Christ's death was meant for peace, yet curiosity turns it into dispute; both sides already grant a twofold consideration
It is indeed to be lamented, and deeply deplored, that by the misfortune or disease of our age it almost always happens that those mysteries of our religion which were published for the peace and comfort of souls are turned nearly into matter for litigation and fighting alone. Who would ever have thought that the death of Christ, appointed for establishing peace and for destroying enmities, as the Apostle speaks (Ephesians 2:14-17; Colossians 1:20-21), could become so fertile in breeding disputes? But this seems to come about by the innate curiosity of men, who are commonly more eager to pry into the secret counsels of God than to embrace the benefits publicly offered. Hence it happens that, by overmuch disputing for whom Christ died and for whom he did not die, little thought is given by each and all to applying the death of Christ to the salvation of our souls by true and living faith.
In treating this matter my purpose is to enter that path which composes quarrels rather than sows a quarrel upon a quarrel. Since, then, it is confessed among those who extend the death of Christ to each and every person that it is nevertheless applied, as to fruitful reception, to certain particular persons; and since, on the other side, those who restrict the same death to the elect alone still confess that it would profit all who are called — indeed all human beings, if they believed — each side seems to acknowledge a twofold consideration of the death of Christ. For by both it is considered as a universal cause of salvation applicable to each and every person if they believed, and as a special cause of salvation efficaciously applied to certain particular persons who have believed. If I treat the death of Christ under this twofold consideration, it will perhaps appear that in some of the points so fiercely contested there are different manners of speaking rather than discrepant judgments. I will therefore recall the matter to certain brief and clear theses: first those things which are to be set out concerning the death of Christ as a universal cause of salvation applicable to all; then I will add other theses concerning the death of Christ as a special cause of salvation efficaciously applied to some, or at least to be applied infallibly in its own time.
Latin
Dolendum profecto illud est et valde deplorandum, hujus nostri seculi sive infortunio sive morbo semper fere accidere, ut ea religionis nostrae mysteria quae sunt ad pacem et solatium animarum promulgata, in solam pene litigandi et pugnandi materiam vertantur. Quis unquam putasset Christi mortem paci sanciendae et perimendis inimicitiis destinatam, ut loquitur Apostolus, Ephes. ii. 14, 17, et Coloss. i. 20, 21, litibus pariendis tam foecundam fieri potuisse? Sed illud evenire videtur innata hominum curiositate, qui magis soliciti esse solent ut arcana Dei consilia scrutentur quam ut beneficia publice oblata amplexentur. Hinc fit, nimium altercando pro quibus Christus mortuus, pro quibus non mortuus statuatur, ut de Christi morte per veram et vivam fidem ad animarum nostrarum salutem nobis applicanda, ab omnibus et singulis parum cogitetur. Mihi in hoc negotio tractando animus est illam viam inire quae lites potius componat quam litem de lite serat. Cum igitur in confesso sit apud eos qui mortem Christi ad omnes et singulos diffundunt, illam tamen esse quoad fructuosam perceptionem ad certas quasdam personas applicatam; cumque e contra illi qui ad solos electos eandem restringunt, fateantur nihilominus illam omnibus vocatis, imo omnibus hominibus si crederent, profuturam; utraque pars duplicem mortis Christi considerationem videtur agnoscere. Ab utrisque enim consideratur ut universalis causa salutis omnibus et singulis applicabilis, si crederent, et ut specialis causa salutis certis quibusdam personis efficaciter applicata, qui crediderunt. Si de morte Christi sub duplici hac consideratione tractavero, apparebit fortassis in nonnullis de quibus acriter certatur diversos potius loquendi modos quam discrepantes sententias contineri. Revocabo igitur ad breves quasdam et perspicuas theses, primò ea quae de morte Christi ut universali causa salutis omnibus applicabili sunt edisserenda, dein adjungam et alias theses de morte Christi ut speciali causa salutis efficaciter quibusdam applicata, aut saltem suo tempore infallibiliter applicanda.