Now, because they are things of a twofold denomination about which we contend before the King of heaven, each part producing their evidence, the first springing from the favour of God towards us, the second from the working of his grace actually within us, I shall handle them severally and apart; — especially because to things of this latter sort, gifts, as we call them, enabling us to fulfil the condition required for the attaining of glory, we lay a double claim on God's behalf; first. As the death of Christ is the meritorious cause pro- curing them of him ; secondly. As his free grace is their efficient cause working them in us; — they also producing a double title, «whereby they would invest their beloved darling with a sole propriety in caus- ing these effects; first. In regard that they are our own acts, per- formed in us and by us; secondly. As they are parts of our duty which we are enjoined to do. So that the quarrel is directly between Christ's merits and our own free-will about procuring the favour of
94) A DISPLAY OF ARMINIANISiL
God, and obtaining grace and righteousness. Let us see what they say to the first.
They affii'm that ^" the immediate and proper effect or end of the death and passion of Christ is, not an actual ablation of sin from men, not an actual remission of iniquities, justification and redemp- tion of any soul ;" that is, Christ's death is not the meritorious cause of the remission of our sins, of redemption and justification. The meritorious cause, I say: for of some of them, as of justification, as it is terminated in us, we confess there are causes of other kinds, as faith is the instrument and the Holy Spirit the efficient thereof; but for the sole meritorious procuring cause of these spiritual blessings, we always took it to be the righteousness and death of Christ, be- lieving plainly that the end why Christ died, and the fruit of his sufferings, was our reconciliation with God, redemption from our sins, freedom from the curse, deliverance from the wrath of God and power of hell, — though we be not actual partakers of these things, to the pacification of our own consciences, without the intervening operation of the Holy Spirit, and faith by him wrought in us.
But if this be not, pray what is obtained by the death of Christ ? Why, ^ " a potential, conditionate reconciliation, not actual and abso- lute," saith Corvinus. But yet this potential reconciliation being a new expression, never intimated in the Scripture, and scarce of itself intelligible, we want a farther explanation of their mind, to know what it is that directly they assign to the merits of Christ. Wherefore they tell us that the fruit of his death was ^"such an impetration or obtaining of reconciliation with God, and redemption for us, that God thereby hath a power, his justice being satisfied, and so not compelling him to the contrary, to grant remission of sins to sinful men on what condition he would;" or, as another speaketh it, '"'There was, by the effusion of Christ's blood, a right obtained unto and settled in God, of reconciling the world, and of opening unto all a gate of repentance and faith in Christ." But noAV, whereas the Scripture everywhere affirmeth that Christ died for our good, to obtain blessings for us, to purchase our peace, to acquire and merit for us the good things contained in the promise of the
1 " Immciliata mortis Christi eflfectio, ac passionis, ilia est non actxialis peccatorum ab his aut illis ablatio, non actualis icniissio, non justificatio, non actualis horum aut illormn redemptio." — Armin. Antip., p. 7(5.
2 " lieconciliatio potoiitialis ct conditionata non actualis et absohita, per mortem Christi iinpctrutur." — Corv. ad Molin., cap. xxviii. sect. 11.
* '• Reniissionis, justificationis, et redemptionis, apud Deum impctratio, qua factum est, ut Deus jam jiossit, utpote justitia cui satisfactum est non obstante, honiiuibus peccatoribus peccata remitterc." — Armin., ubi sup.
* "Autoris mens non est alia, quam effuso sanguine Christi rcconciliandi miuidum Deo jus inipetratum fuisse, et inito novo fa-derc et gratioso cum hominibus, Deuna gratico ostium omnibus dcnuo, poenitcntiie ac verse in Christum fidcilege, adaperuissc." — Epistol. ad Wal, p. 03.
OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST. 95
covenant, this opinion seems to restrain the end and fruit thereof to the obtaining of a power and Hberty unto God of prescribing us a condition whereby we may be saved. But yet, it may be, thus much at least Christ obtained of God in our behalf, that he should assign faith in him to be this condition, and to bestow it upon us also. No ; neither the one nor the other. ^*' After all this, had it so seemed good unto his wisdom, God might have chosen the Jews, and others, following the righteousness of the law, as well as believers; because he might have assigned any other condition of salvation besides faith in Christ," saith Grevinchovius. Notwithstanding, then, the death of Christ for us, we might have been held to the old rule, " Do this, and live." But if this be true, I cannot perceive how it may be said that Christ died to redeem us from our sins, to save our souls, and bring us unto glory. Neither, perhaps, do they think this to be any great inconvenience; for the same author affirm eth that ^"Christ cannot be said properly to die to save any one." And a little after he more fully declares himself, that ^" after Christ had obtained all that he did obtain by his death, the right remained wholly in God to apply it, or not to apply it, as it should seem good unto him; the application of grace and glory to any man was not the end for which Christ obtained them, but to get a right and power unto God of bestowing those things on what sort of men he would ; " — which argues no redemption of us from our sins, but a vindication of God from such a condition wherein he had not power to forgive them ; not an obtaining of salvation for us, but of a liberty unto God of saving us on some condition or other.