Archive for July 23rd, 2010
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.