3. That no reprobate, for whom Christ died not, shall be condemned for not believing that Christ died for him in particular, which is not true ; but for not believing those things whcreunto he was called, before related, Avhich are all most true, and that in reference to him.
4. That the command of believing in Christ, which is especially urged as given unto all, is not, in that particular contended about, obligatory unto any but upon fulfilling of the conditions thereto re- quired. 5. To "believe on the name of Jesus Christ," which is the command, 1 John iii. 23, is not to believe that it was the intention
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of God that Christ should die for us in particular, but to rest upon him for salvation, as Isa. 1. 11. Neither, — 6. Is the testimony of God, to which we ought to set our seal that it is true, any other but this, "He that hath the Son hath life, but he that hath not the Son of God hath not life," 1 John v. 12; which reprobates disbe- lieving, do wliat in them lies to make God a liar, and are justly condemned for it. He that desireth to see more of this argument, let him consult, if lie please, Piscator, Perkins, Twisse, Synod of Dort, Du Moulin, Baronius, Rutherford, Spanheim, Amesius, others, etc.
Obj. II. "That doctrine which fills the minds and souls of poor miserable sinners with doubts and scruples whether they ought to believe or no, when God calls them thereunto, cannot be agreeable to the gospel. But this doth the doctrine of the particularity of redemption. It fills the minds of sinners with scruples and fears whether they may believe or no, and that because they are uncer- tain whether it was the intention of God that Christ should die for them in particular or no, seeing it is supposed that he died not for all, but only for his elect; whereupon the soul, when it is called upon to believe, may justly fall a-questioning whether it will be available or no for him so to do, and whether it be his duty or no, seeing he knoweth not whether Christ died for him or no."
Ans. 1. That scruples, doubts, and fears, the proper issue of uncon- quered remaining unbelief, will often arise in the hearts of sinners, sometimes against, sometimes taking occasion from, the truth of the gospel, is too evident upon experience. All the question is, whether the doctrine itself scrupled or stumbled at do of itself, in its own nature, give cause thereto unto those who rightly perform their duty ? or whe- ther all those fears and scruples be the natural product and issue of corruption and unbelief, setting up themselves against the truth as it is in Jesus? The first we deny, concerning the doctrine of the par- ticularity of effectual redemption ; the latter God alone can remedy.
2. This objection supposeth that a man is bound to know and be persuaded (that is, to believe) that Jesus Christ died by the appoint- ment of God for him in particular, before he believe in Jesus Christ. Nay, this they make the bottom of their argument, that men, accord- ing to our persuasion, may scruple whether they ought to believe or no, because they are not assured before that Christ died for them in particular, by the designation and appointment of God. Now, if this be not to involve themselves in a plain contradiction, I know not what is ; for what, I pray, is it, according to Scripture, for a man to be assured that Christ died for him in particular? Is it not the very highest im- provement of faith? doth it not include a sense of the spiritual love of God shed abroad in our hearts? Is it not the top of the apostle's con- solation, Rom. viii. 34, and the bottom of all his joyful assurance. Gal. ii. 20? So that they evidently require that a man must believe before
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lie do Lelieve, — that he cannot believe, and shall exceedingly fear "whether he ought to do so or no, unless he believe before he believe! Metliinks such removing of scruples were the ready way to entangle doubting consciences in farther inextricable perjilexities.
3. We deny that a persuasion that it was the will of God that Christ should die for him in particular either is oi' can be any way necessary that a sinner be drawn to believe. For, considering sinners as such whose duty it is to believe the call of Christ, Matt. xi. 28, Isa. \v. 1; that command of God, 1 John iii. 23 ; that promise of life upon believing, John iii. 36; that threat of unbelief, liicZ; the all-sufficiency of the blood of Christ to save all behevers, Acts xx. 21, Eph. v. 2 ; the assured salvation of all believers Avithout exception, Mark xvi. 16, and the like, are enough to remove all doubts and fears, and are all that the Scripture holds out for that purpose.
4. That persuasion which (1.) asserts the certainty of salvation by the death of Christ unto all believers whatsoever ; (2.) that affirms the command of God and the call of Christ to be infallibly declara- tive of that duty which is required of the person commanded and called, — which, if it be performed, will be assuredly acceptable to God ; (3.) that holds out purchased free grace to all distressed, burdened, consciences in general ; (4.) that discovers a fountain of blood, all- sufficient to purge all the sin of every one in the world that will use the appointed means for coming unto it ; — that doctrine, I say, cannot possibly be the cause of any doubt or scruple in the minds of convinced, burdened sinners, whether they ought to believe or no. Now, all this is held forth by the doctrine of particular effectual re- demption, in the dispensation of the gospel suitable thereto.