The Plain Mans Senses Exercised to Discern Good and Evil, Chapter 8
CAP. VIII. Errors against Jesus Christ one Mediatour.
HEre are four gross Errors uttered with great boldnesse; First, Error. 1 That Hypostaticall union and communion of Properties, are but reall Contradictions, and the Frog-like croaking of the Dragon, the Beast, and the false Prophet, &c.
Of the Union of Godhead and Manhead in one person of Christ,Lond. T. p. 9. and of the communion of Properties by vertue of that Union; I have spoken enough already, Chapter 4. and therefore shall speak nothing more to this bold Blasphemy.
Nor of the second Error, which affirmeth, That spirituall Life, Error. 2 Breath, or Soule, are subject to the Grave, as well as the Body or Flesh; for Christs Soule, as well as his Flesh, was in Hell, that is, the Grave, or bonds of Death, so that he wholly died for us.
For this matter will now fitly be handled, infra cap. 18. wherein is expresly handled, the Doctrine of the future state of mens souls onelyonly. To affirm that his Soul was in the Grave as well as his Flesh, is contrary to those Scriptures, which testifie that Christ our Mediatour, at his death, yeilded up the Ghost, commending his Spirit into the hands of his Father (as Stephen did) promising the converted Thiefe, that the same day he should be with him in Paradise, Mat. 27.50. Luke 23.46. Ver. 43.Luke 23.43. which surely is not the Grave. His body onelyonly was taken downe from the Tree, and laid in a Sepulchre: And whereas it is said, that Christs soul was not left in Hell, Acts 2.31.Acts 13.29. Acts 2.31. the text expounds it self of the Resurrection of Christ, for S. Peter comparing David and Christ together, saith, that David is both dead and buried, and his Sepulchre is with us unto this day; David is not risen from the Grave, his body sees corruption: but of Christ it is said, that his soule was not left in Hell, neither did his flesh see corruption: Soule then in this place cannot be taken properly for the spirituall part of Man, but for the life of Christ, as it is expressed, ver. 24. Whom God raised up from the dead, having loosed the paines of death (that is, the power of Death, and bonds of the Grave) because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
The third Error is scarce fit to be repeated, Error. 3 it is surely the foam of a distemperd Brain; for what sober man would affirm, That Christ ascended upwards from the earth, into some part of the celestiall Bodies, and that without doubt he must be in the most excellent, glorious, and heavenly part thereof, which is the sunne?
Poeticall wits make sport with a man in the Moon; But did it ever enter into the heart of a Christian, to think that the body of Christ is in the Sun? The Scripture teacheth us to speak more soberly and reverently of that Article and Mystery of our Faith (namely) That our Lord Christ, Eph. 4.10. Heb. 1.3.13.when he had finished his Sufferings, and overcome Death by his Resurrection, went up into Heaven to the right hand of the Majesty on high, that he might fill all things, Heb 9.24. 1 Pet. 3.22. Acts 7.45. Jude v. 15.and for ever appeare as an Advocate in the presence of God for us, and there to sit and rule, till all his enemies be made his footstoole. There S. Stephen saw him standing on the right hand of God: And the Angels told the Apostles, Acts 1.11. that this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into Heaven (not into the Sun) shall so come in like manner, as ye have seen him go into Heaven. He went into Heaven, and from thence he shall come in great glory to convince all ungodly men of all their hard speeches, which they have spoken against him.
That which best deserves our examination in this eighth Chapter, is this, That Christ did not, by his death, Sect. 1 Error. 4 purchase Life and Salvation, no not for the Elect; for it was not the end of God in loving of Christ, to purchase Love and Life, but Christ himselfe was purchased by love, that he might make out love, and purchase us to love; for Christ came not to reconcile God to men, but men to God, &c.
These affected expressions do vary from the form of sound words used in Scripture; and though there be something of truth in them, yet for the Doctrine and substance of them, they are unsound, and lead into a dangerous Error, even denying the vertue of Christs Blood.
Now that ye may discerne what is Truth, Sect. 2 and what is Falsehood in them,Two-fold love of God. you must distingush of a two-fold love of God, there is Amor Benevolentiae, the love of Gods good will, and this is one of his Attributes (namely) his free Grace, which is the first moving wheel in the work of mans Redemtion: From this Love it is, that God sent his Son into the world, John 3.16. God so loved the world that he gave his onelyonly begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. This love was hid in God from Ages and Generations,Titus 2.11. 1 John 4.9. but now the Grace of God, which bringeth Salvation, hath appeared to all men, especially in this, because God sent his onelyonly begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. This Love is not purchased by Christ, for this Love gave Christ.
Secondly, But there is another Love, Amor amicitiae a love of Friendship and Reconciliation between God and man, who was at enmity with God: Cum salvandi affectus esset in Deo, ejusque egressus à justitiâ pro peccato laesâ impediretur, ablato per inter venientem satisfactionem impedimento, affectus iste in effectum exiit, scripta Remonst. pag. 283. And this is the proper effect of Christ Blood, according to that 2 Cor. 5. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe, Rom. 5.10. Col 1.20, 21, 22.having made peace through the blood of his Crosse, to reconcile all things to himselfe, and you that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your mindes by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death. Reconciliation is between persons at odds, and Christs Death was it that removed the enmity between God and Man (namely) the Law of Transgressions, the Justice of God, the Truth of God in that sentence against Transgressors: All which stood between God & us, as a rock of Separation, through which it was impossible for Gods pleased face to shine upon the Sinner; if Christ had not made peace through the blood of his Crosse, we had lain for ever under the weight of his wrath: He procured for us his Fathers Pardon; Father forgive them; without which pardon we must have been beaten with many stripes, and born the punishment of our own sins in our own bodies and soules for evermore.
Thus you see, how Love gave Christ, and how Christ purchased Love for sinners, He delivered us from wrath to come, 1 Thes. 1.10. Wrath is gone forth upon all through Adams transgression: All unbelievers are under wrath, and there remaine eternally: Joh. 3.36. He that believeth not the Son, the wrath of God abideth on him. And so every Believer may truly say, they were once Children of wrath, in a state of wrath, but now are relaly delivered from wrath to come; when of unbelievers, they were made Believers.
Therefore we are to hold it as a pretious Truth of God,1 Corin 6.20. 1 Cor. 7.23. Bought with a price. that Christ our Mediatour did by his Blood truly and really purchase Life and Salvation for the Elect from the hand of his Father, that he gave himself a Ransome for all to be testified in due time, 1 Tim. 2.6. that the Son of Man came not be ministred unto, but to minister, and to give his ransome for many, Mat. 20.28. that by his blood he obtained eternall redemption for us, Heb. 9.12. Those words foreign,foreign. do signifie a satisfactory price paid for setting free of a captive taken in War, or otherwise, and detained by the Enemy as Prisoner, till he be ransomed; and being applied to Christ, it doth signifie that price which Christ paid in to the Justice of God, detaining us Sinners, as Captives, in the hands of our Enemies, Sathan, Death, and Hell. And that price was not silver or gold, or any such corruptible thing, but the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish. 1 Pet. 1.19.Christ himself was that Price given, his Righteous soul for our Sinfull souls, and being accepted of the Father on our behalf, we are set free from Gods wrath, and from Sathan, who was as Gods Jaylour or Officer, under whose power we were kept;Mat. 5.25. but as in our Law, when once the Law is satisfied, and the Prisoner discharged by the Judge, the Jaylor hath no farther power to detain the Prisoner; so the price of our Ransome being paid by Christ, and accepted by God our Judge, the Devill has no farther power over us, our souls are set at liberty.
Here, for conclusion, note that one's redemption may be procured two manner of waies, either by strong hand; or else by a price paid: In the former way Christ hath redeemed us out of the hand of the Devil (namely) not by giving any price or satisfaction to him,Col. 2.15. but by strong hand; Christ conquered the Devil, he spoyled Principalities and Powers, and so delivered us out of his hand by way of rescue,Gen. 14. as Abraham rescued Lot out of the hands of Chedarlaomer, who had taken him Prisoner: Christ did bind that strong man, and so delivered us as a prey out of his teeth: but he was to deal otherwise with God, not by way of force, but by way of a price paid to the justice of God; he delivered us from his wrath to come, without which satisfactory price, Life and Salvation could never be procured to our poor Souls; and therefore S. Paul calls the inheritance of the Saints in Heaven, a purchased Possession, Eph. 1.14. And again, he is said to purchase his Church with his own Blood, Acts 20.28 Now if Christ did purchase his Church by his Blood, and ransome our Sins by his Blood, Eph. 1.7. and purchased the heavenly Inheritance by his Blood, v. 14. How say these men, that Christ did not purchase Life & Salvation, no not for the Elect? Christ doth not onelyonly hold forth Love and Life, but he did first purchase it, and then held it forth; he was first offered for Sinners, and then offered to Sinners by the Gospel; This word God sent unto the hildren of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ, Acts 10.36. Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day, and that Repentance and Remission of sins should be preached in his Name amongst a. Nations, Luke 24.46, 47.
So if the Question be,Application. whether Christ did purchase Love and Life for the Elect? The Answer is, first, that he did purchase the love of Reconciliation for Sinners, though not the love of Gods Grace which gave Christ. And secondly, this Purchase was made by a Price satisfactory, and of value answerable to the souls redeemed; and the Inheritance purchased, a Price, I say, paid not to Sathan, but to the Justice of God.