The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, Book 4 · Chapter 5
CHAP V.
The last Argument from Scripture answered.
I Come in the next place, to the third and last Argument drawn from the Scripture, wherewith the Arminians, and their (as to § I this poynt) Successors, doe strive to maintaine their figment of Objection the third proposed.universall Redemption; and it is taken from such Texts of Scripture, as seeme to hold out the perishing of some of them, for whom Christ dyed, and the fruitlesnesse of his bloud in respect of diverse, for whom it was shed; And on this theam, their wits are wonderfully luxuriant, and they are full of Rhetoricall streines, to set out the unsuccesfulnesse and fruitlesnesse of the bloud of Christ, in respect of the most, for whom it was shed, with the perishing of bought, purged, reconciled sinners: who can but believe that this perswasion, tends to the consolation of poore soules, whose strongest defence lyeth in making vile the precious bloud of the Lambe; yea trampling upon it, and esteeming it as a common thing? but friends, let me tell you, I am perswaded it was not so unvaluable in the eyes of his Father, as to cause it to be poured out in vaine, in respect of any one soule: but seeing we must be put to this defence, wherein we cannot but rejoyce, it tending so evidently to the honour of our blessed Saviour; let us consider what can be said by Christians (at least in name) to enervate the efficacy of the bloud-shedding, of the death of him, after whose name they desire to be called, thus then they argue.
If Christ dyed for Reprobates and those that perish, then he dyed for all and every one, for confessedly he dyed for the elect, and those that are saved, but he dyed for Reprobates, and them that perish, therefore, &c.
Answ. For the assumption or second proposition of this argument, we shall doe, what we conceive was fit for all the Elect of God to doe, positively deny it (taking the death of Christ, here said to be for them, to be considered not in respect of its owne internall worth and sufficiency, but as it was intended by the Father and Sonne in respect of them for whom he dyed) we deny then (I say) that Christ by the command of his Father and with intention to make satisfaction for sinnes, did lay downe his life for Reprobates, and them that perish.
This then they prove from Rom. 14. 15. 1 Cor. 8. 11. 2 Pet. 2. 1. Heb. 10. 29. Now that no such thing as is pretended is proved from § II any of the places alledged we shall shew by the consideration of Considered and answered.them in the order they are laid down in. The first is Rom. 14. 15 But if thy Brother be grieved with thy meat, then walkest thou not charitably, destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ dyed.
Answ. Had we not experience, of the nimblenesse of our adversaries Ro. 14. 15 consideredin framing arguments for their cause, I should despaire to finde their conclusion pressed out of this place: for what coherence or dependence I beseech you is here to be discerned? the Apostle exhorteth strong and sound believers to such a moderate use of Christian liberty, that they doe not grieve the spirit of the weake ones, that were believers also (professours, all called Saints, elect believers, redeemed and so in charity esteemed) and so give them occasion of stumbling, and falling off from the Gospell, therefore Jesus Christ died for all Reprobates, even all those that never heard word nor sillable of him, or the doctrine of the Gospell. Must he not be very quick sighted, that can see the dependence of this inference on that exhortation of the Apostle? But ye will say is it not affirmed, that he may perish for whom Christ dyed? Answ. In this place there is no such thing at all once mentioned, or intimated; onelyonly others are commanded not to doe that which goeth in a direct way to destroy him, by grieing him with their uncharitable walking. But why should the Apostle exhort him not to doe that which he could no way doe if he that Christ dyed for could not perish? Answ. Though the one could not perish in respect of the event, the other might sinfully give occasion of perishing in respect of a procuring cause: may not a man be exhorted from attempting of that, which yet if he should attempt he could not effect? no thankes to the Souldier, who ran a speare into the side of our dead Redeemer, that therewith he brake none of his bones: Besides, is every one damned, that one attempts to destroy by grieving him with uncharitable walking? such arguments as these are poore men of straw: and yet notwithstanding, we doe not deny, but that many may perish and that utterly, whom we in our walking towards them, and converse with them, are bound to conceive redeemed by Christ, even all being to be thought so who are to be esteemed Saints and brethren as the language of the Scripture is concerning the prosessours of the Gospell; and this is most certaine that no one place makes mention of such to be bought or redeemed by our Saviour, but those which had the qualifications of being members of his visible Church, which come infinitely short of all and every one.
But let us see a second place which is, 1 Cor. 8. 10. 11. And § III through thy knowledge shall thy weake brother perish for whom Christ 1 Cor. 8. 10. 11.dyed. This seemeth to have more colour, but really yeildeth no more strength to the perswasion for whose confirmation it is produced than the former. A brother is said to perish, for whom Christ dyed: that by perishing here, is understood eternall destruction and damnation, I cannot apprehend. That which the Apostle intimates whereby it is done, is eating of things offered to an idoll with conscience or regard of an idoll, by the example of others who pretended to know that an idoll was nothing, and so to eate freely of the things offered to them. That so doing was a sinne in its owne nature damnable, none can doubt; all sinne is so, every time we sinne, for any thing that lyeth in us, we perish, we are destroyed; so did the eater of things offered to idolls: but that God alwayes revengeth sinne with damnation, on all in whom it is, we deny: he hath otherwise revealed himselfe in the bloud of Jesus; that every such a one did actually perish eternally, as well as meritoriously, cannot be proved: besides, he that is said to perish is called a brother, that is a believer, we are brethren onelyonly by faith, whereby we come to have one Father. As he is said to be a brother, so Christ is said to dye for him; that a true believer cannot finally perish may easily be proved, therefore he who doth perish is manifestly declared never to have been any: they went out from us because they were not of us: if any perish then, he was never a true believer, how then is he said a brother? because he is so in profession, so in our judgement and perswasion, it being meet for us to thinke so of them all. As he is said to be a brother, so Christ is said to dye for him, even in that judgement which the Scripture allows to us of men. We cannot count a man a brother, and not esteeme that Christ dyed for him; we have no brother-hood with Reprobates, Christ dyed for all believers, John 17: so we esteem all men walking in the due profession of the Gospell, not manifesting the contrary: yet of these that many may perish, none ever denyed. Further, this, so shall he perish, referreth to the sin of him that layeth the offence, for ought that lyeth in him, he ruins him irrecoverably. Hence see their argument; The Apostle telleth persons walking offensively, that by this abusing their liberty others, will follow them to the wounding of their conscience and ruines, who are brethren acknowledged so by you, & such as for whom Christ dyed, therefore Christ dyed for all the reprobates in the world: is it just and equall saith the Apostle, that ye should doe such things as will be stumbling blocks in the way of the weake brother, at which he might stumble and fall? therefore Christ dyed for all: we doe not deny but that some may perish and that eternally, concerning whom we ought to judge that Christ dyed for them, whilest they live and converse with us according to the rule of the Gospel.
The next place is much insisted on, viz. 2 Pet 2. 1. There shall § IV be false teachers denying the Lord that bought them and bringing on 2 Pet. 2. 1.themselves swift destruction: All things here as to any proofe of the businesse in hand, are exceedingly darke, uncertaine and doubtfull, uncertaine that by the Lord is meant the Lord Christ; the word in the originall being foreign seldome or never ascribed to him; uncertaine whether the purchase or buying of these false teachers referre to the eternall Redemption by the the bloud of Christ, or a deliverance by Gods goodnesse from the defilement of the world in idolatry or the like, by the knowledge of the truth, which last the text expresly affirmes: uncertaine, whether the Apostle speaketh of this purchase according to the reality of the thing, according to their apprehension and their profession: On the other side it is most certaine, first, that there are no spirituall distinguishing fruits of Redemption ascribed to those false teachers, but onelyonly common guifts of light and knowledg, which Christ hath purchased for many for whom he did not make his soul a ransome. Secondly, That according to our adversaries, the Redemption of any by the bloud of Christ, cannot be a peculiar aggravation of the sinnes of any, because they say he dyed for all: and yet this buying of the false teachers is held out, as an aggravation of their sinne in particular. Of the former uncertanties whereon our adversaries build their inference of universall Redemption (which yet can by no meanes be wire-drawne thence, were they most certaine in their sence) I shall give a briefe account, and then speake something as to the proper intendment of the place.
For the first, it is most uncertaine whether Christ as Mediatour be here intended by Lord or no: there is not any thing in the text § V to inforce us so to conceive: Nay the contrary seemes apparent: first, because in the following verses, God onelyonly, as God, with his dealings towards such as these, is mentioned: of Christ not a word. Secondly the name foreign properly Herus, attended by dominion and soveraignety is not usually, if at all, given to our Saviour in the new-Testament, he is every where called foreign no where clearly foreign, as is the Father, Luke 2. 29. Acts 4. 24. and in diverse other places: besides if it should appeare that this name were given our Saviour in any one place, doth it therefore follow, that it must be so here? Nay is the name proper for our Saviour in the work of Redemption? foreign is such a Lord or Master as referres to the servants and subjection; the end of Christs purchasing any by his bloud being in the Scripture alwayes and constantly exprest in other termes of more endearment, it is then most uncertaine that Christ should be here under-stood by the word Lord.
But suppose he should, it is most uncertaine, that by buying of these false teachers, is meant his purchasing of them with the ransome of his bloud; for first, the Apostle insisteth on a comparison with the times of the old Testament, and the false Prophets that were then amongst the people, backing his assertion with diverse examples out of the old Testament, in the whole chapter following; now the word foreign here used, signifieth primarily the buying of things; translatitiously, the redemption of persons; and the word foreign in the old Testament answering thereunto: signifieth any deliverance as Deut. 7. 8. & 15. 15. Jer. 15. 21. with innumerable other places, and therefore some such deliverance is here onelyonly intimated. Secondly, Because here is no mention of bloud, death, price, or offering of Jesus Christ, as in other places, where proper redemption is treated on, especially some such expression is added, where the word foreign is used to expresse it as, 1 Cor. 6. 20. Rev. 5. 9. which otherwise holds out of it selfe deliverance in common from any trouble. Thirdly, The Apostle setting forth at large the deliverance they had, and the meanes thereof, verse 20. affirmes it, to consist in the escaping of the pollution of the world, as idolatry, false worship, and the like by the knowledge of our Lord, and Saviour Jesus Christ, plainly declaring that their buying, was onelyonly in respect of this seperation from the world, in respect of the enjoyment of the knowledge of the truth; but of washing in the bloud of the Lamb he is the wholy silent: plainly, there is no purchase mentioned of these false teachers, but a deliverance by Gods dispensations towards them, from the blindnesse of Judaisme or Paganisme, by the knowledge of the Gospell; whereby the Lord bought them to be servants to him as their supreame head. So that our Adversaries Argument from this place is this; God the Lord by imparting the knowledge of the Gospell, and working them to a professed acknowledgement of it, and subjection unto it, separated and delivered from the world divers that were Saints in shew, really Wolves and Hypocrites, of old ordained to condemnation; therefore Jesus Christ shed his bloud for the redemption and salvation of all Reprobates and damned persons in the whole world: Who would not admire our Adversaries Chimistry?
Thirdly, neither is it more certain, that the Apostle speaketh of the purchase of the wolves and hypocrites, in respect of the reality of the purchase, and not rather in respect of that estimation which others had of them, and by reason of their outward seeming profession, ought to have had, and of the profession that themselves made, to be purchased by him, whom they pretended to preach to others; as the Scripture saith, the Gods of Damascus smote him, because he himselfe so imagined and professed. 2 Chron. 28. 23. The latter hath this also to render it probable, viz. That it is the perpetuall course of the Scripture, to ascribe all those things to every one that is in the fellowship of the Church, which are proper to them onelyonly, who are true spirituall members of the same, as to be Saints, Elect, Redeemed, &c. Now the truth is, from this their profession, that they Were bought by Christ, might the Apostle justly, and that according to the opinion of our Adversaries, presse these false Teachers by the way of aggravating their sinne: for the thing it selfe, their being bought, it could bee no more urged to them than to Heathens and Infidells that never heard of the name of the Lord Jesus. Now after all this, if our adversaries can prove universall Redemption from this Text, let them never despaire of successe in any thing they undertake, be it never so absurd, fond or foolish: but when they have wrought up the worke already cut out for them, and proved first, that the Lord is meant Christ as Mediator. Secondly, that by buying, is meant spirituall Redemption by the bloud of the Lambe. Thirdly, that these false Teachers were really and effectually so redeemed, and not onelyonly so accounted, because of the Church. Fourthly, that those who are so redeemed may perish, contrary to the expresse Scripture Revel. 14. 4. Fiftly, manifest, the strength of this inference, some in the Church, who have acknowledged Christ to be their purchaser, fall away to blaspheme him and perish for ever; therfore Christ bought and redeemed all that ever did or shal perish. Sixtly, that that which is common to all, is a peculiar aggravation to the sin of any one more than others, I will assure them they shall have more worke provided for them, which themselves know for a good part already where to finde.
The last place produced for the confirmation of the Argument § VI in hand is Hebr, 10. 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose yee Heb. 10 29shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Sonne of God, and counted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despight to the spirit of grace. Nothing (say our Adversaries) could be affirmed of all this concerning Apostates, viz. That they trod under foot, &c. unlesse the bloud of Christ was in some sence shed for them.
Answ. The intention of the Apostle in this place, is the same with the generall aime and scope of the whole Epistle; to perswade and urge the Jewes, who had embraced the doctrine of the Gospell, to perseverance and continuance therein; this as hee doth performe in other places, with divers and various Arguments, the most of them taken from a comparison, at large instituted between the Gospel in its administration, and those legall shadowes, which, before their profession, they lived under, and were in bondage unto: so here, hee urgeth a strong argument to the same purpose ab incommodo, seu effectu pernitioso, from the miserable dangerous effects and consequences of the sinne of back-sliding, and wilfull renunciation of the truth knowne and professed, upon any motives & inducements whatsoever; which he assureth to be no lesse, than a totall casting off, and depriving themselves of all hopes and meanes of recovery, with dreadfull horror of Conscience in expectation of judgement to come, verse 26, 27. Now this he confirmes, as his manner is, in this Epistle from some thing, way and practise which was knowne to them, and wherewith they were all acquainted, by that administration of the covenant under which they had before lived in their Judaisme; and so makes up his inference from a comparison of the lesse; taking his example, from the punishment due by Gods owne appointment, to all them who transgressed Moses Law, in such a manner as Apostates sinne against the Gospell: that is, with an high hand and contemptuously; for such a one was to dye without mercy, Numb. 15. 30. 31. Whereupon, having abundantly proved, that the Gospell and the manifestation of grace therein, is exceedingly preferred to, and exalted above, the old Ceremonies of the Law, he concludes, that certainely (which he leaves to their judgement to determine) that much sorer punishment, awaits for them, who wilfully violate the holy Gospell, and despise the declaration of grace therein contained, and by it revealed: which further also to manifest, hee sets forth the nature and quality of this sinne, in all such as, professing redemption and deliverance by the bloud of Christ, shall wilfully cast themselves thereinto: it is, saith he, no lesse than to tread under foot, or contemne the Son of God, to esteem the bloud of the covenant, by which he was set a part and sanctified in the profession of the Gospel, to be as the bloud of a vile man, and thereby to despite the spirit of grace. This being (as is confessed) the plaine meaning and aime of the Apostle; we may observe sundry things for the vindication of this place from the abuse of our adversaries: as,
First, he speaketh here onelyonly of those that were professors of the faith of the Gospell, seperated from the world, brought into a Church, State and Fellowship, professing themselves to be sanctified by the bloud of Christ, receiving and owning Jesus Christ as the Sonne of God, and endued with the gifts of the holy Spirit, (as Chapter 6.) Now it is most certaine, that these things are peculiar onelyonly to some, yea to a very few, in comparison of the universality of the sonnes of men: so that what is affirmed of such onelyonly, can by no meanes bee so extended as to bee applyed unto all. Now, if any one may bee exempted, universall Redemption falleth to the ground: from the condition of a very few, with such qualifications as the multitude have not, nothing can be concluded concerning all.
Secondly, the Apostle doth neither declare what hath been, nor assert what may be; but onelyonly addes a commination upon a supposition of a thing; his maine aime being, to deterre from the thing, rather than to signifie that it may be, by shewing the misery that must needs follow, if it should so come to passe; when Paul told the Souldiers, Acts 27. that if the Mariners fled away in the Boat, they could not be saved, hee did not intend to signifie to them, that in respect of the event they should be drowned; for God had declared the contrary unto him the night before, and he to them; but onelyonly to exhort them to prevent that, which of it selfe was a likely way for their ruine and perishing. Neither shall the Remonstrants, with all their Rhetoricke, ever perswade us that it is in vain and altogether fruitlesse to forewarne men of an evill, and to exhort them to take heed of those wayes, whereby it is naturally, and according to the order among the things themselves to be incurred, although in respect of the purpose of God the thing it selfe have no futurition, nor shall ever come to passe: a commination of the judgement due to Apostacy, being an appointed means for the preserving of the Saints from that sinne may be held out to them, though it be impossible the Elect should be seduced. Now that Paul here deales onelyonly upon a supposition, (not giving being to the thing, but onelyonly shewing the connexion between apostacy and condemnation, thereby to stirre up all the Saints to take heed lest there should be in any of them an evill heart of unbeliefe to depart from the living God) is apparent from v. 26. where hee makes an entrance upon this Argument, and motive to perseverance; for if we sin wilfully: that believers may do so, he speaks not one word: but if they should do so, he shewes what would be the event; as that the souldiers in the ship should perish, Paul told them not, but yet shewed what must needs come to passe if the meanes of prevention were not used: now if this be the intention of the Apostle, as it is most likely, by his speaking in the first person if we sin wilfully, then not any thing in the world can be hence concluded, either for the universality of redemption, or the apostacy of Saints, to both which ends this place is usually urged; for, suppositio nil ponit in esse.
Thirdly, it is most certaine that these of whom he speakes, did make profession of all these things whereof here is mention, viz. that Jesus Christ was the Sonne of God, that they were sanctified by the bloud of the Covenant, and enlightned by the spirit of grace, yea, as it is apparent from the paralell place, Heb. 6. 4, 5. had many gifts of illumination, besides their initiation by baptisme, wherein, open profession and demonstration was made of these things: so that a renuntiation of all these, with open detestation of them, as was the manner of Apostates, accursing the name of Christ, was a sin of so deep an abomination, attended with so many aggravations, as might well have annexed to it this remarkable commination, though the Apostates never had themselves any true effectuall interest in the bloud of Jesus.
Fourthly, that it was the manner of the Saints and the Apostles themselves to esteem of all baptized initiated Persons, ingrafted into the Church as sanctified persons; so that speaking of Backsliders, he could not make mention of them any otherwise than as they were commonly esteemed to be, and at that time in the judgement of charitie were to bee considered: whether they were true Believers, or no, but onelyonly temporary, to whom this Argument against Apostacy is proposed, according to the usuall manner of speech used by the Holy Ghost, they could not be otherwise described.
Fiftly, if the Text be interpreted positively, and according to the truth of the thing it selfe, in both parts thereof, viz. 1. that these of whom the Apostle speaketh were truely sanctified, 2ly. that such may totally perish: then these two things will inevitably follow; First, that faith and sanctification is not the fruit of Election. Secondly, that Believsrs may fall finally from Christ; neither of which I as yet finde to bee owned by our new Universalists, though both contended for by our old Arminians.
Sixtly, there is nothing in the Text of force to perswade that the persons here spoken of, must needs be truely justified and regenerated believers, much lesse that Christ dyed for them, which comes in onelyonly by strained consequences; one expression onelyonly seemes to give any colour hereunto: that they were said to bee sanctified by the bloud of the Covenant: Now concerning this, if we do but consider, first the manner and custome of the Apostles writing to the Churches, calling them all Saints, that were called, ascribing that to every one that belonged onelyonly to some. Secondly, that these persons were baptized; which ordinance among the tients, was sometime called foreign illumination; sometime foreign sanctification) wherein by a solemne aspersion of the symbole of the bloud of Christ, they were externally sanctified, seperated and set apart, and were by all esteemed as Saints and Believers. Thirdly, the various signification of the word foreign (here used) in the Scripture, whereof one most frequent, is to consecrate and set apart to any holy use, as 2 Chron. 29. 23. Levit. 16. 4.
Fourthly, that Paul useth in this Epistle many words and phrases in a temple sense, alluding in the things and wayes of the Christian Church, unto the old legall observances. Fiftly, that supposed and professed sanctity, is often called so, and esteemed to bee so indeed: if I say we shall consider these things, it will be most apparent, that here is indeed, no true, reall, internall, effectuall sanctification, proper to Gods elect at all intimated, but onelyonly a common externall setting apart (with repute and esteeme of reall holinesse) from the wayes of the world, and customes of the old Synagogue, to an enjoyment of the Ordinance of Christ, representing the bloud of the Covenant; so that this commination being made to all, so externally and apparently sanctified, to them that were truely so, it declared the certaine connexion betweene apostacy and condemnation, thereby warning them to avoid it, as Joseph warned to flye into Egypt, lest Herod should slay the childe; which yet in respect of Gods purpose could not bee effected, in respect of them that were onelyonly apparently so, it held out the odiousnesse of the sinne, with their owne certaine inevitable destruction, if they fell into it, which it was possible they might doe.
And thus by the Lords assistance, have I given you (as I hope) a cleare solution to all the arguments which heretofore the Arminians pretended to draw from the Scripture in the defence of their Cause: some other Sophismes shall hereafter be removed; but because of late we have had a multiplication of Arguments on this subject, some whereof, at least in forme, appeare to be new, and may cause some trouble to the unskilfull: I shall in the next place remove all those Objections which T. M. in his Booke of the universality of free grace, hath gathered together against our maine Thesis, of Christs dying onelyonly for the Elect, which himselfe puts together in one bundle, Chapter 26. and calleth them Reasons.