A Continuance of Arguments from the Nature of the Thing in Hand; and First, of Redemption

Being a continuance of arguments, from the nature and description of the thing in hand: And first, of redemption.

ARGUMENT XI.

That doctrine which will not, by any means suit with, nor be made conformable to the thing signified by it, and the expressions literal: and deductive, whereby in Scripture it is held out unto us, but implies evident contradictions unto them, cannot possibly be sound and sincere, as is the milk of the word: but now such is this persuasion of universal redemption, it can never be suited nor fitted to the thing itself, or redemption, nor to those expressions whereby in the Scripture it is held out unto us: universal redemption, and yet many to die in captivity, is a contradiction irreconcileable in itself... To manifest this, let us consider some of the chiefest words and phrases, whereby - the matter concerning which we treat, is delivered in the Seripture: such as are redemption, reconciliation, satisfaction, merit, dying for us, bearing our sins, suretyship; his being God, a common person, a Jesus, saving to the utmost, a sacrifice putting away sin, and the like; to which we may add the importance of some propositions, and other words. used in the original about this business; and. doubt not but we shall easily find that the general ransom, or rather universal redemption, will hardly suit to.any of them, but it is too long for the bed, and must be cropped at head or heels. he ey

I, Begin we with the word redemption itself; which we will consider, name and thing. Redemption, which in the Scripture is airpaccs sometimes, but most. frequently

154 Arguments against: Book IIft.

dmonvtpases; 1s, the delivery of any one from captivity and misery, by the Intervention avzpé of a price or ransom. That this ransom, or price of our deliverance, was the blood of Christ, is evident; he calls it av’zpov, Matth. xx. 28. and A ee 1 Tim. ii. 6, that is, the price of such a redemption; that which was received as a valuable consideration for our dismission, Now that which is aimed at, in the payment of this price, is the deliverance of those from the evil wherewith they were oppressed, for whom the price is paid: it being in this spiritual redemption as it is in corporal and civil; only with the alteration of some circumstances, as the nature of the thing enforceth. This the Holy Spirit manifesteth by comparing the blood of Christ in this work of redemption, with silver and gold, and such other things as are the intervening ransom in civil redemption, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. The evil wherewith we were oppressed, was the punishment: which we had deserved; that is the satisfaction required, when the debt is sin: which also we are by the payment -of-this price delivered from; so Ga. ii. 13. For we are justified freely by his grace, thro’ the redemption that is in Jesus. Christ, Rom, iti, 24. In whom we have redemption thro’ his blood; the forgiveness of sins, Hpk, i. 7. Col. iv 14. Free justification je the cuilt, ‘and: pardon of sin, in the deliverance from the punish ment due unto it, is the effect of the redemption procured, by the payment of the price we before mentioned: as ifa man should have his friend in bondage, and he should go and lay out. his estate to pay the price of his freedom that is set upon his head by him that detains him, and so set him at liberty. Only,.asewas before intimated, this spiritual redemption hath some super-eminent things in it, that are not to be found in other deliverances; as

ist, He that receives the ransom, doth also give it; Christ is a propitiation, to appease and atone the Lord; but the Lord himself set him forth. so to be, Rom. iii: 24, 25. Whence he himself is often said to redeem us, his love is the cause of the price in respect of its procurement, and his justice accepts of the price in respect of its merit; for Christ came down from heaven, to do the will of him that sent

him, John vi. 38., Heb. x. 9,10. It is otherways, in the

redemption amongst men; where he that receives the ransom, hath no hand in the providing of it.

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Chap. V. Universal Redemption. 155

2dly, The captive or prisoner is not so much freed from his power who detains him, as brought into his favour. When a captive amongst men, is redeemed by the payment of a ransom, he is instantly to be set free from the power and authority of him that did detain him: but in this spiritual redemption, upon the-payment of the ransom for us, which is the blood of Jesus; we are not removed from God, but are brought nigh unto him, “phes. ii. 13. not delivered from his power, but restored to his favour: our misery being a punishment by the way of banishment, as as well as thraldom.: 3dly, As the judge was to be satisiied, so the jailor was to be conquered. God the judge giving him leave to fight for his dominion; which was wrongfully usurped, though that whereby he had it was by the Lord justly inflicted, and his thraldom by us rightly deserved, Hed.ii.14. Col. 11.15. And he lost his power, as strong as he was, for striving to grasp more than he could hold: for the foundation of his kingdom being sin, assaulting Christ who did no sin, he lost his power over them that Christ came to redeem, having no part in him; so was the strong man bound, and his house spoiled. er ome 1 In these and some other few circumstances, is our spiritual redemption diversified from civil; but for the main, it answers the word in the propriety thereof, according to the use that it hath amongst men. Now there is a twofold way, whereby this is in the Scripture expressed: for sometimes our Saviour is said, to die for our redemption, and sometimes for the redemption of our transgressions; both tending to the same purpose; yea both expressions, as I conceive, signify the same thing. Of the latter you have an example, Heb.ix.15. he died és enordzpwouw rapabaceuy: which say some is a metonimy, transgressions being put for transgressors; others, that it is a proper expression for the paying of a price, whereby we may. be delivered from the evil of our transgressions. The other expression you have Ephes. i. 7. and.in divers orher places, where the * words a/rpov.and gxoavzpov do concur; as also Matth.xx. 28. and Mark x. 45. Now these words, especially that of dyriavrpov, 1 Tim. ii. 6. do always denote, by the (not to be - wrested) genuine signification of them, the payment of a

é price; or an equal compensation, in lieu of some thing to be done. or grant made by him to whom that price is paid. Having given these few notions, concerning redemption in general, ‘let. us now see, how applicable it is unto general redemption.

Redemption is the freeing of a man from misery, by the - intervention of a ransom; as appeareth: now when a ransom is paid for the liberty of a prisoner, is if not all the justice in the world, that he should have and enjoy the - liberty so purchased for him by a valuable consider ation? If I should pay a thousand pounds for a man’s deliverance from bondage, to him that detains him, who hath power

to set him free, and is contented with the price I give; were it not-injurious to me, and the poor prisoner, that his deliverance be not accomplished? Can it possibly be conceived, that there should be a redemption of men, and those. men not redeemed? that a price should be paid, and the purchase not consummated? yet all this must be -true, and innumerable other absurdities, if universal redemption be asserted. A price is paid for all, yet few delivered; the redemption of all consummated, yet few of them redeemed: the judge satisfied, the jailor conquered; and yet the prisoner enthralled. Doubtless, universal and redemption, where the greatest part of men perish, are asirreconcileable as’ Roman and catholic. If there be an universal redemption of all, then all men are redeemed; if they are redeemed, then are they delivered from all misery virtually or actually whereunto they were enthralled, and that by the intervention of aransom: why then are not all saved? Ina word, the redemption wrought by Christ, being the full deliverance of the persons redeem- ed, from all miser y wherein they were enwrapped, by the price of his blood; it cannot possibly be conceived to be universal, unless all be saved: so that the opinion al the universalists is unsuitable to redemption. )

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