First Epistle of John Applied Part 2, Sermon 22
SERM. 22.THE FIRST EPISTLE OF S. IOHN.
CHAP. II. Ver. 2.
And he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours onelyonly, but also for the sins of the whole world.
WOrds amiable as beauty to the eye, harmonious as musick to the ear, sweet as hony to the taste, and joyous as wine to the heart, who can read them, and not be affected? hear them and not be ravished? meditate on them and not be delighted? beleeve them,Fer. in loc. and not be comforted? Diligenter observanda cordibusque inscribenda sunt haec verba, saith Ferus aptly. These words deserve to be written, yea ingraven upon the tables of our hearts, as containing in them that which cannot but afford unspeakeable joy to the wounded conscience. The person spoken of is Iesus Christ, whose very name is as a precious oyntment, the thing spoken of is a pacification between God and sinners, then which no perfume can be sweeter, finally this benefit is set forth as obtained by this person, not for a few, but many some, but all, and so like the light diffusing it selfe through the whole world, and therefore I trust since we are all concerned in, we shall all be diligently attentive to this precious Scripture, And he is the propitiation for our sins &c.
Having already unfolded the nature, we are now to handle the extent of this excellent benefit, which is expressed two wayes.
Negatively, and not for ours only
Affirmatively, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1. A word of the former, not for ours onelyonly, it is that which lets us see the nature of faith.
True faith applyeth; but doth not appropriate, or if you wil it doth appropriate, but it doth not impropriate to it selfe, a beleever so maketh Christ his own, as that still he is, or may be anothers as well as his, and the reason of this is.
Partly, in regard of the nature of the object which is such, that it is capable of being communicated to many, as well as few, for as the ayre is a meanes of refocillation ▪ the sun an instrument of illumination, and the sea a place of navigation, for the people of our country, and yet not ours only, those being things so communicative, that every one may have a share in them, nor is one mans or peoples enjoying, an hindrance to another, so is Christ a propritiation for the sins of St. Iohn and the rest of beleevers then living, but not for theirs only, he being foreign a common good, and his propitiation such as that the participation of it by some, doth not at all impede others from having the like interest.
And partly in respect of …he temper of the subject, this being the frame of a beleevers spirit, that he would have others pertake of the same benefit with himselfe. The Apostle St. Paul saith of faith that it worketh by love, Gal. 5.6,and accordingly as faith brings Christ home to it self, so the love by which it worketh is desirous he might be imparted to others. To this purpose it is observable, that that Holy Apostle when he speaketh of a Crowne which shal be given to him, … Tim. 4.8.presently addeth, and not to me onelyonly: as here St. Iohn for our sins, and not for ours onelyonly.
To wind up this, whereas there are two objections amongst others, made against the applying act of faith, as if it were a bold presumption in regard of Christ, and an uncharitable excluding of others from having the same benefit, to say he is ours, and that he is the propitiation for our sins, both will be found no better then calumnies, since on the one hand; faiths particular applycation is within the bounds, and according to the tenure of the Gospel-promise, and therefore its no presumption, and on the other hand, faiths applying Christ to our selves, is not thereby to withhold him from any other, and therefore it is no uncharitablenesse, for whilest faith saith, He is the propitiation for our sins. Love addeth, and not for ours onelyonly. And so much, or rather so little of the Negative, pas…e we on to the
2. Affirmative clause, But also for the sins of the whole world, favores ampliandi, is a rule in the civill law, favours are to be extended to the utmost, Naogorg.so doth our Apostle here this benefit of Christs propitiation▪ Amplificatio est misericordiae dei, it is an amplification of Gods mercy; and Christs merit, and that
1. Implicitely, in respect of the object, since, Christ did not pacify God onelyonly for the original sin of our natures, but the actuall sins of our life, and not onelyonly for one, but for all kind of sins. The sins of the whole world, are a world of sins, what a numberless number of sins are every day committed in the world, yea what sin is there so vile, so heynous, which commeth not within this latitude, the sins of the whole world, so that this propitiation extends it selfe, not onelyonly to one, but many, lesser, but greater sins, not the multitude, nor magnitude of all the sins which are acted in the world, can exceed the virtue of Christs propitiation, and therefore though the particle foreign be ell…ptically cut of in the Greeke, both it and its substantive are fitly supplyed in our translation for the sins of the whole world. But further this enlargement, is chiefly to be considered.
2. Expl…citely in regard of the subject, the persons to whom this propitiation bel…ngs,Matth. 2….28. and it is set forth with the fullest advantage that may be. Indeed there are divers phrases, by which this universality is represented,2 Cor. 5.14. Sometimes it is sa…d He gave his life a ransome for many, and that is opposed to a few, more then this,1. Tim. 2.6. it is said that He dyed for all, and that He gave himselfe a ransome for all, yea the Author to the Hebrews saith,Hebre. 2.9. He tasted death for every man, not onelyonly all in generall, but every man in perticular, in like manner the usuall phrase of the Scripture, when it speaketh of the subject of reconciliation, Joh. 3.16. 2 Cor. 5.19. 1. Joh. 4.14.…nd salvation is in the comprehensive word world, God so loved the world, God was in Chhist reconciling the world, and again in this Epistle, Him hath God sent to be the Saviour of the world, and yet as if this were not large enough to this extensive substantive, is here in the text annexed an universall adjective, whilest he saith not onelyonly the world, but the whole world.
That this is so must be granted, or else the Scripture must be denied, which hath so frequently and plainly asserted it, The onelyonly thing to be inquired is, in what sence this is to be understood, and how it is verified. I well know there is much dispute among learned and Godly men, about the interpretation of this, and such like Scriptures. For my own part, I have a reverend esteem of many of them, who hold the severall opinions, and I could heartily wish, that such questions having much to be said either way, both from Scripture and reason, might be more calmely debated then they are by some; and the ass…rt…rs on either hand lesse censorious each of other. That which I shall now indeavour, is (according to the measure …f light, I have received by prayer, reading, meditation, and conference,) positively to acquaint you what I conceive to be truth, and show you how far we may safely extend, and so how we may genuinely expound this clause, He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world.
To this end, Let your attention go along with me, whilest I shall prsoecute two or three distinctions.
1. This assertion, Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world, Dist. 1.may be understood, either exclusively, or inclusively, and in both considerations it is in some respect or other true.
1. To say, Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world exclusively, imports thus much, That there is no propitiation for the sins of the whole world, but onelyonly by Christ, and thus we may take the whole world in its full latitude, pro omnihus & singulis, and need not feare to assert that there never was, nor will be any man from the first Adam, to the end of the world, who did, shall, or can obtain propitiation for his sins except through Christ. Deut. 4.24.Indeed God (according both to Moses and Pauls phrase) is a consuming fire, Hebr. 12.29.and all mankind being fallen in Adam, is as stubble and straw to that fire which must needs be consumed by it, if Christs blood did not prevent that consumption by quenching the fire of his displeasure. Hence it is that S. Paul saith expressely, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe, 2. Cor. 5.19.thereby intimating, That were it not for Christ, the world could not be reconciled to him. To this purpose it is that the Apostle Peter speaking of Christ, useth a negative proposition,Acts. 4.12. neither is there salvation in any other, and inforceth it with a strong confirmation, for there is none other name under Heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved, where that expression under Heaven is very observable, as comprizing in it the whole earth, which is under Heaven, with all the inhabitants therein. It is the promise of God to Abraham, That in his seed, should all the nations of the earth be blessed, Gen. 22.18.that seed St. Paul expounds mistically of Christ and Lyra's glosse is quia nullus consequitur salutem nisi per Christi benedictionen, Gal. 3.8. Lyr. ib.because none can attain eternal life but through Christs benediction, and not much unlike is Bezas note on this place. Christ is the propitiation for the whole world, Beza in loc.ut noverimus nusquam esse salutem extra Christum, that we may know salvation is not to be had any where without Christ.
From hence it is that may be inferred, which elsewhere is expressed, that since there is no propitiation but by Christ, none can pertake of this propitiation, but by faith in him, and the strength of the inference is built upon this foundation.
Whosoever have propitiation by Christ, must bee in Christ, and therefore St. Paul saith of the Ephesians, whilest Heathens they were without Christ, Ephes. 2.12.and presently addeth in the same verse, having no hope; as if he would say, There is no hope of Salvation for them that are without Christ.
None but they who beleeve in Chirist, are in Him, and therefore the Apostle saith, Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith, and those two phrases; being in the faith, Chap. 3.17.and Christ being in us, are used by him in one verse, as one expository of the other. The result of both which propositions is,2. Cor. 13.5. that seeing there is no propitiation without Christ, and without being in Christ, none can obtain that propitiation, but they who beleeve in Him, agreeable to which it is that St. Paul saith, God hath set him forth a propitiation through faith in his bloud,Rom▪ 3.25.
Indeed this must be rightly understood, and to that end qualified with these distinctions of seminall, and actuall, of implicite, and explicite faith, and of faith in Christ, as to come, and as come. Christ is no doubt a propitiation for all circumcised and baptised children dying in their infancy; who yet cannot actually beleeve in him, but they have after an extraordinary way the spirit of Chr…st conferred on them, and so the seed of faith and all other graces in them. Christ was no doubt a propitiation for those before his coming, as well as us, all of whom only beleeved in him, as to come, and many of whom had but only an implicite, not a clear and distinct faith in the Messiah, nor will I undertake to determine what degree of knowledge is necessary to that Faith in Christ, which is necessary to an interest in this propitiation; but still I say with the Authour to the Hebrewes, Heb. 11.6.without faith it is impossible to please God, and that faith is not only to beleeve that God is but to beleeve that he is a rewarder of them that seek him, which cannot be without some knowledge of Christ; since it is onelyonly in an Evangelical sense, that he is a rewarder, and as he is no rewarder of any that seek him, but for Christs sake, so none can rightly beleeve him a rewarder, who is altogether ignorant of Christ.
Indeed when our blessed Saviour saith, This is life eternal, Ioh 17.3.to know thee the only true God, and Iesus Christ Christ whom thou hast sent; what doth he but as it were define eternal life by the knowledge of God and Iesus Christ; this knowledge being both the way and the end, that wherein it consists, and that whereby it is obtained, and more fully, when he saith, God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Sonne, 3.36.that whosoever beleeveth in him, should not perish; what doth he but set down beleeving in Christ, as the way, whereby the whole world must escape perishing. Finally, when St. Paul speaking of Iew and Greek, maketh calling on the name of the Lord Christ, the means of salvation, …. 10.….13.14.and annexeth beleeving in, as necessary to the calling on him; what doth he but intimate, that without beleeving in him, there can be no salvation.
By all which we may see how miserable the condition of all those is, who have no interest in Christ by faith; if no interest in him, no propitiation by him, John 3.36.& if no propitiation by him, there can none be had elsewhere; & therefore Iohn the Baptist sath of every unbeleever, The wrath of God abideth on him; a burden so heavie, that it must needs press down to hel. And which followeth upon this, we may see what great reason we have to pitty and pray for all Pagans and Infidels, to whom Christ, and propitiation by him, is not so much as revealed. Indeed, that heathens who never heard of Christ, shall be condemned for not beleeving in him, I beleeve not; the light of nature will be enough to render them inexcusable: but how they not at all hearing, and so not at all beleeving in him, should be saved by him, I cannot see by any light of Scripture: that those among them whose lives have been eminent for morall vertues, might have Christ by some extraordinary way made known unto them, and so be brought to faith in him, I am willing to hope, however that Gods wrath is not so hot against them as others, yea, that it shall be more tolerable for them then many who are in name Christians, I confidently assert; but how without Christ, and any knowledge of him, they should obtain propitiation, and so salvat…on, I know not; the onelyonly charity which we can and ought to exercise towards them who are now alive, is to commiserate the…r condition, and poure out our supplications, that God would cause the light of the knowledge of Christ to sh…ne in upon them, who at present sit in darknesse and the shadow of death; and so much for this interpretation.
2. The more generally received, and indeed most genuine exposition of these words, is by way of inclusion, according to which the sense is, that Christ is a propitiation not only for some, but all, even the whole world.
2. To understand this aright, be pleased to know further, that this phrase the whole world, may be taken either more strictly or largely, Distinct. ….according to a double consideration of this propitiation, either in respect of its actual efficacy, or virtual sufficiency.
1. These words, he is the propitiation may be thus construed, he is actually and effectually the propitiation, yea, inasmuch as it is joyned with his advocateship, it is very probable this is our Apostles meaning, since Christ is effectually a propitiation to them, for whom he is an advocate; and if so, this whole world must be construed in the same sense, in which world is used by S. Paul, where he saith, the fall of the Iewes is the riches of the world, that is,Rom. 11.12, 15. as it followeth in the same verse, the riches of the Gentiles; and again, the casting away of them, the reconciling of the world: so here he is the propitiation, not for our sins only, (who are Iewes) but for the whole world; to wit, the Gentiles in all parts and ages of the world who beleeve in him; and it will appear so much the more rationall, by the world here to understand the Gentiles; if we consider that the our here spoken of, most probably refers to the Iewes; for St. Iohn who was a Iew, would rather have said, your then our, had not they to whom he wrote, bin Iews as well as he: & this is further evident by the 7th ver. where he saith, that they to whom he did write, were such as had heard (…o wit what he wrote) from the beginning, Verse 7.and those were the Iews, to whom Christ was first sent, and preached.
According to this construction, the sense of this Scripture will be best explained, by parallelling it with those two texts in the Gospel, the one concerning Cataphas, of whom the Evangelist saith, he prophesied that Iesus should dye for that nation, Ioh. 11.51.52.and not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad, the other Christs own words, in that excellent prayer wherein he saith, neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word. Ioh. 17.20.Thus Christ is the propitiation not only for us who are of the Iewish nation, and live in this present age, but for them also of the Gentiles, who now do, or hereafter to the end of the world, shall beleeve in him. And however the number of them that beleeve, and have Christ effectually a propitiation to them, is still but small comparatively, in which respect it may seem strange they should be called the whole world, yet considering that whereas before Christ came, the beleevers of the Old Testament were only to be found in Iury, (some few, very few Proseyltes of the Gentiles excepted) now since Christs death, the beleevers of the New Testament are to be found (as St. Austin speaketh) among all sorts of persons, in all nations, at some time or other,Aug. in Epist. and so dispersed through the whole world; as they congruously are called in our Creed the Catholick Church so here by S. Iohn, Populus Dei habet plenitudinem suam &c. Ambr. de vocat. Gent. l. 1. c. 3.the whole world; to which purpose is that excellent speech of St. Ambrose, The people of God hath its fulness, and there is as it were a particular generality, whilest all men are taken out of all men, and a whole world is chosen and saved out of the whole world.
This exposition of these words as it appeareth not to be irrational, so it wants not the consent of many Interpreters, not only modern but ancient. The design of St. Iohn (saith Calvin) in these words, is no other then to assert this benefit of propitiation common to the whole Church. Least he should be thought by saying, our, Vide Calv. Bez. in loc.to restrain Christs propitiation only to the Jewes, he addeth the whole world, so Beza. Besides these Neotericks, we find this to be St. Austins interpretation, speaking occasionally in one of his Epistles upon this Text, As (saith he) the whole world is said to lye in wickednesse because of the tares, Aug. ep 48.so Christ is said to be the propitiation for the sins of the whole world, because of the wheat which groweth throughout the whole world. Yea, the Greek Fathers render this very sense of these words; so Oecumenius upon the Text it self. This he saith, either because he wrote to the Jewes, Oecumen. in loc.that he might extend this benefit to the Gentiles, or because the promise was not only made to those in that time, but all that shall come after them. Cyr. in Ioh. l. 11. c. 8.So St. Cyril comparing this Scripture with that of Christs in the Gospel, I pray not for the world, reconcileth them, by affirming that where St. John saith, the whole world, he meane…h them that should be called of all nations through faith, to righteousnesse and holinesse.
That which according to this construction we are to take notice of, is, the largenesse of Gods grace to the times of the New, above that to those of the Old Testament: They who since the coming of Christ, partake effectually of his propitiation, are of all sorts and ages of the world; to which purpose is that acknowledgement which the foure and twenty Elders in the Revelation make to Christ, Revel. 5.19.Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. Among other resemblances, M…l. 4 2. Vide Ambros. P…. 11….Christ is compared by the Prophet Malachy to the Sun, and among others for this reason, because like the Sun he communicates light, heat, life to all parts of the world, and therefore he saith of himself, I am the light of the world; and again, I give life to the world. It is well observed that, the first promise of Christ, the seed of the woman was not made to Abraham the Father of the Iewes, Ioh. 6.33.8.12.but to Adam the Father of the whole wo…ld; and whereas the Iewes call Christ the Son of Abraham, and the Son of David, who were Iewes, Christ usually calleth himself the Son of m…n, which taketh in Gentiles as well as Iewes. In this respect it is well taken notice of, that the place of Christs birth, was domus publici juris, not a private house, but an Inne, which is open for all passengers, and that not in a chamber, but the stable, which is the commonest place of the Inne; for though every guest hath his chamber private, yet the stable is common to them all? to mind us, that He who was borne, should be a common Saviour to high and low, noble and base, rich and poor: besides, the superscription upon his Crosse was written as St. Cyril and Theophylact observe,Cyr. in Ioh. l. 12. c. 10. Theoph. in Luc. not only in Hebrew, the language of the Iewes, but in Greek and Latine, the languages of the Gentiles; and the Crosse was erected not within the city, but without the gate; to intimate saith Leo, ut crux Christi non Templi esset Ara, sed mundi, that it was not an Altar of the Temple, Leo de pass. Se…m. 8.but the World: Indeed what part of the world is it that Christs propitiation reacheth not to? S. Basil putting the question why the world was redeemed by a Crosse, maketh this answer,Basil in … 11.12. that a Crosse hath foure distinct parts, which represent the four parts of the world; to all which, the efficacy of the Crosse reacheth. Cypr. de pass.An embleme of this truth St. Cyprian hath found in the four letters of the Greek word foreign, which is given to Christ, which letters are the first of those Greek words, which signify the four corners of the world; and St. Austin in Christs garment, Io…. 19.27. Aug. in …. Tr. 118.of which St. Iohn saith, the souldiers made four parts, to each souldier a part, which he conceiveth to figure the Church, gathered out of the four parts of the world. Indeed this was Gods promise to his Christ, Ask of me, and I will give thee the utmost parts of the world for thy possession; and to his Church, I will bring thy seed from the East, Ps. 2.8. …. 43.5.6.and gather thee from the West, I will say to the North, Give up, and to the South, Keep not back.
From this assertion it appeareth that the Church is (in i… self considered) a great multitude, and especially the christian in comparison of the Iewish Church. We read of Noah, that he blessed his two sonnes, Sem and Iaphet;Gen. 9.29. the former a type of the Iews, & the latter of the Gentiles: now concerning Iaphet, he saith, God shall enlarge him, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem, to intimate, saith St. Hierome, the enlarged multitude of the Gentile beleevers;Hier. qu. Heb▪ Is. 54.2, id. in Is. and the same Father upon these words of the Prophet, Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtaines of thy habitations, spare not, lengthen thy cords, strengthen thy stakes, saith, hoc intelligitur de Ecclesiarum magnitudine, this is to be understood of the greatnesse and multitude of the Church, by reason of its spreading over all the world. It is well worthy our observation, that whereas the Temple of Solomon had onelyonly one gate, the court of the Gentiles which compassed the Temple had foure, 1. Chron. 9.24.26.13.yea, the City of the new Jerusalem an embleme of the Christian Church hath not foure, but twelve Gates; three at every corner, Revel. 21.13.and these never shut, to intimate what a continuall confluence there should be to Christ from all parts of the Earth.
And surely beloved, Hoc probè novisse multum prodest, it concerneth us much to meditate on this truth,Gualt. in loc. whereby as the pride of the Jews is humbled, so the hope of the Gentiles is erected. Indeed since it belongs to the whole world, it may well be matter of great joy, and that such a joy as may put us upon thankfulnes for this grace of God which hath appeared to all men, Tit. 2.14.and bringeth Salvation. That cloud which was at first but the breadth of a mans hand, 1 Kin. 18.44.hath now covered the face of the Heavens; that contemptible stone cut out of the mountain, hath filled the whole earth. Dan. 2.35.Christ is as well a light to lighten us Gentiles, as the Glory of his people Israell; nor is he a propitiation for the Jews onelyonly, Luke. 2.32.but for the whole world of them that beleeve in him.
2. But further, these words, He is the propitiation, may be construed in respect of the virtue and sufficiency of his propitiation, according to which notion the whole world is to be taken in a more comprehensive construction.
Dist. 3.To unfold which be pleased to take notice of a double sufficiency, the one intrinsecal, or naturall, arising from the worth and value of the thing, the other extrinsecall, and positive arising from the ordination and institution of God, suitable to which this phrase, the whole world is to be more or lesse extended.
1. Christs propitiation is sufficient as to its natural value; for the sins of the whole world, comprizing not onelyonly men, but Angels. There is (no doubt) merit inough in the bloud of Christ to pacify God for the sins of the devils as well as men, and the reason is plaine, because the value of Christs passion depends primarily on the dignity of the person suffering, so that the person being infinite, the value of his passion must be infinite, and since an infinite merit can have no limitation, we may truly say, He is a propitiation sufficient for the whole world, containing as well spirituall as earthly wickednesses, yea not onelyonly for one, but a thousand worlds, yea as many millions, as we can imagine.
Nor doth the dissimilitude of the nature which Christ took, and in which he suffered to the angelicall hinder, but that his death might in it self be sufficient for Angels, if God had so pleased. For what crime of any creature whatsoever can be so haynous, for the expiating of which, the shedding of the bloud of God cannot suffice? and if Christ obtained confirmation for the Angels that stand (as the Learned generally acknowledge) that he is not a propitiation for the Angels that f…l is onelyonly from Gods pleasure, not any want of dignity and sufficiency in the price which was payed by him.
2 But when the schooles speak of Christs dying for all sufficiently, and accordingly some Expositours interpret this expiation sufficient for the sins of the whole world, it is as the Learned Davenant hath excellently observed,Carthus. Serra in loc. & solidly proved another kind of value, to wit, such as ariseth from divine ordination, and thus (though we must exclude Angels, and consider men, onelyonly as viatores, whilest they are in the way since (as S. Bernard truly,Sanguis essusus super terram non descendit ad inferes. Bern. in Cant. Serm 75.) The blood of Christ which was shed on earth goeth not down to hell) yet) we are by the whole world to understand omnes & singulos, all and every man that hath been, is, or shall be in the world so that we may truly assert. It was the intention of God giving Christ, and Christ offering himselfe to lay down such a price as might be sufficient, and so upon Gospel termes applicable to all mankind, and every individuall man in the whole world.
To unfold this truth aright, I shall briefly present two things to your consideration:
1. A price may be said to be sufficient, either absolutely, or conditionally; a price is then absolutely sufficient, when there is nothing more required to the participation of the benefit but onelyonly the payment of the money; and thus we are not to conceive of Gods ordination, that Christs death should become an actuall propitiation without any other intervenient act on our part; He dyed not in this sense for any, much lesse for all; when therefore we say, God would that Chr…st should lay down a pr…ce sufficient, and so applicable to every man, it is to be understood in a conditionall way, upon the termes of faith and repentance.
And hence it is, that though Christ dying, suffered that punishment which was designed to be satisfactory for the sins of every man, yet God doth justly inflict the punishment upon the persons of all them who are not by faith partakers of Christs death, because it was intended to satisfy for them onelyonly upon cond…tion of beleeving.
2. Know further, that though God intend Christs propitiation conditionally appl…cable, aequè, as well to every, as any man, yet he did not ex aequo, aequally intend it for every man; it is one thing to say, He is a propitiation, not for our sins onelyonly, but for the sins of the whole world, and another thing to say, He is a propitiation as fully for the sins of the whole world, as He is for ours. It is observable in Scripture, that some places speake of Christ laying down his life for his sheep, Iohn 10.15. Gla. 5.25.and giving himselfe for his Church, and others of Christs dying for all, and tasting death for every one; in one place, He is called the Saviour of the body, and in another,v. 23. the Saviour of the world, nor will it be hard to reconcile these,… Ioh 4.9. if we distinguish of a general & a speciall intention in God, that the fruit of his foreign, love to mankind, this of his foreign, good will to some particular persons by the former, he intends Christs propitiation applicable to all, Christus passu …s est pro … nobis tamen specialite… … Amb▪ … sufficienciam sed … electis …. P. Lumb. dist. secunda. lit. h. Joh. 3.16. Isa 53.10. H…b 8 22 23.by the latter He decreth it to be actually applyed to some, according to this it is that S. Ambrose saith, Christ suffered generally for all, and yet specially for some, and Peter Lumbard, Christ offered himselfe on the Altar of the Crosse for all, as to the sufficiency of the price, for the elect onelyonly, as to efficacy, because he ef…ects salvation onelyonly for them that are praedestina…ed. Sutably hereunto it is, …hat Divin…s conceive a double covenant to be intimated i… Scripture, the one universall, and cond…tionall, the other speciall and absolute, the one made with all, and every man upon these termes, Whosoever beleeveth in Christ, shall not perish, the other made with Christ concerning a seed which He should see upon mak…ng h…s Soule an offering for …in, to whom He promiseth not onelyonly Salvation by Christ upon condition of beleeving, but the writing his law in their hearts, whereby they are inabled to performe the condition and so infal…by pertake of that salvation. By all which it appeareth, that notwithstanding Gods speciall affection, and d…cr…e of election whereby he hath purposed this propitiation shall be actually conferd upon some, we may t…uly assert, God hath a generall love whereby He hath ordained the death of Christ an universall remedy applicable to every man, as a propitiation for his sins, …f he beleeve and repent. And hence it is, that this propitiation as it it is applicable, so it is annunciable to every man, Indeed as God hath not intended, it should be actually applyed, so neither that it should be so much as a…ually revealed to many men, but yet it is as applicable, so annunci…ble, both by virtue of the generall covenant God hath made with all, and that generall mandate He hath given to his Ministers of preaching the Gospel to all, so that if any Minister could go through all the parts of the world, and in those parts singly from man to man, He might not onelyonly with a conjectural hope; but with a certain faith, say to him, God hath so loved thee, that he gave his onelyonly son, that if thou beleeve in him, thou shalt not perish, and that this is not barely founded upon the innate sufficiency of Christs death, but the Ordination of God appeareth in that we cannot, may not say so to any of the fallen Angels for whom yet as you have already heard Christs death is intrinsecally sufficient.
And now what should the meditation of this truth afford us but matter of
1 Admiration at the riches of divine love to all mankind, and which rendereth it so much the more wonderfull, that whilest it is conferd on the whole world of men, it is denied to Angels. That God should cause his wrath to smoake against those spiritual and noble creatures the Angels, and appoint a propitiation, a ransome for such crawling wormes, sinful dust and ashes, as men are, is it not to be admired at?Amb…s. in Ps. 118. St. Ambrose speaking of these words, the whole earth is full of thy mercy; puts the question, Why is it not said the heaven as well as the earth? and returneth this Answer; because there are indeed spiritual wickednesses in high places, sed non illae ad commune jus indulgentia Dei remissionemque pertinent peccatorum, but the remission of God, and propitiation of Christ belongs not to them; well may we in this consideration take up those words of the Psalmist, Psal. 8.3. H…b. ….6.quoted by the Authour to the Hebrewes upon this very occasion; Lord, what is man that thou art so mindful of him, and the Son of man that thou visitest him.
2. Consolation to all despairing soules, it is an excellent saying of Leo, Effusio pro in…ustis sanguinis … …am p… tens est, &c. Leo de …ass. Serm. 12. c. 4.The effusion of Christs blood is so rich and availeable, that if the whole multitude of captive sinners would beleeve in their Redeemer, not one should be detained in the tyrants chaines. Who art thou then that sayest Christ dyed not for thee, and will not be a propitiation for thy sins? when the doore is open by God, why should it be shut by thee? when God is ready to receive thee, why shouldest thou reject Christ and cast away thy self? view the Text well, and tell me if the whole world do not include thee? surely, omne totum continet suas partes, omnis species sua individua, every species includeth its individuals, every whole its parts; it is both Calvins and Gualters note upon the word world, Vide Gra…. Calv in loc.that it is so often repeated, ne aliquem à Christi merito exclusum pu…aremus, so Gualter, that we should not think any one excepted, ne quis omnino arceri se putet modo …idei viam teneat; so Calvin, lest any one should think himself excluded, if he walk in the path of beleeving. Beleeve it, never any missed of propitiation for want of merit in Christ, but of faith in themselves; why should I give my self over, when my Physician doth not? so long as I am one of the whole world, and my particular sins are not so great as the sins of the whole world, I will not cast away all hopes of propitiation.
3. Caution, that we do not hence presume of a propitiation without application. St. John saith, he is the propitiation for our sins, and for the sins of the whole world; but we cannot inferre, he is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world; therefore he will be for ours, though we live as we list. Alas brethren, you have already heard this propitiation; as it is universal, so it is conditional; habet quid…m in se ut omnibus pro sit, sed si non bibitur non medetur;Prosp. ad Vincent. object. prim. Ambr…s. de fide ad Grat. l. 4 c. 1 Id in Ps. 118. Oct. 5. this cup of salvation hath that in it which can benefit all, but if no drinking of it, no healing by it. If thou dost not beleeve saith St. Ambrose, Christ did not descend for thee, nor dye for thee, to wit, so as effectually to save thee, and in another place, more aptly to our present purpose; if any one doth not beleeve, he defraudeth himself of that benefit which is so generall; indeed, by reason of this condition it falls out, that though Christ be a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, yet it is not the whole world, no nor the greater, no nor an equall part of the world, but a third, a fourth part, a remnant, a little flock, partake of this propitiation, and therefore we have a great deal of reason to fear and tremble, lest we miscarry, and have no share in this propitiation, which is so universal.
4. Exhortation, that since Christ is a propitiation for the whole world, we labour to make sure our own share in this universal good, it had been little comfort to St. Iohn, that he could say Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world; if he could not have said, he is the propitiation for our sins: that known saying is in this case too often verified▪ later dolus in universalibus, men deceive themselves whilest they rest in generalities, content not thy self to know that Christ hath dyed for the world, but strive to be assured that thou shalt be saved by his death, it will be a sad trouble at that day for thee to think, I had a price in my hand, but I made no use of it, I might have obtained propitiation by Christ, but I neglected it, there was a remedy prepared, but I contemned it. And therefore let our great care be to gain an interest in, assurance of this prop… tiation to our own soules, that what it is in it self, it may be to us, and it may be for our sins efficiently, what it is sufficiently not for ours onelyonly, but for the sinnes of the whole world ▪
FINIS.