This, then, they prove from Rom. xiv. 15; 1 Cor. viii. 11; 2 Pet. ii. 1 ; Heb. x. 29. Now, that no such thing as is pretended is proved from any of the places alleged, we shall show by the consideration of them in the order they are laid down in.
1. The first is Rom. xiv. 15, " But if thy brother be giieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died."
A71S. Had we not experience of the nimbleness of our adversaries in framing arguments for their cause, I should despair to find their conclusion pressed out of this place; for what coherence or depend- ence, I beseech you, is here to be discerned? " The apostle exhorteth strong and sound believers to such a moderate use of Christian liberty that they do not grieve the spirit of the weak ones, that were believers also (professors, all called ' saints, elect, believers, re- deemed,' and so in charity esteemed), and so give them occasion of stumbling and falling off from the gospel: therefore, Jesus Christ died for all reprobates, even all those that never heard word nor syllable of him or the doctrine of the gospel." Must he not be very quick-sighted that can see the dependence of this inference on that exhortation of the apostle? But ye will say, " Is it not affirmed that lie may perish for whom Christ died?" Ans. In this place there is no such thing at all once mentioned or intimated ; only others are commanded not to do that which goeth in a direct way to destroy him, by giicving him with their uncharitable walking. " But why should the apostle exhort him not to do that which he could no way do, if he that Cluist died for could not perish?" Aiis. Though the one could not perish in respect of the event, the other might sinfully give occasion of perishing in respect of a procuring cause. May not a man be exhorted from attempting of that which yet if he should
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attempt he could not effect? No thanks to the soldier who ran a spear into the side of our dead Redeemer, that therewith he brake none of his bones. Besides, is every one damned that one attempts to destroy, by grieving him with uncharitable walking? Such argu- ments as these are poor men of straw. And yet, notwithstanding, we do not deny but that many may perish, and that utterly, whom we, in our walking towards them and converse with them, are bound to conceive redeemed by Christ; even all being to be thought so who are to be esteemed " saints and brethren," as the language of the Scripture is concerning the professors of the gospel. And this is most certain, that no one place makes mention of such to be bought or redeemed by our Saviour, but those which had the qualification of being members of this visible church ; which come infinitely short of all and every one.
2. But let us see a second place, which is 1 Cor. viii. 11, "And through thy knowledge shall thy weak brother perish, for whom Christ died." This seemeth to have more colour, but really yieldeth no more strength to the persuasion for whose confirmation it is pro- duced, than the former. A brother is said to perish for ivJiom Christ died. That hj perishing here is understood eternal destruction and damnation, I cannot apprehend. That which the apostle intimates whereby it is done, is eating of things offered to an idol, with con- science or regard of an idol, by the example of others who pretended to know that an idol was nothing, and so to eat freely of the things offered to them. That so doing was a sin in its own nature dam- nable, none can dou])t. All sin is so; every time we sin, for any thing that lieth in us, we perish, we are destroyed. So did the eater of things offered to idols. But that God always revengeth sin with damnation on all in whom it is, we deny; he hath otherwise revealed himself in the blood of Jesus Christ. That every such a one did actually perish eternally, as well as meritoriously, cannot be proved. Besides, he that is said to perish is called a brother, — that is, a be- liever; we are brethren only by faith, whereby we come to have one Father. As he is said to be a brother, so Christ is said to die for him. That a true believer cannot finally perish may easily be proved ; therefore, he who doth perish is manifestly declared never to have been any: "They went out from us, because they were not of us." If any perish, then, he was never a true believer. How, then, is he said to be a brother? Because he is so in profession, so in our judg- ment and persuasion ; it being meet for us to think so of them all. As he is said to be a brother, so Christ is said to die for him, even in that judgment which the Scripture allows to us of men. We cannot count a man a brother, and not esteem that Christ died for him ; we have no brotherhood with reprobates. Christ died for all believers, John xvii. So we esteem all men walking in the due