Archive for the ‘Sufficient for All, Efficient for the Elect’ Category

17
May

William Lyford (1598-1653) on the Sufficiency of Christ’s Death

   Posted by: CalvinandCalvinism

[notes below]

Lyford:

Now because the Scriptures speaking of redemption, purchased by Christ’s death, do sometimes express it in most large terms, as 1 Tim. 2:6, “Christ Jesus gave himself a ransom for all;” and so Heb. 2:9, that, “He by the grace of God should taste death for every man”: Here is “all” and “every many”; and that place 1 John 2:2, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world.” Sometimes again, the Scripture speaks of redemption in a more limited manner, as that Christ laid down his life “for is friends,” John 15:13, for his his sheep, John 10:15, for his Church, Eph. 5:25, “Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it,” &c.

Distinction

Now that you have may have your senses exercised to discern good and evil, truth and error in this point, you must distinguish between the sufficiency and efficiency of Christ’s death; we do say, that Christ died sufficiently for all, but not effectually for all, for that would be an absurd manner of speech. But thus we say, that the death of Christ is that one only, and perfect sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for sins, in which God is well pleased with man, and by which God intended to save all that come unto him, and it is in itself of infinite value and price, abundantly sufficient to take away the sins of the whole world. And if any perish, It is not through the weakness and insufficiency of that sacrifice, but through their own unbelief, by man’s own default it proves ineffectual unto the salvation of man. This common sovereign medicine of souls made of Christ’s blood, must be embraced and applied, else it avails not. It is effectual only to them that believe.

How redemption
is universal

According to the first branch of this distinction, we teach that redemption by Christ’s death, is universal in three respects.

First, for the price and merit of it: In Christ’s sacrifice there is merit enough for all the sins that ever were, or shall be committed, yea, if there were ten thousand worlds to be redeemed, they needed no other price, no other satisfaction to please God, God is fully contented with this one of his Son. For it being the death of the eternal Son of God, it is of infinite value above all the souls, and above all the sins of the sons of men, it is an universal remedy.

Secondly, it is general and universal for the promise and offer of it, upon the all-sufficient, and merit of Christ’s death is grounded a universal promise of salvation, according to which all that believe I him do actually receive remission of sins, and life everlasting [Rom. 3:25.]. The promise of life in Christ’s death is universal to all men. The gospel is to be preached to every creature, so that there is no man living that may not lay hold on that offer, no man is forbidden to come in, and take of the water of life freely, that has a mind to it. Rev. 22:17, “Whosoever will, let him come and drink of the water of life freely.” You cannot wish a larger promise, nor an easier condition, “whosoever will let him come.” There is none excluded, but such as will not come in, nor acknowledge him, nor deny themselves, and their own righteousness, their carnal reason and sweet contentments for his sake. Why then do men cavil at the doctrine of redemption, as if it were not large enough? It is too straight and narrow to take in Episcopius, or Corvinus, or any of the Arminian subscribers? No. Do they know any man in the world, to whom the offer of salvation may not be freely and truly made? No, not one (the finally impenitent, and wilful condemners of Christ only excepted). Whose cause then do they so hotly plead? Let every one that is athirst, come, let everyone that is grieved with sin, come. Let everyone that longs for salvation, come, and she shall find rest to his soul. He shall find Christ to be his God and his mighty redeemer. He shall feel the virtue and efficacy of Christ’s death.

Thirdly, redemption is general or universal, in respect of the means, sincerely calling all men unto fellowship with Christ, and of God’s grace in him (namely) the Word and sacraments [Acts 17:30, 1 Tim. 2:4.]. The manner of administration of this grace in the death of Christ is universal and complete, so that if there were a thousand worlds more to be saved, they needed no other gospel, no other sacraments, no other means to convert them, no new law to make them partakers of remission of sins by the death of Christ. And these are seen and known of all men, easy to be understood, preached, and published, not in a corner, but on the housetop, to all nations, “there sound is gone forth into all lands.” Our commission is, “Go into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature,” Mar. 16:16. “It is the power of God to salvation, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile,” Rom. 1:16. And it is also real and sincere, for in the gospel there is nothing false or dissembled: Whatsoever is offered or promised to men, the same shall be made good to them b God the author of the gospel. We offer salvation to all that will receive it, and it is sealed unto them that by the sacraments, and it shall be made good unto them that receive it in truth. We do not promise mercy and life to any that continue in their sins, that stand off from Christ, but to as many as receive him, they shall the sons of God. And our word is true, it shall be made good unto you. The Lord says not in vain to any man, “Come unto me and I will ease you,” yea, so full and sufficient is this calling and preaching of life by the gospel, that they which hear it, and obey it not, are Autokatakritos, self-condemned, they must condemn themselves for their own obstinacy and contempt. If they be not converted by he means, they will be forced to confess, “Thou Lord would have healed and gathered us, but we would not.”

William Lyford, The Plain Mans Senses Exercised (London: Printed for Richard Royton at the Angel in Ivie-lane, 1655), 259-262. [Some spelling modernized; some reformatting; marginal headers and references cited inline; and underlining mine.]

Credit to Tony for the find.

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Wollebius:

XXIII. While Christ’s passion is minimized by the foregoing errors, those who teach that he died for all human beings [pro omnibus et singulis] broaden the object of his passion more than is allowable.

Of course, if we take into consideration the magnitude and worthiness of the merit, we admit that it would suffice for the redemption of ten worlds; but if we take the plan of God and the intention of Christ into consideration, then it is false to say that Christ died for every person. For this reason others say that his death was sufficient for all, but not effective for all;1 that is, the merit of Christ, because of his worthiness, is sufficient for all, but it is not effective for all in its application, because Christ did not die with the intention that his. death be applied to all. Why should he die for those for whom he would not pray? But he told us that he did not pray for the world On. 17 :9). Those who oppose us argue from passages in which there is reference to the whole world, or to all men, [ Timothy 2:4 and 1 John 2:2, in which all men in general are named. But in I John 2:2 the meaning of "the whole world" is, by metonymy, "the elect scattered throughout the whole world," and in 1 Timothy 2: 4 "all men" means men of every sort, whether gentiles or Jews, kings or private citizens, and so not individuals in a class, but classes of individuals, as the words that follow make plain. The word "all" is used in the same sense in Genesis 6: 19 and Joel 2:28.5

1. The other aspect of Christ’s satisfaction is the perfect righteousness which, by his conformity to the law and the perfect obedience which he performed, acquired for us the status of heirs of eternal life. 2. This righteousness is partly original and partly actual. 3. The original righteousness of Christ is the conformity to the law in which he was conceived and born.

Johannes Wollebius, Compendium Theolgiae Christianae trans. John W. Beardslee in Reformed Dogmatics (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1965), 105-106.

[Underlining mine.]

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Makemie:

And such as tread the middle path, hold an absolute redemption of God’s elect, and only a conditional salvation of the reprobate; they hold (1) A twofold manner of redemption on, which we have no ground for in the Scriptures all that are redeemed, being redeemed alike.

2. If so, the greatest part of mankind are left in as bad a state, as if they were not redeemed at all.

If we consider the merit of Christ’s crucifixion and death, materially in regard of its sufficiency, dignity, worth, and merit by reflecting on the person who suffered and died, and of the manner how he accomplished it, with faithfulness, and that most willingly and cheerfully, that it was no less price than the death of him, who was God, equal with God the Father, infinite value, and worth, merit, and dignity, and so not only a complete and sufficient satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, but was in itself a complete ransom, for the offenses of a thousand worlds. And so if we consider the sufficiency of his price and ransom, he died for all, he offered a sacrifice, and gave an atonement, that was enough for all, and he gave himself a ransom for all, and tasted death for every man. Further, we assert, and believe that all nations, kingdoms, tongues, and people were redeemed by Jesus Christ, so according to the school distinction, he died, for, generibus singulorum, for, all kinds of men, not singulis generum, nor for, every individual man and woman according to the John’s vision, Rev., 5:9, “For thou wast slain, and has redeemed, us to God, by the blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation,” so that all and every one that is or shall be redeemed, are redeemed by Jesus Christ, who is the only Savior, and “no name given under heaven whereby we can be saved, but by the name Jesus,” so he be the Savior of all. And this we dare most boldly and warrantably affirm, that Christ’s death is efficacious for the salvation of all, whom he died for, and not one these predestined to eternal life, shall perish, but be brought infallibly to glory, Rom. 8:30, “Whom he did predestinate them he also called, then he also glorified.” From which Scripture, none can be ignorant, unless they willfully stop, and blind the eyes of their understanding, what an inseparable connection is between the means, and the end, and all flowing from the everlasting purpose, and immutable predestination of God, and as many as Christ died for, shall be infallibly saved, and to whomsoever he has purchased salvation, to as many he has purchased the means and conditions of salvation, as faith, repentance, and all the holy graces of the Spirit of God, for says the Holy Spirit of God, as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed; neither dare we believe such and ineffectual redemption, as Quakers hand in hand with Arminians, and Pelagians do hold, which only leaves man in a possibility of salvation, if the sinner will, but may be, the most of Christ’s redeemed ones, go to hell notwithstanding, while Christ says in John 17, speaks of his redeemed and ransomed ones, “as those select ones, whom the Father had given him out of the world, for whom that is the world, He would not so much as pray, for less die. And Keith himself owns in his malicious and uncharitable book, against New-England ministers, that there are those for whom it may be said, Christ died not. And so this must be the gentleman’s position, Christ died for all, and died not for all, which is a plain contradiction, and farewell Keith’s universal redemption, which if it had not vanished in contradiction, as uncomfortable, and ineffectual to the greatest number of redeemed ones.

Francis Makemia, An Answer to George Keith’s Libel (Boson:  Printed, by Benjamin Harris, at the sign of the Bible, over-against the Blew-Anchor, 1694), 48-50.

[Credit to Michael Lynch for the find.]

Perkins:

1) The exhibiting of the Mediator is that, whereby the Son of God being born a man in the fulness of time, does pay the price of redemption to God for the sins of men. The virtue and efficacy of this price being paid, in respect of merit and operation is infinite, but yet it must be distinguished, for it is either potential or actual. The potential efficacy is, whereby the price is in itself sufficient to redeem every one without exception from his sins, albeit there were a thousand worlds of men. But if we consider that actual efficacy, the price is paid in the counsel of God, and as touching the event, only for those which are elect and predestinated. For the Son does not sacrifice for those, for whom he does not pray: because to make intercession and to sacrifice are conjoined: but he prays only for the elect and for believes, Joh. 17:9, and by praying he offers himself to his Father, vers. 19. William Perkins, “A Christian and Plaine Treatise of the Manner and Order of Predestination, and of the Largenes of Gods Grace,” in The Works of that Famous and Worthy Minister of Christ in the Universitie of Cambridge (Printed at London by Iohn Legatt, Printer to the Univeritie of Cambrdge, 1616), 2: 609[b]. [Some spelling modernized.]

2) Whereas Paul says, that all men with all that proceeds from them, is shut under sin, he teaches that all actions of men unregenerate are sins. “The wisdom of the flesh,” that is, the wisest cogitations, counsels, inclinations of the flesh, “are enemies with God,” Rom. 8:5, “To the unclean all things are unclean,” Tit. 1:15, “An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit,” Matt. 7. It may be objected, that natural men may do the works of the moral law, as to give alms, and such like, Rom. 2:14. Answ. Sins to be two sorts. One is, when anything is done flat against the commandment of God. The second is, when the act or work is done which the law prescribes, yet not in the same manner which the law prescribes, in faith, in obedience to the glory of God. In this second regard moral works performed by natural men, are sins indeed. Hence it follows, that liberty of will in the doing of that which is truly good, is lost by the fall of Adam: and that man cannot by the strength of natural will, helped by grace, apply himself to the calling of God.

Whereas Paul says, that “the promise is given to believers,” it is manifest, that the promise is not universal in respect of all mankind, but only indefinite and universal in respect of believers. Wherefore their doctrine is not sound, that teach the redemption wrought by Christ, to be as general as the sin wrought by Adam. Indeed, if we regard the value of the sufficiency of the death of Christ, it is so: but if we respect the communication and donation of this benefit, it is not. For though all be shut under sin, yet the promise is only given “to them that believe.” It is objected, that “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself,” 2 Cor. 5:19. Answ. The text in hand shows that by “the world,” we are to understand all believers through the whole world. And whereas Paul says, “God shut up all under unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all,” Rom. 11:32. His meaning is here set down, that he shut both Jews and Gentiles under unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all that believe, both Jews and Gentiles. William Perkins, A Commentarie or Exposition Vpon the fiue first chapters of the Epistle to the Galatians (Printed at London by Iohn Legatt, Printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge, 1617), 196. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; footnotes mine; and underlining mine.]

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Pink:

“And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad” (11: 52). As the previous verse gives us the Holy Spirit’s explanation of the words of Caiaphas, this one contains His amplification: as v. 51 informs us of the nature of Christ’s death, v. 52 tells us of the power and scope of it. The great Sacrifice was not offered to God at random. The redemption-price which was paid at the Cross was not offered without definite design. Christ died not simply to make salvation possible, but to make it certain. Nowhere in Scripture is there a more emphatic and explicit statement concerning the objects for which the Atonement was made. No excuse whatever is there for the vague (we should say, unscriptural) views, now so sadly prevalent in Christendom, concerning the ones for whom Christ died. To say that He died for the human race is not only to Ry in the face of this plain scripture, but it is grossly dishonoring to the ‘sacrifice of Christ. A large portion of the human race die un-saved, and if Christ died for them, then was His death largely in vain. This means that the greatest of all the works of God is comparatively a failure. How horrible! What a reflection upon the Divine character! Surely men do not stop to examine whither their premises lead them. But how blessed to turn away from man’s perversions to the Truth itself. Scripture tells us that Christ “shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied.” No sophistry can evade the fact that these words give positive assurance that everyone for whom Christ died will, most certainly, be saved.

Christ died for sinners. But everything turns on the significance of the preposition. What is meant by “Christ died for sinners”? To answer that Christ died in order to make it possible for God to righteously receive sinners who come to Him through Christ, is only saying what many a Socinian has affirmed. The testing of a man’s orthodoxy on this vital truth of the Atonement requires something far more definite than this. The saving efficacy of the Atonement lies in the vicarious nature of Christ’s death, in His representing certain persons, in His bearing their sins, in His being made a curse for them, in His purchasing them, spirit and soul and body. It will not do to evade this by saying, “There is such a fulness in the satisfaction of Christ, as is sufficient for the salvation of the whole world, were the whole world to believe in Him.” Scripture always ascribes the salvation of a sinner, not to any abstract “sufficiency,” but to the vicarious nature, the substitutional character of the death of Christ. The Atonement, therefore, is in no sense sufficient for a man, unless the Lord Jesus died for that man: “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us” (I Thess. 5: 9, 10). “If the nature of this ‘sufficiency’ for all men be sifted, it will appear to be nothing more than a conditional ‘sufficiency,’ such as the Arminians attribute to their universal redemptionthe condition is: were the whole world to believe on Him. The condition, however, is not so easily performed. Many professors speak of faith in Christ as comparatively an easy matter, as though it were within the sinner’s power; but the Scriptures teach a different thing. They represent men by nature as spiritually bound with chains, shut up in darkness, in a prison-house. So then all their boasted ‘sufficiency’ of the Atonement is only an empty offer of salvation on certain terms and conditions; and such an Atonement is much too weak to meet the desperate case of a lost sinner” (Wm. Rushton).

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