Calvinists, on the other hand, panes that an absolute Sovereign, in that eternity which is without beginning, end, or succession, foreordains whatsoever comes to pass. They acknowledge that if the decrees of God are eternal, they must be one, single, changeless, all-comprehending intention. They profess to believe that as of his mere good pleasure God has chosen out of the great mass of men, equally guilty, some men to eternal salvation, ‘so hath he foreordained all the means thereunto. Where- fore, they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed in Christ,” &¢.* " Redemption must be in order to accomplish the purpose of predestination, be-
* Westminster Confession, chap. ili., 2 6.
CHAPTER Tit.
342 THE DESIGN OF THE ATONEMENT.
cause, as a matter of fact, it does precisely accomplish that purpose. On the contrary, a sovereign election of some cannot be in order to accomplish the purpose of the general redemption of all, because, as a matter of fact, it does not at all accomplish it. If then, redemption be in order to accomplish the purpose of the sovereign elec- tion of some, then it is certain that Christ died in order to secure the salvation of the elect, and not in order to make the salvation of all men possible. St. Augustine and all consistent Augustinians, Calvin and all the Re- formed Churches, held that REDEMPTION IS IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE PURPOSE OF ELECTION.
CHAPTER IV.
HISTORY OF OPINION AMONG CALVINISTS UPON THE QUESTION AS TO THE DESIGN OF THE ATONEMENT.
pes, PROPOSE now to give a very brief and gene- onsrrer 1 ral sketch of the history of opinion upon this
subject, preparatory to a more particular in-
quiry as to the opinions of Calvin, and the
general consensus and authoritative standard of doctrine
among the Reformed Churches.
Let the fact, already carefully noticed, be remembered, The use of that all parties agree—1. That the Scriptures use ius general and indefinite terms when speaking of the design Py strict. a Christ’s death, as well as personal and definite ones. cmplaiaed John said, “That the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (1 John iy. 14); and Christ said,
“T lay down my life for the sheep” (John x. 15). 2. That Christ died with the design as well as effect of securing many benefits, short of salvation, for the non-— elect as well as for the elect. 3. That since his work is sufficient for all, exactly adapted to the needs of each, and offered indiscriminately to all, it follows—(a.) That all the legal obstacles in God’s way of saving any are removed, and hence the salvation of all is now legally possible, a parte Dei. (b.) That in a strictly objective sense the Atonement is as freely available, on the condi- tion of faith, to the gospel-hearing non-elect as it is to the elect. 4, Hence it follows that if we look down the line of purpose and causation from God toward
CHAPTER IV
Different senses in which the phrase ‘Christ died for all men” has been used.
o44 THE DESIGN OF THE ATONEMENT.
mankind, it is plain that Christ could have had no other purpose in dying than to save those whom he actually does save. but if we look upwards from the position of the sinner, to whom the universal offer of a personal interest in the Atonement of Christ is brought, it is evident that Christ did so die for the sins of the whole world that if any man hears the offer and is willing to accept it, a free and perfect Atonement is his for the taking. Hence it follows, that in all ages many of the most rigid predes-_ tinarians have said, in the words of Calvin himself, ‘“ Passus est Christus pro peccatis totius mundi,’ while it has been only very superficial critics who have in- ferred therefrom that these men intended to decide against the doctrine of ‘the Reformed Churches, which is that Christ designed in his death to secure the salvation of his elect, and of none others. The phrase that ‘Christ died for the whole world” may be taken in three senses : (a.) That he died for Jews as well as Gentiles, for a people elect out of all nations and generations. (6.) That he died to secure many advantages for all men from Adam to the last generation, especially for all citizens m Christian lands. (¢.) That he died to secure the salva- tion of each and every man that ever lived—that is, that he died in the same sense for the non-elect as for the elect. The first two we affirm; the last we deny. And we maintain that the meaning intended by men in the use of general expressions, like that above quoted from Calvin, can be determined only by means of a com- parison. of all their expressed opinions on the subject. All Arians, Pelagians, semi-Pelagians, Socinians, and Arminians, have, in perfect consistency with their several systems, maintained the general and indefinite reference of the Atonement; while, on the other hand, as was to be expected, all true Augustinians and Calvinists have necessarily held that Christ died definitely and personally
OPINION OF CALVINISTS. 345