SER M. an indefinite object, are according to vulgar ufe III. equipollent to those, wherein the object is expreffed univerfally. However, 10. 5, 6. 32. 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. 3. They are interpreted by others, expreffed in terms as general and comprehenfive as can be; fuch Tim. iv. as these texts contain: The living God, who is the Saviour of all men, efpecially 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 Rom. xi. himself a ranfom 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, έπεφάνη ἡ χάρις Θεῖ ἡ Heb. ii. 9, σωτήριος πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις.) He tafted death (ὑπὲρ παντὸς) 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. John i. 9. 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 1 Cor. viii. St. Paul implies, that by a fcandalous example a weak brother, for whom Chrift died, being induced to fin, might be destroyed. And by thy knowledge fhall the weak brother perish, for whom Chrift died. And, II. b Væ illis, qui auctorem propriæ falutis negaverunt. Ambr. Pl. 39. Do Do not (faith He again) by thy eating deftroy him, for s BRM. whom Chrift died. And, the Apoftle to the Hebrews III. fignifies concerning Apoftates, that they do trample Rom. xiv. upon the Son of God, and pollute the blood of Chrift, by 15. which they are fanctified. 5. 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 scarce 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 fhould dare (upon confequences of their own devifing) to question it; and many reasons confirming the fame may be deduced thence. Heb. x. 29. 4. πία τι σω Θε. 1. The impulfive cause, which moved God to defign the fending of 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. love of God our Saviour unto man appeared -accord- Ἡ φιλανθρω ing to his mercy he faved us. God so loved the world, resur 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) goodnefs, mercy, and pity toward this eminent part of his creation funk into diftress and lamentable wretchedness, which induced God to fend his Son for the redemption of mankind. 2. God declares himself impartial (moft particularly) in this cafe; that as all men in regard to him stand 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, δια τῦτο μισήσας Χρισόν, ὅτι δι' αὐτῷ ciowro. Atban. Orat. 32. Maker D 4 Ephef. ii. 4. 29. Rom. x. 12. SER M. Maker of all men; and all men are equally involved III. in guilt, and exposed 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 discourses ;) for, Is he (faith the Apostle, affigning the reason of Rom. iii. 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 fhould 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 sense of those Jews, with whom he difputes) that it was neceffary that the Apostles fhould 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 fhort 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 refpect, what the wife man faith, i návτwv deoSap. 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 Θεῷ, καὶ ἰσὶν αὐτὸς ἀμεμφής. Clem. Alexand. Strom. 7. p. 301. things lie equally for all from God; fo that no man s ERM. can complain of him; as partial to fome, and deficient to others. III. 3. We may observe, that the undertakings and performances of our Lord are for nature and extent compared with thofe of Adam, (who was TÚTO T piλhotos, a type of him that was to come;) as Adam, Rom. v.14. being a representative of mankind, did by his tranfgreffion 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 neceffity of death; fo 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, fufpending the fatal fentence, pacifying God's wrath, reducing righteousnefs, and reftoring life to all that would embrace them; fo doth St. Paul at large (in the 5th chapter of his Epistle to the Romans) propound and profecute the comparison; clofing his difcourfe thus: Therefore as by the offence of one man judgment came Rom. v. 18. upon all men to condemnation; fo by the righteousness of one, the free-gift came upon all men to juftification of life. As guilt, wrath, and death forementioned, were the fruits of what Adam did, falling upon all; fo pardon, grace, and life, were (in defign) the effects of what our Saviour performed relating unto all. Yea, the fame comparison St. Paul feems to intimate in his fecond Epistle to the Corinthians, where he faith, 2 Cor. v. that if one died for all, then are all men dead; that 14 is, Chrift's dying for all men, implies all men in a ftate of condemnation and fubjection to death; and that inference fuppofes the performances of the firft and fecond Adam to be in their nature and primary effects co-extended and commenfurate. The fame St. Paul feemeth in exprefs terms to fay, All men Rom. iii. have finned, and are fallen fhort (or are deftitute) of the 23, 24glory of God; being juftified freely by his grace (or fa III. SER M. vour) by the redemption that is in Chrift Jefus. (All men are juftified, that is, according to God's favourable intention and defign.) Yea, the very reason, why God permitted fin and death to prevail fo univerfally is intimated to be his defign of extending a capacity of righteousness and life unto all; fo St. Rom. xi. Paul tells us: God hath fhut up all men under fin, that he might have mercy upon all. And particularly, that by virtue of Chrift's performances death is abolished, and immortality is conferred upon all 1 Cor. xv. men, St. Paul moft exprefsly teacheth us; For (faith 2 Tim. i. he) as in Adam all die, fo in Chrift fhall all be made 32. 22. 10. Rom. vi. 23. ii. 17.v. 2. alive. I obferve that Profper (an eager difputant about points allied to this) feveral times confeffeth, that Christ may be moft rightly affirmed to have been crucified for the redemption of the whole world, efpecially upon two accounts, for his true fufception 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 affuming our nature, and partaking Phil. ii. 7. of our flesh, being made in the likeness of men, and found Heb. iv. 15. in fashion as a man; yea, endued with the paffions and 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 children (the children he means of the fame father, or brethren; as the tenour of his discourse makes evident) are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewife took part of the fame; that is, graciously defigning to become a brother to the children of men, he affumed all that was proper to man's nature. Acts xvii. God, faith St. Paul, made av vos avęшv, the whole 11, 12, 16. 26. e Cum itaque rectiffime dicatur Salvator pro totius mundi redemptione crucifixus, propter veram naturæ humanæ fufceptionem, et propter communem in primo homine omnium perditionem, &c. Prof. ad Gall. c. 9. |