Argument 2. It is proved,
secondly, from a comparison between Adam, the author of death and condemnation,
and Christ, the Author of life and justification. For as Adam does not bind any
under the penalty of death, nor subject any to Divine wrath and condemnation,
but those who become his members, as it were, by generation; so Christ does not
believer any from death, nor restore any to Divine favour, or justify and reconcile
them to God, but those who become his members by supernatural regeneration. But
this does not take place before faith is inspired into our hearts. John 1:12,
13, As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born not of blood
&c. but of God. Therefore no one, either of those who are passed by
or of the elect, stands reconciled and justified before God by the death of
Christ itself; but at the time when he is incorporated with Christ, and by
regeneration is made, as it were, a member of this mystical head, he obtains
the righteousness of Christ and peace with God. (John Davenant, A
Dissertation on the Death of Christ As To Its Extent and Special Benefits:
Containing a Short History of Pelagianism, and Shewing the Agreement of the
Doctrines of the Church of England [Militant Thomist Press, 2021], 154)
Lastly, The
testimony of the venerable Bede is most express, in his commentaries on 2 Cor.
5:19, The world is reconciled to God by faith, when it believes in Christ,
who was sent by God. The Apostles had said, God was in Christ
reconciling the world unto himself, that is, that Christ by the ordination
of God paid that ransom to the Father, by which it was effected that God should
not demand satisfaction from us for our sins, before he returned into favour
with us; but being content with this alone, is ready to receive any one into
favour. If you enquire further, whether on the payment of this price all men
are immediately reconciled by the act of payment? Bede answers, By no means;
but every one that is then reconciled to God, when he believes in Christ,
who was sent by God. To the same effect are the words of the same author in
Luke 15. Then Christ is slain for every one of us, when we believe that he
was slain. He was slain from the origin of the world in the Divine acceptation;
he was slain also when the fullness of time came upon the cross. But he was
slain for you and for me, that is, for every individual, when we believe in him
that was slain. Which is the same as if he had said, The benefit of the
death of Christ belongs to us when we begin to believe in him. They have
therefore departed from orthodox antiquity, who assert that all men are placed
in a state of grace by the passion of Christ; nor less so they who teach that
the predestinated, by this death of Christ, have obtained remission of their
sins, or justification and reconciliation with God from eternity; since this
justification or actual reconciliation (as Bernard truly and learnedly
remarks), cannot be without the consent of the receiver, any more than
without the grace of the Giver. And thus you have our opinion confirmed and
strengthened. We shall now bring forward the objections of adversaries, and
remove them in a few words. (Ibid., 159-60)
1. The death of Christ was either a sufficient ransom for blotting out the sins of the human race, and placing all men in a state of grace and reconciliation; or was an insufficient. If it stated to be insufficient, we extenuate Divine grace, and unworthily trample upon the merit of Christ. If it is acknowledged to be sufficient, then the cause being placed in a sufficient, then the cause being placed in a sufficient act, nothing else is required to produce the effect. Therefore, from the act of Christ offering up himself to God, immediately follows the universal deliverance of all men from the guilt of their sins, and the universal reconciliation or reception of all men into the Divine favour.
Reply. We acknowledge the most full sufficiency of the ransom; yea, its infinite superabundance. But we answer, That this merit of Christ, considered in itself, operates indeed, sufficiently as an universal cause of the salvation of mankind; but an universal cause does not produce effects in individuals before there is an individual application. Therefore as Aquinas says (Part 3, qu. 49, art. 10, & qu. Disp. De grat. Chr. Art. 7,) By the death of Christ was made a most sufficient universal cause, by means of which all the sins of any person whatever may be expiated; but before this cause manifests its expiatory virtue for the deliverance and reconciliation of individuals, it is needful that it should be applied to individuals by faith. Which the Apostle himself hath perspicuously taught, Rom. 3:25, Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, &c. Therefore, although this death of Christ is a sufficient satisfaction for the sins of the human race, yet, since it cleanses, us from our sins after the manner of medicine, it must be applied to each person before it can produce the effect of reconciliation and health. But the application is made only by faith.
2. If God should not receive all men into favour after having accepted a sufficient ransom, it would be an act of injustice to Christ, because he does not bestow upon men what Christ by dying merited for them: He would also act unjustly towards men, because he still holds them bound by their sins, as by debts, when Christ hath blotted out all their debts with his blood.
Reply. Injustice is not done to either. Not to Christ, because he would not that the satisfaction made by him for the sins of the human race, should avail to the actual reconciliation of individuals, without the intervention of their faith, as it was proved before. It would therefore be reproachful to Christ, if any one should be admitted into the fellowship and actual participation of this grace, who does not believe in Jesus Christ the Author of salvation, and our Redeemer. Not is injustice done to men, that they are not immediately received into the favour of God on account of the act of Christ in dying, because this was neither due nor promised to mankind. For we cannot claim for ourselves any benefit from the death of Christ contrary to and in addition to the order and covenant made by God and Christ, and laid open to us in the Gospel. Now that is the established order, this condition is expressly stated in the Gospel; that the grace of reconciliation and the benefit of eternal life should redound to sinners from the death of Christ, if they should believe. But if not, they should remain under the guilt of their sins, and should perish in their unbelief. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him (John 3:36). (Ibid., 161-63)
