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

2. It is a rule of great use, and approved generally by Divines, that when texts seem contradictory one to another, or several interpretations and opinions are contradictory indeed, that we must ever reduce uncertainties to certainties, and not contrarily certainties to uncertainties: and we must interpret obscure texts by reducing them to the plain ones, and not the plain ones by reducing them to the obscure. This rule Dr. Sanderson presseth well: And Augustine said excellently, [Shall we deny that which is plain because we cannot comprehend that which is hid and secret? Shall we say that is not so which we see to be so, because we cannot find why it is so? Aug. l. de bono persever. c. 14] O that this rule were better observed! When God telleth us as plain as can be spoken, that Christ died for and tasted death for every man, men will deny it, and to that end subvert the plain sense of the words, merely because they cannot see how this can stand with Christs damning men, and with his special Love to his chosen. It is not hard to see ⟨p. 283⟩the fair and harmonious consistency: But what if you cannot see how two plain Truths of the Gospel should agree? Will you therefore deny one of them when both are plain? Is not that in high pride to prefer your own understandings before the wisdom of the Spirit of God, who indicted the Scriptures? Should not a humble man rather say, doubtless both are true though I cannot reconcile them. So others will deny these plain truths, because they think that [All that Christ died for are certainly Justified and Saved: For whomsoever he died and satisfied Justice for, them he procured Faith to Believe in him: God cannot justly punish those whom Christ hath satisfied for, &c.] But doth the Scripture speak all these or any of these opinions of theirs, as plainly as it saith that Christ died for all and every man? Doth it say, as plainly any where that he died not for all? Doth it any where except any one man, and say Christ died not for him? Doth it say any where that he died only for his Sheep, or his Elect, and exclude the Non-Elect? There is no such word in all the Bible; Should not then the certain truths and the plain texts be the Standard to the uncertain points, and obscure texts.

2. It is a rule of great use, and approved generally by Divines, that when texts seem contradictory one to another, or several interpretations and opinions are contradictory indeed, that we must ever reduce uncertainties to certainties, and not contrarily certainties to uncertainties: and we must interpret obscure texts by reducing them to the plain ones, and not the plain ones by reducing them to the obscure. This rule Dr. Sanderson presseth well: And Augustine said excellently, [Shall we deny that which is plain because we cannot comprehend that which is hid and secret? Shall we say that is not so which we see to be so, because we cannot find why it is so? Aug. l. de bono persever. c. 14] O that this rule were better observed! When God telleth us as plain as can be spoken, that Christ died for and tasted death for every man, men will deny it, and to that end subvert the plain sense of the words, meerly because they cannot see how this can stand with Christs damning men, and with his special Love to his chosen. It is not hard to see