Deut,10,10

Pfal. 50, 15.

expreffely noted. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God, him shalt thon ferve, and to him shalt thou cleave here is no restriction or exclufion expreffed, but in fenfe it is exclufive, Call upon me in the time of trouble, and I will beare thee: only is not added, and yet for the fenfe the words are exclufive. In thy feed fhall all the Nations of the earth be bleffed; though no exclufion be expreffed, the Apoftle is Gal.3.16. bold to interpret it, as if it had been faid, In thy feed alone. whom he foreknew, them he predeftinated: this propofition is not Rom.8.19.30. expreffely exclufive, is it not then exclufive in fenfe? When D4vid faith, The Lord is my God, he excludes not the faithfull from the fame preeminence: but when the Lord faith to his people, I am the Lord thy God, he excludes them that be not in Covenant. Abraham beleeved God, and it was accounted to him for righteous neffe: here is not reftriction added, but the propofition is exclufive. Whosoever beleeveth in Christ shall not perish, but have everla. Joh. 3.16% fting life doth not this propofition exclude works from being a caufe of Salvation, becaufe only is not added 2 Same anfwer that thefe paffages be exclufive, becaufe the Apoftle expreffely fhuts forth works from the act of Juftification, Rom.3.28, whereas they rather teach, that faith doth comprehend repentance, converfion and new obedience, and that works are not excluded from the act of Juftification, but only works done by the power of na❤ ture: But leaving that, the propofition is for the matter exclu five, and that the Apoitle fhewes from the thing it felf, proving hereby that Abraham, after he had followed the Lord a long time, and yeelded obedience to his commandements, was justified by faith without the works of the Law. The words therefore may be exclusive though only be not added: and that they be restriative is plain by the thing fignified: for what is it for Chrift to lay down his life for his sheep, or to purchafe his Church by his bloud, but to bruife the ferpents head, to redeeme, them from all iniquity, and purifie them to be a peculiar people to himfelfe, to fave his people from their fins, to deliver them from the feare of hell and death,and to bleffe all Nations of the carth, according to the promise made to Abraham.

This needs no further confirmation then the 'next anfwer which they make, that the words be exclufive not in respect of the thing it felfe, but of the modus: which others expreffe thus, that Chrift died for his fheep in refpect of the application and

Kk 3.

cvent.

Luke 2.1 1. Luke 1.68, 69,70

Luke 2. 30,

31,32.

Heb.2.17:

Rev.5.9.

event. For if it be exclufive in the modus, exclufive it is as well, though only be not added, as if it was. And the queftion is not of the fufficiency of Chrifts death for all men, in refpect of the mag. nitude and excellency of the price: nor of the efficiency of his death in fome degrees, for fuch as fhall not inherit the crown of glory: but of the modus, whether he died fufficienter & efficienter quantum in fe, for all and every man. That this Modus is excluded, will appeare in that we ball never reade that Christ died for any but for his sheep, his Church, his brethren,his people,or them that be confidered as fuch in refpect of prefent profeffion, externall administration, and application of his benefits. Unto you is borne this day in the City of David, a Saviour, which is Chrift the Lord. Bleffed be the Lord God of Ifrael, because he bath visited and redeemed his people, and bath raised up an borne of Salvation in the house of his fervant David, as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, which have been fince the world began: That we should be faved from our enemies, and from the hands of all that hate us. Mixe eyes have seen thy falvation, which thou haft prepared before the face of all people. A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Ifrael. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Prieft,in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the finnes of the people. Thou art worthy to take the booke, and to open the feales thereof: for thou wast flaine,and haft redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kinred, and tongue, and people, and nation. And generally in every place,they, for whom Chrift is faid to die, are called his elect, his fheep,his people, his brethren,not barely called into Covenant,but received upon their acceptance thereof. The feverall paffages alleadged to prove the univerfality of Chrifts death, have been examined already, and found to fpeake directly to this purpose. But amongst them that be called into, and accept of the Covenant, fome be elected fimply, others in comparifon, fome be the sheep and brethren of Chrift in truth and fincerity, others in profeffion and externall adminiftration, or in fome refpe&t only. And as we muft diftinguish of the elect and fheepe of Chrift, fo of his dying for them. For he died for all his elect, as they apply and be partakers of the benefits of his death: he died faving-effectually, feil, to bring them to grace and glory; according to the election of grace, for his fimply elect

and

and people in truth, that is, for them upon whom Salvation hould be conferred, and to whom it fhould be foundly applied. So the Prophet telleth us, Chrift died, that indeed and most cer- Ifa.53.10. tainely he might fee his feed, and bring many brethren unto God. And if Chrift died not for his fheepe for this particular end, that

by his fpeciall grace, and that which is given to none others, they Rom.9.18. might injoy the fruit of his death, we must confeffe, that Chrift Joh, 10:1 Sp in this faying doth give no particular comfort to his fheepe, and in that whole Chapter: which is abfurd. And though sheepe and beleevers materially be the fame, formally in this place they be not: for when Chrift faith to the Pharifees, Yee beleeve not, for yee are not of my sheepe. Job. 10.16. If to be a beleever and the heep of Chrift doc fignific the fame thing, he should say, ye beleeve nor, and that which followeth, My sheepe heare my voice, and follow me, Joh.10.27. should be the fame as if it had been faid, the beleevers beleeve. So that sheepe and beleevers are reciprocall, but. formally they are not made theepe by faith, but by election,

Moreover the acquifition of righteoufneffe by the death of Chrift, and the application thereof, are things to be diftinguished, but fo infeperably conjoyned, that for whom foever it is acquired, to them it is applied. By his knowledge shall my righteous fervant justifie many: for he shall beare their iniquities, fa.53.11. He bare the finne of many, and made interceffion for the tranfgreffours, Ifa.330. 12. By his ftripes are we healed, Ifa,53.5. Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised againe for our justification, Rom.4 25. As by the offence of one, judgement came upon all men to condemnation even fo by the righteousnesse of one, the free gift, came upon all mén unto juftification of life, Rom.5.18, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather that is rifen againe, Rom 8.34. I ama: come that they might have life, and that thy might have it more aboundantly, Joh.10.10. In this was manifested the love of God towards: us, because that God fent his only begotten Sonne into the world, that we might live through him, Job 49. By the which will we are fansti. fied, through the offering of the body of Jefus Chrift once for all, Heb 10. 10. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are fan. Etified, verf.14. The paffages of Scripture are plentifull, which teftifie application to be the end of Chrifts death; for he died to cftablish and ratifie the everlasting Covenant of grace, Heb.9.15, 16,17. to abolish him that had the power of death, that is, the

devill

devill, Heb.2.14,15. conquer death, a Tim.1.10, destroy and kill finne, Rom.6.10, sanctifie his people through the truth, Job.17.19. give life unto the world, Joh.6.33. redeeme us from the curfe of the Law, Gal.3.13. and from all iniquity, T. 2. 14, obtaine etermall redemption, Heb.9.12. that we might be made the righteoufneffe of God in him, 2 Cor.5.21. that he might deliver us from this prefent evill world, Gal.1.4. that being dead unto finne, and alive unto God, Rom.6.4,5,6, we might not live to our felves,but unto him which died for us, and rofe againe, 2 Cor.5.15. and that we might receive the adoption of fonnes, Gal.4.5. And it is ab furd to reafon it felfe, that Chrift by the decree of God should purchafe that for men which is not given unto them; that he fhould acquire what they obtaine not that by divine imputation Chrift fhould die for every man, when the merits of Chrift be not communicated unto them: that the promised feed fhould be given to Abraham, no bleffing or multiplication following. If Chrift have purchased a new Covenant, faith, redemption, reconciliati on for every man, without question they are or fhall be delivered from the condemnation and dominion of finne; the Spirit is given or fhall be given to abide with them; they are or shall be renewed after the Image of God. If Chrift be a King, he hath a Kingdome, fubjects and territories, wherein he doth exercife his regall power. He is a King not only in perfonall right, or to punith enemies; but a King to feed and rule a people. God hath given his Sonne the uttermoft parts of the earth for his poffeffion, and fhall men with-hold it? Shall God give men unto Chrift, and fhall they detaine themfelves from him? If Chrift came to deftroy the workes of the devill, (that is finne, as the Apofile fhewes, 1 Job.3.8. Job.8.41,44.) and to deliver men frem the feare of death and the devill, fhall we not thinke, that Satan is caft downe, and death abolished? Chrift is a Saviour as in merit fo in efficacy, elfe fhould his purchase be in vaine, the end of his comming into the world be uncertaine, his purpose in laying downe his life be fruftrate, and Chrift fhould merit by the appointment of God, what God doth not give therfore the impe tration of righteoufaeffe muft not be plucked from the application, nor doth the giving of benefits purchased by the death of Chrift depend upon the pleafure of men any more then the acquifition doth. Betwixt the purchase and application of Chrifts death,

faith comes between: but that faith is merited by the death of Christ, and for Chrift vouchfafed to them, for whom he died, Tit.3.6. Ephef.1.3. Phil.1.29. Ephef.6.23.

Some have answered, that all men are the fheep of Christ, as the difperfed, torne, and devoured of evill paftors and beasts of the field, and the feduced and deftroyed are acknowledged to be fheep, fer.23.1,2. Ezek. 34.5,6. But the Prophets fpeake only of the people of the Jewes, which at that time was distinct from the Gentiles, as the flock and inheritance of the Lord: fo that hence nothing can be gathered, but that they, who live in Christs Church and fold, are his people and sheep of his pafture.

Rom.9.27.

Againe, the Scripture fpeakes of the sheep of Christ, two wayes, according to vocation or according to election. According to vocation they are fheep, who externally pertaine to the number of Gods people and the Church: according to election, many fheep are without, many wolves within, and many fheep Jer.23.3 within, many wolves without. Although there be a diftinction Ezck.34.5,6 betwixt the merit of Chrift by his obedience even to death, and his interceffion, yet one of them cannot be feparated from the other: for he maketh interceffion for them to his Father for whom he hath merited reconciliation by his death, and we cannot thinke he should lay downe his life for them, for whom he would not pray. If we looke unto the fignification of the words, Mediatour and Interceffor note the fame thing: and if Christ have put himfelfe betwixt the wrath of God and man to obtaine reconciliation by making fatisfaction to offended juftice, can it be thought, he will not requeft, that for the virtue of his facrifice they for whom he hath fatisfied, might be accepted of the Father. if we looke to these two functions of Mediation, fuffering death and making interceffion, they are conjoyned in Scripture. It is Chrift that died, yea rather that is rifen againe, who is even at the right hand of God, who alfo maketh interceffion for us. If any man finne we have i Joh.2.1,2. an Advocate with the Father Iefus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our our finnes. Chrift is our Advocate, ifhe be our propitiation, if we will receive the testimony of the Apostle and not feparate things that God hath conjoyned. Incredible it is, that Chrift out of his incredible love fhould vouchsafe to lay downe his life for them as well as others, for whom, the time of his paffion being at hand, he would not power out a prayer. How thefe

Rom.8.34