III. SER M. this ancient catholick point of doctrine (the which we profefs to believe, when with the Church we say in the Nicene Creed-Who for us men, and for our falvation, came down from heaven, and the which particularly our Church in it's Catechifm, in the Miniftration of Baptism, and in the Communion, doth most evidently and exprefsly declare itself to embrace) is very true, many full and clear teftimonies of Scripture do fhew, many reasons grounded on Scripture do prove; the which we fhall first touch, and then further both illuftrate and enforce the truth, by declaring upon what accounts, or in what refpects our Lord is the Saviour of all men; as alfo by an application to practice, declarative of its ufefulness and fubferviency to the purposes of piety. For immediate teftimonies: 14. John iii. 17. xii. 47. Acts x. 42. xvii. 31. 10. 1. Jefus is called the Saviour of the world; who was sent and came into the world to fave the world; whose chief performances were defigned and directed John iv. 42. to the falvation of the world; We have heard and 1 John iv. known (faid the men of Samaria) that this is truly the John i. 10. Saviour of the world, the Chrift. We have feen and tef tified (faith St. John) that the Father fent the Son to be John v. 22. the Saviour of the world (that world, of which it is faid: He was in the world, and the world was made Rom. xiv. by him, and the world knew him not). And, God fent 2 Cor. v. 10. his Son into the world, not to judge (or not to condemn) the world, but that the world by him fhould be faved (that world, whereof a great part he in effect would both judge and condemn for unbelief and difobedience, he did come primarily upon intent to fave). John vi. 51. And, The bread which I shall give, is (faith he) my John i. 29. 2 Cor. v. 19. flesh, which I will give for the life of the world: And, Coloff. i. 20. Behold (faith the Baptist) the Lamb of God, which tak1 John ii. 2. John v.19.eth away the fins of the world. And, God was in Chrift, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their offences (faith St. Paul) to the world, which otherwife he expreffeth by тà Távтa, by him to reconcile all things unto bimfelf: And, He is a propitiation not only for our III. fins, but for the fins of the whole world (the whole world, s E R M. in contradiction from all Chriftians, to whom St. John fpeaketh in that place of his Catholick Epiftle; that xóoμ, of which he faith in that fame Epiftle, κόσμο όλῷ ἐν τῷ πονηρῷ κεῖται, the whole world lieth in wickedness). In all which places that the world according to its ordinary acceptation (and as every man would take it at first hearing) doth fignify the whole community of mankind, comprehending men of all forts and qualities, good and bad, believers and infidels (not in a new, unufual fenfe, any special restrained world of fome perfons, particularly regarded, or qualified) will, I fuppofe, easily appear to him, who fhall without prejudice or partiality attend to the common ufe thereof in Scripture, elpecially in St. John, who moft frequently applieth it as to this, fo to other cafes, or matters. 23. 2. The object of our Saviour's undertakings and intentions is described by qualities and circumstances agreeing unto all men. All the fons of Adam are by disobedience in a loft condition (loft in error and fin, loft in guilt and condemnation, loft in trouble and mifery); and, The Son of man (faith He himself) Matt. xviii. came to fave, To amoλwhòs, that which was loft (or what- 11. ever was loft). All men have finned, (faith St. Paul) Rom. iii. and are fallen fhort of the glory of God; and, It is a13Tim. i. faithful faying (faith the fame Apoftle) and worthy of 15. all acceptation, that Chrift Jefus came into the world to fave finners. God commended his love to us, that we being Rom. v. 8. yet finners Chrift died for us. All men naturally are Ephef. ii. 1, weak, and wicked; are in a ftate of alienation and enmity toward God: and, Even when we were without Rom. v. 6, ftrength, in due time Chrift died for the ungodly: When 10. we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son: Chrift once fuffered for fins, the righteous for 1 Pet. iii. the unrighteous. All men have fouls, and lives exposed to mifery and ruin: and, The Son of man (fo he af- Luke ix. 56. fures us) came not to deftroy, but to fave the fouls (or lives) of men. Those propofitions in form, respecting &c. 18. SER M. an indefinite object, are according to vulgar use equipollent to thofe, wherein the object is expreffed univerfally. However, 10. 5, 6. Rom. xi. 32. 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. 3. They are interpreted by others, expreffed in terms as general and comprehensive as can be; fuch Tim. iv. as these texts contain: The living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of the faithful (of all men univerfally, not only of the faithful, though chiefly 1 Tim. ii. 4, of them). God our Saviour would have all men to be faved; He is the mediator of God and men, who gave bimfelf a ransom for all men; God hath fhut up all men under fin, that he might have mercy upon all. The love of Chrift conftraineth 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 for them, and rofe again. The faving grace of God hath appeared to all men (or the grace of God, which is faving to all men, hath appeared, ἐπεφάνη ἡ χάρις Θεῖ ἡ Heb. ii, 9, σωτήριος πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις.) He tafed death ὑπὲρ παντὸς, Johni. 9. for every man. He is the true light, that enlighteneth every man coming into the world. Which propofitions do fufficiently determine the extent of our Saviour's faving performances. Tit. ii. 11. 10. 4. Farther yet, to exclude any limitation or diminution of these fo 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 expreffed, that our Saviour's undertakings did refpect even thofe, who (by their own default) might lofe the benefit of them, and who in effect, fhould not be faved. For, of those falfe teachers, who introduced pernicious herefies, 'tis 2 Pet. ii. 1. faid, that they denied the Lord who bought them. And St. Paul implies, that by a fcandalous example a weak brother, for whom Chrift died, being induced to fin, might be deftroyed. And by thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Chrift died. And, II. Cor. viii. *Væ illis, qui auctorem propriæ falutis negaverunt. Ambr. Pf. 39. Do III. Do not (faith He again) by thy eating defroy him, for s ER M. whom Chrift died. And, the Apoftle to the Hebrews fignifies concerning Apoftates, that they do trample upon the Son of God, and pollute the blood of Christ, by Rom. xiv. which they are fanctified. The fuppofition 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 fo clearly and fully, that fcarce any other point of Chriftian doctrine can alledge more ample or plain teftimony of Scripture for it; whence it is wonderful, that any pretending reverence to Scripture should dare (upon confequences of their own devifing) to queftion it; and many reasons confirming the fame may be deduced thence. 15. છ્યું, 1. The impulfive caufe, which moved God to defign the fending our Lord for to undertake what he did, is expreffed to be philanthropy,* or love to mankind: But (faith St. Paul) when the kindness and Tit. iii. 4. Η φιλανθρω love of God our Saviour unto man appeared accord- Tia Towing to his mercy he faved us. God To loved the world, τῆρος ἡμῖν that he gave his only begotten Son. God hereby commends John iii. 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 (fuch whereof no particular ground can be affigned or imagined) but an univerfal (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 fend his Son for the redemption of mankind. 2. God declares himfelf impartial (moft particularly) in this cafe; that as all men in regard to him ftand alike related, and are in the fame condition, fo he proceeds with indifferent affection, and upon the fame terms with all. He is equally the Lord and * Greg. Naz. faith of Julian, διὰ τῦτο μισήσας Χρισὸν, ὅτι δι' aire clowso. Atban. Orat. 32. Ephef. ii. 4. III. Rom. iii. 29. Rom. x. 12. SER M. Maker of all men; and all men are equally involved in guilt, and expofed to ruin; upon which grounds St. Paul inferreth, that as to God's regard of man's falvation, there is no difference between Jews and Greeks; and by parity of reason there can be none between any other forts of perfons, antecedently to Rom. ii. 11. God's merciful intentions. There is (faith He) no reSpect of perfons with God (as to preparing the capacities and means, to propounding the terms and conditions of falvation, for about these he difcourfes); for, Is he (faith the Apostle, affigning the reafon of that affertion) the God of the Jews only, and not of the Gentiles? No: There is no difference (faith He) of Jew and Greek, for there is the fame Lord of all, being rich (rich in mercy and bounty) unto all that call upon him; that is by confequence fimply unto all; for St. Paul implies, that God therefore provided that all men should have the means of calling upon him imparted to them; for that, how should they call upon him without faith; and how should they believe without preachers; and how should there be preachers, if they were not fent? Whence he infers (against the fenfe of thofe Jews, with whom he difputes) that it was neceffary that the Apostles should have a commiffion to preach unto all. And, The righteousness of God by the faith of Chrift is manifefted unto all, and over all that believe; for there is no difference; for all have finned, and come Short of the glory of God: the relation of God is the fame to all men; (He is the God and Lord of all) the ftate and need of all men are the fame; there is therefore no difference, excepting that confequent one, which compliance or non-compliance with the conditions offered unto all doth induce. It is true in this respect, what the wife man faith, i návτwv deGSap. vi. 7. πότης ὁμοίως προνοεῖ περὶ πάντων He, that is Lord of all, careth (or provideth) for all alike; and what Clemens Alexandrinus fays, as to this particular, * All Rom. iii. 22, 23. * Πᾶσι πάντα ἴσα κεῖται παρὰ τῷ Θεῦ, καὶ ἐςὶν αὐτὸς ἀμεμφής. Clem. Alexand. Strom. 7. p. 301. |