Having thus made evident the meaning of the words, our answer to the objection (whose strength is a mere fallacy, from the ambigu- ous sense of the word all) is easy and facile. For if by all men, you mean the all in the text, that is, all sorts of men, we grant the whole, — namely, that Christ died for all; but if by all men, you mean all universally, we absolutely deny the minor, or assumption, having sufficiently proved that there is no such all in the text.
The enforcing of an objection from this place, Thomas More, in his " Universality of Free Grace," makes the subject of one whole chapter. It is also one of the two places which he lays for the bottom and foundation of the whole building, and whereunto at a dead lift he always retires. Wherefore, I thought to have considered that chapter of his at large; but, upon second considerations, have laid aside that resolution, and that for three reasons : —
First, Because I desired not actum agere, to do that which hath already been done, especially the thing itself being such as scarce deserveth to be meddled with at all. Now, much about the time that I was proceeding in this particular, the learned work of Mr Rutherford,^ about the death of Christ, and the drawing of sinners thereby, came to my hand; wherein he hath fully answered that chapter of Mr More's book ; whither I remit the reader.
Secondly, I find that he hath not once attempted to meddle with any of those reasons and arguments whereby we confirm our answer
' He refers to the eminent Scotch diyine, Samuel Rutherford, 1600-1661. The work mentioned above was published in 1647, and is entitled, " Christ Dying, and Drawing to Himself; or, a survey of our Saviovu" in his soul's suflfering," etc. The opinions of More are discussed in it from page 375 to 410.— Ed.
348 THE DEATH OF DEATH. [BOOK IV.
to the objection from the place, and prove undeniably that by all men is meant only men of all sorts.
Thirdly, Because, setting aside those bare naked assertions of his own, whereby he seeks to strengthen his argument from and inter- pretation of this place, the residue wherewith he flourisheth is a poor fallacy running through the whole; the strength of all his argu- mentations consisting in this, that by the all we are to pray for are not meant only all who are at present believers; which as no man in his right wits will affirm, so he that will conclude from thence, that because they are not only all present believers, therefore thej'^ are all the individuals of mankind, is not to be esteemed very sober. Pro- ceed we, then, to the next place urged for the general ransom, from the word all, which is, —
2. 2 Pet. iii. 9, " The Lord is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing tbat any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." " The will of God," say some, " for the salvation of all, is here set down both negatively, that he would not have any perish, and posi- tively, that he would have all come to repentance ; now, seeing there is no coming to repentance nor escaping destruction, but only by the blood of Christ, it is manifest that that blood was shed for all."
Ans. Many words need not be spent in answer to this objection, wrested from the misunderstanding and palpable corrupting of the sense of these words of the apostle. That indefinite and general ex- pressions are to be interpreted in an answerable proportion to the things whereof they are affirmed, is a rule in the opening of the Scripture. See, then, of whom the apostle is here speaking. "The Lord," saith he, " is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish." Will not common sense teach us that us is to be repeated in both the following clauses, to make them up complete and full, — namely, " Not willing that any of ws should perish, but that all of us should come to repentance?" Now, who are these of whom the apostle speaks, to whom he writes? Such as had received "great and precious promises," chap. i. 4, whom he calls " beloved," chap, iii. ] ; whom he opposeth to the "scoffers" of the " last days," verse 3; to whom the Lord hath respect in the disposal of these days; who are said to be " elect," Matt. xxiv. 22. Now, truly, to argue that because God would have none of those to perish, but all of them to come to repentance, therefore he hath the same will and mind towards all and every one in the world (even those to whom he never makes known his will, nor ever calls to repentance, if they never once hear of his way of salvation), comes not much short of extreme madness and folly. Neither is it of any weight to the contraiy, that they were not all elect to whom Peter wrote: for in the judgment of charity he es- teemed them so, desiring them " to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure/' chap. i. 10; even as he expressly calleth
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those to whom he wrote his former epistle, " elect," chap. i. 2, and a " chosen generation," as well as a " purchased people," chap. ii. 9. I shall not need add any thing concerning the contradictions and inextricable difficulties wherewith the opposite interpretation is ac- companied (as, that God should will such to come to repentance as he cuts ofi in their infancy out of the covenant, such as he hateth from eternity, from whom he hideth the means of grace, to whom he will not give repentance, and yet knoweth that it is utterly impossible they should have it without his bestowing). The text is clear, that it is all and only the elect whom he would not have to perish. A place supposed parallel to this we have in Ezek. xviii. 23, 32, which shall be afterward considered. The next is, —