1)
Quest.
Is there any hope of deliverance, from this soul stain and guilt of sins, and from death, and all evil of wrath, which are the fruits and effects of it?
Answ.
There is no hope of deliverance in anything which man’s wit and reason can devise, or man by his art, skill, and power can perform. All creatures in the world can yield him no help. God only of his infinite mercy, free grace, love and kindness to mankind has from all eternity, ordained an all-sufficient Savior and Redeemer, even his only begotten Son, who immediately after man’s sin and fall, did undertake for man, stayed the execution of the sentence and punishment of death, and was promised to become the seed of the woman and by suffering death and all the punishments due to our nature, to redeem mankind from sin and death, and to destroy the Devil, who had the power of death, and to dissolve all his works [Heb. 2:14 and 1 Joh. 4:8.].
Quest.
Who is the Son of God, which did undertake to redeem man?
Answ.
It is the Lord Jesus Christ, who was first promised under the name of the seed of the woman, Gen. 3:15, which should break the serpents head, and afterward was promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, under the name of the blessed seed, in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed [Gen. 12:8.]. And to David, and by the prophets, by the name of Messiah, that is the anointed Savior of the seed of David. And at last in the fullness of the time, when he was made flesh, took our nature upon him, and was born of a virgin, did bear the name of Jesus; and is now preached and made known to the world, under the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. George Walker, The Key of Saving Knowledge, Opening out of the holy Scripture, the right way, and straight passage to Eternal life (London: Printed by Tho. Badger. 1641), 36-37. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; marginal references cited inline; original italics removed; and underlining mine.]
2)
Quest.
How is he a Mediator?
Answ.
As he is God the Son, equal with the Father, so he is a person of infinite value worthy to be accepted and able to make a full satisfaction for all sin to God’s justice, and to pay a ransom of infinite value. And as he is man of the same nature and substance with all mankind, and the first fruits of the whole lump; so he is fit to make satisfaction in the same nature which sinned, ad is our brother and friend, and the one who is touched with felling of our infirmities, and is compassionate towards us, and deals faithfully for us [Job 16:21; Heb, 2:17, 4:11.]. As he is God, so he is too high to be a mediator for man, and as he is man, so he is too low to mediate and plead God for us sinners: But as he is God and man in one person, so he is most fit to come as a Mediator between God and men.
Quest.
Wherein does Christ’s mediation consist?
Answ.
In the faithful execution of a three-fold office:
The first, of a prophet.
The second, of a priest.
The third, of a king.
Quest.
How did he execute the office of a prophet?
Answ.
By Prophesying, preaching, and revealing the will of God from the beginning, both in is own person, and also by his prophets, apostles, and ministers of the word of God. In the old world he sent forth the Spirit, and spoke to the godly fathers, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, and others, and by them preached to the wicked, especially while the Ark was a preparing, as the apostle testifies, 1 Pet. 3:19. He in the form of man, and sometimes of an angel spoke to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Gen. 18:26 and 32, 34. He was the Angel of the Covenant, which appeared to Moses in the bush, and said, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,” Exod. 3. He spoke also at sundry times, and so in divers manners, as apparitions, dreams and visions to the fathers in times past, and by his Spirit inspiring and moving his prophets, Heb. 1:1. And in the days of his flesh he preached the Gospel with his own mouth. And as after his ascension, he sent down the Holy Ghost upon his apostles, and gave them the gifts of tongues, and of knowledge to prophecy and preach the Gospel to all nations, Act. 2. So he is with them in their true successors the ministers of the Gospel to the end of the world, Mat. 28:20. And by is Spirit gives them knowledge and utterance, to teach and expound the Scriptures, and to bring them to the saving knowledge of the truth. And in a word he is the great prophet whom God promised to raise up to his people, like unto Moses, whom all ought to hear and obey in all things, Deut. 18:15. And no other prophets or preachers, are to be his heard, but those which preach in his name, truly according to his word contained in the Holy Scriptures.
Quest.
Wherein does the office of his Priesthood consist?
Answ.
In making atonement between God and men, both by offering up himself, and all sufficient sacrifice for all our sins, in his obedience unto death, and in suffering all punishments due to sin, and by bringing in eternal righteousness, which is his perfect fulfilling of the law in obedience of his whole life, Dan. 9:24; Rom. 8:3.4. and 1 Cor. 5:21. For in these two consists the whole work of man’s redemption, and the full ransom and sacrifice of atonement which is needful to reconcile men unto God.
Quest.
How can the suffering of one man satisfy for all men, and the righteousness of one be able to justify all that are to be justified?
Answ.
The man Christ as he fulfilled the law, and suffered in our nature, so his righteousness and satisfaction is humane, and is proper only to mankind, for as man sinned, so man satisfied. But as this man Christ, is also God in the same person: so his righteousness and satisfaction is Divine of infinite value and worth, even the righteousness and suffering of God; and that is more than if all men had suffered eternal death, and fulfilled in their own persons every jot and tittle of the law, and all righteousness thereof.
Quest.
If Christ’s infinite Godhead does add so much to his obedience performed in our nature, and makes his suffering of infinite worth and value: What need was their of shedding his blood unto death, and suffering all the storms of God’s wrath, was not (as some say) one drop of his blood sufficient to redeem the world?
Answ.
Though Christ is a person of infinite value, because he is God; yet as he could not be a complete and perfect mediator, if he had taken unto his person the body only of a man, and not a complete manhood consisting both of soul and body: So suffering in part, and obeying the law in part, could not be made a complete satisfaction, for justice requires a full suffering of all kinds of punishment due to man for sin, even of death itself, and a perfect fulfilling of the whole law; otherwise there would be no righteousness: If one drop of Christ’s blood shed for sin had been a sufficient price of redemption: than it had been injustice in God to exact more and indiscreet, and vain prodigality in Christ to pour out all his blood, and his soul to death, when one drop was enough.
Quest.
Is this all that Christ does as Priest?
Answ.
This is all that did in paying man’s ransom and price of atonement, but to make men partakers of it, and of the benefit thereof, he does make intercession to God for them, as appears, Rom. 8:34, and Heb. 7:25.
Quest.
How does Christ make intercession?
Answ.
First by praying for his elect, and faithful, whom God the Father had given him out of the world, this he did in the days of his humiliation [John 17.].
Secondly by sitting at God’s right hand, he presents satisfaction and righteousness continually before God his perfect satisfaction and righteousness in the behalf of all his faithful members, and with his sacrifice and intercession, does as it were perfume all their prayers, and make them acceptable in the sight of God, [Rev. 8:3.].
Quest.
Does not Christ as well make intercession for all, as he died for all mankind?
Answ.
Though Christ died and fulfilled the law for a common benefit to all mankind and his ransom is sufficient to save all; yet he never purposed to redeem all men by his death. For he knew that many were already damned, and past all hope of redemption before he died, and that Judas was a son of perdition, and therefore he did not purpose to give himself a ransom for them. Besides he himself testifies that he did not pray for the world, but only for his elect given to him by his father out of the world, Joh. 17.9. Therefore he did much less dye with an intent, purpose and desire to redeem and save them. George Walker, The Key of Saving Knowledge, Opening out of the holy Scripture, the right way, and straight passage to Eternal life (London: Printed by Tho. Badger. 1641), 43-50. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; marginal references cited inline; original italics removed; and underlining mine.]
3)
Quest.
You have well shown that Christ both in respect of his person and offices, is an all sufficient redeemer and savior, and is able by the infinite worth of his mediation to save all men: Now then tell me why all men are not saved?
Answ.
Though Christ his ransom and satisfaction is able to save and redeem all that are partakers thereof, even all mankind, if they had grace to receive and apply him and all his merits by Faith, Yet because none have spiritual communion with him, but only they whom God hath chosen to eternal life in him, and predestined to be effectually called, according to his purpose, to the state of grace, and to be made conformable to his image: Therefore many who are not elect, follow their own evil ways, and have no will nor care to repent of their sins, and believe in Christ, but run willfully into destruction and perish.
Quest.
Has God then chosen from all eternity a certain number only of mankind to salvation?
Answ.
Yes, verily. For the Scriptures plainly testify.
First, that God has a certain number of particular persons, whom he has from all eternity predestinated both to eternal life in Christ, and also to the means which lead unto life, to wit, redemption, effectual calling, adoption, faith and the like, Ephes. 1:4, 5:11, and Rom. 11:57, and Act. 13:48.
Secondly, that the persons elected are they only who are called in time, according to his purpose, justified, made conformable to the image of his Son, and at length glorified, Rom. 8:28, 29, and 30.
Thirdly, that they are chosen not for any work which God foresaw in them, but merely according to the good pleasure of his own will, Rom. 9:11, Eph. 1:5.
And fourthly, that all they who continue in obstinacy and impenitency unto the end, and are damned, where of old ordained to that damnation, and destruction, 1 Thes. 5:9; 1 Pet. 2:8; and Jud. 4.
Quest.
If God has not ordained men to faith in Christ, repentance, and good works, but has willingly rejected them, as he did Esau before he had done any evil; and given them up to hardness, and impenitency, as he did Pharaoh: Why is he angry with them, for none can resist his will?
Answ.
It is too much presumption in men to dispute against God, and to judge of his actions by their own shallow reason. For he is not to give account of any of his matters, nor to answer for his doings, Job 33:13, Rom. 9:19. And yet it is reason that every absolute Lord should do what he wish with his own, and that as the potter has power over the clay to make of the same lump one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor; so God much more should have power over his creatures, to ordain and make some vessels of honor, and leave others to follow their own evil ways which they have found out to themselves, and are not led into by him, and so to perish; seeing their evil and destruction by his over-ruling wisdom and power does turn to the greater good of is elect, and makes the glory of his holiness, justice, power and mercy shine forth more clearly to them.
Quest.
Does the benefit of Christ the mediator, and redeemer reach only to the elect?
Answ.
Though the saving virtue of Christ belongs only to the elect; yet there is a common benefit of Christ, whereof reprobates are partakers, which reaches also to all the world. For he is said to preserve man and beasts, that is, to keep them in life and being, Psal. 36.6 and to be the Savior of all, especially of them that believe, 1 Tim. 4.10 and to give himself a ransom for all, 1 Tim. 2.6. and by him all things are said to consist, Col. 1.17.
Quest.
How can Christ’s virtue reach to them who are a far off aliens and strangers from him, and enemies to his cross and sufferings?
Answ.
It reaches to them not immediately by virtue of union with him, as it does to the faithful, but after a secondary manner for his elect’s sake. For Christ by his mediation has obtained of God, that all the world was made for man’s use, should be upheld by his general providence, that the heavens and the sun, the moon and stars, should keep their course, and continue in their natural being, and give light and influence to the good and the bad, the just and the unjust, and that the air, the earth, and the sea, should breed and nourish living creatures, herbs, plants, fruit trees and all other tings useful for men, yea the wicked prosper and flourish in wealth and strength, either that they may be a wall of defense to the elect which live among them, or that they may build houses, plant vineyards, and subdue the earth for them, as the cursed Canaanites did for Israel; or that they may be progenitors, and instruments, to bring forth an elect seed, as our forefathers to the heathen Gentiles were to us their Christian progeny; or for the punishing and correcting of the sins of the elect, as the Canaanites were kept alive to punish the Israelites when they sinned; and for the trial and exercise of their faith and patience by unjust persecution. Christ by his mediation has procured all these things for his elect’s sake, to all creatures, which otherwise should have perished with man being all stained and corrupted by his sin. And hence it is that he is said to bear up the pillars of the world, with the earth and the inhabitants thereof are dissolved, Psal. 75:3. And thus far we may grant and acknowledge universal grace, which Christ my his mediation procured to all the world, even to the wicked reprobates which perish.
Quest.
Has not Christ procured to all mankind grace and ability, to believe, repent and be saved, if they will do as much as they are able for the obtaining of regeneration, and other saving graces of the Spirit?
Answ.
No certainly, for regeneration, effectual calling, faith, and all saving graces are purchased and given by Christ, only to the elect, for whom he alone prayed, and does still make intercession: And they also while remain in the common state of nature, have no power in themselves, either to will or to do any work truly good, but are dead in trespasses and sins, Ephes. 2:1 [2 Cor. 3:5.]. They are aliens and enemies in their minds, and all their thoughts incline to evil, Col. 1:21. If all men, even they who perish, had power and liberty of will, to believe and be saved, certainly some of them who are not elect, would believe and regenerate, and use their liberty to the saving of their souls. For it is given for that end, that it might be brought into act, and take effect; if it never does, it is given by God in vain. But nature, as philosophers observed, never gives power in vain, and much more does the God of nature, abhor to give men a vain power which never comes it to act. George Walker, The Key of Saving Knowledge, Opening out of the holy Scripture, the right way, and straight passage to Eternal life (London: Printed by Tho. Badger. 1641), 52-59. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; marginal references cited inline; original italics removed; and underlining mine.]
Credit to Tony for the find.