all Men to believe in Christ as their Redeemer when they know he redeemed but the smallest part Or to charge them to rest on his Blood for Remission when he knows it was shed for the smaller number and will profit none but those whom it was shed for Yea how can he urge any to rest on Christ at all For till they know they are Elect they know not that Christ died for them according to the opposed Doctrin And till they know that Christ died for them they cannot rest on him as their Redeemer nor on his Blood as sufficient to procure their pardon seeing as is confessed it is but materially and not formally sufficient to pardon them if they should believe And they cannot know that they are Elect or that Christ died for them till they rest on him And therefore I see not how any Minister can press Men groundedly to rest on Christ by a justifying Faith or to accept him as their Lord-Redeemer And then for the duties of repentance Love and Thankfulness to Christ for redeeming them I have shewed before how this Doctrin evacuates them all and so that no Minister can groundedly press them 3. And for the promise how can any Minister in Christs Name assure a sinner of pardon by that Blood which was never shed for him on condition he will believe As if you should say to a Debtor believe that such a Man hath paid thy debt or trust him and then thy debt shall be discharged when you know he hath not paid it or know not that he hath Indeed a Man may come off with some kind of truth in his words if he certainly know that the Party will not believe But the certain knowledg that Men will not believe is not the reason why God calls them to believe and offers them Christ and Life 4. And for the threatening with what Heart can a Minister tell Sinners Christ is a Redeemer but to the Elect yet all the rest of you shall perish for not taking him for your Redeemer and for not resting on that Blood that was never shed for you And that as to the ends of preaching 1. How will the divulging of these glorify God When he hath purposely designed the glorifying of Love and Mercy directly and justice accidentally by this great work of the Redemption of the World and hath unhinged the Sabbath which was for Commemoration of the work of Creation to the first day of the Week for the Commemoration of the Work of Redemption which he will now have admired as his most glorious work which as Ames in the place cited in Argument 18. saith is to the works of Grace the same that Creation is to the works of Nature and so is the ground of Gods New Right of Dominion and Empire and of his governing and judging the World And how is this glory eclipsed by the opposed Doctrin 2. And for Mans Convesiron to the Faith I have shewed how unfurnished a Minister is rightly to endeavour it on the opposed grounds Whereto let me add this The Soul is never closed to Christ sincerely till it close in Love Love â—eing as all Divines say at the same moment of time as Faith produced And as Maccovius before-cited truly saith and so doth Chamier and many more Love to the Redeemer the object of Faith is of the Essence of justifying Faith it self Now it is Love that must cause Love I mean objectively and not only efficienter He cannot close in Love with Christ that knoweth nothing of Christs Love to him though he know it to others so near is Man to himself and Christ is to be received as my Redeemer and not only as another Mans. Now no Man can know that Christ loveth him with a special love before he know that he himself loveth Christ that 's past question And yet no Man can soundly love Christ as Redeemer that knows not Christs love to him What remains therefore but that it must be Christs common love in redeeming the World and making the conditional gift of pardon and Life and this offered to me in particular among others that must first cause my grounded love to Christ Let us see what Scripture saith of the ground of Ministerial duties Math. 22. The work of the Ministers was to invite the Guests and compel them to come in And the ground was all things are ready Else might not the Guests have said If we should come there is nothing for us we may go as we come You do but take this advantage to jeer us because you know our minds that we will not come 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20. The work of Preachers is the Ministry of teconciliation And wherein lies it vers 20. Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye Reconciled to God so then the work of the Ministry is to beseech Men in Christs stead and Gods name to be reconciled to God But on what ground is this verse 19 21. To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses to them and hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation which Text we shall afterwards further explain and vindicate Is there not an absolute necessity that the price of Reconciliation be first paid to God and accepted by him before any Sinner can be intreated to be reconciled to God on the ground of that price paid and accepted Let me desire Ministers seriously to consider with what Face they can stand up in the name of the Lord Jesus to beseech poor Sinners to be reconciled to God and tell them that else they shall be doubly miserable when yet there is no price paid for making them way to God nor Gods justice satisfied for their Sin which is supposed before any of their own endeavours can do any thing towards Reconciliation Let me imagine such a Dialogue as this between such a Teacher and a Sinner Minister Sinner I beseech thee in Christs stead be reconciled to God Sinner I have Sinned so much that he will not be reconciled to me All that I can do will do nothing to bring me again into his favour Min. Christ hath satisfied for all the Elect. Sinner But what 's that to me unless I knew my self to be Elect. M. But Christ hath satisfied for all if they will believe Sinner Did you not tell me he satisfied only for the Elect and that determined by name Either he hath satisfied for me before I believe or not if not my believing will not satisfie nor cause him to do it now If he have how shall I know it Min. You must believe first and then you shall know it afterwards For God hath ordained inseparable connexion between Christs dying for Men and their believing And therefore for all my beseeching you to believe if you be not one that Christ died for you neither will nor can believe for none is able
the Communication of himself to his Creature is his End either you speak of the Acts of Communication as in God and so it is himself as before expressed Efficiently and not Finally Considered Or else you speak of the form produced by it or as received by the Creature and so it is quid Creatum extra Naturam Divinam and too low to be his End I conclude therefore that man is uncapable of a clear and full conceiving of the Nature of Gods End or Intending But the conception and expression which I judge to be most favoured by Scripture and Reason is That Gods will is the Beginning and End of all things Whatsoever pleased him that did he And when he hath done it the pleasing him is his End And therefore he Rested after the work of Creation and expresseth himself well pleased by and in his Son in the work of Redemption as seeing his work in both to be very good and therefore instituted a day of Rest in Commemoration of both The term Rest expresseth the End and his Well-pleasedness Content or Will is his Rest and so his End And in this sense God himself is his own End and indeed this Pleasing him should be Mans End also 2. But besides this Ultimate End though properly God can have no End but himself yet there are some means so closely conjunct with this End as being the immediate matter of Gods Approbation Delight that they may not unfitly be called Gods secondary or less principal ends themselves especially we may so say in regard of Christs intentions who is Man as well as God And these are 1. The Glory or Image or Perfections of God as appearing in all his works thus his own Power and Wisdom and Goodness there shining forth is that Glory in which he is well-pleased and which he loveth And thus the Glory of God is materially only or objectively his utmost End as that in which his Will doth Rest 2. The Glorifying of the Mediator in his Human Nature and his full satisfaction and content in the fruits of his Redemption 3. The Glory and Happiness of his Elect who are his Body 4. Their Everlasting perfect Praises of God loving him and rejoycing in him 5. And even in this Life the Just Wise Merciful Administrations of the Mediator in his Kingdom and the imperfect Deliverance and Holiness of the Saints and the glory that redounds to God hereby may not unfitly be said to be the Ends of the Redeemer But I will meddle with this Order of Intention no farther as intending God willing to speak more fully and accurately of that Question de ordine decretorum de fine de mediis in a fitter place 2. But let us consider of the Order of these Ends as Executed I mean of the Effects of Christs Death And they are 1. Such as immediatly follow it as it is the Discharge of the Sufferers undertaking being indeed 1. Part of his Work in its Moral Consideration 2. Or else the immediate results of that Discharge These are 1. That Christs Death doth demonstrate Gods justice and hatred of Sin 2. In it an Example is given for the deterring of Offenders 3. And for preserving the Lawgiver and the Law from contempt 4. And a demonstration made of unspeakable Love to Men. 5. And in and by these 1. The Lawgiver satisfied 2. And the chief Ends of the Law are attained though we cannot strictly say that the Law it self is satisfied because its sense and nearest end is not fulfilled Thus satisfaction of Justice is the sum of these most immediate Effects And the whole work together may well be called A Satisfactory Penalty 2. Satisfaction being thus made there are immediately hereupon several Relative Effects resulting from it Whereof some are from the Nature of the Work supposing that which is called The Covenant between the Father and the Son that is Gods Acceptation And some are given as it were by way of Retribution or in Communication to Christ for his satisfaction Of the first sort are these 1. Christ himself is now free from his Voluntary obligation to suffer In the same sense as he was before made Sin he is now Justified and upon his Resurrection declared just He oweth no more nor can any more be required of him 2. The Father therefore doth give him an Acquittance and acknowledgeth the satisfaction proclaiming himself well-pleased in his Son 3. And hereby is Christ become Conquerour over Death and Him who had the Power of Death even the Devil Supposing his Resurrection 2. Satisfaction is so pleasing to God that upon the giving thereof the work becomes Meritorious of Reward to the satisfier 1. Because it was not Due from Him nor Compelled but voluntary 2. Because though God be not capable of receiving good yet it was from his own earnest desire which he was moved to by Compassion to Man and so it was reputative in bonum Dei as being pleasing to him The things given to the Satisfier by way of Retribution are 1. Some directly to himself as necessary to the Ends of Redemption 2. Some for the Sinners in whose stead he suffered To himself is given 1. Something to be received before the End and Delivering up of the Kingdom and something after Before he Received 1. Real the glorifying of his person 2. Relative Fruits Novum jus Dominii a full Propriety in the Creature as his own which he bought And that is 1. Over Mankind whom he Redeemed 2. And all the Creatures as they may be serviceable to his Ends. By his Propriety in Man he hath Power 1. To use what means he seeth meet to perswade them to himself Either 1. External 1. As the Word or 2. Works 2. Or Internal by his Spirit and their Conscience 2. And to succeed the means By his Propriety in other Creatures he hath Power to dispose of 1. Persons both 1. Angels and 2. Enemies as Devils and 2. Things As 1. Creatures 2. Actions and Thoughts so as many serve his Ends of Redemption 2. Beside this Propriety he hath Novum Jus Imperii and is become Rector of the Rational Creature whom he Redeemed This is partly consequential to his Jus Dominii For every Man hath Power to Rule his Own according to its Capacity By this Rectorship Christ hath Power 1. To Determine both 1. What shall be Due from Man 2. And What shall be Due to him Which he doth 1. By making Laws de novo 2. And disposing of the Old at his pleasure And as he hath this power of the Laws So 2. Of their Execution 1. By Sentence 2. And by the Execution of the Sentence Thus much of that which Christ himself was to receive for his satisfaction in this time before the End 2. After the End he was further to receive 1. The continuation or perpetuating of his Personal Glory and Blessedness 2. A full Content in the perfect accomplishment of his work 1. In the just Destruction of his
as the first is God accepted the satisfaction on those terms only that no final Rebel should partake of the saving benefit If it be a wrong it is either against Christ or the Sinner Not to the Sinner for he suffereth but once And the former suffering of Christ was not in personation or representation of his person nor as his substitute nor appointed or procured by him But by a third Person in the Person of a Mediator sent by God and voluntarily undertaking it Nor to Christ is it any wrong For 1. He is willing Volenti non fit injuria 2. It was the agreement it should be so 3. Yea it is he that doth it He as Judge condemns them for ingratitude and Rebelling against himself and consequently leaves all the rest of their Sins upon them Prop. L. Nor is it any more absurd that Christ should satisfie for those that were in Hell when he sufferd then that he should do it for those that were in Heaven at his suffering He paid the Price which he had agreed to pay which became effectual upon the agreement and undertaking before the payment And was then offered to Mankind Of whom some suffered for rejecting it as others were saved upon the accepting it even before his death Prop. LI. Nor was Christs Satisfaction for those that perish Vain Seeing it is the ground of his New Title of Lord-redeemer as to Dominion and Rectorship and so the ground of his New Legislation Judgment Administration and Government of the World and will be the occasion of his just destruction of the Rejectors of him even those Rebels that would not have him to Reign over them and of his glory therein Even as Gods Creation and preservation of Men is not to be called Vain or no mercy because he gives not all Men Hearts to repent and so some perish For as Creation laid the ground of the Creators Dominion Rectorship Legislation and Rule and Judgment if the first Covenant had stood in force as it was at first So did Redemption by satisfaction do in respect of the Redeemer and Covenant of Grace Prop. LII All that Christ by the work of Redemption did purchase a propriety in and Dominion over were not Redeemed by him Bruits and Devils are hereby under his Dominion and Devils shall be judged by him But not as Subjects For he procured as Mediator a Dominion over these but as utensils in his House or as Enemies to be restrained ordered and destroyed Therefore Christs judging Devils will not prove that he redeemed them When yet his judging unbelieving Men will prove that he Redeemed them Devils are judged as Enemies but not as Rebels against their Lord-Redeemer But wicked Men are condemned as Rebels against him for ungrateful rejecting a benefit given them If a Country fall into Rebellion and the King sentenceth all to Fire and Sword and the Prince by satisfaction purchase all to himself both Men and Country And send Heralds to proclaim mercy and pardon to all that will accept him and thankfully accknowledg his favour Some accept and some reject him The same Prince destroyeth these Rebels for rebelling And he destroyeth also all the Bears Lyons Wolves and devouring Beasts that annoyed and kill'd his subjects Now will any say that because he appointeth the Wild Beasts to death and yet satisfied not for them nor Redeemed them that therefore he redeemed not the Rebels neither All sayings and writings have different Sences in the same words sometimes according to the difference of the Materia Subjecta Prop. LIII The Doctrine of Universal Redemption thus delivered runs with the whole Scope of Scripture and hath not the least inconveniences when the denial of it contradicteth a multitude of express Texts and bringeth on more desperate consequences than can easily be conceived Prop. LIV. Though Christ dyed equally for all Men in the foresaid Law-Sence as he satisfied the offended Legislator and as giving himself to all alike in the conditional Covenant Yet he never properly intended or purposed the actual justifying and saving of all nor of any but those that come to be justified and saved He did not therefore dye for all nor for any that perish with a Decree or Resolution to save them much less did he dye for all alike as to this intent Prop. LV. All that conditional Pardon with the means of Grace and common Mercies which the Non-elect do actually receive in time were purposed for them before time and intended to them as Fruits of Christs Death and so far even in regard of his Purpose de eventu applicationis Christ may be said to Die for them besides the foresaid satisfaction For God being Rector per Leges deals with men on Law terms and gives Mercies and Executes Justice only according to his Laws He would not so much as relax the Old Law for the pardon of any Sin but by a new Law which is Lex Remedians But the old Law being broken God can shew no mercy now according to its tenour It must be therefore according to the Law of Grace and from it that all men receive their Mercies and consequently from the Blood of that Covenant which is the ground thereof and by which Apostates are said to have been sanctified Heb. 10. Prop. LVI When we say that Christ did Die for men conditionally as to his Death it self and the satisfaction to Justice immediately thence flowing we cannot intend it or truly say so Nor yet as to the granting of his Universal Conditional pardon For Christ absolutely procured all these But we mean it only in regard of Actual Remission Justification and Salvation The Covenant or Promise is indeed Conditional that is there are conditions required on our part to the fulfilling of it that we may have right to the Benefit But no conditions for the granting of it much less for Christs Actual Dying and Satisfying Prop. LVII Though it be disputable whether God have any Decretive will de eventu properly Conditional yet is it beyond all doubt that he hath a Conditional will de Debito and Conditional Laws and it being to God as Legislator that Christ made Satisfaction and it being by Law that the Dueness of Justification and Salvation is conveyed to believers and the Dueness of Punishment to Unbelievers therefore it is very proper to say that Christ by his Death hath purchased Salvation for all Men Conditionally Prop. LVIII Yea it is undoubted that the very Decretive Will of God de Eventu applicationis is Conditional in this sence that Faith and Repentance are Decreed by God to be Conditions of Justification and Salvation but not conditions of Gods act of Decreeing Twisse saith that in this Sense no man denyeth Gods will to be conditional Vid. Consid of Syn. Dort and Arles c. Page 61. And against Cotton Page 74. Prop. LIX Those that dare say that Christ is an imperfect Redeemer if he do not procure Faith it self for every Man that he Dyeth for
were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life John 11. 51 52. That Jesus should dye for that Nation and not for that Nation only but that also he should gather together in one the Children of God that were scattered abroad Mat. 1. 21. for he shall save his People from their Sins Joh. 15. 13. Greater Love hath no man than this that a man to lay down his life for his friends 1 John 3. 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us Rom. 8. 34. who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed yea rather c. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Christ hath once suffered for Sin the just for the â—njust that he might bring us to God 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. knowing that you are not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vain conversation received by Tradition from your Fathers but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 29. He bore our sins on the Tree that me being dead to sin should live to Righteousness Tit. 2. 14. That he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar People zealous of good works Eph. 5. 25 26. Even as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle c. Isa 53. 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities John 17. 2. Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him Mat. 7. 23. Depart from me I never knew you c. Heb. 9. 28. Christ was once offered to bear the Sins of many c. Heb. 10. 14. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Psal 16 9. Their drink offerings of blood will I not offer nor take up their name into my lips Gen. 3. 15. The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head and his seed bruise her heel Mat. 11. 25. I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thoâ— hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and hast revealed them to Babes Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins 2 Cor. 5. 21. For he made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him These are all the Texts that at present I can remember or find used by those that write against Universal Redemption which have any considerable shew of a proof of all which there is not one that excludeth the Non-Elect nor any in the World from being the Persons for whom Christ dyed as we shall see when we come to review them more particularly Nor is there any ill consequence following the Doctrine of Universal Satisfaction but all that terrifies men from it is seeming ill Consequences for want of right understanding it most men think who go that way that Universal Redemption is inconsistent with absolute Election and with special differencing Grace and with Christs special intention of calling and saving his Chosen whereas indeed it is so far from being inconsistent that it is necessarily concomitant and supposed and they may as well think that Universal Creation is inconsistent with Election and special grace Indeed God hath in admirable wisdom laid Universal Grace as a ground work and built special grace as to the executive part thereupon and to deny the Universal Common grace is to destroy the ground-work of special grace If this were well understood there would few sober Divines be against Universal Redemption and therefore I still say that it is a clear explication that must do more here and is more needful than argumentation Yet because some do so importunately call for Arguments I have given these Thirty and might add many more and shall now proceed to those that are drawn from particular Texts of Scriptures having first laid down one or two more general considerations from the Scripture Language in this particular That Election and Redemption are not of the same extent and not all Elected that are Redeemed but Redemption is Universal and Election special may be strongly evinced by comparing together the language of the Scripture concerning one and the other how differently it speaks 1. We find God charging Men to give all diligence to make sure their Calling and Election 2 Pet. 1. 10. But not one word in all the Scripture to command or perswade Men to make sure that they are redeemed unless we meant it not of the price but the fruits Paul saith to his Converts 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith know ye not your own selves that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates But he never bid any man examine thy self whether thou be redeemed or whether Christ dyed for thee or whether thou be one of those for whom Christ dyed we have marks given in Scripture to know by whether we are the Children of God or no whether sanctified justified pardoned or no but never a mark laid down in Scripture to know by whether we are of those that Christ dyed for no more than there is to know whether we are of those that God Created And would not the perfect holy word of God have given marks of this or bid men make sure of this and try it if it were needful and were not unquestionable because universal 2. We find the Saints as David complaining of God's hiding his face and seeming their Enemy and writing bitter things against them and groaning under that burthen of Sin and crying for Pardon and saying God had forsaken and forgotten them c. But we never find any Man good or bad that believed Gods word to be true to doubt whether Christ dyed for him or whether he were Redeemed or complaining of his danger for want of a Redeemer or Expiatory Sacrifice 3. We find God ordinarily saying of Christ Jesus that he is the Saviour of the World and came not to condemn the World but to save the World and took away the sins of the World and is a propitiation for the fins of the whole World and dyed for all tasted death for every man and was a ransom for all c. But we have no one word in Scripture that saith he predestinated all to Salvation or decreed to save the whole World Nay the very term of Election contradicteth Universality for it is no chusing if it be all and if some be not left 4. We find Wicked Men condemned and their sin aggravated for denying the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. But never for denying the Lord that Elected them 5. We find Christians by the Apostles warned that they destroy not their weak Brethren for whom Christ dyed and saying through thy
And as Dr. Ames saith in the place before cited Anti-Bellarm it is to the work of Grace as Creation is to the work of Nature And therefore as none can deny but the Non-Elect have common grace as Conditional Pardon Illumination the Holy Ghost c. else how do they turn grace into wantonness so none can well deny but they have it from the general Fountain of Redemption Let us then consider what is the proper use of satisfaction as such and what it was that made satisfaction necessary And it is evident that it was the justice of God Creator as Rector according to the Law of Works and the misery of Man that haâ— offended God by the breach of that Law and was become liable to the Penalty which he could not bear without his everlasting undoing These made satisfaction necessary God's Justice required that either the Sinner must perisâ— or satisfaction by an Expiatory Sacrifice must bâ— made by which the remote and main ends â—â— the violated Law might be as well attained â— by the Sinners Damnation they would have been so that it was the death which was become due to Mankind which required the death of Christ their Sacrifice as on Man's part and God's Justice which would not remit sin but on a valuable consideration for the demonstration of its self and of God's Holiness which required it on God's part so that you see that on our part which required a Sacrifice was guilt that is obligation to everlasting punishment And it doth not belong to the satisfier as such to see that the guilt be actually done away quoad eventum or that the Damnation be actually escaped but that a sufficient Sacrifice or satisfaction be given on consideration whereof Remission and Salvation may be given on the terms as the Legislators and Redeemers Wisdom shall appoint How Christ doth give out this Pardon we shall shew you anon de quadruplici Remissione so that it is apparent that the want of the act or habit of Faith or the want of the Holy Ghost to effect Faith is not the thing that required satisfaction to God's Justice directly but that Faith is only a remote effect of this satisfaction and such an effect as hath no such Natural Connection with this Cause but that the Cause materially may be and oft is without that effect in many and the effect might have been without that cause from another if God had so pleased To manifest this that it is not want of Faith that required satisfaction as such and that satisfaction may be made for those that shall never believe observe these things 1. That Man's Suffering is not a thing pleasing to God in and for it self but for its end viz. The Demonstration of Justice and Right Governing of the World God professeth that he hath no pleasure in the death of a Sinner Ezek. 18. nor in the death of him that dyeth Ezek. 33. but rather that he repent and live Much less hath he pleasure in the death of the innocent and least of all in the death of his own Son God is not blood-thirsty who abhorreth the blood-thirsty man 2 It is not therefore for Christ's Sufferings as in themselves considered that God doth give men either Faith or any Mercy God doth not sell his mercies for blood as if he would give the World Remission of Sins on condition he might put his Son to so much torment And therefore Faith is not the immediate effect of Christ's death in sensu morali It comes not from his death as death or suffering nor may it without Blasphemy be conceived that ever God made such an agreement with his Son as to give Faith to Men meerly on Condition that Christ would suffer death without first considering somewhat else that required that suffering and something that put a value upon it 3. So that the thing which did require Christs Suffering was as is said before the obligation to punishment called guilt on mans part and vindictive justice on God's part Unbelief as Unbelief did not necessarily require it but the guilt of unbelief or any other sin did require it if ever it be pardonable 4. So that the following effects of Christ's death do all presuppose the satisfaction of Justice and hence Christs death becomes so pleasing to God not as death but as satisfaction and so a means fitted to the attainment of his ends And because this means so pleaseth him he esteemeth Christs satisfaction meritorious of further benefits joyned with his meritorious obedience upon which estimation and his own will called the Covenant with Christ he annexeth further benefits thereto For the end why he satisfied his justice by the Sacrifice of his Son was that he might honourably wisely and justly give out the following benefits which he giveth out hereupon So that Christs death is as to God first satisfactory and then meritorious of further benefits Now Faith very remotely followeth all this as shall be shewn 5. The thing that God could not do without satisfaction was the remitting of sin and freeing the delinquent from punishment it was not directly nor in its self the bestowing of Faith 6. For I would desire any Judicious Man to consider whether if Christ had by his death satisfied God's justice for mans guilt and had not at all done any more by his death for the meriting of Faith might not God have given man Faith at his own pleasure without the least shew of injustice or any other prohibiting inconvenience though Christ de facto did merit more yet we may well in dispute for searching out the truth separate in our thoughts guilt of sin and want of Faith in Christ and we may suppose that Christ had done no more by his death than to satisfie God's justice for man's guilt by bearing that which was due to man Now I would fain know this being once done why God or the Redeemer might not give Faith to whom he will Is there a further necessity of any new death or suffering to merit Faith for us If there be what is that necessity It is no injustice in God to do it There is no Law standing in the way by which he is obliged to the contrary Perhaps some will object that the same may be said of Pardon and Salvation that there needs no new suffering to merit them if once Justice be satisfied and yet Christ dyed for our Justification and Salvation To which I answer All this is true but then observe the difference separate in your thoughts Remission Justification and Salvation on one side from Faith in Christ on the other side as we by supposition may well do in disputation and you will find that God could not give Remission Justification and Salvation from Punishment without Christ's satisfaction but he could have given Faith in Christ if you will suppose it to go alone without the former benefits without satisfaction I say he could not give the former not by reason of any
supposition that Christ bore not Punishment for any mans sins but those whom he intended infallibly to bring to Heaven which they have never yet proved nor ever will do there being no Word of God that promiseth to save all that Christ died for Lay all this together and you will see the truth of these Conclusions 1. That it was not the absence of Faith in Christ the Remedy but the Old Laws Obligation of us to Punishment or the guilt of sin which required Christ's satisfaction to God's Justice 2. That Christ by this satisfaction did not immediately merit Faith it self but only those intermediate causes from whence the Faith of his Elect is produced that is He purchased all men from the Legal necessity of perishing that they were in into his own Power as their Owner and Ruler that so he might make over Reconciliation Remission and Salvation to all if they will believe and might send forth sufficient means and help of Grace to draw all men towards him resolving to draw his Elect Infallibly to him 3. That it is therefore an improper and unfit phrase to say that Christ Died to purchase us Faith though rightly explained it hath truth in it But rather that Faith is an effect or fruit of Christ's Death viz. where Faith is given For the former phrase would intimate as if Faith were the thing that God was to give in requital of Christ for his Bloodshed and that directly and so Faith should be given by God as Legislator of the Old Law For the stipulation supposed to be between the Father and Son was made by the Father on his part not as Redeemer or Legislator of the New Law but as the offended Rector according to the Law of Creation now treating with the Mediator about mans Recovery Though these things spoken after our manner do but signifie Gods Decrees yet they shew us in what Relation God stood towards Man and towards the Redeemer when he required and accepted of Satisfaction Whereas the thing given to Christ was Power of Dominion and Rectorship and so the Redeemed delivered to him not all to one final end nor with a like intent And so Faith is procured by Christ only in this remote sense in that he procured full power to use the fittest means to draw men to him in the season and degrees he please with a full resolution in his own mind to make all this effectual upon his chosen that he might attain the full end of his Blood-shed So that Faith is the effect of that degree of Grace which from his Plenipotency he gives lest his chosen should miss of the intended Salvation and therefore is improperly said to be purchased by Christs Blood though yet it be a remote effect of his Blood to those that have it and none could have had it without the Intervention of his Blood because there would have been no saving use of Faith without that Blood otherwise they might if we look to Faith but as such an act considered without its object given 4. And therefore the Scripture no where useth any such phrase as to say that Christ Died to purchase us Faith But ordinarily that he died to purge or put away sin c. And in controverted cases it is safest to speak in Scripture Language Suppose a man pay 1000 l. to Ransom certain Prisoners that owed that sum and upon the Ransom it is agreed that they shall now be delivered up to him as his Ransomed ones to dispose of at his pleasure yet both parties agree that only those shall be actually delivered into freedom who thankfully accept the favour and the Ransomer as their Lord The Redeemer knows that these are men of such stubborn hearts that they will refuse his offer yet he resolves to send them under his hand a conditional discharge that all shall come forth that will accept him and his offer and to tell them that all the rest shall by him be still detained and as his Prisoners suffer greater misery Yet out of a special love to some of them he resolves to send a friend who is so effectual an Orator as will certainly prevail with them to lay by their obstinacy and yield to his motion Doth it seem a proper phrase in this case to say that this man paid 1000 l. to purchase for these men a yielding Heart or to purchase their consent to accept him and his kindness Rather he did it to purchase their Freedom from Prison which he gives to all as far as belongs to him as Ransomer But he sends this Orator with a resolution to prevail in another superadded relation viz. as one that beareth a special love to those particular men above the rest or as one at least that is resolved to attain infallibly that fruit of his Ransom even the actual deliverance of those men Nor can it therefore be concluded that he paid not the debt of any of the rest because he will not as importunately solicite them to accept of his offer 5. We must therefore distinguish of meer Ransoming or Redemption by Sacrifice and the same Sacrifice or Redemption as it is conjoyned with Election and is subordinate to it Effectual Grace to work Faith infallibly proceeds from Redemption as it is accompanied with Election or with a special absolute resolution of saving those particular persons but it comes not from mere Redemption by Sacrifice as divided from Election and therefore is common to all the Elect but not common to all the Redeemed For God hath means of two different sorts for the accomplishing his Decree of Election as to execution First general means and secondly special means and the general is the Foundation on which he means to build the special Let us again remember Amesius's words that Redemption is to the whole work of Grace viz. both common and special what Creation is to the work of Nature Nay better we may say what Creation was to Gods Governing Administrations under the first Law that is Redemption to Gods Governing Administrations under the Second or New Law For in Creation God did two things 1. He gave man his Being that he might be a Subject fit for Government 2. He gave him his Right Being Real and Relative making him after his Image in his favour and in a state of happiness and in this state he made a Law with him even with all mankind in Adam and Eve promising him further everlasting life on condition of obedience Now here Gods Creation of man in his favour and in rectitude was a common work and so was his giving him that Law But so was not the fulfilling of its Promise which implieth the Intervention of mans performance of the condition Suppose now that man had been multiplied by propagation before the fall of any and then one half of mankind had kept this Law of Works and the other had broke it Had it been fit for any man to say that God did not Create any of those