God may be said to will the Salvation of men through Christ's Death two ways; either because he wills that Christ's Death should be a Price infallibly procuring their Faith and Salvation, or else because he wills that there should be in Christ's Death an aptness and sufficiency to save them on Gospel-terms: the former Will points only at the Elect, and is fulfilled in their Grace and Glory; the p. 315latter extends to all men, and is fulfilled in the aptness and sufficiency of Christ's Death to save them on Gospel-terms; in both God's Will hath its effect. Neither lastly is there any loss in Christ's purchase, for what did he purchase? As for the Elect, he purchased Faith and Salvation, and as for the rest, he purchased Salvation on Gospel-terms, in both he hath what he paid for; for the Elect believe and are saved, and the rest may be saved if they believe: therefore when men by their Unbelief barr themselves of the benefit of Christ's Death, and make him in that respect cry out, I have laboured in vain, yet he adds, surely my judgment is with the Lord, Isai. 49. 4. as if he had said, For all this never a drop of my Blood is irrationally shed, for God (with whom my judgment is) knows, that I purchased Salvation for them on Gospel-terms, although they by their Unbelief deprive themselves of the benefit of the Purchase. If final Unbelievers should be saved, Christ should have more than his Purchase, but if they are not saved, he hath no less; for he purchased Salvation for them on Gospel-terms which they do not perform through their own voluntary Unbelief.

p. 316Object. 6. If Christ died for all men, then he loves all with the greatest degree of Love; for greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends, Joh. 15. 13. and this must needs be the greatest degree of love, because it draws all other things after it; If God gave his own Son for us, how shall he not with him freely give us all things, Rom. 8. 32? But Christ doth not love all with the greatest degree of love, neither doth God give all things to them; therefore Christ did not die for all.

I confess that Christ doth not love all men with the greatest degree of love, neither doth God bestow all blessings on them: wherefore we must examine these places from whence these Inferences are made. As for the first place, greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends, it doth import one of these two things; either it doth import, that he that dieth for his friends hath the greatest degree or height of internal love towards them, or else it imports, that a mans death for his friends is the greatest external effect and proof of his love: the first cannot be the meaning of the place; for if it be the greatest and most intense degree p. 317of love to die for our friends, what is it to die for our enemies as Christ did? If it be the height and top of love to lay down our lives, how can that be done without any love at all as the Apostle supposeth, 1 Cor. 13. 3? The Apostle commands us to lay down our lives for the brethren, 1 Joh. 3. 16. but when a man doth it, he is not to have the same degree of love towards all the Brethren; for he is to love those most in whom there is most of God, and to whom he is nearest in Nature. Jesus Christ laid down his life for all the Elect, yet without doubt his love was greater to his Apostles than to ordinary Christians; nay, and among the Apostles, there was one dearly beloved, one who lay in his bosom, Joh. 13. 23. Wherefore the meaning of the words is not, that he that dieth for his friends hath the greatest degree or height of internal love towards them, but that such a death is the greatest effect and proof of his love. Christ in the 12. Verse exhorted his Disciples to love one another, and in this 13. Verse he shews what is the greatest outward evidence of love, viz. to die for our friends. Now albeit Christ died for all men, and that Death was a great and high proof of p. 318his Love, nothing hinders but that Christ, over and besides his common Philanthropy to all, may bear a special affection to the Elect; the Universality of his Death infers not a Parity in his Love. If Jacob had died for all his Sons, yet he might have loved Joseph and Benjamin above the rest, and left them some special Legacies: If Christ died for all men, yet he may and doth love his Elect above others, and leave some secret Love-tokens upon their hearts. As for the second place, If God delivered up his Son for us, how shall he not with him freely give us all things, Rom. 8. 32. the Key to unlock this Text is the word [Us;] Who are the Us in the Text? Who but the Elect of God? Ver. 33. who according to Election are effectually called, Ver. 28. and upon their Callings are justified and glorified, Ver. 30? These are the Us in the Text; wherefore the plain meaning of it is, not that if God gave his Son for all men, he would give them all things, but that if God gave his Son for the Elect, he would give them all things, viz. all things necessary to Salvation; the Text extends not to all men. But you'l say, though the Text extend not to all men, yet the Argument doth: for if the Argument be p. 319good, that if God gave his Son for the Elect, he would give them all things; then the Argument is as good, that if God gave his Son for all men, he would give them all things. I answer, that if God's Intention and Love in giving his Son for all were one and the same towards all, the consequence were undeniable; but seeing God in giving his Son, had towards the Elect a special Love and Intention to bestow Grace and Glory on them, and towards the rest but a common Philanthropy and Ordination that they might be saved on Gospel-terms, hence it is clear, that albeit the giving of all things to the Elect may be inferred from his giving his Son for them, yet the giving of all things to all men cannot be inferred from his giving his Son for them all; because in that gift there was not the same Love and Intention towards all: Wherefore I conclude that Christ died for all, and yet neither are all loved with the greatest degree of love, nor yet are all blessings conferred upon them.

Object. 7. If Christ would not pray for all men, then he died not for all; but Christ would not pray for all, for he saith, I pray for them, I pray not for the world, Joh. 17. 9.

p. 320Answ. This Argument must be formed one of these two ways; either thus, If Christ prayed not at all for the Non-elect, then he did not at all die for them; but he prayed not at all for them, Ergo, he died not for them. Now here I must deny the Minor; for even upon the Cross he prayed for his Crucifiers, Father forgive them, Luk. 23. 34. not that he would have them forgiven though final Impenitents and Unbelievers, for that would have been against his Father's purpose and his own purchase, but that he would have them forgiven if they did believe and repent, which was congruous to both. But suppose there had been no vocal Prayer of Christ for them, yet surely there was a mental one; for he could not but desire of God to have all the fruits of his Passion, amongst which one was, that all men might be saved on Gospel-terms; that grand Gospel-axiom [whosoever believes shall be saved] was no doubt one of his desires, for it cost his precious Blood; wherefore the Non-elect were not totally excluded from his Prayers. Or else the Argument must be formed thus; If Christ prayed not for the non-elect in that famous Prayer, Joh. 17. then he did not die for them; but he prayed not for them in p. 321that Prayer, therefore he died not for them. Now here the consequence fails; for what kind of Prayer was that, Joh. 17? 'Twas a Prayer peculiarly fitted for Apostles and Believers; a Prayer for their perseverance in Faith, Ver. 11. for their perfection in Unity, Ver. 23. for their growth in Sanctification, Ver. 17. for their abode with him in Glory, Ver. 24. and in all respects a Prayer which could be congruously prayed for no other but Believers, Ver. 20. Now that Christ did not pray such a Prayer for all men as was only proper for Believers, doth not conclude, either that he did not at all pray for them, or that he did not at all die for them. Thus much in answer to the first Quaere, Whether Christ died for all men? I pass on to the second.

Quaere 2. Whether Christ died equally for all men? I answer, that albeit Christ died in some sort for all men, and, by virtue of his Death, all men (if Believers) should equally be saved; nevertheless Christ did not die equally for them all, but after a special manner for the Elect, above and beyond all others; and this I shall demonstrate by several Arguments drawn

p. 3221. From the Will of God.

2. From the Covenant of Grace.

3. From the Issue of Christ.

4. From the Working of the holy Spirit.

5. From the Blessings purchased.

6. From the Intercession of Christ.

7. From the Event following upon Christ's Death.

8. From the special Expressions in Scripture.

1. I argue from the Will of God. Christ's Death is the meritorious Cause of Salvation, and respects men more or less proportionably as God's Will (which is the fontal Cause thereof) doth more or less respect them: God wills that all men should be saved if they believe, & proportionably Christ died for them all; God wills that the Elect should infallibly believe and be saved, and sutably Christ died for them in a special way; there is a peculiarity in Christ's Redemption answering to the peculiarity of God's Love. God eternally resolved with himself that he would have a Church and a peculiar people, and Christ gave himself for it, that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself à p. 323glorious Church without spot or wrinkle, Eph. 5. 25, 26, 27. He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works, Tit. 2. 14. If Christ had given himself thus far for all, all would have been his Church and People. You will say, Unbelief is the only Obstacle. I answer, that if Christ had given himself for all, that he might wash them as he washes the Church, and redeem them from all iniquity as he redeems his peculiar ones, there would have been no such thing as Unbelief left among men; that Christ, who washes out every spot and wrinkle, would not have left Unbelief; that Christ, who redeems from all iniquity, would not have left Unbelief, no, not in any one man's heart; nay, I may truly say, he could not leave it there, because he could not lose his end, nor shed one drop of his Blood in vain. There are among men some chosen ones, such as are chosen out from among men, and chosen out of the World, Joh. 15. 19. and Christ in his Death had a special eye upon these: Hence, proportionably to their Election, they are said to be redeemed from among men, Rev. 14. 4. and redeemed out of every kindred and tongue and people and p. 324nation, Rev. 5. 9. Now how is it possible that all men should be thus▪ redeemed? Christ's Death as it respects all men, redeems them (as I may so say) from among Devils, for that it renders them capable of mercy which Devils are not; but Christ's Death as it respects the Elect redeems them even from among men, for that it procures Faith for them, and thereby pulls them out of the unbelieving World; and what is peculiar Redemption if this be not? But you'l say these are said to be redeemed from among men, not because Christ specially died for them above others; but because these particularly applied his Death by Faith which others did not. I answer, that either this Application by Faith was merited by Christ's Death or not; if so, then Christ redeemed them in a special manner, because by his Death he impetrated Faith for them, which he did not for all; if not, then they were redeemed from among men by themselves and their own free Will, and not by Christ and his Death, which (I tremble to think) puts the lye upon the Church triumphant, who sing the new Song to the Lamb in these words; Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every p. 325kindred & tongue & people & nation, Rev. 5. 9. How can that Blood of Christ, which merited alike for all men, redeem one man from another? How can it redeem some from among men, unless it merit for them that Faith which is the grand distinction between man and man in the matter of Salvation? Christ foreign, purchased the church with his blood, Acts 20. 28. and purchased it in a special manner: hence foreign, a purchased people, is not a title common to all, but proper to the Church, 1 Pet. 2. 9. God's Children lay scattered up and down the wide World, and Christ died that he might gather them all together foreign, into one, one Faith here and one Glory hereafter, Joh. 11. 52. If Christ had died so for all, all should have come into the same Unity. We find in Scripture many signal distinctions made among men; there are some on whom God will have mercy, and others whom he will harden, Rom. 9. 18. some written in the Lambs book of life, and others left out of it, Rev. 13. 8. some given unto Christ, Joh. 6. 36. and others …eft to themselves; some are Gods own jewels, Mal. 3. 17. and others but as dross. Now how incredible is it that Jesus Christ (who came to do his Father's p. 326Will) should in his Death respect those whom God will harden, as much as those whom he will have mercy on; those that are out of the Book of Life, as much as those that are in it; those that are left to themselves, as much as those that are given to him, and those that are the dross of the World, as much as God's own Jewels? Believe it who can, 'tis a monstrous Opinion, worthy of nothing but exile from Christians: Seeing God's Will hath so distinguished men, it is no more possible that Christ should die alike for all, than that he should dissent from his Father's Will, which to do was his great errand in the World. Christ suffered between two Thieves, a Type of the Elect and Reprobate World; but who dare say that he had as much respect to the one as to the other?

2. I argue from the Covenant of Grace. Christ is the Mediator of the Covenant, and the Covenant is the New-testament in his blood; as then the Covenant is more or less respective of men, so the Mediator's Death is more or less respective of them. There are in the Covenant two sorts of Promises; the one general and conditional, such are those, Whosoever believes shall be saved, Whosoever will, may take of p. 327the water of life, If any man come to Christ he will not cast him out; the other special and absolute, such are those, I will circumcise thy heart to love me, I will put my fear in their hearts, I will take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh, I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, I will put my Laws in their mind and write them in their hearts, and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people; there is a vast difference between these Promises: For

1. The general and conditional Promises are as it were the hands of the Covenant, pointing out the true way and path leading to Salvation, but the special and absolute Promises are as it were the Veins of the Covenant, carrying in them the blood and spirit of life and power to enable us to walk in that way. Here God himself engages to work all saving Graces in us: Are our hearts hard? he'l roll away the stone from them; do our hearts resist holy impressions? he'l give us hearts of flesh capable thereof; are our hearts void of God's Law? he will write it there and turn them into the Epistles of Christ, and for the effectual doing hereof, he will put his Spirit into us, and as a real proof of p. 328it, he will cause us to walk in his ways; and in this Walk Love shall be the Motive, for he will circumcise the heart to love him, and Fear the Bridle, for he will put his Fear in the heart never to depart from him; and, which is the Crown of all, he himself will be a God to us, and we shall be a people to him in an everlasting Covenant. Stand still O Saints! and adore; here, loe, here is the ministration of the Spirit indeed, 2 Cor. 3. 8. here are words which are spirit and life, Joh. 6. 63. here is the supernal Jerusalem the mother of spiritual freedom, Gal. 4. 26. here is the immortal seed which begets all the Sons of God, 1 Pet. 1. 23. here is that Vis foreign, or formative Virtue which moulds us into the divine nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. here is the day of God's power, which makes his people willing to serve him in the beauties of holiness, Psal. 110. 3. Happy, yea thrice happy they, who dwell in this Land of Promise and drink of these Wells of Salvation.

2. The general and conditional Promises are extensive to all men, but the special and absolute Promises respect the Elect and them only, for they are fulfilled in them, and them only; had these extended to all, that God (who cannot lye, nor p. 329deny himself) would have fulfilled them in all. You will say, He would have fulfilled them in all, but that men themselves will not: But what a strange word is this [they will not]? Will they not, if God give them a Will, a new heart and a new spirit? Will they not, if God take away the nilling and resisting Principle, the heart of stone? Will they not, if God write his Laws in their hearts and inward parts? O what is this, but by an absurd Blasphemy to change God's Truth into a lye, his Omnipotence into weakness, and his Glory into the old broken Idol of Creature-freedom? Surely if God (who is Truth and Power) engage to make a new Heart, the old one cannot hinder it; if he promise to remove Hardness, Hardness cannot resist it; if he say that he will write the Law in the Heart, the Heart will not say Nay to his Almighty Fingers. Seeing then these Promises are not fulfilled in all but in the Elect only, I may safely affirm that they respect not all but the Elect only. These things being so, it appears how & in what manner Christ's Death respects men, even more or less, as the Promises of the Covenant founded on his Blood do more or less respect them: As the general Promises extend to all p. 330men, so the Death of Christ the Mediator proportionably extends to them all; and as the special Promises point only at the Elect, so the Death of Christ the Mediator hath a peculiar respect to them. Christ by his Death (over and besides the general Promises) founded those special Promises for the Elect; hence they come to be foreign, sons of promise, Gal. 4. 28. begotten by it to spiritual life, which others, standing only under the general Promises, are not. All the saving Graces of the Elect suting to those special Promises are no other than the fruits of Christ's Merits; they are renewed with the renewings of the holy Ghost, but that is shed on them through Jesus Christ; they have the Law written in their hearts, but that is the Epistle of Christ; their filthy flesh is cut off from their hearts, that they may love God who is a pure Spirit, but this is the circumcision of Christ, Col. 2. 11. In a word, all the saving Graces of the Elect are as so many Legacies of the Newtestament, and the New-testament is founded in his Blood: Wherefore it is clear from the Covenant of Grace and its special respect to the Elect, that Christ died in a special and peculiar manner for them.

p. 3313. I argue from the Issue of Christ; Christ was to have a Seed, and this I shall demonstrate three ways.

1. From the Preciousness of his Blood.

2. From the Purpose of his Father.

3. From the Promise of his Father.

1. From the Preciousness of his Blood. That there should be a Laver made of God's Blood, and never a Sinner washed in it, that such a vast sum of precious Merits should be paid down, and never a Captive released by it, is to me no less than prodigious Blasphemy; every little Grain in Nature doth confute it; if that do but fall into the ground and die, it bringeth forth much fruit, and shall the Son of God bleed and die in his assumed Flesh and be fruitless? God in his waky Providence gives to every little Seed his own body, and shall the peerless Flower of Heaven sow his Blood and Righteousness and have none at all? A Cup of cold water given in Charity shall in no wise lose its reward, and can it be so with the Blood of Christ poured out in a transcendent excess of Love, and glorified into an infinite Merit by his Deity? When Christ fed the multitude but with Barleyloaves & small Fishes, nothing was lost, and p. 332can all be lost when he makes a Feast of spiritual Marrow and Fatness, and gives his Flesh to be meat indeed and his Blood to be drink indeed? Oh! far be the thought from every Christian

2. From the Father's purpose, which (as the Scriptures hold forth) clearly was, that his Son should be a King, a Captain, a Shepherd, an Husband, an Head and a Father: And what is a King without Subjects, a Captain without Souldiers, a Shepherd without a Flook, an Husband without a Spouse, an Head without a Body, and a Father without Posterity? Empty Names are below him whose name is above every name. Wherefore this King must have a Sion a mountain of holiness to reign in, Psal. 2. 6. this Captain a Militia, an army with banners to fight under him, Cant. 6. 4. this Shepherd a flock to hear his voice and follow him, Joh. 10. 4. this Husband a spouse, a Queen in Gold of Ophir maried to him, Psal. 45. 9. this Head a body to be animated with his Spirit and filled with his life, Col. 1. 18. and this Father a numerous issue, begotten and brought forth into the spiritual World to honour and serve him, Heb. 2. 13.

3. From the Father's Promise, which p. 333was in terminis, That he should have a seed, Isai. 53. 10. a Seed begotten by his Spirit, and by that Generation bearing his Image, and in that Image serving of him; and to make it sure, God engages by special Promises to take away the stony Heart, to write the Law there, to put his holy Spirit into them, and so infallibly to raise up a seed to him; and for the continuance of this Seed successively, foreign filiabitur nomen ejus, his name shall be sonned or childed from generation to generation, Psal. 72. 17. The special Promises shall be ever budding and blossoming and bringing forth the fruits of Grace; thus Christ shall see of the travel of his soul and be satisfied, Isai. 53. 11. and as a sign of this Satisfaction, he breaks out, Behold I and the Children which God hath given me, Heb. 2. 13. Should he miss but one of his Seed or Children, his Heart would not rest or be satisfied; for they are in a peculiar manner the travel of his Soul.

But now if Christ died alike or equally for all, what becomes of his precious Blood? How can the Purpose and Promise of God stand? Which way shall Christ have a Seed? Shall his Seed be begotten out of Man's Will? No such Generation p. 334ever was there, Joh. 1. 13. 'Tis not of him that willeth, Rom. 9. 16. Nothing less than the holy Spirit, which formed Christ in the Womb, can form him in the Heart: but shall they be begotten by the holy Spirit? That Spirit doth nothing in the work of Regeneration but what Christ merited in his Passion; every new Creature which is efficiently begotten by the Spirit, was first meritoriously begotten by the Death of Christ, or else it would not be the Seed of Christ, at least not the travel of his Soul. Now Christ did not travel or merit for all men that they should be begotten again by the holy Ghost; for then either all would be so begotten, which Experience denies, or else the Merit and Travel of Christ must be lost, which the preciousness thereof abhorrs: And if Christ did not merit it for all, then neither did he (if he died alike for all) merit it for any, and how then shall he have a Seed? His Seed must be begotten by the Spirit, and the Spirit begets no new Creatures but what Christ merited, and Christ dying equally for all did not merit such a thing for any, because not for all. Moreover; when God promised Christ a Seed, either the meaning of p. 335that Promise was, that some men should become his Seed, or that all should be so; if that some, then Christ died not equally for all; if that all, then all must be begotten by the Spirit, and renewed after Christ's Image, the Stone must be cut out of every heart, and the Law written there; for in these things is the very spirit and life of Regeneration: But seeing these things are not wrought in all, it appears, that the promised Seed is not all, but some, for whom Christ merited the very work of Regeneration.

4. I argue from the Working of the holy Spirit. As the holy Spirit eternally procedes from the Father and the Son in his personal Subsistence, so he goes forth in time from the Father and the Son in his working in Men. Hence he is called the Spirit of the Father, and the Spirit of the Son, the Father sends him, and the Son sends him; and as the holy Spirit works in Men from the Father and the Son, so he works in them more or less, as the Love of the Father and the Merits of the Son do more or less respect them. The Father doth in some sort love, and the Son did in some sort die for all men. Hence the holy Spirit hath some workings in the Non-elect. p. 336Within the Church many of them taste the Powers of the World to come; nay, in the Pagan-world the holy Spirit drops some moral Vertues and Beams of light, from whence have issued many excellent Sayings, some of which the holy Spirit hath so far owned as to quote them in his own Book: But the Father doth in a special manner love, and the Son did in a special manner die for the Elect. Hence proportionably the holy Spirit works in them after more glorious strains of Power and Grace; as a Spirit of Grace and Supplication he melts them into Repentance; as a Spirit of Faith he makes them catch hold upon Christ for Righteousness and Life; as a Spirit of Wisdom he unveils their hearts, and makes the Light to shine out of Darkness; as a Spirit of Liberty he unshackles and unbinds their Wills, and makes them free indeed in the ways of God, and as a Spirit of Truth and Holiness he leads them into Truth, and by inward Law-engravings moulds and changes them into it. Moreover, the holy Spirit, after such glorious workings on them, comes and dwells in them, and that intimately in the very secrets of their hearts, foreign, I will indwel in them, p. 337saith he, 2 Cor. 6. 16. there are two [in's] to denote an intimate inhabitation, as if God could never be near enough to them: As in Christ Personal, who is the Head, there is God in the flesh by an hypostatical Union; so in Christ Mystical, which is the Body, there is God in the Flesh by a gracious Inhabitation; and to shew that he is there, he cries Abba Father in their Devotions; he is a Spirit of Love in their charities, a Spirit of Power in their infirmities, a Spirit of Comfort in their distresses, and a Spirit of Glory in their sufferings. Seeing then the holy Spirit (who works in men more or less according to the Fathers Love and Sons Merits) works in such a special way in the Elect, 'tis as clear as if it were written with a Sunbeam, that the Father loves them and the Son died for them in a special way. Hence we find these three folded and wrapt up together by the Apostle, Elect according to the foreknowledge of the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 1. 2. And again, The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all, 2 Cor. 13. 14, If the Father's Love and the Son's Blood had p. 338respected all men as much as the Elect, doubtless the holy Spirit (who in Subsistence procedes and in Operations works from them both) would have converted all as well as the Elect; why then are not all men actually converted? Is it because the holy Spirit works not equally in all, or because the holy Spirit is resisted in some? Is it because the holy Spirit works not equally in all? I answer, That the Spirit is sent forth from the Father and the Son, and works exactly according as it is sent; the inward impulsive Cause of pouring out the Spirit is the Father's Love, and the outward meritorious cause of it is the Son's Blood: Wherefore if the Father equally love all, and the Son equally died for all, the Spirit works equally in all; for there can be no breach in the sacred Trinity. Or is it because the Spirit is resisted in some? I answer; Their resistance is a grand Obstacle to the work, but if the Spirit did roll away the Stone, and new-mould the Heart, and work the Will in all, as he doth in the Elect, that Obstacle would at last be removed out of the way.

5. I argue from the Blessings purchased. Christ's Death is more or less respective of men, as it is more or less procurative of p. 339Blessings for them: Christ purchased a Salvability for all, but over and besides he purchased many choice Blessings for the Elect, he purchased Repentance for them; for he is a prince and a saviour to give repentance to Israel, Acts 5. 31. He purchased a room for Repentance even for all men; but he purchased Repentance it self for his chosen Israel; he purchased Faith for them, Unto you it is given for Christs sake to believe in him, Phil. 1. 29. For others he purchased a ground-work for Faith, but for them he purchased the very Grace of Faith; he purchased effectual Vocation for them: others have a Call by the Gospel, but these have a Call by the Gospel coming in power, and in the holy Ghost, and in much assurance; he purchased Holiness and Sanctification for them. Indeed there is no man living on the Earth, but (if he did really believe) he should have the rivers of living water, the Spirit of holiness flowing in his heart, Joh. 7. 38. but the Elect were destined and chosen in Christ to be holy, Eph. 1. 4. and Christ sanctified himself in a special manner for them, that they might be sanctified foreign, in truth, actually & truly, Joh. 17. 19. Lastly, he purchased Heaven and Glory for them; others may p. 340have Heaven upon believing, but these shall certainly arrive at it, these are the sheep, to which Christ gives eternal life, Joh. 10. 28. these are the sons, which without fail shall be brought to Glory, Heb. 2. 10. Now seeing Christ purchased so many Blessings for the Elect, 'tis evident he died for them in a special way.

6. I argue from the Intercession of Christ. Christ intercedes for men more or less proportionably as he more or less respected them in his Death, for his Death is the foundation of his Intercession; the very same Blood of Christ, which as shed on Earth made Satisfaction, as presented in Heaven makes Intercession. Now how far doth Christ intercede in Heaven? What doth his Blood speak there? For all men it speaks thus, Father, let them all be saved on Gospel-terms; but for the Elect it speaks thus, Father, let them have Repentance; this the Apostle hints out, Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince & a saviour to give repentance to Israel, Acts 5. 31. Israels Repentance on Earth comes from Christ exalted in Heaven; for there he intercedes for it by his Merits, and from thence he works it by his Spirit. Again it speaks for them thus, Father, let p. 341them be made a willing people; this I gather from the 110. Psalm, where we find Christ sitting at the right hand of God, Ver. 1. and sitting there he intercedes for us, and from this Session and Intercession comes forth a willing people, Ver. 3. Here's the true original of spiritual willingness; the right Hand of God (which is a right Hand of Power) works it in our Hearts, and works it at the instance of Christ, who sits and intercedes there for it. Again, it speaks for them thus, Father, sanctifie them with thy Grace, preserve them with thy Power, and crown them with thy Glory in Heaven. Thus Christ in his sweet Prayer a little before his bitter Passion, interceded for them for their Sanctification, Sanctifie them through thy truth, Joh. 17. 17. for their Perseverance, Keep them through thine own name, Ver. 11. and for their Glory, I will that they be with me where I am to behold my glory, Ver. 24. And what he spake for them by his oral Intercession on Earth, that he speaks for them by his real Intercession in Heaven. Thus Christ doth in a special manner intercede for the Elect, which proves that he died for them in a special manner; because his Intercession is but the presenting of the Merits of his p. 342Death to his Father in Heaven.

7. I argue from the Event following upon Christ's Death; some men do believe, when others draw back, and whence comes this distinguishing Faith? either it comes merely of Man's Free-will, or of God's free Grace; if we say the first, 'tis the very mire and dirt of Pelagianism, 'tis to set up Free-will as an Idol to cast lots upon Christ's Blood, whether any one person in the World shall be saved thereby or not: If we say the latter, then God and Christ had a special eye upon some above others; for God ordained, that Christ should be the grand Medium to Salvation, and that Faith should be the only way to Christ: If then he gave Christ for all, and Faith but to some, it is because he did in a special way intend their Salvation, and consequently Christ (who came to do his Fathers Will) had in his Death a special respect to them.

8. I argue from the special Expressions in Scripture: As the Death of Christ is set out there in words of universality, so it is set out there in words of special peculiarity. Christ died for the elect, Rom. 8. 33, 34. died for the children of God scattered abroad, Joh. 11. 52. gave himself for the Church, p. 343Eph. 5. 25. gave himself for a peculiar people, Tit. 2. 14. laid down his life for the sheep, Joh. 10. 15. sanctified himself for the given ones, Joh. 17. 9. and 19. purchased the church with his own blood, Acts 20. 28. redeemed a people from among men, Rev. 14. 4. is a Jesus to his own people, Matth. 1. 21. and a saviour to his own body, Eph. 5. 23. And is there no Emphasis of Love? Are there no strains of free Grace? Is there no import of singular respect and affection in all these Expressions? We cannot say so without dispiriting the Scripture: Experience it self tells us, that all are not Christ's Elect, Children, Church, peculiar People, Sheep, given Ones, Body, & redeemed Ones from among men; wherefore when the Scripture saith that he died for these, it imports that he died for them in a peculiar manner. But you'l say, These Scriptures speak rather of the Application of Christ's Death, than the Impetration; and though the Impetration be equally for all, yet the Application is proper to Believers only. I answer, that if those Phrases, of dying for the elect or children of God, giving himself for a church or peculiar People, laying down his life for his sheep, purchasing the Church with his blood, and sanctifying himself for the given ones, do not p. 344import Impetration, I know not what can import it. You will reply, that these Expressions import not Impetration as it is barely and nakedly in it self, but as it hath Application following upon it, and this is the Emphasis of them: But if these Expressions import Impetration with Application following upon it, whether doth that Application follow upon Impetration as a fruit thereof or not; if so, then Christ merited that Application for the Elect, and consequently died in a special manner for them; if not, then there is no Emphasis of special Love & Grace in all those expressions of his dying, giving himself, sanctifying himself and laying down his life for them: for there was no Merit in all this to procure the Application of his Death unto them. But let us further enquire, what these Elect Children, Church, peculiar People, Sheep, given ones and redeemed ones from among men were before or without the Purchase made by Christ; were these Elect called and justified without Christ or not? If so, why did he die for them? If not, then he died for them that they might be so called and justified. Were these children meritoriously begotten by Christ's Blood or not? If so, then that Blood did p. 345more for them than for others; if not, then they were not the Seed of Christ. Was that Church an actual Church before or without Christ's purchase? or was it a Church in his Intention? If an actual Church, what need he purchase it? If a Church in intention, then the special design of his Death was to make it an actual Church. Was that peculiar People such without the Merit of Christ's Death or not? If so, why did he give himself for it? If not, then he gave himself for it that it might be such. Were those Sheep brought into Christs fold without his Death or not? If so, why did he lay down his life for them? If not, he laid it down to bring them thither. Were those given Ones actually sanctified without the virtue of Christs Sacrifice or not? If so, then why did he sanctifie himself for them? If not, then he sanctified himself for them, that they might be sanctified. Were those redeemed from among men redeemed by Christ or not? If so, then he redeemed them in a special manner; if not, then they are the redeemed ones of their own Free-will. But let the Texts themselves breath forth their own native strains of Love and Grace; he so died for the Elect as to effectually call and actually justifie them, Rom. 8. 30, 33. he p. 346so died for his Children as to gather them together into one, one Faith on Earth and one fruition in Heaven, Joh. 11. 52. he so gave himself for the Church, as to make it a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle, Eph. 5. 25, 27. he so gave himself for his People as to make them his peculiar ones, Tit. 2. 14. he so laid down his life for his Sheep as to bring them into his fold, and make them hear his voice, Joh. 10. 15, 16. he so sanctified himself for the given ones as to sanctifie them through the truth, Joh. 17. 19. he so redeemed his chosen Ones from among men as to make them first fruits to God and the Lamb, Rev. 14. 4. In all these special Scriptures, it evidently appears that Christ in his Death had a special respect to his Elect. Wherefore I will shut up all with that of an Ancient, Etsi Christus pro omnibus mortuus Ambr. Li. 6. Luc. cap. 7.Luke 7est, pro nobis tamen specialiter passus est, quia pro Ecclesia passus est.