The Covenant of Life Opened, Part 2 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. How Christ suffered for us in our roome and place. 2. He died not for all and every one. 3. How many wayes Christ is said to die in our stead. 4. The Lords so dying for all makes not all saveable, nor the Gospel Preachable to all Nations. 5. Christ died in the stead of the Elect.
THe Lord Jesus hath a roome in each Covenant, of Works, and of Grace:Davenantus de morte Christi, c. 4. pag. 48. Ex solâ vi horum verborum: Christus pro omnibus mortuus est non potest inferri Christum pro omnibus ita mortuum esse ut absolute decreverit hac sua morte omnium salutem efficaciter & insallibiliter operari: quia satis vere & proprie pro aliquo mori is dicatur qui bono alterius procurando mo…itur, quamvis ille alter suo vitio nihil commodi inde percipiat. Christ cannot be said to die for all, if these all may eternally perish. In the Covenant of Works as a sufferer for the breach of it. Its said by Learned Davenantius, one is said truely and properly to die for another, who dies to procure his good▪ though the other by his own fault, get no good of his dying for him. But there is not such a Question as this, whether one may truely and properly die for another, but whether Christ in the sense of the Holy Ghost died verè & propriè, truely and properly, the just for the unjust, to procure good to the unjust, and yet these unjust may eternally perish and reap no good by Christs dying, through their unbeleef? 2. Will it not follow that Christ 1. died truely and properly for all, and yet, non obstante morte Christi, notwithstanding of the Lords dying, all the world may eternally perish, as say Arminians and Socinians. 3. It shall follow that the immediate, yet the compleat effect of Christs death is not actuall, but possible saving of all. And Christ hath verè & propriè, truelie and properly died for them. Nor 4. is it enough to say that Christ had a speciall intention in dying for the Elect to give them faith, but he had no such intention in dying for the Reprobate. But hence it follows that Christ as properly and truely died for the Reprobate as for the Elect, as touching the nature and intention of his dying; and that he offered as sufficient a ransome for the one as for the other, and that is a meer possible ransome, but as concerning the intention to apply effectually, or no effectuall intention to apply the death, there's the difference. But 1. we aske for Scripture, where it is said CHRIST dying as dying for the world,No Scripture warranteth us to say that Christ died for all with one intention to apply his death to the elect, and with another intention to apply no death at all to the reprobate. had these two contrair intentions. The Scripture saith, Christ died to gather his scattered children, Joh. 11.5. to bring to God, 1 Pet. 3.18. these for whom he died, that they might have life, Joh. 10.11. live to God, 2 Cor. 5.15. die to sin, 1 Pet. 2.24. be redeemed from their vain conversation, 1 Pet. 1.18. be delivered from this present evill world, Gal. 1.4. Here is our effectuall intention; where is there a place for his dying with no effectuall intention to bring any to God? and yet he dyed for all good and evill, to make salvation possible, say they. It is not enough to coyn two intentions in Christ-God-Man dying, and give us Scripture for one of them only, and bid us take the other on trust. 2. Nor is it enough to say all these places speak of Christs effectuall dying for his Elect only. For 1. it is not truely nor properly said that Christ effectually died for the Elect only, for he effectually died for no man by this way, because he died only to make salvation possible to all, so as they might perish for ever, notwithstanding of his dying for them: So the efficacy of dying is in Christs intention, and application. Now efficacy of intention and efficacy of application are both extrinsecall to his laying down his life. 2. The place, 2 Cor. 5.15. cannot be expounded by them of only the effect: For it speaks (as they expone it) of Christ dying for all that were dead, as v. 14. and these they say are Elect and Reprobate. 3. Nothing is said,Christ sustained not two persons upon the crosse. whether Christ on the Crosse did sustain the person of all for whom he died, Elect and Reprobate, and whether he sustained two persons (for he was cut off, but not for himself, Dan. 9.26.) one for the Reprobate, another for the Elect. And whether he finished the transgression, and made an end of sins, as Daniel saith, 9.24. that is, of all sins and transgressions,Christ was not cut off to put an end to all their transgressions for whom he died, by their way who teach that he died for all without ex…ception. finall unbeleef and all others: For except he did that, hee cannot finish the transgression, make an end of sins, make reconciliation for iniquity, and bring in everlasting righteousnesse, to these for whom he died; Except either he bring in half a righteousnesse, or at least imperfect, and never make an end of some sins and transgressions, because men will not have it so, and set bounds to the infinit sufficiency of Christ: O… because he puts an end of sin, and brings in everlasting righteousnesse conditionally, and is gracious and mercifull as men will, and decrees to show mercy, not upon discriminating rebellion, or upon unbeleef, which separateth a Reprobate from an Elect, if so it seems good to men, and if man shall have mercy on whom he will, and harden whom he will, or, which is all one, if man shall have mercy upon himself, because he will,There is nothing purchased to the most part for whō Christ dies, but a pelagian power to apply which power all men have, suppone CHRIST had never died, according to these who teach that CHRIST died for all and every one. or harden himself, because he will harden himself▪ Yet may it be disputable to some, wheth…r grace by which one is effectually drawn to Christ, rather then another, be the grace of predestination continuated and so before Christs death, or a fruit of Christs death and so after. But it may well be s…id that every created saving grace is a fruit of Christs death, and that we receive the habit of saving grace out of his fulnesse, and the saving habit infused separateth an Elect from a Reprobate: For it is peculiar to Beleevers and the Elect to be gifted with one heart, Ezek. 11.19. and a new heart in the habit, Ezek. 36.26. and with the spirit … grace and supplication to beleeve and mourn, Zech. 12.10. and the Spirit and blessing that is powred on the thirsty ground, and the seed, Isai. 44.3. And so must we say, that the same habit as actuated by the Lords Spirit, and as it makes one to beleeve, and draws him effectually to the Son, actually and efficaciously, and draws not another, is a fruit of Christs death, but this way must glory be a fruit of the death of Christ, but not habituall saving grace. 2. The death of Christ for all is as common a means of salvation as the Preaching of the Gospel: And both must be made effectuall by efficacious grace, which is not the fruit of the merit of Christ, by this way, and since grace to actually apply the death of Christ, is not given to Pagans and millions for whom Christ died, as these Authors teach, how unsufficient must the death of our Lord be? For it leaves faith as impossible to the reprobates as if he had never died for them, for neither habituall nor actuall faith is purchased to them by this death:How many ways it may be said Christ died in our room & stead. Only the Pelagian application is left to them, which they should have had, suppose Christ had never died for them.
2. It is to be considered, how many wayes CHRIST may be said to give himself foreign a ransome for us, or in our place.
1. Christ hath sufficiently died for all in their room to redeem them. For, pro foreign, for men, The sufficiency of Christs death depends upon the i… finitness of his person, not upon the free decree of Godnoteth ever the decree and intention of Christ dying for men; but the sufficiency and worth and intrinsecal dignity of Christs death, depends not upon the decree & intention of God for the worth of the death and the blood of him who is God, Act. 20.28. 1 Cor. 2.8. and the Lord of Glory is infinite, because of the infinitnesse of the person, before and without the decree of God. 2. Nor is it true that Christs dying for all and every one (which is a dream) makes salvation possible to all, so that the Covenant is Preachable to all upon condition of beleeving, Act. 10.43. To him (Jesus Anointed who went about doing good and so was man, v. 38) to him (who was slain in our nature,Whether all beleeve and be saved▪ or none believe or be saved, its true that whosoever believe shal be saved, but the truth of it dependeth not upon Christs dying for all and for every one. not for all and every man, v. 39. to him) whom God raised up the third day, v. 40. To him gave all the Prophets witnesse (as it is, v. 43) that through his Name, who ever beleeves in him shal have remission of sins.
2. And this would be considered (whoso beleeves in Christ are justified and saved) how it is universall? It is most true thus: There is a sure connexion between faith and life eternall, and the connexion is decreed of God; or the concatenation of the end and the means, or of the means and the end, faith and salvation. And it is true: whether all beleeve or none at all beleeve, and whether all or none at all be saved, as is this (whosoever shall keep the Law perfectly, shall be justified and saved by the works of the Law.) But 1. it makes neither faith nor salvation possible to Pagans and Reprobates, nor perfect obedience in doing the Law nor Justification or salvation by the works of the law possible to any living man, But the Question is, whether the connexion of the former be made true by the decree and revealed will of God promising life to the beleever, by no means, but only by this, because Christ died for all and every one. And so this should have been false (if all Pagans and Reprobate and Elect beleeve they shall be saved) if Christ had died only for the Elect. This must be proven either by Scripture, or by some solid reason from Scripture; for it saith this, Reprobats can not have life by beleeving in Christ crucified for them: except it be true that Christ was crucified for them, but none can be saved by beleeving that Christ died for them, except they also beleeve that Christ rose from the dead, and ascended and inter…eds in Heaven for them. Then one might infer this could not be true, but false (if Reprobats beleeve they shall be saved) except Christ have died, risen again, ascended, and interceeds for all Reprobate and Elect.None are saved by beleeving that Christ died for them, except th…y also believe that Christ rose also, ascended, & intercee…ded for thē. For true and saving faith the only condition of salvation, must lay hold on the Resurrection, Ascension, and Intercession of Christ, as well as on his dying for all. The reason why it cannot be true that Reprobats shall be saved, if they believe, except Christ have died for them, is (…y this way) they cannot beleeve that Christ hath died for their sins, except it be true that he died for their sins: Yea, I answer, they cannot beleeve that Christ rose again for their righteousnesse, except it be true that Christ also rose for the righteousnesse of the Reprobats; this latter they cannot say.
It is said by Christs dying for all, God hath now a condition…ll will of saving all and every one, Elect and Reprobate, if they shall beleeve, which conditionall will was not in God, before Christs dying for all. Yea without Christs dying for all, salvation upon condition of beleeving had been impossible. But not to say that it is unworthy of the Holy Lord, that new wills and new decrees should arise in him, upon any thing that falls out in time, such as the crucifying of the Lord Jesus. Such Doctrine we condemn in Vorstius, and in Arminians, as is well observed by D. Twisse, such a decree as this, that God should say (I decree, will, and intend remission and life purchased by the death of Christ, to all Pagans that never hear the Gospel, to all Reprobats, so they shall beleeve in Christ: And yet I never decree they shall beleeve nor have grace to beleeve) saith no more then there is a connexion between faith as the condition, and remission and life eternall as the thing promised; as when God had decreed that Jerusalem should be burnt, and deny grace to obey;God hath no intention to save all, though he say all that believe shall be saved, nor comes such an offer frō CHRISTS intention to die for all and every one. Yet saith Jeremiah from the Lord, Jer. 38.17. If thou wilt assuredly go forth to the King of Babylons Princes, then thy soul shall live, and this City shal not be burnt with fire, and thou shall live and thine house. And the Lord says to Cain, Gen. 4.7. If thou dost well (and shall savingly beleeve as Abel) thou shalt be accepted. Then was that connexion decreed of God, it containing a most just condition of life, and a condition to which Zedekiah and Cain were oblidged, but that the death of Christ made the Lord to intend and decree conditionally and in any tearms either acceptation to life or remission to Cain, as the end, and well doing as the means, or intended to purchase the grace either of the one or the other, is not warranted by Scripture, for both the one and the other, are the fruits of the merits of Christ; Show 1. how God can will and decree such a thing to the Reprobate: for its as if a father would say, I purpose to sell such a plot of ground to my son, so he pay me an hundreth Crowns, When 1. the son, by no possiblity, hath, or can have the hundreth Crowns, but only from his father. 2. When the father of his free pleasure hath decreed never to give him the hundreth Crowns or the plot of ground. 2. Show how faith is made possible by Christs death, when it is not purchased to the reprobate by Christs death, it is not surely made physically possible by Christs death, if it be said that it is made possible morally, rationally, and objectively to them, because there cannot be an offer of life made to Reprobates and to all, upon condition of faith, except Christ have died for the Reprobate, that is denyed, and never proven: If one should come (say they) to the Antipods or to such as never heard of Christ and Preach the Gospel, he should not, before he Preach, look for any new establishing of the conditionall Covenant (who ever beleeves in Christ shall be justified and saved) but should take it as granted, it was made with them before; therefore by Christs death the Gospel of it self is Preachable and may be Preached to all Nations, quovis seculo, in any age, as it was to Job. Ans. If any come to the Antipods and any Nation that never heard of Christ, having the gift of Tongues, and Preach to such, or by his own industrie acquire the gift of such Tongues,One that hath the Tongues, may preach the Gospel to the Nation he comes unto, but that preachablnesse of the Gospel comes in in no sort, from the Lords sending his Son to die for all and every one. and by the strong hand of providence Preach the conditionall Covenant, these providences should be a command, and the setting up of a shining torch there should prove these people (as to the elect among them) in Gods minde were a Covenanted people no lesse then the Church of Samaria. And there were no need to expect a new establishing of the conditionall Gospel-Covenant: But how is that proven to be from this, because God sent his Son to die for all and every one of these Antipods, and made the Gospel-Covenant with all and every one of them before: the Authors shall be ebbe of Scripture here. And if these Antipods should, all and every one, refuse the Gospel and kill the Preacher, and never one either receive the Gospel, or propagate to any that may receive it; Then such an Apostolick mission is not in Scripture, and the lawfulnesse of that mans call to me is to be questioned: and I should judge, his own Spirit, not God sent him. Nor is this true, that the Gospel is and was Preachable, and of it self, may be preached to any age. Job lived before the giving of the Law, and Melchisedeck, and they had the call of God to Preach to them to whom they Preached.The Gospel is not preachable to all and every Nation, at all and every age & difference of time. 2. It shall be denied that Jonah had sinned, if he had not preached to Nineveh, except God had expresly commanded him to preach to Nineveh, otherwise it had been the sin of Godly Prophets who lived with him in the time of Joash King of Judah, 2 King. 14.25. and they had been guilty, as Jonah in not Preaching to Nineveh. Yea all the Ministers and Apostles, and Prophets had sinned in not Prophecying to the Phylistins, Syrians, Persians, Bythinia, Samaria; whereas the Apostles, Matth. 10.5. Act. 16.6. were forbidden to Preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, to Asia: and it were strange to say Ezekiel sinned in not preaching to a people of an unknown Language, whereas the Lord expresly says he sent him not unto them, Ezek. 3.5, 6. and that, Rom. 10.15. How shall they Preach, except they be sent? is meant of the Apostles, and of all lawfull Pastors. And there may be running and no sending of God to Nations, Jer. 23.21. and Psal. 147.19, 20. when he denies, he declared his judgements and his statutes to any Nation, by sent Prophets, as he did to Jacob, if the Gospel then was of it self Preachable to all Nations, Prophets unsent might have Preached these same judgements to other Nations, that were Preached to Jacob, though not sent of God. But that place, Psal. 147. and diverse others would say he choised only Israel as his Covenanted people: As Deut. 7.7, 8, 9. Deut. 10.12, 13, 14, 15. Exod. 20.1, 2. Psal. 78.5, 6. Amos 3.1, 2. Deut. 27.1, 2. to them only he revealed the Covenant of Grace, then was it not a Covenant of its own nature that might at any age, be Preached to all Nations. But what is then revealed in these decrees? (if the Reprobate beleeve, they shall be saved) Ans. Not Gods intention conditionall or absolute to save them, or to give them faith or grace merited by Christs death, to beleeve, for then some good-will and love of election, the Lord should bear toward the election of such, and should desire all the Reprobate to be saved, so they would believe, and yet by this way, no more is there grace purchased to them,The conditionall promise either of life to all that shall keep the Law, or of salvatiō to all that beleeve in Christ can inferre no intention or good-will …n God to bestow the end & the means upon either the one or the other, or any good-will toward their persons. by Christ, to beleeve, then there is grace purchased to them to performe obedience to the Law: Now the Authors will not say that by Christs dying for all, there is a conditionall will in Christ, or in the Father, to give life to all who perfectly keep the Law: for this conditionall will or means and end, was in God before, and suppone Christ had never died for sinners. 2. This would say that the Reprobate were to beleeve that Christ died to save them, having purchased life to them, and to believe that he died not to save them all for whom he died, because they are not to believe he died to purchase faith by his death, or grace to beleeve, without which salvation is impossible: it cannot be said that God absolutely intended to save them, whether they beleeve or not, even while as there is such a decree in God, because he hath decreed both the end and the means, to wit, having ordained for them salvation, and having ordained for them faith; nor is there any such decree in God, toward any but the Elect only, therefore this conditionall decree (if all and every one beleeve, all and every one shall be saved) can infer no love of God through Christ to the persons of all and every one to have them saved, more then this can infer a love of saving all and every one, to be in God or to have been in the Lord, before the fall of Angels, and men (if all and every one of Angels and men shall perfectly, without sin to the end, keep the Law, then all Angels, all men Elect and Reprobate shall be saved eternally.) Now no man found in judgement, can say this conditionall can infer that God had a good will to save some Angels, not to save others: More then this (if all and every man beleeve in Christ they shall be saved) can infer that God hath a good-will to save Reprobate men, and not fallen Angels. In a word, no simple conditionall propositions can infer the desire or good will of God to the persons of men or to have the things done, except God effectually work the condition: As this (if all fulfill the Law perfectly, men and Angels, and all men shall be saved by the Law) cannot infer that God hath a good will to the persons of all Angels and all men to justifie and save them all, without exception, by the works of the Law; the contrair whereof he decreed. For this connex proposition may stand true with the salvation of all Angels, of all men, of no Angels, or no men, according as the Lord shall be pleased of his good pleasure and free grace to work, or not to work the condition of moving the will of Angels and men to keep the Law. And therefore these connexions nihil ponunt absoluti, they place nothing absolutely to persons,Conditionall promises place nothing absolutely in persons but only the connexion of things, means & …nd, work, & reward, but only to things, to wit, 1. that it is the duetie and obligation of all Angels and men to perform absolute obedience to the Law, as they would be justified and saved by the Law, and its the duty of all men in the Visible Church to beleeve in Christ. if they would be justified and saved in Christ. 2. That there is a wise connexion between means and end, obedience legall and life, faith and life, according to the approving will of God, and yet neither means nor end may ever come to passe or fall out, and neither means nor end may ever be decreed of God to fall out: Yea God may decree absolutely that none of the extreams shall exist as God decrees (if Zedekiah shall yeeld to the King of Babylon, Jerusalem shall not be burnt) and yet according to his decree or will of purpose the Lord hath decreed that the yeelding of Zedekiah, and the safety of the idolatrous Citie should not come to passe, but the contrair. So God decrees, if Judas repent and beleeve, he shall be saved according to the will of precept, and yet according to the Lords will of purpose, neither did the Lord decree or intend the repenting and saving beleeving of Judas nor was grace to beleeve and repent purchased by the death of Christ to Judas (by these Authors) though they boast of the amplitude of Christs death, nor did the Lord by that will of purpose ever decree or intend the salvation of Judas.
Therefore, 3. this, that the death of Christ is of its own nature preachable to all Nations, in every age, is not true: For the phrase is neither in Scipture, in Old or New Testament, nor is the thing it self in Scripture: For the meaning is, either GOD may send Apostles in any age to all the Nations of the world, to Preach: If that be, by his extraordinary power, he may save all the damned,If the Gospel of it self were Preach…ble at all times to all Nations, it were the sin of the Prophets not to Preach to all Nations, whether they can speak wi…h all Tongues or no. 2. And all Nations should be in a fit c… pacity at all times to be the Church…s of Christ, and …ll Nati… ̄s should be Chu…ches in Covenant with God in Christ. that way. That Preachablenesse is not the object of our faith: Nor is that Preachablenesse a fruit of Christs dying for all. If it be meant that God by his ordinary power may send Apostles in any age to all Nations: How is that to be said? Except we say God hath decreed in his will of purpose to send Preachers to all; That cannot be, except his decree be disappointed. O… 3. If it be his command and revealed will that the Gospel be Preached to all Nations, every age, they grievously sin, who Preach not the Gospel to the Brasilians and Antipods, whether they can speak in their Language or not. And if the Doctrine of the Covenant of its own nature may so be Preached to all Nations, without exception, in every difference of time, then must all the Nations of the earth, in all differences of time, be in a capacity to be a Covenanted people of God, the Church of Christ, the Vineyard of the Lord, his inheritance, the Spouse of Christ, his Body, his Called, and Chosen flock. For to have the Doctrine of the Covenant fixedly Preached to a Nation, and Christ offered to them, is to be the planted Vineyard of the Lord, for to Preach to Macedonia, fixedly, they willingly hearing, is indeed the Lords entering in Covenant with Macedonia, and his choising them to be his confederate people, and the Lords planting a Vineyard, and building a Wine-presse in it, and setting up a Ministry therein; and therefore the Lord was not in Covenant with them before. Indeed to Preach the Word simply to scoffers who reject it, and that occasionally in the passing, so as there is no sort of accepting of the Covenant nor any fixed Ministry there, is not a renewing of the Covenant with them, nor does it presuppose a Covenant before made with them. 2. It is against the wisdome of God, that 1. there should be such a band of love the greatest love that ever was, Joh. 15.13. lying upon all mankind, Brasilians, Americans, binding them to thankfull Gospel-obedience that Christ died for them, yet this obligation of the greatest love is neither written in their heart, as the Law of nature, nor is it ever revealed to them that they are under so much love by Covenant. 2. How can the Lord say I choosed you, O Israel, among all the people of the earth, and entred in Covenant with you and your seed only. For 1. there is no need of a new establishing of the conditionall Gospel-Covenant, for it was established with Israel, and with all the world before he choosed or called them. 2. He cannot be said to enter in Covenant with them only. For all the world ever was thus Covenanted with God. 3. All the world must be an invisible Covenanted Church, and the fit matter to be a Church. For the Evangel may be Preached est de se annunciabile, not to stones and to rocks, but to all Nations, quovis seculo. 4. Since the Preaching of the Gospel to some Nations, and not to others, is an act of the Soveraign pleasure, yea and of the free grace of God to such as this Sun-light graciously doth visit, by this way, the sinfull neglect of such as refuse to Preach shall be the cause of the perishing of the elect, a dream.
Its false that Christ so died for us, that is, in our stead, as that in our stead hee fulfilled the Law, and performed all active obedience & passive by doing and dying▪ that God can require of us.2. CHRIST may be said to die for us, as if we had substituted him in our place, in so rigid a sense, as if he had been made our surety to fulfill both the preceptive and active, and also the satisfying and suffering part of the Law in our room. This may please Antinomians, but a doubt it is, if it stand with the truth: For then what ever we, yea all mortall men be (for Christ died for them all, as many teach) most wicked, yet Christs active and surety and cautionary righteousnesse should be ours, and though we should never beleeve, yet Christ who fulfilled the Law and preceptive as well as the threatning part, must have beleeved for all that he died for, and what need we then in our persons either beleeve or repent? Its true, we need not perform any active obedience, as a part of active fulfilling of that Covenant of Works, which either must have all, or no obedience. If it be said that alio titulo, upon another account of thankfulnesse to our ransom-payer we owe active obedience: Yet all that CHRIST died for, both actively and passively must be perfectly righteous and justified, having payed the most perfect active and passive obedience that the Law required, though we never beleeve, and Christ must have payed the active part of justifying faith for us. And why, but we should be formally justified in him without faith also? As also, God, not we, laid our sins upon Christ, Isai. 53.6. 2 Cor. 5.21. and therefore we did commissionate and substitute Christ to die in our room.How Socinians will have Christ to die for us. Socinus, de Servatore ▪ l. 2. c. 8. dictio (pro) causam finalem notat. Ioan Crellius, advers. Grotiam, par. 1. c. 5. Cateche. R…ccovie. c. 8. pag. 183, 184. Loco & vice peccatorum nostrorum mortuum esse, nihil deluti… qui dat & pendit foreign pro captis in fuga, aut loco fugae id pendit. Jac. Armin. Antiper edit. Bertianae pag. 676. Quod si statuamus talem mediatioris rationem — ut omnium electorum peccata actu ab ipsis abla…a & in Christum transl…ta sint, qui poenam pro illis passus, illos actu ipso … poenis liberaverit, tum obedientia ab illis postulata fuerit, qui illam praestitit, & vitam aeternam illa praestatione non sibi, sed illis meruerit, non …cus quam si ipsi Mediatorem nostro loco constituissemus & per eum DEO solvissemus debita nostra, jam simul statuendum est secundum ipsum justitiae DEI & legis rigorem electis deberi & immunitatem … pecca…is & vitam aeternam, eosque ista bona … DEO postulare jure solutionis & emptionis, absque eo ut Deus postulare ullo jure fidem in Christum & conversionem ad Deum possit.
Socinus, Crellius, the Raccovian Catechism, Arminius, contend that Christ died for all finaliter, for to procure good and salvation to all, so they beleeve, and yet through their own fault, they may haply never be saved: not that he satisfied for us, but died for example as a Martyr (say Socinians) as Paul suffered for the Church, so as we, beleeving in Christ as in the only chief Martyr and witnesse, who as the only Author declared the Gospel, not as a sufferer and ransom-payer who redeemed us from the Law, are saved. And as Arminians, he died for our good, not that he died in our room and stead, so as the sins of the Elect were actually taken off them and translated upon Christ, so as wee are actually freed from the punishment of sin, as if we had substitute a Saviour our selves, and payed our debt our selves to God; and so according to the rigour of Justice, we might crave by the Law of buying and selling deliverance from punishment, and life eternall from God. But this way they will not have Christ to die in the place and room of any, but only for their good, so as they may die eternally themselves for whom Christ died. Hence 1. It follows that Christ died for them but gave no ransome of blood for them for whom he died. 2. Arminians will not have the sins and punishment satisfactory to justice (for of such punishment we speak) actually upon Christ, and translated off the sinner and laid upon Christ and beleevers actually freed from satisfactory punishment: So that both beleevers and Christ must actually bear the satisfactory punishment. Which indeed makes beleevers half redeemers with Christ: against which we disputed before.
3. Arminians denies that we payed our debts to God, in Christ paying them for us. So that the broken man cannot be said to have satisfied the debt in, and through the surety who satisfied for him, which in all Law is unjust. And since Arminians denies that we payed to Justice a ransome for sin, because our Surety Christ payed for us, he must deny that Christ was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, or that the chastisement of our peace was upon him: Contrair to Isai. 53.5. because we made him not our Mediatour and Surety, but God made him Mediatour, and laid our iniquities upon him, Isai. 53.6. But it is accidentall in Law that the debter substitute the surety,One may in Law, be a real and true satisfying surety for another, thogh the debter neither request, nor Covenant with him to undertake, yea though he know no, thing of the sureties willingness to undertake, and so Christ is our surety. or request him to take the place of surety upon him. But he is a reall and a most legall surety who not requested, of free grace becomes surety and pays the very same summe in speciè, in kind, that the debter ought to pay; this reason does prove he is both a surety and a gracious surety. As a Kings son who comes in and layes down his head for a malefactor, truely and really dyeth and layeth down his life in the room and place of that malefactor, though there was no Covenant nor paction between him and the Kings son, though neither the malefactor, nor any friend in his name did request the Prince to become surety and die for him. Reuben offers his two sons to Jacob as pawnds to be slain, if he should not bring home Benjamin safe to the father: And had Jacob accepted of the offer, Reubens two sons who knew not of the bargain, had been sureties for Benjamin, Gen. 42.37. and Judah might have been Law-surety for Benjamin to Jacob, though Benjamin requested him not to take any such place. The Lord the Creditour and Christ the Cautioner did strike hands together: Christ put himself in our room, as an hostage, pledge and surety to die for us, and payed the first and second death, the summe that we was owing, according to a paction between the Lord and Christ, and we requested not Christ to be surety, only by beleeving, we thank him, and subscribe and say Amen to what is done. But in Law we payed, in regard the same nature that suffered was ours, and accepted as ours. But Arminians clearly refuse that Christ shall be an hostage and surety for us,Arminius sides with Socinus. because the offended party of his own furnished not one that died for him; and so he strikes at the root of a reall sacrifice that is satisfactory to God, because one and the same cannot be both satisfied, and, de suo, of his own, furnish a satisfying surety. For so as his own, Socinus saith, one cannot be both a satisfier and a person satisfied, and this is no satisfaction at all, saith Socinus. (4.) Our beleeving cannot effectuate this, that Christ hath actually born the satisfactory punishment due to us. Arminius saith that Christ hath not, actu ipso, actually born that punishment: he must say he hath born it only potentially▪ potentià. Then its like when we beleeve, he bears that punishment compleatly, but he cannot die nor suffer, but once; only he must mean that Christ did actually bear our sins, but the satisfactory punishment is not accepted as suffered in our name. But our beleeving hindereth not,How wee satisfied justice in CHRISTS dying, so that we cā not suffer eternally in hell, if CHRIST suffered for us on the Crosse without wrong to Divine justice. but he hath in genere causae moralis & meritoriae really as a meriting cause deserved that God in justice cannot exact from us that same satisfactory punishment that Christ hath suffered for our sins, & its impossible that our faith can adde any meritorious power to Christs death: & therefore though not in our selves and physically, yet really, morally, legally in Christ, deliverance from satisfactory punishment is due to us, we being in Christ legally, and life eternall is due to us, being in Christ according to the rigour of justice, and injuria irrogata Christo sponsori foret, wrong should be done to Christ, and commutative justice, by which, ex condigno, by condignitie, he hath bought freedom from hell, and right to heaven, to these he died for, if we should suffer eternall wrath, in our persons, whether we beleeve or beleeve not; for beleeving is no part of the meriting cause of the satisfying ransome. Yea Christ by right of buying and selling, and we in Christ our surety may claime freedom from the second death, and right to everlasting life, so as God should fail against commutative justice against Christ, and break (with reverence and humble submission to his Glorious Majesty be it spoken) Covenant to Christ, and he should buy with a price more then enough, his seed, and not get his wages, if these he died for, die the second death, and come short of glory eternall, if the Lord say to Christ, I promise to thee a seed, that they shall be delivered from the second death,Christ dies not so in our room and stead, as that we cannot in justice die the second death except there be a breach of Covenant between the Lord and Christ. and have life eternall, providing thou shalt give me a price abundantly sufficient to buy these, to wit, the life and blood of God-Man, and offer thy self a sacrifice upon the Crosse to offended Justice. If CHRIST shall do this and pay the ransome, and Christ get no wages, no saved seed, but they perish through the want of faith only: either must faith be a part of the ransome, which none can say, or then the Lord shall not keep Covenant to Christ. (5.) When Arminius saith that the Lord can, nullo jure, by no Law, nor Justice crave of us faith and conversion to God, if we have payed our debts, by rigour of justice exactly to God in Christ who legally in our stead and place payed for us, he supposes plainly that God requires faith and obedience of us as a part of recompence made to offended Justice. And Armini…s saith,God demands not of us faith and repentance, by necessity of divine justice, for so he should fail against justice (with all glory to him be it spoken) if he should exact these from us. that Christs righteousnesse is ours, not as performed by him, but as imputed to us by faith: So that faith comes in as a collaterall price payed for us or a part of the price, the very act and work of beleeving being counted ours, and our righteousnesse before God: Yea but God by no necessity of hurt Justice craves faith and repentance from us.
That CHRIST died not for our good only, but in our stead is proven, 1. Because Christ in some other more legall way died for us then for Angels, for he died for their good, that he might …e made the Head of Angels, Col. 2.10. Phil. 2.7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Rom. 10.9, 11. and he died for the good of the whole Creation that he might make all things new, and restore the creatures to their perfection, which by the sin of man they had lost, Rom. 8.20, 21, 22, 2…. Acts 3.21. Rev. 21.5. but he died not as suffering punishment due to the Angels, and the work of Creation in their stead, …s wounded for their transgressions, as he died for our transgressions, Isa. 53.Christ died not for our good only, but also in our stead. For the transgressions of us all, Elect and Reprobate as, they say, exponing that all, Isa. 53.6. of all and every one of mankind, were upon him.
2. We deny not, but there be considerable differences between Christs dying, and the punishment of the Elect which they were to suffer. As,
1. Ours should have been eternall, because we could never out satisfie. But the sufferings of Christ, There be considerable differences between Christs punishment and that punishmēt which was due to u… eternally▪because of the dignity of his person God-Man, were perfectly satisfactory in a short time.
2. He could not suffer the same pain in number, that we should have suffered, for one and the same accident cannot be in different subjects, nor is the surety to pay the very same summe numero, that the debter borrowed.
3. The Lord could not but have punished the Elect with hating & aversion of mind, they being intrinsecally and inherently sinners. He punished Christ, who was not inherently, but only by imputation the sinner, with no hatred at all, but with anger and desire of shewing and exercising revenging justice, but still loving him dearly, as his only Son. But upon this account, Christ must stand in our room, and because of the five-fold onenesse and Law-identity and samenesse. For,
1. Though physically the surety and the debter be two different men, yet in Law they are one and the same person,A fivefold onenes & law identity & samenes betweē Christ the surety, and sinners for whom he satisfied. and one and the same legall party, and the same object of justice. Whoso pursues in Law the surety, does also pursue the debter.
2. The debt and summe is one, not two debts, nor two ransoms, nor two punishments, nor two lives to losse, but one.
3. It is one and the same solution and satisfaction, there can not in Law-justice, come another reckoning, dying, and payment making after the surety hath payed.
4. There is one and the same acceptation upon the creditor his part, if he accept of satisfaction in the payment made by the surety, he cannot but legally accept of the debter, and cannot pursue him in Law, but must look upon him as no debter. To justifie him is another thing: It being a forinsecall transient declaration of his righteousnesse who beleeves. I speak here of an acception of satisfaction to hurt justice revenging sin, not of an acceptation of obedience.
5. Its one and the same legall effect, Christ justified in the Spirit, and risen again, 1 Tim 3.16. and we in him as in the mer…torious cause are legally justified. Hence he who suffered the same satisfactory punishment, for the same sinnes committed by us, which in Law we ought to have suffered eternally.
2. He suffered and died for us in our stead and place, especially when the Creditor counts these sufferings, as if we had suffered: So Paul, Scripture and arguments frō Scripture prove that Christ died in our room and stead▪2 Cor. 5.14. If one be dead for all, then were all dead. And the Messiah was cut off and died not for himself, Dan. 9.26. He did no violence, neither was guile found in his mouth, Isa. 53.9. Joh. 8.46. Heb. 7.26. But he was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed, Isa. 53.5. 1 Pet. 2.23, 24, 25. He was delivered for our offences, The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was cut out of the land of the living, for the transgression of my people was he plagued, Isa. 53.8. He bare on his body our sins on the tree.
3. He who being made under the Law, payed that Law-debt of satisfaction, which the Elect in their persons should have payed, and thereby freed them from the Law-debt of satisfaction: He sustained the person of the Elect in his suffering. But Christ being made under the Law, payed that Law-debt of satisfaction, which the Elect in their persons should have payed. The proposition is out of doubt, none denies the Minor, but that we should have died eternally in our persons, if Christ had not died for us.
4. He who of purpose took on him our nature, the nature and seed of Abraham, and the legall condition of a surety to suffer for us, he stood in our person and room in suffering for us. But Christ took on him our nature, which is common to beleeving Jews, and to such also who are casten off of God, Rom. 9.3, 4. but not as common to them, but as the seed of Abraham, Heb. 2.16.
And 5. Gal. 3.10. For as many as are of the works of the Law, are under the curse, If Christ was made the curse that was due in law to us, that blessing not due to us might cōe upon us then he suffered in our place.for it is written, cursed is every one who continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the Law, being made a curse for us — not to reconcile all and every one to himself, or to obtain a potentiall and far off power of salvation. But, ver. 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith. Not that we might beleeve or not beleeve, if we would, that is not the blessing of Abraham, Act. 11.18. Act. 15.8, 9. Act. 5.31. Ph. 1.29. and for his great love he died for us, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God.
6. And it is thus confirmed, Christ in dying is not looked on as a man; Nor 2. simply as a single man dying; Nor 3. as a publick Martyr or witnesse that all, or none at all, if they so will, may get good of him, but by speciall paction, if he shall lay down his life, and work his work, and suffer for our sins, that which we should have suffered, he shall receive his wages and see his seed.
7. As also none who dies as a surety or pays as a surety, but he bears the person of such as he pays for, who ever gives a ransome for another by way of payment, and whosoever as a Priest offers a sacrifice for another, he represents the person offended for whom he offers, so does the Advocate act the person of the Client, the intercessour his person for whom he interceeds.
8. The phrase to die for another as a ransoner signifies to die in the stead and person of another. Demosthenes, orat. foreign in liew of Ktesiphon. For Archias, for Marcellus, Oratio pro Ar…hia Poe…à Oratio pro Marcello foreign. Demosthe. foreign. Isocrates, foreign. Col. 1.24. foreign. Homer. … 5. foreign. Three for one slain. foreign. Rex. foreign ▪ Il. 1.he pleads, it is in Law as if Archias, as if Marcellus, or as if the parties for which Cicero, and Demostenes do plead, were in persons pleading themselves. Its true, Isocrates hath foreign, for in bonum, for the favour and good of any: And (for) foreign notes also to do or die for the good and profit of others, Col. 1.24. I rejoice in my sufferings for you, that I may fill up the remnant of the sufferings of Christ for his body. But if it cannot be denied, but for Christ to die for his body is somewhat more then for Paul or any Martyr to die for the body, then sure Christs dying for his Church (as the more doth include the lesse) notes Christs dying for the good of his Church, and somewhat more then for the Churches profit: any may see Stephanus his Thesaurus.
foreign (For) is often the same with foreign, Paul, Rom. 9.Rom 9.…. foreign. … foreign. I would wish to be separated from Christ, for my brethren; that was not that they might be saved or not, it were contrair to his prayer. 2 Cor. 5.15. If Christ died for all, then all were dead. The bread is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world. The good shepheard gives his life for his sheep. I lay down my life for my sheep. Greater love then this hath no man, that a man should give his life for his friends. It is expedient that one die for the people, Joh. 11. Christ hath died for the ungodly, Rom. 5. in their stead. For the just, Joh. 10.11. foreign.ver. 7. foreign for noteth most frequently vice, loco, in the place and stead: As also, foreign 2 Sam. 18.33. would God I had died for thee, Absalom. The LXX. the Syriack version, and the Chalde paraphrase,Joh. 15.13 foreign. in thy stead, I would I had died, and thou remained alive. Gen. 22.13. A sacrifice for Isaac, in stead of Isaac, Gen. 44.33. I shall remain pledge (saith Reuben) for the lad, Joh. 11.50. foreign.foreign in paund for the lad. Num. 3.12. I have taken the Levites for all the first born, in stead of the first born. So LXX. foreign.
Rom. 5.6· foreign. v. 7. foreign.2. When a ransome is given for another in point of justice, Mar. 10.45. Christ gives his life a ransome for many, Matth. 20.28. He came to give his (dear precious) life a ransome in stead of many, 1 Tim. 2.6. foreign, a counter ransome for all. Matth. 5.38. Eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Exod. 21.24.23. Thou shalt give life for life. LXX. foreign. 2 Sam. 18. Syria. versio Quis dabit me mori loco tui? Chaldae. Paraph. Vellem quod mortuus essem, & tu mansisses …odiè fili mi. Ge. 22.Give that peece of money for thee and me, Mat. 17. Isa 43.4. I will give men for thee, and people for thy life.
3. It is used thus, when a man is given in place of another, Pro. 11.8. The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead. Job 34.24. and he makes others to stand in their place, Heb. as before, Psal. 45.16. in stead of fathers shall be sons. Job 16.4. Oh! if your soul were in my souls stead.
4. It is when the son comes in the room and stead of the father, or one kills another, which is a sad exchanging of one person for another, and though the following King does not act in the person, or by the nāe & authority of him who went before, yet there is one person changed, and another raigns in his place and room. 1 Chron. 14.1. Abijah sleept, and Asa his son raigned in his stead. LXX. foreign 1 King. 3.7.LXX. foreign. Gen. 44. LXX. foreign. Mar. 10. foreign. Mat. 20.28. foreign. LXX. foreign. 23. dabis foreign LXX. foreign. Daebis. foreign LXX. foreign. Prov. 11.8. LXX. foreign. Job 34.…4 Heb as before. Ps. 45.16 LXX. foreign. Job 16▪4 LXX. foreign Mat 2.22. foreign. Thou hast made thy servant to raign in the room of David my father. LXX. foreign. 2 Kin. 11.43. Rehoboam raigned in his stead, foreign, Chal. Paraphrastes, pro eo. 31. Abijah raigned in his stead, foreign. 2 Kin. 1.17. Joram raigned in his stead, LXX. foreign. 1 Kin. 15.28. Baasha slew him and raigned, foreign. 2 Kin. 8.15. He slew him, and Hazael raigned, foreign. 2 Kin. 15.10. Shallum slew him, and raigned in his stead, foreign. ver. 14. Menahem slew him, and raigned, foreign. ver. 30. Hoshea smote him, and raigned, foreign. So Esth. 2.4. Eccl. 4.15. 2 Sam. 17.25. Gen. 30.2. 1 King. 16.10. Zimri raigned, foreign Ezek. 16.32.
Joseph heard that Archelaus did raign in the room of Herod his father, Mat. 2.22. Tremellius, and Trostius both turn it,Trostius, Syria versio. foreign Loco Herodis patris sui. foreign. Tremel. Trostius, vice piscis. foreign. Ro▪ 12.17. foreign. Syr. foreign. Tremellius Trostius, foreign pro multis, sed Mat. 2.22. vertunt loco. foreign pro, vel vice omnis hominis. foreign loco seu vice vestri. foreign loco …ium suarunt. foreign vice populi, 1 Tim. 2.6. foreign loco omnis hominis, 1 Pet. 2.11 foreign pro nobis, vice nostri. loco Herodis, Mat. 5.38. eye for eye: Its the same word foreign Mat. 17.27. give it for me and thee. The same word, Luk. 11.11. If his son aske a fish, for a fish in stead of a fish. Tremellius and Trostius, in place of a fish, loco piscis, he will not give him a serpent. Rom. 12.17. neither render evill for evill: So the same in both Languages is, 1 Thes. 5.15. foreign, and 1 Pet. 3.19. and 1 Cor. 11.16. Her hair is given her in stead of a covering. The same word in the Syriack is, 1 Pet. 3.18. The Lord Christ died, the just for the unjust: in stead of the unjust, Christ is, Gal. 3.13. made a curse for us, in our stead. Matth. 20.28. Syriack, that he might give his life a redemption for many, foreign vice multorum. And the same is, Mar. 10.45. and Rom. 5.6. in due time Christ died for the wicked, foreign. Syriack, foreign pro, vel vice improborum. 8. While we was sinners Christ died for us. foreign in our place, 2 Cor. 5.15. If one died in place of all men, all were dead. Mark 14.24. This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed foreign for many, loco multorum, Luk. 22.20. This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed in place of you. Joh. 10.11. The good shepheard layes down his life for his sheep, in place of his sheep: The same word, Joh. 11.50. Know ye not that it is expedient that one man die in the place of the people, & that the whole people perish not. Then the intrinsecall end of Christs dying consisteth not with the perishing of these for whom he died: for he died that the whole people should not perish. 1 Tim. 2.6. Who gave himself a redemption for every man. Tit. 2.14. Who gave his soul in stead of us. Heb. 2.9. Who tasted death in the place of every man. 1 Pet. 2.21.(In stead) or ( …or) another cannot note alwayes, for the profit and good of another, but it must make non-sense. Christ died in stead of us, 1 Pet. 4.1. Rom. 9.3. I pray that I were separated from Christ in stead of my brethren. The same word so constantly used can hardly signifie, for the good and profit either of things or persons: As Luk. 11.11. will the father give the son a serpent in stead of a fish, for the good and profit of a fish? 1 Thes. 5.15. See that none of you render evill for evill, i. e. evil for the good and profite of evill? a wild sense, and it is wilder in the case of persons, when it is said, the son raigns, foreign, so often by the Seventy Translators, in stead of his father, that must be for the good and profit of the dead father. But nothing can be wilder, then to say Jehu killed Ahabs seed, and Zimri slew his Master Elah, Hoshea slew the King, and he raigned in his stead (as the Seventy say not once) that is, he raigned for the good and profit of the King whom he slew, and so slaying of Kings, and rooting out the race and posterity of Kings,Socinus de Servato. l. 2. c. 8. Cateches. Raccoviens. c. 8. pa. 183, 184. The vain reason of Socinians, that Christ died not in the place and room of sinners, because he died not in the place and room of sinnes and transgressions; retorted & answered. shall be their good and profit.
Socinus, and the Catechism of Raccovia, saith, if to die for sinners be as much as to die in the place and stead of sinners, then to die for sinnes must be to die in the place and stead of sinnes. Ans. These and the like argue much the vanity of Socinus, if this be retorted, as justly it may. Then as Christs dying for sinners, is for the good, profite, saving, beleeving, and confirming of the faith, establishing the comfort of sinners, then by the like Christs dying for sins, must be to save sins from hell, to bring sins to God, that sins should not live to themselves, and to establish the faith, the consolation of sins; whereas Christ died not for sins as for sinners, that he might save sins, but to dissolve the works of the devill, to take away sin, 1 Joh. 3.9. Joh. 1.29. Christ dies one way for sins, and another way for sinners: The Physitian one way cures the disease that it may be rooted out, and be no more, and another way the diseased person, that he may live and be in health.