The Universalist Examined and Convicted, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Of the ſentence in Heb. 2.9.
AS for the perſons to whom the Epiſtle was writ, the occaſion of writing, the perſon writing, the reaſon why his name is concealed, &c. are ſuch circumſtances as no way cometh within the verge of our enquiry; in this point I ſhall conſider the words from which he fetcheth ſo much ſtrength to his doctrine as he conceiveth: in ſo much as he makes it a champion text in his frontiſpiece to defend the whole work.
His words are theſe.
[That by the grace of God he might taſte death for every man.] The whole verſe is thus, being directly rendred from the Originall. [We ſee Jeſus made little lower then the Angels, through the ſuffering of death, crowned with honour and glory, that by the grace of God, &c.] Now here are two things affirmed of Chriſt. Firſt, that he was made a little lower then the Angels. Secondly, that through death he was crowned with honour and glory; now it would give ſome light into the after words, if we could tell on which of theſe two they depend, or to which they relate: I muſt confeſſe it very obſcure; The Author page 65. ſeemes to make them relate to both, as if he was made little lowet then the Angels, that he might taſte death; and alſo crowned with honour and glory, becauſe he taſted death for every man; but this leaſt probable; for then the word foreign muſt ſignifie both, (ut) and (quia) both (that) and (becauſe) which is not likely; but let the dependance be what it will: for the words themſelves, I propound theſe following Queries. Firſt, whether theſe words [foreign] be well rendred thus. [That by the grace of God he might taſte death for every man.] And whether it may not beare this reading, [That by the grace of God he might taſte of every death, or (de tota morte) of all or whole death:] That he might taſte foreign. This reading I ſhall cleare to be no way contrary to the Scripture or Grammaticall conſtruction; then that the context clearely leadeth to it; the moſt forcible objection from Grammer, is that foreign, being a verbe of ſenſe, governeth a genitive caſe without foreign. But although this be true, yet it is well knowne that this language delights in ſuch pleonaſmes, and redundancy of prepoſitions is the elegancy of this language, when yet the word will governe the genetive caſe without them.
But ſome may ſay, that if it had been ſo meant, the words would have been thus placed, foreign, but to this I anſwer; that in the chapter there are two, and in the verſe one preſident, for placing the verbe between the adjective or relative, and the ſubſtantive.
And the foreign or foreign is often for totus not omnis: as Epheſ. 4.16. foreign the whole body; ſo foreign whole death: ſo that here is not one word rendred but juſtifiably by Scripture.
Secondly this is moſt agreeing with the context; for if the Author will have theſe words to relate to his [being made lower then the Angels, and ſuffering death,] it very well agreeth thereto; for, if it be asked why he ſuffered ſuch a death, which death is not confined to the perfective act, when his ſoule was ſeparated from his body, but extendeth to all the acts of his humiliation, from his incarnation, to his expiration; for ſo all this was the death for which he was crowned, as appeareth, Phil 2.7.8, 9. His taking on him the forme of a ſervant, as well as his ſubmitting to the croſſe, was that which got him that name; now if it be asked why he ſuffered ſuch a death, of ſuch latitude and extent, it was that he might taſte foreign, of whole death, both top and dregs, no part of that death we lie under ſhall be untaſted off. Or if we will have them relate to thoſe words, [He was crowned with honour,] it well agreeth with them; for if the queſtion be asked how he came to be crowned with honour and glory as he now is; the anſwer is not to be given, or the cauſe fetched from the latitude of the perſons for whom he was humbled, becauſe his firſt act of humiliation, viz. his taking our nature upon him, was foreign, for every man for whom he afterward died; and if the ground of his glory was drawne from the latitude of perſons for whom he ſuffered, his Father had as good ground to glorifie him at his Incarnation, as at his expiration, but that he did not: but the ground is fetched from the latitude of ſufferings; when he had taken our nature on him, and undergone a ſeries and method of ſufferings in his life, and the dregs of all at his death, and ſo drunke his potion, and done his worke by taſting foreign of all or whole death; then and therefore he was crowned; having ſo much ſuffered, he entred into glory; and ſo we ſee it well agreeing with the words foregoing.
And it well agreeth with the words that follow. [For it behooved him &c. to make the Captaine of their ſalvation perfect through ſufferings.] Now that word (For) ſheweth that this 10. verſe relateth to the 9. and that he did foreign, that he might be perfect through ſufferings; now when is Chriſt perfect through ſufferings? whether when he hath ſuffered for all men, or when he hath taſted of all ſufferings, or whole death? certainely if the former, then he might in his very incarnation be ſaid to be perfect through ſufferings, for that he was for all for whom he died; but this neither reaſon nor Scripture teacheth, and it is moſt congruous to both to affirme the latter: and ſo Heb. 5.9. ſaith and ſeemeth to refer this perfection to the ultimate act, and then he was made the author of ſalvation. Nay, further we finde verſe 17. that [it behooved him to be like unto us in all things.] ſtill expounding his being perfect in ſufferings, that is when he hath ſufferings that we were lyable to, and ſo might know how to helpe us in all afflictions, he being like to us foreign in every death or affliction, then is he perfect through ſufferings. This I determine not, but deſire the Author to tranſmit it to his oracle; and I leave it to the judgment of the learned: and if it be found congruous, then this Text maketh but little for him.
Query. (2) Wave the former ſenſe; how can the Author fetch his generall expreſſion from theſe words, foreign, as if it was to be read for every man? the ſubſtantive is not expreſſed, but left ſo as indifferent to be rendred, every beleever or ſon of God, as every man, or ſonne of Adam: the word foreign or any word from it, when ſet alone is not alwayes to be rendred All men, or every man, as John. 12.32. foreign, it is not I will draw all men, that is not verified, but plainely from Iohn. 3.15. [where it ſaith, [the ſonne of man is lift up that whoever beleeveth might have eternall life] appeareth to be meant of every one that beleeveth, and ſo 1 Cor. 4.5. foreign, praiſe ſhall be given, is not foreign to every man, but foreign to every faithfull man, as verſe 2. So that he will have it thus foreign, for every one that beleeveth, as John. 3.16. Rom. 1.16. or foreign for every faithfull man, as 1 Cor. 4.5. or foreign for every ſonne, as Heb. 2.10. for every ſuch man I grant he taſted death; but if he will have it ſo large as every man, or that pertaketh of humane nature, that he muſt prove.
Quere, (3) But if it was foreign for every man; how would he prove it to extend any further then 1 Tim. 2.6. all men; and ſo not to mean men of every kinde? for ſo, ſonnes he hath of all ſorts of men, of which ſonnes he ſpeaketh, verſe 10. certaine it is the word [foreign] in the ſingular, Heb 2.9. cannot more intimate the particulars in any kinde, then the word [foreign] in the plurall, 1 Tim. 2.6. Therfore his firſt concluſion page 64. needeth no ecce, it is ſo empty; So that if the queſtion be asked, for how many Chriſt taſted death, it cannot be anſwered from the Text, for (every man) that is as the Author expoundeth it, Every individuall ſonne of Adam.