Of the Death of Christ, Discourse · Chapter 6
CAP. VI.
Of the Acts of Gods Will towards Sinners, Antecedent and Conſequent to the Satisfaction of Chriſt: Of Grotius Judgment herein.
THE diſtinct Conſideration of the Acts of Gods Will, in reference to the Satisfaction of Chriſt, and our believing, (according to the former Propoſal) is the Firſt thing to be Conſidered.
Grotius, who with many (and in an eſpecial manner with Mr Baxter) is of very great account, (and that in Theologie) diſtinguiſheth (as himſelf calls them with a School term) 3 Moments, or Inſtances of the Divine Will.
aDiſtinguenda ſunt tria momenta divinae voluntatis. Primum eſt, ante Chriſti mortem poſitam aut re ipſa, aut in decreto Dei, et praeſcientia. In hoc momento iratus peccatori eſt Deus, ſed ita, ut non averſetur omnes. irae deponendae vias, ac rationes.1 Before the Death of Chriſt, either actually accompliſhed, or in the purpoſe, and fore-knowledge of God; in this inſtant (he ſaith) God is Angry with the Sinner, but ſo, as that he is not averſe from all Wayes of laying down his Anger.
bSecundum momentum eſt, poſita jam Chriſti morte, in quo Deus jam non conſtituit tantum, ſed & promittit iram ſe depoſiturum.2 Upon the Death of Chriſt, or that being ſuppos'd, wherein God not only Purpoſeth, but alſo Promiſeth to lay aſide his Anger.
cTertium eſt, cum homo vera fide in Chriſtum credit, et Chriſtus ex foederis formula credentem Deo commendit. Hic jam Deus deponit iram, hominemque in gratiam recipit. de Satisfact. Chriſti. Cap. 7.3 When a man by true Faith believeth in Chriſt, and Chriſt according to the Tenure of the Covenant commendeth him to God: here now God layes aſide his Anger, and receiveth man into Favour. Thus far he.
Amongſt all the attempts of diſtinguiſhing the Acts of Gods Will in reference unto Chriſt, and Sinners, what ever I conſidered, I never found any more ſlight Atheological, and diſcrepant from the Truth, then this of Grotius.
dPſ. 50. 21 Exod. 3. 14. 1 Sam. 15. 29 Job 23. 13. Pſa. 102. 26, 27. Iſa. 14. 27.To meaſure the Almighty by the Standard of a man, and to frame in the mind a mutable Idol, inſtead of the Eternal, Unchangeable God, is a Thing that the fleſhly Reaſonings of dark underſtandings are prone unto. Feigns the Lord in one Inſtant Angry, afterwards promiſing to ceaſe to be ſo, then in another inſtant laying down his Anger, and taking up a contrary affection, and you ſeem to me, to do no leſs.
What it may be eſteemed in Law, which was that Authors faculty, I know not: but ſuppoſe in Divinity, that (notwithſtanding the manifold Attempts of ſome foreign in moſt heads of Religion)e2 King. 19. 6 Iſa. 37. 3 1 Tim. 1. 13 the aſcribing unto the moſt holy, things alien, and oppoſite unto his glorious nature, is by common conſent, accounted no leſs then fQuidcun que negat aliquid de Deo, quod ei convenit, vel aſſerit de eo, quod ei non convenit, derogat divinae bonitati, & eſt blaſphemus. Thom. 22. ae. q. 13. a. 1. c.blaſphemy: whither this be here don, or no, may eaſily appear. I hope then without the offence of any, I may be allowed to call thoſe Dictates of Grotius to the Rule, and Meaſure of Truth.
1 Before the fore-ſight of the Death of Chriſt (ſaith he) God is angry with Sinners, but not wholly averſe from all wayes of laying aſide that Anger.
Anſw. 1 That God ſhould be conceived angry after the manner of men, or with any ſuch kind of Paſſion, is groſſe Anthropomorphiſme; as bad, if not worſe, then the aſſigning of him a bodily ſhape.gLibra voluntas ulciſcendae injuriae. The Anger of God is a pure Act of his Will, whereby he will effect▪ and inflict the Effects of Anger. Now what is before the fore-ſight of the Death of Chriſt, is certainly from Eternity. Gods Anger muſt reſpect either the purpoſe of God,Quae dicuntur foreign, intelligenda ſunt foreign. Amor, et gaudium, & alia ejuſmodi, cum attribuuntur Deo, ſignificant ſimplicem actum voluntatis, cum ſimilitudine effectus, abſ que paſſione: Aquin. 12. q. 22. a. 3. or the Effects of it. The latter it cannot be, for they are undoubtedly all temporal. It muſt be then his purpoſe from Eternity to inflict puniſhment,Eph. 1. 11. that is the Effect of Anger. This then is the Firſt thing in the buſineſs of Redemption aſſigned by Grotius, unto the Lord. viz. He purpoſed from Eternity, to inflict puniſhment on Sinners: and on what ſinners? even thoſe, for whom he gives Chriſt to die, and afterwards receives into favour, as he expreſſeth himſelf. Behold here a Myſtery of Vorſtian Theology: God changing his eternal purpoſes.hArm. diſp. pub. de natu. Dei. This Arminius at firſt could not down withal, inferring from hence, That the Will of God differ'd not from his Eſſence, Theſ. 51.that every act thereof, is, 1 Moſt Simple: 2 Infinite: 3 Eternal: 4 Immutable: 5 Holy. Reaſon it ſelf would fain ſpeak in this Cauſe, but that the Scriptures do ſo abound, many places are noted in the Margin. Ja. 1. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 19. Pſ. 33. 9, 10, 11. Acts. 15. 18. &c. may be added. A mutable god, is of the dunghil.
2 That the Death of Chriſt is not compriz'd in the firſt conſideration of Gods Mind, and act of his Will towards Sinners to be ſaved, is aſſumed gratis.
3 He is not (ſaith he) averſe from all wayes of laying down this Anger. This Schem Grotius placeth (as is evident) in God, as the foundation, and bottom of ſending Chriſt for our Redemption. This he immediatly ſubjoyns without the leaſt intimation of any further inclination in God towards Sinners, for whom he gives his Son. But,
1 This is a meer negation of inflicting Anger for the preſent: or a ſuſpenſion of that affection from working according to its Qualitie; which how it can be aſcribed to the pure and activeiEp. 1. 11 Will of God, I know not. Yea, it is above diſproved.
2 Such a kind of Frame, as it is injurious to God, ſo to be held out as the fountain of his ſending Chriſt to die for us, is (I am perſwaded) an Abhorrency to Chriſtians. And,
3 Whether this Anſwer that, which the Scripture holds out, as the moſt intenſe diſtinguiſhing love. Joh. 3. 16. Rom. 5. 8. Chap. 8. 32. 1 Joh. 4. 9, 10. is eaſily diſcernable. A natural velleity to the good of the Creature, is the thing here couched, but was never proved.
In the ſecond Inſtance, God (ſaith he) the Death of Chriſt being ſuppos'd, not only determineth, but alſo promiſeth to lay aſide his anger.
1 What terms can be invented to hold out more expreſly a Change,Anſw. and Alteration in the Unchangable God, then theſe here uſed, I know not. 2 That the Will or Mind of God, is altered from one reſpect towards us, to another, by the Conſideration of the Death of Chriſt, is a low, carnal Conception. The Will of God is not moved by any thing without it ſelf.kAliud eſt mutare voluntatem, aliud velle aliquarum rerum mutationem. Alterations are in the things altered, not in the Will of God concerning them. 3 To make this the whole Effect of the Death of Chriſt, (that God ſhould determine, and promiſe to lay aſide his wrath) islMat. 18. … 1 Tim. 1. 15 Ep. 5. 26, 27. Ep. 2. 15, 16. Col. 1. 13. 1 Joh. 1. 7. no Scripture diſcovery, either as to Name, or Thing. 4 The Purpoſes of God, which are all Eternal, and the Promiſes of God, which are all made in time, are very inconveniently ranged in the ſame Series. 5 That by the Death of Chriſt, Attonement is made, everlaſting Redemption purchaſed, that God is Reconciled, a Right unto Freedom obtained, for thoſe for whom he died, ſhall be afterwards declared. 6 If God doth only Purpoſe, and Promiſe to lay aſide his Anger upon the Death of Chriſt,&c. but doth it not until our actual believing; then, 1 our Faith is the proper procuring cauſe of Reconciliation; the Death of Chriſt, but a Requiſite Antecedent, which is not the Scripture Phraſe. Rom. 5. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 18. Eph. 2. 16. Col. 1. 20, 21. Dan. 9. 24. Heb. 2. 17. Eph. 1. 7.Eph. 2. 8 Heb. 9. 12. 2 How comes the Sinner by Faith, if it is the Gift of God? Phil. 1. 29It muſt be an Iſſue of Anger, and Enmity, for that Schem only, is actually aſcribed to him, before our enjoyment of it; Strange! that God ſhould be ſo far reconciled, as to give us Faith, that we may be reconciled to him, that thereupon he may be reconciled to us.
3 For the Third Inſtance, of Gods receiving the ſinner into love, and favour upon his beleeving, quite laying aſide his anger. I Anſwer: To wave the Anthropomorphiſme, wherwith this Aſſertion is tainted as the former: If by receiving into favour, he intend abſolute, compleat pactional Juſtification, being an Act of favour, quitting the ſinner from the guilt of ſin, charged by the Accuſation of the Law, terminated on the Conſcience of a ſinner: I confeſs it, in order of nature, to follow our beleiving.
I might Conſider further the Attempts of others for the right ſttating of this buſineſs, but it would draw me beyond my Intention. His failings herein, who is ſo often mentioned, and ſo much uſed, by him, who gives occaſion to this reſcript, I could not but remark. What are my own Thoughts and Apprehenſions of the whole, I ſhall in the next place briefly impart.
Now to make way hereunto, ſome things I muſt ſuppoſe: which though ſome of them otherwhere controverted, yet not at all in reference to the preſent buſineſs: and they are theſe.
1 That Chriſt died only for the Elect: or God gave his Son to die only for thoſe, whom he chuſeth to life, and ſalvation for the praiſe of his glorious Grace.
This is granted by Mr Baxter, where he affirms, That Chriſt bare not puniſhment for them, who muſt bear puniſhment themſelves in eternal fire. Theſ. 33. p. 162. And again, Chriſt died not for final Ʋnbelief. Theſ. 32. p. 159. therefore not for them who are finally Unbelievers, as all non-Elected are, and ſhall be. For what Sinners he died, he died for all their ſins, Rom. 5. 6, 7, 8. 2 Cor. 5. 21. 1 Joh. 1. 7.
If any ſhall ſay, That as he died not for the final Unbelief of others, ſo not for the final Unbelief of the Elect, and ſo not for final Unbelief at all.
I Anſwer,
Firſt, If by final Unbelief, you mean that which is actually ſo, Chriſt ſatisfied not for it. His ſatisfaction cannot be extended to thoſe things, whoſe Exiſtence is prevented by his Merit. The Omiſſion of this in the conſideration of the Death Chriſt,Heb. 9. 12 lies at the bottom of many miſtakes. Merit, and Satisfaction, are of equal Extent as to their Objects: both alſo tend to the ſame End, but in ſundry reſpects.
Secondly, If by final Ʋnbelief, you underſtand that which would be ſo, notwithſtanding all means, and remedies, were it not for the Death of Chriſt, ſo he did ſatisfie for it. It's Exiſtens being prevented by his Merit. So then, if Chriſt died not for final Unbelief, he died not for the finally Unbeleeving: Though the Satisfaction of his Death hath not paid for it, the Merit of his Death would remove it.
Thirdly, I Suppoſe, That the Means, as well as the Ends, Grace, as Glory, are the Purchaſe, and procurement of Jeſus Chriſt: See this proved in my Treatiſe of Redemption. Lib. 3. Cap. 4. &c.
Fourthly, That God is abſolutely immutable, & unchangable in all his Attributes: Neither doth his Will admit of any alteration. This proved above.
Fifthly, That the Will of God is not moved properly by any external Cauſe whatſoever, unto any of its Acts, whether imminent, or tranſient. For,
1mCum voluntas ſit ejus eſſentia, non movetur ab alio à ſe, ſed à ſe tantum, eo modo loquendi, quo intelligere, et velle, dicitur motus, et ſecundum hoc Plato dixit, primum movins movet ſeipſum: Aq. p. 1. q. 19. a. 2. a. 3. By a moving Cauſe, we underſtand a Cauſe Morally Efficient; and if any thing were ſo properly in reſpect of any Act of Gods Will, then the Act (which is the Will of God Acting) muſt in ſome reſpect, (viz. As it is an Effect) be leſs worthy, and inferiour to the Cauſe; for ſo is every Effect, in reſpect of it's Cauſe. And,
2 Every Effect produced, proceedeth from a Paſſive poſſibility unto the Effect, which can no way be aſſigned unto God, beſides it muſt be temporarie; for nothing that is Eternal, can have dependance upon that, whoſe Riſe is in Time: and ſuch are all things external to the Will of God, even the Merit of Chriſt himſelf.
3 I cannot imagine how there can be any other Cauſe, why God Willeth any thing, then why he not Willeth, or Willeth not other things, which for any to Aſſign, will be found Difficult: Mat. 11. 25. Chap. 20. 15. So then when God Willeth one thing for another, as our Salvation for the Death of Chriſt, the one is the Cauſe of the other; neither moveth the Will of God. Hence,
Sixthly, All Alterations are in the things, concerning which the Acts of the Will of God are, none in the Will of God its ſelf.
Theſe things being premiſed, what was before propoſed, I ſhall now in order make out; beginning with the Eternal Acts of the Will of God towards us, antecedent to all, or any Conſideration of the DEATH of CHRIST.