is foreign to the purpose; fince it speaks not of redemption by Chrift, nor of fpiritual and eternal life through him, but of the resurrection of the dead, as is evident from the whole context; and that not of every individual man, only of such as are Christ's, and who sleep in him, of whom he is the first fruits, ver. 20, 23. who will be raised by virtue of union to him, and come forth unto the refurrection of life; which all will not ; for fome will awake to frame and everlasting contempt; yea, to the refurrection of damnation; which, by the way, is a proof that the word all, does not always defign every individual of mankind.

NUMB. XXXV. Rom. xi.

32.

For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

TH

HIS paffage of fcripture is produced as a proof of God's will, that all men fhould be faved, and to thew that he has rejected none from falvation by an abfolute and antecedent decree, and confequently that Chrift died for all men; feeing as God hath concluded all men in unbelief, none excepted; fo by the rule of oppofition, he

hath

hath mercy 1. which I amiver:

I. That God herye providential war, mercies are reIT L.

men are partakers

through Chrut
vessels of mercy are
from the celes
&tion; and certain
fome, whom, be m
have mercy on

them, will fhew
God does extend
wholly owing to be
fure; for be bate no
mercy, and whom be

II. By the rule of be thought to be the cy, than those wic

belief; which is on the ever were in the

are, by nature, not all fhut up by Thut up in unbelie cluded under fin;

beleen.
God in imela.

herame in 12 22

de réaning a winch

phrafes is, not that God makes men inner a

* Limborch. 1. 4. c. 5. § 5. P-373

+ Pfal. cxlv. 9.

* Rom. ix. 18.

* Rom. iz. 22, 2j.

ai

N 3

a

and unbelievers, or puts them into the prifon of fin and unbelief; but that he proves, demonftrates, and convinces them, that they are in fuch a state and condition, as Chryfoftom on the place, obferves; and which is the fenfe that Grotius and Vorftius, who were both on the other fide of the question, give of these words; for fuch who are favingly convinced of fin, are held and bound down by a sense of it in their confciences, that they can find no by way to creep out, or make any excufe for it. Now all men are not in this fenfe concluded under fin, or shut up in unbelief; none but those whom the Spirit of God reproves and convinces of thefe things; which convictions are wrought in them, on purpofe that they may flee, not to their own merits, but to the mercy of God, which they may hope to share in, fince with the Lord is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption ©.

III. It is not faid abfolutely, God hath concluded, návlas, all in unbelief, that he might have mercy, návlas, on all; but God hath concluded, res malas, them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy, T&S návlas, on them all; which limits and reftrains the all, to the perfons the apostle is speaking of in the context; who were the elect of God a

mong the Jews and Gentiles, and fo defigns the fulness of the Gentiles, whom God derermined to bring in, ver. 25. and especially that all Ifrael, ver. 26. that shall be faved, not by their own righteousness, but by the pure mercy and free grace of God. In short, by the all, whom he has mercy on, and in order to bring them to a fenfe of their need thereof, concludes in, and convinces of unbelief, are to be understood all believers, that is, who are eventually fo, be they Jews or Gentiles, as Vorftius obferves; which is manifest from a parallel text; The fcripture bath concluded all under fin, that the promise by faith of Jefus Chrift might be given to them that believe. Hence this paffage neither militates against an abfolute election, or special redemption of particular perfons.

¿ In loc.

e

Gal. iii. 12,

NUMB. XXXVI. Rom. xiv. 15.

But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkeft thou not charitably. Defroy not him with thy meat, for whom Chrift

died.

T

HESE words are frequently used in favour of univerfal redemption, and to prove that Chrift died not only for the elect, for his fheep, and true believers, but alfo for them that perish; and the argument from them is formed thus; "If Chrift died for them that perish, and for them that do not perish; he died for all: But Chrift died for them that perish, and for them that do not perish; ergo, he died for all men. That he died for them that do not perish, is confeffed by all; and that he died for fuch as may, or fhall perish, is intimated in this injunction; destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Chrift died". But whether fo much is intimated hereby, will be seen when the following things are confidered;

I. That the injunction, deftroy not him with thy meat, for whom Chrift died, does

f Remonftr. in Coll. Hag. Art. ii. p. 132. p. 340, &c. Curcell 1. 5. c. 4. §. 7. p. 360. 1. 4 c. 3. §. c. p. 321.

& whity, F. 138.

Act. Synod.
Limborch.

not