The vniversallity of God's free-grace in Christ to mankind.: Proclaimed and displayed from 1 Tim. 2.6. and Hebr. 2.9. according to their genuine sense. That all might be comforted, encouraged; every one confirmed and assured of the propitiation and death of Christ for the whole race of mankind, and so for himself in particular. / Through urgent importunity, written by Thomas Moore.

CHAP. V.

Of the difference of the extent and force of the same Words, when they are of men, and by men; and when of God and by God; also when the Opposition is between men and men, and when between GOD and MEN.

THE words in this businesse, that any difference is made about, is the words, All men, and Every man; and The World: Now this is a thing so commonly knowne, that the same word in divers sentences, may differ much in signification and extent; and yet by the Sentence in which the word is, the signification and extent thereof cleerly import, and discover it self, That little need there is to say much hereof: And as it were

ungodly and unequall, to compare God and man, to make them a∣like and equall. Isai. 40.13, 14, 18. Psal. 113.4, 5. So it would be neere ungodlinesse, and very unequall and rash, to compare the Thoughts, Words and Workes of God, with the thoughts, words and workes of men, to make them equall and alike in ex∣tent and force. Isai. 55.8, 9. So it is as easy for men to understand a great difference in the extent of the same word, spoken of and by God, and spoken of and by men; and when the opposition is be∣tween God and men, and when between men and men: For if one speake of a houshold or family, and say, This man governes all: even a child of twelve yeeres old, of a reasonable understanding will understand, The word All, to extend but to the Family; And if one say of a Corporation, This man governes All, hee will under∣stand the word, All, to extend to the Corporation: And if one say, The King governes All; He will understand the word, All, to extend but to the Dominion whereof he is King: But if one say, God go∣vernes All, hee will understand the word, All, to extend to the whole world, and All in it: as Psal. 103.19. And so, if one say of a mans worke, his fame is all the world over; it will be understood to be far and neer, in many Countries, and a great way: But if one say of the workes of God, Their line is gone through all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world; It will be understood in the largest sense: as Psal. 19.4. And so it would be found either ignorance or rashnesse, or consciousnesse of the weaknesse of a mans cause, that he would prove thereby, to goe about to compare and make of like large extent, the word World; where it is said, There went out a De∣cree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the World should be taxed: Luke 2.1. And where it is said; The Worlds were made by Christ; and hee is the Propitiation for the sinnes of the whole World, Hebr. 1.2. Joh. 1.3, 4. 1 Joh. 2.2. Much more, to goe about to make of like large extent, the words, All men: and the World: when spoken by envious men, that thought a few o•• many to follow Christ: Joh. 3.26. and 11.48. and 12.19. and when spoken by the Spirit of God of the workes of God and Christ, 2 Cor. 5.19. 1 Jo. 2.2. Much worse still, when the ex∣tent of the, All that came to Christ, Luk. 15.1. is brought to expound and limitt, The extent of the All Christ dyed for. 2 Cor. 5.14, 15. and that hee bids, looke to him, and bee saved. Isaiah 45.22.

or the every man, of whom men spake. Acts 2.8. with the every man of whom the holy Spirit speaketh. Joh. 1.9. seeing the one is a speech of and by men; and the other of and by God.

Besides the words, all men, and every man, are evident not to be of like large extent in every place; and yet of the largest extent, the place where it is used doth import, and the sentence in which it is used, importing the sense.

1. Sometime, the words, All men, and EVERY MAN, evi∣dently signifying All, and Every one of Mankind, without exception; so as none can deny it: As, God made all Nations of men of one blood, Acts 17.26. He knoweth the hearts of all men. Acts 1.24. death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. Rom. 5.12. By the offence of One, judgement came upon All Men, to condemnation, verse 18. All are gone out of the way. Rom. 3.12. All have sinned. verse 23. Wee must All appeare before the Judgement-seat of CHRIST, 2 Cor. 5.10. That Every one, &c. Againe, He is the Saviour of all men, specially of Those that beleeve. 1 Tim. 4.10. Hee giveth to all men liberally. Jam. 1.5. At I live, saith the LORD, Every knee shall bow to mee, and every tongue shall confesse to God, &c. Isa. 45.23. Rom. 14.11. Phil. 2.10, 11. All Nations that God hath made, shall come and worship before him. Psal. 86.9. with divers like places, where all cannot be meant, but of some, or some of all sorts: but, of All men that God made.

2. Sometime in Scripture, the word, All Men, is found to mean one and another, rich and poore, Beleevers, and Unbeleevers; All without exclusion of any, or restraint to any one, or some of all sorts: as, Though all men should be offended. Matth. 26.33. I say unto All, watch. Matth. 13.37. Except yee repent, yee shall all perish. Luke 13.3.5. Provide things honest in the sight of All men. Rom. 12.17. Ren∣der therefore to all their dues. Rom. 13.7. Let your moderation of minde be knowne to All men. Phil. 4.5. shewing all meeknesse to all men. Tit. 3.2. If it be possible, as much as in you lyeth, live peaceably with all men. Rom. 12.18. so Hebr. 12.14. and such like places, not admitting re∣straint.

3. Sometime, All, is found so used in Scripture: so as it cannot be meant of Gods People, good Men, Saints, hearers of the Word, weake Brethren, newly converted, Beleevers, or the Church of God at all; much lesse of Gods Elect and chosen onely; as, All m••n 〈◊〉〈◊〉

not faith. 2 Thess. 3.2. Woe unto you, when all men speak well of you. Luke 6.26. Shee made all Nations drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornications. Revel. 14.8. yet here all Unbeleevers are meant: So that the Scripture speaking on divers occasions, to divers purposes, and concerning divers Subjects, and in divers manners, doth use the words, All men, and Every man, in larger or scanter sense. And yet alwayes in the largest sense, the words, with the scope of the place, the Circumstances in it, the preceeding and following words, the bu∣sinesse reated of, the common accepted sense, in view of those of, and by, and to whom they are spoken, and between whom the oppositi∣on is, will beare. Whether for All upright. 1 Cor. 4.5. for all that are, or seem Beleevers. 1 Cor. 7.7. for All spirituall men. 1 Cor. 12.7, 11. or for all evill and bad men. 2 Thess. 2.3. or for All, both Elect or Reprobate. Joh. 5.28. And All that come of Adam by Propagation. 1 Cor. 15.22.

Now the Words All, and Every man, in 1 Tim. 2.4.6. and Hebr. 2.9. being spoke by the Spirit of GOD, and of the Workes of God for men: and the opposition being between God and men, and but one man, the Man CHRIST JESUS between; who is God and Man, and is expresly said, To give himself a Ransome for all men: The lar∣ged sense must of necessity be taken, and no more is required or af∣firmed in the Proposition.

So then, the sense of the 1 Tim. 2.6. and Hebr. 2.9. and of the Pro∣position affirmed, is to be understood of.

1. The Redemption wrought by Christ in his owne body, and the Com∣mon salvation he there-through worketh: And

2. So of his Death, as it is set forth for Propitiation: And

3. So mentioned by it self, without the other ends annexed too with it: And

4. Propounded as the foundation of Repentance towards God, and Faith towards our Lord JESUS CHRIST, and this in the Third Person generally, in generall words:

And vet to prevent all mistakes, and cavills, this is to be further added. That the Death of JESUS CHRIST, as the Ransome and Propitiation for All, and Every Man, is to be understood of the Death of JESUS CHRIST, as hee ••••risen and ascended, and at his Fa∣thers right, hand, filled in mans Nature with the holy Ghost and Autho∣rity.

Acts 17.31. 1 Cor. 15.3, 4. So that his Death, Resurrection and Ascention, with some fruit of all of them together, are herein com∣prehended, and to be heeded. Acts 4.10, 11, 12. with Rom. 14.9, 12.

1. He dyed to make Propitiation for the Sinnes of All men. 1 Joh. 2.2. Hebr. 2.9. and to seal the new Testament for his called and chosen ones, and to purge and cleanse them with the aplication of his blood. Hebr. 9, 14, 15. Ephes. 5.25, 26.

2. He rose from the death justifyed, and to receive justification in the room, and for All men, that he might have Power to bestow it. Rom. 3.22, 24. and 5.18. and 4.25. And to bestow it on, and give new and living hope to his called and chosen ones. Rom. 3.22, 25, 26. and 5.1. 1 Pet. 1.3.

3. He Ascended, and sate downe on the right hand of God, to be the Lord of All. Acts 2.34, 36. and 10.36. Rom. 14.9. And to be the Head, Husband, High-Priest, Prophet, and King of his called and cho∣sen ones. Hebr. 3.1, 6. and 5.6. and 6. and 7. and 8.

4. He is filled with Spirit, to send forth to the sonnes of men, to the rebellious, and to enlighten every man that commeth into the world, that the Lord God might dwell among them. Psal. 68.18. Joh. 1.9. and 16.8. And to witnesse Son-ship, and lead his Called and Chosen ones into all truth. Rom. 8.14.16. Joh. 16.13, 14.

And thus the Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of JESUS CHRIST, is.

1. To all men a ground—of Instruction, to convince them of sin, and of Christ his right of Lordship over them. Joh. 16.8, 11. Rom. 14.9.12.—And of alurement to come in, and be reconciled to God by Christ. 2 Cor. 5.19, 20. and—of hope, that in comming in, and yeelding to his Call, they should have life. Joh. 3.14, 15.

2. To his Called and Chosen ones, that beleeve on him, a ground for Confirmation — of their Faith, — of their Justification, — of their Preservation in Grace, — of their enjoyment of the Inheri∣tance. Rom. 5. and 8, 32. &c. of which is not here to be understood in in that affirmed, for all men: But of the former, that hope set forth for All, according to that Christ hath done for all; and so I suppose all that will, may understand the sense. That wee may have the Question rightly stated, about the death of JESUS CHRIST, in what sense he dyed for all men.