A golden mine opened, or, The glory of God's rich grace displayed in the…

Object. 1. If Christ did not die for all, how could the Birth of our ¹Saviour be said to be Matter of Joy unto all People? And the Angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great Joy, which shall be to all People; For unto you is born this Day, in the City of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

1. 1How could the Birth of Christ be cause of Joy to all People, answered.

Answ. 1. I answer; All People doth not intend every individual Person; to all People, that is, the good News is not to you only, but to both Jews and Gentiles. I have showed you before that [all], and [every], and [whole World], is taken in many places of Holy Scripture with restriction, and takes in but a part; as on the contrary, when the Universality of the Subject is intended, it is expressed by singular; If a Man die, shall he live again? Which refers to every Man. He that believeth shall be saved; it signifies all that so do. So, I will pour out of my Spirit upon ALL Flesh, ¹as you have it in Joel; that is, upon Persons of every Age, Sex, and Degree; upon Young, Old, Masters, Servants, Sons and Daughters: so it may be taken here, and in several other places; as that in 1 Tim. 2. 4. Who will have all Men saved, &c. that is, Kings as well as Peasants, Noble as well as Ignoble, Rich as well as Poor, Gentiles as well as Jews, or some of all sorts. The Gospel is said to be preached in Paul's Time to every Creature under Heaven, ²whereas it reached then but to a small part of the World, one great part not being at that time known or found out (as one well observes).