Page:A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (John Ball).djvu/217

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for whom he died and rose againe.
205

Arm. Resp. ad
ad Art. 13,14.
the grace of reconciliation, and entred into a Covenant of grace with Adam and all his posterity. But then Christ died for all mankind in respect of impetration and application both: and by his death hath actually reconciled all mankinde unto God, merited actuall regeneration for them, and purchased Salvation, if after they be possessors of these spirituall blessings, they doe not fall from them and shake them off by impenitency and infidelity. For Adam and Eve excepted, mankind cannot be considered in the common lapse, but as infants only. Further they affirme,Armin. in Perk.
pag 4.
that Infants have refused grace in their parents, grandfathers, ancestors, by which act they have deserved to be forsaken of God: which how it can stand with their generall position, or that last mentioned, I cannot conceive. Lastly, they teach, that Christ died for the impenitent and unbelievers: for thus they reason, If Christ died for all whom he came to save, and came to save unbelievers, as his words are, I came not to judge, but to save, then he died for unbelievers. How they accord these things, I cannot finde; but if we take things as they lay them downe, it will plainely follow, that Christ died for all mankind in respect of impetration only, and that he died for them in respect of impetration and application both; that he hath not actually reconciled them unto God, and that he hath purchased actuall reconciliation; that he died not for the impenitent or unbelievers in respect of impetration, and that in respect of impetration only, he died only for such. And all this can hardly be reconciled with that they have in their Script. Synod. declar. sent. Rem. circa Art. 2 Gratia haec impetrata est peccatoribus quatenus in communi lapsus & peccati statu aliisque peccatis, excepta sola impenitentia, considerantur, &c. Sicut fidelibus, qua talibus, fructus impetratae gratiae propriè obtingit, ita infidelibus & rebellibus, qua talibus, gratia impetrata non est, &c. & pag. 312.

The second sort of Divines distinguish the sufficiency and efficiency of Christs death. In respect of the worth and greatnesse of the price he died for all men: because it was sufficient for the redemption of every man in the world, if they did repent and believe: and God might without impeachment of justice have offered Salvation to every man in the world upon that condition if it had been his pleasure. In the efficiency, as every man, or any man hath fruit by the death of Christ, so Christ died for him. But this is not of one kind: some fruit is common to every man: for asChrist