ded of the daies of grace, or times of the new Testament, we must not conceive, that all men now called Gentiles, were in former ages of the Church utterly cast off, and shut out of Covenant, or that the gift of Christ to Jew and Gentile is so restrained to the daies of grace, as that he was not given to the faithfull, whether Jew or Gentile, in all ages: but that the transcendent love of God in giving his Sonne to die, and in him receiving the world of Jew and Gentile into the new Covenant is peculiar (specially after the distinction of Jew and Gentile) to the times of the Gospel. This might easily be confirmed, both for the substance of matter, and the sence of these passages, out of their writings that be the stiffest maintainers of the point in hand. See Vorst. Parasc. cap. 4. & 7. Corv. in Mol. cap. 31. § 33. Exam. censur. cap. 8. Vorst. de Deo not. ad disput. 1. Now then let us compare their position, and those texts together, and see whether they consent or dissent one from another.
First, The love wherewith God so loved man fallen, as to give his Sonne to die (I speake according to their opinion) is common to all men; an incompleate will and affection, whereby God loved them as men; or a volition and intention of being reconciled. But the love mentioned in this text is a love speciall to some ages and some men, not common to every man in all ages. It was a speciall love, whereby the Lord loved the Jewes as his peculiar treasure, above all Nations of the earth, in the time of the Law, Deut. 7. 6. & 10. 14. & 26. 6. & 32. 8. 2 Sam. 7. 23. 1 King. 8. 53. Psal. 33. 12. & 100. 3. & 143. 5. And it is a speciall love, not common to all ages, much lesse to every man in every age, whereby the Lord hath loved the world of the Gentiles, in the daies of the Gospell, to take them for his people. And this love is true love, though many pervert the grace of God to their owne destruction.
Secondly, The world for which Christ died was man-kind considered as fallen in Adam; for unbeliefe followeth the death of Christ, cannot be precedent to it. But here the world comprehends unbeleevers and impenitent in respect of their present state: and not such only as may fall into unbelief and impenitencie: even such impenitent and obstinate, as the Scripture saith, could not believe, Joh. 12. 39.
Thirdly, The world for which Christ died, (as they teach)doth
