The
First Epistle of the Apostle Paul to Timothy
Chapter
2:4
4
Who will that all men shall be saved, and come unto the acknowledging
of the truth.
The
salvation which God wills that all men should enjoy, is not a
mere possibility of salvation, or a mere putting them into a salvable
state; or an offer of salvation to them; or a proposal of sufficient
means of it to all in his word; but a real, certain, and actual
salvation, which he has determined they shall have; and is
sure from his own appointment, from the provision of Christ as a
Saviour for them, from the covenant of grace, in which everything is
secured necessary for it, and from the mission of Christ to effect
it, and from its being effected by him: wherefore the will of God,
that all men should be saved, is not a conditional will, or what
depends on the will of man, or on anything to be performed by him,
for then none might be saved; and if any should, it would be of him
that willeth, contrary to the express words of Scripture; but it is
an absolute and unconditional will respecting their salvation, and
which infallibly secures it: nor is it such a will as is
distinguishable into antecedent and consequent; with the former of
which it is said, God wills the salvation of all men, as they are his
creatures, and the work of his hands; and with the latter he wills,
or not wills it, according to their future conduct and behaviour; but
the will of God concerning man's salvation is entirely one,
invariable, unalterable, and unchangeable: nor is it merely his will
of approbation or complacency, which expresses only what would be
grateful and well pleasing, should it be, and which is not always
fulfilled; but it is his ordaining, purposing, and determining will,
which is never resisted, so as to be frustrated, but is always
accomplished: the will of God, the sovereign and unfrustrable will of
God, has the governing sway and influence in the salvation of men; it
rises from it, and is according to it; and all who are saved God
wills they should be saved; nor are any saved, but whom he wills they
should be saved: hence by all men, whom God would have saved, cannot
be meant every individual of mankind, since it is not his will that
all men, in this large sense, should be saved, unless there are two
contrary wills in God; for there are some who were before ordained by
him unto condemnation, and are vessels of wrath fitted for
destruction; and it is his will concerning some, that they should
believe a lie, that they all might be damned; nor is it fact that all
are saved, as they would be, if it was his will they should; for who
hath resisted his will? but there is a world of ungodly men that will
be condemned, and who will go into everlasting punishment: rather
therefore all sorts of men, agreeably to the use of the phrase in ( 1
Timothy 2:1 ) are here intended, kings and peasants, rich and
poor, bond and free, male and female, young and old, greater and
lesser sinners; and therefore all are to be prayed for, even all
sorts of men, because God will have all men, or all sorts of men,
saved; and particularly the Gentiles may be designed, who are
sometimes called the world, the whole world, and every creature; whom
God would have saved, as well as the Jews, and therefore Heathens,
and Heathen magistrates, were to be prayed for as well as Jewish
ones. Moreover, the same persons God would have saved, he would have
also come to the knowledge of the truth. of Christ, who is the truth,
and to faith in him, and of all the truth of the Gospel, as it is in
Jesus; not merely to a notional knowledge of it, which persons may
arrive unto, and not be saved, but a spiritual and experimental
knowledge of it; and all that are saved are brought to such a
knowledge, which is owing to the sovereign will and good pleasure of
God, who hides the knowledge of Gospel truths from the wise and
prudent, and reveals them to babes: whence it appears, that it is not
his will with respect to every individual of mankind; that they
should thus come to the knowledge of the truth; for was it his will
they should, he would, no doubt, give to every man the means of it,
which he has not, nor does he; he suffered all nations to walk in
their own ways, and overlooked their times of ignorance, and sent no
message nor messenger to inform them of his will; he gave his word to
Jacob, and his statutes unto Israel only; and the Gospel is now sent
into one part of the world, and not another; and where it does come,
it is hid to the most; many are given up to strong delusions to
believe a lie, and few are savingly and experimentally acquainted
with the truths of the Gospel; though all that are saved are brought
to the knowledge of such truths as are necessary to salvation; for
they are chosen to it through sanctification of the Spirit, and
belief of the truth.
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