doth give life and sence to the body and not the whole Trinity If the speciall Offices of Christ be considered severally much more if all of them be considered joyntly it will evidently appeare that both natures must necessarily concurre in the formall execution of them For he cannot worthily performe the office of the chiefe Doctor of the whole Church and heavenly Prophet nor execute the office of an eternall high Priest that is offer a Sacrifice truly propitiatory daily heare the prayers of all his people and present them before God nor exercise kingly power and authority in heaven and earth who worketh to the forme of meere humanitie or onely as he is man When in those offices there must be a divine excellencie and efficacie The end of personall union is the administration of his office Qualis substantia personae tâ—â— liâ— operatie qualis operatio talis substantia and the personall union of two natures in Christ had not been necessary unlesse both had concurred as a formall beginning to that worke For every agent necessarily worketh according to and by its forme whence it followeth either that the person of the Mediatour doth not consist of two natures or both natures of Christ as proper formes doe necessarily concurre to the proper works of a Mediatour because the proper operations must be conjoyned in one worke of a Mediatour as both natures are joyned and united in one person There is one God saith the Apostle and one 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. Mediatour between God and man the man Christ Jesus adding the man Christ to shew that in him were both natures that is he was God and man in one person and so a fit middle person or Mediatour And man may be taken personally not naturally it being most usuall to name the whole person of Christ from either 1 Cor. 2 â— nature as he is called the Lord of glory when his person is understood And so in this place the man Christ that is that person Iaâ— animad in Bell. contr l. 5. 6. 3. not 11 12. who hath that nature by which he is truly called man and of that appellation there may be divers weighty reasons more amongst the rest this that the Apostle would encourage us to put our trust and confidence in him as being our elder brother By voluntary dispensation Christ is Mediatour as God incarnate and not by nature as God And according to that dispensation Christ Joh. 17. 3 and 14. 1. 1 Joh. 2 1 2. is Mediatour to the Father who is personally called God sometimes in this respect and distinguished from Christ as Mediatour and Christ is our Advocate to the Father but never represented in Scripture praying to the Son or holy Spirit but the Father only which dispensation is carefully to be observed from which we must not depart upon any vain speculation which humane curiosity might suggest A Mediatour must be a middle person equally distant and equally drawing nigh to both parties betwixt whom he doth mediate Bellarm. de Christ l. 5. c. 2. §. Praeterâ—a Ille solus est verè medius inter Deum hominem cum utriusq naturam habeat And thus Christ God incarnate is a fit middle person for he draws as neare to the Father as God as to us as man and is as farre distant from God as he is man as he is from us as God and he comes as neare to the Father as he departeth from us and comes as neare to us as he doth to the Father But Christ as a just man is not so a middle person for he comes not so nigh to the Father as just as he doth to us as man nor is so farre distant from us as just as he comes nigh to us as man Then as Mediatour he should be joyned to the Father in will only but in nature dis-joyned and be distant from man not in nature but in quality only then should he be Mediatour not as substantially one with the Father but only as he is united to him in will If it be alleadged that if Christ be Mediatour as God incarnate then he is Mediatour to himselfe because he is God and then also he should differ from himselfe because a Mediatour is a middle person We answer it is not necessary a thing should differ from the Iun. ibid. cap. 5. not 1 3 5 15. extreames according to all that in respect whereof it is of a middle condition but it is sufficient if it differ in some thing from one and in some thing from another as is before explained So the Son of God incarnate by voluntary dispensation differeth not only from the Father and the holy Ghost but from himselfe as God only scil as man he differeth from himselfe as God and as God from himselfe as man The whole Trinity being offended with us for sin was to be pacified but the Scripture teacheth Christ was our Mediatour to the Father and we must silence our conceits and learne of God what to believe And assuredly if the Father be reconciled the whole Trinity is reconciled And further it may be added that he who according to absolute essence or nature is the partie offended may according to voluntary dispensation sustaine the person and doe the office of a Mediatour and so Christ was primarily a Mediatour to the Father for us and by consequence and secundarily to the whole Trinity and so to himselfe as God It is further objected if Christ be Mediator according to his divine nature then all three persons in Trinity be Mediatours but this is a meere deceit for the divine nature is taken essentially for the divine nature common to Father Son and holy Ghost or personally for the divine essence considered distinctly in the Father Son and holy Ghost In the latter sence we say Christ according to his divine nature is our Mediator as he was incarnate and did assume our nature unto his divine person and not the Father or the holy Ghost But then it will be said he was inferiour to the Father In office it is true by voluntary dispensation he is inferiour but in nature Iun. ibid. not 13. he is equall to the Father and nothing hinders but one equall to another in nature may by voluntary and free choice under-take Phil 2. 6 7. an office of inferiority Being in the forme of God he humbled himselfe The Scripture teacheth expressely that God the Father Joh. 1. 18. 3. 16. 3. 13. Rom. 5. 8. Ephes 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. 1 Joh. 1. 7. â— 1. 4. 10. Act. 20. 28. gave his only begotten Son to death for us and the only begotten or proper Son of God according to both natures and in both states is said to administer his office the property of either nature observed as also the only begotten Son of God is said to descend from heaven to earth for our sakes and to suffer death for us
fulnesse of time came And hence the Covenant of Grace is distributed into the Covenant of Promise or the New Covenant so called by way of excellency For the Foundation and Mediatour of the Covenant of Grace is our Lord Jesus Christ but either to be incarnate crucified and raised from the dead or as already Act. 4 12. Heb. 13. 8. incarnate crucified and truly raised from the dead and ascended into Heaven For there was never sin forgiven but in him alone who is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Therefore although before the Incarnation Christ was only God he was our Mediatour yet not simply as God but as the divine person who should take our flesh and in it should finish all the Mysterie of our Redemption and therefore he is called the Lambe of God slaine from the beginning of the world and the Fathers by his grace were saved even as we In the acts of Mediation three things may be considered Reconciliation by which we are accepted of God Patronage by which we have accesse unto the Father Doctrine whereby God hath made himselfe knowne unto men by a Mediatour This third act might be done before he assumed our flesh and indeed was done but the two first did require his comming in the flesh although the fruit of them was communicated to the Fathers under the Old Testament by force of the divine Promise and certainty of the thing to come with God If it be objected that the cause is before the effect and therefore the incarnation and death of Christ must goe before the communication of the fruit and benefit thereof unto the Fathers The answer is That in naturall causes the Proposition holds true but in morall causes the effect may be before the cause and so the fruit and vertue of Christs death was communicated to the Fathers before his Incarnation But although the Sonne of God before he was manifested in the flesh was our Mediatour with God to whom future things are present because he should be and therfore for his sake sinnes were remitted men did teach and learne by his Spirit the Church was governed by him yet the manner and reason of that Mediation was proposed more obscurely the force and efficacy of it was lesse and did redound to fewâ—r The Covenant of Promise then was that Covenant which God made with Adam the Fathers and all Israel in Jesus Christ to be incarnate crucified and raised from the dead And it may be described the Covenant wherby God of his meere grace and mercy in Jesus Christ to be exhibited in the fulnesse of time did promise forgivenesse of sinnes spirituall adoption and eternall life unto man in himselfe considered a most wretched and miserable sinner if he should embrace and accept this mercy promised and walke before God in sincere obedience God the Father of his meere and free grace and mercy looking upon man in Jesus Deut. 9. 5. Gal. 3. 18. Luk. 1. 54 55. Christ in whom he is reconciled is the Author and cause of this Covenant He hath hâ—lpen his servant Israel in remembance of his mercy as he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and to his seed for ever Thus saith the Lord God of Israel your Fathers dwelt on Josh 24 â— the other side of the floud in old time even Terah the Father of Abraham and the Father of Nahor and they served other gods And I took your Father Abraham from the other side of the floud and led him throughout all the Land of Canaan and multiplied his seed and gave him Isaac The condition required in this contract is the obedience of faith Remission of sinnes gratious adoption in Christ and the Inheritance of eternall life is promised to beleevers and eternall condemnation peremptorily threatned against unbeleevers Christ whom God hath exhibited in the Gospell as he was promised to the Fathers in the Scriptures of the Prophets is the object of this Covenant The end thereof is the praise of the glorious grace and mercy of God in Christ to come In this Covenant there is a mutuall compact betwixt God and man God in mercy promising and man in duty binding himself unto the Lord. It was made with man a sinner and reacheth to the faithfull and their seed as God hath promised to accept the children of beleeving parents upon due and religious tender of them made unto his Highnesse according as he hath prescribed but saving effectually it was made with them only who beleeve in him that justifieth the ungodly be the heires of salvation and walke in the steps of our Father Abraham This Covenant doth beget children to liberty doth administer the righteousnesse of faith and the inheritance by faith hope peace of conscience life in Christ and spirituall joy is the effect thereof Internally the Spirit doth seale up the truth of this Covenant in 2 Cor. 4 13. Rom. â— 4 5. Gal. 3. 18. Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 3. 14. Gen 22. 16. Luk. 1. 73. the hearts of the faithfull For when the adoption and the inheritance pertained to the Fathers under the Covenant of promise the spirit of adoption and earnest of the inheritance pertained unto them likewise Externally it was delivered and confirmed by word and oath and sealed by the Sacraments For substance also this Covenant was everlasting and unchangeable The New Testament did not abolish the former but the former was fulfilled by the latter And in all these things it doth Psal 105. 10. agree with the new Covenant which here only are but briefly named because the confirmation of them must be sought in the Chapters following And if the Covenant of Promise and the New Covenant doe thus agree in substance then it must necessarily follow That there Eph. 2. 18 19 20. and 4. 4 5. is but one Church of the Elect the same Communion of Saints one Faith one Salvation and one way of obtaining the same viz. by Faith in Christ Secondly that the Word of God was no lesse incorruptible seed Rom. 11. 17. to the Fathers and the Israelites then to us That the Fathers did eat the true flesh of Christ by faith as well as we in the times of 1 Cor. 10. 2 3. 2 Cor. 4. 13. the Gospell That they and we are partakers of the same Spirit and that the Sacraments of the Jewes did signifie and seale to them the same promises of eternall life which our Sacraments doe to us The Sacraments of the Old Testament were not types of our Sacraments as sometimes they are called by Divines but they typified the same things that ours doe For as the Covenants under which they and we lived were one for substance so are the Sacraments one in their common nature and signification Thirdly that the faithfull before Christ were saved by the free mercy of God in Christ did know God and Christ had the Heb. 11. 9. Psal 105. 15. Isai 51. 6. spirituall promise of life eternall and were
Jer. 32. 37 38 39. shall say surely our Fathers have inherited lies vanity and things wherein there is no profit Behold I will gather them out of all Countries whether I have driven them in mine anger and Ezek. 11. 17 18 19. Eze. 20. 40 41 42 43. Lam. 4. 22. Thy punishment O daughter of Zion is finished he will not adde to give thee to be carried away scil after thou shalt return into thy Country out of present Captivity in my fury and in great wrath and I will bring them againe into this place and I will cause them to dwell safely And they shall be my people and I will be their God And I will give them one heart and one way that they may feare me for ever for the good of them and of their children after them And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me And in these respects this Covenant which pertained to the old Testament might be called an inchoation of the new because the old ordinances distilling grace in some measure into the whole Covenant were to continue untill Christ should be incarnate and erect a new Tabernacle which should stand and continue for ever when a new people should be added to the Lord and the old ordinances because of their weaknesse being taken downe a new forme should be set up to abide for ever And from all this we may briefly observe in what accidents the old and new Testament differ one from another when for substance they be one and the same They both flow from the free-grace and mercy of God looking at poore sinners in Jesus Christ They have both one common matter the obedience of Heb. 5 8. Act. 3. 19 Eph. 1. 14. faith required and life everlasting and all secondary good things promised by the imputation of the righteousnesse of faith and free adoption in Jesus Christ They have both one object Jesus Christ who being promised to the Fathers in propheticall Scriptures God hath in due time exhibited under the Gospel They have both one generall end viz. the praise of the glorious grace of God in Jesus Christ Both Covenants are struck with man-kind as invested in one and the same reall and formall consideration whither before or after Christ viz. with sinners and those which worke not but beleeve in him that justifieth the ungodly In both the same spirit sealed up the truth of the Covenants to all under Covenant for seeing the adoption and inheritance in some measure belonged to the Fathers in the old Testament the earnest of that inheritance cannot be denied them But the new Covenant doth in many things out-strip the old which do nothing derogate from their substantiall and reall unity and agreement First In the old Testament the Lord did proclaime himself to be mercifull and gracious slow to anger aboundant in goodnesse and truth which he confirmed by great and wonderfull deliverances of his people out of Egypt and Babylon but yet at first he gave his Law with signes of Majesty glory and terrour yea of anger and displeasure against sin and wickednesse But the new Exod. 19. 18. Heb. 12. 21 22 23. Eph 2 17 18. 2 Cor. 5. 17 18. Testament was given with manifest tokens of love favour and free mercy God being reconciled in the Son of his love and therein he hath revealed his superaboundant and transcendent love mercy and long suffering as shall be shewed hereafter Secondly In the old Testament Christ was knowne to be the seed of the woman the selected seed of Abraham his bloud and death typified in Moses his person and office humiliation and resurrection fore-told by the Prophets but all these were more obscure and darke to the Jewes but in the new Testament Joh. 1. 12 â—â— Rom. 1. 4. Gal. 3. 19. 2 Co. 1. 20 he is openly manifested to be the Son of God made unto us of God wisdom righteousnes sanctification and redemption to whom the promise was made and by whose love authority as the great Testator of heaven they are all made put forth ratified established Thirdly The commandments of the old Testament were many Heb. 7. 16. Col. 2. 14 15. of them carnall standing in ceremoniall observances and containing an hand-writing against them and the promises were many corporall as of an earthly inheritance so that by them their faith was to ascend up to spirituall and heavenly things and the spirituall promises were obscure in number fewer and such as were farre off But the commandments of the new Covenant are spirituall Mat. 6. 33. and the promises spirituall plainly revealed nigh at hand ratified by the comming of Christ particular earthly things are promised as an additament to them that seek the Kingdome of heaven and included in the spirituall Fourthly Moses was the Mediatour of the old Testament a Gal. 3. 19. typicall imperfect Mediatour as not a right middle person a Heb. 9. 15. 8. 8. 6. 12. 14. Mediatour in respect of the outward administration and that by the power and vertue of Christ but the force of that Covenant had foundation in Christ and it was in and through Christ that the federates were partakers of the good things promised But Christ the Mediatour of the new Covenant a true and perfect Mediatour a right middle person between God and man who hath revealed the Gospel satisfied revenging justice brought in everlasting righteousnesse who alone is able to remove the guilt of sin from the conscience repaire the lost image of God in his people bow their hearts to walk in obedience and procure acceptance to their service Fifthly The old Testament was confirmed with the bloud of Heb. 9. 18 19 20. Heb. 9 14. Mat. 26. 28. beasts because the typicall Mediatour was not Testator and so was not to die but in the new Testament the true and perfect Mediatour was also the Testator and so the Covenant was confirmed by his precious bloud Sixthly The Law was written in tables of stone yet so as it was Exod. 31. 18 Deut. 9. 10. Deut. 30. 6 11 12. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Jer. 31. 33. Heb. 8. 10. engraven in the tables of the heart though not in that plenty and abundance that afterward for under the old Testament God would have both letter and spirit but more letter and lesse spirit But the Gospel is written in the fleshie tables of the heart yet so as it is committed to writing for in the new Testament the Lord would have both letter and spirit but more spirit and lesse letter then in the old Testament Seventhly The old Covenant was made with one selected Nation though Proselites if any offered themselves might not be excluded but in the new Covenant the world in opposition to Mat. 28. 1â— Dan. 7. 14. the Jewish Nations all Nations
lapsus peccati statu alijsque peccatis excepta sola impenitentia considerantur c. Sicut fidelibus quatalibus fructus impetratae gratiae proprié obtingit ita infidelibus rebellibus qua talibus gratia impetrata non est c. pag. 312. The second sort of Divines distinguish the sufficiency and efficiency of Christs death In respect of the worth and greatnesse of the price he died for all men because it was sufficient for the redemption of every man in the world if they did repent and believe and God might without impeachment of justice have offered Salvation to every man in the world upon that condition if it had been his pleasure In the efficiency as every man or any man hath fruit by the death of Christ so Christ died for him But this is not of one kind some fruit is common to every man for as Christ is Lord of all things in heaven and earth even the earthly blessings which infidels injoy may be tearmed fruits of Christs death Others proper to the members of the visible Church and common to them as to be called by the word injoy the Ordinances of grace live under the Covenant partake of some graces that come from Christ which through their fault be not saving and in this sence Christ died for all that be under the Covenant But other fruits of Christs death according to the will of God and intention of Christ as Mediatour be peculiar to the sheep of Christ his brethren them that be given unto him of the Father as faith unfained regeneration pardon of sinne adoption c. and so they hold Christ died efficiently for his people only in this sence namely so as to bring them effectually to faith grace and glory Now let us come to examine what the Scriptures teach in this particular The Apostle writeth expressely that by the grace of Heb. 2. 9. God Christ tasted of death for all men or distributively for every man Some referre this to the sufficiency of Christs death but all men cannot be referred to man-kinde considered in the common masse or lapse for the words must be understood of the death of Christ as it was suffered in time and not as it was decreed of God and of men considered as at that time But at what time Christ suffered mankind could not be considered as in the transgression of our first Parents The Jewes were of opinion that Christ the Messiah was promised a Saviour to them only How to impetrate Salvation No but to be applied as in Covenant Now to beate downe their pride the Apostle saith Christ tasted of death for all sc both Jew and Gentile who stood in relation by virtue of the Covenant as the Jewes did So that the Apostle speakes of the application of Christs death which is not absolutely common to all and every man in the world and by every man is meant every man who heareth receiveth and is partaker of the fruit and benefit of Christs death offered in the word of reconciliation every man who is under the new Covenant as it is propounded of God in the Gospell and accepted of them But every man under the new Covenant as he is under the Covenant is partaker of the fruit benefit of Christs death That the passage is to be understood of them that apply and possesse the fruit of his death is manifest by divers reasons from the verses precedent and subsequent The world to come verse 5. may well be that all or every man for whom Christ tasted death but that world to come is that happy age which the Prophets did foretell should begin at the comming of Christ whose accomplishment or fulfilling we expect as yet Beza an not in Heb. 2. 5. Corvin in Mal. cap. 29. § 1. Heb. 2. 10 11. 13 Isa 53. 10. Heb. 2. 16. They for whom Christ died are in the same Chapter described to be one that is of the same nature and spirituall condition with Christ to be his brethren such as trust in God the children of God given unto Jesus Christ the generation or posterity of Christ as the Prophet speaketh whom Christ tooke by the hand and lifted up from their fall the seed of Abraham But these things agree to them only that possesse the fruits and benefits of Christ for whom he died by way of application If the maintainers of universall redemption consider their owne grounds it will be hard to fit this Text to their purpose or rather from them the former exposition may be confirmed For either by all men they must understand mankind in the common lapse as fallen in Adam and then Christ by his death hath restored them into the favour of God they stand actually reconciled they be regenerated and if they die before by actuall sinne committed in their owne person they fall from that estate are undoubtedly saved or they must understand all men considered as obstinate impenitent rebellious unbelievers And then Christ died for all and every man as obstinate impenitent and unbelievers which I cannot find that any of them hath or dare affirme or by all men they must understand all beleevers who apply and possesse the benefits of Christs death which is that we affirme They say how truly I dispute not his dominion over all men that they are bound to obey him and live unto him is grounded upon his dying for every one But if that be granted is it not necessary that his death should be applied to every one in some sort at least made knowne unto them in the word of life For men are bound to obey and live unto Christ as they will grant not because he hath impetrated righteousnesse and salvabilitie but because he hath entred into Covenant with them made knowne unto them the way of life imparted unto them his blessings and they have accepted of the condition and received him to be their Saviour And these words By the grace of God I should thinke import more to them then that velleity or common mercy or generall affection of doing good which Armin. and Corvin make naturall and as they teach God beareth towards them that he hateth Corvin in Molin cap. 29. Sect. 2. which was the cause why he gave Christ to die for all men even that free grace and love whereby he quickens them that were dead in trespasses and saveth them that believe Ephes 2. 5. As for the particle All or every one examples are usuall in Scripture where it is used with fit limitation though neither all precisely nor the most part be signified and that confessed by all sides But what need paralell places to prove it may be when the circumstances of the text shew it must be limited and they that most presse universall redemption are enforced to acknowledge a limitation in this matter It is objected that the holy Ghost speaketh generally in the beginning of the Chapter What is man But how to frame any Heb.
be inseparable And this doth take away the objection which they raise from the words following And hath committed vers 19 20 unto us the word of reconciliation Now therefore we beseech you we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God For not to say the Apostle speakes to the Corinthians at that time beleevers and in the state of persons reconciled hath not God committed the word of reconciliation to the Ministers who are to beseech mankind actually restored into grace and admitted into the new Covenant to be reconciled The word of reconciliation is of use both to them that be not restored into grace that they might be called and to them that be reconciled that they might continue and be builded forward That passage of the Apostle 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. If any man sinne we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous And he is the propitiation for our sinne and not for ours only but also for the sinnes of the whole world is like to the former as all men confesse and hath the same answer For as Christ is our Advocate by office to plead our cause and defend us against the accusation of all our enemies so is he our propitiation But Christ is not the Advocate of every man simply but of his people And as he is the propitiation of the beleeving Jewes so he is of the whole world 1 Joh 4. 10. but he is the propitiation of the beleeving Jewes in that God is propitious unto them in Christ and not propitiable or reconcileable only He is their propitiation through faith in his bloud Rom. 3. 25. by whom their sinnes are covered not coverable and Cyril in Ioh. â— 11. cap. 19. Aug. tract 87. in Iob. Autor de vocat Gent. l. 2. c. 1. Euseb Hist l. 4. c. 15. Estius in 1 Ioâ— 2. 2. expiated and done away not expiable only Therefore the Apostle speakes of the application of Christs death and by the whole world man-kind in common considered as under the fall cannot be understood but the whole world of the Gentiles now called to the faith and admitted into Covenant Thus Vorstius himself though in his common places upon this Chapter he would understand these words as if Christ sufficiently and efficiently quantum in se was the propitiation for the sinnes of all mankind yet in his paraphrase he giveth this sence of the Text Where fore let Vorst in 1 John 2. 2. him consider that the Lord Jesus is the propitiation for our sins as who hath purchased full remission of them all for us And not only for us who at this time embrace his doctrine but for all men of the whole world as many as by faith receive or appehend the blessing of the Gospell offered unto them In this sence the world is taken as they themselves confesse Rom. 11. 12 15. Their fall is Scrip. Syn. pag. 307 308. See Chemnit Har. Evang. cap. 8. Quod gaudium erit omni populo the riches of the world and their casting off the reconciliation of the world that is of the Gentiles converted to the faith which did make a great part of the world and before conversion were worldly and profane men The rejection of the Jewes was an occasion by which the Gentiles hitherto without that gratious communication was made rich and being converted to the faith did returne into favour with God And the same argument they bring out of the former Text to confute the distinction of Christs death effectually for some sufficiently for all because then the adversative particle doth loose his emphasis if the Apostles words be thus understood Christ died effectually for us and not only so but sufficiently for the sinnes of the whole world doth confirme the other interpretation for the adversative should loose it weight if the sentence be thus resolved Christ is our propitiation by faith in whom God is actually reconciled and not only so but he is reconcileable to the whole world that lieth not in infidelity The maintainers of universall redemption thinke it may strongly be proved by this reason All men are bound to beleeve in Christ but Christ died for all men that are bound to believe in him which some propound in this forme Every man is bound to beleeve that Christ died for him but whatsoever a man is bound to beleeve that is true therefore he died for every man But if by beleeving in Christ they understand nothing but bare assenting to this proposition that Christ died for all men and for me as a man for the impetration of righteousnesse quantum in se or to purchase the grace of the Father and pardon of sinnes no man is bound to beleeve it because it is not revealed in Scripture much lesse made knowne to every man in the world by meanes sufficient Every man called whether he hearken to God calling or not is bound to beleeve that Christ is offered unto him as a Saviour so as if he beleeve he shall be saved but that Christ died for him in particular for the impetration of righteousnesse and for every particular man in the world that he is not bound to beleeve because it is not found in Scripture nor can he beleeve it according to their grounds that urge this argument neither can such perswasion be the ground of justifying faith I say every man in the world good or bad cannot beleeve it as they teach For either they be considered as in the common Masse as all Infants and then they be actually restored into grace or as impenitent and unbeleevers fallen from the Covenant themselves or as Arminius addeth in their parents and then Christ died not for them as such If they be admitted into Covenant and continue therein Script Rem advers coll Hag. art 2. Christ died for them in respect of application if they be fallen from that state by impenitency obstinacy rebellion Christ died not for them as such If they be cast off and not so much as outwardly called how can they beleeve that Christ died for them specially when by transgression they have departed from that Covenant and fallen from that state unto which they say they were admitted Neither can this perswasion be the ground of faith justifying for many ungodly men are perswaded that Christ died for all mankind that neither will nor can nor ought as such to beleeve in Christ or rest upon him for Salvation and many beleeve it not that beleeve truly in Christ and know they beleeve and that they ought to beleeve If by beleeving in Christ be meant faith justifying the proposition may be granted with two limitations First that under this terme they be not comprehended who never heard of Christ or had possible at least probable meanes to come to the knowledge of Christ or were admitted into Covenant So Vorstius seemes to limitit unlesse saith he Christ had died for all that are called in vaine should they all
all men unto justification of life Rom. 5. 18. Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe Rom. 8. 34. I am come that they might have life and that thâ—y might have it more aboundantly Joh. 10. 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Sonne into the world that we might live through him 1 Joh. 4. 9. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all Heb. 10. 10. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified vers 14. The passages of Scripture are plentifull which testifie application to be the end of Christs death for he died to establish and ratifie the everlasting Covenant of grace Heb. 9. 15 16 17. to abolish him that had the power of death that is the devill Heb. 2. 14 15. conquer death 2 Tim. 1. 10. destroy and kill sinne Rom. 6. 10. sanctifie his people through the truth Joh. 17. 19. give life unto the world Joh. 6. 33. redeeme us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3. 13. and from all iniquity Tit. 2. 14. obtaine eternall redemption Heb. 9. 12. that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. that he might deliver us from this present evill world Gal. 1. 4. that being dead unto sinne and alive unto God Rom. 6. 4 5 6. we might not live to our selves but unto him which died for us and rose againe 2 Cor. 5. 15. and that we might receive the adoption of sonnes Gal. 4. 5. And it is absurd to reason it selfe that Christ by the decree of God should purchase that for men which is not given unto them that he should acquire what they obtaine not that by divine imputation Christ should die for every man when the merits of Christ be not communicated unto them that the promised seed should be given to Abraham no blessing or multiplication following If Christ have purchased a new Covenant faith redemption reconciliation for every man without question they are or shall be delivered from the condemnation and dominion of sinne the Spirit is given or shall be given to abide with them they arâ— or shall be renewed after the Image of God If Christ be a King he hath a Kingdome subjects and territories wherein he doth exercise his regall power He is a King not only in personall right or to punish enemies but a King to feed and rule a people God hath given his Sonne the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession and shall men with-hold it Shall God give men unto Christ and shall they detaine themselves from him If Christ came to destroy the workes of the devill that is sinne as the Apostle shewes 1 Joh. 3. 8. Joh. 8. 41 44. and to deliver men from the feare of death and the devill shall we not thinke that Satan is cast downe and death abolished Christ is a Saviour as in merit so in efficacy else should his purchase be in vaine the end of his comming into the world be uncertaine his purpose in laying downe his life be frustrate and Christ should merit by the appointment of God what God doth not give therfore the impetration of righteousnesse must not be plucked from the application nor doth the giving of benefits purchased by the death of Christ depend upon the pleasure of men any more then the acquisition doth Betwixt the purchase and application of Christs death faith comes between but that faith is merited by the death of Christ and for Christ vouchsafed to them for whom he died Tit. 3. 6. Ephes 1. 3. Phil. 1. 29. Ephes 6. 23. Some have answered that all men are the sheep of Christ as the dispersed torne and devoured of evill pastors and beasts of the field and the seduced and destroyed are acknowledged to be sheep Jer. 23. 1 2. Ezek. 34. 5 6. But the Prophets speake only of the people of the Jewes which at that time was distinct from the Gentiles as the flock and inheritance of the Lord so that hence nothing can be gathered but that they who live in Christs Church and fold are his people and sheep of his pasture Againe the Scripture speakes of the sheep of Christ two wayes according to vocation or according to election According to vocation they are sheep who externally pertaine to the number of Gods people and the Church according to election Jer. 23. 3. Rom. 9. 27. Ezek. 34. 5 6. many sheep are without many wolves within and many sheep within many wolves without Although there be a distinction betwixt the merit of Christ by his obedience even to death and his intercession yet one of them cannot be separated from the other for he maketh intercession for them to his Father for whom he hath merited reconciliation by his death and we cannot thinke he should lay downe his life for them for whom he would not pray If we looke unto the signification of the words Mediatour and Intercessor note the same thing and if Christ have put himselfe betwixt the wrath of God and man to obtaine reconciliation by making satisfaction to offended justice can it be thought he will not request that for the virtue of his sacrifice they for whom he hath satisfied might be accepted of the Father If we looke to these two functions of Mediation suffering death and making intercession they are conjoyned in Scripture It is Christ that Rom. 8. 34. died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us If any man sinne we have 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our our sinnes Christ is our Advocate if he be our propitiation if we will receive the testimony of the Apostle and not separate things that God hath conjoyned Incredible it is that Christ out of his incredible love should vouchsafe to lay downe his life for them as well as others for whom the time of his passion being at hand he would not power out a prayer How these two be conjoyned in the intention of our Saviour sc to pray Joh. 17. 19. for men and to offer himselfe a Sacrifice for them may appeare by the words of our Saviour himselfe for these I sanctifie my selfe that is for these am I prepared to offer my selfe that they might be sanctified by the truth for these that is them for whom he prayed And if Christ had intended to offer up himselfe an holy and propitiatory sacrifice for the sinnes of all and every man he would rather have prayed his Father to accept his sacrifice for all men then professe that he prayed not for all men For whom Christ hath offered up himselfe a Sacrifice to put away sinne for them doth he appeare before God in heaven and if he doth appeare before Heb.
9. 24. God for them he doth also make request for them But Christ prayed not for all men professeth that he prayed not for the world Joh. 17. 9. He prayed for beleevers and them that should beleeve hereafter and testified that he would not pray for the rest And it must be observed that he prayeth for them that beleeve and shall beleeve as they were Gods and of God given to Christ which formally is not the same with beleevers though it be materially Joh. 6. 37 39. They answer to this argument that there is a two-fold intercession of Christ one generall for all men that they might beleeve The other speciall for beleevers that they might be glâ—ified If you aske the ground of this distinction they say Christ upon the Crosse prayed for his persecutours and them that put him to death Father forgive them they know not what they doe But if we search the Scripture we shall find no passage that saith Christ Luk. 23. 34. prayed for every man that he might beleeve nor is probable For if he aske faith for all men then absolutely or conditionally not absolutely for then all men should obtaine faith because Christ was absolutely heard in whatsoever he absolutely prayed for If upon condition doth he then pray to his Father that they might not resist the first grace offered or that they might beleeve if they doe not resist the first grace But if absolutely he pray that they might not resist then they doe not resist grace if conditionally that they might beleeve if they doe not resist then he prayeth that they might beleeve if they beleeve for not to resist the first grace is to obey it that is to beleeve Besides if Christ pray for all men that they might beleeve then also that they might enjoy the Gospell which is the meanes of faith and that either absolutely and they should enjoy the Gospell which we know they doe noâ— or upon condition as the right use of their naturall gifts or the piety of their progenitours or the like And then these conditions our Saviour doth pray for absolutely or upon condition or not at all If absolutely then all men should use their naturall gifts well because he is alwayes heard in that which he doth aske absolutely if not at all then it is not of grace that men use their naturall gifts well or some grace is given to men without the intercession of Christ And when the Gospell is vouchsafed to some that abuse their naturall gifts to others not did our Saviour pray that some should have the Gospell absolutly some conditionally or is the Gospell granted to some for the intercession of Christ to others without it although he make intercession equally for all men And if the Gospell be vouchsafed to some that abuse their naturall gifts why doth not God give the grace of faith also without that condition under which only Christ asked faith for them Moreover if Christ pray for all men that they may beleeve he asketh this for the vertue and merit of his passion or not If not then faith should not be given for the merit of Christ if he aske for the merit of his passion then he asketh it without any condition for Christ dâ—ed absolutely without conditioÌ„ for all men as they teach what Christ hath merited for all men that God giveth absolutely to every man Christ upon the crosse prayed for them that crucified him Luk. â—3 34. But that might be of private duty as man who subjected himselfe to the Law of God which requires that we forgive our enemies and pray for them that persecute us not of the proper office of a Mediatour who was to intercede for his people by suffering death and making request It behoved Christ as he subjected himselfe to the Law to fulfill all righteousnesse and so to pray for his enemies but that was not out of his proper office as Mediatour which was to offer up himselfe a Sacrifice or make intercession as our high Priest If any shall contend that this is to be referred to the proper Mediatorie intercession of Christ it will not prove the matter in hand for he prayed not for all and every man but for them that crucified him and that indefinitely not universally for them that were present at his crucifying and in simplicity of heart and not of affected ignorance resisting the evidence of the Spirit speaking by Christ and by miracles giving testimony to his doctrine in obedience to the commandement of the Superiours did crucifie him but not for all them that had any hand in his death He prayeth not that they might beleeve if they were not wanting to themselves but prayeth for forgivenesse for them that had abused naturall gifts and supernaturall meanes of grace so that it cannot be referred to that generall Intercession they speake of with any shew of reason Some answer the sense of the words is only this Father seeing they have sinned of ignorance let them not be punished with that punishment which the thing they have done deserveth which was without all hope to be blinded hardened and cast off but let them not for this sin be in this state but shew mercy on them that they may be in possibility of repentance pardon and grace which intercession answereth Christs dying as it respecteth all which was to possibilitate their Salvation But this exposition is new and straitned and cannot be confirmed by any circumstance of the place or signification of the word forgivenesse and if it be granted will not sute with their purpose For Christ died not to possibilitate the Salvation of every man that had or should abuse naturall gifts and supernaturall meanes as the rulers of the people which stirred up the people to desire Jesus that he might be crucified nor prayed for every man that had so fearfully abused the meanes of grace by wilfull and affected ignorance if not worse that he should not be given up to blindnesse and hardnesse of heart If any man shall be bold to affirme either of these we must desire better proofe then his bare word before we can yeeld assent If it be said the persons for whom Christ prayed were not in a state capable of remission or pardon because they were impenitent Corvin in Mol. cap. 27. pag. 7. and unbeleevers Corvinus answereth that we must understand the condition if they repent And by the same reason he might aske salvation for all men scil if they repent and beleeve And how then doth this Intercession differ from that which they say was speciall for the Salvation of beleevers Surely to aske the pardon of their sinnes that repent doth rather pertaine to speciall Intercession whereby the salvation of them that beleeve is prayed for then to the generall wherein the faith of all men is craved An example of this generall Intercession wherein Christ prayeth that all men might beleeve in him we have they say in that
execute this in such manner as the Sonne doth who hath received a right of executing immediatly and in a manner appropriat to his person the soveraigne dominion of God over every creature The Sonne by voluntary dispensation sent by the Father did emptie himselfe of exercising and shewing forth his right and dominion over every creature and the Father by voluntary dispensation doth resigne to the Sonne the immediate execution of all power over every creature till that time that all things be subdued under him This the Scripture doth lay downe as in regard of earthly powers Rev. 1. 5. they are subject for he is ruler of the Kings of the earth He hath this royall state written on his thigh as it were King of Kings Lord of Lords Rev. 19. 16. That he hath power over the Heb. 1. 4 6. col 2. 10. Angells is plaine both by the reverence they doe him and their obedience towards him Every knee boweth unto him the evill Angells yeeld signes of subjection either deceitfully to wrong ends or by force compelled though their state is such they cannot doe it religiously as the other And if Christ have power to send forth dispose of and imploy the Angells he hath power to take account how that he setteth them about is dischardged The evill Angells could not enter the Swine without his leave and they are subject to his judgement when the Saints shall judge the Angells what power hath Christ himselfe this way And as for the excellencies on earth they all receive their power from Christ and are at his dispose yea the Apostle saith He is crowned with glory and honour and all things are put under his feet Heb. 2. 7 8. Joh. 17. 2. Camer in Heb. 7 8. Par Ibid. Antithesis est inter Christi statuâ— sedentis aâ— dextram Patris expientu in cruce peccata nostra The Apostle speakes of that dominion which Christ received over all the creatures of God none excepted but if all things be subjected to the feet of Christ is not the humane nature every where No for the phrase in Scripture is not to be understood of subjection locall or corporall but imperiall sc that the man Christ is King of heaven and earth having all things subjected to his command This power and glory which Christ as man received is not infinite simply for then it should be the deity it selfe which he should not have had in the state of humiliation but the deity he had before not by habituall infusion but by personall union And if Christ by vertue of the hypostaticall union had received all fulnesse of the God-head that is all divine Properties as some interpret it it is not possible he should have received greater or more ample glory for greater then that which is infinite cannot be bestowed But the Scripture speaketh expressely that Christ as man was truly and really glorified or that he obtained that glory and Majesty which before he had not sc as man And if the humane nature be infinite or eternall of necessity the Incarnation of Christ and sitting at the right hand of the Father must be really the same if they be not abolished and the humane nature made equall unto if not the same with the divine The right hand of God absolutely considered must not so be interpreted as if it was all one with the phrase of sitting at the right hand of God For by the right hand of God is signified his power wisedome protection providence c. but by the other the exaltation of Christ and communication of Majesty and rule which he may exercise and shew forth every where without the omnipresence of his humane nature Neither are we to imagine that Christ hath all things or places or times so subjected to himselfe that he doth forth-with change their natures by this subjection Col. 1. 19. â— â— Vorst Deo placuerit in Christo â— per Christum iâ—habitare totam pleniâ—udinem be totam ecclesiam much lesse that he doth make them to be and not to be at the same time as to make all places to be one indivisible title or all times to be one point for so it should be divisible and indivisible the same and not the same together It is objected that the fulnesse of the God-head dwelleth bodily in Christ that is the whole essence Majesty and glory of God dwelleth in the humane nature And we are to conceive the person there spoken of sc the beloved Sonne as man as incarnate The reason is because the second person in Trinity the Sonne of Tota Dei plenitudo est universa Dei voluntas Majestas quatenus a nobis cognosci potest debet Id. Vrsin Vbi supra Pag. 601. Omnis plenitudo Deitatis inhabitat in Christo homine non sicut in alijs sanctu gratia tantum in habitationis seu assistentiae nec reali communicatione seu confirmatione seâ— reali unâ—one cum humanitare sic ut unitae sint duae naturae inseperabiliter personaliter 2 Cor. 6. 16. God absolutely considered hath all fulnesse not by voluntary dispensation but by naturall necessity in as much as the eternall Father never was nor could be without his eternall Sonne God with himselfe In Christ his person there is a threefold fulnesse the first fundamentall sc the fulnesse of the divine nature which doth personally dwell with that man-hood in Christ whence it comes to passe that this man is truly called God that is the manhood taken into fellowship of the selfe perfect and eternall person of the Sonne of God so that it is become as a part of his person The second is the fulnesse of office to which even Christ man is called For in regard of his humane nature now united to the second person he is man called to be the Christ of God that is annointed our Prophet Priest and King The third the fulnesse of created or habituall graces wherewith the soule of Christ is filled which are not divine properties for no created gift can be a Propertie divine but effects which the God-head worketh distinct from it as the soule giveth life to the body Now for the dwelling of all fulnesse in Christ man the latter two are in him subjectively the former that as the God-head doth dwell in Christ man not as in the Saints by relation of love and communion of the effects of it in grace nor as in the glorified Saints in regard of aboundant love manifested in the gift of glory nor any such simple cohabitation but it dwelleth in the manhood as with a nature which is taken to unity of person in the Sonne of God and so is through grace become of the substance of the second person So that Christ as man hath the second person of Trinity God with the Father and Spirit dwelling personally in it so that this manhood is essentially and substantially coupled with the deity in unity of one selfâ—-perfect and