It appears, then, from the consideration of this first most eminent effect of the love of God, in all the concernments of it, that that love which is the foundation of all the grace and glory, of all the spiritual and eternal good things, whereof the sons of men are made par- takers, is not universal, but peculiar and distinguishing.
Mr B. being to prove his former assertion, of the universality of God's love, mentions sundry places where God is said to love the world, and to send his Son to be the Saviour of the world, John iii. IC, 17, vi. 33, iv. 42; 1 John iv. 14; John xii. 46, 47; 1 John ii. ], 2: the reason of which expressions the reader was before acquainted with. The benefits of the death of Christ being now no more to be confined to one nation, but promiscuously to be imparted to the chil- dren of God that were scattered abroad throughout the world in every
558 VINDICI^ EVANGELICiE,
kindred, tongue, and nation under Leaven, the word " world" being used to signify men living in the world, sometimes more, sometimes fewer, seldom or never " all" (unless a distribution of them into several sorts, comprehensive of the universality of mankind, be sub- joined), that word is used to express them who, in the intention of God and Christ, are to be made partakers of the benefits of his me- diation, men of all sorts throughout the world being now admitted thereunto, as was before asserted.
2. The benefit of redemption being thus grounded upon the prin- ciple of peculiar, not universal love, whom doth God reveal his will concerning it unto? and whom doth he call to the participation thereof? If it be equally provided for all out of the same love, it is all the reason in the world that all should equally be called to a participation thereof, or, at least, so be called as to have it made known unto them. For a physician to pretend that he hath provided a sovereign remedy for all the sick persons in a city, out of an equal love that he bears to them all, and when he hath done takes care that only some few know of it, whereby they may come and be healed, but leaves the rest in utter ignorance of any such provision that he hath made, will he be thought to deal sincerely in the profession that he makes of doing this out of an equal love to them all? Now, not only for the space of almost four thousand years did God suffer incomparably the greatest part of the whole world to walk in their own ways, not calling them to repent. Acts xiv. 1 6, winking at that long time of their ignorance, wherein they worshipped stocks, stones, and devils, all that while " showing his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel, not dealing so with any nation, whereby they knew not his judgments," Ps. cxlvii. 19, 20, — so, in the pursuit of his eternal love, calling a few only in comparison, leaving the bulk of mankind in sin, " having no hope, and without God in the world," Eph. ii. 12; but even also since the giving out of a com- mission and express command not to confine the preaching of the word and calling of men to Judea, but to " go into all the world and to preach the gospel to every creature," Maik xvi. ] 5, — whereupon it is shortly after said to be "preached to every creature under heaven," Col. i. 23, the apostle thereby " warning every man, and teaching every man, that he might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus,'' verse 28, namely, of all those to whom he came and preached, not of the Jews only, but of all sorts of men under heaven, and that on this ground, that " God would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth," 1 Tim. ii. 8, 4, be they of what sort they will, kings, rulers, and all under authority, — to this very day, many whole nations, great and numerous, sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, having neither in their own days nor in the days of their forefathers ever been made partakers of the glorious gospel
OF UNIVERSAL GRACE AND ELECTION. 559
of Jesus Christ, whereby alone life and immortahty are brought to light, and men are made partakers of the love of God in them. So that yet we have not the least evidence of the universal love pleaded for. Yea, —
3. Whereas, to the effectual bringing of men " dead in trespasses and sins" to a participation of any saving, spiritual effect of the love of God in Christ, besides the promulgation of the gospel and the law thereof, — which consisteth in the infallible connection of faith and salvation, according to the tenor of it, Mark xvi. 1 6, " He that be- lieveth shall be saved," which is accompanied with God's command to believe, wherein he declares his will for their salvation upon the terms proposed, approving the obedience of faith, and giving assur- ance of salvation thereupon, 1 Tim. ii. 1-4, — there is moreover re- quired the operation of God hy his Spirit with power, to evince that all this dispensation is managed by peculiar, distinguishing love, this is not granted to all to whom the commanding and approving word doth come, but only "to them who are the called according to his pur- pose," Rom. viii. 28 ; that is, to them who are " predestinated," verse SO, for them he calls, so as to justify and glorify them thereupon.