Thirdly, Some^ distinguish of a twofold reconciliation and redemp- » Camei'o, Testaidus, Aniyraklus. 2 More, ■with some others of late.
THE PROPER END OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST ASSERTED. 223
tion ; — one wrought by Christ with God for man, which, say they, is general for all and every man; secondly, a reconciliation wrought by Christ in man unto God, bringing them actually into peace with him.
And sundry other ways there are whej-eby men express their con- ceptions in this business. The sum of all comes to this, and the weight of all lies upon that distinction which we before recounted ; — namely, that in respect of impetration, Christ obtained redemption and reconciliation for all ; in respect of application, it is bestowed only on them who do believe and continue therein.
II. Their arguments whereby they prove the generality of the ransom and universality of the reconciliation must afterward be con- sidered : for the jjresent, we handle only the distinction itself, the meaning and misapplication whereof 1 shall briefly declare; which will appear if we consider, —
First, The true nature and meaning of this distinction, and the true use thereof; for we do acknowledge that it may be used in a sound sense and right meaning, which way soever you express it, either by impetration and application, or by procuring reconciliation with God and a working of reconciliation in us. For by impebxi- tion we mean the meritorious purchase of all good things made by Christ for us with and of his Father; and by application, the actual enjoyment of those good things upon our believing ; — as, if a man pay a price for the redeeming of captives, the paying of the price suj)- plieth the room of the impetration of which we speak ; and the free- ing of the captives is as the application of it. Yet, then, we must observe, —
First, That this distinction hath no place in the intention and purpose of Christ, but only in respect of the things procured by him ; for in his purpose they are both united, his full end and aim being to deliver us from all evil, and procure all good actually to be be- stowed iipon us. But in respect of the things themselves, they may be considered either as procured by Christ, or as bestowed on us.
Secondly, That the will of God is not at all conditional in this business, as though he gave Christ to obtain peace, reconciliation, and forgiveness of sins, upon condition that we do believe. There is a condition in the things, but none in the will of God ; that is ab- solute that such things should be procured and bestowed.
Thirdly, That all the things which Christ obtained for us are not bestowed upon condition, but some of them absolutely. And as for those that are bestowed upon condition, the condition on which they are bestowed is actually purchased and procured for us, upon no condition but only by virtue of the purchase. For instance : Christ hath purchased remission of sins and eternal life for us, to be enjoyed on our beheving, upon the condition of faith. But faith itself, which
224 THE DEATH OF DEATH. [BOOK II.
is the condition of them, on whose performance they are bestowed, that he hath procured for us absohitely, on no condition at all ; for what condition soever can be proposed, on which the Lord should bestow faith, I shall afterward show it vain, and to run into a circle- Fourthly, That both these, impetration and application, have for their objects the same individual persons; that, look, for whomsoever Christ obtained any good thing by his death, unto them it shall cer- tainly be applied, upon them it shall actually be bestowed : so that it cannot be said that he obtained any thing for any one, which that one shall not or doth not in due time enjoy. For whomsoever he wrought reconciliation with God, in them doth he work reconcilia- tion unto God. The one is not extended to some to whom the other doth not reach. Now, because this being established, the opposite interpretation and misapplication of this distinction vanisheth, I shall briefly confirm it with reasons: —
First, If the application of the good things procured be the end why they are procured, for whose sake alone Christ doth obtain them, then they must be applied to all for whom they are obtained; for otherwise Christ faileth of his end and aim, which must not be granted. But that this application was the end of the obtaining of all good things for us appeareth, — First, Because if it were other- wise, and Christ did not aim at the applying of them, but only at their obtaining, then might the death of Christ have had its full effect and issue without the application of redemption and salvation to any one soul, that being not aimed at, and so, notwithstanding all that he did for us, every soul in the world might have perished eternally; which, whether it can stand with the dignity and sufii- ciency of his oblation, with the purpose of his Father, and his own intention, who "came into the world to save sinners, — that which was lost," and to " bring many sons unto glory," let all judge. Secondly, God, in that action of sending his Son, laying the weight of iniquity upon him, and giving him up to an accursed death, must be afiirmed to be altogether uncertain wliat event all this should have in respect of us. For, did he intend that we should be saved by it? — then the application of it is that which he aimed at, as we assert : did he not? — certainly, he was uncertain what end it should have; which is blasphemy, and exceeding contrary to Scripture and right reason. Did he appoint a Saviour without thought of them that were to be saved? a Redeemer, not determining who should be redeemed? Did he resolve of a means, not determining the end? It is an assertion opposite to all the glorious properties of God.