Christ to the universality of mankind; which sufficiently evinceth that it was not from a universal but a peculiar love that he was given. Nor,

(2.) When Christ was exhibited in the flesh, according to the promise, was he given to all, but to the church, Isa. ix. 6; neither really as to their good, nor ministerially for the promulgation of the gospel to any, but to the Jews. And therefore when "he came unto his own,” though "his own received him not," John i. 11, yet as to the ministry which he was to accomplish, he professed he was "not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," and gave order to them whom he sent forth to preach in his own lifetime "not to go into the way of the Gentiles, nor to enter into any city of the Samaritans," Matt. x. 5. Yea, when he had been "lifted up" to "draw all men unto him," John iii. 14, xii. 32, and, being ascended, had broken down the partition wall and taken away all distinction of Jew and Gentile, circumcision and uncircumcision, having died not only for that nation of the Jews (for "the remnant according to the election of grace," Rom. xi. 5), but that he "might gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad," John xi. 52,-whence the language and expressions of the Scripture as to the people of God are changed, and instead of "Judah and Israel," they are expressed by "the world," John iii. 16, "the whole world," 1 John ii. 1, 2, and "all men," 1 Tim. ii. 4, in opposition to the Jews only, some of all sorts being now taken into grace and favour with God,-yet neither then doth he do what did remain for the full administration of the covenant of grace towards all, namely, the pouring out of his Spirit with effiсасу of power to bring them into subjection to him, but still carries on, though in a greater extent and latitude, a work of distinguishing love, taking some and refusing others. So that, being " exalted, and made a prince and a saviour," he gives not repentance to all the world, but to them whom he "redeemed to God by his blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation," Rev. v. 9.

It appears, then, from the consideration of this first most eminent effect of the love of God, in all the concernments of it, that that love which is the foundation of all the grace and glory, of all the spiritual and eternal good things, whereof the sons of men are made partakers, is not universal, but peculiar and distinguishing.

Mr B. being to prove his former assertion, of the universality of God's love, mentions sundry places where God is said to love the world, and to send his Son to be the Saviour of the world, John iii 16, 17, vi. 33, iv. 42; 1 John iv. 14; John xii. 46, 47; 1 John ii. 1, 2: the reason of which expressions the reader was before acquainted with. The benefits of the death of Christ being now no more to be confined to one nation, but promiscuously to be imparted to the children of God that were scattered abroad throughout the world in every

kindred, tongue, and nation under heaven, the word "world" being used to signify men living in the world, sometimes more, sometimes fewer, seldom or never "all" (unless a distribution of them into several sorts, comprehensive of the universality of mankind, be subjoined), that word is used to express them who, in the intention of God and Christ, are to be made partakers of the benefits of his mediation, men of all sorts throughout the world being now admitted thereunto, as was before asserted.

2. The benefit of redemption being thus grounded upon the principle of peculiar, not universal love, whom doth God reveal his will concerning it unto? and whom doth he call to the participation thereof? If it be equally provided for all out of the same love, it is all the reason in the world that all should equally be called to a participation thereof, or, at least, so be called as to have it made known unto them. For a physician to pretend that he hath provided a sovereign remedy for all the sick persons in a city, out of an equal love that he bears to them all, and when he hath done takes care that only some few know of it, whereby they may come and be healed, but leaves the rest in utter ignorance of any such provision that he hath made, will he be thought to deal sincerely in the profession that he makes of doing this out of an equal love to them all? Now, not only for the space of almost four thousand years did God suffer incomparably the greatest part of the whole world to walk in their own ways, not calling them to repent, Acts xiv. 16, winking at that long time of their ignorance, wherein they worshipped stocks, stones, and devils, all that while "showing his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel, not dealing so with any nation, whereby they knew not his judgments," Ps. cxlvii. 19, 20,—so, in the pursuit of his eternal love, calling a few only in comparison, leaving the bulk of mankind in sin, “ having no hope, and without God in the world," Eph. ii. 12; but even also since the giving out of a commission and express command not to confine the preaching of the word and calling of men to Judea, but to "go into all the world and to preach the gospel to every creature,” Mark xvi. 15,—whereupon it is shortly after said to be "preached to every creature under heaven," Col. i. 23, the apostle thereby "warning every man, and teaching every man, that he might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus," verse 28, namely, of all those to whom he came and preached, not of the Jews only, but of all sorts of men under heaven, and that on this ground, that " God would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth," 1 Tim. ii. 3, 4, be they of what sort they will, kings, rulers, and all under authority,—to this very day, many whole nations, great and numerous, sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, having neither in their own days nor in the days of their forefathers ever been made partakers of the glorious gospel

of Jesus Christ, whereby alone life and immortality are brought to light, and men are made partakers of the love of God in them. So that yet we have not the least evidence of the universal love pleaded for.

Yea,

3. Whereas, to the effectual bringing of men "dead in trespasses and sins" to a participation of any saving, spiritual effect of the love of God in Christ, besides the promulgation of the gospel and the law thereof, which consisteth in the infallible connection of faith and salvation, according to the tenor of it, Mark xvi. 16, "He that believeth shall be saved," which is accompanied with God's command to believe, wherein he declares his will for their salvation upon the terms proposed, approving the obedience of faith, and giving assurance of salvation thereupon, 1 Tim. ii. 1-4,-there is moreover required the operation of God by his Spirit with power, to evince that all this dispensation is managed by peculiar, distinguishing love, this is not granted to all to whom the commanding and approving word doth come, but only "to them who are the called according to his purpose," Rom. viii. 28; that is, to them who are "predestinated," verse 30, for them he calls, so as to justify and glorify them thereupon.

4. Not, then, to insist on any other particular effects of the love of God, as sanctification, justification, glorification, this in general may be affirmed, that there is not any one good thing whatsoever that is proper and peculiar to the covenant of grace, but it proceeds from a distinguishing love and an intention of God towards some only therein.

5. It is true that God inviteth many to repentance, and earnestly inviteth them, by the means of the word which he affords them, to turn from their evil ways, of whom all the individuals are not converted, as he dealt with the house of Israel (not all the world, but) those who had his word and ordinances, Ezek. xviii. 31, 32, affirming that it is not for his pleasure but for their sins that they die; but that this manifests a universal love in God in the way spoken of, or any thing more than the connection of repentance and acceptation with God, with his legal approbation of turning from sin, there is no matter of proof to evince.

6. Also, "he is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance," 2 Pet. iii. 9, even all those towards whom he exercises patience and long-suffering for that end; which, as the apostle there informs us, is "to us-ward,"—that is, to believers, of whom he is speaking. Of them, also, it is said that “he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men," Lam. iii. 33, even his church, of which the prophet is speaking; although this also may be extended to all, God never afflicting or grieving men but it is for some other reason and cause than merely his own will, their destruction being of themselves. David, indeed, tells us that "the LORD is

gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy;' that "the LORD is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works," Ps. cxlv. 8, 9: but he tells us withal whom he intends by the "all" in this place, even the "generations which praise his works and declare his mighty acts," verse 4; those who " abundantly utter the memory of his great goodness, and sing of his righteousness,” verse 7; or his "saints," as he expressly calls them, verse 10. The work he there mentions is the work of the kingdom of Christ over all, wherein the tender mercies of God are spread abroad in reference to them that do enjoy them. Not but that God is good to all, even to his whole creation, in the many unspeakable blessings of his providence, wherein he abounds towards them in all goodness, but that is not here intended. So that Mr B. hath fruitlessly from these texts of Scripture endeavoured to prove a universality of love in God, inconsistent with his peculiar love, purpose, and intention of doing good, in the sense declared, to some only.

And thus have I briefly gone through this chapter, and by the way taken into consideration all the texts of Scripture which he there wrests to confirm his figment. On the goodness of the nature of God; of the goodness and love to all which he shows, in great variety and several degrees, in the dispensation of his providence throughout the world; of this universal love, and what it is in the sense of Mr B. and his companions; of its inconsistency with the immutability, prescience, omnipotence, fidelity, love, mercy, and faithfulness of God,-this being not a controversy peculiar to them with whom in this treatise I have to do, I shall not farther insist.

As I have in the preface to this discourse given an account of the rise and present state of Socinianism, so I thought in this place to have given the reader an account of the present state of the controversy about grace and free-will, and the death of Christ, with especial reference to the late management thereof amongst the Romanists, between the Molinists and Jesuits on the one side, and the Jansenians or Bayans on the other, with the late ecclesiastical and political transactions in Italy, France, and Flanders, in reference thereunto, with an account of the books lately written on the one side and the other, and my thoughts of them; but finding this treatise grown utterly beyond my intention, I shall defer the execution of that design to some other opportunity, if God think good to continue my portion any longer in the land of the living.

The fourteenth chapter of the catechist is about the resurrection of Christ. What are the proper fruits of the resurrection of Christ, and the benefits we receive thereby, and upon what account our justification is ascribed thereto,-whether as the great and eminent confirmation of the doctrine he taught, or as the issue, pledge, and evidence of the accomplishment of the work of our salvation by his death, it being

impossible for him to be detained thereby,-is not here discussed. That which appears to be the great design of this chapter, is to disprove Christ's raising himself by his own power; concerning which this is the question:

Q. Did Christ rise by his own power, yea, did he raise himself at all? or was he raised by the power of another, and did another raise him? What is the perpetual tenor of the Scripture to this purpose?

In answer hereunto, many texts of Scripture are rehearsed, where it is said that God raised him from the dead, and that he was raised by the power of God.

But we have manifested that Mr B. is to come to another reckoning before he can make any work of this argument, "God raised him, therefore he did not raise himself." When he hath proved that he is not God, let him freely make such an inference and conclusion as this. In the meantime, we say, because God raised him from the dead, he raised himself; for he is "over all, God blessed for ever."

It is true that Christ is said to be raised by God, taken personally for the Father, whose joint power, with his own, and that also of the Spirit, was put forth in this work of raising Christ from the dead. And for his own raising himself, if Mr B. will believe him, this business will be put to a short issue. He tells us that "he laid down his life, that he might take it again." "No man," saith he, "taketh it from me. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again," John x. 17, 18. And speaking of the temple of his body, he bade the Jews destroy it, and said that he would raise it again in three days; which we believe he did, and if Mr B. be otherwise minded, we cannot help it.

CHAPTER XXXII.

Of justification and faith.

THIS chapter, for the title and subject of it, would require a large and serious consideration; but by Mr Biddle's loose procedure in this business (whom only I shall now attend), we are absolved from any strict inquiry into the whole doctrine that is concerned herein. Some brief animadversions upon his questions and suiting of answers to them will be all that I shall go forth unto. His first is :

Ques. How many sorts of justification or righteousness are there?

This question supposeth righteousness and justification to be the same, which is a gross notion for a Master of Arts. Righteousness is that which God requires of us; justification is his act concerning man considered as vested or endued with that righteousness which he re

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