doth comprehend every particular man, of what estate or condition soever, in what age of the world soever. But the world in the text doth not comprehend all men of all ages, nor every man of any age yet passed, but the world as it is set against the Jewish Nation only; not comprehending every particular man of the Jewes or Gentiles, but so many, and so considered, as they give reason of that opposition. Looke in what respects God is said to have chosen the Jewes to be his peculiar people in the time of the Law, but now in times of the Gospell to love the world in opposition to that peculiar favour at that time manifested to them alone, in that sence is the world of Jew and Gentile to be understood, and so many comprehended under it.
Fourthly, They say, Christ died for the world in respect of impetration or acquisition of righteousnesse, not of the application of his death. But this world which God so loved, was called by the Gospell, and did enter into Covenant with God, and God with them: The world which Christ came to save was a world in Covenant, and whereunto he preached peace: and so the death of Christ was applied unto them by the word and Sacraments, and received by them in respect of faith temporary and profession. For when God enters into Covenant with a people, and they accept the conditions, and give up their names unto God, they doe in a sort apply the death of Christ unto themselves; and possesse some fruits and benefits thereof. And therefore, either these passages must be interpreted of Gods giving Christ to die for the world in a speciall manner, or from them it may undeniably be concluded, that he died not for all man-kind. For that which in speciall love was given in peculiar manner to the world of Jew and Gentile in the times of the new Testament, that is not the effect of common love, given to all and every man in all ages; but God of his speciall love to the world of Jew and Gentile in the daies of the new Testament gave Christ to die for them: therefore of common love he did not give him to die for all man-kind of every age and condition. And seeing God loved some, and but some, according to the true sence of these places, so as to give Christ to die, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, &c. Yea some considered for the present in the state of impenitency, unbelief and obstinacy,Deut 9.9. & 32.28. and (it may be) given up unto a reprobate sence, whereas he cast off many Nations in former ages, much more par-ticular
