Universal Redemption of Mankind, Chapter 7 · Argument 16
Arg. 16. A peccatorum aggravatione.
If it be the great aggravation of all Mens Sins committed againſt that mercy which tendeth to their Recovery, that they are againſt the Lord that died for them, then Chriſt did die for all ſuch Men: But the Antecedent is true, Ergo, &c.
Only the Antecedent requires proof; That wicked Men do partake of Mercy tending towards their recovery, (as to the nature of the mercy, and in Gods legal Ordination) I think I need not prove among Chriſtians; And that they Sin againſt ſuch mercy, is a thing that needs as little proof; The main proof of the Antecedent [that theſe mens Sins are aggravated, in that they are againſt Chriſt that died for them] will be from ſeveral Texts of Scripture which do thus aggravate ſuch Mens Sin, which becauſe I intend to handle particularly, I will refer you thereto, and now paſs them by. Further, 1. It is confeſſed that theſe Mens Sin is aggravated in that they are againſt the Blood of Chriſt as offered to them in its Fruits, and as againſt Chriſt himſelf offered to them as Crucified and as Redeemer, and as againſt the offers of pardon, Adoption and Salvation, which are all Fruits of Chriſts ſatisfaction. But all theſe imply ſatisfaction for them to whom they are offered, as is proved already, Ergo &c. Many of our Divines (as Perkins Reform. Cathol. of Juſtif. and others) ſay that in this we differ from the Papiſts, that they make Chriſts ſatisfaction to be but the meritorious cauſe of our Righteouſneſs, but not our Righteouſneſs it ſelf as we affirm it (I do not now judg of theſe words, but) if Chriſts ſatisfaction be our very Righteouſneſs or any part of it, then certainly Chriſt ſatisfied for all to whom he offers his Righteouſneſs: But that he offers his Righteouſneſs to all without exception is beyond doubt: And he would never offer them a Non-ens, that which is not: He doth not offer to one Man the ſatisfaction made only for another and not for him, for that would be no Righteouſneſs for him: But it is Righteouſneſs that Chriſt offers, and therefore it is ſatisfaction for that ſinner himſelf which is offered to that ſinner, to be his Righteouſneſs. Now the offer ſuppoſeth the being of the thing offered, except it were only an offer to do or give ſomething hereafter, which is not the caſe here. And for them that ſay, [Chriſt is only offered to Men if they will receive him, or believe] it is idle: For Chriſt is offered to Men whether they will receive him or not, but none but receivers do enjoy him. God doth not make our receiving the condition of his offering, as to ſay [I will offer thee Chriſts ſatisfaction if thou wilt receive it] but he makes it the condition of our attaining the good offered q. d, [Chriſt with his benefits offered to thee ſhall be thine if thou wilt receive him.]
2. If it be only the Blood of Chriſt ſhed for others, and not for them which unbelievers ſin againſt, then the ſin of Devils might (as to this reſpect) be as well aggravated from the Blood of Chriſt ſinned againſt as theirs: But the conſequence is palpably abſurd, Ergo &c.
3. Conſider what hainous conſequents will follow, if you deny this aggravation of the Sins of unbelievers. 1. You harden them in the moſt deſperate impenitency: For they cannot repent of that which they know not to be a Sin, and they cannot know that they have ſinned againſt him that dyed for them, till they know that he did die for them; and who dare ſay to all the World, that yet know not that they are true believers, [you ought not to repent for any Sin as being committed againſt him that died for you.] Perkins Treat. of repentance, and multitudes of our godly Engliſh Writers when they preſs Men to repentance, do uſe this as the greateſt motive, to conſider what our Sins did coſt the Lord Jeſus, They coſt him Blood, and ſhould they not coſt us tears? and ſhould we make light of that which lay ſo heavy on him? Such arguings are common in almoſt all Writers and Preachers: Now if Chriſt did not bear all Mens Sins, and if all Mens Sins did not coſt Chriſt ſo dear, then this Argument or Motive to repentance can be uſed to no Man, nor by any Man but only thoſe that have got aſſurance of a ſpecial intereſt in Chriſt. 2. Hereby you deny that God may juſtly aggravate Mens Sins, or condemn Men for Sinning againſt Chriſt that died for them. 3. Hereby you perſwade Men that their conſciences ſhall not thus agravate them in Hell, nor torment them for Sinning againſt him that ſuffered for them, all which I ſhall ſhew anon, to be falſe. 4. Hereby you forbid Miniſters from thus aggravating their Peoples Sins, and ſo from uſing the moſt effectual motive to draw them to repentance. And hereby you condemn almoſt all the moſt powerful Preachers in England, who generally take this courſe. And you reject the moſt powerful Books and Sermons which God hath bleſt to the Converſion of many Souls. I mention this, the rather becauſe ſome ſtill object that thoſe who are againſt Univerſal Redemption ſucceed as much in their Miniſtry to the Converſion of Souls, as thoſe that are for it: The reaſon is, becauſe they commonly Preach for it, or on grounds that ſuppoſe it, in their practical Sermons, when in their diſputes they ſpeak againſt it. That you may ſee I wrong them not, I will inſtance in one, learned, Holy Perkins: who hath writ more confidently againſt Univerſal Redemption then he? And when he comes to win Men to Repentance and to Chriſt, ſee how he Writes, in particular in that excellent ſhort Treatiſe, the choiceſt piece I think that ever he wrote, I am ſure a piece that hath long agoe workt more on my own Heart then moſt, if not then any that ever I read, and which I have cauſe to thank God that ever I ſaw: I mean his Treat. of the Right Knowledg of Christ Crucified in the firſt Vol. of his Works, Page 626, &c. I will tranſcribe ſome paſſages Page 626. When he hath ſhewed that we muſt feel the need of Chriſt, and deſire him, he adds [The ad. Part of knowledg is Application (every Man is bound to apply Chriſt) whereby thou muſt know and believe, not only that Chriſt was Crucified, but that he was Crucified for thee, for thee I ſay in particular. Here two rules muſt be remembred and practiſed, one that Chriſt on the Croſs was thy pledg and ſurety in particular, that he ſtood there in the very room and place in which thou thy ſelf in thy own perſon ſhouldeſt have ſtood: That thy very perſonal and particular Sins were imputed and applied to him: That he ſtood guilty as a Malefactor for them, and ſuffered the very Pangs of Hell: And that his ſufferings are as much in acceptation with God as if thou hadſt born the curſe of the Law in thy own perſon eternally. The holding and believing of this point is the very foundation of Religion, as alſo of the Church of God, &c. The 2d. Rule is, that Chriſt Crucified is thine, being really given thee of God the Father; even as truly as Houſes and Lands are given of Earthly Fathers to their Children: And hence it is that the benefits of Chriſt are before God ours indeed, for our juſtification and Salvation] and Page 630. [Firſt of all, the ſerious conſideration of this, that the very Son of God himſelf ſuffered all the pains and torments of Hell on the Croſs for our Sins, is the proper and moſt effectual means to ſtir up our Hearts to a godly ſorrow for them. And that this thing may come to paſs, every Man muſt be ſetled without doubt that he was the Man that Crucified Christ; that he is to be blamed as well as Judas, Herod, Pilate, or the Jews, and that his Sins ſhould be the Nails, the Spears and the Thorns that pierced him. When this meditation begins to take place, bitterneſs of Spirit with Wailing and Mourning takes place in like manner, Zach 12. 10. And they ſhall look upon him whom they have pierced, and they ſhall lament for him, as one lamenteth for his only Son. (What a Doctrin then is it that teacheth us, that none but they that know themſelves to be Elect, ſhould once accuſe themſelves of this, that their Sins did Crucifie Chriſt?) Peter in his firſt Sermon ſtruck the Jews as with a Thunderclap from Heaven, when he ſaid unto them, ye have Crucified the Lord of glory: So that at the ſame time 3000 Men were pricked in their Hearts and ſaid Act. 2. 37. Men and Brethren what ſhall we do to be ſaved? Again, if Chriſt for our Sins ſhed his Heart Blood, and if our Sins made him ſweat water and Blood, O then why ſhould not we our ſelves ſhed bitter tears, and why ſhould not our Hearts bleed for them? He that finds himſelf ſo dull and hardened that the Paſſion of Chriſt doth not humble him, is in a lamentable eaſe, for there is no Faith in the Death of Chriſt effectual in him as yet. (Theſe words ſhew that Perkins ſpeaks not this only to believers.) 2. The meditation of the paſſion of Chriſt is a moſt notable means to breed repentance and reformation of Life in time to come. For when we begin to think that Chriſt Crucified, by ſuffering the firſt and 2d. Death hath procured to us remiſſion of all our Sins paſt, and freed us from Hell. Death and damnation; then if there be but a ſpark of Grace in us we begin to be of another mind, and to reaſon thus with our ſelves, what? hath the Lord been thus merciful to me that am of my ſelf but a firebrand of Hell, as to free me from deſerved deſtruction, and to receive me to favour in Chriſt? Yea; no doubt he hath, His name be bleſſed therefore: I will not therefore Sin any more as I have done, but rather endeavour hereafter to keep my ſelf from every evil way.] 3. The right knowledg of our ſelves ariſeth from the knowledg of Chriſt Crucified in whom, and by whom we come to know five ſpecial things of our ſelves. The firſt, how grievous our Sins are, and therefore how miſerable we are in regard of them. If we conſider our offences in themſelves and as they are in us, we may ſoon be deceived, &c. But if Sin be conſidered in the Death and paſſion of Chriſt whereof it was the cauſe, and the vileneſs thereof meaſured by the unſpeakable torments endured by the Son of God; and if the greatneſs of the offence of Man be eſteemed by the endleſs ſatisfaction made to the juſtice of God; the leaſt Sin that is, will appear to be a Sin indeed, and that moſt grievous and ugly. Therefore Chriſt Crucified muſt be uſed by us as a mirror or Looking-Glaſs in which we may fully take a view of our wretchedneſs, &c. And before [and for our Neighbors, thoſe ſpecially that are of Chriſts Church, they are to be known of us on this manner: When we are to do any duty to them, we muſt not barely reſpect their Perſons, but Chriſt Crucified in them, and them in Chriſt.] And Page 631.] The 5th. point is that we owe to Chriſt an endleſs debt, for he was Crucified only as our ſurety and pledg; and in that Spectacle of his paſſion we muſt conſider our ſelves as the chief debtors, and that the very diſcharge of our debt, that is, the Sins which are inherent in us, were the proper cauſe of all the endleſs pains and torments that Chriſt endured, that he might ſet us moſt miſerable Bankrupts at liberty from Hell. Death and damnation. For this his unſpeakable goodneſs, if we do but once think of it ſeriouſly, we muſt needs confeſs that we owe our ſelves our Souls and Bodies and all that we have as a debt due unto him. And ſo ſoon as any Man begins to know Chriſt Crucified, he knows his own debt and thinks of the payment of it.] And that you may be ſure that Perkins ſpeaks not only of the Elect, ſee Page 631. Col. 2. [The common Proteſtant likewiſe cometh ſhort herein for 3 Cauſes. 1. Whereas in word they acknowledg him to be their Saviour (this he blameth not in them) that hath redeemed them from their evil Converſation, yet indeed they make him a patron of their Sins. The Thief makes him the receiver: The Murderer makes him his refuge, The Adulterer (be it ſpoken with reverence to his Majeſty) makes him the Bawd, &c. Thus Chriſt that came to aboliſh Sin is made a maintainer thereof, and the common Packhorle of the World to bear every Mans burden. 2. Men are content to take knowledg of the merit of Chriſts paſſion, for the remiſſion of their Sins, but in the mean ſeaſon, the virtue of Chriſts Death for the mortifying of Sin, is little regarded, &c. 3. Men uſually content themſelves generally and confuſedly to know Chriſt to be their Redeemer (it ſeems then, that it is true) never once ſeeking in every particular Eſtate and condition of Life, and in every particular bleſſing of God to feel the benefit of his paſſion. What is the cauſe that almoſt all the World live in ſecurity never almoſt touched for their horrible Sins? Surely the reaſon is becauſe they did never yet ſeriouſly conſider that Chriſt in the Garden lay grouling upon the Earth, ſweating Water and Blood for their offences. (Can a Man ſpeak plainer for Chriſts dying for all?) Again all ſuch as by fraud and oppreſſion or any kind of hard dealing ſuck the Blood of poor Men, never yet knew that their Sins drew out the Heart Blood of Chriſt! And proud Men and Women that are puffed up by reaſon of their attire, which is the badg of their ſhame, and never ceaſe hunting after ſtrange faſhions, conſider not that Chriſt was not Crucified in gay attire, but naked, that he might bear the whole ſhame and curſe of the Law for us. Theſe and ſuch like, whatſoever they ſay in word, are flat Enemies of the Croſs of Chriſt, and tread his precious Blood under their Feet. Now then conſidering this ſo weighty and ſpecial a point of Religion is ſo much neglected, O Man or Woman, high or low, young or old, if thou have been wanting this way begin for very ſhame to learn, and learning to know Chriſt Crucified: That thou mayeſt attain to this, behold him often, &c. 1. Look on him as a glaſs or ſpectacle in which thou ſhalt ſee Gods Glory greater in thy Redemption then in thy Creation. &c. 2. Thou muſt behold him as the full price of thy Redemption and perfect Reconciliation with God: And pray earneſtly to God that he would Seal up the ſame in thy conſcience by his Spirit. 3. Thou muſt behold Chriſt as an example to whom thou muſt conform thy ſelf by Regeneration, &c. Read the Hiſtory of Chriſts paſſion: Obſerve all the parts and circumſtances thereof, and apply them to thy ſelf for thy full Converſion. When thou readeſt that Chriſt went to the Garden as his cuſtom was where the Jews might ſoon attack him, conſider that he went to the death of the Croſs for thy Sins willingly, and not of conſtraint and that therefore thou for thy part ſhouldeſt do him all ſervice freely, Pſal. 110. 3. When thou heareſt that in his agony his Soul was heavy unto death, know it was for thy Sins; and thou ſhouldeſt much more conceive heavineſs of Heart for the ſame: Again that this ſorrow of his is joy and rejoycing to thee if thou wilt believe in him: When thou readeſt that in the Garden he prayed lying grovling on his Face, ſweating Water and Blood, begin to think ſeriouſly, what an unſpeakable meaſure of Gods wrath was upon thy bleſſed Saviour, that did proſtrate his Body upon the Earth, and cauſe the Blood to follow; and think that thy Sins muſt needs be moſt hainous that brought ſuch bloody and grievous pains upon him. Alſo think it is a ſhame for thee to carry thy Head to Heaven with haughty looks, to wallow in thy pleaſures, and to draw the innocent Blood of thy poor brethren by oppreſſion and deceit, for whom, Chriſt Sweat Water and Blood; and take an occaſion from Chriſts agony to lay aſide the pride of thy Heart, yea, even to bleed for thy own offences, &c. When thou readeſt that Chriſt was taken and bound, think that thy very Sins brought him into the power of his Enemies, and were the very bonds wherewith he was tied: Think, that thou ſhouldſt have been bound in the very ſame manner unleſs he had been a ſurety and pledg for thee: Think alſo that thou in the ſame manner art bound and tied with the Chains of thy own Sins, &c. Laſtly think and believe that the bonds of Chriſt ſerve to purchaſe thy liberty from Hell, death and damnation When thou heareſt that he was brought before Annas and Caiphas, think, it was meet that thy ſurety and pledg who was to ſuffer the Condemnation due to thee ſhould by the High Prieſt as by the Mouth of God, be condemned: And wonder at this that the very Coeſſential, and Eternal Son of God, even the Soveraign judg of the World; ſtands to be judged, and that by wicked Men, perſwading thy ſelf that this ſo great confuſion comes of thy Sins: Whereupon being further amazed at thy fearful ſtate, humble thy ſelf in duſt and aſhes, and pray God to ſoften thy ſtony Heart, that thou maiſt turn to him, and by true Faith lay hold on Chriſt, &c. When thou readeſt that Barrabas, the murderer was preferred before Chriſt &c. Thy very Sins pulled on him that ſhameful reproach: and in that for thy cauſe he was eſteemed worſe than Barrabas, &c. When thou readeſt that he was openly and judicially condemned to the curſed death of the Croſs, conſider what is the wrath and fury of God againſt Sin, and how great is his mercy to Sinners; and in this Spectacle look on thy ſelf and with groans of Heart ſay, O good God, what ſetteſt thou before mine Eyes, I even I have ſinned, I am guilty and worthy of damnation! Whence comes this change that thy bleſſed Son is in my room but of thy unſpeakable mercy! Wretch that I am? How have I forgotten my ſelf and thee my God: O Son of God how low haſt thou abaſed thy ſelf for me! Therefore give me grace O God that beholding my own Eſtate in the perſon of my Saviour, thus condemned, I may deteſt my Sins that were the cauſe thereof and by a lively Faith embrace that abſolution which thou offereſt me in him who was condemned in my ſtead and room. O Lord Jeſus, Saviour of the World give me that Holy Spirit, that I may judg my ſelf and be as vile in my own Eyes as thou waſt vile before the Jews: Unite me unto thee by the ſame Spirit, that in thee I may be as worthy to be accepted before God, as I am worthy in my ſelf to be deteſted for my Sins, &c. When thou readeſt that he was ſcript of his cloathing, think, it was that he being naked might bear thy ſhame ou the Croſs, &c. When thou readeſt of the complaint of Chriſt that he was forſaken of his Father, conſider how he ſuffered the pangs and torments of Hell as thy Pledge and Surety, &c, When thou readeſt of his Death conſider that thy Sins were the cauſe of it, &c.
Thus far Mr. Perkins, whoſe words I have thus largely ſet doown, both as a pattern for Miniſters how to Preach the Doctrine of Redemption, and to ſhew the neceſſity there is that Miniſters and People do ſee (and diſcover to others) their Sin in this great aggravation, [as they were the crucifiers of Chriſt] and to ſhew you what Engliſh Miniſters Preach to the People whatever they ſpeak in Diſputes; and what kind of Preaching it is which hath ſucceeded ſo in England for the converſion of Souls! If this be not a plain Preaching of Univerſal Redemption or Satitfaction, as to all that hear the Goſpel (whom he requires ſo oft to conſider that Their ſins crucified Chriſt) then I know not what is. And if any quirke may be produced to wreſt ſo plain words to a contrary ſenſe; I am ſure the poor ſinners to whom it is Preached know not ordinarily thoſe evaſions, but receive it in the plain ſenſe. I could fill a Volume with the like paſſages as this, out of our moſt powerful and ſucceſsful Preachers.
Here then are two diſtinct aggravations of ſin, both neceſſarr to every penitent Soul, both which are denyed by the denyal of Univerſal ſatisfaction; The firſt is that our ſins killed Chriſt as being the cauſe of his Death. Is not a man bound to mourn over him whom his ſins have pierced before he knoweth himſelf to be Elect? How few then of the Elect themſelves ſhould do it? 2. The ſecond aggravation is that all our ſins againſt recovering mercies, are committed againſt him that Died for us: He that denyeth both theſe aggravations of ſin doth not a little wrong Chriſt and mens Souls.
Laſtly, I argue thus; If without thoſe forementioned aggravations of ſin, no man can truly and ſavingly Repent, then all men are bound thus to aggravate their ſins (in their ſelf accuſations.) But without theſe there can be no ſaving Repentance, Ergo, &c.
The conſequence of the Major is proved, in that all men are bound truly to Repentance, even with that which is called Repentance unto Life.
The Antecedent or Minor is proved.
1. In that elſe it can be but a Legal Repentance and not an Evangelical if it be not for ſin as the crucifier of Chriſt, and for ſin as againſt our Redeemer.
2. From the deſcription of true Goſpel Repentance, Zech. 12. 10. They ſhall look on him whom they have pierced, and mourn over him, &c. Or if it were proved that there is beſides this a true Repentance foregoing, yet it is but part of that great work, ſeeing this Evangelical Repentance muſt go cloſe with it. And if any ſay tha tmen are bound firſt to believe before they are bound to this evangelical repentance for ſinning againſt the blood of Chriſt. I anſwer. 1. They are bound to both at once; and the Apoſtles preſt both at once on men, To Repent and Believe. 2. Moſt Divines make Repentance with Faith to go before Juſtification. 3. Some have writ whole Volumes to prove that it goes before Faith it ſelf. 4. All acknowledge that it goes before aſſurance or knowledge of our Election. And if Chriſt died only for the Elect, then no man could repent of his ſins as that which killed Chriſt. or as againſt his blood, till he firſt knew himſelf to be Elect, and then many true Chriſtians ſhould never ſo repent in this Life, and always the Goſpel Repentance would not only follow Juſtification, but even the knowledge of Juſtification: Whereas Ameſius and moſt of ours do make it with Faith, go before both Juſtification and Sanctification.