Universal redemption of mankind, by the Lord Jesus Christ stated and cleared by the…

Ans. Christ hath a special love to us, before we have a special love to him: But we cannot know it, and therefore cannot love him for it. His special love is the efficient cause of our love to him, but not the objective or moving cause of our first love. The love of Christ is not the less because its manifestation is general. And therefore that glorious mercy of general satisfaction, though common, not only may be, but is, the ground or motive of our first special love, if it be orderly and rightly raised: though Christs special love be the efficient.

Object Then none do love God a right at first but those that hold Universal Redemption.

Ans. 1. Yet they may love him sincerely, though they are brought to it (through the fault of their Teachers) in a disadvantageous and disorderly way, 2. Young Converts are not used so soon to be troubled with the Controversy of Universal Redemption. 3. I have known few in my observation, but at their first closing with Christ, they have had the same judgment of the Universality of Christs satisfaction ⟨p. 153⟩(so as to be sufficient for all Sinners and wanting only their own Faith to make it effectual to Remission) which I plead for. 4. It is the usual way of Preachers in their popular Sermons to speak far more soundly in these points then in their disputations: And indeed their way of Preaching for the Conversion of Sinners, doth plainly intimate Universal satisfaction; For they use to lay all the blame on the Wills of Sinners (and justly) as that only which can deprive them of the benefits of Christs sufferings, and to urge them to accept him, and to let them know that their case is not left remediless and desperate: Yea and to tell them plainly that Christs Death is sufficient for all, to pardon all their Sins be they never so many or great, and if they will believe they shall have the Fruits of it: Which is in other words to say [Christ hath satisfied for all] So that upon these right grounds they use to bring Men to believe and love Christ at the first, and then they must have some longer time before they can pervert them again, by working out these apprehensions, and acquainting them, that Christ hath not satisfied for all, but for the Elect only.