be the rule for the interpretation of it in another; which can only be fixed as the text or context determine: Sometimes it fignifies the whole univerfe of created beings, John i. 10. fometimes the habitable earth, John xvi. 28. fometimes the inhabitants of it, John i. 10. fometimes unconverted perfons, both elect and reprobate, Jobn xv. 19. fometimes the worfer part of the world, the wicked, John xvii. 9. fometimes the better part of it, the elect, John i. 29. and vi. 33, 51. fometimes a number of perfons, and that a small one in comparifon of the rest of mankind, John xii. 19. in one place it is ufed three times, and in fo many fenfes, John i. 10. be, i. e. Chrift, was. in the world, the habitable earth, and the world, the whole univerfe, was made by him; and the world, the inhabitants of the earth, knew him not; and which is not to be under ftood of them all; for there were fome, though few, who did know him; and I' will venture to affirm, that the word world is always used in the apostle John's writings, in a restrictive and limited fenfe, for fome only, unless when it defigns the whole univerfe, or habitable earth, fenfes which are out of the question; for none will fay Chrift died for the fun, moon, and stars, for fishes, fowls, brutes, fticks and ftones; and that it is never used to fignify every individual of mankind that has been, is, or

fhall

fhall be in the world; in which fene it ought to be proved 'tis ufed, if any argument can be concluded from it in favour of general redemption,

· II. It is most manifeft, that the word world, ufed by the apostle Jahn when speaking of redemption and falvation by Christ, is always ufed in a limitted and reftrained fenfe, and fignifies fome perfons only, and not all the individuals of human nature; as will appear from the confideration of the feveral paffages following; as when the Baptift lays,

John i. 29. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the fin of the world. By the world, cannot be meant every individual of mankind; for it is not true, 'tis not fact, that Jefus Chrift the lamb of God, takes away the fin or fins of every individual man; fince there are fome who die in their fins; whofe fins go before-band to judgment, and others they follow after; for which they will be righteously and everlaftingly condemn'd; which can never be, if Chrift has taken away their fin. Should it be faid ", as it is, "That the Baptift fpeaks this in allufion to the lambs daily offered up for the fins of the whole Jewish nation; and therefore intimates, that as they were offered up to ex

i....

D

» Whitby, p. 134. °

i piate

piate the fins of the whole nation; so was this lamb of God offered to expiate the fins of the whole world in general". I reply; that as the lambs daily offered, were typical of Chrift the Lamb of God, fo the people, for whom they were offered, were typical, not of the whole world in general, but of the true Ifrael and church of God; for whom Chrift gave himself an expiatory facrifice, and whofe fins he fo takes away as that they shall not be feen any more.

When our Lord fays, that God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. By the world, he cannot mean every fon and daughter of Adam; for this world is reprefented as the object of God's love, even of his fpecial love, which all men are not; as fuch to and for whom God has given his only begotten Son, which is not true of all mankind; who are brought to believe in Chrift, in confequence of God's love, and the gift of his Son, but all men have not faith as fuch who fhall never perish, though it is certain that fome men will; and as fuch who fhall have everlasting life, whereas fome, will go into everlasting punishment, and die the fecond death. The fimilitude of the brazen ferpent lifted up for the preferva

• John iii, 16.

tion of the Jews, is infufficient to prove the redemption of all mankind: Nor is it fuppofed of this world, fo beloved of God, that fome would not believe, and therefore perish; and the others would, and be faved; for the, phrafe whosoever believeth, does not defign a divifion of different perfons, but a diftinction of the fame perfons; who, in their unconverted ftate, believe not, but, through the power of divine grace, are brought to believe in Chrift for life and falvation; and fo it points out the way in which they are fecured from perifhing, and have everlasting life. Nor will it be the condemnation of Infidels among the Heathens, that they believed not in Chrift, but their tranfgreffions of the law of nature; nor of the unbelieving Jews, that they be lieved not Chrift died for them, but becaufs they did not believe him to be the Meffiaha Nor do these words, taken in the univerfal fenfe, more magnify the love of God than when taken in a more reftrained one, lines, according to this general fcheme, men bey be the objects of God's love, and have an intereft in the gift of his Son, and yet fully perish, and come fhort of everlasting Life. The words in the following verle, and which are elsewhere in the fame manner expreffed, that Chrift came into the world not

La condemn it, but to fave it, are defigned to point out the different ends of Chrift's firft and fecond coming. Again,

When the Samaritans declared their belief in Chrift, that he was the Saviour of the world; and the apostle John fays, that we have feen, and do teftify, that the Father fent the Son to be the Saviour of the world; by the world, cannot be intended every man and woman that has been, is, or fhall be in the world, fince every one is not faved; and Chrift cannot be the Saviour of more than are faved. Befides, was he the Saviour of the world in this univerfal fenfe, he must be the Saviour both of believers and unbelievers, contrary to his own words; He that believeth and is baptized, fhall be faved; he that believeth not Jhall be damned. More

over,

f

When Chrift fays, The bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life to the world; no more can be defigned by the world, than thofe to whom this bread of God gives life. Now it is certain, that fpiritual life here, and everlafting life hereafter, are not given to all men, and therefore all men cannot be intended here; only fuch who are quicken'd by the Spirit of God, and fhall enjoy eternal life, and thefe are the world, for the life of which Christ

9 John iv. 43. John iv. 14. John vi. 33.

Mark xvi. 16.

pro