The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, Book 3 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Of the nature of Reconciliation, and the Argument taken from thence.
ANother thing ascribed to the death of Christ, and by the consent of all, extending it selfe unto all for whom he dyed § I is Reconciliation. This in the Scripture is clearly proposed under a double notion: first, of God to us. Secondly, of us to God: both usually ascribed to the death and bloud-shedding of Jesus Christ; for those who were enemies, he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, Col. 1. 21. 22. And doublesse these things doe exactly answer one another, all those to whom he hath reconciled God, he doth also reconcile unto God, for unlesse both be effected, it cannot be said to be a perfect reconciliation. For how can it be if peace be made onelyonly on the one side? yea it is utterly impossible that a division of these two can be rationally apprehended: for if God be reconciled, not man, why doth not he reconcile him, seeing it is confessedly in his power, and if man should be reconciled, not God, how can he be ready to receive all that come unto him? Now that God, and all and every one in the world are actually reconciled, and made at peace in Jesus Christ, I hope will not be affirmed: But to cleare this we must a little consider the nature of Reconciliation, as it is proposed to us in the Gospell, unto which also some light may be given, from the nature of the thing it self, and the use of the word in civil things.
Reconciliation is the renewing of friendship betweene parties before at variance: both parties being properly said to be reconciled, § II even both he that offendeth, and he that was offended: God and man were set at distance, at enmity and variance by sin; man was the party offending, God offended, & the alienation was mutuall on either side: but yet with this difference, that man was alienated in respect of affections the ground and cause of anger and enmity, God in respect of the effects and issue of anger and enmity: the word in the new Testament, is foreign and the verbe foreign reconciliation, to reconcile both from foreign to change, or to turne from one thing, one minde to annother; whence the first native signification of those words, is permutatio and permutare, so Arist. Eth. 3. foreign, because most commonly those that are reconciled, are changed, in respect of their affections, alwayes in respect of the distance and variance and in respect of the effects, thence it signifieth reconciliation and to reconcile: and the word may not be affirmed of any businesse, or of any men, untill both parties are actually reconciled, and all differences removed in respect of any former grudge and ill will: if one be well pleased with the other, and that other continue foreign inappeased and implacable, there is no reconciliation. When our Saviour gives that command, that he that brought his gift to the altar, and there remembred that his brother had ought against him, were offended with him, for any cause, he should goe and be reconciled to him, fully intendeth a mutuall returning of mindes one to another, especially respecting the appeasing and attoning of him that was offended: Neither are these words used among men in any other sense; but alwayes denote even in common speech, a full redintegration of friendship betweene dissenting parties, with reference most times to some compensation made to the offended party. The reconciling of one party and the other may be distinguished, but both are required to make up an entire reconciliation. As then the folly of Socinus and his Sectaries is remarkable, who would have the reconciliation mentioned in the Scripture, to be nothing but our conversion to God, without the appeasing of his anger and turning away his wrath from us, which is a reconciliation hopping on one legge; so, that distinction of some between the reconciliation of God to man, making that to be universall towards all; and the reconciliation of man to God, making that to be onelyonly of a small number of those to whom God is reconciled, is a no lesse monstrous figment. Mutuall alienation, must have mutuall reconciliation being they are correlata. The state between God and man, before the reconciliation made by Christ was a state of enmity, man was at enmity with God, we were his enemies Col. 1. 20. 21. Rom. 5. 10. Hating him, and opposing our selves to him in the highest rebellions to the utmost of our power. God also was thus farre an enemy to us, that his wrath was on us Ephes. 2. 3. which remaineth on us untill we doe believe. John 3. 36. To make perfect reconciliation (which Christ is said in many places to doe) it is required first, that the wrath of God be turned away, his anger removed and all the effects of enmity on his part toward us. Secondly, that we be turned away from our opposition to him, and brought into voluntary obedience: untill both these be effected: reconciliation is not perfected: now both these are in the Scripture assigned to our Saviour, as the effects of his death and sacrifice 1. He turned away the wrath of God from us, and so appeased him towards us, that was the reconciling of God by his death, for when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne. Rom. 5. 10. That here is meant the reconciling of God, as that part of reconciliation, which consisteth in turning away his wrath fromus, is most apparent; it being that whereby God chiefely commendeth his love to us, which certainly is in the forgivenesse of sinne, by the aversion of his anger due to it; as also opposed to, our being saved from the wrath to come, in the latter end of the verse, which comprizeth our conversion and whole reconciliation to God: besides vers. 11. We are said to receive foreign this reconciliation (which, I know not by what meanes, we have translated, attonement) which cannot be meant of our reconciliation to God, or conversion, which we cannot properly be said to accept, or receive; but of him to us, which we receive when it is apprehended by faith. Secondly, He turneth us away from our enmity towards God, redeeming and reconciling us to God, by the bloud of his Crosse, Col. 1. 21. To wit, then, meritoriously, satisfactorily, by the way of acquisition and purchase, accomplishing it in due time, actually and efficiently by his Spirit: both these yee have joyntly mentioned, 2 Cor. 5. 18. 19. 20. Where we may see, First, God being reconciled to us in Christ, which consisteth in a not imputaion of iniquities, and is the subject matter of the ministry, v. 18. 19. Secondly, The reconciling of us to God by accepting the pardon of our sinnes, which is the end of the Ministery, v. 20. As the same is also at large declared, Ephes. 2. 13. 14. 15. The actuall, then, and effectuall accomplishment of both these, simul & semel, in respect of procurement by continuance, and in processe of time, in the ordinances of the Gospel, in respect of final accomplishment, on the par of men, doe make up that reconciliation, which is the effect of the death of Christ; for so it is in many places assigned to be, We are reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne, Rom. 5. 10. And yee that were sometimes alienated hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, Col. 1. 21. 22. Which is in sundry places so evident in the Scripture, that none can possibly deny reconciliation to be the immediate effect and product of the death of Christ. Now how this Reconciliation, can possibly bee reconciled with universall redemption, I am no way able to discerne: for if reconciliation be the proper effect of the death of Christ, as is confest by all, then if he died for all, I aske. First, How cometh it to passe, that God is not reconciled to all? as he is not, for his wrath abideth on some, John 3. 36. and reconciliation is the aversion of wrath. Secondly, that all are not reconciled to God? as they are not, for by nature all are the children of wrath, Ephes. 2. 3. And some all their lives doe nothing but treasure up wrath against the day of wrath, Rom. 2. 5. Thirdly, how then can it be that reconciliation should be wrought between God, and all men, and yet neither God reconciled to all; nor all reconciled to God? Foruthly, If God be reconciled to all; when doth he begin to be unreconciled towards them that perish? by what alteration is it? in his will or nature? Fifthly, If all be reconciled by the death of Christ: when do they begin to be unreconciled, who perish; being borne children of wrath? Sixthly, Seeing that reconciliation on the part of God consists in the turning away of his wrath and not imputing of iniquity, 2 Cor. 5. 18. 19. Which is justification rendering us blessed, Rom. 4. 6. 7. 8. Why, if God be reconciled to all, are not all justified, and made blessed through a non-imputation of their sinne? They who have found out a Redemption: where none are redeemed, and a reconciliation, where none are reconciled, can easily answer these and such other questions: which to doe I leave them to their leasure, and in the meane time, conclude this part of our argument, that reconciliation which is the renewing of lost friendship, the slaying of enmity, the making up of peace, the appeasing of God and turning away of his wrath, attended with a non-imputation of iniquities; and on our part, conversion to God by faith, and repentance: this I say being that reconciliation which is the effect of the death and bloud of Christ, it cannot be asserted in reference to any, nor Christ said to dye for any other, but onelyonly those concerning whom all the properties of it, and acts wherein it doth consist, may be truely affirmed; which whither they may be of all men, or not, let all men judge.