Of the redemption of mankind three bookes wherein the controuersie of the vniuersalitie of redemption and grace by Christ, and of his death for all men, is largely handled. Hereunto is annexed a treatise of Gods predestination in one booke. Written in Latin by Iacob Kimedoncius D. and professor of Diuinitie at Heidelberge, and translated into English by Hugh Ince preacher of the word of God.

CHAP. V. The answering or taking away of certaine Questions about the maner or meanes of redemption.

BVt there is a question in this place; what neede was there of the paiment of a price by the Sonne of God, that wee might be redeemed, who were the slaues of Satan? for it see∣meth more conuenient, that he, who is violently and vniustly detained of another, bee taken away from him by a superiour power, euen without any price. And the deuill had vniustly inuaded vs. I answere, this price was not paied to the deuill, but to God, who had power ouer vs to condemne vs, and had made vs subiect to the power of the deuill by his iust iudgement. For as touching the deuill, he vniustly possessed man: but man in the meane while was iustly made subiect as a slaue to Satan through his owne sinne, and the righteous iudgement of God. Therefore Christ satisfied God, and re∣conciled vs, offering himselfe vnto him by his eternall spirit, and so now the kingdome of Satan is necessarily destroyed, concerning vs that be reconciled to God, whom by our sins we had offended. Notwithstanding, Ambrose lib. 9. epist. 77. writeth that the price of our deliuerance by the blood of our Lord Iesu, was paied vnto him, to whom we were sold by our sinnes, that is, to the deuill. But that is a very hard saying. For whereas it was not lawfull to offer sacrifice, but vnto God a∣lone, how much more ought this peculiar sacrifice to be offe∣red to none, but to God alone, which the eternall high priest offered vpon the Altar of the crosse, by the sacrifice of his flesh and effusion of his blood, and which onely is the propi∣tiation for the sinnes of the world?

Further it is a question; from whence that dignitie of the passion and death of Christ ariseth, that it is a price sufficient for the redemption of mankind? There be many causes con∣curring to that effect.

I. The willing obedience of the Sonne to the death of the crosse, Phil. 2.8. for the passion of Christ had not been satis∣factorie,

vnlesse it had been voluntarie. Hereof the Apostle, Rom. 5. saith: As by the disobedience of one, many are made sinners: so by the obedience of one, many are made righteous. And he speaketh (as Theophilact well expoundeth) of the o∣bedience of Christs death: by which obedience, death being destroyed, wee are deliuered from the damnation of death. And for this cause, the Euangelists with one consent descri∣bing the historie of Christs passion, haue diligently noted ma∣ny circumstances, which declare that he suffered willingly. For hee was offered, because hee was willing, as Esay saith, chap. 53.

[ 2] II. The death and whole humiliation of Christ was not onely voluntarie, but also he suffered death when he was al∣together innocent, as a man who had committed no sinne, and in whose mouth there was found no guile. For such an high priest became vs, as was godly, innocent, vndefiled, se∣parated from sinners, who had no neede to offer first for his owne sinnes, and then for the sinnes of the people. Therefore because the iust suffered for the vniust, his blood, as of a lambe vndefiled and without spot, is worthily counted precious to worke our redemption: as it is in Peter 1. Epist. 1.

Augustine largely vrgeth this cause in his 13. booke of the Trinitie, chap. 14. He died (saith he) who alone was free from the debt of death. Therefore it was iust, that debters should be let goe free, beleeuing in him, who died without any debt. The same man, chap. 15. The blood of Christ, because it was his, who had no sinne, at all, was shed for the remission of our sinnes. And in the chapter following: The deuill held our sinnes, and for them worthily bound vs in death: he who had none of his owne, discharged them, and was by him vnworthily drawne vn∣to death. Also Pope Leo saith very cleerely: The band of death drawne together by the sinne of one, was loosed by the death of one, who alone owed nothing vnto death.

[ 3] III. The third cause, which is greatest of all, the death of Christ was not a meere mans death, although innocent and iust: but it was his death, who is both true God and man in one and the same person. And this exceeding great dignitie

of this person, is the cause that this price of his blood & death, although it was temporall, (if the continuance of it be respe∣cted) yet it is of infinit force to saue them for euer, who come vnto God by it. Which the Author to the Hebrewes, chap. 9. teacheth, saying: If the blood of buls and goates and the ashes of a yong heifer, sprinkling the vncleane, do sanctifie to the pu∣ritie of the flesh: how much more doth the blood of Christ, who offered himselfe by the eternall spirit without blame to God, purge your consciences from dead workes, to serue the liuing God? And Acts chap. 20. Paul is witnesse: that God by his owne blood redeemed his Church. Not that the deitie hath flesh or blood, (for God is a spirit) but that person which suf∣fered death for vs, is both God and man: and so this blood is, and is truly called the blood of God, whose excellencie ther∣fore and dignitie is exceeding great.

To these this is annexed, that beside his power diuine, and [ 4] abundantly sufficient to deliuer, our commō Redeemer had also the full and perfect right of redemption, both because he is Lord of all, & also because he is neere vnto vs in blood. For by the right of Lordship, it is meete that the seruant bee redeemed of the master, and the subiect of his prince: and by the right of kindred the father doth well redeeme the sonne, one brother another, and one kinsman another. And hither may be referred, that which we reade, Leuit. 25.25. to be spe∣cially ordained touching the right of neerenes of kindred.

Thirdly also this hath been a question, as touching the meanes of redemption, whether the deliuerance of vs could not possibly haue been by some other meanes, then by the death of the Sonne of God? Wee answere with Augustine, lib. 13. de trinit. that another way was possible to God, vnto whose power all things are subiect: but this was the meetest way and most fit with God to heale our miserie. Or, as Tho∣mas, part. 3. quaest. 46. decideth this doubt, we do distinguish betweene possible or impossible simply, and that which is af∣ter a sort. To speake simply and absolutely, it was possible to God to deliuer man by another meanes, then by the death of Christ, because nothing is impossible with God. Luk. 1.37.

[ 1] But after a sort, or by supposition of Gods foreknowledge and fore appointment it was impossible, as y^e Lords words do plainly shew, Matth. 26. Father, if this cup cannot passe away, vnles I drinke of it, thy will be done. Whereupon Hilary saith: Therefore the cup cannot passe, vnles he drinke it, because we cannot be restored but by his passion, because of the decree of [ 2] Gods will. Moreouer, it is plaine that that way is most fit with God and meetest to cure our miserie, which God vsed through the passion of his Sonne. For it was a iust thing, that for the sinnes of mankinde, the iudgement of God should be satisfied thorow punishmēt, and that the same nature which [ 3] had sinned, should also giue a recompence for sin. Further, it was agreeable to the trueth and goodnes of God: to the trueth, because a threatning had gone before: What day so euer thou shalt eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill, thou shalt die the death: and it was promised, and euer by continuall testimonies shewed, and by diuers ceremonies shadowed, that the sonne of God, borne of a woman, should dye for vs, and so should confirme the new couenant by his [ 4] blood. And to the goodnes of God it agreeth, because see∣ing man of himselfe could not satisfie for sinnes, God of his exceeding great mercie gaue vnto him a satisfier, euen his only begotten sonne. Whereupon it was said of Christ him∣self, Ioh. 3. So God loued the world, that he gaue his sonne, &c. And Paul: God doth set out his loue towards vs, that when we were as yet sinners, Christ died for vs. And truly this was a to∣ken of a farre more abounding mercie, that he did not spare his owne sonne for vs, then if he had remitted our sins with∣out satisfaction: so that wee may worthily now say with the same Apostle: God who is rich in mercie, because of his great loue, wherewith he hath loued vs, euen when we were dead tho∣row our offences, hath quickned vs together through Christ, by whose grace we are saued.

[ 5] Besides, that way of deliuerance was most expedient for our saluation. For so we know by the greatest experiment of all, how much God loueth vs, and we are prouoked to loue God againe.

Then, an example is giuen vnto vs of obedience, loue, hu∣militie, [ 1] sufferings, and glorie, which when all miseries are o∣uercome, we doe expect, as Peter saith, 1. Epist. 2. Christ suffe∣red for vs, and left vs an example that wee should follow his [ 2] steps. Likewise Paul, Phil. 2.5. and 2. Cor. 8.9. and elsewhere, propounding the example of Christ, exhorteth vs to the du∣ties of loue and other vertues. Further, because we are redee∣med by the death of the Sonne of God, and washed from our [ 3] sinnes in his blood, a greater necessitie lieth vpon vs, that we should keepe our selues to God vndefiled in bodie and soule, as the Apostle saith: Ye are bought with a price, therefore glo∣rifie God in your bodie and spirit, which are Gods. And thus much of the meanes of redemption, a mysterie altogether wonderfull and vnspeakeable, which the Author of Medita∣tions in Augustine chapter 7. excellently setteth out in these words: O state of wonderfull reformation, and disposition of vnspeakeable mysterie: the vniust sinneth, and the iust is pu∣nished; the guiltie transgresseth, and the innocent is beaten; the vngodly offendeth, and the godly is condemned; what the euill deserued, the good doth endure; what the seruant hath done the master doth pay; what man doth commit, God doth suffer and abide. This is a heauenly medicine, O good Iesu, this is the preseruatiue of thy loue.

Notes

• 1. question. Why he must needs redeeme vs by a price, & not take vs out of Satans po∣wer by force, who did vn∣iustly hold vs captiues.
• Heb. 9.
• 2. question. Why his death is a price suffi∣cient for re∣demption.
• Cause 1. His willing o∣bedience.
• Esay. 53.10.
• His innocency. 1. Pet. 2. 2. Cor. 5.21.
• Heb. 7.26.
• 1. Pet. 3.
• His personall dignity, in that he was both God and man.
• His Lordship ouer vs, and his neerenes in blood vnto vs.
• 3. question. Why must we be redeemed by his death rather than by some other meanes.
• Because no o∣ther was pos∣sible.
• Because this way was most iust with God
• Most agreeable to his truth. Gen. 2.17.
• To his good∣nes and mercy.
• Iohn 3. Rom. 5.
• Ephes. 2.
• This was most expedient to money to loue God again
• To suffer af∣flictions for his sake.
• To keepe our selues from sinne. 1. Cor. 6. A notable say¦ing.
• To keep our selue: from sinne. 1. Cor. 6. A notable say∣ing.
• A notable sa∣ying.