CHAPTER I – Arguments against Universal Redemption
CHAPTER I – Arguments against Universal Redemption Arguments against the universality of redemption - The first two from the nature of the new covenant, and its dispensation.
ARGUMENT 1. The Covenant is not universal but particular.
The first argument may be taken from the nature of the covenant of grace, which was established, ratified, and confirmed in the death of Christ. It was the testament of which Christ was the testator. That is why his blood is called "The blood of the new testament," Matt. 26:28. No effects of that covenant can be extended beyond its scope. And this covenant was not made universally with all, but particularly with some. Therefore only those with whom it was made were intended to benefit from the death of Christ.
This assumption appears from the nature of the covenant itself, described clearly in Jer. 31:31, 32, "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD." We find this repeated in Heb. 8:9-11,
"Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in my covenant, and I did not consider them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws in their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be a God to them, and they shall be a people to me: and every man shall not need to teach his neighbor and his brother saying, 'Know the Lord': for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest."
For this reason, the condition of the covenant is not said to be required, but is absolutely promised: "I will put my fear in their hearts."
88 This is the main difference between the old covenant of works and the now one of grace. The Lord not only requires the fulfilling of the prescribed condition,
but he promises to effect it in those with whom the covenant is made.
Without this spiritual efficacy, the truth is, the new covenant would be as weak and unprofitable as the old one. The purpose of the covenant is to bring us to God and bind us to him. The weakness and unprofitableness of the old covenant, and the reason why God in his mercy abolished it, was because our sin made us unable to fulfill its condition that we, "do this, and live."
89 Otherwise the connection is still true, that "the one who does these things shall live."
90 Are we any more able to fulfill the condition of the new covenant by ourselves? Is it not as easy for a man by his own strength to fulfill the whole law, as to repent and savingly believe the promise of the gospel? This, then, is one main difference of these two covenants: in the old one, the Lord only required the condition; now, in the new one, he also effects it in all those to whom the covenant is extended. If the Lord only exacted the obedience required of us in the covenant, and he did not also work and effect it in us, then the new covenant would only be for show, increasing our misery. It would not seriously impart and communicate grace and mercy to us. If this is the nature of the new testament, as it appears to be from its very words, and the condition of the covenant will certainly be worked in all those who are included in the covenant by free grace, then only those who are included this covenant will have its conditions effected in them.
It is apparent that the covenant is not made with all, for "all men do not have faith."
91 It is the "faith of the elect of God."
92 Therefore, the covenant is not made with all, nor is its scope extended beyond the remnant of the elect. Indeed, every blessing of the new covenant is certainly common, and is to be communicated to all the covenantees.
93 If the covenant is general, then either faith is not one of the blessings, or all must have it. Some may say that, while it is true that God promises to write his law in our hearts and put his fear in us, it is on condition. Give me that condition, and I will yield.
Is it if they believe? Nothing else can be imagined. That is, if they have the law written in their hearts (as everyone who believes has), then God promises to write his law in their hearts! Is this probable, friends? Is it likely? I cannot be persuaded that God has made a covenant of grace with all, especially those who never heard a word of covenant, grace, or its condition, nor have received the grace to fulfill that condition. Without that grace, the whole thing is useless.
The covenant is made with Adam, and he is acquainted with it, Gen. 3:15. It was renewed with Noah and not hidden from him.
94 It was again established with Abraham, accompanied with a full and rich declaration of its chief promises, Gen. 12. It is most certainly not effected towards all, as will afterwards be apparent. That first distinction, between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, is enough to overthrow the pretended universality of the covenant of grace. Who dares affirm that God entered into a covenant of grace with the seed of the serpent?
It is most apparent, then, that the new covenant of grace, and its promises, are distinguished in their mercy, restricted to the people whom God foreknew, and so they are not universally extended to all. The blood of Jesus Christ is the blood of this covenant. His oblation is intended to procure the good things the covenant promised, for he was the surety of the covenant, Heb. 7:22. It is inconceivable that his oblation was made for anyone but those intended in this covenant.
ARGUMENT II. If the intent was universal, it must be known universally.
If the Lord intended to procure pardon of sin and reconciliation with God for everyone, to be enjoyed on the condition that they believe, then this good will of God ought to be made known to all by the word so that they might believe. "For faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God," Rom. 10:17. If these things are not made known to those for whom the Lord has procured so great a good, then one of these things will follow: either they may be saved without faith in or knowledge of Christ, or else this purchase by Jesus Christ and the good will of God is plainly in vain.
The first is false, and proved so. Those for whom he died cannot have knowledge of Christ unless he is revealed to them. The second will only frustrate them; in fact, it plainly mocks them. For his purchase will not help them out of misery, nor will it serve the justice of God to leave them inexcusable. What blame can be put on them for not embracing and using a benefit which they never heard of?
Does it become the wisdom of God to send Christ to die for men so that they might be saved, declaring that unless they hear and believe they cannot be saved, and then not cause them to hear about it? What wise man would
pay a ransom to deliver captives, upon their acknowledgement of his payment, when he is sure they will never know the payment was made, and so will never be freed? Does this reflect the goodness of God, to deal with his poor creatures in this way? Would he demonstrate the most intense love imaginable for them by sending his Son, a love beyond all compare and illustration, and yet never let them know of it? And then, in the end, damn them for not believing it? Does it reflect the love and kindness of Christ, to assign to him at his death this resolution: "By this oblation, I will obtain for everyone peace and reconciliation with God, redemption and everlasting salvation, and eternal glory in the high heavens. I will do so even for all those poor, miserable, wretched worms, those condemned prisoners, who should expect the sentence of condemnation every hour. All of this will be bestowed on them, if they will only believe. Yet, I will arrange things in such a way that countless souls will never hear one word of all that I have done for them. They will never be persuaded to believe. They will never learn of me as the object of their faith, that by believing in me they might indeed partake of these things." Was this the mind and will, the design and purpose, of our merciful high priest? God forbid.
It is like a prince proclaiming that there are a number of captives held in bondage below, and having an immense treasure, he is resolved to redeem every one of them. And so, every one of them who comes out of prison will thank him for his good will. In the meantime, he never takes care to let these poor captives know his mind and pleasure; yet, unless he effects it himself, it will never be done. Would this not be thought a vain and ostentatious flourish, without any good intent towards the captives?
Or it would be like a physician saying that he has a medicine that will cure all diseases. He says that he intends to cure the diseases of everyone, but he lets only a few know his mind, or anything of his medicine. And yet, without relating this information, it will be known to very few. Will he be thought to desire, intend, or aim at, the recovery of everyone?
Now, it is clear from the Scripture, and from our experience in all ages, under both old and new covenants, that countless men and whole nations have been passed by in the declaration of this mystery. The Lord does not effect that it will, by any means, or in the least measure, be revealed to all.
They do not hear so much as a rumour or a report of any such thing.
Under the Old Testament, "In Judah God was known, and his name was great in Israel; his tabernacle was in Salem, and his dwelling-place in Zion," Ps. 76:1, 2. "He showed his word to Jacob, and his statutes and his judgments to Israel. He has not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them," Ps. 147:19, 20. There are also those passages naming and cursing the heathen, such as Jer. 10:25, "Pour out your fury on the heathen who do not know you, and on the families who do not call on your name." You have a full description of them in Eph.2:12. They are those "without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world."
Under the New Testament, the church has indeed "lengthened her cords, and strengthened her stakes."
95 "Many nations have come up to the mountain of the Lord."
96 In fact, there are so many as to be called "all people,"
97 "all nations,"
98 indeed, the "world,"
99 and the "whole world,"
100 at least by comparison to the small precinct of the church of the Jews. Yet the Scripture and our own experience make it clear that many are passed by, millions of souls, who have never heard a word of Christ, nor of reconciliation by him. For this, we can give no other reason but this: "Even so, Father, it seemed good in your sight," Matt. 11:26. The Holy Ghost expressly forbids the apostles to go to various places, sending them another way, Acts 16:6, 7, 9, 10. This is a reflection of the former dispensation in some respects. God "in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways," Acts 14:16. And as for our experience, not to be specific, ask any of our brothers who have spent any time in the Indies, and they will easily convince you of the truth of that.
The exceptions made against this argument are poor and frivolous, and we reserve a full reply for later. In brief, how is it to be revealed to the thousands of offspring of infidels, whom the Lord cuts off in their infancy, so that they may not pester the world, persecute his church, nor disturb human society? How is it revealed to their parents? Paul affirms that they may be led to the knowledge of God's eternal power and Godhead by his works, but it is utterly impossible for them to know anything of redemption or a Redeemer.