Universal redemption of mankind, by the Lord Jesus Christ stated and cleared by the…

Arg. 16. A peccatorum aggravation.

Arg. 16. A peccatorum aggravatione.

If it be the great aggravation of all Mens Sins committed against that mercy which tendeth to their Recovery, that they are against the Lord that died for them, then Christ did die for all such Men: But the Antecedent is true, Ergo, &c.

Only the Antecedent requires proof; That wicked Men do partake of Mercy tending towards their recovery, (as to the nature of the mercy, and in Gods legal Ordination) I think I need not prove among Christians; And that they Sin against such mercy, is a thing that needs as little proof; The main proof of the Antecedent [that these mens Sins are aggravated, in that they are against Christ that died for them] will be from several Texts of Scripture which do thus aggravate such Mens Sin, which because I intend to handle particularly, I will refer you thereto, and now pass them by. Further, 1. It is confessed that these Mens Sin is aggravated in that they are against the Blood of Christ as offered to them in its Fruits, and as against Christ himself offered to them as Crucified and as Redeemer, and as against the offers of pardon, Adoption and Salvation, which are all Fruits of Christs satisfaction. But all these imply satisfaction for them to whom they are offered, as is proved already, Ergo &c. Many of our Divines (as Perkins Reform. Cathol. of Justif. and others) say that in this we differ from the Papists, that they make Christs satisfaction to be but the meritorious cause of our Righteousness, but not our Righteousness it self as we affirm it (I do not now ⟨p. 174⟩judg of these words, but) if Christs satisfaction be our very Righteousness or any part of it, then certainly Christ satisfied for all to whom he offers his Righteousness: But that he offers his Righteousness to all without exception is beyond doubt: And he would never offer them a Non-ens, that which is not: He doth not offer to one Man the satisfaction made only for another and not for him, for that would be no Righteousness for him: But it is Righteousness that Christ offers, and therefore it is satisfaction for that sinner himself which is offered to that sinner, to be his Righteousness. Now the offer supposeth the being of the thing offered, except it were only an offer to do or give something hereafter, which is not the case here. And for them that say, [Christ is only offered to Men if they will receive him, or believe] it is idle: For Christ is offered to Men whether they will receive him or not, but none but receivers do enjoy him.