RM.an nollent to however, red by other 10. SERM.an indefinite object, are according to vulgar use Ill. equipollent to those, wherein the object is expressed universally. However, 3. They are interpreted by others, expressed in terms as general and comprehensive as can be ; such Tim. iv. as these texts contain: The living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of the faithful, (of all men universally, not only of the faithful, though chiefly 1 Tim. ii. 4, of them.) God our Saviour would have all men to be 5,6. 'faved; He is the mediator of God and men, who gave Rom. xi. himself a ransom for all men; God hath shut up all men 3 cr..under fin, that he might have mercy upon all. The love 15. of Christ constraineth us, judging this, that if one died for all, then are all dead; and he died for all, that they who live may not live to themselves, but to him that died Tit, ii, 11. for them, and rose again. The saving grace of God hath appeared to all men, (or the grace of God, which is sav ing to all men, hath appeared, &nepávon ni zápus fð Heb. ii. 9, owingos tãow avIpurous.) He tasted death (Uzèp tartós) for every man. He is the true light, that enlighteneth John i. 9. every man coming into the world. Which propofitions do fufficiently determine the extent of our Saviour's saving performances. 4. Farther yet, to exclude any limitation or diminution of these so general terms, (at least to exclude any limitation in regard to all the members of the visible Church, which are or have been incorporated thereinto,) it is expressed, that our Saviour's undertakings did respect even those, who (by their own default) might lose the benefit of them, and who in effect should not be saved. For, of those false teachers, who introduced pernicious herefes, 'tis Pet. ii. 1. said b, that they denied the Lord who bought them. And 1 Cor. viii. St. Paul implies, that by a scandalous example a weak brother, for whom Chrif died, being induced to fin, might be destroyed. And by thy knowledge shall the weak brother perih, for whom Christ died. And, 10. • Væ illis, qui auctorem propriæ falutis negaverunt. Ambr. Pf. 39. Do not (faith He again) by thy eating destroy him, for S ERM. whom Chrif died. And, the Apostle to the Hebrews 111. fignifies concerning Apoftates, that they do trample P.Rom. xiv. upon the Son of God, and pollute the blood of Christ, by 15. which they are fanctified. Heb. 8. 29. 5. The supposition thereof is the ground of duty, and an aggravation of fin. Thus doth the Holy Scripture in terms very direct and express declare this truth, indeed so clearly and fully, that scarce any other point of Christian doctrine can alledge more ample or plain testimony of Scripture for it ; whence it is wonderful, that any pretending reverence to Scripture should dare (upon consequences of their own devising) to question it; and many reasons confirming the same may be deduced thence. 1. The impulsive cause, which moved God to design the sending of our Lord for to undertake what he did, is expressed to be philanthropy, or love to mankind : But (faith St. Paul) when the kindness and Tit. iii. q. love of God our Saviour unto man appeared accord-Hpiaceres can ing to his mercy he saved us. God so loved the world, rñgos speão that he gave his only begotten Son. God hereby commends John i 16. his love unto us, that we as yet being finners, Chrift died Rom. v. 8. for us. It was not a particular fondness of affection, (such whereof no particular ground can be assigned or imagined,) but an universal (infinitely rich and abundant) goodness, mercy, and pity toward this eminent part of his creation funk into distress and lamentable wretchedness, which induced God to send his Son for the redemption of mankind. 2. God declares himself impartial (most particu. larly) in this case ; that as all men in regard to him stand alike related, and are in the same condition, so he proceeds with indifferent affection, and upon the same terms with all. He is equally the Lord and < Greg. Naz. faith of Julian, de rõro pichous Sessòs, őro d'auto giouso. Atban. Orat. 32. D4 Maker 7 SER M. Maker of all men; and all men are equally involved - St. Paul inferreth, that as to God's regard of man's salvation, there is no difference between Jews and between any other sorts of persons, antecedently to Rom.ii. 11. God's merciful intentions. There is (saith He) no re Spect of persons with God, (as to preparing the capaci- for, Is he (faith the Apostle, assigning the reason of and Greek, for there is the same Lord of all, being rich the Apostles should have a commission to preach Rom. iii. unto all. And, The righteousness of God by the faith 22, 23. of Christ is manifested unto all, and over all that believe; in this respect, what the wise man faith, é návrwv derSap. vi. . nórns ómoiws mpovoti tepi Wentww• He, that is Lord of all, careth (or provideth) for all alike; and what Cle- ο Πασι πάντα ίσα κείται παρα τα Θι8, και έσιν αυτός αμομφής. things things lie equally for all from God; so that no man S ERM. can complain of him; as partial to some, and deficient III. to others. 3. We may observe, that the undertakings and performances of our Lord are for nature and extent compared with those of Adam, (who was túMOS Tô HEMOrtos, a type of him that was to come ;) as Adam, Rom. v.14. being a representative of mankind, did by his transgreffion involve all men in guilt, and subject them to condemnation; provoked God's wrath, and drew the effects thereof upon us; brought all men under the slavery of fin, and necessity of death; so was our Lord the proxy of mankind, and by his performances in our behalf did undo for our advantage, what the former did to our prejudice ; by his entire obedience, expiating the common guilt, suspending the fatal sentence, pacifying God's wrath, reducing righteousness, and restoring life to all that would embrace them; so doth St. Paul at large (in the 5th chapter of his Epistle to the Romans) propound and prosecute the comparison ; closing his discourse thus : Therefore as by the offence of one man judgment came Rom. v. 18. upon all men to condemnation ; so by the righteousness of one, the free-gift came upon all men to justification of life. As guilt, wrath, and death forementioned, were the fruits of what Adam did, falling upon all ; so pardon, grace, and life, were in design the effects of what our Saviour performed relating unto all. Yea, the same comparison St. Paul seems to intimate in his second Epistle to the Corinthians, where he faith, 2 Cor. v. that if one died for all, then are all men dead; that'4. , is, Christ's dying for all men, implies all men in a ftate of condemnation and subjection to death; and that inference supposes the performances of the first and second Adam to be in their nature and primary effects co-extended and commensurate. The same St. Paul seemeth in express terms to say, All men Rom. iii. have fnned, and are fallen short (or are deftitute) of the “30 24 glory of God; being justified freely by bis grace (or fa the fame comor performed relatelign) the effe: 32. 22. 23. SER M. vour) by the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. (All III. men are justified, that is, according to God's favour able intention and design.) Yea, the very reason, why God permitted fin and death to prevail so universally is intimated to be his design of extending a capacity of righteousness and life unto all ; so St. Rom. xi. Paul tells us : God hath Thut up all men under sin, that he might have mercy upon all. And particularly, that by virtue of Christ's performances death is abolished, and immortality is conferred upon all 1 Cor. xv. men, St. Paul most expressly teacheth us; For (faith ni he) as in Adam all die, so in Chrif shall all be made 10. alive. Rom. vi. I observe that Prospero (an cager disputant about points allied to this) several times confeffeth, that Christ may be most rightly affirmed to have been crucified for the redemption of the whole world, especially upon two accounts, for his true susception of human nature, and for the common perdition of all men in the first man; we have touched the latter ; let us add, that 4. Our Saviour assuming our nature, and partaking Phil. ii. 9. of our flesh, being made in the likeness of men, and found 1:15. in fashion as a man; yea, endued with the passions and ii. 17.V. . Gal. iv. 4. infirmities of man's nature, exposed to the tribulations and inconveniences of man's life, did thereby ally himself, and put on a fraternal relation unto all men. Heb. ii. 14, Forafmuch, faith the Apostle to the Hebrews, as chil 1o. dren (the children he means of the same father, or brethren; as the tenour of his discourse makes evident) are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the fame; that is, graciously defigning to become a brother to the children of men, he assumed all that was proper to man's nature. Afts xvii. God, faith St. Paul, made tão vos av Jeurw, the whole . Cum itaque rectisfime dicatur Salvator pro totius mundi redemptione crucifixus, propter veram naturæ humanæ susceptionem, et propter communem in primo homine omnium perditionem, &c. Prof. ad Gall. c. 9. nation Heb 26. |