Of the Nature of Reconciliation, and the Argument Taken from Thence
Of the nature of reconciliation; and the argument taken from thence.
ARGUMENT XII.
IT. Another thing ascribed to the death of Christ, and by the consent of all extending itself unto all for whom he died, is reconciliation. This, in Scripture,. is clearly proposed under a double notion: first of God to us; secondly, of us to God; both usually ascribed to the death and blood-shedding of Jesus Christ; for those who were enemies, he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, Col.i. 21,22. And-doubtless, these things do exactly answer one another; all those to whom he hath reconciled God, he doth also reconcile unto God: for unless both be effected, it cannot be said to be a perfect reconciliation.. For how can it. be, if peace be made only on the one side? yea it is utterly impossible, that a division of these two can be rationally apprehended: for if God be reconciled, not man, why doth not he reconcile him, seeing it is confessedly in his power? and if man should be reconciled, not God, how can he be ready to receive all that come unto him? Now, that God and all and every one in the world, are actually reconciled and made at peace in Jesus Christ, I hope will not be affirmed: but to clear this, we must a little consider the nature of reconeiliation, as it is proposed to us in the gospel, unto which also some light may be given, from the nature of the thing itself, and the use of the word in civil things, — Reconciliation is the renewing of friendship, between parties before at variance, both parties being properly said to be reconciled; even both he that offendeth, and he that was offended. God and man were set ata distance, at enmity and variance, by sin; man was the party offending, God offended, and the alienation was mutual on either side: but yet with this difference, that man was alienated in respect of affections, the ground and cause of anger and enmity; God, i respect of the effects and
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Los. Arguments against Book [i.
issue of anger and enmity. The word, in the New Testament, is xaraaaoynxand the verb. xaraaracow; reconciliation, to reconcile; both from’ daré77@, to change, or to turn from one thing, one mind, to another; whence the first native signification of those words, is permutatio and permutare 3 80-2rist. Eth. 3. cov Biov nmpos pexpadxtpdy — — xartaarrarzovar: because most commonly those that are reconciled are changed, in respect of their affections, always in respect of the distance and variance, and in respect of the effects; thence it signifieth reconciliation and to reeoncile. And the word may not be affirmed of any business, or of any men; until both parties are actually re- — onciled, and all differences removed, in respect of any former ‘grudge and ill-will: if one be well pleased with the other, and that other continue axarzaxax¢os Inappeased and implacable; there is. no reconciliation, When our Saviour gives that command, that he that brought his: gift to the altar, and there remembered that. his brother had ought against him, were offended with him for any cause, he should go and be reconciled to him, fully intendeth a mutual returning of minds one to another, especially respecting the appeasing and atoning of him that was offended, neither are these words used among men in any other sense; but always denote, even in common’ speech, a full redintegration of friendship between dissenting parties; with reference, most times, to some compensation made to the offended party. The reconciling of
one party and the other, may be distinguished, but both are required; to make up an entire reconciliation. pay As then the folly of Socinus and his sectariesis remarkable, who would have the reconciliation mentioned in
the Scripture, to be nothing but our conversion to God; without the appeasing of his anger, and turning away his wrath from us, which isa reconciliation hopping om one leg: so, that distinction of some, between the reconciliation of God to man, making that to be universal towards all, and the reconciliation of man to God, making that to be only of a small number of those to whom God is recon= ciled; is ano less monstrous figment. Mutual alienation, ee have mutual reconciliation; seeing they-are corre/a- ~The state sash ua God and man, before the recon-Chap. al Universal Redemption. 159°
eiliation made by Christ, was.a state of enmity, man was at enmity with God, we. were his enemies, Col. i. 21. fom. v.10. hating him, and opposing ourselves to him, in the highest rebellion to the utmost of our power. God also was thus far an enemy tous, that his wrath was onus, Hphes. ii. 3. which remaineth on us, until we do believe, John iit. 36. To make perfect reconciliation, (which Christ is said in many places to do) it is required, first, that the wrath of God be turned away, his anger removed, and all the effects of enmity on his part toward us; secondly, that we be turned away from our opposition to him, and brought into voluntary obedience: until both these be affected, reconciliation is not perfected. Now both these are in the Scripture assigned to our Saviour, as the effects of his death and sacrifice. 3 Ist, He turned away the wrath of God from us, and so appeased him towards us, that was the reconciling of God by his death: for when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, Rom. v.10, That here is meant the reconciling of God, as that part of reconciliation which consisteth in turning away his wrath from us, is most apparent; it being that whereby God chiefly commendeth his love to us, which certainly is in the forgiveness of sin, by the aversion of his anger due to it: as also being opposed to our being saved from the ‘wrath to come, in the latter end of the verse, which compee our conversation-and whole reconciliation to God. esides, verse 11. we afe said to receive tyv xararrayyy,
this reconciliation, (which, I know not by what means, we have translated atonement;) which cannot be meant of -our reconciliation to God, -or conversion, which we cannot properly be said to accept or receive; but of him to us, which we receive when it is apprekended by faith.
2dly, He turneth us away from our enmity towards God; redeeming and reconciling us to God, by the blood of his cross, Col. i. 20. to wit, then, meritoriously, satisfactorily, by the way of acquisition and purchase, acecomplishing it in due time, actually and efficiently by his Spirit: both these ye have jointly mentioned, 2 Cor. vy. 18, 19, 20. Where we may see, 1. God’s being reconciled to us in Christ, which consisteth in a not imputation of
160 Arguments against Book Hf.
iniquities, and is the subject matter of the ministry, ver. 18, 19. And 2. The reconciling of us to God, by accepting the pardon of our sins, which is the end of the ministry, ver. 20. as the same is also at large declared, Ephes. ii. 13, 14, 15. The actual, then, and effectual accomplishment of both these, s¢aul and seme, in-respect of pro- ‘curement, and by continuance, in process of ‘time, in the ordinances of the gospel, in respect of final accomplishment on the part of men, do make up that reconciliation, which is the effect of the death of Christ: for so it is in many places assigned to be; We are reconciled to God by the death of his Son, Rom. v. 10. And you that were sometimes alienated, hath he reconciled, in the body of his flesh through death, Cod. i. 21, 22.. Which is in sundry places so evident in the Scripture, that none can possibly deny reconciliation to be the immediate effect and product of the death of Christ. Now, how this reconciliation can possibly be reconciled with universal redemption, I am no way able to discern: for if reconciliation be the proper effect of the death of Christ, as is confessed by all, then if he died for all, Lask, (1.) How cometh it to pass, that God is not reconciled to all? as he is not; for his wrath abideth on some, John ili. 36. and reconciliation is the aversion of wrath. (2.) That all are not reconciled to God? as they are not; for by nature all are the children of wrath, Eph. ii. 3. and some all their lives do nothing but treasure up wrath against the day of wrath, Rom. ii. 5. - (3.). How then ean it be, that reconciliation should be wrought between God and all men, and yet neither God reconciled to all, nor all reconciled to God? (4.) If God-be reconciled to all, when doth he begin to be unreconciled towards them that pefish? by what alteration is it? in his will or nature? (5.) if all be reconciled by the death of Christ, when do they begin to be unreconciled who perish, being born children of wrath? (6.) Seeing that reconciliation on the part of God, consists in the turning away of his wrath, and not imputing of iniquity, 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. which is justification, rendering us blessed, Rom. iv. 6, 7, 8. why, if God be reconciled to all, are not all justified and made blessed, through a non-imputation of their sin? They who have
Chap. VII. Universal Redemption. ees
found out a redemption, where none are redeemed, and a reconciliation, where none are reconciled, can easily answer these and such other questions. Which to do, I leave them to their leisure; and in the mean time conclude this part of our argument; that reconciliation, which is the renewing of lost friendship, the slaying of enmity, the making up of peace, the appeasing of God and turning away of his wrath, attended with a non-imputation of iniquities; and on our part conversion to God, by faith and repentance: this, I say, being that reconciliation which is the effect of the death and blood of Christ, it cannot be asserted in reference to any, nor Christ said to die for any other, but only those concerning whom all the properties of it and acts wherein it doth consist, may be truly affirmed; which whether they may be of all men, or no, let all ‘men judge.?