A Display of Arminianism, Argument · Chapter 9

A Display of Arminianism · Argument · Chapter 9

p. 91CHAP. IX.

Of the death of Chriſt, and of the efficacie of his merits.

THe ſumme of thoſe Controverſies, wherewith the Arminians, and their abettors have troubled the Church, about the death of Chriſt, may be reduced to heads. Firſt, concerning the object of his merit, or whom he died for. Secondly, concerning the efficacie and end of his death, or what he deſerved, procured, merited, and obtained, for them for whom he died: in reſolution of the firſt, they affirme, that he died for all, and every one,: of the ſecond, that he died for no one man at all; in that ſenſe, Chriſtians have hitherto beleeved that he laid downe his life, and ſubmitted himſelfe to beare the burden of his Fathers wrath, for their ſakes. It ſeemes to me a ſtrange extenuation of the merit of Chriſt, to teach, that no good at all by his death doth redound to divers of them for whom he died: what participation, in the benefit of his ſuffering, had Pharaoh or Judas? doe they not at this houre, and ſhall they not to eternitie, feele the waite and burden of their owne ſinnes? had they either grace in this world, or glory in the other, that they ſhould be ſaid to have an intereſt in the death of our Saviour? Chriſtians have hitherto beleeved, that for whom Chriſt died, for their ſinnes he made ſatisfaction; that they themſelves ſhould not externally ſuffer for them: is God uniſt to puniſh twice, for the ſame fault? his owne Sonne once? and againe the poore ſinners, for whom he ſuffered? I cannot conceive an intention in God, that Chriſt ſhould ſatisfie his juſtice for the ſinne of them, that were in hell ſome thouſands of yeeres before, and yet be ſtill reſolved to continue then puniſhment on them to all eternitie? no doubtleſſe; Chriſt giveth life to everyone, for whom he gave his life: hee looſeth not one of them, whom he purchaſed with his blood.

The firſt part of this Controverſie, may be handled, under p. 92theſe two queſtions. Firſt, whether God giving his Sonne, and Chriſt making his ſoule a ranſome for ſinne, intended thereby to redeeme all and every one, from their ſins, that all and every one alike, from the beginning of the world, to the laſt day, ſhould all equally be partakers of the fruits of his death and paſſion; which purpoſe of theirs is in the moſt fruſtrate. Secondly, whether God had not a certaine infallible intention, of gathering unto himſelfe a choſen people, of collecting a Church of firſt borne, of ſaving his little flocke, of bringing ſome certainly to happineſſe, by the death of his onelyonly Sonne, which in the event he doth accompliſh:

The ſecond part alſo may be reduced to theſe two heads: firſt, whether Chriſt did not make full ſatisfaction, for all their ſinnes for whom he died, and merited glory, or everlaſting happineſſe, to be beſtowed on them, upon the performance of thoſe conditions, God ſhould require? Secondly, (which is the proper Controverſie I ſhall chiefly inſiſt upon,) whether Chriſt did not procure for his own people, a power to become the Sonnes of God, merit and deſerve at the hands of God for them, grace, faith, righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, whereby they may be enabled infallibly, to performe the conditions of the new Covenant, upon the which, they ſhall be admitted to glory.

To the firſt Queſtion, of the firſt part of the Controverſie, the Arminians anſwer affirmatively, to wit, that Chriſt died for all alike, the benefit of his Paſſion, belongs equally to all the poſteritie of Adam: and to the ſecond negatively, that God had no ſuch intention of bringing many choſen ſonnes unto ſalvation, by the death of Chriſt; but determined of grace and glory, no more preciſely to one, then to another, to Iohn, then Iudas, Abraham, then Pharaoh: both which as the learned Moulin obſerved, aaMolin ſuffrag. ad Synod. Dordra.ſeeme to be invented to make Chriſtianitie ridiculous, and expoſe our Religion, to the deriſion, of all knowing men: for who can poſſibly conceive that one by the appointment of God ſhould die for another; and yet that other, by the ſame juſtice be allotted unto death himſelfe, when ones death onelyonly was due: that Chriſt hath made a full ſatisfaction for their ſinnes, who ſhall everlaſtingly feele the waight of them, themſelves; that he ſhould p. 93merit and obtaine reconciliation with God for them, who live and die his enemies: grace and glory for them, who are graceleſſe in this life, and damned in that which is to come: that he ſhould get remiſſion of ſinnes for them, whoſe ſinnes were never pardoned: in briefe, if this ſentence be true, either Chriſt by his death did not reconcile us unto God, make ſatisfaction to his juſtice for our iniquities, redeeme us from our ſinnes, purchaſe a kingdome, an everlaſting inheritance for us, which, I hope no Chriſtian will ſay, or elſe all the former abſurdities muſt neceſſarily follow, which no rationall man will ever admit.

Neither may we be charged, as ſtraitners of the merit of Chriſt: for we advance the true value and worth thereof, (as hereafter will appeare,) farre beyond all, that the Arminians aſcribe unto it: we confeſſe that, that blood of God, Acts 20. 28. of the Lambe without ſpot or blemiſh, 1. Pet. 1. 19. was ſo exceedingly precious, of that infinite worth and value, that it might have ſaved a thouſand beleeving worlds, Iohn 3. 16. Rom. 3. 22. his death was of ſufficient dignitie, to have beene made a ranſome, for all the ſinnes of every one in the world: and on this internall ſufficiencie of his death and paſſion, is grounded the univerſalitie of Evangelicall promiſes, which have no ſuch reſtriction in their own nature, as that they ſhould not be made to all, and every one, though the promulgation and knowledge of them, is tied onelyonly to the good pleaſure of Gods ſpeciall providence, Matth. 16. 17. as alſo that Oeconomie, and diſpenſation of the new Covenant, whereby the partition wall being broken downe, there remaines no more difference betweene Iew, and Gentile, the utmoſt borders of the Earth being given in for Chriſts inheritance: ſo that in ſome ſenſe, Chriſt may be ſaid to die for all, and the whole world: firſt, in as much as the worth and value of his death, was very ſufficient to have beene made a price for all their ſinnes: ſecondly, in as much as this word All, is taken for ſome of all ſorts, not for every one, of every ſort, as it is frequently uſed in the holy Scripture, ſo Chriſt being lifted up drew all unto him, Iohn 12. 32. that is, beleevers out of all ſorts of men: the Apoſtles cured all diſeaſes, or ſome of all ſorts, they did not cure every particular diſeaſe, but there was no kinde of diſeaſe, that was exempted p. 94from their power of healing: ſo that where it is ſaid, that Chriſt died for all, it is meant either; firſt, all the faithfull; or ſecondly, ſome of all ſorts; thirdly, not onelyonly Iewes, but Gentiles: For,

Secondly, the proper counſell and intention of God, in ſending his Sonne into the world, to die, was, that thereby he might confirme and ratifie, the new Covenant to his elect: and purchaſe for them, all the good things, which are contained in the tenure of that Covenant: to wit, grace, and glory: that by his death, he might bring many, (yet ſome certaine) children to glorie, obtaining for them, that were given unto him, by his Father, that is, his whole Church, reconciliation with God, remiſſion of ſinnes, faith, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification and life eternall: that is, the end, to which they are to be brought, and the meanes whereby God will have them attaine it: he died that he might gather the diſperſed children of God, and make them partakers of everlaſting glory, to give eternall life, to all that God gave unto him, Iohn 17. 2. And on this purpoſe, of himſelfe, and his Father, is founded the interceſſion of Chriſt, for his elect and choſen people, performed partly on the earth, Iohn 17. partly in heaven before the Throne of grace: which is nothing but a preſentation of himſelfe, and his merits, accompanied with the prayers of his Mediatour-ſhip, before God: that he would be pleaſed to grant, and effectually to apply, the good things, he hath by them obtained, to all for whom he hath obtained them: his interceſſion in heaven, is nothing but a continued oblation of himſelfe. So that whatſoever Chriſt impetrated, merited, or obtained, by his death and paſſion, muſt be infallibly applied unto, and beſtowed upon them, for whom he intended to obtaine it: or elſe his interceſſion is vaine, he is not heard in the prayers of his mediatourſhip: an actuall reconciliation with God, and communication of grace and glory, muſt needs betide all them that have any ſuch intereſt in the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, as to have it accepted for their good: the ſole end, why Chriſt would ſo dearely purchaſe thoſe good things, is an actuall application of them, unto his choſen: God ſet forth the propitiation of his blood, for the remiſſion of ſinnes. that he might be the iuſtifier of him that beleeveth on Jeſus: Rom, 3. 25, 26. But this part of the Controverſie is not that p. 95which I principally intend: onelyonly I will give you a briefe ſumme, of thoſe reaſons which overthrow their hereſie, in this particular branch thereof.

Firſt, the death of Chriſt, is in divers places of the Scripture reſtrained to his people, and elect, his Church, and ſheepe: Matth. 1. 21. Iohn 10. 11, 12, 13. Acts 20. 28. Epheſ. 5. 25. Iohn 11. 52. Rom. 8. 32, 33. Heb 2. 10. 13. Revel. 5. 9. Dan. 9. 27. and therefore the good purchaſed thereby, ought not to be extended, to dogges, reprobates, and thoſe that are without.

Secondly, for whom Chriſt died, he died as their ſponſor, in their roome and turne, that he might free them from the guilt, and deſert of death, which is cleerely expreſſed, Rom. 5. 6, 7, 8. He was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, he was bruiſed for our iniquities, the chaſtiſement of our peace was upon him, and with his ſtripes, we are healed: Iſa. 53. 5, 6, &c. He hath redeemed us, from the curſe, being made a curſe for us: Galat. 3. 13. He made him to be ſinne for us, who knew no ſinne, 1 Cor. 5. 21. Evidently he changeth turnes with us, that we might be made the righteouſneſſe of God in him: yea in other things, it is plaine in the Scripture, that to die for another, is to take his place and roome, with an intention that he ſhould live: 2 Sam, 18. 33. Rom. 5. So that Chriſt dying for men, made ſatisfaction, for their ſins, that they ſhould not die: now for what ſins he made ſatisfaction, for them the juſtice of God is ſatisfied, which ſurely is not done for the ſinnes of the reprobates, becauſe he juſtly puniſheth them to eternitie, upon themſelves: Matth. 5. 26.

Thirdly, for whom Chriſt died, for them alſo he roſe againe, to make interceſſion for them, for whoſe offences he was delivered, for their iuſtification he was raiſed: Rom. 4. 25. and Chap. 5. 10. He is a high Prieſt to make interceſſion for them in the holieſt of holies, for whom by his bloud he obtained everlaſting redemption, Heb. 9. 11. 12. Thoſe two acts of his Prieſthood are not to be ſeparated, it belongs to the ſame Mediator for ſinne, to ſacrifice and pray: our aſſurance that he is our Advocate, is grounded on his being a propitiation for our ſinnes: he is an Advocate, for every p. 96one, for whoſe ſinnes his blood was a propitiation: 1 Iohn 2, 1, 2. But Chriſt doth not intercede, and pray for all, as himſelfe often witneſſeth: Iohn 17. He maketh interceſſion onelyonly for them, who come unto God by him: Heb. 7. 24. He is not a Mediatour of them that periſh, no more then and Advocate of them that faile in their ſuits, and therefore the benefit of his death alſo muſt be reſtrained to them, who are finally partakers of both: we muſt not ſo diſ-joyne the offices of Chriſts Mediatorſhip, that one of them may be verſated about ſome towards whom he exerciſeth not the other: much leſſe ought we, ſo to ſeparate the ſeverall acts of the ſame office. For whom Chriſt is a Prieſt, to offer himſelfe a ſacrifice, for their ſinnes, he is ſurely a King, to apply the good things purchaſed by his death unto them, asb Arminius himſelfe confeſſeth; much more to whom he is a Prieſt by ſacrifice he will be a Prieſt by interceſſion: and therefore, ſeeing he doth not intercede and pray for every one, he did not die for every one.

Fourthly, for whom Chriſt died, he merited grace, and glory, faith, and ſalvation, and reconciliation with God, as I ſhall ſhew hereafter; but this he hath not done for all, and every one: many doe never beleeve, the wrath of God remaineth upon ſome, the wrath of God abideth on them that doe not beleeve: 1 Iohn 3. 16. To abide, argueth a continued uninterrupted act: now to be reconciled to one, and yet to lie under his heavie anger, ſeeme to me foreign, things that will ſcarce conſiſt together: the reaſons are many, I onelyonly point at the heads of ſome of them.

Fifthly, Chriſt died for them, whom God gave unto him, to be ſaved, Thine they were, and thou gaveſt them unto me: Ioh. 17. 6. He layeth downe his life, for the ſheepe committed to his charge: Iohn 10. 11. But all are not the ſheepe of Chriſt, all are not given unto him of God, to be brought to glory: for of thoſe that are ſo given, there is not one that periſheth, for he giveth eternall life to as many as God hath given him: Iohn 17. 2. No man is able to plucke them out of his Fathers hands: Chap. 10. 28, 29.

Sixthly, looke whom, and how many, that love of God embraced, p. 97that was the cauſe of ſending his Son to redeeme them: for them, and ſo many, did Chriſt according to the counſell of his Father, and in himſelfe intentionally, lay downe his life: now this love is not univerſall, being his good pleaſure of bleſſing with ſpirituall bleſſings and ſaving ſome in Chriſt: Epheſ. 1. 4, 5. which good pleaſure of his, evidently comprehendeth ſome, when others are excluded, Matth. 11. 25, 26. yea the love of God in giving Chriſt for us is of the ſame extent, with that grace, whereby he calleth us to faith, or beſtoweth faith on us: for he hath called us with an holy calling, according to his owne purpoſe and grace, which was given us in Ieſus Chriſt: 2 Tim. 2. 9. which doubtleſſe is not univerſall and common unto all.

Innumerable other reaſons there are to prove, that ſeeing God hath given his elect onelyonly, whom onelyonly he loved to Chriſt to be redeemed: and ſeeing that the Sonne loveth onelyonly thoſe who are given him of his Father, and redeemeth onelyonly whom he loveth: ſeeing alſo that the holy Spirit, the love of the Father and the Sonne, ſanctifieth all, and onelyonly them that are elected, and redeemed▪ it is not our part, with a prepoſterous liberality againſt the witneſſe of Chriſt himſelfe, to aſſigne the ſalvation attained by him, as due to them, that are with out the Congregation of them whom the Father hath loved, and choſen: without that Church, which the Sonne loved and gave his life for it, nor none of the members of that ſanctified body, whereof Chriſt is the Head and Saviour: I urge no more, becauſe this is not that part of the Controverſie that I deſire to lay open.

I come now to conſider the maine Queſtion of this difference, though ſparingly handled by our Divines: concerning what our Saviour merited, and purchaſed for them for whom he died: and here you ſhall finde the old Idol playing his prankes, and quite deveſting the merit of Chriſt, from the leaſt ability or power, of doing us any good; for though the Arminians pretend very ſpeciouſly, that Chriſt died for all men: yet in effect, they make him die for no one man at all: and that by denying the effectuall operation p. 98of his death, and aſcribing the proper iſſues of his paſſion, to the brave indevours of their owne Pelagian Deitie.

We (according to the Scriptures) plainly beleeve, that Chriſt hath by his righteouſneſſe, merited for us grace and glory; that we are bleſſed with all ſpirituall bleſſings, in, though, and for him: that he is made unto us righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, and redemption; that he hath procured for us, and that God for his ſake, beſtoweth on us every grace, in this life, that maketh us differ from others, and all that glory we hope for, in that which is to come: he procured for us remiſſion of all our ſinnes, an actuall reconciliation with God, faith, and obedience: yea, but this is ſuch a deſperate doctrine, as ſtabs at the very heart of the Idol: and would make him as altogether uſeleſſe, as if he were but a figgetree logge: what remaineth for him to doe, if all things in this great worke of our ſalvation, muſt be thus aſcribed unto Chriſt, and the merit of his death? Wherefore the worſhippers of this great God, Lib. Arbit. oppoſe their engines againſt the whole fabricke, and cry downe the title of Chriſts merits, to theſe ſpirituall bleſſings, in the behalfe of their imaginarie Deity.

Now becauſe they are things of a two-fold denomination, about which we contend, before the king of heaven; each part producing their evidence; the firſt ſpringing from the favour of God towards us: the ſecond from the working of his grace, actually within us, I ſhall handle them ſeverally, and apart: eſpecially becauſe to things of this latter ſort, gifts, as we call them, enabling us to fulfill the condition, required, for the attaining of glory, we lay a double claime, on Gods behalfe: Firſt, as the death of Chriſt, is the meritorious cauſe procuring them of him: Secondly, as his free grace is their efficient cauſe working them in us; they alſo producing a double title, whereby, they would inveſt their beloved darling, with a ſole proprietie in cauſing theſe effects. Firſt, in regard that they are our owne acts performed in us, and by us: ſecondly, as they are parts of our dutie, which we are enjoyned to doe, ſo that the quarrell is directly betweene Chriſts Merits and our owne free-will, about procuring the p. 99favour of God, and obtaining grace and righteouſneſſe, let us ſee what they ſay to the firſt.

They affirmeccImmediata mortis Chriſti effectio, ac paſſionis, illa eſt, non actualis peccatorum, ab his aut illis ablatio, non actualis remiſſio, non juſtificatio, non actualis horū aut illorū redemptio: Armin. Antiperk, p. 76. that the immediate, and proper effect, or end, of the death and paſſion of Chriſt, is not an actuall oblation of ſinne from men, not an actuall remiſſion of iniquities, iuſtification and redemption, of any ſoule: that is, Chriſt his death, is not the meritorious cauſe of the remiſſion of our ſins, of redemption, and juſtification: the meritorious cauſe, I ſay, for of ſome of them, as of juſtification, as it is terminated in us, we confeſſe there are cauſes of other kindes, as faith is the inſtrument, and the holy Spirit the efficient thereof. But for the ſole meritorious procuring cauſe, of theſe ſpirituall bleſſings, we alwaies took it to be the righteouſneſſe, and death of Chriſt: beleeving plainely, that the end why Chriſt died, and the fruit of his ſufferings, was our reconciliation with God, redemption from our ſinnes, freedome from the curſe, deliverance from the wrath of God, and power of hell: though we be not actuall partakers of theſe things to the pacification of our owne conſciences, without the intervening operation of the holy Spirit, and faith by him wrought in us.

But if this be not? Pray what is obtained by the death of Chriſt? WhyddReconciliatio potentialis & conditionata non actualis & abſoluta, per mortem Chriſti impetratur: Corvin. ad. Molin. cap 28. ſect. 11. a potentiall, conditionate reconciliation, not actuall, and abſolute, ſaith Corvinus: But yet this potentiall reconciliation, being a new expreſſion, never intimated in the Scripture, and ſcarce of it ſelfe intelligible, we want a further explanation of their minde, to know what it is that directly they aſſigne to the merits of Chriſt: wherefore, they tell us, that the fruit of his death, was ſuch eeRemiſſionis, juſtificationis, & redemptionis, apud Deum impetratio, qua facto eſt, ut Deus jam poſſit, utpote iuſtitia cui ſatisfactum eſt non obſtante hominibus peccatoribus peccata remittere: Armin. ubi ſup.an impetration, or obtaining of reconciliation with God, and redemption for us: that God thereby hath a power, his iuſtice being ſatisfied, and ſo not compelling him to the contrary, to grant remiſſion of ſinnes, to ſinnefull men, on what condition, he would: or as another ſpeaketh it,ffAutoris mens non eſt alia, quā effuſo ſanguine Chriſti reconciliandi mundum Deo jus impetratum fuiſſe, & inito novo faedere & gratioſo cum hominibus, Deum gratiae oftium, omnibus denuo poenitentiae ac verae in Chriſtū fidei, lege adaperuiſ…e: Epiſtol: ad Wala…. ſol. …3. There was by the effuſion of Chriſts blood, a right obtained unto, and ſettled in God, of reconciling the world, and of opening unto all, a gate of repentance, and faith in Chriſt: But now whereas, the Scripture every where affirmeth, that Chriſt died for our good, to obtaine bleſſings for us, to purchaſe our peace, to acquire and merit for us, the good p. 100things contained in the promiſe of the Covenant, this opinion ſeemes to reſtraine the end, and fruit thereof, to the obtaining of a power; and libertie unto God, of preſcribing us a condition whereby we may be ſaved: but yet it may be, thus much at leaſt Chriſt obtained of God in our behalfe, that he ſhould aſſigne faith in him, to be this condition, and to beſtow it upon us alſo: No, neither the one, nor the other, ggPotuiſſet Deus, ſi ita ſapientiae ſuae viſum fuiſſet, operarios, Judaeos, vel alios etiam praeter fideles eligere, quia potuit aliam ſalutis conditionem, quam fidem in Chriſtum exigere, Grevinch. ad Ameſ. p. 415.after all this, had it ſo ſeemed good unto his wiſedome, God might have choſen the Iewes, and others, following the righteouſneſſe of the law, as well as beleevers, becauſe he might have aſſigned, any other condition of ſalvation beſides faith in Chriſt: ſaith Grevinchovius: Notwithſtanding then the death of Chriſt for us, we might have beene held to the old rule, Doe this and live: but if this be true, I cannot perceive how it may be ſaid, that Chrid died to redeeme us from our ſins, to ſave our ſoules, and bring us unto glory: neither perhaps, doe they thinke this to be any great inconvenience, for the ſame Authour affirmeth, that hhChriſtus non eſt proprie mortuus ad aliquem falvandum. idem, ibid. fol. 8.Chriſt cannot be ſaid properly to die, to ſave any one. And a little after he more fully declares himſelfe, iiPoſtquam impetratio praeſtita ac peracta eſſet, Deo jus ſuum integrum manſit, pro arbitrio ſuo, eam applicare, vel non applicare, nec applicatio finis impetrationis propriae fuit, ſed jus, & poteſtas applicandi, quibus & qualibus vellet. pag. 9.That after Chriſt had obtained all that he did obtaine by his death, the right remained wholly in God, to apply it, or not to apply it, as it ſhould ſeeme good unto him: the application of grace and glory, to any man, was not the end for which Chriſt obtained them, but to get a right and power unto God, of beſtowing thoſe things on what ſort of men he would: which argues no redemption of us from our ſinnes, but a vindication of God from ſuch a condition, wherein he had not power to forgive them; not an obtaining of ſalvation for us, but of a libertie unto God of ſaving us, on ſome condition or other.

But now, after God hath got this power by the death of Chriſt, and out of his gracious good pleaſure, aſſigned faith to be the meanes for us to attaine thoſe bleſſings, he hath procured himſelfe a libertie to beſtow? Did Chriſt obtaine this faith for us, of him? if it be a thing not in our own power? No:kkFides non eſt impetrata merito Chriſti, &c. Cor. ad Mol. cap. 28. pag. 419. Faith is not obtained by the death of Chriſt, ſaith Corvinus: ſo that there is no good thing, no ſpirituall bleſſing, into which, any man in the world hath any intereſt by the death of Chriſt: which is not ſo great an abſurditie, but that they are moſt ready to grant it: p. 101llSe omnino credere, futurum fuiſſe, ut finis mortis Chriſti conſtaret, etiamſi nemo credidiſſet, idem. cap. 27. ſect. 3. 4.Arnoldus confeſſeth, that he beleeves, that the death of Chriſt might have enioyed its end, or his merit its full force, although, never any had beleeved: and againe,mmPoſita & praeſtita Chriſti morte & ſatisfactione, fieri poteſt, ut nemine, novi faederis conditionem, praeſtante, nemo ſalvaretur: idem. Grevinch. ad Ameſ. fol. 9. the death and ſatisfaction of Chriſt being accompliſhed, it might come to paſſe, that, none fulfilling the condition of the new Covenant, none ſhould be ſaved, ſo alſo ſaith Grevinchovius: Oh Chriſt, that any pretending to profeſſe thy holy Name, ſhould thus ſlight the precious worke of thy death and paſſion? ſurely, never any before, who counted it their glory to be called Chriſtians, did ever thus extenuate (their friends the Socinians onelyonly excepted) the dignitie of his merit and ſatisfaction: take but a ſhort view of what benefit they allow to redound to us, by the effuſion of his precious blood, and you may ſee what a peſtilent hereſie, theſe men have laboured to bring into the Church: neither faith nor ſalvation, grace nor glory, hath he purchaſed for us, not any ſpirituall bleſſing, that by our intereſt in his death we can claime to be ours: it is not ſuch a reconciliation with God, as that he thereupon, ſhould be contented againe to be called our God, it is not juſtification, nor righteouſneſſe, nor actuall redemption from our ſinnes, it did not make ſatisfaction for our iniquities, and deliver us from the curſe:nnImpetratio ſalutis pro omnibus, eſt acquiſitio poſſibilitatis, ut nimirum Deus illaeſa ſua juſtitia hominem peccatorem poſſit recipere in gratiam: Rem. Coll. Hag p. 172. onelyonly it was a meanes of obtaining ſuch a poſſibility of ſalvation, as that God without wronging of his iuſtice, might ſave us if he would, one way or other: ſo that when Chriſt had done all that he could, there was not one man in the world immediately the better for it: notwithſtanding the utmoſt of his endeavour, every one might have beene damned with Iudas to the pit of hell▪ ooPro Juda ac Petro mortuus eſt Chriſtus, & pro Simone Mago & Juda tam pro Paulo & Petro: Rem. Synod. fol. 320.for he died as well for Simon Magus and Iudas, as he did for Peter and Paul, ſay the Arminians: Now if no more good redound to us by the death of Chriſt, then to Simon Magus, we are not much obliged to him for our ſalvation: Nay, he may be rather ſaid to have redeemed God, then us, for he procured for him immediately a power to redeeme us if he would; for us, onelyonly by vertue of that power, a poſſibilitie to be redeemed: which leaves nothing of the nature of merit annexed to his death: for that deſerveth that ſomething be done, not onelyonly that it may be done: the workman deſerveth that his wages be given him, and not that it may be given him. And then what becomes of all the comfort and conſolation that is propoſed to us in the death of p. 102Chriſt: but it is time to ſee how this ſtubble is burned and conſumed by the word of God: and that eſtabliſhed which they thought to overthrow.

Firſt, It is cleare that Chriſt died to procure for us an actuall reconciliation with God: and not only a power for us to be reconciled unto him: for when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God, by the death of his ſonne: Rom. 5. 10. we enjoy an actuall reconciliation unto God by his death: he is content to be called our God, when we are enemies, without the intervening of any condition on our part required: though the ſweetneſſe, comfort, and knowledge of this reconciliation, doe not compaſſe, our ſoules before we beleeve in him. Againe, we have remiſſion of ſinnes by his blood, and juſtification from them, not a ſole vindication into ſuch an eſtate, wherein, if it pleaſe God, and our ſelves, our ſinnes are pardonable: for we are juſtified through the redemption that is in Ieſus Chriſt, whom God hath ſet forth, to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteouſneſſe for the remiſſion of ſinnes: Rom. 3. 24, 25. Yea, he obtained for us by his death, righteouſneſſe and holineſſe. He gave himſelfe for his Church, that he might ſanctifie and cleanſe it, Epheſ. 5. 26. That he might preſent it unto himſelfe a glorious Church, without ſpot, or wrinkle, that we ſhould be holy, and without blemiſh: verſ. 27. Where firſt, we have whom Chriſt died, or gave himſelfe for, even his Church: ſecondly, what he obtained for it, holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, a freedome from the ſpots, and blemiſhes of ſinne, that is, the grace of juſtification and ſanctitie, he made him to be ſinne for us, who knew no ſinne, that we might become the righteouſneſſe of God in him: 2 Cor. 5. 21. And laſtly he died, to purchaſe for us, an everlaſting inheritance: Heb. 9. 15. So that both grace and glory, are beſtowed on them for whom he died, as the immediate fruits of his death and paſſion.

Secondly, ſee what the Scripture foreign, expreſly aſſigneth, as the proper end and immediate effect, (according to the purpoſe of God, and his owne intention) of the effuſion of the blood of Ieſus Chriſt, and you ſhall finde that he intended by it, to take away the ſinnes of many, to make his ſoule an offering for ſinne, that he might ſee his ſeed, that the counſell of God, might proſper in his p. 103hand: Iſaiah 53. to be a ranſome for many, Matth. 20. 28. to beare the ſins of many: Heb. 9. 28. he bare our ſins in his own body on the tree, that we ſhould live unto righteouſneſſe, 1 Pet. 2. 24. that we might become the righteouſneſſe of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. 21. thereby reconciling us unto God, verſ. 19. he died, to reconcile us unto God, in the body of his fleſh, through death, that we might be holy and unblameable, Coloſ. 1. 21, 22. to purge our ſins, Heb. 1. 3. to obtaine an everlaſting redemption for us, Heb. 9. 12. ſo that if Chriſt by his death obtained what he did intend: he hath purchaſed for us, not only a poſſibilitie of ſalvation; but holineſſe, righteouſneſſe, reconciliation with God, juſtification, freedome from the guilt, and condemning power of ſin: everlaſting redemption, eternall life, and glory in heaven.

Thirdly, I appeale unto the conſciences of all Chriſtians. Firſt, whether they doe not ſuppoſe the very foundation of all their conſolation, to be ſtricken at, when they ſhall finde thoſe places of Scripture,ppHeb. 7. 12. 15. 24. & 9. 14. 28. Eſa. 53. 11. 1 Joh. 2. 2. &c.Heb 7:12Heb 7:15Heb 7:24Heb 9:14Heb 9:28Isa 53:111 John 2:2 that affirme Chriſt to have died, to take away our ſins, to reconcile us unto God, to put away, or aboliſh our tranſgreſſions, to waſh and regenerate us, perfectly to ſave us, and purchaſe for us an everlaſting redemption, whereby he is become unto us, righteouſneſſe, and redemption, and ſanctification, the Lord our righteouſneſſe, and we become the righteouſneſſe of God in him: to be ſo wreſted, as if he ſhould be ſaid only, to have done ſomething, which theſe things might happily follow.

Secondly, whither they thinke it not a ready way, to impaire their love, and to weaken their faith in Chriſt, when they ſhall be taught, that Chriſt hath done no more for them, then for thoſe that are damned in hell: that be their aſſurance never ſo great, that Chriſt died for them: yet there is enough to be laid to their charge to condemne them, that though God is ſaid to have reconciled them unto himſelfe in Chriſt, Coloſ. 1. 19, 20. yet indeed he is as angry with them, as with any reprobate in the world, that God loveth us not firſt, but ſo long as we continue in a ſtate of enmitie againſt him, before our converſion, he continues our enemy alſo: ſo that the firſt act of friendſhip or love, muſt be p. 104performed on our part, notwithſtanding that the Scripture ſaith, we were reconciled unto God being enemies, Romanes 5. verſ. 10.

Thirdly, Whither they have not hitherto ſuppoſed themſelves bound to beleeve, that Chriſt died for their ſins and roſe for their juſtification? do they not thinke it lawfull to pray, that God would beſtow upon them, grace, and glory for Chriſts ſake? and to beleeve that Ieſus Chriſt was ſuch a Mediatour of the new Covenant, as procured for the perſons Covenanted withall, all the good things comprehended in the promiſe of that Covenant.

I will not further preſſe upon this prevarication againſt Chriſtian Religion, only I would deſire all the lovers of Ieſus Chriſt ſeriouſly to conſider, whether theſe men, doe truly ayme at his honour, and advancing the dignitie of his merit, and not rather, at the crying up of their own indeavours, ſeeing the ſole cauſe of their denying theſe glorious effects of the blood of Chriſt: is to appropriate the praiſe of them unto themſelves, as we ſhall ſee in the next Chapter.

Theſe charges are never to be waved, by the vanitie of their ſophiſticall diſtinctions, as of that of impetration and application, which though it may be received, in an Orthodox meaning, yet not in that ſenſe, or rather non-ſenſe, whereunto they abuſe it; viz. As though Chriſt had obtained that for ſome, which ſhall never be imparted unto them, that all the bleſſings procured by his death are proper to none, but pendent in the aire for them that can or will catch them: whereupon when we object,ggSic efficacia meriti Chriſti: tota penes nos ſtabit, qui vocationem alioqui inefficacem efficacem, reddimus: ſane, fieri aliter non poteſt, Rem. Apol. p. 93. that by this means all the efficacie of the merit of Chriſt, is in our own power, they readily grant it, and ſay it cannot otherwiſe be: let them that can, receive theſe monſters in Chriſtianitie, for my part in theſe following contradictory aſſertions, I will chooſe rather to adhere to the authoritie of the word of God, then of Arminius and his ſectaries.