Page:A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (John Ball).djvu/229

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for whom he died and rose againe.
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but he will accept of him upon termes fitting, according to a new Covenant. In which sense a Father is reconciledCorvin. in Mol.
cap. 28. §. 35.
to his Son, a Master to his Servant, when he is content upon repentance, submission and amendment to receive him into favour. Upon this Text they would build a two-fold reconciliation, one generall (as some expresse it) another speciall; one not an actuall taking away of sins, not actuall remission of sins, not Justification, not actuall redemption of these or these, but an impetration of remission, Justification, and redemption, whereby God may, his justice not hindring, remit sins to men transgressours, which doth imply another member, to wit, reconciliation, justification and redemption actuall. Arm. in Perkin. §. 25. pag. 76. or a reconcileablenesse, whereby men might be delivered from the captivity of sin, or the necessity of thraldome and reconciliation, whereby they are delivered from captivity. Voss. Hist. Pelagian. lib. 7. part. 1. thes. 3. Others call it an actuall reconciliation on Gods part, and an actuall reconciliation whereby it comes to passe, that all sinners do actually please God. Exam. Censur. cap. 8. pag. 59. Vorst. in 2 Cor. 5. 15. and 1 Joh. 2. 2. Christ sufficiently and efficiently doth expiate the sins of all, and reconcile the world to God, quantum in ipso est, that is, as much as pertaines to the execution of his office laid upon him by his heavenly Father. What distinction they make of reconciliation, and actuall reconciliation, or reconcileablenesse and actuall reconciliation, the same may be made of redemption, remission of sins, justification, and adoption, regeneration and sanctification, so that we may distinguish of them also, that there is an actuall redemption and redemption, actuall remission of sins and remission, actuall justification and justification, actuall sanctification and sanctification. The terme actuall remission or reconciliation being set against reconciliation, as the distinct member, doth require, that reconciliation potentiall be understood, which may be called reconcileablenesse. And then Christ hath not obtained of the Father by his death, that he should remit sins, but that he hath power to remit them: he hath not obtained redemption, but a possibility of redemption, or the redemption purchased is a potentiall remission of sinnes: he hath not merited sanctification, but a right that he may sanctifie or sanctifiablenesse: he hath obtained also that God might pardon sin, as well as that man might be pardoned or reconciled; and notwithstanding anyredemption