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Calvin and Calvinism » 2007 » August

Archive for August, 2007

John Bunyan:

Sins of the world:

1) Look to it, sinner, here is life and death set before thee; life, if it be not too late to receive it; but if it be, it is not too late for death to swallow thee up. And tell me, will it not be dreadful to be carried from under the gospel to the damned, there to lie in endless torment, because thou wouldst not be delivered therefrom? Will it be comfort to thee to see the Saviour turn Judge? to see him that wept and died for the sin of the world now ease his mind on Christ-abhorring sinners by rendering to them the just judgment of God? For all their abominable filthiness, had they closed with Christ, they had been shrouded from the justice of the law, and should not have come into condemnation. ‘But had been passed from death to life’; but they would not take shelter there; they would venture to meet the justice of God in its fury, wherefore now it shall swallow them up for ever and ever. Bunyan,Justification by An Imputed Righteousness,” in The Works of John Bunyan, (Banner of Truth, 1991), 1:334.

2) CHRIST TOOK UPON HIM OUR SINS…

Answ. Even so as if himself had committed all our sins; that is, they were as really charged upon him as if himself had been the actor and committer of them all. ‘He hath made him to be sin,’ not only as a sinner, but as sin itself. He was as the sin of the world that day he stood before God in our stead. Some, indeed, will not have Jesus Christ our Lord to be made sin for us; their wicked reasons think this to be wrong judgment in the Lord; it seems, supposing that because they cannot imagine how it should be, therefore God, if he does it, must do it at his peril, and must be charged with doing wrong judgment, and so things that become not his heavenly Majesty; but against this duncish sophistry we set Paul and Isaiah, the one telling us still, ‘the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all’; and the other, that ‘God made him to be sin for us.’ Bunyan,Light For Then that Sit in Darkness,” in The Works of John Bunyan, (Banner of Truth, 1991), 1:408.

3) Look, then, upon Christ crucified to be as the sin of the world, as if he only had broken the law; which done, behold him perfectly innocent in himself, and so conclude that for the transgression of God’s people he was stricken; that when the Lord made him to be sin, he made him to be sin for us. Bunyan, Light For Then that Sit in “Darkness, in The Works of John Bunyan,” (Banner of Truth), 1:409.

4) Answ. It is said he took them away— ‘Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.’ It is said he put them away— ‘Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself’ (John 1:29; Heb 9:26). That is, by the merit of his undertaking he brought into the world, and set before the face of God, such a righteousness that outweigheth and goeth far beyond that sin, and so did hide sin from the sight of God; hence, he that is justified is said to have his sins hid and covered—‘Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered’ (Psa 32:1). Covered with the righteousness of Christ—‘I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness,’ thy sins (Eze 16:8). Christ Jesus, therefore, having by the infiniteness of his merit taken away, put away, or hidden our sins from the face of God, therefore he raised him up from the dead. Bunyan, “Light For Then that Sit in Darkness,” in The Works of John Bunyan, (Banner of Truth, 1991), 1:416.

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His name is sometimes spelt: Parreus, or Pareus.

One modern secondary source

1) Christ carried, dissolved, expiated the sins of all, if we consider the magnitude of the price or sufficiency of the ransom, but only the faithful and not of all, if we consider the efficacy, fruit and application of the ransom. Irenicum,” Source: G. Michael Thomas, The Extent of the Atonement, (Cumbria, UK: Paternoster: 1997), 116.

Two early secondary sources:

2) “And thus Pareus himself in his Irenicon saith, “That the sins of all men lay on Christ; and so he died for all, that is, for all mens sins as the cause of his death: And you may tell any wicked man, Thy sins killed Christ (what-ever the deniers say to excuse them).” Richard Baxter, Catholick Theologie (London, 1675), I.ii.53.

3) “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 reconciliation was not obtained or restored to all.  [Act. Synod. Dortrect. p. 217.]”

David Paraeus, “Letter to the Synod of Dort, on the Second Article of the Remonstrants,” cited by John Davenant, A Dissertation on the Death of Christ, 1832, 2:356.

Primary sources:

4) “Thou wast slain”] that is, by dying for the sins of the world, that declares thyself to be the Messiah, whom Isaiah forward should be led “as a sheep to the slaughter,” to take away the sins of the world. Here we are taught that the mediator ought both to be slain for us, that is, to merit: and also to take the book, that is meritoriously to bestow life an righteousness upon others. Seeing therefore he only merited by his sacrifice, it must necessarily follow, that none else could take the book, that is, reveal the counsel of God to the Church, and by his power give salvation.

“And thou has redeemed us to God by thy blood”] Now the Church triumphant praises the Lamb, and applies the price of her redemption with the effects thereof unto herself. Thus we ought so acknowledge the benefits of Christ, as to make them our own, not only in believing that he has redeemed others by his blood, “and made them kings and priests to God,” but ourselves also: for true justifying faith is accompanied with a certain persuasion of our own salvation: “I live,” says the Apostle, “by the faith of the son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Hence we observe two things: “First” that the death of Christ is truly a ransom satisfactory for our sins: and that our redemption by it, is not metaphorical (as the new “Samosatenians” blasphemously affirm) but proper: for the redemption which is made by a price is proper. But such is ours by Christ, because by the shedding of his blood, he has paid a full ransom, and satisfied the justice of God, as the Scripture witnesses Matt. 20:28. and 1 Tim. 2:6. being the same with what is here said, “that has redeemed us by thy blood:” and Chap. 1:5. “who has washed us in his blood,” and Heb. 1:3. “purged our sins by himself:” unless that by the word “redemption” is properly signified the whole work of our salvation: by “washing” and “purging” a part thereof, viz. our justification or sanctification. This place therefore and so many others, proving Christ’s satisfactory ransom, are to be apposed against “Socinian blasphemies.”

“Secondly,” that the redemption by Christ’s blood, is truly universal, as sufficient, and propounded not only to one nation, or a few, but to all nations, tongues and peoples: yet not so, as if all promiscuously should be saved: but those of every tribe, people and language, who believe in Christ. And this much the Elders teach us: “Thou have redeemed us of every tribe.”

…“And behold, and round about the throne”] The third apparition is of angels who sing “the new song” together with the beasts and Elders: for howsoever the Angels are not Redeemed by the blood of Christ, as men: yet in Christ they are gathered together into one, being subject unto him as the head of the Church, whereof they are members: and therefore they also praise the Lamb, as their Lord, and bless him in regard to the redemption of man-kind. David Pareus, A Commentary Upon the Divine Revelation of the Apostle and Evangelist, John (Amsterdam: Printed by C.P. Anno, 1644), 103 and 104.

5) The same benefit of redemption the Elders celebrate, Chap.5:9. “Thou has redeemed us to our God by thy blood.” And indeed this benefit we enjoy in this life: for now, as many as through faith, are “sealed” in the blood of the lamb, are redeemed; howbeit the fulness of our redemption is reserved to the life to come.

But are not all redeemed by Christ, died he not for all? Says not the Apostle Peter that he bought these “false prophets,” by whom he is denied? To this Augustine well answers, that all are said to be redeemed, according to the dignity of the price: which would suffice for the redemption of all men, if all by faith did receive the benefit offered. But as many as pass the time of their being in this life in infidelity, they remain unredeemed through their own fault. The sealed therefore are only redeemed, because they alone by faith receive the grace of redemption, through the grace of election, which God vouchsafed them (not to the others) from all eternity. David Pareus, A Commentary Upon the Divine Revelation of the Apostle and Evangelist, John (Amsterdam: Printed by C.P. Anno, 1644), 333-334.

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29
Aug

Stephen Charnock on 1 Tim 2:5-6

   Posted by: CalvinandCalvinism    in 1 Timothy 2:4-6

It administers matter of comfort to the believer. It is some comfort to all, that they are in a fair way of being happy; the justice of God was the bar to God and man’s meeting together. It was morally impossible, in regard of God’s truth and holiness, for man to be restored without a vindication of that law which had been broken; but now the honour of the law is restored by this sacrifice; God hath owned it, the bar is removed, and where God hath found a sweetness man may find salvation, if he be not his own enemy, and wilfully cast away his own mercy. He ‘gave himself a ransom for all,’ 1 Tim 1:5,6, antilutron, a ransom in our stead, or a counter-ransom, in opposition to the sin of Adam, as the fountain of our bondage; for all upon gospel conditions. As he gave himself for all, so he was accepted for all upon the same conditions; for he was accepted as he gave himself. It is a comfort to a diseased hospital, that a physician is chosen and accepted by the governors that is able to cure every disease; it is no less a comfort to any guilty soul, that there is a sacrifice sufficient to expiate every sin. But there is a ground of sensible comfort to those that believe.

Stephen Charnock “A Discourse of the Acceptableness of Christ’s Death,” in Works [1865], 4:582.

29
Aug

Thomas Manton on 2 Peter 3:9

   Posted by: CalvinandCalvinism    in 2 Peter 3:9

Manton:

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 PETER iii. 9.

THE apostle, in answer to the cavil and exception of the mockers of religion, is taking off the scandal of the delay of Christ’s coming. Three considerations are produced to satisfy the godly

1. The true measure of speed or delay is the eternity of God. which admits of no beginning, succession, and ending, but consists in a constant presentness to all that which to us seems past or to come; and we must judge as he judges. This is laid down, ver. 8.

2. The end of this delay, which is the conversion of sinners. It proceeds not from any culpable slackness in God, but only his patience towards the elect. God is not slack, but we hasty. Our temper requires time and patience to work upon us, and bring us under the power of grace. This is in the text.

3. The manner of coming, which is sudden and unexpected, like the coming of a thief upon a sleepy family, ver. 10; therefore we should rather prepare for it than complain of slackness. We are upon the second consideration. Wherein
1. The false cause of this delay is removed, The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness.
2. The true cause assigned, But is longsuffering to us-ward.

3. The end of this long-suffering propounded (1.) Negatively, Not willing that any should perish; (2.) Positively, But that all should come to repentance. Wherein the way to escape ruin is intimated, which is repentance.

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29
Aug

Thomas Adams on 2 Peter 3:9

   Posted by: CalvinandCalvinism    in 2 Peter 3:9

Adams:

“Not willing that any should perish.” There is no man that hates the effect of his own worth. If the painter have drawn a counterfeit, or limned the resemblance of a creature, lie regards it as the effect of his own curious art. If a man begets a son, he is tied in affection to him by the bond of nature. If a preacher convert a profligate, and beget a soul unto Christ, he loves him in a higher degree of relation than those of art or nature, even of grace. And will the most wise and good Creator of all things hate the workmanship of his own hands? No, the Lord hates nothing that, he hath made. There is something in the creatures he hath made, which he hates; but the creature itself, as it is a creature, he loves. Our weakness doth often fail to distinguish between a man and his fault; so we hate the man together with his vice, whereas we should hate the vice and love the man. But God can distinguish betwixt the metal which is his and the dross of the metal which is not his: he rejects the dross, but he wishes well to the metal. If a man’s wife be an adulteress, he puts her away, because she then ceases to be a wife ; but if she repent, God doth not put her away, because she does not cease to he a woman. Adultery may make her no wife, death itself cannot make her no creature. Both God and her husband detest her sin; yet God doth, and her husband should, love her soul.

But if God be not willing that any should perish, how then do any come to perish? Can they perish against his will? Shall any be lost whom he will save? I might answer this objection, that the question here is not concerning God’s secret will; But so much of it as is revealed to us in his holy word, whereby he affords means of salvation to all, declaring himself not willing that any should perish. But let us soberly examine this point; for Scripture seems to contradict Scripture. “God will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth,” 1 Tim. ii.4: and here, he is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” On the contrary, “Whom he will he hardens,” Rom. ix.18: and, “I will harden the heart of Pharaoh,” Exod. vii.3. Is the Spirit divided? If truth be against truth, how can it stand? Who will harden? That God which is rich in goodness, whose mercy is above all his works, will he? He which is grieved for our offenses, and wills not the death of a sinner, will he harden? And of all places, the temple for his Holy Spirit to repose in, the exchequer and storehouse for all his graces, will he harden the heart? He says, he will: yet dares the blasphemous sinner rub his filthiness on that immaculate purity of his Maker? Does he live by his mercy, and yet charge him of injustice, making it the midwife of so foul a progeny? Evil could never be the child of goodness, nor can sin (so basely descended) lay claim to omnipotency. Doth pure water and puddle flow immediately from the self-same spring? or light and darkness from the same sun? How then comes it to pass? Consider with me these positions.

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