Death of death in the death of Christ - Owen - VIII - Book III, Chapters 1 & 2 of Book 3

Required reading
Death of death in the death of Christ by John Owen (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Book III by reading Chapters 1 and 2 of Book 3.

My summary
Now we begin a new section that gives arguments against universal redemption.  This week we look at five of the arguments.

Universal redemption is not true because:
(i) the covenant of grace was not made with all;
(ii) the way of redemption is not revealed to all;
(iii) the absolute nature of Christ's purchase of salvation;
(iv) man is clearly distinguished into two sorts for eternity;
(v) nowhere in Scripture does it say Christ died for all men.

What grabbed me
I liked the point that nowhere in Scripture does it say Christ died for all men: 'ARGUMENT V. That is not to be asserted and affirmed which the Scripture doth not anywhere go before us in; but the Scripture nowhere saith Christ died for all men, much less for all and every man (between which two there is a wide difference, as shall be declared): therefore, this is not to be asserted. It is true, Christ is said to give his life “a ransom for all,” but nowhere for all men. And because it is affirmed expressly in other places that he died for many, for his church, for them that believe, for the children that God gave him, for us, some of all sorts, though not expressly, yet clearly in terms equivalent, Rev. v. 9, 10, it must be clearly proved that where all is mentioned, it cannot be taken for all believers, all his elect, his whole church, all the children that God gave him, some of all sorts, before a universal affirmative can be thence concluded. And if men will but consider the particular places, and contain themselves until they have done what is required, we shall be at quiet, I am persuaded, in this business. '

Although Christ is said to die for all in the Bible, this cannot mean every individual in light of what the rest of Scripture says about Christ's death.

Next week's reading
Read Chapters 3 and 4 of Book 3.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.