I shall, then, let go this objection without farther pursuit, only attended with this query. What it is that, according to the authors of universal redemption, men are bound to believe, when they know beforehand that Christ died for them in particular? A persuasion of the love of God and good-will of Christ it cannot be ; that they have beforehand, John iii. 16; Rom. v. 8: nor a coming to God by Christ for an enjoyment of the fruits of his death; for what is that, I pray? No fruits of the death of Christ, according to them, but what are com- mon to all ; which may be damnation as well as salvation, for more are damned than saved, — infidelity as well as faith, for the most are un- believers. The immediate fruits of the death of Christ can be nothing but that which is common to them with those tliat perish. Plainly, their faith in Christ will at length appear to be Socinian obedience.
There be two^ things that remain, about which there is no small contention, both things in themselves excelling and valuable, both laid claim to by the several persuasions concerning which we treat ;
1 From the particulars enumerated in tlie folloAving sentence, and tlie three objections that arc considered, "two" seems to have been written, bj an oversight, lor " thi-ee." — Ed.
OBJECTIONS AND TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE CONSIDERED 411
but with such an unequal plea, that an easy judgment might serve to decide the controversy. Now, these are, first, the exahation of God's free grace, the merit of Christ, and the consolation of our souls. Let us consider them in order, and let each persuasion take its due.
Obj. III. For the first, or the exaltation of God's free grace. I know not how it comes to pass, but so it is, men have entertained a persuasion that the opinion of universal redeiwption serveth exceed- ingly to set forth the love and free grace of God, yea, they make free grace, that glorious expression, to be nothing but that which is held forth in this their opinion, — namely, that God loveth all, and gave Christ to die for all, and is ready to save all, if they luill come to him. " Herein," say they, " hfree grace and love magnified indeed ; this is the universality of free gTace," — and such other flourishing ex- pressions ; " whereas the contrary opinion chains up the love and gxace of God to a few."
But stay a little. What, I pray, is this your grace, free grace, that is universal? Is it the grace of election? Truly no; God hath not chosen all to salvation, Rom. ix. 11, 12; Eph. i. 4; Rom. viii. 28. Is it the grace of effectual vocation? No, neither. Doubtless that it cannot be; for "whom God calls he also justifies," and "glorifies," Rom, viii. 80, xi. 25, 26, 29. Nay, all have not been, are not, outwardly called, chap. x. 14. Is it the grace of cleansing and sanctification? Why, are all purged? are all washed in the blood of Jesus? Or is it the church only, Eph. v. 25-27. Some, sure, are also defiled still, Tit. i. 15. Faith is the principle of the heart's puri- fication, and " all men have not faith." Is it the grace of justification, — the free love and mercy of God in pardoning and accepting sinners? But, friends, is this universal? Are all pardoned? are all accepted? see Rom i. 17, iii. 22, v. 1. Is it the grace of redemption in the blood of Christ? see, I pray, Rev. v. 9. What then, I pray, is this your universal free grace? Is it not universally a figment of your own brains? or is it not a new name for that old idol free-will? Is it not destnictive to free grace in every branch of it? Doth it not tend to the eversion of the whole covenant of distincjuishinof OTace, evidently denying that the conditions thereof are wrought in any of the federates by virtue of the promise of the covenant? Are not the two great aims of their free grace to mock God and exalt them- selves? Do not they propose the Lord as making a pretence of love, good-wiU, free grace, and pardon unto all, yet never once acquainting incomparably the greatest mmiber of them with any such love or good-will at all, although he know that without his effecting of it they can never come to any such knowledge? For those that are out- wardly called to the knowledge of these things, do they not, by their universal grace, feign the Lord to pretend that he loves them all, has sent his Son to die for them all, and to desire that they all may
412 THE DEATH OF DEATH. [BOOK IV.
be saved, yet upon sucli a condition as, without him, they can no more efiect than to climb to heaven by a ladder, which yet he will not do ? Do not they openly make God to say, " Such is this my love, my universal grace, that by it I will freely love them, I dare joy- fully embrace them, in all things but only that which will do them good?" Would not they affirm him to be a grossly counterfeiting hypocrite that should go to a poor blind man, and tell him, " Alas, poor man, I pity thy case, I see thy want, I love thee exceedingly ; open thine eyes, and I Avill give thee a hundred pounds?" And dare they assign such a deportment to the most holy God of truth? Is their universal grace any thing but a mock? Did that ever do good to any, as to salvation, which is common to all? Ai'e they not the two properties of the grace of God in the Scripture, that it is dis- criminating and effectual? And is not their grace any thing else but these? Let it be granted that all is true which they say concern- ing the extent of grace ; is it such grace as that ever any soul was saved by? Why, I pray, then, are not all? "Why," they will say, " because they do not believe," So, then, the bestowing of faith is no part of this free grace. See your second aim, even to exalt your- selves and your free-will into the room of grace; or, at least, leaving it room to come in, to have the best share in the work of salvation, — namely, believing itself, that makes all the rest profitable. See, now, what your universality of free grace leads and tends to. Are not the very terms opposite to one another? In a word, to bring in rejiro- bates to be objects of free grace, you deny the free grace of God to the elect ; and to make it universal, you deny it to be effectual. That all may have a share of it, they deny any to be saved by it ; for saving grace must be restrained.