should not serve sin But quorsum haec how doth this prove that all that Christ dyed for are and shall be sanctified by his blood Why he tels us That the fifth verse says That a participation in the death of Christ shall be accompanyed with a conformity to him in his Resurrection But what mean you Sir by a participation in it an having part in it or being a part of the object of it If so which word in ver 5. says so That says He that 's planted into the likeness of it not he that Christ died for Surely if Mr. Owen had dealt fairly he should have kept the same tearms in both branches of his Assertion as the Apostle doth thus Conformity to Christ in his death shall be followed with a conformity to him in his Resurrection Sure if planting into the likeness of him signify conformity to him in the latter branch as it doth it signifies so in the former too it being the very same maner of expression But Mr. Owen hath a little too much art of making quidlibet de quolibet But what follows The words of the later verse yield a reason of the former Assertion Because our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed c. What gathers he from that why this That our sinful corruption and depravation of Nature are by his Death and crucifying meritoriously slain and disabled from such a rule and dominion over us as that we should be servants to them But suppose this was the Apostles sense That Christ merited that such as are planted into the likeness of his Death by Baptism or conformed to him in his Death should have their sins subdued in them will it therefore follow That he says all that he died for shall be so conformed to him or shall have their sins subdued in them Let Reason judg of that Consequence But which word in the Text signifies a Meritorius slaying I suppose he means the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If so I deny it That signifies there a real crucifying in us according to that in Gal 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh c. That is have nailed it upon the Cross that is the Grace and Spirit of God which is cross to it and lusts against it they have given it up to be mortified by the Spirit that so the body of Sin might be destroyed It is not destroyed yet nor doth the Apostle say so as well he might if he had spoken of a meritorious slaying for what concerns the matter of Merit that is already accomplished though the thing merited be not But when was this crucifying I answer when the soul was brought to give up it self to Christ and not before Rom. 6.4 5. when it was Baptized into his Death not in the outward onely but chiefly in the inward spiritual Baptism 1 Pet. 3.21 and so begun to be planted into the likeness of it But perhaps he will say The word is Crucified with Christ and therefore must be referred to what was done in his crucifying I answer no It signifies but a companionship in being crucified as he was or after his similitude not a thing done when he was crucified as Col. 2.12 we are said to be buried with him but when was that He says not in his being buried but in Baptism which is a thing not inwardly accomplished no nor begun before believing And so You that were dead in sins and trespasses hath he quickned with him the quickning men up to hope in God and bringing them from their dead condition in which before believing they lay without hope is said to be with Christ Yea when we suffer for Christ and dye for his Name we are said to suffer and dye with him 2 Tim. 2.11 12. Rom. 8.17 which are not to be referred to the time of his suffering and dying as if we then suffered and died meritoriously with him So that first express saying is pressed too injuriously to speak for Mr. Owen besides its proper intention Again He brings 2 Cor. 1.20 All the Promises of God are in Christ Yea and in him Amen Which says nothing that God hath promised that All that Christ died for should be sanctified and cleansed from all their sins but that in him all the promises are surely to be met with The Covenant we have spoken to before That 's made or rather promised to be made with the House of Israel and the House of Judah of which houshold men are not accounted till brought to Christ to believe as is plain Ephe. 2.12 17 18 19. After Christ hath preached peace to us and given us access to the Father then we are of the houshold of God and fellow Citizens with the Saints The promise of circumcising the heart which he mentions as most famous in the New Covenant follows after obeying the voice of God in listning to his Son Deut. 30.1 2 3 4 5 6. so the Apostle intimates 2 Cor. 3.16 When the heart turns to the Lord the vail shall be taken away which I conceive answers to Circumcising the heart As impertinent to his purpose is that in Heb. 9.23 of purging the heavenly things except he prove that All that Christ died for are heavenly men even before believing and before their calling to God with a heavenly call And that in Col. 1.14 of the believer brought to Christ receiving and having the Redemption in him with which agrees the 1 Cor. 1.30 which says not all that he died for are made wise redeemed righteous c. by him but they that are in him by faith as see Rom. 16 7. have him in the vertue of his blood and by his Spirit for wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption As impertinent is his allegation of Heb. 2.14 To destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil that he might free those that by reason of death or through the fear of death rather were all their life time subject to bondage No more is his Probandum proved by that then that all that Christ spake to are saved can be proved by that in Joh. 5.34 These things speak I to you you that had neither heard the voice of God nor seen his face And who will not come unto me that ye might have life ver 38.40 that ye might be saved Or from this That he brought us into Egypt that he might bring us into Canaan that all that came out of the one entred into the other Nor is there any more consequence from the other places mentioned in Ephes 5.25 26. and Tit. 2.14 He gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie it provided in his death for the perfecting those that should believe in him Ergo All he died for shall be sanctified and saved So that the contrary to his Conclusion is true that he hath in no one place proved what was by him undertaken But to take off this that we say Many
thing I know not what is CHAP. II. On the latter part of his third Chapter lib. 2. in which he urges the phrases For many and for the sheep and pretends to answer what T. Moore hath observed about them HE proceeds in the next place to application and to demonstrate this Assertion That Jesus Christ according to the Councel and will of his Father did offer himself on the cross to the procurement of eternal salvation with all the branches and means of it and makes continual Intercession with this intent and purpose that all the good things so procured by his death might be actually and infallibly bestowed on and applyed to All and every one for whom he dyed according to the will and counsel of God A position manifestly false for then we must all be Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers nay have a name above every name c. for these things Christ procured by his death But to pass that He endeavors to make good this by a threefold consideration 1. From Scriptures holding out the intention and counsel of God 2. From Scriptures laying down the actual accomplishment or effect of his oblation 3. From those that point out the persons for whom Christ dyed His prevarications and weakness in the pointing out and arguing from each of which we sufficiently shewed in our answer to the first Chapter of his first Book and therefore here shall add only this That his arguments run but to this purpose Some one subordinate end of Christs death only agrees to some therefore he dyed only for those and with no respect to the supream end dyed for any other and so by consequence God hath no glory brought to him by the death of Jesus Christ but only in and from the Elect and Christ hath got no glory from any other but them he leaving them as he found them and doing nothing in his mediation for them Truly God and Christ are not beholding to Mr. Owen for his arguing So again Believers have had such and such effects in and by the death of Christ believed in by them therefore he dyed only for them like this such as go to a feast are well refreshed by eating it therefore it was made for no more then them that go to it or this Such prisoners being ransomed and following the Prince that ransomed them met with such bounty from him Therefore he ransomed none but them And again Many were ransomed Ergo not All. God made Israel Therefore he made no body else c. but no more to them arguments only there are diverse passages in the latter part of this Chapter from p. 79. that we have not spoken to and therefore shall take them in here As He denies that the death of Christ in any place of Scripture is said to be for all men For Answer to which I desire the Reader to turn to 1 Tim. 2.5 6. Heb. 2.9 Rom. 5.18 I know his objection is elswhere that the word Men is not in the original To which I answer first That by the same reason he may say that in Rom. 5.12 It s not affirmed that All men sinned seeing its but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word Men is not expressed and the like in 1 Cor. 15.22 that All men dyed not in Adam But 2. The word Men is expresly in Rom. 5.18 And 3. The word Men is the substantive clearly to be supplyed because the whole precedent speech was about men All men to be prayed for 1 Tim. 2.1 and expresly verse 4. that God would have All men to be saved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and that demonstrated by this that there is but one God and one Mediator between God and men the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for All. For All what must it not needs be men between whom and God he is a Mediator and whom he tels us God would have to be saved All men and so in Heb. 2.9 was not the Apostle admiring Gods goodness to man Lord what is man and the Son of man exalting man above all his works which is now verified in one Man Jesus that dyed for every one What can it be referred to as before spoken about but man or the sons of men But of this we shall have cause to speak further hereafter That there are more ends of the death of Jesus Christ then what is the immediate fruit of it by way of ransome and propitiation before faith in it we have shewed in the conclusion of the first Book and upon his first Chapter of the second Some fruits there are of it from God towards men before faith and while in state of unbelief as the opening the door for entrance and for exhortations to strive to enter a feast prepared in Christ and a way of participating of it made and invitations vouchsafed as in Matth. 22.4 Prov. 9.3 4 5. Luk. 13.24 and those for and to more then enter and eat other fruits there are of it that flow in upon faith as satisfaction justification sanctification the contents of the new Testament c. And he that cannot see these to be distinct fruits and produced for or upon diverse objects and objects diversly considered is blinde and cannot see afar off nor into the things evidently held forth in the Gospel And what the ransome either immediately with God and for men or mediately upon and in men produceth were subordinate ends and aimes that Christ had in his eye upon his death as Mr. Owen himself also implies when he makes the ends of Christs death to be coincident with its effects His following observation objected against that that where the word many is used there are more ends of Christs death mentioned I shall pass it being not material and in some passages at least doubtful But in page 80. To this exception of ours Christs death is not limited to many and to his sheep c. as the ransome and propitiation as if he dyed for them only he tels us 1. That Christ saying he dyed for his sheep and Church and Scripture witnessing that all are not his sheep they conclude and argue by undeniable consequence that he dyed not for those that are not so At which assertion I can but wonder when first I heard of Mr. Owens Book he was so commended to me for a disputant that I could not expect any such lame arguments from him If we must take his saying of a thing to be an infallible proof that it s so then we have done with him but sure no Logick rule or good reason that I have ever met with can prove this assertion Had he said Christ saying he dyed for his sheep and the Scripture saying all are not his sheep it argues that in that saying he extended not the speech there about his Death to All he had spoken reason but to argue that because he mentions no more there as the object of his Death therefore he had no greater
seek him groping after him if happily they may finde him yea such power as that men are fain to suppress and keep them under and bid them be gone and shut their eyes against them lest they work too much upon them Now though they see not what a one or who he it whence these beams come and those operations in their hearts yet they knowing in their consciences that they ought to obey them and that it would be better for them so to do though what that betterness is they comprehend not and contrary to that knowledg they have willfully rebelling they cannot plead ignorance total ignorance of this great physitian but for not obeying what they know shall be excuse less before him So that Mr. Owens comparison of Christ to a physitian tendring cure he wholly unknown Rom. 1.20.28 is a mistake also nor shall men be able to make good that plea when he comes to judge them though many shall say in respect of his person and fuller appearances when saw we thee thus and thus as if they would plead ignorance of him yet he shall take away that plea from them making it appear that in such and such mediums as his poor people Matth. 25.42 43 44 55. he was evidencing himself to them and presenting himself before them and there they would not know him Nor is he as one tendring a thousand pound to a blinde man on condition he will see and yet giving no ability to see but he in tendring gives forth such light that men see some glimmerings and bids them look though but with their blinde holes that they may see which did they the light would make them see and see more clearly yea it would turn them Isa 42.18 and he would heal them Act. 28.27 but many wilfully loving their own ease and wils will not see lest they should be turned and be healed by him they see they should listen to him yea many see that in looking to him they might have healing and yet refuse to look to him they desire not his healing Whereas he saith the condition of faith is procured for us by the death of Christ or not I shall here say but this viz. 1. That Christ is become an object fit for us to believe on and hope in through his death which else he had not been for us sinners 2. That God in Christ hath done so much for All men and doth so much for them through him that he deserves highly at their hands to be trusted in by them I know this agrees not with Mr. Owens principles yet I shall stand to it against him that all men have good cause and ground to believe in him or to betrust themselves to him and so much we are in preaching Gospel to demonstrate to them not having sinned to death or blasphemed against the Holy Ghost It s but a righteous thing for any man to believe in God and in Christ and its unrighteousness and hainous sin not to believe in him being declared to them that is not to commit souls and bodies to him as to one ready to save them 3. All the ways and means with all the power that comes in and with them to inable men to believe are vouchsafed to men through the Death of Christ none of them had been afforded to us had not Christ dyed for us 4. It s the promise of God to Christ so to exalt and glorifie him that some should be brought in to him and be given him to believe and be his seed 5. Yea it s by the discovery of Gods good-will in the death and resurrection of Christ that God useth to overcome men to believe and so his blood and death as so discovered and set home redeems men out of their bondage to Sathan and world and corruption Rev. 5.9 10 14.4 But that Christ obliged the Father to make all those men that he dyed for to walk out in the exercise of such power and liberty of acting as he should in his gracious dispensations afford them for attendance to means receit of light given looking up to him in that light yea to believe in him and rely on him for salvation this I desire him to prove It s not proveable by Scripture so far as I can finde nay I may use this argument against it bottomed upon Mr. Owens own maxime viz. Whatever Christ procured or merited by his oblation that he intercedes to have collated or bestowed on men But Scripture no where shews that Christ intercedes for faith saving faith to be given to one or other Ergo Scripture no where proves that he procured that by his oblation The major is Mr. Owens own in cap. 4.6 7. lib. 1. The minor is easily proved by Induction no one place speaking of Christs Intercession mentions his interceding for saving faith not that platform as some say of his Intercession in John 17. as we shewed lib. 1. chap. 2. if not there no where else for in Rom. 8.33 he mentions his interceding for Vs men in Christ believers but says not for what much less for faith that they had already In Heb. 7.25 It s for those that come unto God by him that some might come to God by him I leave it for him to finde any one place in which Christ prays that God would make any to believe Nor will this diminish at all the honor and love due to him for as Mr. Owen says We are not to invent ways of honoring him but give him that that in the Scripture God gives to him He produces Tit. 3.5 6 2 Cor. 5.21 but neither of them say that Christ procured faith for us as obliging God to give it us the former shews but how God wrought it in discovering his love and the latter that Christ became sin for us that we might in him that is in believing in him be made the righteousness of God and so that he opened the way for our believing and making righteous not that he obliged God to make us or all that he dyed for righteously to believe no more then in vers 15. where He says he dyed for all that they that live might not henceforth live to themselves he shews that therefore he obliged God to make all cease from thenceforth to live to themselves and God performs not his obligation to him in that so many even after believing live so much to themselves and minde their own things as Paul complaineth That he shall bring in a seed to him I grant but that he is obliged to bring in this or that Individual to be of that seed muchless all that he dyed for I no where finde That in Eph. 1.3 Phil. 1.29 We shall meet with afterward and with the point it self also more fully urged viz. in lib. 3. cap. 4. where we shall speak to them only this I shall say to them here that neither of them say that Christ by his death obliged the Father to
were Baptized into Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea and were come to Mount Sinai The Apostle alluding to that tells the believing Hebrews partakers of the heavenly Call Heb. 3.1 that they were not come to Mount Sinai to have a Law of works and death put upon them but to Mount Sion * Whence the Law of Grace goeth forth Isai 2.3 to hear him that speaks from heaven and so intimately to have the Law writ in their hearts Heb. 12.18 22 24 25. in which they came also to the blood of sprinkling He doth not say they were come to Mount Sion while they were yet uncalled but in obeying the Call they came thither to meet with and receive the new Covenant opposed to the Covenant made with their Fathers at Mount Sinai That that confirms me in this belief is this that it is by faith that we are made of one body with the Israel of God and are no where called the seed of Promise or Israel of God till brought to Christ but then we are all one with the believing Jews Jews in the inner man the Circumcision the seed of Abraham and heirs according to Promise Gal. 3.26 29. Now the Covenant spoken of is made with the house of Israel and Judah If Mr. Owen think men to be faederates in that Covenant before faith let him shew me that any unbelieving Gentiles or uncalled are called by the name of Israel and Judah Besides That the promises of God are made with Christ Gal. 3.16 and are in him yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 But if any yet out of Christ should be faederates while out of him then they should have a larger object then Christ and a larger performance then in Christ Jesus But I say this ex abundanti to the Minor it being sufficient to the overthrow of the Argument that the Major is proofless Whereas Mr. Owen makes the difference between the Old and New Testament to be That this Covenants the giving of Faith and that not I deny it and say The difference between them is in this That was carnal weak and afforded not such operation of Spirit This spiritual powerful and full of life writing Gods teachings in the heart whereas that writ them but without in Books or Tables of Stones That propounded Precepts and Promises but gave not the performance This in Teaching conforms the heart to Gods VVill and gives in the injoyment and accomplishment of the promises whence as the Apostle saith The righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.4 That this Covenant is propounded conditionally too to those that are not yet believers we have shewed before in Isai 55.3 So that no man short of believing can say as Mr. Owens Objection supposeth The Lord hath promised To write his Law in our hearts but if we listen to Christ he will write them in our hearts but to the believer in Christ to him that is Christs the Covenant is free he being the proper heir of it as is before shewed He repeates his Argument again in the winding up of the Argument That the blood of Jesus Christ was the blood of the Covenant and his Oblation was intended onely for procuring the things intended and promised thereby and therefore it cannot have respect to All c. That it procured the good things contained in the Covenant or rather that he ingages the performance of them to the called for I think the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sponsor hath rather that signification then of a procurer we grant and to that the Quotation of Heb. 7.22 is pertinent but his inference from thence is yet unproved as we have shewed And so we have seen the fallacy and weakness of this Argument 2. His second Argument is thus That if the Lord intended Argu. 2 that he should and so Christ by his death did procure pardon of sin and reconciliation with God for all and every one to be actually injoyed upon condition that they do believe then ought this good will and intention of God with this purchase in their behalf by Jesus Christ be made known to them by the Word that they might believe for faith comes by hearing c. otherwise men may be saved without faith in and the knowledg of Christ or else the purchase is plainly in vain but all men have not those things declared to them in and by the Word c. To this Argument many things may be answered Answ As 1. That it concludes not against the Assertion that he undertook to oppose in lib. 1. cap. 1. pag. 4. viz. That Christ gave himself a ransom for all and every one But against his intention of purchasing pardon and reconciliation for All to be injoyed upon condition of believing which is a fallacy that we call Ignoratio elenchi 2. Again The Antecedent of the Major contains and crowds together divers questions which is another fallacy in arguing As with this Of Christs dying for All it jumbles Gods intention of his procuring Reconciliation and Pardon and the intention of bestowing it and upon what condition Now these are three distinct questions viz. First Whether Christ died for All The thing he set himself to oppose Secondly Whether in dying for them he procured Reconciliation and forgiveness for all And Thirdly Whether he procured it for All with intention that they all should injoy it upon condition of believing The first of these I absolutely affirm and Mr. Owen denies The second I thus affirm That for the offence of Adam and the condemnation that came upon All therefore he hath procured justification or pardon for All so as that God dealeth with All after another manner then according to its Merit and the Obligation to Death that came thereby And for their other sins there is with him a treasury of Forgiveness and Redemption full and free for All. So as that in answer to the third All may have forgiveness of all their sins and Reconciliation upon believing in him and it was his intention that whosoever of All yea were it All believe in him should have forgiveness of sins and be reconciled to God by him Whence it s propounded to men in general upon that condition in the Gospel But yet neither is that condition upon which God propounds it to be confounded as Mr. Owen here doth with the act of purchasing it and Gods intention therein nor may we binde up God to that condition in his dispensing it nor his intention of forgiving and saving men in his giving Christ to dye for them as if because All or Any may have it according to the Gospel-tender upon believing therefore he intended that none should have it that have not that believing condition For I dare not say That God intended not that any Infant dying in its Cradle or deaf man that never heard any word at all should have forgiveness or salvation by vertue of Christs purchase
that deliverance from the death that they should have dyed which by his dying he procured for them to All. So that here we have a groundless proofeless Argument though he saith it neeeds no proof yet I think it needs more proof then he can bring for it in every particular Object But this makes but Christ at most an half Mediator Ans But why so If a man undertake to mediate for another to have his life spared and obtains what he undertakes shall that be imputed an injury in him because in so doing he did not also undertake he should never sustain any anger for any after-folly If Christ do his work he undertook in Mediation and that to satisfaction to the justice and will of God who shall dare to call him but a half-Mediator because many a man refusing to make use of his Mediation in higher things that is to come to God by him deprive themselves of the further acts of it which he tels them they shall have if they will be ruled by him A King and some Subjects are at difference they are attached condemned and must dy A third between them comes and procures that the sentence shall be reversed and favor shewed them from the King and then goes to them and tels them if they will follow his counsel and be ruled by him as he hath procured their release from that sentence so he will also bring them to be favorites and familiars some listen to him and are ruled by him and he performs his word to them to the utmost others reject all his counsels will not be beholden either to him or the King being spared break out into new insolencies against them both and for that are again condemned and executed Shall their wickedness be cast as an imputation upon him and make him be stiled but an half-Mediator because they refuse the better half of the benefit they might have had by him If this be rational let rational men Judg. I might illustrate it by the case of Moses mediating for the Israelites and yet refusing to pray for nay praying against the Rebels in Numb 16. But I leave it the matter being so evident CHAP. IIII. An Answer to his eighth Argument in which is considered whether Christ purchased faith for those he dyed for HIs eight Argument is thus If Christs blood doth wash purge Argu. 8 cleanse and sanctifie them for whom it was shed then certainly he shed his blood only for them that in the event are purged cleansed and sanctified But All are not in the event washed purged cleansed and sanctified Ergo He dyed not for All. The consequence of the major that he conceives undeniable is undeniably vitious nor is it any way proved by him The proposition being reduced is thus They whom Christ dyed for are or shall be sanctified and purged by his blood And so it being indefinite it s to be construed Particularly or Vniversally if Particular its peccant in this that the major in the second figure in which this syllogisme thus reduced is ought all to be Vniversal If construed Vniversally as he must needs intend it or else he says nothing then I deny it and he no where proves it that All that Christ dyed for are or shall be parged by his blood The consequence is like this If they that came out of Egypt entred into Canaan by the river Jordan Then they only came out of Egypt that passed over the river Jordan But let us view the proofs of his major as Vniversally taken He assays to do it first by viewing the types and then secondly by plain expressions but first he halts in laying down his probandum for in stead of this That all that Christ dyed for are or shall be so purged he propounds to prove that The blood of Christ is effectual for all those things washing purging sanctifying which I will grant him where it is received by faith but I say that comes no more up to the thing to be proved then if a man should affirm That all that God brought out of Egypt were preserved and kept till they injoyed Canaan and then for proof produce some Scriptures that shew that those that followed God in his leadings of them and believed in him were so preserved c. But let us see his proofes And first From the types he says That the Apostle says that the expiation-sacrifice legally sanctified the unclean as is exprest Heb. 9.13 But by his leave the Apostle saith not It sanctified them all for whom it was a sacrifice but them whom it sprinkled the words are sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh not Being offered for the unclean sanctifies c. But Mr. Owen says These are never divided though distinguished but I see no word to disprove their being divided though he says he was about it Let us see if we can find any thing for proof of it we will then appeal to the Law of the expiation-offering in Numb 19. There we first finde a Commandment to take a red heifer and offer her up and then gather the ashes and keep them and it s said they shall be for The Congregation of the children Israel for a water of purification the sacrifice then was for a preparation of a purifying water for the Congregation here is no exception or exclusion of any in that That pertained to the Congregation and then he tels them how they should purifie themselves with it and in what cases but now mark what he says in vers 20. The man that shall be unclean and shall not purifie himself with it that sould shall be cut off from the Congregation It seems then God supposed the application divisible from the preparation of it and appoints a punishment for those that refuse its application Cutting off from the Congregation It seems he was of it before and ought to have been sprinkled and sanctified with it the refusal of which and presuming to approach to God without it was to be punished with cutting off from the Congregation To which the Apostle I conceive alludes in Heb. 12.24 25. Ye are come to the blood of sprinkling take heed that ye refuse not him that speaketh 2 Pet. 1.2 as in another place the believers are said to be chosen to the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Now unbelievers are disobedient and in what but in not yielding up themselves to God and Christ to be sanctified and cleansed by his blood So that Mr. Owen hath got nothing by that legal typicall expiation his after exception about the Antitype to this we shall speak to in its due place Let us now see the express sayings His first is that in Rom 6.5 6. If we have been planted together with him into the similitude of his Death we shall be also in the similitude of his resurrection knowing that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we
CHAP. V. An Answer to his fifth Chapter In which is considered How Christ gave himself a ransom for All. HAving done with those Arguments we follow him now to Arguments taken from words used in this matter which he saith Disagree in their genuine signification from the Opinion that extends to all the matter spoken of in them Arg. 10 And first He lays down his Argument generally thus That Doctrine that will not by any means suit which and be conformable to the thing signified by it but contradicts the expressions literal and deductive whereby in Scripture it s held out to us cannot possibly be sound and sincere But such is the perswasion of Vniversal Redemption or General Ransom Ergo It s unsound And this strange Argument that grants the Doctrine held forth in Scripture expressions Instance 1. and yet contradicts those Scriptures he labors to prove by Induction and first from the word A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dransom or price of Redemption He argues thus That the thing signified in it agrees not to all therefore the word is not to be so applied Which is in substance Paul spake unadvisedly when he made so general an expression this is not to believe the Scripture but to judge and deny it to be right VVell let us see what the word signifies It signifies a price for Redemption Now saith Mr. Owen If Christ pay a price for Redemption his aim is their deliverance for whom it s paid to that end he satisfies the Judge and conquers the Jaylor but this agrees not to All All are not ransomed Shall we believe Mr. Owen or the Apostle here who also tells us in Rom. 5.18 That by one mans Righteousness to all men to Justification of life And again in 1 Cor. 15 22. As in Adam All die so in Christ all shall be made alive But Mr. Owen says Why are not all saved then I might say Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God But I have answered before From the first death they are from the second they are not because many are disobedient against their Saviour As all Israel were saved out of Egypt Jude 5. Its the Apostle Judes expression But why then not all preserved into Canaan He tells us He afterwards destroyed them that believed not So here he afterward in a second death destroyes all those that know like or approve not God and all that disobey the Gospel of Christ 2 Thes 1.7 8. All were in thrall to the sentence of death and so to the execution of vengeance from God upon them all in Adam in an utter ruine and again for slighting and sinning against Light and Goodness afforded deserve destruction to come suddenly upon them in plagues famines c. The bond that held them in the former was their sin in Adam and to the latter many sins against Gods goodness now exposes them VVhat price pays Christ Himself to bear that blow for them and be the propitiation for their sin Now in that the sentence passed not or rather lyes not upon men Men are not debarred reaccess to God for that folly the sentence of banishment is reversed and the banished called home again here is a Redemption made from that thraldom And whereas many times they are liable to destruction again in their persons Christ Mediating and Interposing himself as the Propitiation preserves them And on this ground we are to pray for All and make Intercession with thanksgiving for All as in 2 Tim. 1.2 6. But I suppose he thinks All not ransomed because many remain thralled in their corruption To which I might say but as Prosper Ad capit Gallor Sanguis Christi est totius mundi pretium pro omnium redemptione verè persolutum and that 's as much as 1 Tim. 2.6 says sed illi homines ab eo pretio extranei sunt qui aut captivitate delectati redimi noluerunt aut post redemptionem ad eandem servitutem sunt reversi and again Omnes rectè dicantur redempti sed non ownes a captivitate eruti But to clear it I shall propound these following considerations 1. That men in sinning fell under a double bondage 1. To death to be inflicted from God according to his sentence In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death and death came on all in that all sinned 2. To corruption or sinfulness of Nature in themselves and the delusions of Satan Ephe. 2.1 Dead in sins and trespasses conceived in sin and born in iniquity 2. The latter of these thraldoms was not the curse or death inflicted as the punishment of the fall but the proper consequence of it That it was not its punishment nor any essential part of it appears in this that every essential part of the punishment of it Christ was to bear by way of satisfaction and so he bare anguish in body and soul death of body and separation from Gods presence but he bare not the inherency of sin for us nor inability for serving his Father nor was he subject to the deceits of Satan as if it had been an essential part of that punishment he must have done for it appertains to and spreads over the whole nature But the first was the punishment to which we were subjected and which had we abid never so pure in our natures must have been executed for the fault committed because the word was not If thou becomest so polluted but In the day thou eatest thou shalt die and therefore Christ also suffered that becoming a ransom for us though innocent 3. In the latter the Justice of God did not detain us but as man being debarred from any new grace without that could not do what he should but we ought that notwithstanding to do our best to serve him we had his permission to it if such a thing might be supposed that we might have lived under that sentence unsuffered for us He neither put sin into us nor kept it in us But the former came directly from God upon us and his Justice detained us in our Mediator in it till his sentence was satisfied 4. That first was the death of which Satan had power and the fear of which though but now a carkass detains men in their spirits in bondage Heb. 2.14 Men fear not but love the other their corruptions now Christ conquered Satan when he brake his snare and got victory over that death that should else have swallowed us up for ever So that Satan could not as else he would have done play the Executioner upon us 5. God neither putting men into corruption nor corruption into them nor his Justice standing against our doing better he would that they should come out of it if they could the price was not given to God properly as the price of Redemption from that but onely as the ransoming them from the death inflicted makes a passage for means also to be afforded to them for their recovery and setting free from
that bondage too Were it not for this Ransom he would not afford him any means to help him out of this but his Justice required not any positive influence upon him to hold him in and hinder him from getting out of it till he was satisfied in the other Thence Christ given himself to bear the blow and deliver men from that proper punishment inflicted by God and men being thereby delivered out of that sentence they may be said properly to be ransomed though still they are not brought out of the bondage to their corruption especially the prison door being opened with help afforded for their coming out of that too To clear it by a Simile A King makes a Law That he that shall eat such a fruit suppose as in the eating of it hath a property to make men leprous should for so doing be forthwith adjudged to death and executed A certain company of men notwithstanding being overcome by some evil inticement transgress the Law and immediately become leprous The Executioners seize upon them and are drawing them to punishment in the interim one gives a sum of money for their ransom The intention of it is to ransom them from the sentence to the execution of which they are going the ingagement or performance of the paiment being accepted he that gave the price receives power to rescue them from the Tormentors and doth it still they remain leprous and lye exposed to the subtilty of former inticers shal we say now these men are not ransomed or that he that payed the price ransomed them not because they remain leprous Nay we will go further suppose the Ransomer obtaining by the same price the best Surgeons and skilful Physitians for their healing too and by all loving Arguments intreating them to be healed and no longer to hearken to the contrary suggestions of their inticers some of them trust him and are healed others peremptorily listening to their inticers like their leprous condition better because they like not the Ransomers society and think they shall not be troubled with it so long as they are leprous having great suspition also perhaps that the things he prescribes for them will poyson them and so refuse to be healed and abide lepers all their dayes yea perhaps also for disobedience to their Ransomer and the King again come to be again condemned and executed shall we say now that this man did not give a price of Redemption for them all because they through their folly were never freed and redeemed as it were from the power of their leprosie Such is the case in hand I need not to apply it the case is so clear If it be objected That Similitudes prove nothing I Answer There is no need of proving a Scripture saying that 's to be believed and Similitudes may be apt to illustrate how we may conceive the thing expressed sutably to the expression in Scripture used Let me this say further that the word Redemption is sometime applied to the effect of the believing application of the blood of Christ for healing men in regard of their corruptions and setting their mindes free to serve God as in 1 Pet. 1.18 Rev. 5.9 and 14.3 4. being the same in substance with Heb 9.14 As also sometimes for a powerful freeing the body from mortality weakness and death Rom. 8.23 In which further significations it is not to be confounded with the use of it here but distinguishing from it CHAP. VI. Concerning Reconciliation in answer to his sixth Chapter HIs next Instance and Argument from thence is about Reconciliation Instan 2. Which he rightly makes to be in the mutuall joynt turning of affections to each other and coming into amity accord and friendship His Argument from that runs thus All are reconciled to God for whom Christ died But all are not so c. We are to minde that he speaks here of reconciliation of men in their own persons For otherwise the definition and the thing defined would disagree and he should prevaricate in his arguing Now reconciliation so considered I deny his Major viz. That all for whom Christ died are reconciled to God His proof for it is this That Reconciliation is the immediate effect and product of the death of Christ which though he is confident none can deny I have before disproved Lib. 1. ca. 1. Yea that mens affections are not turned unto God immediately upon Christs death for them as before the Call of God hath overcome them I appeal to Mr. Owens own Doctrine against the Socinians Chap. 8. But he thinks to help it by distinguishing Reconciliation into meritorious and accomplished and so through all are not yet actually reconciled to God yet he says That Christ hath merited that they shall be and so they all shall and must be Which distinction so applied I deny Indeed that God hath done so much for all in dying for them and God in giving him to die for them that he hath highly deserved at their hands that they should all love and live to him I freely grant yea and if we take Reconciliation for a making their peace so with God for them as to * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are of the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to change change their condition into a far better then what it was before so as that whereas they were by sin debarred the Presence and Kingdom of God now God is ready to receive them hath opened the way for them yea calls and commands them to come back again to him in such a sense I will grant his Assertion but that Christ hath obliged or made it due debt to himself from the Father to make all for whom he died affect and live to him I deny nor can he prove it He indeavors it from sundry Scriptures which I shall view and discover his mistakes in His first is 2 Cor 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself c. Which we may understand in the sense even now yielded or else also taking the word World for the Gentiles it holds forth that God in Christ brake down the partition wall and slew the enmity the Law of Commandments in Ordinances that kept them at a distance from fellowship with the Jews and so made way for their coming in to him to be at one with him not imputing their trespasses or contrary walkings to his Ordinances to them but so remitting them as no longer to count them or any of them common or unclean in that respect but all or any of them may be welcome to his Church or Kingdom notwithstanding their uncircumcision according to that Acts 10.22 God hath shewed me that I should call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no one man common or unclean But whether we take it onely in the former or this sense also as I think it comprehends both yet it comes far short of Mr. Owens Assertion viz. That God was obliged by the
death of Christ to make them all affect him It reaches but to a way-making and foundation laying unto that And indeed it s to be minded that Reconciliation is neither there spoken of as the act of Christ toward God as had it signified an ingagement putting upon him it should rather have been but as the act of God in Christ God was in Christ reconciling nor as of a thing accomplished and done as had it been of a meritorious reconciling it might have been with respect to the act of Merit so spoken of the act of Meriting being a thing already done but onely as of a thing then * It s but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in fieri in the doing and as the following vers ver 20. argues not as yet done while that exhortation to be reconciled is but yet a pressing It s as if he should have said God hath been doing that in Christ for the world that tends to and makes for its reconciling or being reconciled to him he hath taken that out of the mid-way that stood against the shewing himself gracious to them and receiving them into favor nothing is wanting on his part to their being at one with him nay he hath done that in Christ that may induce them thereto as in Matth. 22.4 His Oxen and Fatlings are killed and he hath prepared a dinner and all is ready for receiving them upon which ground also as there the servants were sent out to the guests with that good tidings and thereupon to invite them to come to the wedding so here the Apostles were sent out former hints of his goodness in the Wisdom of God afforded Joh. 1 4 5. 1 Cor. 1.21 being not in the wisdom of the World understood or discerned plainly to declare this that God had done in Christ for them and to intreat them to be at one with him which as it intimates as I said before that they were not yet in their hearts reconciled to him for why then needed any further beseeching of them thereto So doth it no more prove that they must be all so reconciled and that Christ had obliged God thereto Mat. 22.4 then that phrase All things are ready come ye to the Wedding argues that Christ had obliged God to make all those bidden guests to feast with him and the following Caveat in Chap. 6.1 warning them not to receive the Grace of God in vain both argues that there is such a receiving it and that there is danger that some such as this grace is affirmed to concern may so receive it and so by consequence not be reconciled in their hearts at all to him So that this place duly weighed rather overthrows Mr. Owens Assertion then contributes any the least mite to its confirmation He produces also Rom. 11.15 The casting off of the Jews is the reconciling of the world which neither speaks a title of Christs death nor can be understood to make any thing for a meritorious reconciling Reconciliation there signifying only the occasional way and means of reconciling As Salvation Acts 28.28 is the means of saving He quotes also Rom. 5.10 If being enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son c. and Col. 1.21 Now are ye reconciled in the body of his flesh through death But neither will they serve him up to his purpose For neither of them either speak in that latitude as All for whom Christ died nor of a meritorious reconciling onely but of Reconciliation at least inchoativè accomplished in mens persons In Rom. 5. The Apostle having said Verse 1. That the believer being justified by faith in Christ is at peace with God which is all one with Ver. 2 3 4 5. is reconciled and is lead to rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God even in afflictions shews how Faith nourishes and acts the soul in that hope from what principle and by what considerations viz. By minding the great love of God in giving his Son to the Death for it when in a miserable condition Ver. 6 7 8. and the great love of Christ in so dying for it and the state to which God hath there-through already brought it viz. Ver. 9 10. A justified and reconciled estate VVhence it leads the soul thus hopefully to judge and reason Hath God shed his Sons blood for me that I might have good ground of believing in him and overcoming me to believe therein hath he justified me there-through Compare ver 1.9 with Chap. 3.25 how shall he not much more now save me me or us that are thus justified from wrath to come And again Hath God made me of an enemy his friend by such a way at such cost as the death of his Son how much more wil he now that I am no more his enemy but his friend reconciled to him save preserve me in and bring me safely out of all afflictions and trials unto glory by his life seeing he shall not need to die again to do that for me Yea not only so says he but it leads too to Glory in God himself through Jesus Christ through or by whom it hath now now that it believes and is justified received the atonement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a Metonymy the Grace of God that effected this reconciliation and brought it in to be the reconciled of God as he had before ver 10. affirmed He says not we were reconciled in the time of Christs dying that would have been rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the reconciliation which we now have received in receiving him to wit and in which we are reconciled we have it by his Death That phrase By his Death that men so stumble at I have explained before lib. 1. cap. 1. This then says nothing of Christ meriting of or obliging God to reconcile that is turn the affections of all to himself for whom he died nor says that in Col. 1.21 22. any thing more for it but that the believing Colossians were of enemies to God become now his friends reconciled to him onely the Apostle there tell us what was the bond or medium of their agreement viz. The body of Christs flesh through or by means of death that is he having in that his body suffered for our sins and offered up himself to God God there takes up his delightful dwelling and is propitious towards us now we also by Faith closing with and feeding on that his body as it hath or he therein died for us God and we are at one But what is this to his meriting of God that he actually reconcile all for whom he died His last proof is Ephes 2.15 16 where the Apostle having said that the Ephesians sometimes strangers to God and his Church were now made neer by the blood of Christ which we may either understand of that cleansing of the state of the Gentiles in general and opening a free access into his Kingdom to
him that yet doubts of Gods love to him reject that devised Doctrine that contradicts the Scriptures and letting alone the secrets of God which pertain not to him yet to know nor shall hurt him if he attend and yield up to that that is revealed yea shall be also profitably revealed to him if he submit to what is revealed Psal 25.14 let him I say mind the record of God that he hath given of his Son that he hath given himself a Ransom for All yea and that God hath given us eternal life even us whom he commands to believe in the name of his Son 1 Ioh. 3.23 and this life is in his Son he that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life thence shall he see both ground to believe that God hath given him eternall life and put it into Christ and also both necessity and incouragement to believe on Christ that in believing he may have that life even that eternall injoyment of God in Christ that will for ever satisfie him and make him happy FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Symphony of some Ancient Doctors of the Church with the truth here defended added to shew that it is no novelty of yesterdays standing as some are pleased to charge it Chrysostome in Joh. 1.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem in Heb. 2.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Clemens Alexandrinus Orat. ad Gentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Athanasius De incarnatione verbi Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Et Paulo Post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those sentences forealledged are in English thus Chrysostome upon Joh. 1.29 That Lamb speaking of the Paschall Lamb or the Lambes offered up in the Jewish sacrifices never took away any one mans sins But this that is Christ the Lamb of God takes away the sins of the whole world for it being in great danger to be destroyed he quickly freed it from the wrath of God The same Author upon Heb. 2.9 saith thus That by the grace of God he might tast death for every one not for the believers only but also for the whole world for he dyed for All but what if all believe not yet he hath performed that which concerned him to do Clemens Alexand. Hear ye that are afar off and hear ye that are nigh hand The Word is not hid from any the Light is common and shineth unto All men Athanasius in his tractate about the Incarnation of the Word of God Now forasmuch as the debt of All ought to be paid for All ought to dy therefore for that cause especially he came and sojourned here and after the manifestations of his Divinity by his works it remained that he offer up a sacrifice for All delivering up his Temple the Temple of his body unto Death for All that he might discharge and free All from the old transgression And a little after in the same Tractate There was need of Death and it behoved that Death should be indured for All that the Debt due from all might be satisfied wherefore the Word for that it could not dy for it was immortall took to itself a body capable of dying that he might offer that as his own for All and that he suffering for All by reason of his conjunction with that he might destroy him that hath the power of Death to wit the Devill Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylact in Johan 6.51 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 August in Joh. 3.14 15. Serpens aneus in ligno positus venena vivorium serpentum superavit Christus in cruce suspensus mortuus antiqua diaboli venena restinxit omnes qui ab eo percussi fuerant liberavit Idem in Psal 69. Judas abjecit pretium quo ipse vendidit Christium non agnovit pretium quo ipse a Christo redemptus erat Prosper in Respons ad object Gallorum Christus dedit pro mundo sanguinem suum mundus redimi noluit Item sent quartâ super capita Gallorum Qui dicit quod non pro totius mundi redemptione salvator sit crucifixus non ad Sacramenti virtutem sed ad infidelium respicit partem quum sanguis Jesus Christi pretium totius mundi sit A quo pretio extranei sunt qui aut delectati captivitate redimi noluerunt aut post redemptionem ad candem servitutem sunt reversi Vide Ambrosium in pag. titul Cyrillus Alexandrinus in Joh. Evang. lib. 11.25 Quemadmodum praevaricatione primi hominis ut in primitiis generis nostri morti addicti sumus eodem modo per obedientiam justitiam Christi in quantum seipsum legi subjecit quamvis legis author esset benedictio atque vivificatio quae per spiritum est ad totam nostram penetravit naturam Leo Epist 72. ad Juvenalem Vt autem repararet omnium vitam recepit omnium causam vim veteris Chirographi pro omnibus solvendo vacuavit ut sicut per unius reatum omnes facti suerant Peccatores ita per unius obedientiam omnes fierent innocentes inde in homines manante justitiá ubi est humana suscepta natura Cyrill of Hierusalem in his Instruction or Catechise 13. The Crown of the Cross is that it inlightned those that were blind in ignorance and loosed All that were held in bondage under sin and redeemed the whole World of mankind Nor marvell thou that the whole world was redeemed by it for he was not a bare Man but the only begotten Son of God that dyed upon it Theophylact in John 6.51 By the life of the World perhaps he meaneth the Resurrection for the Death of the Lord procured the Generall Resurrection of all the whole kind or race of man perhaps also he named the life of holiness and happiness the life of the World for though All have not received that sanctification and that life that is in the spirit yet Christ gave himself for the World and as to what appertained to him the world is saved and the whole nature sanctified inasmuch as he hath received power to conquer sin and sin fled away by that one Man Our Lord Jesus Christ even as by that one man Adam it that is the world or the nature of man fell into sin Austine in Joh. 3.14 15. The brazen Serpent put upon a pole of Wood overcame all the venome of the living Serpents And Christ being hung upon the cross and dying quenched the force of the old poisons of the Devil and freed All that were smitten by him The same upon Psal 69. Judas cast away the price for which he sold Christ and acknowledged or owned not the price by which he was redeemed by Christ Prosper in Answer to some objections of the Gaules Christ gave his blood for the World and the World refused to be redeemed that is actually set at liberty by him So again He that saith the Saviour was not crucified for the Redemption of the Whole world hath not his eye upon the pretiousness or vertue of that mystery but upon the part of them that believe not whereas the blood of Jesus Christ is the price of the whole World from which price they are strangers who either being delighted with their captivity refuse to be set free or after they are set free return again unto their former bondage Cyrill of Alexandria upon Johns Gospell lib. 11. cap. 25. As by the transgression of the first man we were as in the first fruits of our kind bound over unto Death after the same manner by the obedience and righteousness of Christ forasmuch as he subjected himself unto the Law who was the Author of the Law the blessing and quickning which is by the Spirit or Divine nature hath pierced to our whole nature Leo in his 7◠Epistle to Juvenal That Christ might repaire the life of All he took the Cause of All and loosed the force of the old handwriting by satisfying for All. That so as by the Guilt of one All were made sinners so also by the obedience of one All might be made innocent righteousness thence flowing down unto men where is taken the nature of man I Might have added more Testimonies both Ancient and moderne as amongst the ancient Ignatius Jrenaeus Theodoret c. and amongst the moderne Luther Hemingius and in a word the generality of the Lutheran Divines as also Musculus Vrsinus Suffragium Britanicum Bishop Davenant yea the Articles and Catechise of the Church of England but these already alledged may be sufficient