Chapter II

WE enter now on our subject, and in the first place propose to consider the death of Christ as it is generally represented in the holy Scriptures, and ought to be regarded by us, as an universal remedy appointed by God, and applicable for salvation to the whole human race. Then we shall proceed to the other point in dispute respecting the death of Christ, and take into consideration how far it may be viewed as a particular remedy, by the special decree of God to be efficaciously and infallibly applied to the salvation of particular persons. Should we be able to elucidate these two points, it will have a considerable tendency both to remove the difficulties with which the controversy on the death of Christ is involved, and to assuage the heat of theologians who have been warmly engaged in polemic discussion. In the former of these views with regard to the death of Christ, several propositions will occur to be discussed, of which the first and chief, as the basis of the rest, may be stated in these words :

1. The death of Christ is represented in holy Scripture as an universal remedy, by the ordinance of God, and the nature of the thing itself, applicable for salvation to all and every individual of mankind. This proposition is first to be explained, then to be confirmed by testimonies and arguments, and lastly, to be defended against the objections which are brought against it. With respect to the explanation of the terms, when we speak of the death of Christ, we comprehend in it the whole obedience of Christ, active and passive, the completion of which, and as it were the last act, was effected in his death; on which account Divines are accustomed by synecdoche to attribute to his death what relates to his entire obedience. Whatever therefore Christ did, and whatever he suffered, from the cradle to the cross, the whole of the meritorious and satisfactory work of the Redeemer we comprehend in our proposition to be allied to and connected with his death. Thus the Apostle, in Rom. v. 19, makes the obedience of Christ, universally considered, the cause of man’s salvation, By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. And in Phillip. ii. 7, 8, when it is said, That he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, the Apostle does not exclude from his meritorious work any part of the antecedent obedience of Christ, but rather considers it included, and teaches that this meritorious obedience of Christ began at that time when he took the form of a servant, and was consummated when he offered himself on the cross. Under the word death, then, we comprehend that infinite treasure of merits which the Mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, by doing and suffering, procured and laid up for our benefit. Again, when we say that this death or this merit ts represented in the holy Scriptures as the universal cause of salvation, we mean, That according to the will of God explained in his word, this remedy is proposed indiscriminately to every individual of the human race for salvation, but that it cannot savingly profit any one without a special application. For an universal cause of salvation, or an universal remedy, includes these two things: first, that of itself it can cure and save all and every individual: secondly, that for the production of this determinate effect in each individual it should require a determinate application. Not unaptly, therefore, did Aquinas say, The death of Christ is the universal cause of salvation, as the sin of the first man may be said to be the universal cause of damnation. But tt is necessary that an universal cause should be applied particularly to each individual, that its proper effect may be experienced. Further, what we maintain in our proposition, that this universal cause of salvation is applicable to all and every individual of mankind, at once excludes the apostate angels, to whom (whatsoever may be thought of the intrinsic value and sufficiency of this remedy) according to the revealed will of God, its universality is not extended. Nor even with respect to men can it be extended so universally as to be applicable to every one under every state and circumstance. For it is not applicable to the dead or the damned, but to the living: nor to the living under every condition, but under the conditions ordained by God. The death of Christ was not applicable to Peter for salvation, ?f Peter had persisted in denying Christ to the last. And the same death of Christ was capable of application to Judas, if Judas had repented and believed in Christ. For this cause, therefore, we have not merely said that it is applicable to all and every individual of mankind, but on this being added, from the ordination of God, and the nature of the thing. For there is in the Gospel a certain ordination of God, according to which the death of Christ is applicable to all and every living man; which cannot be truly affirmed of demons or the damned. To this those words in the conference at the Hague seem to relate, in which the Contra-remonstrants endeavoured to shew some difference between the state of the devils and certain unbelievers. For the devils, they say, a Mediator was not given or ordained, but for men (page 154). A little after, Unbelievers, although they have deserved condemnation. yet there is at present some way and means through which they may avoid it, namely, if they should believe (page 155). Any sinner may know, even before he departs this life, that Christ died for him also, as far as pertains to the sufficiency of his merits, and also as to their application, provided only he should believe in him (page 156). Such are their sentiments. In which it is taken for granted, that the death of Christ is, according to the mode prescribed by God, applicable to any living person. And should it be objected, that it is not applicable to any person remaining in impenitence and unbelief, let it be remembered that the nonapplication in such cases arises not from the limitation of the remedy, but because the only mode of application appointed by God is obstinately rejected. For no remedy can be available if its application be obstinately refused and pertinaciously rejected even to the last.

Once more let it be observed, we do not affirm that the death of Christ at the moment of his dissolution, was actually applied to all and every individual of mankind, nor that after his oblation it was infallibly to be applied, but that, according to the appointment of God, it is applicable to all. For God hath ordained that it should be applicable to every individual through faith, but he hath not determined to give that faith to every individual, by which it may be infallibly applied. Why he should give this medium of application to some and not give it to others, ought not to be inquired, since it cannot be solved; but must be referred to the secret will of God. This may suffice for the explanation of our proposition: Let us now proceed to the proof of it.

And here it is to be shewn, not from human reason or fancy, but from the holy Scriptures, that the death of Christ, according to the will of God, is an universal remedy, by the Divine appointment, and the nature of the thing itself, applicable for salvation to all and every individual of mankind. From many testimonies I shall select a few:

1. The principal is that of John iii. 16, God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life. It is not difficult to deduce every particular of the aforementioned proposition from these words. For, in the first place, Christ given up by the Father to death, is here proposed as an universal remedy provided for the whole world. Then this panacea of the death of Christ is declared applicable for salvation to every man, and the manner or condition of the application is at the same time shewn in those words, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish. From this testimony we incontrovertibly conclude, that the death of Christ by the ordination of God is applicable to every man, and would be applied if he should believe in Christ. Shew me an individual of the human race to whom the minister of the Gospel may not truly say ; God hath so loved thee, that he gave his only begotten Son, that if thou shouldest believe in him, thou shalt not perish but have everlasting life. This, on the certainty of his believing, might be announced to any individual. Therefore the death of Christ is applicable to every man according to this will and ordination of God. I know that some learned and pious Divines, by the world here understand the world, or whole body of the elect, and rely on this argument, that it is said, the Son of God was given. that whosoever believeth in him should not perish: and the elect alone are they who so believe in Christ that they should not perish, but have everlasting life. But I answer, that nothing else can be inferred from hence, than that the death of Christ brings salvation eventually to the elect alone, and is actually applied by means of faith: but it cannot be inferred that it was not a remedy applicable to others, and by the ordination of God to be applied, if they should believe. We will illustrate this by a case in some measure parallel. Suppose that all the inhabitants of a certain city laboured under some epidemic and mortal disease; that the King sent to them an eminent physician furnished with a most efficacious medicine, and caused it to be publicly proclaimed, that all should be cured that were willing to make use of this medicine. Doubtless we might truly say of this king, that he so loved that city, as to send his own most skilful physician to it; that all who were willing to attend to his advice, and take his medicine, should not die, but recover their former health. But if any should object that this physician was sent only to those who should follow his prescriptions, and that his medicine was applicable by the appointment of the king only to those who were willing to take it, he would in reality not only make the beneficence of the king appear less illustrious, but affirm what was evidently false. For medical assistance was offered to all, without any previous condition on the part of the person sent, or of the sick ; healing medicine applicable to all without exception was provided. The willingness to receive the physician and take the medicine had no connexion with the intention of the Sovereign in sending the medical assistance, but with the certain restoration of health.

The antient Fathers seem to have been much pleased with this similitude. Prosper has respect to it, when Vincentius objected, That according to the opinion of Augustine, our Lord Jesus Christ did not suffer for the salvation and redemption of all men, he replies, For the disease of original sin, by which the nature of all men is corrupted, the death of the Son of God is a remedy. And a little after, This cup of immortality has indeed in itse’f this virtue that it may benefit all men, but if it be not taken it will not heal. Our faith therefore is required not merely to assent to the proposition, that God has given or ordained his Son to be a remedy for us, but that being given and ordained, He should be received by us to the obtaining of eternal life. Rhemi and Haimo enlarge the aforesaid similitude on those words Hebrews ti. That he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Whom, if you please, you may consult.

2. The second testimony is derived from two passages conjointly considered and compared. The first is John iii, 17, 18, God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth in him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed tn the name of the only begotten Son of God. Let us annex to these words those of John xii. 47, 48,. If any man hear my words and believe not, I judge him not, for I came not to judge the world but to save the world. He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him; the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. In these words we learn that the Son of God was sent by the Father, that he might bring an universal remedy applicable to the whole world. Nor can the sense be restrained to the world of the elect. For, first, this world, to save which Christ was sent is divided into believers and unbelievers. But the world of the elect consists only of believers, or at least, of those who shall ultimately believe. Secondly, because some will be condemned, to save whom it is here affirmed Christ was sent. But none of the elect shall be damned. Thirdly, because those who are here declared to be condemned, are said to have come under condemnation because they have not believed in the only begotien Son of God, or, because they have rejected him. In which manner of speaking, it is implied in a way sufficiently perspicuous, that he was offered to them by God, and sent to save them. But how, or in what sense can we rightly understand that Christ was sent to save those who perish by their own fault, that is, through their own unbelief? Not otherwise than is expressed in our proposition; namely, that the death of Christ is an universal cause of salvation appointed by God and applicable to every man on the condition of faith, which condition these by their own voluntary wickedness have despised. Thus did Calvin understand these words; for on John iii. he has observed, That the word wonup is repeated again and again, that no one might suppose that he should be driven away, if he kept the way of faith. And on John xii. 47, he has observed, In order that the minds of all men might be inclined to repentance, salvation is here offered to all men without distinction, It appears, therefore, from these passages, that the death of Christ is to be proposed and considered as a remedy, applicable to all men for salvation, by the appointment of God, although it may be rejected by the unbelieving.

3. The third testimony we produce from Acts xiii. 38, &c. Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man (Jesus Christ) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins ; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken of tu the prophets, Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish. Then, in the 46th verse, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put at from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo! we turn to the Gentiles. From which words it is evident, That, by the appointment of God, the death of Christ is proposed and offered to mankind without distinction, as a remedy applicable to each and every man for the obtaining of remission and eternal life. It is plain, also, that according to the will and appointment of God, this remedy was applicable, not only to those to whom it is actually applied through faith, but even to the despisers, who rejected Christ and eternal life by their unbelief. And from the 48th verse it likewise appears, that faith itself, (by means of which the divinely appointed remedy applicable to all, is actually applied to some) is not found in unbelievers through their own fault, and is produced in them that believe through the special favour of a merciful God. And here the mystery of election at length presents itself. But let us not by an unreasonable and too deep speculation into an awful subject, draw a veil over that Divine philanthropy from which has emanated a remedy applicable to all and every individual of sinners, though certainly effectual only to all those who believe.

4. The fourth testimony is contained in 2 Cor. v. 19, 20, God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them: and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. — it is to be observed in the first place, That the Apostle here lays down what he calls reconciliation procured from God through the mediation of Christ, as a common benefit for the whole world. And indeed to have reconciled the world generally can mean nothing else than to have ordained and granted to the world that universal remedy or propitiatory sacrifice of the death of Christ, which is applicable to all; Secondly, It is proper to observe, in what sense God is said. actually to have reconciled the world to himself, by the merit of the offering of Christ, namely, because the sacrifice of Christ being made, he will not impute their trespasses unto them; that is, He will not require from any man that he should make satisfaction for his own sins, that being impossible ; nor, further, will he punish any one for his sins who shall make use of this propitiatory sacrifice. And lastly, it is to be remarked, that this reconciliation, this not imputing of sins, of which the Apostle speaks, is considered as performed on the part of God and Christ, as soon as Christ is understood to have laid down his life for the sins of the world. But on the part of sinful men there remains the Ministry of the Gospel, by which it is made known to men; there remains that the Gospel should be believed, before men are brought as it were into the actual possession of this grace. And on this account the Apostle subjoined, after he had said that God in Christ reconciled the world to himself, nevertheless it behoved Ministers to discharge their embassy, and exhort all to be reconciled to God. From all which it appears, as we submitted in our proposition, that the death of Christ was ordained by God and preached by the Apostles as a remedy applicable according to the will of God, to all men for reconciliation and salvation; although, in order that men should be actually reconciled, there is need of previous repentance and faith. So Aquinas understood this passage, Be ye reconciled to God. This, says he, seems to be contrary to that which he said, God hath reconciled us to himself; for if he himself hath reconciled, what necessity is there that we should reconcile, for we are already reconciled. To this it is to be said, that God hath reconciled us to himself as the efficient cause, namely, on his own part; but that it may be advantageous to us, it is needful also that reconciliation should be made on our part. But Musculus has explained this whole passage so clearly, that we should be sorry not to bring forward his words: God, says he, reconciled to himself the whole human race, which was, and is, and will be from the beginning to the end of the world, when he gave his Son to death for all, Then again, after a few words: God reconciled the world to himself in Christ, not tmputing to them their sins, as far as relates to the work of reconciliation itself — prepared and sufficient for reconciling the whole human race. But since reconciliation cannot take place between the unwilling, the Ministry of reconciliation was appointed by God himself, by which all are called and invited heartily to embrace this grace. If the whole world would embrace it, certainly the whole world would be reconciled to God, all imputation of sins being removed, and would be saved, nor would any mortal perish. Lastly, this also is added; That the ministers of this reconciliation should preach nothing else than the reconciliation made by God, and so made that he might reconcile the world to himself through Christ, not imputing to them their trespasses. To preach this grace faithfully, and to call every one to repentance and faith in Christ, is to preach the word of reconciliation. Thus far Musculus. Those, therefore, who altogether apply themselves and adhere to the secret of predestination, so as at the same time to fritter away, and evidently to subvert this reconciliation of the world, overturn also the ground of our preaching the Gospel, which consists in this chiefly, that we assure every man, that God is so reconciled to him by the death of Christ, that if he believes in Christ, he will not impute to him his trespasses, but will bestow upon him eternal life. This work, confirmed on the part of God and Christ, is called the reconciliation and redemption of the world, although He hath not willed that the unbelieving and impenitent should be reconciled and redeemed. ‘Thus Prosper speaks (ad Capit. Gallor. object. 9.) The Redeemer of the world gave his own blood for the world, and the world would not be redeemed. Thus the Church of England speaks in the 31st Article, The offering of Christ once made is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, . both original and actual; and there is no other satisfaction for sin, but that alone. Thus also St. Paul speaks, when he says, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, that is, God, by giving his Son to death, himself supplied for his enemies an asylum of reconciliation, to which whosoever flees for refuge, has God so appeased and reconciled through the benefit of it, that he will at once receive him into his favour.

5. The fifth testimony is derived from the epistle to the Hebrews (chap. ii. 3, and iv. 1, 2, &c.) How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him, &c. Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them, but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. From the whole of this discourse of the Apostle, it appears, in the first place, that in the Gospel, salvation is offered promiscuously to all those to whom it is preached; for on this very account it is called salvation. Then it appears, that this salvation which is laid up in Christ, and offered to men in the Gospel, is neglected and repelled by many, namely, by all unbelievers who have not faith in the promises of the Gospel. Lastly, it also appears, that this neglect and unbelief is the true cause which prevents the ungodly from obtaining the rest of the Lord, that is, which deprives them of eternal life offered to them in Christ. But none of these things can be said truly and seriously unless it is presupposed that salvation through the death of Christ is applicable to all men, according to the appointment of God. For who can properly be said to have neglected salvation, that is, the cause of salvation appointed and prepared by God, which never was prepared or appointed for him, or applicable to him? Or how does this neglect and unbelief exclude them from a participation in the salvation offered through Christ, who were entirely excluded from it on account of a defect of the appointment of God? We must therefore admit that there must necessarily be some appointment of God, according to which, Christ, as a cause of salvation, was applicable to them who fell from salvation by their own fault.

The last testimony is deduced from those passages combined, in which the will of Christ in dying is declared to be of such extent as to be the procuring cause of salvation to all. Of this description are, 2 Cor. v. 14, One died Jor all. 1 Tim. ii. 6, Who gave himself a ransom for all. Heb. ii. 9, That he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. And 1 John ii. 2, He ts the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. Y omit other texts. These and such like passages, although the conclusion of some of the Remonstrants cannot be inferred from them, namely, That by this death of Christ reconciliation and remission of sins were acquired or obtained for each and every man: Or, That each and every man was restored into a state of grace and salvation by the death of Christ itself: nevertheless they prove in a manner sufficiently strong what we intend, That this death: of Christ was appointed and ordained by God and Christ for an universal cause of salvation, or an universal remedy for all men, applicable to the obtaining of reconciliation and remission. I do not therefore see by what right or what necessity some divines limit passages of this kind, in which Christ is plainly affirmed to have suffered for all, to the elect alone, or to the whole body of the elect alone, when in the aforesaid sense they may be most truly extended to all other persons. For nothing hinders but that that may be applicable to all by some Divine appointment which, from the predestination of God, is infallibly to be applied only to the elect. For they grant that dogma of ‘ the Remonstrants (Colloq. Hagiens. p. 139) That Christ died not for the elect alone, but also for other men, if it be understood only of the sufficiency of the merits of Christ ; but if only of reconciliation effectually or actually produced, they deny it. This is enough for me. For they will never rightly defend the alone-sufficiency of the death of Christ as to all, unless they confess at the same time that it is applicable to all for salvation, according to the appointment of God. Since it is foolishly and falsely asserted, that He died for all sufficiently, who is affirmed to have died only for the elect; because the word sufficiently is not a diminishing term, nor does it take away the truth of the thing affirmed. But more will be said respecting this, when we come to our second proposition. Hitherto we have contended from the testimonies of Scripture. Next we shall from certain arguments very solidly founded (as it appears to us) in the Scriptures. -

1. That death which brings some spiritual advantages even to those who are not saved, is not applicable to the elect alone: but the death of Christ brings advantages even to some who will not be saved. For the clearer understanding of the major, I now add that which I mentioned in the beginning, That under the name of the death of Christ, we include all that accumulation of the meritorious obedience of Christ, to which his death put as it were the last finish. For it is this infinite merit of the Mediator Christ, which God the Father beholds, when he bestows any spiritual benefit upon lost and miserable mortals in order to eternal salvation. If, therefore, it should be found, that even the non-elect receive certain benefits of this kind from the merit of Christ, then it will be evident that the death of Christ, as to some of its effects at least, is not only applicable to all men generally, but is actually applied to some who will not be saved. Let us proceed, then, to the proof of the minor, which alone can be doubted. In the first place, I ask, is it not to be esteemed of considerable advantage, that God should deign to call many even of the non-elect to repentance and faith, and, under the condition of faith, to eternal life? It is esteemed so, truly, by God himself, who calls the preaching of the Gospel, the word of life, (John vi. 68, Acts v. 20) the grace of God which bringeth salvation (Tit. ii. 11). Who says, Jt behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day, that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations (Luke xxiv. 46, 47). Who, lastly, calls this preaching of the Gospel, a treasure (2 Cor. iv. 7), and pronounces the feet of them that preach the Gospel beautiful (Rom. x. 15), and threatens the taking it away as the greatest punishment (Matt. xxi. 43), and declares that they shall be most severely punished who have despised and rejected this so great benefit. Luke x. 11, and 2 Thess. i. 8. All these things shew that the Gospel is a supernatural benefit granted even to those who abuse it. Secondly, if any one should obstinately deny that the preaching of the Gospel is a benefit granted by God to the non-elect ; yet no one would deny, that the enlightening of the mind, tasting of the heavenly gift, communication of other supernatural gifts, which are mentioned in Hebrews vi. are great and supernatural benefits, and conferred not for this corporeal, but for that spiritual life. But all these things are frequently given to those who are not of the number of the elect ; and they are given through and for the sake of Christ: For, Out of his fulness have all we received (John i. 16), and, To every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Ephes. vi. 7. Moreover, of some supernatural gifis we rightly: say with the Apostle, All these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 1 Cor. xii. 11. To which I add, Whatever supernatural grace is given through Christ to any man, is given from the merit of Christ: for Christ does not confer any thing upon men which he hath not first merited for them by his obedience. Thus Bernard says (Serm. 13 in Cant.), Whatsoever wisdom, whatsoever virtue you think you have, attribute it to Christ, the virtue of God, the wisdom of God. The source of fountains and rivers is the sea: the source of virtue and knowledge is our Lord Jesus Christ. Ambrose speaks more generally on Ephesians i. Every gift of the grace of God is in Christ. ^o Lastly, even this is clear, that, in the opinion at least of all the antients, the death of Christ is, from the ordination of God, applicable also to the non-elect, because they expressly taught that it was applied in baptism for the remission of original sin to every baptised infant. Here is a principal and supernatural effect of the death of Christ, of the application of which to the non-predestinate there was no doubt in the antient Church, not even among those who held absolute predestination most rigidly. A very important witness to this is Prosper himself (Resp. 2. ad Capit. Gallor. & Sentent. 2. on the same capitula. To whom we may add the African Fathers, in their Synodical Epistle, and the Council of Valence, in the 5th Canon. By this first argument therefore we prove. that the meritorious efficacy of the death of Christ is not to be restricted to the elect alone, but is applicable to others from the ordination of God, and is actually applied as to certain effects.

2. He who by undergoing death by the ordination of God sustained the punishment due not only to the sins of certain individual persons, but of the whole human race ; His passion, by virtue of the same ordination, is applicable not only to certain definite persons, but to every individual of the human race. But Christ by dying sustained the punishment due to the sins of the world: Therefore, he willed that his death should be, as it were, an universal cause of salvation applicable to all. He who denies the major, is bound to shew why God willed that his Son should bear the sins of the human race, if he was unwilling to appoint in his death a cause at least applicable to the human race, although the application would not follow in many. We cannot conceive any other causes of this, than that it should please the Divine goodness and wisdom to exact from our Redeemer, and as it were to receive into his own hands, an universal ransom applicable to all. Ist. That in its application the liberty of the Divine will, doing what he will with his own, and his special kindness towards the elect, might more eminently appear. 2dly. That he might afford a specimen of great mercy towards the non-elect, at least towards those who are called into the church. 3dly. That unbelievers might be convinced in their own consciences, that a mode of liberating them was not wanting on the part of Christ, but that they were wanting to themselves, according to the saying of Christ, John v. 40, Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life. Now let us descend to the minor, in which it is affirmed, that Christ sustained the punishment due to the sins of the human race. Thus the Scriptures speak, AZ we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all, Isaiah lii. 6, Thus the Fathers speak, The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is the ransom of the whole world, from which they are excluded, who, either being delighted with their captivity are unwilling to be redeemed, or after redemption have returned to the same slavery. Prosper ad Capit. Gallor. sent. super. 9. Thus our Church of England, Article 2, Christ truly suffered, was crucified, dead and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for actual sins of men. Lastly, they cannot deny this who are most accustomed to limit the death of Christ. The reverend and most learned Pareus¹ in his judgment of the second article of the Remonstrants, which he transmitted to the Synod of Dort, has these words, The cause and matter of the passion of Christ was the sense and sustaining of the anger of God excited against the sin, not of some men, but of the whole human race ; whence it arises, that the whole of sin and of the wrath of God against 3! was endured by Christ, but the whole of reconciliation was not obtained or restored to all. Act. Synod. Dordrect. p. 217. The force of the argument is, He who willed and ordained that Christ the Mediator should sustain the wrath of God due to the sins not of certain persons, but of the whole human race, He willed that this passion of Christ should be a remedy applicable to the human race, that is, to each and every man, and not only to certain individual persons ; supreme power being nevertheless left to himself, and full liberty of dispensing and applying this infinite merit according to the secret good pleasure of his will.²³

3. Whoever from the ordination of God may be called to believe in the Mediator, and they who by believing may obtain eternal life, to them the death of Christ from the previous ordination of God is applicable for salvation : But every living person may be called to believe in the Mediator, and by believing, according to the evangelical covenant, may obtain eternal life: Therefore, the death of Christ is applicable to every living person. The connexion of the major appears from hence, that a real call to believe presupposes an object prepared in which to believe, and this very possibility of being saved by believing implies a saving object, that is, That the death or merit of Christ was ordained as a remedy applicable to him to whom such a benefit is promised under the condition of faith. For if he should be called to faith in Christ to whom Christ was. not applicable from the ordination of God, faith would be required in a false object, or rather in none at all as to the ‘person called. For it would be the same as if the preacher of the Gospel should call upon a devil in human form, and living among men, to believe in Christ, and should promise eternal life to him, if he would believe. Such a call would be erroneous on the part of the person calling, and useless on the part of the called; because he is called to believe in Christ, to whom Christ from the ordination of God is not applicable ; and salvation is promised to him under a condition, to whom, although he should be supposed to believe, salvation would nevertheless be denied on account of a defect of the sacrifice and covenant pertaining to him. This is not the case with any living person; therefore it must be confessed that the death of Christ is applicable to every one under the conditions of the evangelical covenant. The major being proved, I pass to the minor, which ought to be incontrovertible among. all the orthodox. For although the providence of God does not procure that every individual should know the Gospel, and so that all should be called to Christ; yet God himself has appointed that the Gospel should be a thing really to be announced to all. do and preach to every P creature. If any one preacher could go over the whole world, and come to every individual mortal, it would be lawful for him to offer Christ to every man, and, under the condition of faith, to announce and promise salvation to be obtained through Christ. For thus the Apostle himself speaks, Romans ii. 21, 22, Now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets ; even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe, for there is no difference. The most learned Belgic Professors, in their judgment exhibited at the Synod of Dort, confess the same thing (Act. Synod. Dordr. p. 88). We confess, say they, that the merit and value of the death of Christ is not only sufficient to expiate all, even the greatest sins of men, but also those of the whole posterity of Adam, although there should be many more to be saved, provided they embraced it with a true faith. But it would not be sufficient to save all, even if all should believe, unless it be true that by the ordination of God this death is an appointed remedy applicable to all. If it be denied that Christ died for some persons, it will immediately follow, that such could not be saved by the death of Christ, even if they should believe. What is usually answered to this argument by some, viz. That God has not commanded his ministers to announce that Christ died for every individual, whether they believe or not, — but only for believing and penitent sinners, and therefore it cannot be demonstrated from the universality of the call, that the death of Christ is, according to the ordination of God, an universal remedy applicable to all, seems to me to be said very inconsiderately. For faith is not previously required in mankind, as a condition, which makes Christ to have died for them, but which makes the death of Christ, which is applicable to all from the Divine loving-kindness to man, actually applied and beneficial to individuals. The death of Christ was a sacrifice established in the Divine mind, and ordained for men from the beginning of the world; nor could it profit any one if he should believe, unless it had been offered for him before he believed. When therefore we announce to any one, that the death of Christ would profit him if he believed, we presume that it was destined for him, as applicable before he believed.

4. If all men, as soon as the doctrine of the Gospel concerning Christ the Redeemer enduring death on account of the sins of mankind, is made known to them, are bound to be grateful and obedient to Christ, then it is certain that this work of the Redeemer in offering himself as a sacrifice to God, is to be considered as a benefit generally applicable to all; for there is no cause why we should say that they are bound to gratitude, or to the duties of obedience, on account of the death of Christ, who are altogether excluded from that benefit: But an Apostle testifies that every man may be excited to obedience by this argument. For to all men, after this mystery of the death of Christ has been opened to them, that may be truly said which is contained in 1 Cor. vi. 20, Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. And also in 2 Cor. v. 15, He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again. Unless the death of Christ be understood as a remedy applicable to all, the foundation on which the ministers of the Gospel build exhortations of this kind, will be always uncertain, and often false: Always uncertain, because it cannot be known by men who are the elect. Often false, as often indeed as it is exhibited to the non-elect, who by this kind of redemption are not bound to live to Christ, unless it be presupposed that the sacrifice offered by Christ for the redemption of the world was for them. Moreover, Christ could not claim for himself any supreme dominion over each and every man in right of his death, unless the merit of his death were, according to the ordination of God, applicable to all for salvation. Since, then, To this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living, Romans xiv. 9, we ought, to extend his death to all, at least as to the right and power of a saving application; although the Spirit of Christ (who bloweth where he listeth) gives to men the faculty and will of applying, as well as the benefit of the death applied, according to the decree of his special mercy.

5. That work which truly and deservedly, as soon as it is understood to have been agreed upon between God the Father and the Son, gives to Christ the name of the Redeemer of the world and Saviour of the world, is to be acknowledged as an universal cause of salvation, or an universal remedy, applicable to the whole human race: But such was the work of the obedience of Christ unto the death of the cross ; Therefore it is applicable to the whole human race. The major is confirmed from hence, that on account of the price paid, Christ would be only a partial Redeemer and Saviour, if the price paid were not, according to the ordination of God, applicable to every individual of the human race. We therefore, who give to Christ the title of Redeemer and Saviour of the world, ought at the same time to grant, that this redemption from whence he is so named, was the payment of the price due for the liberating of the human race; which so far avails with God, that he cannot require any other satisfaction in order to reconcile any man to himself; and it is so far profitable to us all, that any sinner may be delivered, provided he should believe in this Redeemer, and (what in respect to remedies ought to be done) should apply to himself this saving medicine by faith. In this sense we truly say, that Christ died for all men, and that this death of Christ, or redemption acquired by his death, is a merit applicable to all men individually, which cannot in any way be affirmed of the fallen angels. Christ Jesus is, therefore, the Redeemer and Saviour of all men causally, as the Schoolmen say, that is, by instituting and supplying a sufficient cause, ordained and accepted by God, for expiating the sins of all those who are willing to make use of this remedy. This is a sufficient foundation for the title of universal Saviour and Redeemer, although the will of believing is not given to all. Now let us go to the minor, which is so plain that it does not need any laborious proof. The Scriptures, by yiewing this death of Christ as applicable to all, call him, the Saviour of the world ; John iv. 42, This is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. They call the death of Christ, a ransom for all, 1 Tim. ii. 6, given for the redemption of all, and the propitiation for the si;s of the whole world, 1 John ii. 2. The Catholic church also, in her public prayers, has always named Christ the Redeemer of the world. But lest any one should pervert titles of this kind to that sense, as if Christ were called the Redeemer of the world because he hath effectually redeemed the elect dispersed through the whole world, I add this at the last, that both the Fathers and modern writers have asserted, that Christ is the Redeemer of the world in the sense laid down by us, namely, because his death is a ransom from the ordination of God applicable to all men individually. To this those words of Prosper apply (Ad Object. Vincentian.: Resp. 1.) On account of one nature of all and one cause of all undertaken in truth by our Lord, all are rightly said to be redeemed, although all are not delivered from captivity. And a little after, The cup of immortality which is made up of our infirmity and Divine virtue, hath indeed in itself what may be beneficial to all, but if it is not drunk, it does not heal. Those words of Musculus before quoted refer to the same thing (Common-places, p. 151). We know that all do not become partakers of this redemption, but the perdition of those who are not saved does not prevent it from being called universal redemption. For it does not arise from any defect in the grace of God that reprobates do not receive it, nor is it just that on account of the sons of perdition it should lose the glory and title of universal redemption, since it is prepared for all and all are ealled to it. From all which it appears, that Christ is rightly called the Redeemer and Saviour of the world, because he has brought to the whole human race a remedy applicable to the procuring. of the salvation of every individual.

6. If it was the counsel and will of God, that Christ by dying should pay to Him a most full, perfect, and sufficient satisfaction, not only to deliver those who believe in the benefit of God, and thus eventually are saved, but also for those who continue in unbelief through their own fault, and thus eventually are condemned, then it must be confessed that this death of Christ is a remedy from the nature of the thing, and the ordination of God, applicable to all: But such was the counsel and will of God; which is evinced from the Divine promises, which make known his will to us. For God has promised salvation, under the condition of faith and repentance, even to those who would never perform those conditions. . Thus remission is promised to Cain, if he should repent. Gen. iv. 7. Which salvation, or remission of sins, conditionally promised to such a person, clearly proves that a cause of salvation was procured and applicable to the same person, under the aforesaid condition. The same is evinced in that God in the work of redemption hath so ordered his counsel that no man can truly complain that he perished through a defect in the expiatory sacrifice. But he to whom the death of Christ is not applicable for salvation as a remedy according to the will of God, may not less truly affirm that a sacrifice was wanting for him, than for the wicked angels, for whom under no condition is the death of Christ ordained. And this is that counsel which the Pharisees are said to have despised. Luke vii. 30.

7. If according to the order and nature of the things themselves, and our consideration of them, the death and merit of Christ is to be assumed as a thing ordained and destined by God for the good of the human race before it can be understood for whom faith was destined, then it is necessary to consider it as a cause of salvation applicable to all before it be determined that it is applied or infallibly to be applied to this or that person. “The argument of the consequence is this, That it is understood that the death or merit of Christ is not applied, nor to be applied to any one, until it is presupposed that faith is granted or to be granted to him. And on the contrary, the death of Christ is considered to be applicable to any one, before it is conceived that faith is denied or to be denied to him for ever. Now 1 add the minor, namely, that the death or merit of Christ, in his infinite mercy, ought to be considered as a thing determined on and destined for men before faith is destined for any individual persons. Which appears, in the first place, because the death or merit of Christ is the object of faith. But to what purpose would have been the gift of faith to Peter or Paul, unless a saving remedy had first been ordained applicable to any one through faith? Further, faith, like all other saving gifts, is conferred upon men on account of Christ and through his merit; therefore, in the order of the Divine decrees, the death of Christ precedes the faith of every Christian. To this those words of the Divines of the Palatinate refer, in their judgment exhibited at the Synod of Dort (Art. Synod. Dordrecht. page 88), The faith of the elect does not precede, but follows the death of Christ, because his death is the cause of faith, on account of which the elect are given to Christ, and the object of faith, which it beholds and embraces. Finally, it is decreed, that through the death of the second Adam, salvation is procurable for all men who are lost in the first Adam, before it is decreed to whom it may be given effectually and infallibly, and to whom it may not be given. It is to be confessed, therefore, that the Mediator Jesus Christ, with his death and the infinite treasure of his merits, is, from the ordination of God, applicable for salvation to the whole human race, although the most free, most just, most secret good pleasure of God intervenes, according to which he determines that faith (through means of which application is made) should be infallibly given to certain persons and not given to others. But why, in dispensing the treasure of the merits of Christ, which is sufficient for and applicable to all men individually, he acts so unequally with persons in equal circumstances, we ought not to inquire, since we cannot ascertain, but with the Apostle acquiesce in the secret will of God, He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Romans ix. 18. No one hath first given to him, that it should be recompensed unto him again. Romans xi. 35.

8. The last argument is taken from a comparison of the twofold covenant, and according to it, of a twofold ordination of men to salvation. As, therefore, in the covenant of nature, that is, the agreement with Adam at the time of creation, salvation was procurable by Adam and all his posterity under the condition of obedience to be paid to the law of nature, and to the express commandment of God; so in the covenant of grace, which was confirmed by the blood of the Mediator, salvation is also understood to be procurable for all men under the condition published in the Gospel, that is, of faith in this Mediator, who hath made satisfaction for the sins of the human race. Moreover, as in the first covenant, God, who ordained salvation as procurable for Adam and his posterity, yet did not predestinate that either Adam himself or any of his posterity should be really saved by that covenant; so God, who in the second covenant ordained salvation as procurable for all under the condition of faith, yet hath not predestinated to give to all men individually this faith, by which they might infallibly obtain salvation. But lest the blood of the Son of God should flow, and through the fault of the human will the same should happen in the second covenant which had happened in the first, namely, that no one should enjoy the benefit of it, God resolved with himself a more deep and secret counsel, and determined of his mere and special mercy to give to some persons the ability and will to fulfil the aforesaid condition of faith, and further, that they should actually and infallibly fulfil it. But now, as he would be unjust towards God who should deny that salvation was ordained by God as procurable for Adam and his posterity under the covenant of nature; so he is more unjust towards Christ, who denies that his death was ordained by God, as a remedy for salvation applicable to all under the condition of the new covenant, although many do not obtain salvation by means of it. God himself gave to the world this remedy applicable to all mankind individually ; let the world concede to God the liberty of applying it, as it may seem good to his wisdom and justice. Those who think in this manner of the death of Christ do not take away that common loving-kindness of God, of which the Scripture testifies ; and yet at the same time they contend, that as many as are saved by the merit of the death of Christ, are saved by special and undeserved grace; and that as many as are not saved, perish through their own unbelief, or at least, through their own fault. I omit bringing forward any more arguments to corroborate this our opinion. Let us now attend to what is wont to be objected on the other side.