Law But c. Ergo c. Prob. Min. that the Law knoweth no other satisfaction but fulfilling Argu. 1. Satisfaction strictly as distinct from fulfilling is Redditio aequivalentis But the Law as continuing the same cannot commute or substitute the aequivalens vel tantundem for the Idem or proper Debt 2. It is essential to the Law to constitute the Debitum vel officij vel Poenae But it constitutes not the Debitum alterius speciei vel tantidem else it should confound the ipsum debitum with the aequivalens The Law never imposed it on Christ to satisfie for our sins This was the obligation of his own Sponsion 3. Satisfaction which is the giving of the value for the proper Debt implyeth a relaxation of the Law to its acceptance But the Law cannot relax it self Ergo c. 4. To admit of satisfaction is the Act of the Lawgiver or Rector as he is above Law therefore it is no act of the Law As to make a Law to pardon an Offender to abrogate a Law c. are acts of one above the Law so is the relaxing of the Law in pardoning the Sinner and taking Christs sufferings for ours Can any obligation dissolve or remit it self 5. If the Law did neither threaten Christ in the first enacting of it nor hath power to change it self since by assuming another sense then Christs sufferings were neither a fulfilling nor satisfaction to the Law At verum prius Ergâ— If the name of Christ were put into the threatning after the Law was made then the Law was changed and so is not the same and it could not change it self Indeed if another for you pay a Debt the Bond is satisfied because it was the ipsum debitum But if another will bear the Death that you deserve the Law that threatens you is not satisfied nor fulfilled But the Law-giver is satisfied and the ends of the Law attained But here note that this relaxation and non fulfilling of the Law is not total and absolute nor such as derogateth at all from the honour of the Law or Lawgiver but it is a relaxation upon such terms as preserve both fully the full weight of the threatned Punishment being born or undertaken by the Son of God before God would relax his Law 6. To this and the two former together I add If the Laws Commination be fulfilled or if Christ suffered the same that was threatned or if we satisfied fully in Christ then we are not by that Law obliged to obedience during this Life But the consequent is false Ergo c. The reason of the consequence is this The Law obligeth aut ad obedientiam aut ad poenam disjunctively pro eodem tempore and not ad obedientiam ad poenam Now Christ hath satisfied for our sin not only against the Law of Works by Adam but against all Laws of Nature or Grace since except the non performance of the condition of the new Covenant and this to our Death So that if we have in Christ fully satisfied the threatning for all sin in this Life then we cannot be bound by the Precept after such satisfaction till after this Life be ended To say we are not obliged to the same Ends is no answer For that Law can oblige us to no ends which is fulfilled already and which did never oblige but aut ad obedientiam aut poenam propter obedientiae defectum CHAP. VII Prop. IV. It was not only the Sins of the Elect but of all even Elect and Non-elect which were the pro-causa meritoria of Christs sufferings Or it was not only the Sufferings Due to the Sins of the Elect but of all which Christ did undergo And accordingly hath made satisfaction for all IT is necessary that we speak of the efficient Causes of Christs Death before we handle the Effects And therefore we must consider quorum loco he Dyed before we consider how far they shall partake of the Benefits Here it must be remembred that we have already proved that Christ did not represent our Persons in satisfying but yet he bore our sins that is the penalty due to them and so did in a larger sence suffer nostro loco or nostri loco not as our Delegate or proper â—â—carius but as a voluntary Sponsor and so substitute in suffering Also understand that Christs sufferings had no real proper meritorious Cause But yet Mans sins were the pro-causa meritoria He undertook to bear that suffering which for them was due to us not to him And therefore when I say he bore the sufferings due to us I mean it materialiter only such sufferings for kind and weight he bore but his obligation to bear them was only from his own Sponsion and not the Law The Law by constituting the Dueness of punishment to us was the occasion of his suffering it but not the obliging cause I add that accordingly he hath satisfied for all For this will not be denyed if the first be proved For he satisfied by suffering what the Sinner deserved And in whose stead soever he suffered for them he satisfied Now I shall think it meet to stand the longer on this point because the decision of the main Question Whether Christ dyed for all men dependeth mainly on it For the strictest sence in which he is said to die for men is to die in their stead or to Die for their Sins as the procuring Cause on his own undertaking Yield this once and we shall much easilier agree on the second Part Pro quorum beneficio or what the benefits be which Christ hath procured to all At least no man will think it unmeet to say that Christ died for all men if we can prove that he dyed for the sins and in the stead of all and satisfied Gods Justice for all And if he dyed for them it is certain that he satisfied for them as is said because God doth neither require nor accept the Death of his Righteous Son but as it is necssary to the satisfaction of his justice for Sin Lastly remember that I put the word all as contradistinct from the Elect pleading specially against them that would confine Christs satisfaction only to the Elect Not that I doubt of Christs sufferings for all in the utmost universality but I think it far safer to dispute it as to all that hear the Gospel For God hath plainlier shewed us how he dealeth with these than the rest and it is not fair nor profitable to carry the disputation into the obscurest part to lose it rather than determine it And if any agree with me in this that I prove That Christ satisfied for all that hear the Gospel I will not trouble them with disputing it about the rest but willingly let them enjoy their opinion though contrary to mine as judging it to be to us of far lesser moment My Arguments shall be first from the scope of Scripture Doctrine and 2. From some particular Texts
under the meer Law of Works as remediless Men are not then examined meerly whether ever they Sinned nor accused meerly as Sinners But the Question will be of that Sin in Specie which consisteth in refusing to repent or believe or abusing that mercy which should have led them to repentance Mat. 25. It is for not improving their Talents which is not the legal reason as the Law of Works is alone or for not loving and cherishing Christ Jesus in his Members It is for not knowing God nor obeying the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ It is true that all their Sins also against the Law shall cause their condemnation for they were never pardoned But that is consequentially because they abused the Grace that should have recovered them and so the Wrath of God abideth on them that would not yield to his means for removing it I no where read that God will make this Rigorous Law alone the Norma Judicii and pass sentence on any meerly on these terms If thou have never Sinned thou shalt be saved else thou shalt be condemned so that if we have no discovery what way or on what terms in special God will judg them that hear not of Christ yet we have a plain discovery of the Negative that he will not deal with them on the forementioned terms of the sole Covenant of Works And consequently for the affirmative we are sure in general that he deals with them upon terms of Grace i. e. Mercy contrary to their desert More of this may be added anon Arg. 5. Ab aequitate novae Legis Credendi Debitum Constituentis The Faith which God requireth of Men to their Justification hath not a feigned or deceiving object But it should have such an object if Christ have not satisfied for all who are commanded to belieâ— ergo c. Or tâ—â—s if Christ have not satisfied for all who are commanded to believe in him to Justification then the Faith commanded them should have a feigned or deceiving object But the Faith commanded them hath not a feigned or deceiving object ergo c. All the proof requisite is of the consequence of the Major Proposition And here we must first know what the justifying Act of Faith is and then what the object must be and then the consequence will manifest it self Divines are not agreed what the justifying Act of Faith is some think it must be but one Act and therefore it must be placed but in one faculty Of these some place it only in the understanding as Camero and many others Some only in the Will as Amesius and some few with him Some and most place it in both faculties and so in divers Acts and that rightly And inded it hath divers Acts in each faculty For as it is more then one particular Truth or exunciation which is the object of Assent and therefore must have divers Acts of Assent so it is in more then one shape and profitable respect that the Goodness of the object is presented to the Will and therefore it must there have several Acts as consent affiance c. Now let us first enquire after the Acts of the understanding where I will meddle with none but what is ordinarily by Divines asserted to be justifying or prerequisite thereto And 1. I will let that pass which Dr. Twiss makes the first Act viz. To believe Gods word to be true For if it be not known what that word is here is no material object of Faith but the formal object alone 2. I will pass over the duty of repenting which Dr. Twiss saith is next required contrary to the usual Doctrine though it is manifest that repentance it self as a means to remission cannot be required but on supposition of satisfaction for Sin The common answer to the Arminians Quicquid tenemur credere verum est c. Is We are all bound to believe that Christ died for all that will believe in him See what Twiss saith against this Answer in Piscator Vindic. de promiss lib. 2. Part 2. Sect. 20. Page 475. Vol. Parv. 1. Men are not supposed first to be believers and then Christ to dye for them nor hath died at random without determining in quorum Loco in whose stead and left it to their Faith to determine afterwards He hath not said either if thou believe I will die for thee Or if thou believe that Death which I have undergone shall be tui loco in thy stead or for thy Sins Mans Sin being the loco causae meritoriae of Christs sufferings it must be determined whose Sins he should suffer for before he suffer For the meritorious cause is before the effect And therefore Christ died for them before they are believers for else how did he procure them grace to believe Not only Davenant hath well cleared this in his dissert de redempt but Twiss ubi super P. 474. could say Neque enim hujus propositionis veritas Christus est Redemptor Noster est veritas consequens fidem nostram Nec ejus falsitas est falsitas consequens infidelitatem nostram sed antecedens Antecedens inquam natura in genere causae moralis nempe meritoriae non autem in genere causae Physicae Quod eo tantum addo quoniam quod est prius natura in genere causae Physicae impossibile est ut sit posterius tempore eo quo prius est natura At quod est prius natura in genere causae moralis meritoriae presertim ex libera Dei constitutione proficiscens potest esse posterius tempore etiam eo quod est prius naturâ 2. There must therefore be some former consideration of those for whom Christ died Antecedent Moraliter to his Death And that can be nothing but for Sinners as such It is therefore for all Sinners or only for some And the Doctrine of those that contradict me is that it was not indeterminately for all that will believe but determinately to these particular Elect Persons that they may believe for whom Christ satisfied Now then according to this Doctrine all Men where the Gospel is preached are bound to believe that Christ satisfied for the Elect to procure them Faith and consequently justification that by so believing themselves may be justified But if they should so believe this Faith would not justifie them for whom Christ Died not so that here is a justifying Faith Commanded without a justifying object as I shall fullier shew anon 2. And whereas Dr. Twiss saith It is only the penitent that are commanded to believe on Christ for justification I Answer 1. Then the Impenitent shall not be condemned for not believing in Christ for justification which is false for the omission is not so much as a Sin much less damning if faith be not commanded them 2. It is nevertheless their duty because other duties as suppose repentance are first to be performed God may constitute many duties at once though they are not to be performed at once
in our dispute yet with those that are contentious and will needs insist on the supposed advantage which the state of Indians and other Pagans and their Infants do afford them I shall though unwillingly proceed further rather than prejudice the Truth But the greatest Ambiguity in our Question is in the term For. This proposition here may admit of divers Senses Sometime Christ is said to Die For our Sins Sometimes To Die For us When he is said to Die For our Sins it may be understood 1. Either for our Sins as the pro Meritorious procuring Cause of his Suffering through his own undertaking to bear what they deserved Or if any think it fitter to call them the Occasion than the Meritorious Cause they may And so to Die For our Sins is to Die through the Desert of our Sins 2. Or else he may be said to Die For our Sins Finalitèr as Sin is part of the Evil which he intended through death to free us from And so to Die For Sin is To Die against Sin As when we say This Medicine is good For such a Disease we mean it is good against it When Christ is said to Die For us it may be meant either 1. Subjectivè that he Died Loco nosiro of which more anon 2. Or Finaliter And that two ways 1. Either as we are to be his own in propriety and so 1. To be a means to his own glory 2. Or his Propriety a means to our further good And thus he dyeth For Men by way of purchase as a Man gives a Price For a Slave or Condemned Malefactor for I will not say as we buy a Beast in the Market seeing that is only for our selves and not for the good of the Beast 2. Or else more directly as we are the Finis Cui of those benefits which by his Death he procureth And so Dying For us is either taken generally respecting our selves generally considered as the Objects of his love As one Friend or Lover is said to Die for the sake of another in several Cases as in fighting for him or other way of signifying or testifying Love So generally considered Christ Died nostri gratiâ 2. Or in reference to the special Benefits which by his Death he procured for us Which Benefits might be variously considered either 1. As to be offered or to be enjoyed 2. Either quoad possibilitatem vel quoad futuritionem possessionis 3. Quoad rem ipsam vel quoad Jus ad rem with divers other Considerations which I will pass by lest by needless distinguishing I should rather obscure the point than clear it Only before I can go any farther I must needs lay down a few Distinctions which are of great moment and necessity for the right understanding of this matter 1. And first and above all we must both distinguish between the divers Effects or Ends of Christs Death and rightly consider the Reason and the Order of each of them For to know only in general that Christ dyed for us is so far from being a sufficient knowledge for a Divine that it is not sufficient to denominate a man a Christian seeing it saith no more of Christ than may be said of Stephen Peter Paul or one another For we must if called to it die for one another saith John 1 Epist 3. 16. Yet I confess the right ordering of this whole work in our Conceivings is a matter of great difficulty though of great moment At the present time will permit me only to give you this brief Account of my thoughts herein I Consider 1. What Christ did 2. Why he did it 1. That which he did was 1. In sensu Naturali to Suffer and Die 2. In sensu Legali vel Morali It was 1. In General to be Punished 2. In Special it was A voluntary bearing in the person of a Mediator in the stead of fallen Mankind that punishment in weight which for their Sin the Law of works Obliged them to bear Or to speak in the Scripture phrase which it were well if men had been contented with it is the offering himself a Sacrifice for Sin and so to take them away as a Ransom for Attonement and Propitiation 2. Why Christ did this must be answered from the Efficient and Final Causes In general Gods will is the Principal Efficient and Ultimate Final Cause of this and all things More particularly 1. God was the Author or first Cause in committing this work to his Son and sending him to do it 2. Gods Mercy and Compassion speaking after the manner of Men was the Impulsive Cause 3. Mans misery was the Occasion 4. Mans sin was another occasion as being loco Causae Meritoriae for properly there was no Meritorious Cause 5. The Laws Curse or Obligation was another occasion as being Miseriae Causa removenda 6. Christs Voluntary Sponsion or Consent was the Moral Obliging Cause supplying the place both of a Meritorious and of a Legal Obliging Cause 7. Christ himself was the Voluntary Patient 8. God himself was the Principal moral Efficient so far as it had rationem boni For he cannot be a morally deficient Cause nor an Efficient of Punishment so far as it hath in it rationem veri mali 9. Satan was the Principal Author of it as it was Evil. 10. Wicked men were the Instruments 2. And for the Ends there is two ways of discerning and expressing them The 1. is according to Gods order of Intention The 2. accordding to His Order of Attainment and Execution 1. The former is less fit for our observation both because we are utterly uncertain whether it be fully and wholly revealed seeing God may have End◠which he judgeth not fit to communicate to us and where it is not revealed either 1. By Scripture or 2. By Event it is impossible we should know it 2. And because when we do see Events yet we are so vastly distant from God and exceeding strange to his unconceivable unexpressible Nature that we know not what hath the place of an End and what of a means in the Divine Intention farther than He hath told us Nor know what Gods intention is the term being properly appliable only to Creatures and no term of Human Language in strict propriety appliable to the Nature of God But this much the Scripture Revealeth to us 1. That in the sense as God may be said to have an end Gods proper ultimate end is himself He made all things for himself and can have no lower end than himself But how himself is his end is hard to open If we say his Being as such is his End or that his Essential Glory is his End we do but darken the matter and lose our selves For neither Redemption nor any other work can either cause conserve or add to that Being and Glory If we say His Glory in the Esteem of the Creature is his utmost End we suppose him to have an End Infinitely below himself If you say that
may see my whole sence of the point in hand and all the distinctions are here couched which I intend to make use of or at least implyed Yet because some of them need a fuller explication I will next proceed to that CHAP. II. Some further necessary Distinction 1. IN the next place as I told you that it was Essential to Christs Punishment in Specie that he suffered nostro loco so because here lies the first and greatest point of the Controversie in hand quorum loco in whose stead Christ suffered and whose sin or guilt did lie upon him And also because the right or wrong understanding of this point hath so great an influence into most of the consequent points in the Body of Divinity as either much to help us or quite to overturn all I think it exceeding necessary that we here carefully distinguish of the Phrase Nostro loco or in our stead Understand therefore that a thing may be said to be done or suffered In our stead in these two sences 1. When he that doth or suffereth it doth therein Legally Personate us or Represent our Persons or do it in our Name so far that though Naturally the Agent or Patient be another person yet Legally Morally or Civiliter he is not another Thus a Deputy Delegate or Vicarius whom I send in my Name to pay a Debt is herein Legally my self What he payeth I pay Civiliter or in Law sence I shall shew you when I come to my Propositions how intollerable and desperate an Error it is overthrowing the very frame of Christianity to affirm that Christ did thus Die or Satisfie Nostro loco in our stead or any Mans stead 2. Or one is said to Do or Suffer Loco alterius in anothers stead when it is done to save another from doing it that was obliged to do it or that suffered that which another was obliged to suffer toward the freeing him from it being materially the same but not formally from the same Obligation but from the Obligation of a voluntary Sponsion and being not done or suffered in the Name or in Representation of the Person of the other But in a Third Person viz. in the Person of a Mediator Redeemer or Friend I say when a Mediator or Sponsor consenteth to bear the Punishment deserved by the Offendor and so far to have his faults imputed to him this is to suffer in his stead And thus I shall anon prove that Christ suffered in the stead of all Mankind having that Punishment on him which all mens sins deserved 2. We must also distinguish between Christs Dying Loco nostro in the foresaid sence and his Dying In nostrum Beneficium Or between his Dying for us Subrogative and Effective The former being the presupposed ground of the latter Christ is considerable first as Dying for our Sins as the pro-causa Meritoria before he is considerable as Dying for our Benefit In regard of the order of Execution as the Efficient Cause is before the end obtained I shall after shew that he Dyeth Loco omnium aequaliter all mens Sins except the after excepted being equally the Cause of his Sufferings but not In omnium Bonum aequaliter not to procure equal Benefits for all or for ought we can prove for any two 3. We must distinguish between the Sins whose Guilt Christ took upon him and bore on the Cross and those which he never took upon him or bore That is the final non-performance of the Conditions of the New Covenant 4. And so we must distinguish between 1. That Law whose Curse Christ took upon him and bore that he might deliver men from it who were obnoxious to it and obliged to bear it that is the first Law of Works And 2. That Law whose Curse he never took upon him nor bore nor ever freeth any man from who is once properly Actually and I eremptorily obliged to bear it or whom it doth actually condemn as guilty of the threatned Penalty That is the Law of Grace which is his own New Law condemning the finally Impenitent 5. We must also distinguish betwixt the fulfilling of the Law which is when it attaineth its most immediate or nearest Ends And the satisfaction to the Law-maker for not fulfilling it It is fulfilled either 1. In respect of the Precept and that is only by Perfect Obedience 2. Or in respect of the Thâ—eatning which is fulfilled only per supplicium delinquentis and not in anothers suffering For if it never threatned another then the threatning is not fulfilled in anothers suffering You must distinguish also between satisfaction to the Law and Satisfaction to the Lawgiver The fulfilling of the threatning may be called satisfaction to the Law for the not fulfilling of the Precept I shall shew you that Christ did not this but that he satisfied only the Lawgiver and not properly the Law seeing the Law cannot relax it self and therefore cannot accept of satisfaction in stead of fulfilling Yet improperly it may be said to be satisfied in that its pricipal ends are obtained though not its nearest But we must not use improper speeches without necessity 6. We must distinguish between the satisfying of God as Rector per leges and the satisfying him as Dominus absolutus Christ did not satisfie God properly as Dominus absolutus but as Rector per Legem yea as Rector per hanc Legem â—pâ—â—â—m and so satisfied him by doing and suffering that by which the chief ends of that Law may be attained Much less did God require satisfaction strictly and properly as a Creditor for a Debt Though Metaphorically our Sins and our Punishment are called Debt and so we are called Debtors and God the Creditor And so satisfaction is the Redditio equivalentis vel Tantidem non Ejusdem Yet without a metaphor punishment may be called Debitum Due But it is Due to us from God and not properly to God from us much less due to God as a Debt to a Creditor or Goods and Possessions to a Proprietary 7 We must distinguish betwixt suffering ex obligatione Legis merito peccati as we should have done if we had suffered our selves and suffering ex obligatione solius sponsionis propriae as Christ did without any Merit or Legal obligation His own Sponsion being instead of both and our Sin and Obligation being but the Occasion or Loco Causae meritoriae Obligatoriae These Distinctions are chiefly to shew what Christ did which must be known before we can clearly discern for whom The use will be after manifest More Distinctions are necessary especially about his Obedience or Fulfilling the Preceptive part of the Law and not the commination and that in his own person as obligatory to himself for the Precept obliged him though the threatning did not and not in Personâ nostrâ or as obliging us But I will proceed to those Distinctions which concern the Effects 8. We must further distinguish between Christs Death as satisfactory to
Revelation of his will 2. This Revelation of Gods will de Debito we call his Law This therefore is the second thing which I call Gods will de debito or his Legislative will that is the Law as it is signum voluntatis Divinae that is formally as a Law This I call Gods will de Debito only Metonymically as it is the sign of his will before expressed If the proper will of God were separated from this it would then be no producer of Dueness or Right at all for it would be no Law no signum it would lose its Nature as Abrogated Laws do Also observe that you must here carefully distinguish between Gods Act in making a Law and the Moral Act of that Law or of his will by that Law when it is made I call not Legislation it self God 's will de Debito or his Legislative will His ordaining the sign it self or making the Law which is his instrument is an Act of his will de rerum Eventu vel Naturae For it only maketh that instrument or sign by which Right shall be after produced but doth not directly thereby produce that Right But it is the signification and Moral Act of that Law which floweth from its Nature which doth produce Right and which we here intend The Scribe that writes a Statute and the Sovereign himself in composing the Matter Order and Terms doth but make that Signum or Instrument which being made doth therefore Institute Right because it signifieth the Sovereigns will to institute it So much for the explication of my meaning in this Distinction 2. Next I shall say somewhat to prove the soundness of it which is therefore necessary because some ignorant persons laugh at it as if we feigned two wills in God and one of them contrary to the other Otherwise to men of understanding it is not very needful And therefore I shall say but this briefly It is not two Wills in God as two distinct Essences or Faculties that I assert but only two distinct Acts Distinct I say in regard of their distinct products or Effects and so to mans apprehension though in God we say there is no diversity or distinction Yet as we cannot hansomely conceive of his will to save Peter and his will to damn Judas as one act having such different Effects so it is here Who knows not that Naturality and Morality Physicks and Ethicks Event and Right are different things and consequently we may and must distinguish of Gods willing them accordingly When a Man saith You shall do this preceptively he doth only say It shall be your duty to do it but saith not that eventually you shall do it Nor are his words false if you never do it He that saith prophetically or by prognostication you shall do this means that it shall so come to pass and if it do not his words are false But he doth not say It is or shall be your Duty 12. Accordingly we must distinguish between the antecedent and consequent Acts and Will of Christ as Ruler of Mankind For the understanding of which and avoiding mistakes observe 1. That we speak not now of Eternal Decrees but of the will of Christ in this Relation as he is the Ruler of the World and Church and as he is the conveyer of his mercies according to and by his Covenant and as he judgeth the World according thereunto 2. That by his Antecedent will and acts we mean only that which in his Government is Antecedent to Mans Obedience or Disobedience which is principally Legislation and and making his new Covenant and also the giving of Preachers and other acts which are the first part of his Administration And by his consequent Acts and Will we mean only that second part of Government which findeth Man Obedient or Disobedient and is commonly called Judgment and Execution And when we say that by his Antecedent Acts and Will Christ giveth Pardon Justification and Right to Glory equally to all we mean that as Legislator and Promiser he hath antecedently made an Universal Act of Oblivion or Deed of Gift Conditionally Pardoning c. all and no farther than Conditionally Pardoning any And when we say that he consequently justifieth and saveth none but true Christians and in that Sence dyed for no other according to his consequent will we mean that as Judge of Mankind he will give Justification and Salvation to Believers and to no others nor ever intended to do otherwise Let the Reader know that the foresaid Scheme of the Effects of Christs Death is more accurately and yet more briefly done in my Methodus Theologiae And therefore let him that disliketh the Number or Order of Distributions pass it by But I have not time to reform it here CHAP. III. Explicatory Conclusions Proposition I. CHRIST Died nullius loco so as strictly and properly and fully to represent Mens Persons as if in sensu Legali vel Civili they themselves did suffer and satisfie Prop. II. Christ Died loco nostro so as to bear that Suffering partly for kind and wholly for weight which our sins deserved and we should have born Prop. III. Christ's Dying in our stead is in order of Nature before his procuring us Benefits by his Death as the means necessary thereto Prop. IV. Christ dyed not for any Mans final non-performance of the conditions of the Law of Grace Prop. V. Christ did not bear for any the proper punishment threatned by the New Law as such nor taketh off its Actual proper obligation from any Prop. VI. Christs Obedience was a perfect fulfilling of the preceptive part of that Law whose actual obligation he submitted himself to Prop. VII Christs sufferings were not a fulfilling of the Laws commination as obliging us nor was it fulfilled but relaxed to us by a pardon Prop. VIII Christs sufferings were a satisfaction or Redditio aequivalentis non ejusdem for our not fulfilling the Precept and the Fathers not fulfilling the Threatning upon us or our not bearing the penalty Prop. IX Christs satisfaction was not made to the Law properly but to the Law-giver for the transgression of the Law Prop. X. The Law as binding us was the great Occasion of Christs Death and Loco-causa Obligatoriae But not the Obligatory Cause it self Prop. XI Christs own Sponsion and his Fathers will were the only proper obligations Prop. XII Christ satisfied God most properly as Legislator or Rector per legem operum and not without respect to his Law His satisfaction was for the obtaining the principal ends of the Law Prop. XIII Christ suffered in our stead that we might not suffer but he did not in proper sence obey in our stead that we might not obey but for our sakes and benefit and that we might obey Prop. XIV All mens sins equally were the occasion or Loco causae meritoriae of Christs sufferings except the fore excepted sins Prop. XV. Christ in suffering bore the punishment antecedently due to all Mankind
equally and not the punishment due only to some and so dyed Loco omnium aequaliter in regard of his suffering and their sin the cause Prop. XVI The purchasing meritorious Virtue of Christs Death and all the rest of the effects which follow thereupon do presuppose the satisfactory Virtue as the very ground of all and without which Christs Death would have been unacceptable to God as having only Rationem mali or at least would have been but a pattern of Patience as suffered from men Prop. XVII Christ did not purchase further benefits Loco nostro though he suffered Punishment Loco nostro Prop. XVIII God was not well pleased with Man no not the Elect nor did he acquit or justifie them when he proclaimeth himself well-pleased in and with his Son as being a perfect accomplisher of his will and when he did acquit and justifie him Prop. XIX All Mankind immediately upon Christs satisfaction are redeemed and Delivered from that Legal necessity of Perishing which they were under not by remitting Sin or Punishment directly to them but by giving up Gods Ius puniendi into the hands of the Redeemer nor by giving any Right directly to them but per meram resultantiam this happy change is made for them in their Relation upon the said remitting of Gods Right and Advantage of Justice against them and they are given up to the Redeemer as their owner and ruler to be dealt with upon terms of mercy which have a tendency to their recovery Prop. XX. In Law-sence or in respect to the Legislative will of God Christ Dyed for all men This will be explained in the following Propositions Prop. XXI Neither the Law whose curse Christ bore nor God as the Legislator to be satisfied did distinguish between men as Elect and Reprobate or as Believers and Unbelievers de presenti vel de futuro and so impose on Christ or require from him satisfaction for the Sins of one sort more than of another but for Mankind in general Prop. XXII Christ hath made satisfaction to God as Legislator and accordingly his Legal Rigorous Justice is satisfied for the Sins of all mankind as they are condemned and were to be judged directly primarily simply by that Law and hath not satisfied the Legislators Justice for some men only as Elect or for one more than another but equally for all Prop. XXIII Christ hath by his Redemption of all obtained a Novum jus Imperii over all and is Rector derivativè Supremus Prop. XXIV As those those that know not God nor his Creation are yet Gods Subjects as Creator and he their Lord So those that know not Christ nor his Redemption are yet his Redeemed and his Subjects as Redeemed and he their Lord-Reedeemer as to his Right and Law and their Obligation Prop. XXV God the Father and Christ the Mediator now dealeth with no man upon the meer rigorous terms of the first Law Obey perfectly and Live else thou shalt Die But giveth to all much Mercy which according to the tenor of that violated Law they could not receive and calleth them to repentance in order to their receiving further mercy offered them And accordingly he will not judge any at last according to the meer Law of works but as they have obeyed or not obeyed his conditions or terms of Grace Prop. XXVI Though God hath been pleased less clearly to acquaint us on what terms he dealeth with those that hear not of Christ yet it being most clear and certain that he dealeth with them on terms of Grace and not on the terms of the rigorous Law of works this general may evince them to be the Mediators Subjects and Redeemed Prop. XXVII The Law of Nature since the fall is part of the Mediators Law by which in part he governeth For it with all things is deliverto him Prop. XXVIII Man without Scripture may find that he is a Sinner and that Sin deserveth Gods wrath and his destruction and in the Creatures and Providences providing for him preserving maintaining delivering him he may find abundance of Mercy which being given to one that deserveth misery must needs evince that it comes from a most gracious disposer and tends to recovery and to further mercy Prop. XXIX Hence all Nations of the World have known themselves Sinners and all Nations have had a Hope of obtaining mercy in the pardon of their sins and thence it is that all who acknowledge a God have had some kind of Religion and expressed it in Sacrifices or Prayers for pardon and mercy which could never have been without the said Hope Prop. XXX Though it be very difficult and not very necessary to know what is the condition prescribed to them that hear not of Christ or on what terms Christ will judge them yet to me it seems to be the Covenant made with Adam Gen. 3. 15. which they are under requiring their taking God to be their only God and Redeemer and so expecting mercy from him and loving him above all as their end and chief good and repenting of Sin and Sincere Obedience according to the Laws promulgate to them to lead them further Prop. XXXI As the rigorous Law of works is so far taken down to all men that they are no longer under its imposed necessity of perfect obedience to salvation so the Mosaical Ceremonial Law is Abrogated totally and so the Obligation destroyed for all that were under it without difference of Elect or Non-Elect Prop. XXXII God the Father and Christ the Mediator hath freely without any prerequisite condition on mans part enacted a Law of Grace of Universal extent in regard of its tenor by which he giveth as by a Deed of Gift Christ himself with all his following benefits which he bestoweth as Benefactor and Legislator and this to all alike without excluding any upon condition they Believe and Accept the Offer Prop. XXXIII By this Law Testament or Covenant All men are Conditionally Pardoned Justified and Reconciled to God already and no man Absolutely nor doth it make a difference nor take notice of any till mens performance or non-peformance of the condition make a difference Prop. XXXIV This Law or Covenant Christ ordaineth Heraulds to Publish and commandeth them to Preach it to every Creature and commandeth every man in his place to publish it without excepting or excluding any from the Priviledge of receiving it Prop. XXXV As a Sovereign is not bound to cause every particular man infallibly to hear of his Laws so he maketh a convenient publick Declaration of them so Christ as Legislator is not bound to provide that every man hear of his Law whom it doth concern Men that by Nature may be convinced that there is a God and how necessary it is to know him and their Duty concerning him and how little they do know of him are bound to make all possible enquiry after the further Revelation of his will though it were by travelling into other Countries Prop. XXXVI When we say God
Young Converts that hold not Universal Satisfaction may be sincere though not rightly ordered grounded or raised Answ True for if one should conceit that Christ Dyed but for Englishmen or for a very few at least and that he is one of those few he might truly love Christ for dying for him though yet he grounded his apprehension amiss of his interest in Christ But still here is no certainty of Faith without certainty of Love Nor certainty or any knowledge of Election without the knowledge of both Faith and Love Object Then a Socinian can have no â—ertainty of Election For he that believeth not Christs Satisfaction can have no Love or Thankfulness for it Answ No wonder if he have no certainty of Election who can have no grounded hope of Salvation If it be not only some circumstances or Terms or Law-notions but the substance of this Doctrine which any Man shall deny viz. That Christ hath taken away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself and having made Purgation of our sins is ascended c. And hath by one Sacrifice perfected for ever them that are sanctified and became a Curse for us to free us from the Curse and so hath taken away the Sins of the World quoad pretium And hath born our transgressions that we might be healed by his stripes and hath Dyed for us the just for the unjust so that now we must be justified by his Blood I say he that believeth not this I think is no Christian See 1 Cor. 5. 7. Heb. 9. 26. and 10. 1 2. c. and 1. 3. and 10. 14. Gal. 3. 13. Isa 53. 4 5. John 1. 29. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Eph. 1. 17. Rom. 3. 25. and 5. 9. Col. 1. 20. Heb. 9. 22. and 13. 12. 1. Pet. 1. 2. 19. I know nothing more of moment that can be here objected and therefore will go to the next Reply 2. Which was that men may know their Election by the Testimony of the Spirit To which I answer 1. The Spirit sheweth to us the things given of God of which Love to Christ is a principal 2. The Spirit witnesseth our Election mediately and not immediately that I know of 1. By giving those graces that will prove it and do flow from it 2. By exciting them 3. By illuminating us to see them and try by them 4. Filling the Soul with those sweet affections which are a kind of tast of the Love of God But all affections are raised mediante intellectu and therefore knowledge goes before them Who can know that he rejoyceth Spiritually and that his Joy is a fruit of Election that knoweth not why he rejoiceth 3. However it is desperate Doctrine to teach poor Christians that they have no ground to Love or Thank Christ for Redeeming them till the Spirit have without any signs revealed their Election to them which I think it never doth Lastly The Spirit witnesseth with our Spirit Now our Spirit witnesseth only from evidence that we are Gods Children and not without and therefore whether the Spirit be a concurring witness in the same Testimony or its Testimony be a concomitant Testimony distinct from though conjunct with that of our Conscience I think the former yet all 's one to the point in hand seeing they witness together So much for the Minor viz. that the Elect are bound to love and thankfulness for Redemption before they know themselves Elect. Now for the consequence of the Major it it clear from what is said that the Elect could not be bound to this except the Non-Elect are also Because as is proved no Man can know whether he be Elect or not before he know himself so much as obliged to love and gratitude for Redemption For Elect and Non-Elect are not to to be discerned till Faith and love do put a difference And therefore methinks I may conclude confidently that the Non-Elect are bound to love and thankfulness for Redemption or satisfaction and therefore they are redeemed or satisfyed for If any shall make the common objection viz. The Non-elect or the Elect not yet converted are bound to love and gratitude to Christ for satisfying for all that will believe I have answered this oft already 1. The Doctrine which I oppose is that Christ hath not only died for Men if they will believe but died only for the Elect that they might believe so that it is determined by name for whom he Died and the rest he Died not for at all and therefore his Dying for another is not that which obligeth a man to Thankfulness And their Ignorance that they are excluded I have shewed can add no obligation 2. Mens believing will not cause Christ to Die for them nor is it a condition of it as if Christ would Die for Men if they will believe Believing presupposeth Christs Dying for us and what then can be their meaning that say Christ Died and Satisfied for all men if they will Believe When they say absolutely withal that he Died not for all at all but only for the Elect that they might believe Will they say that he Died for the Non-elect if they will believe Then either they must mean that he underwent the Penalty and left it undetermined quorum loco in whose stead and for whose sins it should be till their believing determine it But 1. This is as much denyed by those whom I oppose as by me 2. And it is a contradiction For it is Essential to Punishment to be propter peccatum that Relation is its formal Nature as it differs from Affliction in general And therefore Christ suffered no Punishment if it were not determinately for Sin And the meritorious cause is considered as before the effect and not after it Or else if they speak of Believing not as any condition on mans part but a Divinely-infused Character of those for whom Christ Died then the sence of their words is but this Christ Died for the Non-elect if they be Elect or Christ satisfied for all men if all men be Elect or Christ Died in stead of all if he will give Faith to all And who sees not that these words are a plain Negation and all one with these Christ satisfied not for all q. d. I leave in my Will such a Legacy to Titus if Titus be not Titus but Sempronius what Lawyer knows not that is a denyal or an illusory nothing And how then can this bind men to Love and Gratitude If I could bethink me of any other considerable Objection I would answer it But I cannot Furthermore for the Antecedency of the obligation to love mark how Christ maketh it a condition to his own Love and his Fathers as in a greater degree and as manifested Joh. 14. 21. He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Christ Loveth Men before they Love as he is Dominus Absolutus and a free Benefactor and as a Natural Lover of his own
the same Again that this sorrow of his is joy and rejoycing to thee if thou wilt believe in him When thou readest that in the Garden he prayed lying grovling on his Face sweating Water and Blood begin to think seriously what an unspeakable measure of Gods wrath was upon thy blessed Saviour that did prostrate his Body upon the Earth and cause the Blood to follow and think that thy Sins must needs be most hainous that brought such bloody and grievous pains upon him Also think it is a shame for thee to carry thy Head to Heaven with haughty looks to wallow in thy pleasures and to draw the innocent Blood of thy poor brethren by oppression and deceit for whom Christ Sweat Water and Blood and take an occasion from Christs agony to lay aside the pride of thy Heart yea even to bleed for thy own offences c. When thou readest that Christ was taken and bound think that thy very Sins brought him into the power of his Enemies and were the very bonds wherewith he was tied Think that thou shouldst have been bound in the very same manner unless he had been a surety and pledg for thee Think also that thou in the same manner art bound and tied with the Chains of thy own Sins c. Lastly think and believe that the bonds of Christ serve to purchase thy liberty from Hell death and damnation When thou hearest that he was brought before Annas and Caiphas think it was meet that thy surety and pledg who was to suffer the Condemnation due to thee should by the High Priest as by the Mouth of God be condemned And wonder at this that the very Coessential and Eternal Son of God even the Soveraign judg of the World stands to be judged and that by wicked Men perswading thy self that this so great confusion comes of thy Sins Whereupon being further amazed at thy fearful state humble thy self in dust and ashes and pray God to soften thy stony Heart that thou maist turn to him and by true Faith lay hold on Christ c. When thou readest that Barrabas the murderer was preferred before Christ c. Thy very Sins pulled on him that shameful reproach and in that for thy cause he was esteemed worse than Barrabas c. When thou readest that he was openly and judicially condemned to the cursed death of the Cross consider what is the wrath and fury of God against Sin and how great is his mercy to Sinners and in this Spectacle look on thy self and with groans of Heart say O good God what settest thou before mine Eyes I even I have sinned I am guilty and worthy of damnation Whence comes this change that thy blessed Son is in my room but of thy unspeakable mercy Wretch that I am How have I forgotten my self and thee my God O Son of God how low hast thou abased thy self for me Therefore give me grace O God that beholding my own Estate in the person of my Saviour thus condemned I may detest my Sins that were the cause thereof and by a lively Faith embrace that absolution which thou offerest me in him who was condemned in my stead and room O Lord Jesus Saviour of the World give me that Holy Spirit that I may judg my self and be as vile in my own Eyes as thou wast vile before the Jews Unite me unto thee by the same Spirit that in thee I may be as worthy to be accepted before God as I am worthy in my self to be detested for my Sins c. When thou readest that he was script of his cloathing think it was that he being naked might bear thy shame ou the Cross c. When thou readest of the complaint of Christ that he was forsaken of his Father consider how he suffered the pangs and torments of Hell as thy Pledge and Surety c When thou readest of his Death consider that thy Sins were the cause of it c. Thus far Mr. Perkins whose words I have thus largely set doown both as a pattern for Ministers how to Preach the Doctrine of Redemption and to shew the necessity there is that Ministers and People do see and discover to others their Sin in this great aggravation as they were the crucifiers of Christ and to shew you what English Ministers Preach to the People whatever they speak in Disputes and what kind of Preaching it is which hath succeeded so in England for the conversion of Souls If this be not a plain Preaching of Universal Redemption or Satitfaction as to all that hear the Gospel whom he requires so oft to consider that Their sins crucified Christ then I know not what is And if any quirke may be produced to wrest so plain words to a contrary sense I am sure the poor sinners to whom it is Preached know not ordinarily those evasions but receive it in the plain sense I could fill a Volume with the like passages as this out of our most powerful and successful Preachers Here then are two distinct aggravations of sin both necessarr to every penitent Soul both which are denyed by the denyal of Universal satisfaction The first is that our sins killed Christ as being the cause of his Death Is not a man bound to mourn over him whom his sins have pierced before he knoweth himself to be Elect How few then of the Elect themselves should do it 2. The second aggravation is that all our sins against recovering mercies are committed against him that Died for us He that denyeth both these aggravations of sin doth not a little wrong Christ and mens Souls Lastly I argue thus If without those forementioned aggravations of sin no man can truly and savingly Repent then all men are bound thus to aggravate their sins in their self accusations But without these there can be no saving Repentance Ergo c. The consequence of the Major is proved in that all men are bound truly to Repentance even with that which is called Repentance unto Life The Antecedent or Minor is proved 1. In that else it can be but a Legal Repentance and not an Evangelical if it be not for sin as the crucifier of Christ and for sin as against our Redeemer 2. From the description of true Gospel Repentance Zech. 12. 10. They shall look on him whom they have pierced and mourn over him c. Or if it were proved that there is besides this a true Repentance foregoing yet it is but part of that great work seeing this Evangelical Repentance must go close with it And if any say tha tmen are bound first to believe before they are bound to this evangelical repentance for sinning against the blood of Christ I answer 1. They are bound to both at once and the Apostles prest both at once on men To Repent and Believe 2. Most Divines make Repentance with Faith to go before Justification 3. Some have writ whole Volumes to prove that it goes before Faith it self 4. All acknowledge
Non-Elect to use no means at all for their Recovery and Salvation or else to have appointed them means which are all utterly useless and insufficient for want of a prerequisite cause without them yea which imply a contradiction 7. It maketh the True and Righteous God to make promises of Pardon and Salvation to all men on condition of believing which he neither would nor could perform for want of such satisfaction to his Justice if they did believe 8. It denieth the true sufficiency of Christs Death for the pardoning and saving of all men if they did believe 9. It makes the cause of mens Damnation to be principally for want of an expiatory Sacrifice and of a Saviour and not of believing 10. It maketh Christ to have suffered much in vain enduring as much for the sins of the Elect only as if the sins of all men had layen on him 11. Or else it dangerously extenuateth and denieth the sufferings of Christ as if he did not suffer as much as was due for the sins of all and it extenuateth his love as if he took on him only the sins of the Elect. 12. It either denieth that any but the Elect should love Christ or be thankful to him as their Redeemer yea or any Elect that have not the knowledg of their Election and so should not repent of the want of this love and thankfulness or else that they should love him and be thankful for that which never was true and never was done for them or given them 13. It maketh God to have inflicted more on Christ then was due even as much for the Sins of the Elect only as was due for the Sins of all the World 14. It leaveth all the World Elect as well as others without any ground and object for their first justifying Faith and in an utter uncertainty whether they may believe to justification or not 15. It maketh the knowledg that we have justifying Faith to go before the having of that Faith 16. It denieth the most necessary humbling aggravation of Mens Sins so that neither the Minister can tell wicked Men that they have sinned against him that bought them nor can any wicked Man so accuse himself no nor any Man that doth not know himself to be Elect They cannot say my Sins put Christ to Death and were the Cause of his sufferings Nay a Minister cannot tell any Man in the World certainly thy Sins put Christ to death because he is not certain who is Elect or sincere in the Faith 17. It subverteth Christs new Dominion and Government of the World and his general legislation and Judgment according to his Law which is now founded in his Title of Redemption as the first Dominion and Government was on the Title of Creation 18. It maketh all the benefits that the Non-Elect receive whether Spiritual or corporal and so even the relaxation of the curse of the Law without which relaxation no Man could have such mercies to befall Men without the satisfaction of Christ and so either make satisfaction as to all those mercies needless or else must find another Satisfier 19. It maketh the Law of Grace to contain far harder terms then the Law of Works did in its utmost rigor 20. It maketh the Law of Moses either to bind all the Non-Elect still to all Ceremonies and bondage-ordinances and so sets up judaism or else to be abrogated and taken down and Men delivered from it without Christs suffering for them 21. It destroys almost the whole work of the Ministry disabling Ministers either to humble Men by the chiefest aggravations of their Sins and to convince them of ingratitude and unkind dealing with Christ or to shew them any hopes to draw them to repentance or any love and mercy tending to Salvation to melt and win them to the Love of Christ or any sufficient object for their Faith and affiance or any means to be used for pardon or Salvation or any promise to encourage them to come in or any threatening to deter them 22. It makes God and the Redeemer to have done no more for the remedying of the misery of most of faln mankind then for the Devils nor to have put them into any more possibility of pardon or Salvation 23. Nay it makes God to have dealt far hardlier with most Men then with the Devils making them a Law which requireth their believing in one that never died for them and taking him for their Redeemer that never redeemed them and that on the meer foresight that they would not believe it or decree that they should not and so to create by that Law a necessity of their far sorer punishment without procuring them any possibility of avoiding it 24. It makes the Gospel of its own Nature to be the greatest Plague and Judgment to most of Men that receive it that ever God sendeth to Men on Earth by binding them over to a greater punishment and aggravating their Sin without giving them any possibility of remedy 25. It maketh the case of all the World except the Elect as deplorate remediless and hopeless as the Case of the damned and so denieth them to have any day of Grace Visitation or Salvation or any price for happiness put into their Hands 26. It maketh Christ to condemn Men to Hell Fire for not receiving him for their Redeemer that never redeemed them and for not resting on him for Salvation by his Blood which was never shed for them and for not repenting unto life when they had no hope of mercy and Faith and repentance could not have saved them 27. It putteth sufficient excuses into the Mouths of the condemned 28. It maketh the torments of conscience in Hell to be none at all and teacheth the damned to put away all their sorrows and self accusations 29. It denieth all the privative part of those torments which Men are obliged to suffer by the obligation of Christs Law and so maketh Hell either no Hell at all or next to none 30. And I shall anon shew how it leads to Infidelity and other Sins And after this what Face of Religion is left unsubverted Not that I charge those that deny Universal satisfaction with holding all these abominations but their Doctrin of introducing them by necessary consequence It is the opinion and not the Men that I accuse 2. Next let me give you some express Texts of Scripture which I shall anon run over more fully and vindicate and see which opinion is the truth of God Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life 2 Pet. 2. 1 20 21. But there were false Prophets also among the People even as there shall be false teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction 20. 21. And as Jude hath it 4. There are certain Men crept
with some For they deny that Christ is given conditionally to any Unbeliever Elect or not Elect but only is decreed for the Elect before time and given to Believers in time The Sence is that there is no conditional promise or deed of Gift but all absolute For if it be made only to Men that do believe their first believing cannot be the condition and if it be made on condtion of First believing it is made to Men that do not yet believe But the main Scope of the Gospel proves the Minor by proving the conditional Gift or promise As the Texts even now cited among others Where note to put it out of doubt 1. That the time of Gods enacting this Law or making this Testament Gift or promise was before we were born and therefore before we believed 2. that in its nature it first speaks to unbelievers as its Subject For who will offer a gift to us to be accepted that it may be ours if we have accepted it already Nay how can it be accepted before it is offered And how can we consent to have Christ and so be united to him except he first give himself to us on condition that we will consent 3. Note that the promise is made in most proper conditional terms If thou confess with thy Mouth and believe in thy heart Rom. 10. That whosoever believeth should not perish c. 4. And also note that faith hath here the Definition of a condition agreeing to it i. e. It is an Arbitrary act on which the free Donour hath suspended the efficacy of his Testament or Deed of Gift It is Arbitrary conditions that we have here to speak of which some call Potestative And not casual or mixt So to suspend the effect of the Instrument that hoc posito efficiet donec ponatur non efficiet that upon the doing or not doing the Effect shall follow or not follow and this by the Positive ordination of the Donor is the very essence of a Condition in Law-sence And such â—s Faith And what Divine except Antinomians doth deny Faith to be the Condition And if it be so then the Promise or Conditional Gift must needs be made to Unbelievers that it may become effectual when they believe For it can be no condition in this proper sence if it be past already And therefore it must needs be made to all Unbelievers seeing Scripture limitteth it not to any but speaketh universally Inded it is a very hard questionhow far the promulgation may be said to be Universal and how far not But that is nothing against the Universality of the Tenor of the Law or Gift And the command to the Promulgators is Go into all the World and Preach the Gospel to every Creature Next let us prove the consequence of the Major Proposition and that thus The thing conditionally given is Pardon purchased by Christs Blood shed for the Sinner to whom it is Given Therefore the gift presupposeth the shedding of his Blood for that Sinner The Antecedent hath two branches to be proved 1. That the Pardon conditionally given to all is a pardon purchased by Christs Blood 2. That it is by Christs blood as shed for him to whom that pardon is given For the first there is no Pardon given any other way but by Christs blood shed therefore this is from his Bloodshed 1. If there be Remission which is not purchased by Christs blood shed then there are two distinct ways of Remission one by his blood and another without But the consequent is false Ergo c. 2. If there be a remission without Christs bloodshed then all remission might have been without it But the consequent is false else Christ Dyed needlesly 3. Heb. 9. 22. Without shedding of Blood there is no Remission 4. Heb. 9. 16. For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the Death of the Testator But this conditional Gift is Christs Testament So ver 15. For this cause he is the Mediator of the new Testament that by means of Death for the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of Eternal Inheritants viz. all that are externalâ—y called receive the conditional Promise and Believers the thing promised 5. Luke 24. 46 47. It behoved Christ to â—uffer and Rise from the Dead the third day and â—hat Repentance and Remission of Sins should be reached in his name among all Nations c. â—o that even Remission Preached that is offered â—n condition of repentance and Faith presupposeth Christs Death as the Cause 6. In the Institution of his Supper he calleth â—e Cup the New Testament in his Blood that this signifieth my Blood which procureth the â—ew Testament Now none sure dare say that the â—â—omise of Pardon and Life on condition of Beâ—â—ving is not the New Testament either whole or â—â—t 7. And therefore it is called the Blood of the â—venant even to them that tread it under â—â—â—t Heb. 10. 29. and 13. 20. Zech. 9. 11. 8. Justification is by Christs Blood Rom. 5. 9. Being Justified by his Blood But Justification is the Effect of this Conditional Covenant or Gift when the Condition is performed therefore the effect of this Covenant is from Christs blood and consequently the Covenant it self which is an intermediate cause Though there be other sorts of Justification yet that this is one and the first is undenyable 9. Actual Remission to Believers is from Christs Blood Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the remission of Sins Col. 1. 14. therefore conditional remission to unbelievers is from his Blood The reason of the consequence is that Christ procureth the Effect of Justification or Remission not immediately by his Blood as shed but by procuring the Covenant or Promise as the immediate Cause and the effect by that Cause and it is the same Gift oâ— Covenant which conditionally Justifieth all and actually Justifieth Believers and that without any other â—â—tervening act of God When the condition is performed whose Nature is to suspend the Effect then the effect resulteth from thaâ— same Promise which before did not effect Indeed Christ giveth his Spirit to causé his Own tâ— perform the condition but still the justifying aâ— is by the conditional Covenant If therefore iâ— be the same promise which effectually justifieâ— the Elect and only conditionally justifieth otheâ— and Christs Blood causeth that promise which eâ— fectually justifieth the Elect then his Bloâ—â— caused that promise which conditionally justifieâ— all John 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gâ— his only begotten Son 1. For men on the Crâ—â— 2. To men by the promise that whosoever believe c. So that this conditional grant of Life comes from the giving of Christ to Death And for the second part of the Antecedent viz. That it is from Christs Blood as shed for him to whom the Promise is made And 1. Ab â—nefficacia
Men from the Accusation of the guilt of these Sins at the Bar of Christ and dare any that now boldly maintain this cause in dispute undertake to justifie and vindicate them at Judgment and prove that it was never their duty to love Christ or be thankful to him for Redeeming them and therefore that it was not their Sin that they did it not This will be a harder task then it is now to find a flourish of words which seem to prove it 6. And worse then all this They will condemn Christ for condemning them for these Sins When he hath sentenced them Go you cursed For not loving him and shewing it to his Members Mat. 25. And pronounced that Man Anathema Maranatha that loves not the Lord Jesus if these Men can prove that it was none of their duty then they must accuse Christ and his Law of injustice and condemn his condemnatory sentence 2. And as they owe Christ this Love and Gratitude so the thing that they owe it for is his Redeeming them or dying in their stead or satisfying for their Sin For 1. It is doubtless that they owe it him not only as Creator but as Redeemer and if so it is either for Redeeming others or themselves Not only for Redeeming others For 1. The nature of gratitude is to respect some benefits that our selves receive either in our own Persons or in those whose welfare is part of ours And 2. Man is naturally so near to himself and the love of himself so deeply rooted by God in his nature that he naturally looks at himself before others and values things as they respect himself 3. Others good is no mercy to us further then we participate with them in the benefit Yea Divines generally conclude that it will be so far from comforting the damned to see that the Godly are in Heaven that it will encrease their torment 4. Else it would lay no greater an obligation on these Men to love Christ and be thankful to him than it doth on the Devils that Men are redeemed or than they owe God that the good Angels are preserved while themselves are condemned 5. Scripture not only alloweth Men to love and be thankful in reference to our selves even for that which is good to us but shews it to be our duty and the nature of those affections and that for our own mercies received we are obliged hereto 2 Thes 2. 10 Men are forsaken and damned for not receiving the love of the Truth that they might be saved How oft are the Israelites all of them Commanded to love the Lord with all their Hearts as their Redeemer from Egypt which was both an effect and Type of Christs work of Redemption Deut. 6. 5. and 10. 12. and 11. 1 13 22. and 19. 9. and 30. 16. 20. Yea all Gods mercies as well as this deliverance from Egypt is made in divers of these Texts the motive that should provoke them to love and thankfulness And doubtless these are all effects of the Death of Christ for them To love for love and for benefits is that which Sinners do Luk. 6. 32. Not as Sinners but from the common humanity that is left in them We love him because he first loved us 1 Job 4. 19. This because is not meant only Effectivè but also objectivè as to Gods love The first love of the Soul to Christ cannot be moved from the knowledg of Christs special love to the Soul For 1. Love accompanieth justifying Faith in the same moment And indeed in some Sense is part of it And doth not stay till the Soul discern his own believing and thence discern Gods special love 2. There is a love of desire which goes before the knowledg of Gods special love 3. Many a poor Christian loves Christ long before they know the special love of Christ And therefore this first sincere love must needs be raised from the apprehension of Christs excellency as to us and his general love to mankind Which can be no other then that which is manifested in their Redemption Object Wicked Men are bound first to believe and thtn to love when they know by their believing that Christ died for them Ans They are bound immediately in the same instant to love Christ as to believe and not to delay their love till they try their Faith or by discerning it get assurance of Gods favour They are bound to accept Christ as good for them when he is offered them And that acceptance is essentially love as it is said to be in the rational appetite He that loveth not truly believeth not truly And how can any Man prove Gods special love by the evidence of a false Faith Must Men first believe without love that by the Mark of such a Faith they may have ground for love That will be a deceitful ground as it is a deceitfull Mark Object At least Men are bound to be humbled first and believe that there is no other name under Heaven but Christs by which they can be saved and then to rest on him and love him Ans This is answered before If the humiliation and Assent that they mention be proper to the Regenerate and so be a true note of Gods special love 1. Then it will follow that other Graces go before that Faith which unites us to Christ Which few will grant 2. Then Men must find special Marks Antecedent to Faith that from thence they may gather a warrant to believe Which is false Doctrine I think in the judgment of all 2. But if these Antecedent Acts be common and such as reprobates also may perform then either every Man that performs them is bound to love Christ as his Redeemer And to rest on him for pardon Or only some If every Man then some reprobates are bound to love Christ as their Redeemer And to rest on him for pardon by his Blood-shed for them And to be thankful for his satisfaction And then certainly Christ did Redeem them by satisfying for them If but some then how shall any Man know that he is one of them So that I think I may conclude that they that deny universal satisfaction by Christs bloodshed do leave Men no ground for their first special love to Christ as Redeemer For that first love must be raised upon the knowledg of Christs general love and mercy or be groundless Seeing there is no knowledg of special love and Mercy Antecedent Object But how can the knowledg of Christs common love cause in us a special love to him Then we must love him first with a special love Ans Christ hath a special love to us before we have a special love to him But we cannot know it and therefore cannot love him for it His special love is the efficient cause of our love to him but not the objective or moving cause of our first love The love of Christ is not the less because its manifestation is general And therefore that glorious mercy of general
Heaven when he said unto them ye have Crucified the Lord of glory So that at the same time 3000 Men were pricked in their Hearts and said Act. 2. 37. Men and Brethren what shall we do to be saved Again if Christ for our Sins shed his Heart Blood and if our Sins made him sweat water and Blood O then why should not we our selves shed bitter tears and why should not our Hearts bleed for them He that finds himself so dull and hardened that the Passion of Christ doth not humble him is in a lamentable ease for there is no Faith in the Death of Christ effectual in him as yet These words shew that Perkins speaks not this only to believers 2. The meditation of the passion of Christ is a most notable means to breed repentance and reformation of Life in time to come For when we begin to think that Christ Crucified by suffering the first and 2d Death hath procured to us remission of all our Sins past and freed us from Hell Death and damnation then if there be but a spark of Grace in us we begin to be of another mind and to reason thus with our selves what hath the Lord been thus merciful to me that am of my self but a firebrand of Hell as to free me from deserved destruction and to receive me to favour in Christ Yea no doubt he hath His name be blessed therefore I will not therefore Sin any more as I have done but rather endeavour hereafter to keep my self from every evil way 3. The right knowledg of our selves ariseth from the knowledg of Christ Crucified in whom and by whom we come to know five special things of our selves The first how grievous our Sins are and therefore how miserable we are in regard of them If we consider our offences in themselves and as they are in us we may soon be deceived c. But if Sin be considered in the Death and passion of Christ whereof it was the cause and the vileness thereof measured by the unspeakable torments endured by the Son of God and if the greatness of the offence of Man be esteemed by the endless satisfaction made to the justice of God the least Sin that is will appear to be a Sin indeed and that most grievous and ugly Therefore Christ Crucified must be used by us as a mirror or Looking-Glass in which we may fully take a view of our wretchedness c. And before and for our Neighbors those specially that are of Christs Church they are to be known of us on this manner When we are to do any duty to them we must not barely respect their Persons but Christ Crucified in them and them in Christ And Page 631. The 5th point is that we owe to Christ an endless debt for he was Crucified only as our surety and pledg and in that Spectacle of his passion we must consider our selves as the chief debtors and that the very discharge of our debt that is the Sins which are inherent in us were the proper cause of all the endless pains and torments that Christ endured that he might set us most miserable Bankrupts at liberty from Hell Death and damnation For this his unspeakable goodness if we do but once think of it seriously we must needs confess that we owe our selves our Souls and Bodies and all that we have as a debt due unto him And so soon as any Man begins to know Christ Crucified he knows his own debt and thinks of the payment of it And that you may be sure that Perkins speaks not only of the Elect see Page 631. Col. 2. The common Protestant likewise cometh short herein for 3 Causes 1. Whereas in word they acknowledg him to be their Saviour this he blameth not in them that hath redeemed them from their evil Conversation yet indeed they make him a patron of their Sins The Thief makes him the receiver The Murderer makes him his refuge The Adulterer be it spoken with reverence to his Majesty makes him the Bawd c. Thus Christ that came to abolish Sin is made a maintainer thereof and the common Packhorle of the World to bear every Mans burden 2. Men are content to take knowledg of the merit of Christs passion for the remission of their Sins but in the mean season the virtue of Christs Death for the mortifying of Sin is little regarded c. 3. Men usually content themselves generally and confusedly to know Christ to be their Redeemer it seems then that it is true never once seeking in every particular Estate and condition of Life and in every particular blessing of God to feel the benefit of his passion What is the cause that almost all the World live in security never almost touched for their horrible Sins Surely the reason is because they did never yet seriously consider that Christ in the Garden lay grouling upon the Earth sweating Water and Blood for their offences Can a Man speak plainer for Christs dying for all Again all such as by fraud and oppression or any kind of hard dealing suck the Blood of poor Men never yet knew that their Sins drew out the Heart Blood of Christ And proud Men and Women that are puffed up by reason of their attire which is the badg of their shame and never cease hunting after strange fashions consider not that Christ was not Crucified in gay attire but naked that he might bear the whole shame and curse of the Law for us These and such like whatsoever they say in word are flat Enemies of the Cross of Christ and tread his precious Blood under their Feet Now then considering this so weighty and special a point of Religion is so much neglected O Man or Woman high or low young or old if thou have been wanting this way begin for very shame to learn and learning to know Christ Crucified That thou mayest attain to this behold him often c. 1. Look on him as a glass or spectacle in which thou shalt see Gods Glory greater in thy Redemption then in thy Creation c. 2. Thou must behold him as the full price of thy Redemption and perfect Reconciliation with God And pray earnestly to God that he would Seal up the same in thy conscience by his Spirit 3. Thou must behold Christ as an example to whom thou must conform thy self by Regeneration c. Read the History of Christs passion Observe all the parts and circumstances thereof and apply them to thy self for thy full Conversion When thou readest that Christ went to the Garden as his custom was where the Jews might soon attack him consider that he went to the death of the Cross for thy Sins willingly and not of constraint and that therefore thou for thy part shouldest do him all service freely Psal 110. 3. When thou hearest that in his agony his Soul was heavy unto death know it was for thy Sins and thou shouldest much more conceive heaviness of Heart for
Death offered by the Gospel The killing of the Fatling most say doth intimate the killing of Christ that he may be to us the Bread of Life and his Flesh Meat indeed and his Blood Drink indeed The Messengers are Preachers The message is the Gospel Invitation or Offer Hence therefore I thus argue If all the things are ready before hand which upon coming in to Christ are to be received yea and ready for those that refused to come and only their not coming or not coming preparedly do hinder their participation then Christ was a Sacrifice made ready even for all that refused to come But c. Ergo c. I mean not that Christ was appointed to save final refusers considered as such But he was a Sacrifice for all the Sins of the same Men except their final refusal and thereby made ready for them all those saving benefits which upon coming in they were to receive This message any Minister of the Gospel may now deliver to unbelievers Come in to Christ accept him as a Redeemer Lord and Saviour and with him pardon and Salvation for all this is ready All that is prerequisite to believing or coming in is done by Christ as far as concerned him as a Sacrifice and a Donor of his Testamentory benefits and as far as unsatisfied Justice did require All things that are requisite objectively to your believing are ready Now this could not be a truth if Christ had not been a Sacrifice for these Mens Sins For how is all ready when the very first and most needful thing is unready that is an expiatory Sacrifice for sin When satisfaction to justice is unready Can they make this Or are they called to make it Or would their coming in make it which was not before made Or would coming in serve turn without satisfaction Rather it should be said to them as to the Devils come not for nothing is ready For where Christ is not ready and satisfaction for sin not ready there nothing is ready which a sinner is called to by the Gospel The Cause being wanting all the Effects must needs be wanting Obj. All may be said to be ready in that Christs Death is sufficient for All. Ans That 's true and I desire no more if you understand it as Divines have hitherto done and as this Text proves it that is that it is a sufficient Ransom Sacrifice Price Satisfaction for all But then this implieth that it is a Ransom Sacrifice c. for All. But according to the new futile evasion it is false viz. that Christs Death was only sufficient to have been a Sacrifice or Ransom for All if God or Christ had so been willing but indeed was no Ransom for them at all For is this making all ready Is Christ any readier for those he died not for than for the Devils or than if he had never died at all VVill you send to a Prisoner and say I have paid 1000 l. for thy fellow Prisoner that owed but 500 l. the sum is sufficient to have discharged thy debt too if I had ever intended it therefore come and receive a discharge for all is ready Or will you bid your Servant go to all the Town and say I have killed and dressed meat enough for you all resolving that some of you shall never tast of it on any conditions therefore come now and partake of it all for all things are ready The Readiness that Christ speaks of here is such as supposeth all things to be ready except receiving by Faith nothing but coming is wanting Obj. But Faith it self is not ready therefore Christ died not for them Ans A false consequence which yet bears the whole fabrick of the opposers Cause 1. Doth not the Text plainly distinguish here between Faith and all the Benefits that by Faith we are partakers of Doth it not plainly say that all things else are ready when yet Faith in them was unready for they would not But the Invitation was come for all things are ready what a silly cavil would men put into the mouths of the invited teaching them to say my coming is not ready therefore all things are not ready nay nothing is made ready for me This Text expresly distinguisheth between all other things and coming and so shews that when men will not come yet all things were ready and nothing but Faith was wanting to their participation And therefore Christ may be a Sacrifice made ready for those that have not Faith and therefore receive him not 2. And you might see some of the reason of this in the Text The King in one Relation prepares the feast and in a further invites his Guests and in a further compels them to come in God and the Redeemer as preparer of the feast which is 1. By satisfying Justice 2. By enacting the New Law have made all things ready But to give Faith belongeth not to him in either of these respects 2. God and Christ as the Inviter of his Guests doth all things requisite to the invited 3. But God as one that resolveth de Eventu what particular persons shall be compelled to come in gives that Faith or so compels them Faith follows this compelling which say Interpreters truly and generally is an importunate prevailing persuasion Now may not God 1. Make Christ a Sacrifice for all ready 2. And by Legislation or conditional Donation make a free gift of Christ to all that will have him 3. And invite multitudes that will refuse and yet compel but his chosen only to come in Here it is that special differencing Grace begins in the execution and it confoundeth men in the whole body of Theology when they will needs suppose it to begin where it doth not that is in Redemption by Sacrifice All men shall one day confess all things were ready if I would have come in I had been saved it was my own wilful refusal that deprived me Obj. But why doth not God compel all to come in as well as some Ans 1. O man who art thou that disputest against God May he not do with his own as he list He compelleth some from the superabundance of his Mercy He inviteth the rest in great mercy also 2. This will be no excuse to the refusers what if God had only invited all and compelled none What if he had suffered all to perish in their wilfulness would that have been any ease to any and if he compel some is that any wrong to the rest will not Conscience say another day I perish justly that would not be saved must I need compulsion to accept of a Redeemer and Salvation with him Obj. But it is not in my Power to come I cannot Ans There 's no man that would come that can say so if you will you can yea you do come If you will not who will you blame but your self you may come if you will As your will-not may be called a cannot so it 's true you cannot
your cannot and will-not is all one As for those men that open their mouths against the most High and say that if God give not willingness and faith to men he doth but delude them to tell them that Christ died for them and to give them Christ if they will I intreat them to consider 1. God hath laid the cause of mens perdition on their own will still in his word and will do at Judgment 2. God hath taught all men naturally to accuse themselves when their wilfulness was the cause 3. The light of Nature teacheth all Nations under Heaven to lay the blame on the wilful and to make all their Laws and execute all their Judgments on that ground acquitting men so far as they can be discovered to have been forced and involuntary excusing him that can say I did it against my Will condemning those that did it willingly Deny this therefore and you deny 1. The Law of God in Scripture 2. The Law of natural Conscience 3. And overthrow all Laws of Nature and Nations and all Churches and Commonwealths Did ever any sober Prince say I will not condemn a man for wilful Murther because he hath not free-will nor power to forbear it except God give it him Or did ever wise Judge absolve an offender on that ground If a VVhore-monger or Drunkard so accustom themselves to those sins that they have contracted a habit and cannot forbear them did ever any Law-giver Judge or Wise man take that for an excuse Or rather for the most hainous aggravation of his fault God and Nature hath taught all men in their enquiries after the cause of sin to stop at mans Will and lay the blame there In intreat wise godly men therefore that they would not shut the very eyes of Nature it self and overthrow all order of things for their by-conceits and when they have done to fly in Gods Face with such horrid desperate unreverence and presumption as to say God deceives and deludes men if he give a Ransom for them and give them Christ and Pardon on condition of their willingness except he also make them willing I have before shewed it without any participation with Pelagius that all men that perish do suffer for abuse of Grace sufficient to its immediate use and end and if God will not suffer all so to perish but compel some to come in when he doth but invite others our Eye must not be evil because he is good He deals mercifully with all but more mercifully with some those therefore shall for ever glorifie his Mercy and the rest be left without all just excuse and be speechless The 9th Text is Mat. 18. 27 32 34 35. Then the Lord of that Servant was moved with compassion and loosed him and forgave him the Debt c. Then his Lord after that he had called him said unto him O thou wicked Servant I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me shouldst not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow Servant even as I had pity on thee And his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the Tormentors till he should pay all that was due unto him So likewise shall my Heavenly Father do also to you if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his Brother their trespasses Here it 's plainly said by Christ himself that the debt was forgiven him who afterward perished Whence I argue ab offectu ad causam therefore Christ died for him For without Blood there is no remission Two things are said against this 1. That Theologia parabolica non est Argumentativâ— Ans And I am sure that Christ's Theology is not delusory or false If he taught by Parables then his Parables were and are teaching and if teaching then we may argue from them But consider though it 's certain that nothing in Parables is to be stretched beyond the intent yet this is the plain sense and intent Christ shewing that those that have received mercy for their own sins must forgive others or else they shall perish as ungrateful for what they had received and as unmerciful to others 1. It is twice over expresly said that he forgave him the Debt 2. The effect followed he loosed him viz. from Prison 3. It is the aggravation of his following sin to be ungrateful for his own pardon and there is no ingratitude possible if it had not been true that he received that mercy himself 4. Christ expresly openeth and applieth all this to his own Disciples saying so also will my Heavenly Father do to you if you from your Hearts forgive not c. so that it is past doubt that this forgiveness was real 2. The other objection is this Those that are forgiven never fall away or perish and therefore this parable is not so to be understood Ans The text saith plainly the debt was forgiven and therefore it is certainly true There is a fourfold forgiveness of sin which I desire may be well observed First upon Christs undertaking to suffer and so his moral satisfying God the Father as the offended Legislator of the Law of Nature remitted his right of punishing and advantage of honouring his Justice meerly on that ground and in that Relation suspending the obligation of that Law and delivering up the sinner and all his Debts into the full power or hands of him that Redeemed him giving him authority to give remission to whom he pleased on terms of Grace so that as Christ and not man did satisfie Justice so it seemed most meet to the Wisdom of God that Christ and not man himself should be the first receiver of the pardon and other benefits but with this difference 1. Christ receiveth them eminenter in potestate conferendi as he hath power to confer them on the Redeemed But we receive them from Christ formaliter in themselves 2. Christ receiveth them for our good It is not the pardon of any sins of his own that he receiveth But we receive them for our own good So that God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son and he that hath the Son hath life God hath put a Pardon for us into Christs hands in giving him this Power and Christ must be the conveyer to us in the exercise of his Power For as the Father Judgeth no man but hath committed all Judgment to the Son so he Absolveth no man but hath committed all Absolution to the Son For Absolution is one half of Judgment That is God as the Rector according to the meer Law of Nature and as meer Creator on the first ground judgeth no man But now he judgeth all as Redeemer on terms of Mercy by him that Redeemed us and so Absolveth So then the first pardon of sin was in Potentia Remittendi virtual put into the hand of Christ only for his Sacrifice and Satisfaction and not to the sinner immediately himself 2. The second Pardon is by Christ thus Authorized and it is by him as
supposition that Christ bore not Punishment for any mans sins but those whom he intended infallibly to bring to Heaven which they have never yet proved nor ever will do there being no Word of God that promiseth to save all that Christ died for Lay all this together and you will see the truth of these Conclusions 1. That it was not the absence of Faith in Christ the Remedy but the Old Laws Obligation of us to Punishment or the guilt of sin which required Christ's satisfaction to God's Justice 2. That Christ by this satisfaction did not immediately merit Faith it self but only those intermediate causes from whence the Faith of his Elect is produced that is He purchased all men from the Legal necessity of perishing that they were in into his own Power as their Owner and Ruler that so he might make over Reconciliation Remission and Salvation to all if they will believe and might send forth sufficient means and help of Grace to draw all men towards him resolving to draw his Elect Infallibly to him 3. That it is therefore an improper and unfit phrase to say that Christ Died to purchase us Faith though rightly explained it hath truth in it But rather that Faith is an effect or fruit of Christ's Death viz. where Faith is given For the former phrase would intimate as if Faith were the thing that God was to give in requital of Christ for his Bloodshed and that directly and so Faith should be given by God as Legislator of the Old Law For the stipulation supposed to be between the Father and Son was made by the Father on his part not as Redeemer or Legislator of the New Law but as the offended Rector according to the Law of Creation now treating with the Mediator about mans Recovery Though these things spoken after our manner do but signifie Gods Decrees yet they shew us in what Relation God stood towards Man and towards the Redeemer when he required and accepted of Satisfaction Whereas the thing given to Christ was Power of Dominion and Rectorship and so the Redeemed delivered to him not all to one final end nor with a like intent And so Faith is procured by Christ only in this remote sense in that he procured full power to use the fittest means to draw men to him in the season and degrees he please with a full resolution in his own mind to make all this effectual upon his chosen that he might attain the full end of his Blood-shed So that Faith is the effect of that degree of Grace which from his Plenipotency he gives lest his chosen should miss of the intended Salvation and therefore is improperly said to be purchased by Christs Blood though yet it be a remote effect of his Blood to those that have it and none could have had it without the Intervention of his Blood because there would have been no saving use of Faith without that Blood otherwise they might if we look to Faith but as such an act considered without its object given 4. And therefore the Scripture no where useth any such phrase as to say that Christ Died to purchase us Faith But ordinarily that he died to purge or put away sin c. And in controverted cases it is safest to speak in Scripture Language Suppose a man pay 1000 l. to Ransom certain Prisoners that owed that sum and upon the Ransom it is agreed that they shall now be delivered up to him as his Ransomed ones to dispose of at his pleasure yet both parties agree that only those shall be actually delivered into freedom who thankfully accept the favour and the Ransomer as their Lord The Redeemer knows that these are men of such stubborn hearts that they will refuse his offer yet he resolves to send them under his hand a conditional discharge that all shall come forth that will accept him and his offer and to tell them that all the rest shall by him be still detained and as his Prisoners suffer greater misery Yet out of a special love to some of them he resolves to send a friend who is so effectual an Orator as will certainly prevail with them to lay by their obstinacy and yield to his motion Doth it seem a proper phrase in this case to say that this man paid 1000 l. to purchase for these men a yielding Heart or to purchase their consent to accept him and his kindness Rather he did it to purchase their Freedom from Prison which he gives to all as far as belongs to him as Ransomer But he sends this Orator with a resolution to prevail in another superadded relation viz. as one that beareth a special love to those particular men above the rest or as one at least that is resolved to attain infallibly that fruit of his Ransom even the actual deliverance of those men Nor can it therefore be concluded that he paid not the debt of any of the rest because he will not as importunately solicite them to accept of his offer 5. We must therefore distinguish of meer Ransoming or Redemption by Sacrifice and the same Sacrifice or Redemption as it is conjoyned with Election and is subordinate to it Effectual Grace to work Faith infallibly proceeds from Redemption as it is accompanied with Election or with a special absolute resolution of saving those particular persons but it comes not from mere Redemption by Sacrifice as divided from Election and therefore is common to all the Elect but not common to all the Redeemed For God hath means of two different sorts for the accomplishing his Decree of Election as to execution First general means and secondly special means and the general is the Foundation on which he means to build the special Let us again remember Amesius's words that Redemption is to the whole work of Grace viz. both common and special what Creation is to the work of Nature Nay better we may say what Creation was to Gods Governing Administrations under the first Law that is Redemption to Gods Governing Administrations under the Second or New Law For in Creation God did two things 1. He gave man his Being that he might be a Subject fit for Government 2. He gave him his Right Being Real and Relative making him after his Image in his favour and in a state of happiness and in this state he made a Law with him even with all mankind in Adam and Eve promising him further everlasting life on condition of obedience Now here Gods Creation of man in his favour and in rectitude was a common work and so was his giving him that Law But so was not the fulfilling of its Promise which implieth the Intervention of mans performance of the condition Suppose now that man had been multiplied by propagation before the fall of any and then one half of mankind had kept this Law of Works and the other had broke it Had it been fit for any man to say that God did not Create any of those
I intend not here to determine or meddle with 3. We anumerate Salvation that is Glorification to these intended effects of Christ's Death for his chosen this being the End of all the former and therefore we imply that Perseverance in Faith and a State of Justification was intended infallibly and certainly to be given them Tenthly Observe that we do not here enquire after the present immediate effects of Christ's Death as a satisfaction to Justice For I doubt not but the sins of the Non-Elect did lye upon him as the pro meritorious Cause of his Suffering as well as the sins of the Elect and consequently that he made Satisfaction for them to God and purchased them by his Blood Eleventh and Lastly Observe that in affirming this Infallible Immutable purpose of God to save his Elect and them only we do not deny his Purpose of giving Pardon and Life in Christ Conditionally to those that are not Elect For that which he hath done in Time he Purposed before Time and so did Christ at his Death But in Time he hath made such a general Conditional Grant or Gift of Christ and Life as is legible in the Gospel beyond all exceptions Ergo c. And therefore according to his Legislative Will antecedently God would have all men to be saved tho' consequently considering many as finally Impenitent Unbelievers he Wills as a Righteous Judge their Damnation Nor will I dispute whether as we ascribe a Volition to God as the cause of his Effectual Grace so we may ascribe a Velleity to him as Lud. Crocius and other of our Divines do as the cause of that Grace which proveth not-effectual in both speaking of him from the manner of man Upon this very cursory explication I proceed to prove the Thesis thus Argum. I. If Christ Died with a Special Intention to bring his chosen Infallibly to Believe and to give them Justification and Glorification on condition of believing then he died with a special Intention of bringing infallibly certain chosen persons to Faith Justification and Salvation But the Antecedent is true therefore so is the consequent That which we have to prove therefore is that he had a Special Intent to give Faith to some Infallibly and then there will be no more question of Justification and Glorification And that I prove thus Whatever Grace Christ giveth absolutely and infallibly that he purposed before to give absolutely and infallibly But Christ giveth the Grace of Faith and Repentance to his chosen and them only absolutely and infallibly Ergo c. By giving in this Argument I mean the actual Causation or Collation of faith it self and not merely a Legal giving a right to it of which anon The Major I think no sober Christian will deny For how can the Omniscient Immutable God be suddenly surprized with a new purpose which never came into his mind before our being Believers The Minor is proved 1. From the visible Event 2. From Scripture 1. We see undâ—niably that some men have Faith and others have not therefore we know that God giveth it absolutely and infallibly to those only Obj God gave it to all alike but the rest refused it Answ I. If that were true of God's Moral Civil way of giving yet it cannot be true of his Physical gift or operation which we now speak of for that giving is ever connexed with receiving As God never giveth a Soul to any Body nor health to any Sick man but those that receive them so he never thus gives Faith Repentance a New-heart to any but those that receive them Obj. He offereth Christ and Grace to believe in him to All and offering is conditional giving and he doth no more to any but on supposition of their Reception or performance of the Condition Answ I. It 's false that he actually offers Christ to all tho' as to the tenour of the Gift he doth which without the Promulgation which extends not to Millions of Heathens is no actual offer II. Much less or as little doth he offer them Faith III. It 's false that he doth no more but offer Faith conditionally to his chosen For he effecteth it absolutely To offer Conditionally is a Civil act and we are speaking of a Physical Causing This objection therefore flatly denieth that God is the Author of any man's Faith We therefore prove it out of Scripture Eph. 2. 8. By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God The Expositors that are most against the Doctrine which I defend do confess that it is Faith and not Salvatiin only that is here called the Gift of God but they say God giveth it by giving the object Christ and the Gospel Answ That is somewhat towards the giving of Faith but that is not the giving of Faith if there be no more Do these men think that the unrenewed faculty hath need of no Grace but an object or perswasion from without to cause it to believe Many have the Gospel that have not Faith therefore God hath not caused such to believe 1 Pet. 1. 5. Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation God's Power is exercised in keeping us in Faith as the means to Salvation the end And he that by his mighty Power keeps us in Faith no doubt did cause it 2 Pet. 1. 3. According as his Divine Power hath given to us all things that pertain to Life and Godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Virtue If he give us all things pertaining to Life then he gives us Faith Obj. Faith is expresly excepted in the Words through the knowledge of him that hath called us that is through our own believing Answ I. It is distinguished from the rest as a Gift which is a means to the other gifts but not excepted II. Our following acts of Faith seem to be included in the All things here mentioned viz. Through our first believing God giveth us Christ the Spirit and all following Grace And if the following acts of Faith are the gifts of God then no doubt the first was so which was required of us when we were less able of our selves to perform it then when we are Sanctified Heb. 12. 2. Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our Faith Obj. That 's meant of the Doctrine of our belief and Objects of Faith the Christian Religion Answ I. Then to be the Finisher and to be the Author would be all one For as soon as Christ was the Author of Christian Doctrine he was the Finisher but not so about our own Faith II. If it were so yet may it be meant of Faith as it contains both even the whole work of our Christianity and Salvation Phil. 1. 29. For to you it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake From this Text Grotius himself confesseth that it is proved that Faith is the
all materially then it was more than was sufficient for the Redemption of the Elect. Our Divines generally disclaim and exclaim against that presumptuous fancy of the Fryers that say Minima guttula sanguinis Christi sufficeret ad redimendos mille mundos Vid. Parker de Descens l. 3. p. 107 108. And I meet yet with few that like John Geodwins conceit of the sufficiency of Christs meer willingness and readiness to suffer without any actual suffering They that say the same degree of suffering is sufficient for a thousand men as for one may as well say next that one sigh or groan or one drop of Christs Blood had been sufficient for all And next they may as well say it had been sufficient though he had only been willing to suffer and next that his suffering was needless Socinianism if not Infidelity may easily creep in at this Gap 3. And as thus it is evident that Christs suffering for some had been enough to have redeemed all doth make him to suffer in vain as to the proper end of his suffering viz. Expiation of Sin so they that go this way have not yet shewed us to what other end or use such great sufferings of Christ were necessary And till they have done that we must take it as if they charged Christ with suffering in vain 4. Moreover the consequence is fully granted by themselves For they accuse those that maintain Universal Satisfaction as making Christ to suffer in vain if he suffered for those that after perish though we can easily repel that vain objection by shewing them many excellent ends and effects of those his sufferings How much more evidently do they themselves make him suffer in vain that feign him to have suffered the same degree of Punishment even enough for all the World when yet they say he suffered it not so much as in the stead of all nor as any satisfaction for their sins We say his Death was for all in some kind and therefore not vain They say it was for them in no kind and yet enough for them and therefore he suffered Superfluously Arg. 11th Ab absurdo injuriâ contra Justitiam Divinam If Christ suffered enough for to have been a satisfaction for all and yet not for all then God did inflict on him more sufferings than were due to him But God did not inflict on Christ more sufferings than were due Ergo c. He that denyeth the Minor doth directly accuse God of injustice The consequence of the Major is proved thus He that inflicteth that or requireth as much for the Sins of the Elect only as is due for the sins of all the World doth inflict and require more than is due for there is not so much due for the sins of the Elect only as for the sins of all the World But thus they suppose God to have done which is not to be supposed Ergo c. They that will fly from the force of these Arguments by flat denying even the Material and Hypothetical sufficiency of Christs satisfaction for all men will fall under many and great inconveniencies before intimated and also under the force of this next Argument Read my Answer to their Fourth Argument asserted Arg. 12th Ab injuriosa negatione Passionum Christi It is very injurious to Christ for men to extenuate or deny his sufferings but so do they that deny that he hath satisfied for all men Ergo c. When God hath laid upon him the Iniquity of us all and he hath born the sins of the whole World and was a Propitiation for them doth not that man vilifie that I say not blaspheme his sufferings who shall say it is not so he bore the Sins but of the few that are chosen he suffered no more than was due to them he paid no more than would discharge their Debt If he that denyeth all Christs satisfaction do sin so damnably then sure he that denyeth the greatest part both of his satisfaction formally and his suffering materially doth not lightly offend If he should sin so hainously that should deny God to be Creator of the greater part of the World and so rob him of the honour of the most of his Workmanship then it cannot be a trifle to deny the greatest part of Christs sufferings and satisfaction and so rob him of so much of the honour of the work of Redemption by the extenuation of his sufferings For God hath set up the work of Redemption as that wherein he expecteth to be as much honoured as in the work of Creation Suppose the Kings Messengers Mat. 22. should have told those whom they invited Though we are commanded to invite you all to the Wedding yet the truth is there is not half provision enough made ready for you all if you should come but yet we are commanded to perswade you all because the King knows your minds that you will not come should these Messengers have deserved thanks for such a Message Arg. 13. A Debito Amoris gratitudinis erga Redemptorem If all Men do owe Love and thankfulness to Christ for his satisfying for their Sins and for the Fruits of that satisfaction then he hath satisfied for all But all Men do owe him love and thankfulness c. ergo c. I mean all Men that hear of Christ are bound to love him as Redeemer and be thankful to him for making satisfaction for them and those that never heard of him are bound to love Deum Miserecordem God as merciful to them and to be thankful for those mercies which are the Fruits of Christs Death The Antecedent hath two Parts 1. That all are bound to love and gratitude 2. That they owe these for Christs dying for them And as to the debt it self I hope few Christians will deny it For if they do 1. They will deny a great part of the Law of Christ and if such a curse be denounced against him that addeth or diminisheth as to the Law of ceremonies what shall be due to him that wipeth out so great a part of the Gospel at a dash 2. It is plainly High Treason to discharge so many of Christs Subjects of their Allegiance or of the chief part of their duty even Love and Gratitude His Subjects I may call them though Rebellious because though they acknowledg him not or not sincerely yet he is their rightful Lord. 3. It is notorious compliance with Satan to say Duty is no Duty and that so great Duties as these and that Sin is no Sin and that such hainous Sins 4. If tendeth most desperately to the Damnation of Souls by drawing them to neglect these duties and hardening them in impenitency when they have done For if it be no duty to Love Christ for Redeeming them and to be thankful for it then it is no Sin not to love him and not to be thankful and if it be no Sin they need not repent of it 5. They will wickedly justifie