Rome ruin'd by VVhite Hall, or, The papall crown demolisht

SECT. 5.

Obj. IEsus Christ gave himself a ransome for all men, 1 Tim. 2. 6. and tasted death for every man, Heb. 2. 9.

Ans. It may as wel be inferred from the words of the Apostle, Rom. 11. 33. (where God is said to include all in unbeliefe, that he might have mercy upon all) that all shall be saved, for wherein consisteth mercy if not in pardoning offences; and where offences are pardoned, there is no use of punishment. Christ therefore to* 1.1 cleare such scruples, betwixt the all of the men of the world, and the all of the elect, doth thus distinguish them, Joh. 17. 10. where he saith, All mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glori∣fied in them. In which words he doth not say, that all men in ge∣nerall are mine, and thine. But all mine, viz. all them whom thou hast given me, as in the 6. ver. in whom I am glorified, ver. 10. but Christ is not glorified, by all men in generall, viz. by all the world, or men of the world, for they are of their father the Devill, whose commandement they obey, Joh. 8. 42. 44. and not Christs; there∣fore the all spoken of in them and the like places, cannot be meant of all men in generall.

Again Christ saith, Joh. 10. 27. My Sheep heare my voyce;* 1.2 which doth imply, that all are not of his sheep. He is also said to lay downe his life for his sheep, ver. 15. but God the Father did not give him all the men of the world to be his sheep, but a cer∣taine number of them, which he termeth a little flock (in compa∣rison of the generality of men) as the Scripture witnesseth; Feare not〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

and chiefly intended by the Spirit. But so is this spirituall sence, as the Prophet expoundeth this place of Gods eternall love or hatred of Jacob and Esau.

2. That is the proper sence of the place, from which an Argu∣ment is framed, and a conclusion inferred, but out of this spiri∣tuall sence, concerning everlasting election, the Apostle reasoneth, and concludeth election to be only of grace, not by workes; ergo it is the proper sence of the place.

Obj. How would you cleare Gods Justice in creating some to destruction?

Ans. God created none to destruction, but by Adams trans∣gression* 1.3 we all became the children of wrath, and disobedience; now put the case that many Malifactors were found guilty of death for one and the same fault, not knowing any other but that they shal all suffer according to the Sentence pronounced against them; but it hapneth that the superiour Magistrate doth send a pardon to some few of them by name; not because they have lesse offended, or lesse deserve to dye, then the rest, but be∣cause it so pleaseth him out of his grace and clemency to save them, hath the other therefore (whom he doth not pardon) cause to say he is cruell, or tyranous, in that he did not doe the like for them all? certainly they have rather cause to extol his clemency, in sparing some of them.

So in like manner Adam having sinned, and so made guilty of eternall death; if God had taken him away immediately, he had ••••t off the whole race of Mankinde; he therefore out of his free grace and mercy suffereth him to live, and propagate, not to the end that he wil destroy all his Progeny, but because he wil pro∣vide a meanes whereby some of them shall be saved from that death whereof they all are guilty; and that by sending his Son out of his owne bosome, to take their sins upon him, and to satisfie his wrath for them; assigning him a certaine number whom he shal so redeeme, not by any externall and visible marke, but by some innate markes best knowne to himself, Shal therefore the rest of Adams posterity tax God of injustice, in that he hath not redee∣med them all? Certainly they rather have cause to extoll and magnifie the exceeding mercy, and compassion in God, that did vouchsafe to preserve some of the race and posterity from

that eternall destruction which by that sinne of Adam they were all involved.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The word all cannot be meant of every man.
• * 1.2

  Christ distin∣••uish ••h be∣twixt the all ••••••h•• w••••ld, ••••d 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.3

  Gods Justice vindicated and cleared.