The Judgment of the Extent of Christs Death, Answer – Printer to the reader
AN Answer of the said Arch-Bishop of Armagh, to some exceptions taken against his aforesaid Letter, as followeth.
ICannot sufficiently wonder, why such exceptions should be taken at a Letter of mine, which without my privity came to so many mens hands, as if thereby I had confirmed Papisme, Arminianisme, and I know not what error of Mr. Culverwels, which (as you write) is, and hath been, opposed by many; yea, all good men. The Papist (saith one) doth thus distingnish; A Mediator of Redemption and Intercession; And Bellarmine (saith another) divides the satisfaction and application of Christ. To which, what other Answer should I make but this? To hold that Christ is the onelyonly Mediator of Redemption, but the Saints are also Mediators of Intercession, That Christ by his Merits hath made satisfaction to his Father in grosse, and the Pope by his indulgence, and his Priests by their Oblations in the Masse do make a particular application to particular persons. To joyne thus partners with Christ in this manner in the Office of Mediation is Popery indeed; But he who, attributing the entire work of the Mediation unto Christ alone, doth yet distinguish the Act of Redemption from the act of Intercession, the Satisfaction made by him unto God, from the Application thereof communicated unto men, is as far from Popery, as he that thinks otherwise is from the grounds of the Catechisme; For that Christ hath so died for all men (as they lay down in the conference of Hague) ut reconciliationem cum Deo, & peccatorum remissionem singulis impetraverit, I hold to be untrue, being well assured, That our Saviour hath obtained at the hands of his father Reconciliation, and Forgivenesse of sinnes, not for the Reprobate, but Elect onelyonly; and not for them neither, before they be truly regenerated, and implanted into himselfe. For, Election being nothing else but the purpose of God, resting in his own minde, makes no kind of alteration in the party elected, but onelyonly the execution of that Decree and Purpose, which in such as have the use of reason is done by an effectual calling, in all by spiritual regeneration, which is the new birth, without which no man can see the Kingdom of God.
That Impetration, whereof the Arminians speak, I hold to be a fruit, not of his Satisfaction, but Intercession; and seeing I have learned from Christs own mouth, Joh. 17. 9. I pray not for the reprobate World: I must needs esteem it a great folly to imagine that he hath impetrated Reconciliation and Remission of sinnes for that world. I agree therefore thus farre with Mr. Aimes in his Dispute against Grevinchovius, That application and impetration, in this latter we have in hand, are of equall extent; and, That forgivenesse of sinnes is not by our Saviour impetrated for any unto whom the merit of his death is not applyed in particular. If in seeking to make straight that which was crooked in the Arminians opinion, he hath bended it too farre the contrary way, and inclined too much unto the other extremity, it is a thing, which, in the heat of disputation, hath befallen many worthy men before him; And if I be not deceived, gave the first occasion to this present controversie. But I see no reason why I should be tied to follow him in every step, wherein he treadeth: And so much for Mr. Aimes.
The main error of the Arminians (vid. Corvin. in Defen. Armini. cap. II.) and of the patrons of universal grace is this, That God offereth unto every man those means that are necessary unto salvation, both sufficiently and effectually; and, That it resteth in the free will of every one to receive, or reject the same; For the proof thereof they alledge, as their predecessors, the Semipelagians, did before them, that received Axiome of Christs dying for all men, which being rightly understood, makes nothing for their purpose. Some of their opposites (subject to oversights as well as others) more forward herein then circumspect, have answered this Objection, not by expounding (as was fit) but by flat denying that famous Axiome: Affirming peremptorily, that Christ died onelyonly for the Elect, and for others nullo modo: whereby they gave the adverse party advantage to drive them unto this extream absurdity, viz. That seeing Christ in no wise died for any, but for the elect, and all men were bound to believe that Christ died for themselves, and that upon pain of damnation for the contrary infidelity; Therefore all men were bound to believe: that they themselves were elected, although in truth the matter were nothing so:
Non tali auxilio nec defensoribus istis
Tempus eget.
Neither is their hope that the Arminians will be drawn to acknowledge the error of their position, as long as they are perswaded the contrary opinion cannot be maintained without admitting that an untruth must be believed, even by the commandment of him that is God of truth, and by the direction of that word, which is the word of truth.
Endeavouring therefore to make one truth stand by another, and to ward off the blow given by the Arminians in such sort that it should neither bring hurt to the truth, nor give advantage to error, admit I failed of mine intent, I ought to be accounted rather an oppugner than any wise an abettor of their fancies. That for the Arminians. Now for Mr. Culverwell, That which I have heard him charged withall, is the former extremity, which in my Letter I did condemne, viz. That Christ in such sort did die for all men, that by his death he made an actuall reconcilement between God and man; and, That the special reason why all men reap not the fruit of this reconciliation; is the want of that faith, whereby they ought to have believed that God in this sort did love them. How justly he hath been charged with this error, himselfe can best tell; But if ever he held it, I do not doubt, but he was driven thereunto by the absurdities, which he discerned in the other extremity; For what would not a man fly unto rather then yield, that Christ no manner of way died for any Reprobate, and none but the elect had any kind of title to him, and yet so many thousand Reprobates should bee bound in conscience to believe that he died for them, and tied to accept him for their Redeemer and Saviour; yea, and should be condemned to everlasting torments for want of such a faith, (if we may call that faith, which is not grounded upon the word of truth) whereby they should have believed that which in it selfe was most untrue, and laid hold of that in which they had no kinde of interest; If they, who dealt with Mr. Culverwell laboured to drive out one absurdity by bringing in another, or went about to stop one hole by making two, I should the lesse wonder at that you write, that though he hath been dealt withall by many brethren, and for many yeares, yet he could not be drawn from his errour. But those stumbling-blocks being removed, and the plain word of truth laid open, by which faith is to be begotten, I dare boldly say he doth not hold that extremity wherewith hee is charged, but followeth that safe, and middle course, which I laid down; for after he had well weighed what I had written, he heartily thanked the Lord and me, for so good a resolution of this Question, which for his part he wholly approved, not seeing how it could bee gainesayed. And so much likewise for Mr. Culverwell.
Now for Mr. Stock's publick opposition in the Pulpit, I can hardly be induced to believe that he aimed at me therein; If he did, I must needs say he was deceived, when hee reckoned me amongst those good men, who make the universality of all the elect, and all men to be one; Indeed I wrote but even now, that God did execute his Decree of Election in all by spirituall generation: But if any shall say, that by, all thereby I should understand the universality of all, and every one in the world, and not the universality of all the Elect alone, hee should greatly wrong my meaning: for I am of no other mind than Prosper was, lib. 1. De vocat. Gent. Habet populus Dei plenitudinem suam, & quamvis magna pars hominum salvantis Gratiam aut repellat aut negligat, in electis tamen & praescitis atque ab omni generalitate discretis, specialis quaedam censetur universitas, ut de toto mundo, totus mundus liberatus, & de omnibus hominibus, omnes homines videantur assumpti. That Christ died for his Apostles (Luke 22. 19.) for his sheep (John 10. 15.) for his friends (John 15. 13.) for his Church (Ephes. 5. 25.) may make peradventure against those, who make all men to have a share alike in the death of our Saviour: but I professe my selfe to hold fully with him, who said, Etsi Christus pro omnibus mortuus est, tamen specialiter pro nobis passus est, quia pro Ecclesia passus est. Yea, and in my former writing I did directly conclude; That as in one respect Christ might have been said to die for all, so in another respect truely said not to have died for all: and my beliefe is, That the principall end of the Lords death, was, that he might gather together in one the Children of God scattered abroad; (John 11. 52.) and, That for their sakes he did specially sanctifie himselfe, that they also might be sanctified through the truth (John 17. 19.) And therefore it may be well concluded, That Christ in a speciall manner died for these; but to inferre from hence, that in no manner of respect he died for any others, is but a very weak collection, specially the respect by me expressed being so reasonable, that no sober mind advisedly considering thereof, can justly make question of it, viz. That the Lamb of God offering himselfe a sacrifice for the sinnes of the world, intended by giving satisfaction to Gods justice to make the nature of man which he assumed, a fit subject for mercy, and to prepare a Soveraigne medicine that should, not onelyonly be a sufficient cure for the sinnes of the whole world, but also should be laid open to all, and denied to none, that indeed do take the benefit thereof: For he is much deceived that thinkes a preaching of a bare sufficiency, is able to yield sufficient ground of comfort to a distressed Soule, without giving a further way to it, and opening a further passage.
To bring newes to a bankrupt that the King of Spain hath treasure enough to pay a thousand times more than he owes, may be true, but yields but cold comfort to him the miserable Debtor: sufficiency indeed is requisite, but it is the word of promise that gives comfort.
If here exception bee taken, That I make the whole nature of man fit for mercy, when it is as unfit a subject for grace as may be.
I answer, That here two impediments do occurre, which give a stop unto the peace, which is to be made betwixt God and man. The one respects God the party offended, whose justice hath been in such sort violated by his base Vassals, that it were unfit for his glorious Majesty to put up such an injury without a good satisfaction. The other respects man the party offending, whose blindnesse, stupidity, and hardnesse of heart is such, that he is neither sensible of his own wretchedness, nor Gods goodnesse, that when God offers to be reconciled unto him, there must bee much intreaty to perswade him to be reconciled to God, (2 Cor. 5. 20.) In regard of the latter I acknowled with the Apostle, That the naturall man receives not the things of the spirit, for they are foolishnesse to him; neither can he, because spiritually discerned, (1 Cor. 2. 14.) And this impediment is not taken away by Christs satisfaction (which is a work of his Priestly function) but by the enlightening of the mind, and softning the heart of the sinner, which are effects issuing from the execution of the Prophetical, and Kingly Office of our Redeemer. When therefore I say, That by Christs satisfaction to his Father he made the Nature of Man a fit subject for mercy, I mean thereby, that the former impediment arising on Gods part is taken away, that if it were not for the other (for the having whereof we can blame none but our selves, and in the not removing, whereof, wee cannot say God hath done us any wrong) there were no let, but all men might be saved: And if it pleased God to extend his mercy unto all, as he keeps his freedome therein, in having compassion on whom he will have mercy, and leaveing others in blindnesse, naturall hardnesse of their own heart, yet the worth of Christs satisfaction is so great, that his Justice herein should be no loser.
But if this Justice (you will say) be satisfied, how comes it to passe that God exacts payment again from any? I Answer, We must take heed we stretch not our similitudes beyond their just extent, least at last we drive the matter too farre, and be forced to say (as some have done) That wee cannot see how satisfaction and forgivenessè can stand together, and so by denying Christs satisfaction be injurious to Gods justice, or by denying remission of sinnes become injurious to Gods mercy. Wee are therefore to understand, that the end of the satisfaction of Gods Justice is to make way for Gods free liberty in shewing mercy, that so mercy and Justice meeting: and embraceing one another, God may be just, and the justifier of him that believes in Jesus, (Rom. 3. 26.) Now the generall satisfaction of Christ, which was the first act of his Priestly Office, prepares the way for Gods mercy, by making the sinnes of all mankinde pardonable, the interposition of any barre from Gods Justice notwithstanding, and so puts the sonnes of men onelyonly in a possibility of being justified, a thing denied to the nature of fallen Angels, which the sonne was not pleased to assume; But the speciall application of this satisfaction vouchsafed by Christ unto those persons onelyonly whom his Father hath given him out of the world, which is an appendant, or appertaineth to the second Act of his Priest-hood, viz. his intercession, produceth this potentia in Actum, i. e. procureth an actuall discharge from Gods anger; And maketh justification, which before was a part of our possibility, to be a part of our presenr possession.
If it be said, It is a great derogation to the dignity of Christs death, to make the sinnes of mankinde onelyonly pardonable, and brings in a bare possibility of justification.
I answer, It is a most unchristian imagination to suppose the merit of Christs death, being particularly applyed to the Soul of a sinner, produceth no further effect than this. Saint Paul teacheth us that we be not onelyonly justifiable, but justified by his bloud, (Rom. 5. 9.) yet not simply as offered on the Crosse, but through faith in his blood, (Rom. 3. 25.) that is, through his bloud applyed by faith. The bloud of Jesus Christ his Sonne, (saith Saint John, 1 John 1. 17.) cleanseth us from all sinnes, yet cleanse it doth not by being prepared, but by being applyed, prepared it was when hee poured it out once upon the Crosse, applyed it is when he washeth us from our sinnes therein, (Rev. 1. 5.) It is one thing therefore to speak of Christs satisfaction, in the generall absolutely considered; and another thing, as it is applyed to every one in particular; The consideration of things as they are in their causes, is one thing; and as they have an actuall existence, is another thing. Things as they are in their causes, are no otherwise considerable, but as they have a possibility to be. The application of the Agent to the patient, with all circumstances necessarily required, is it that gives to the thing an actuall being. That disease is curable for which a Soveraigne medicine may be found, but cured it is not till the medicine be applyed to the patient; and if it so fall out, that, the medicine being not applied, the party miscarries, We say, He was lost, not, becanse his sicknesse was incurable, but, because there wanted a care to apply that to him that might have helped him.
All Adams sonnes have taken a mortall sicknesse from their Father, which, if it be not remedied, will, without faile, bring them to the second death: no medicine under heaven can heale this disease, but onelyonly a potion confected of the blood of the Lamb of God, who came to take away the sinnes of the world; which, as Prosper truly notes, habet quidem in se ut omnibus prosit; sed si non bibitur non medetur. The vertue thereof is such, that if all did take it, all without doubt should be recovered, but without takeing it there is no recovery; In the former respect it may be truly said, That no mans state is so desperate, but by this means it is recoverable, (and this is the first comfortable newes that the Gospel brings to the distressed Soule) but here it resteth not, nor feedeth a man with such a possibility, that he should say in his heart, Who shall ascend into heaven to bring Christ from above? but it brings the word of comfort nigh unto him, even to his mouth and heart, and presents him with the medicine at hand, and desireth him to take it; which being done accordingly, the cure is actually performed.
A VINDICATION of the late ARCH-BISHOP OF ARMAGH, From some mistakes made by Master Thomas Pierce, both in his Philanthropy, & Post-cript at the conclusion of his correct Copy of some Notes of Gods Decrees, &c. Affirming a change of judgement in him a little before his death, of some points controverted between Mr. Barlee and himself, but especially of Universal Grace and Redemption, relating to the subject of the former Treatise.
By Dr. Bernard, Preacher to the Honourable society of Grayes-Inne.
The Printer to the READER.
THese two Letters following, expected from the person to whom they were writ, as an Appendix to another Treatise, being hither to delayed the publick, and now conceived very requisite to be inserted here, as having a relation to the former Tractates mentioned in one of them; The Doctor hath been importuned to permit them accordingly also, with some alteration and addition.