Of Fundamentals, Treatise · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. Of Chriſt's dying for none but the Elect.
§. 1. NOW for that doctrine of Chriſt's dying for none but the Elect, i. e. (according to the opinion of thoſe which thus teach) for a ſmall remnant of the world, As it is aſſerted without any pretenſe or colour of ſcripture-proof, nay in oppoſition to as plain diſtinct affirmations as can be produced for any Article in the Creed, ſo is it of very ill conſequence to the ſuperſtructing of good life.
Univerſal Redemption the doctrine of Scripture.§. 2. That Chriſt's dying for all is the expreſſe doctrine of the ſcripture, is elſewhere manifeſted by the phraſes of the greateſt latitude, uſed in this matter, 1. foreign the world, which is a word of the wideſt extent, and although it be ſometimes uſed more reſtrainedly, yet never doth, nor can in any reaſon be interpreted to ſignifie a farre ſmaller diſproportionable part of the world: Secondly, All, which word, though it be ſometimes reſtrained by the matter, and doth not alwaies ſignifie every perſon or thing, yet generally it muſt be extended as farre as the matter is capable of, and muſt not be reſtrained without ſome conſiderable reaſon for doing ſo: Thirdly, Every man, a form of ſpeaking which excludes all exceptions, of which ſome general phraſes are oft capable: Fourthly, thoſe that periſh, thoſe that are damned, thoſe that deny Chriſt, and purchaſe to themſelves ſwift damnation, which being added to the number of thoſe which are ſaved by his death, and acknowledged by all oppoſers to be ſo, make up the whole unlimited number of all mankinde: Fiftly, as many as are fallen in Adam and dead through him, which phraſe is by all, but Pelagius and his followers, ſuppoſed to comprehend every ſon of Adam, every branch of his progenie.
§. 3. And accordingly,Of the Creeds. The Nicene. though the Apoſtles Creed make no other mention of this, then is contained in ſtyling Jeſus Chriſt, our Lord, i. e. the Lord (by title of Redemption) of us all indefinitely, and particularly of every perſon, who is appointed to make that confeſſion of his faith, i. e. every one that is admitted to baptiſme, yet the Nicene Creed hath inſerted ſome words for the farther explication of that Article, [Who for us men and for our ſalvation came down—] which ſignifie all mankinde to have their intereſt in it.
The Apoſtolick.§. 4. Nay if it be obſerved in the Apoſtles Creed, that the two firſt articles are correſponding and proportionable one to the other, (to [God] in the firſt Article, [Jeſus Chriſt] in the ſecond; to [Father almighty] in the firſt, [his only ſon] in the ſecond; to [maker of heaven and earth] in the firſt, [our Lord] in the ſecond) we ſhall have reaſon to inferre that as [heaven and earth] in the firſt Article ſignifie in the greateſt latitude, all and every creature in the world to have been created by that Father, ſo the [Our] in the ſecond Article is ſet to denote all and every one of us, every man in the world, without any exception, to be redeemed by God the Son.
§. 5.Of the Church of England, in the Catechiſm. And accordingly the Catechiſme of the Church of England eſtabliſhed by Law, and preſerved in our Liturgie as a ſpecial part of it, expounds the Creed in this ſenſe, I believe in God the Father which made me and all the world; 2. In God the Son who redeemed me and all mankinde; 3. In God the Holy Ghoſt who ſanctifieth me and all the elect people of God; Where, as Creation is common to more creatures then redemption, and redemption then ſanctification; ſo Mankinde, to which Redemption belongs, as it is farre narrower then the world, or the works of God's creation, ſo is it farre wider then the catalogue of all the Elect people of God, to whom ſanctification belongs.
§. 6.In the Cōmunion ſervices. So in other parts of our Liturgie, in Conſecrating the Euchariſt, we have this form of prayer, Almighty God—which — didſt give thine only ſon Jeſus Chriſt to ſuffer death upon the Croſs for our redemption, and made there (by his one oblation of himſelf once offered) a full, perfect, and ſufficient ſacrifice, oblation and ſatiſfaction for the ſins of the whole world; And accordingly in the adminiſtration of that Sacrament, the elements are delivered to every communicant in this form, The body of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt which was given for thee- —and, The blood of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt which was ſhed for thee, preſerve thy body and ſoul into everlaſting life; Which ſuppoſeth it the doctrine of our Church, avowed and profeſſed, that Chriſt's death was not only ſufficient for all, if God would have ſo intended and deſigned it, but that he was actually deſigned and given for all, not only as many as come to that Sacrament (which yet is wider then the Elect) but us men, or mankinde in general, whoſe ſalvation was ſought by God by this means.
In the Articles§. 7. So in our Articles alſo, Chriſt ſuffered for us— that he might be a ſacrifice not only for Original ſin, but alſo for all the actual ſins of men, Art: 2. And, by Chriſt who is the only mediator of God and men— eternal life is propoſed to mankinde, Art: 7. And, Chriſt came as a Lamb— that by the offering of himſelf once made he might take away the ſins of the world, Art: 15. And, The oblation of Chriſt once made is a perfect redemption, propitiation, & ſatisfaction for all the ſins of the whole world, Ar: 31 All wch I have thus largely ſet down to ſhew the perfect conſonancie of our perſecuted Church to the doctrine of Scripture and Antiquity in this point, wheron ſo much depends for the ſtating & determining other differences, which have alſo a ſpecial influence on practiſe.
§. 8. As for the ill conſequences toward the obſtructing of good life, The ill conſequences of the denying it.wch are conſiderable to attend this one doctrine of Chriſt's dying for none but the Elect, they will be moſt diſcernible by attempting the Reformation & change of any vicious Chriſtian that believes that doctrine, or the comfort of any diſconſolate deſpairing Chriſtian, that hath gotten into this hold, and remains fortified in the belief of it.
§. 9. For the former, 'tis evident, In the reducing a vitious Chriſtian.and that which he is ſuppoſed to believe, if he believe the Foundation (as I preſume him now to doe, when I ſet the caſe of a vitious Chriſtian) that there is no ſalvation to be had for any ſinner, but only by the ſufferings of Chriſt, and that redemption by him wrought for ſuch; If therefore a vitious liver, believing that Chriſt dyed for none but the Elect, ſhall have any attempt made on him to reform and amend his life, 'tis certain that one medium to induce him to it, muſt be a tender of mercy from Chriſt, of preſent pardon, and future bliſſe, upon his Reformation, But if he be able to reply, that that mercy belongs only to the Elect, and he is none of them, it neceſſarily follows that he that would reduce this ſtray ſheep, muſt either prove convincingly to him that he is one of the Elect, or elſe hath no farther to proceed in this attempt.
§. 10. And if he thus attempt to perſwade the vitious Chriſtian, that he is one of the Elect, then 1. the very attempt confeſſes to him that a vitious perſon, remaining ſuch, may be in the number of the Elect, and from thence he will preſently be able to inferre, that then he needs not reformation of life to conſtitute him ſuch, and if ſo, then reformation of life is not the condition on which only bliſs is to be expected, and without which it is not to be had, it being ſuppoſed and acknowledged by both parties, that all the Elect ſhall have it, and ſo the medium, which was thought neceſſary to perſwade his reformation (the tender of mercy from Chriſt upon reformation) is already vaniſhed, and conſequently 'tis to no purpoſe to perſwade him, that he is one of the Elect, which was uſeful onelyonly for the inforcing this medium, And ſo the very making this attempt is deſtructive to the only end of it.
§. 11. But if this were not the reſult of this attempt, yet 2dly, 'tis in the progreſſe agreed to be neceſſary that he perſwade this perſon that he is one of the elect, And what poſſible medium can he uſe to prove that to a vitious perſon? A priori, from any ſecret decree of God's 'tis certain he cannot demonſtrate it, for he hath never entred into God's ſecrets, and 'tis ſure the Scripture hath revealed nothing of it, Whatſoever it ſaith of the Book of life, never affirming that particular man's name is written there; And then the one poſſible way of attempting it is à poſteriori, from the fruits of election, and thoſe are not ſuppoſeable in him who is ſuppoſed a vitious liver, who lives in that eſtate (and is by him acknowledged to doe ſo, for otherwiſe why ſhould he think it neceſſary to reduce him?) wherein he that lives ſhall not inherit the kingdome of God. For his proof, whatever it is, will eaſily be retorted, and the contrary proved, by interrogating, Shall the adulterer, the drunkard, the vicious Chriſtian, inherit the kingdome of God? If he ſhall, what need I that am now exhorted to reform my life, reform it? If he ſhall not, then certainly I that am ſuch, am none of the Elect, for all that are elect ſhall certainly inherit the kingdome of God.
§. 12. The onelyonly reſerve imaginable is, that this vitious Chriſtian be perſwaded to believe in Chriſt, and if he doe ſo, he ſhall by that know that he is one of the Elect, and ſo that his ſins ſhall be pardoned &c. But if this be the method made uſe of, then 1. this is not the attempting to reform, to work repentance (which was the thing propoſed in this firſt caſe) but to work faith in him, and with men of thoſe opinions theſe are two diſtinct things, faith & repentance, and the former muſt be before the other, and is reſolved to doe the whole buſineſs without the other, and conſequently this is not the way to bring the ſinner to repentance, but rather to aſſure him that he hath no need of it, his buſineſſe may be done without it.
§. 13. 2dly, This very attempt of perſwading him to believe in Chriſt (as that ſignifies the full perſwaſion that the promiſes of Chriſt belong to him) is, ſuppoſing that Chriſt died for none but the Elect, as deſperate an attempt as the former, For why ſhould he believe Chriſt died for him, who died only for the Elect, when he hath no means to perſwade him that he is one of the Elect, but great and ſtrong preſumptions to the contrary? For to believe that Chriſt died for him, for whom he died not, is to believe a down-right falſitie, and ſuch is the believing Chriſt died for him, who both believes that he died only for the Elect, and that he himſelf is none of that number.
§. 14. And in like manner the former inconvenience returns again, for if the vitious Chriſtian be adviſed to believe that Chriſt died for him, remaining ſuch, (and that muſt be the caſe, if this faith muſt precede repentance) it is by that adviſe preſuppoſed and granted to him, that Chriſt, which died only for the Elect, who ſhall certainly inherit the kingdome of God, died for this vitious perſon, of whom the Scripture ſaith, that he ſhall not inherit the kingdome; And again, if he may believe, what he is adviſed to believe, that Chriſt died for him, as now he is, an unreformed Chriſtian, then what needs he reformation to make him capable of the benefits of his death? And ſo ſtill it is impoſſible, where this opinion is imbibed and unremoved, to found any convincing argument, to reform a vitious Chriſtian.
§. 15. But this hath no ſuch appearance of difficulty to him that hath received the doctrine of Ʋniverſal, but conditional redemption, of Chriſt dying for all, that ſhall perform the condition required by him, and to which his grace is ready to enable him. For then how great ſoever the ſins of any unreformed perſon are, 'tis evident that Chriſt died for him, becauſe he died for all; that he died for thoſe ſins of his, becauſe he died for all ſins; Only he muſt reform, and forſake his ſins, or elſe he ſhall never receive benefit of his death, And then though there be that pleaſure in ſin, which the habitual ſinner cannot be perſwaded to part with, unleſſe he muſt, (unleſſe he diſcern the danger of retaining, and the advantage of parting with it) yet when he hath ſuch arguments as theſe propoſed to him, eternal bliſſe in exchange for ſhort temporary pleaſures, aſſurance of this upon reformation, and an impoſſibility, and abſolute deſperation without it, the vitious Chriſtian, if he have advanced no farther then ſo, and if his habit of ſin have not corrupted his principles, may think it reaſonable to reform and amend upon ſuch terms as theſe, the Preacher may hope to ſuperſtruct good life upon ſuch a Foundation.
§. 16.In comforting a diſconſolate Chriſtian. And the like inconveniences are found to be conſequent to this opinion of Chriſt's dying for none but the Elect, whenſoever any comfort is offered to a diſconſolate deſpairing Chriſtian; For it is not poſſible to give him any comfort, but by fetching it from Chriſt, And that he ſhall receive no benefit from Chriſt, is the affirmation, whereon all his deſpair is founded, and the one way of removing this diſmall apprehenſion, is, to convince him that Chriſt's death and the benefits thereof, either doe, or, if he perform the condition required of him, ſhall certainly belong to him.
§. 17. This upon the belief of univerſal Redemption is preſently ſo farre done, that if he ſet induſtriouſly and ſincerely to perform the commands of Chriſt, he can have no ground or pretenſe of doubting, but it ſhall prove ſucceſsful to him, and ſo all that he hath to doe, is to indevour by prayer and uſe of the means, and by good hope (of which he hath ſuch clear grounds) to qualifie himſelf for this bleſſed condition, and in the mean time hath no excuſe to continue in this melancholy, mournful poſture, who hath ſo cheerful a proſpect before him.
§. 18. But to him that believes Chriſt died for none but the Elect, and whoſe comforter is of that opinion alſo, there is no poſſible replie to his objections, or ſatisfaction to his ſad abodings: For that no mercy doth or can belong to him, he is reſolved, upon this ground, becauſe Chriſt died not for him, and the doctrine that Chriſt died for the Elect yeilds him no relief, becauſe he is verily perſwaded that he is none of the Elect; and when the number of the Elect is defined to be ſo ſmall and diſproportionable to the number of the reprobate, and ſo there is really all odds againſt him, that he is not of the number of the few, when his fears ſhall help to increaſe that odds, and make him leſſe capable of believing, what is ſo much leſſe probable, when his preſent deſpairs, being ſo contrary to that faith (aſſurance of his ſalvation) which alone can juſtifie, in his opinion, or bear witneſs to his Election, ſhall by neceſſary conſequence bear witneſs againſt him, and when the ſcripture, that ſhould, and in this caſe alone can interpoſe for his relief, doth certainly affirm nothing of his particular Election; and laſtly, when what it ſaith of Chriſt's dying for all, is by him miſunderſtood to belong but to a few, 'tis not imaginable what can be ſaid to this man to perſwade him that his progreſſe is not rational, that he doth not well to deſpair, who hath ſo ſlight grounds to build any hope, and ſo much weightier to comply with, and aſſiſt his fears in overwhelming him.
§. 20. And then as neceſſary as hope is to labour, encouragement to quickning of action, ſo neceſſary is the belief of Ʋniverſal Redemption to the ſuperſtructing Chriſtian life, where the foundation of Chriſtian belief is already laid.