I answer: Far be it from every Christian to abase and nullify the Merits of Christ; but (as I take it) the Thesis aforesaid doth neither of these. Not abase Christ as a mere medium under the Decree of Election: for though he merited not the Decree of Election, yet must his praise be ever glorious, and his Name above every name; in that he is both the glorious Head of the Elect, and the meritorious Fountain of all the blessings and good things of Election. In Eternity the Elect are predestinated to be conformed to his Image, as the first-born of all, and in time they are called, justified, sanctified and glorified in and through him, as the purchaser of all. Neither doth he vilify Christ, who calls him the grand Medium for the executing of Election: the Apostle cries up Christ by those glorious Titles, The head of the Church, the beginning, the first-born from the dead, one who hath the primacy or preeminence in all things, Col. 1. 18. yet immediately after puts all under the Father's [Greek or Hebrew], Ver. 19. His Decree or good pleasure did preordain and direct all. Neither doth this Thesis nullify the Merits of Christ; for these consist not in procuring the Decree of Election, but in ⟨p. 81⟩procuring Grace and Glory; and these he procured, though not the Decree it self. Neither doth it at all follow, that, if Christ merited not the very Decree, then God doth amare peccatores ad salutem extra Christum, or destinate Eternal life to them without a Mediator. For seeing Christ is predestinated to be the Head of the Elect, and Fountain of all Grace and Glory unto them; and the Elect are predestinated to be the Body of Christ, and to receive all Grace and Glory in and through him; and both these Predestinations are simultaneous in the heart of God, and framed together in the same instant of Eternity: There is not, nor cannot be any colour at all to say, that God doth love sinners extra Christum, or destinate Eternal life to them without a Mediator. When God in free Election resolves with himself, such individual persons shall by an effectual Call be united to Christ as members of his Body, and being such, shall be washed in his blood, filled with his Spirit, and at last crowned with his everlasting Salvation;
I answer: Far be it from every Christian to abase and nullifie the Merits of Christ; but (as I take it) the Thesis aforesaid doth neither of these. Not abase Christ as a mere medium under the Decree of Election: for though he merited not the Decree of Election, yet must his praise be ever glorious, and his Name above every name; in that he is both the glorious Head of the Elect, and the meritorious Fountain of all the blessings and good things of Election. In Eternity the Elect are predestinated to be conformed to his Image, as the first-born of all, and in time they are called, justified, sanctified and glorified in and through him, as the purchaser of all. Neither doth he vilifie Christ, who calls him the grand Medium for the executing of Election: the Apostle cries up Christ by those glorious Titles, The head of the Church, the beginning, the first-born from the dead, one who hath the primacy or preeminence in all things, Col. 1. 18. yet immediatly after puts all under the Father's 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Ver. 19. His Decree or good pleasure did preordain and direct all. Neither doth this Thesis nullifie the Merits of Christ; for these consist not in procuring the Decree of Election, but in ⟨p. 81⟩procuring Grace and Glory; and these he procured, though not the Decree it self. Neither doth it at all follow, that, if Christ merited not the very Decree, then God doth amare peccatores ad salutem extra Christum, or destinate Eternal life to them without a Mediator. For seeing Christ is predestinated to be the Head of the Elect, and Fountain of all Grace and Glory unto them; and the Elect are predestinated to be the Body of Christ, and to receive all Grace and Glory in and through him; and both these Predestinations are simultaneous in the heart of God, and framed together in the same instant of Eternity: There is not, nor cannot be any colour at all to say, that God doth love sinners extra Christum, or destinate Eternal life to them without a Mediator. When God in free Election resolves with himself, such individual persons shall by an effectual Call be united to Christ as members of his Body, and being such, shall be washed in his blood, filled with his Spirit, and at last crowned with his everlasting Salvation;
