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CHAP. III.

An unfolding of the remaining texts of Scripture produced for the confirmation of the first general argument for universal redemption.

NEXT to the place before considered, that which is urged with most confidence, and pressed with most importunity for the defence of the general ransom in the prosecution of the former argument, is 1 John ii. 1, 2. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is a propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.' Now these words, and the deductions from thence, have been set out in various dresses, with great variety of observations, to make them appear advantageous to the cause in hand. The weight of the whole hangs upon this, that the apostle affirms Christ to be a propitiation for the sins of the whole world; which, say they, manifoldly appears to be all and every one in the world, and that,

First, 'From the words themselves without any wresting; for what can be signified by the whole world, but all men in the world?'

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Secondly, From the opposition that is made between world and believers; all believers being comprised in the first part of the apostle's assertion, that Christ is a propitiation for our sins, and therefore by the world opposed unto them, all others are understood.' If there be any thing of moment farther excepted, we shall meet with it, in our following opening of the place.

Before I come to the farther clearing of the mind of the Holy Ghost in these words, I must tell you, that I might answer the objection from hence very briefly, and yet so solidly as quite to cut off all the cavilling exceptions of our adversaries; viz. that as by the world in other places, men living in the world are denoted, so by the whole world in this can nothing be understood, but men living throughout the whole world, in all the parts and regions thereof (in opposition to the inhabitants of any one nation, place, or country as such), as the redeemed of Christ are said to be; Rev. v.

9. But because they much boast of this place, I shall, by God's assistance, so open the sense and meaning of it, that it shall appear to all how little reason they have to place any confidence in their wrested interpretation thereof.

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To make out the sense of this place, three things are to be considered. 1. To whom the apostle writes. 2. What is his purpose and aim in this particular place. 3. The meaning of those two expressions. 1. Christ being a propitiation.' 2. The whole world.' Which having done, according to the analogy of faith, the scope of this, and other parallel places, with reference to the things, and use of the words themselves, we shall easily manifest by undeniable reasons, that the text cannot be so understood (as by right) as it is urged, and wrested for universal redemption.

First, A discovery of them to whom the epistle was peculiarly directed will give some light into the meaning of the apostle. This is one of those things which, in the investigation of the right sense of any place, is exceeding considerable. For although this, and all other parts of divine Scripture, were given for the use, benefit, and direction of the whole church; yet, that many parts of it, were directed to peculiar churches, and particular persons, and some distinct sorts of persons, and so immediately aiming at some things, to be taught, reproved, removed, or established, with direct reference to those peculiar persons and churches, need no labour to prove. Now though we have nothing written, expressly nominating them, to whom this epistle was primarily directed, to make an assertion thereof, infallibly true, and de fide, yet by clear and evident deduction, it may be made more than probable that it was intended to the Jews, or believers of the circumcision: for, first, John was in a peculiar manner, a minister and an apostle to the Jews, and therefore they were the most immediate and proper objects of his care. James, Cephas, and John, gave to Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship that they should go to the Gentiles, and themselves to the circumcision;' Gal, ii. 9. Now as Peter and James (for it was that James, of whom Paul there speaks who wrote the epistle, the brother of John being slain before), in the prosecution of their apostleship towards them, wrote epistles unto them in their dispersion; James i. 1. 1 Pet. i. 1. as Paul did to all the chief churches

among the Gentiles by him planted; so it is more than probable, that John writing the epistle, directed it chiefly, and in the first place, unto them, who, chiefly and in the first place, were the objects of his care and apostleship.

Secondly, He frequently intimates, that those to whom he wrote were of them, who heard of, and received the word from the beginning, so twice together in this chapter, ver. 7. That commandment which ye 'heard from the beginning.' Now that the promulgation of the gospel had its beginning among the Jews, and its first entrance with them, before the conversion of any of the Gentiles, which was a mystery for a season, is apparent from the story of the Acts of the Apostles; chap. i-vi. xii. To the Jew first, and then to the Greek,' was the order divinely appointed; Rom. i. 16, 17.

Thirdly, The opposition that the apostle makes, between us, and the world, in this very place, is sufficient to manifest unto whom he wrote. As a Jew, he reckoneth himself with and among the believing Jews, to whom he wrote; and sets himself with them, in opposition to the residue of believers in the world; and this is usual with this apostle, wherein, how he is to be understood, he declares in his gospel; John xi. 51, 52.

Fourthly, The frequent mention and cautions, that he makes and gives, of false teachers, seducers, antichrists (which in those first days, were, if not all of them, yet for the greatest part, of the circumcision, as is manifest from Scripture and ecclesiastical story; of whom the apostle said that they went out from them; chap. iv.), evidently declares that to them in especial was this epistle directed, who lay more open, and were more obnoxious to the seducements of their countrymen than others. Now this being thus cleared, if withal, ye will remind what was said before concerning the inveterate hatred of that people towards the Gentiles, and the ingrafted opinion they had concerning their own sole interest in the redemption procured and purchased by their Messiah, it will be no difficult thing for any to discern the aim of the apostle in this place, in the expression so much stuck at. "He,' saith he, 'is a propitiation for our sins,' that is, our sins who are believers of the Jews; and lest by this assertion, they should take occasion to confirm themselves in their former error, he adds, and not for ours only, but

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for the sins of the whole world;' or the children of God 2 throughout the world; as John xi. 51, 52. Of what nation, kindred, tongue, or language soever they were. So that we have not here an opposition, between the effectual salvation of all believers, and ineffectual redemption of all others, but an extending of the same effectual redemption which belonged to the Jews believers, to all other believers, or children of God throughout the whole world.

Secondly, For the aim and intention of the apostle in these words, is to give consolation to believers against their sins and failings. If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is a propitiation for our sins.' The very order and series of the words, without farther enlargement, proves this to be so, that they were believers only, to whom he intended this consolation, that they should not despair, nor utterly faint under their infirmities, because of a sufficient, yea effectual remedy provided, is no less evident: for, 1. They only have an advocate: it is confessed, that believers only have an interest in Christ's advocation. 2. Comfort in such a case, belongs to none but them; unto others in a state and condition of alienation, wrath is to be denounced; John iii. 36. 3. They are the little children to whom he writes, ver. 1. whom he describes, ver. 12, 13. To have their sins forgiven them for his name's-sake, and to know the Father. So that the aim of the apostle being to make out consolation to believers in their failings, he can speak of none but them only; and if he should extend that whereof he speaks, viz. that Christ was a propitiation, to all and every one, I cannot perceive how this can possibly make any thing to the end proposed, or the consolation of believers; for what comfort can arise from hence to them, by telling them that Christ died for innumerable that shall be damned? Will that be any refreshment unto me, which is common unto me with them that perish eternally? Is not this rather a pumice stone, than a breast of consolation? If you ask how comfort can be given to all, and every one, unless Christ died for them; I say, if by all and every one, you mean all believers; Christ is, as in the text asserted, a propitiation and an advocate for them all. If all others, reprobates and unbelievers, we say, that there is neither in the death of

Christ, nor in the word of God, any solid spiritual consolation prepared for them; the children's bread must not be cast to dogs.

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The meaning and purport of the word' propitiation,' which Christ is said to be for us, and the whole world,' is next to be considered. The word in the original is iλaoμòç twice only used in the New Testament; here, and chap. iv. 10. of this same epistle. The verb also iλáσkoμaι is as often used; viz. Heb. ii. 17. translated there (and that properly considering the construction it is in) to make reconciliation.' And Luke xviii. 13. it is the word of the publican, iλáo‡ŋtí μo, 'be merciful to me.' There is also another word of the same original, and a like signification, viz. iλaorηptov, twice also used; Rom. iii. 25. there translated' a propitiation;' and Heb. ix. 5. where it is used for, and also rendered the mercy-seat;' which will give some light into the meaning of the word. That which, Exod. xxv. 17. is called Capporeth, from Caphar, properly to cover, is here called iλaorʼnρiov, that which Christ is said to be; Rom. iii. 25. Now this mercyseat was a plate of pure gold, two cubits and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, like the uppermost plate or board of a table, that was laid upon the ark, shadowed over with the wings of the cherubim. Now this word ♫ comes as was said from whose first native and genuine sense is 'to cover' (though most commonly used to expiate'). This plate or mercy-seat, was so called, because it was placed upon the ark and covered it, as the wings of the cherubim hovered over that; the mystical use hereof, being to hide, as it were, the law or rigid tenor of the covenant of works, which was in the ark; God thereby declaring himself to be pacified or reconciled, the cause of anger and enmity being hidden. Hence the word cometh to have its second acceptation; even that which is rendered by the apostle iλaorpiov ' placamen,' or 'placamentum,' that whereby God is appeased. This, that did plainly signify, being shadowed with the wings of the cherubim, denoting God's presence in power and goodness, which were made crouching over it, as the wings of a hen over her chickens. Hence that prayer of David, to be hid under the shadow of God's wings; Psal. xxxvi. 7. lvii. 1. lxi. 4. lxiii. 7. xci. 4. (and perhaps that allusion of our Saviour; Matt. xxiii. 37.) intimating the favourable

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