way of falvation, is criminal and blameworthy; fince the disability and perversenefs of his will are not owing to any decree of God, but to the corruption and viciofity of his nature, through fin; and therefore, fince this viciofity of nature is blame-worthy; for God made man upright, though they have fought out many inventions, which have corrupted their nature; that which follows upon upon it, and is the effect of it, must

be fo too.

NUMB. XXXI. John xii. 32.

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

T

Hough this text is not produced by the principal writers in the Arminian controverfy, not by the Remonftrants formerly, nor by Curcellaeus, nor by Limborch, nor by Whitby of late; yet inafmuch as it is urged by others, in favour of universal redemption, that he who draws all men to him by his death, muft needs die for all men; it will be proper to confider the import of it, and the argument upon it. And,

I. It is certain, that the death of Christ, and the very kind of death he should die, is brid. Polani Syntag. Theolog. 1. 6. c. 18. p. 398.

intimated by his being lifted up from the earth; fince the evangelift obferves in the next verse, that this, be faid, fignifying what death be fhould die; and it must be owned, that the drawing of all men to Christ, is here reprefented as a fruit of his death, or as what should attend it, or would follow upon it; and I, lav So, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to me. And therefore,

II. The sense of these words pretty much depends on the meaning of the word draw; which either designs a collection of a large number of people to him, and about him, when he should be lifted up on the cross, some against, and others for him; some to reproach, and others to bewail him; or rather of the gathering of the people to bim, through the miniftry of the apostles; and fo of their being enabled, through the power of divine grace, to come unto him, and believe on him for eternal life and falvation; for all thofe whom God has loved with an everlasting love, and Chrift has died for, are fooner or later, with loving kindness drawn unto him; in this fenfe Chrift ufes the word in this gofpel, no man can come unto me, except the father which hath fent me, draw bim. Now,

с

III. It is most evident, that all men, that is, every individual of human nature, every fon and daughter of Adam, have not faith, are not drawn, or enabled to come to Chrift and believe in him. There were many of the Jews who would not, and did not come to Christ, that they might have life; who, instead of being drawn to him in this sense, when lifted up on the cross, vilified and reproached him; nay, at this time, here was a world spoken of in the preceding verse, whole judgment or condemnation was now come; and befides, there was then a multitude of fouls in hell, who could not, nor never will be drawn to Chrift; and a greater number still there will be at the last day, to whom, instead of drawing to him in this gracious way and manner, he will fay, a Depart from me ye workers of iniquity. Chrift died indeed, for all men, who are drawn unto him; but this is not true of all men that are, were, or fhall be in the world. Add to this, that the word men is not in the Greek text; it is only návlas, all; and fome copies read návla, all things; fo Austin read it formerly, and fo it was read in an ancient of Beza's. But not to infift on this;

copy

.

a

IV. By all men, is meant some of all forts, all the elect of God, the children of God that d Matt. vii. 23. and xxv. 41,

e vid. Bezam in loc.

were scattered arrogi Gentiles as well as the f

and Theoprsia interpret the words interpretation is perfect sprecabIC WILL ancient prophecy that when Selz wa come, * to tim icon to getrag people, or Gentiles, be; and WILL THE COLtext, and occafion of their words, wice wa: this; Certain Grees that were come up worship at the feet, nected to e

which, when he was apprized of a Cuba ples, he answered, that the oor wat come in which he could be givres, and tot aa corn of wheat falls in the grouns and ave, fo fhould he: And though he tacity in mates, that it was not proper to amit tueit Greeks into his prefence now; yet when it was lifted up from the earth, or after im death, his goipel fnould be prescCLES IL them as well as to the Jews; and that large numbers of them fhouic be drawn unto him, and brought to believe in him; agreeable to which fenfe of the words is Dr. Hammond's paraphrase of them; " And I being cruci fied, will, by that means, bring a great part of the whole world to believe on me, Gentiles as well as Jews". And to the fame

f John xi. 52. The Perfic version, in Lond. Bibl. Polyglott. reads the words thus; And I, when I am lifted up from she earth, will draw my friends unto me.

8 In Beza in loc.

b Gen. xlix. 10. Ma, xi. 19.

pur

purpose is the note of Dr. Whitby on the

text.

NUMB. XXXII. Acts iii. 19.

Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your fins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing fhall come from the presence of the Lord.

T is concluded from hence, that re

IT

pentance and converfion are in the power of men, and not wrought by the unfruftrable grace of God; that there is no fuch thing as an abfolute election, or special redemption of particular perfons; fince all men are exhorted to repent and be converted, and that in order to procure the remisfion of their fins. But,

I. It should be observed, that repentance is either evangelical or legal, and this either perfonal or national. Evangelical repentance is not in the power of a natural man, but is the gift of God's free grace. Legal repentance may be performed by particular perfons, who are deftitute of the grace of God, and by all the inhabitants of a place, as the Ninevites, who repented externally

i Limborch. l. 4. c. 13. §. 16. p. 374. Whitby, p. 70, 88, 153.

at