Jenison:

4. Christ is made Redemption, but is that of all? no.–Thou was slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and Nation. Revel. 5.9. Not all nations, but some out of all, according to that of Paul, explaining whom he means by Vessels of mercy, which God had afore prepared unto Glory, even us (says he) whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles: he says not all us Jews, or all us Gentiles, but us of the Jews and Gentiles.

Objection. This is against the doctrine of our Church, which tells us that the offering of Christ made upon the cross, is a full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world. I answer, no: The Church indeed uses the phrase of Scripture, but not against the sense of Scripture, whose meaning therefore is the same with that of the Scripture; for our Church does tell us, that (as it is not lawful for the Church to ordain anything that is contrary to God’s Word, so, neither) may it so expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to another. Therefore our Church uses not the Scripture phrase so as to bee repugnant to those other places named, or yet to itself which (besides much more that might be said) in the 17. Article, tells us, That God hath decreed by his Council secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation, those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind. So that, seeing to deliver from curse and damnation is the effect of Christ’s death according to the everlasting purpose of God. Therefore Christ hath not redeemed all mankind, so as to deliver them from curse and damnation, seeing his everlasting purpose and constant decree was to deliver from curse and damnation, not all Mankind, but those whom hee hath chosen in Christ out of mankind. Redemption, in Gods purpose and intention, reaches not beyond the decree.

Our Church then doth not deny universal redemption: for we truly say with it and with Scripture, Christ died for all. Yet it denies that equal and universal Application of this redemption, whose event is suspended, and hangs either on the liberty of mans will, or on any condition in man (which God will not work.) We deny not, but say that Christ paid a price for all, but such as is to be applied to each by the man’s of faith, which is not of all, and not by the very act or fact of his oblation, so that, faith being presupposed, and coming between, all and each are capable of salvation, and they are such as, believing, shall be saved.

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Clifford:

Propos. V.

Of the Application of Christ’s Merits to Sinners.

The saving fruits and benefits intended to sinners by the obedience and sufferings of Jesus Christ, they do no actually and of necessity become theirs, immediately upon the satisfaction thereby given, and the purchase made in their behalf: But before they can be admitted to any actual interest in, or reap any comfortable advantage from either, there is yet somewhat further on their part to be done and performed by them. The merits of Christ, in dying for sinners, do not necessarily save any, but only as God the Father, Son and Spirit shall think meet to communicate, and dispense with the issues of them to the vessels of mercy. For all that properly results from the satisfaction of Christ is only this, that the grand obstacle which stood in the way of mercy, and obstructed its communication to the guilty offender, that this being removed, God might now be at liberty to pardon and reaccept him into favor in what way, and upon what terms he pleased, such as he in wisdom should judge most for the honor of his own Being and perfections. Yea, but not that therefore God must of necessity pardon the sinner whatever come on’t,¹ as one well expresses it. That is, whether he repented or believed or not, or still continued in his rebellion and impenitency.

Christ’s suffering they were not in a strict sense the idem, i.e. they very thing which the first covenant required at the hands of man, but the tantundem, or an equivalent compensation: Not properly solutio debiti, the payment of a debt, but an equitable satisfaction for a criminal offense. And accordingly God in this whole transaction is to be considered, not so much a Creditor, as an offended Magistrate or Governor of the world, that admits (as Seleucus did the putting out of one of his own eyes, for the redemption of his Sons), the suffering of one for another (though of somewhat a different kind and manner), for the maintaining of the honor of his laws and government. And therefore God could not be obliged thereby immediately to acquit and discharge the offender (since the satisfaction given in his behalf was refusable), but may in justice, and for the vindicating of his own holiness, and retaining the creature in his due subjection, bring him to terms and conditions, before he remit the offense, and become actually reconciled to him: Much less was God obliged to this by his own essential goodness: for though the issues and outgoings of his love be most natural and agreeable to his Being; upon which account he is styled in Scripture a Sun and Fountain; yet are they not like the ebullitions of water from their fountain, or emanations of light from the Sun, absolutely necessary and involuntary. No, they are still free, though most natural. Else how comes it to pass, that the apostate angels were not redeemed from their chains and darkness? and Spirits now in prison set at liberty, and freed from torments? And the inhabitants of the earth that still sit in darkness and under the shadows of death, have not the Sun of Righteousness arising upon them with healing in his wings, as well as we in these northern lands? Whatever acts by constraint and necessary impulse of nature, it is² incapable of setting any bonds or limits to its own actions, but imparts itself and influences universally, at all times and alike to all. The same sun shines not to some parts only of the earth, but equally to both the hemispheres. And the same sea and fountains scatter their streams, not only to some few passengers, but indifferently to all that pass by without exception. And if such were the egress and communications of Divine love and goodness, then tell me where it is, that there is any difference between fallen angels and degenerate man? Betwixt Jew and Gentile? the Christian and Pagan world? Why is not the whole earth, India and America, as well as Europe, turned into a Goshen, a land of light, and made as Eden the garden of the Lord? Why is so great a part of it yet left to be das a darkened Egypt or barren wilderness? Does not all this sufficiency argue, that the bequeathments, and application of Christ’s satisfaction and purchase, with all the rich fruits that spring from both, are made not of necessity, but ad placitum, according to the mere good will and pleasure of God to sinners? as the Apostle speaks, Ephes. 1:5 and 9.

Abraham Clifford, Methodus Evangelica; Or the Gospel Method of Gods Saving Sinners by Jesus Christ: Practically explained by XII Propositions (London: Printed by J.M. for Brabazon Aylmer at the Three Pigeons in Cornhill, 1676), 17-20. [Some spelling modernized; italics original; footnotes and values mine; and underlining mine.]

[Notes: 1) This small work contains a preface by Thomas Manton and Richard Baxter, suggesting that though some aspects of Clifford’s theology may be problematic, Thomas Manton saw it respectable enough to allow his name to be attached to it. 2) The first important point of this quotation is that it directly opposes John Owen’s theological characterization of God as Creditor. The creditor motif undergirding his doctrine of limited expiation and sin-bearing is the back-bone of his theology. Were one to purge his arguments of his reliance upon the construction of God as creditor, and the satisfaction as a pecuniary transaction, his theological edifice would begin to unravel. Unfortunately, while Owen’s reliance upon God as creditor has largely been forgotten by his modern followers, the arguments which rely on such assumptions have been retained. 3) The next important element here is that Clifford, contra Owen, affirms that Christ suffered only a just equivalent, the tantundem, and not the very idem of the law’s curse and punishment. Happily, since the days of Owen, his insistence that Christ suffered the very idem of the law has generally been rejected by all wings of the Reformed community. Owen was committed to the idea that Christ suffered the very idem, as it was the essential component of his concept of Christ enacting a pecuniary satisfaction whereby Christ made a payment to the Father which concretely purchased faith and all other graces from God, per the terms of the Covenant (contractual transaction) of Redemption. This also had the benefit, for Owen, of locating a limitation in the very nature of the expiation itself.]

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¹Original to the text.

²Original: ‘tis.

Musculus (by way of Marlorate):

“I praye for them, I praye not for the world: but for them which thou haste giuen mee, for they are thine.”

…[Calvin] So that he plainly affirms that he prays not for the world: because he cared for his own flock only, which he had received of his Father’s hand, notwithstanding this might seem very absurd.

For there cannot be a better Rule of prayer devised, then if we follow Christ our Captain and master. But we are commanded to pray for all men, yea even for our enemies [Math. 5.4., 1. Tim. 2.1., Luk. 13.34.]. C. [Calvin] Furthermore Christ himself prayed after this Indifferently for all men saying, “Father forgive them: for they [know not] wotte not what they do.”

[Musculus] Moreover it is the office of a Mediator not only to pray but also to offer. And he offered himself upon the Cross for all men. For (as says Paul) “Christ died for all men.” Finally Saint John says that he is the “propitiation for the sins of the whole world.” How then says he that he prays not for the world seeing he died for all men, and was the propitiation for the sins of the whole world? C. [Calvin] this may be briefly answered, that these prayers which seem to be made for all men are notwithstanding restrained to the elect of God.

We ought to wish this and that man be saved and so to comprehend all mankind because yet we cannot distinguish the elect from the Reprobate yet notwithstanding we pray withal for the coming of God’s kingdom, wishing that he would destroy his enemies.

This is even as much as to pray for the salvation of all men whom we know to be created after the Image of GOD, and which are of the same nature we are of, and do leave their destruction to Judgment of GOD whom he knows to be reprobate. There was another certain special cause of this prayer, which ought not to be drawn into example. For Christ’s prayer proceeded not only from the bare sense of faith and love, but also from the feeling of his Father’s secret Judgments which are hidden from us, so long as we walk through faith.

M. [Musculus] Therefore because we know not who they are which so appertain unto the world that they can never be drawn away from the same, it is meet that we wish well unto all men, and to declare our good-will by prayer. C. [Calvin] Furthermore by these words we gather, that they whom it pleases, God to love out of this world shall be heirs of eternal life: and that this difference depended no upon man’s merits but upon the mere good-will and grace of God.

For the which place the cause of election in men must first begin with faith.

Christ plainly pronounces that they were the Father’s which were given unto him.

Augustine Marlorate, A Catholike and Ecclesiasticall exposition of the holy Gospel after S. Iohn, trans., Thomas Timme (Imprinted at London by Thomas Marshe, Anno Domini, 1575), John 17:9; pp., 560-561. [Pagination irregular; stated pagination cited here; and underlining mine.]

Musculus:

“if one died for all therefore all were dead”

Certainly none no-one has great love, which gives its life for its friends. Truly, Christ died not for his friends only, but also [his] enemies, nor for certain people only, but for all people. This is the immeasurable greatness of divine love…

To be sure, we understand not that Christ died for all so that its efficacy reaches commonly to all [people]. Accordingly, it [Christ’s death] is not received by reprobates, unbelievers, and impenitents, although in itself it is sufficient for redeeming the whole human race. Salvation is proposed, which from it, is for all and sufficient for all, and presently may be received by all, “God loved the whole world that he gave his only begotten son, that all who believe in him, may not perish, but have eternal life” John 3. Thus he died for all (because all were dead) that all who believe in him might be brought back to life and be saved.

Wolfgang Musculus, In ambas apostoli Pauli ad Corinthios epistolas commentarii. (Basel: Per Haeredes Ioannis Hervagii, 1566), 174 and 175.