Salus electorum, sanguis Jesu, or, The death of death in the death of Christ a treatise of the redemption and reconciliation that is in the blood of Christ with the merit thereof, and the satisfaction wrought thereby : wherin the proper end of the death of Christ is asserted ... and the whole controversie about universall redemption fully discussed in foure parts, whereof the I. Declareth the eternall counsell, and distinct actuall concurrence of father, sonne, and holy spirit ... 2. Removeth false and supposed ends of the death of Christ ... rightly stating the controversie, 3. Containeth arguments against universall redemption from the word, with an affection of the satisfaction and merit of Christ, 4. Answereth all considerable objections as yet brought to light ... / by John Owen ...

PROOFE. 5^th.

God hath testified both by his word and his oath, that he would, that his Sonne should so farre save, as to worke a Redemption for all men; and likewise that he should bring all to the knowledge of the truth, that there through Redemption might be wrought in and upon them, 1 Tim. 2. 4. with John 3. 17. So he willeth not, nor hath any pleasure in the death of him (even the wicked) that dyeth, but rather that he turne and live, Ezek. 18. 23. 32. & 33. 11. And dare any of us say, the God of truth saith and sweareth that, of which he hath no inward and serious meaning? oh farre be such blasphemy, from us.

ANSWER.

This assertion first, that God testifieth by his word and oath, that he would that Christ should so farre save us, &c. is a bold calling of God [ 1] to witnesse that, which he never affirmed, nor did it ever enter into his heart: for he hath revealed his will that Christ should save to the utmost them, that come to him, and not save so farre, or so farre, as is boldly, ignorantly, and falsely, intimated. Let men beware of provoking God to their owne confusion, he will not be a witnesse to the lye of false hearts. Secondly, That Christ should so bring all to the knowledge of the truth, that there through

Redemption might be wrought in & upon them, is another bold corrup∣tion of the word, and false witnesse bearing in the name of God: is it a small thing for you to weary and seduce men, will you wea∣ry our God also? Thirdly, for places of Scripture corrupted to the sense imposed; in John 3. 17. God is said to send his Sonne, that the world through him might be saved, not be saved so farre, or so farre, but saved from their sinnes, Matth. 1. 21. and to the uttermost, Heb. 7. 25. So that the world of Gods Elect, who onely are so saved, is onely there to be understood as hath been proved. In 1 Tim. 2. 4. there is something of the will of God for the saving of all sorts of men, as hath been declared, nothing conducing to the bold assertion, used in this place. Fourthly, To those are added that of Ezek. 18. 23. that God hath no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth, and verse 32. That he willeth not the death of the sinner: Now though these texts are exceeding uselesse to the businesse in hand, and might probably have some colour of universall vocation, but none possibly of universall Redemption, there being no mention of Christ, or his death in the place, from whence they are cited, yet because our adversaries are frequently knitting knots from this place to inveagle and hamper the simple, I shall adde some few observations upon it to cleare the meaning of the text, and demonstrate how it belongs nothing at all to the businesse in hand. First, then let us consider to whom, and of whom these words are spoken. Is it to and of all men, or onely to the house of Israel? doubtlesse these last; they are onely intended, they only are spoken to, heare now oh house of Israel, ver. 25. now will it fol∣low, that because God saith he delights not in the death of the house of Israel, to whom he revealed his mind, and required their repentance and conversion, that therefore he saith so of all, even those to whom he never revealed his will by such wayes as to to them, nor called to repentance, Psal. 147. 19, 20. So that the very ground worke of the whole conclusion is removed by this first observation. Secondly, God willeth not the death of a sin∣ner, is, either God purposeth and determineth he shall not dye, or God commandeth that he shall doe those things, wherein he may live: if the first, why are they not all saved? why doe the sinners dye? for there is an immutability in the counsell of God, Heb. 6. 17. His counsell shall stand, and he will doe all his pleasure, Isay 46. if the latter way by commanding, then the sence is that the Lord

commandeth, that those whom he calleth, should doe their duty that they may not dye (although he knows, that thus they cannot doe without his assistance) now what this makes to generall Re∣demption, I know not. Thirdly, To adde no more, this whole place, with the scope, aime, and intention of the Prophet in it, is miserably mistaken by our adversaries, and wrested to that, where∣of there is not the least thought in the Text: the words are a part of the answer which the Lord gives to the repining Jewes, con∣cerning their Proverb, The fathers have eaten sower grapes, and the childrens teeth are set on edge. Now about what did they use this Proverb? Why? concerning the land of Israel v. 2, the land of their habitation which was laid waste by the sword (as they affirmed) for the sinnes of their fathers, themselves being innocent; so that it is about Gods temporall judgements in overturning their land and nation that this dispute is, wherein the Lord justifieth him∣selfe by declaring the equity of these judgments by reason of their sinnes, even those sinnes for which the land devoured them, and spewed them out▪ telling them that his justice is, that for such things they should surely dye, their bloud should be upon them, ver. 13. they shall be slaine with the sword, and cut off by those judgements, which they had deserved; not that the shedding of their bloud, and casting out of their carcasces, was a thing in it selfe so pleasurable or desirable to him, as that he did it onely for his own will: for let them leave their abominations, and try whether their lives were not prolonged in peace. This being the plaine genuine scope and meaning of this place at the first view presenting it self to every unprejudiced man, I have often admired how so many strange conclusions for a generall purpose of shew¦ing mercy to all, universall vocation, and Redemption have been wrested from it: as also how it came to be produced to give colour to that heap of blasphemy, which our Author calleth his fifth proofe.