Christ in his Coming and satisfactory Sufferings had a respect to all Men,1 so far as to procure for them Salvation on Gospel-terms, but he had not an equal respect to all; it being utterly unimaginable ⟨p. 105⟩that he should have as great a respect to those in the Pagan World, who have no Christ, no atoning Sacrifice, no Promise of Life and Salvation revealed to them, as he hath to those in the Church, who have all these glorious Objects evidently set forth before them: Greater Donations argue greater degrees of Love; or else, which is very hard to believe, God loves all Creatures alike, notwithstanding that he measures out his Goodness to them in a very various and different manner, to some more, and to others less. But because the Author hath before laid down a good Rule, That the Virtue and Efficacy of Christ's Death doth depend on God's Institution and Appointment, and therefore can be known only by Revelation, I shall apply my self only to the Scripture: There, as we find, he died that he might gather together the Children of God that were scattered, Joh. 11.52. He gave himself for his Church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it, Eph. 5.26. He gave himself that he might purify to himself a peculiar people, Tit. 2.14. He laid down his life for his sheep, so as to bring them into his fold and make them hear his voice, Joh. 10.15, 16. He redeems some from among ⟨p. 106⟩men, Rev. 14.4. And out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, Rev. 5.9. All which Scriptures do emphatically show, that Christ had a special respect in his Death unto his own above others. But further; Christ by his precious Blood founded those Evangelical Promises, of taking away the stony Heart, writing the Law in the Heart, and putting his holy Spirit there; but did he found them for all men? What, for those whom God will harden, Rom. 9? What, for those Pagans, who have not so much as the Law before them in the Letter, nor that Gospel which is Vehiculum Spiritûs sancti? How, or which way, or by what means can such Promises be made good to them? How shall they be regenerate without the holy Spirit, or have that without the Gospel? It is not at all credible; such special Promises in the Covenant founded by his Blood, speak a special respect to his own Elect. The Author's Reason from Creation cannot hold good:
Christ in his Coming and satisfactory Sufferings had a respect to all Men,1 so far as to procure for them Salvation on Gospel-terms, but he had not an equal respect to all; it being utterly unimaginable ⟨p. 105⟩that he should have as great a respect to those in the Pagan World, who have no Christ, no atoning Sacrifice, no Promise of Life and Salvation revealed to them, as he hath to those in the Church, who have all these glorious Objects evidently set sorth before them: Greater Donations argue greater degrees of Love; or else, which is very hard to believe, God loves all Creatures alike, notwithstaneing that he measures out his Goodness to them in a very various and different manner, to some more, and to others less. But because the Author hath before laid down a good Rule, That the Virtue and Efficacy of Christ's Death doth depend on God's Institution and Appointment, and therefore can be known only by Revelation, I shall apply my self only to the Scripture: There, as we find, he died that he might gather together the Children of God that were scatered, Joh. 11.52. He gave himself for his Church, that he might sanctifie and cleanse it, Eph. 5.26. He gave himself that he might purifie to himself a peculiar people, Tit. 2.14. He laid down his life for his sheep, so as to bring them into his fold and make them hear his voice, Joh. 10.15, 16. He redeems some from among ⟨p. 106⟩men, Rev. 14.4. And out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, Rev. 5.9. All which Scriptures do emphatically shew, that Christ had a special respect in his Death unto his own above others. But further; Christ by his precious Blood founded those Evangelical Promises, of taking away the stony Heart, writing the Law in the Heart, and putting his holy Spirit there; but did he found them for all men? What, for those whom God will harden, Rom. 9? What, for those Pagans, who have not so much as the Law before them in the Letter, nor that Gospel which is Vehiculum Spiritûs sancti? How, or which way, or by what means can such Promises be made good to them? How shall they be regenerate without the holy Spirit, or have that without the Gospel? It is not at all credible; such special Promises in the Covenant founded by his Blood, speak a special respect to his own Elect. The Author's Reason from Creation cannot hold good:
- 1Answer.
