Cap. 6 Thesis ultima open: Three theses reviewed; a fourth checks over-extension of universal efficacy
Chapter 6. The last thesis is set out and confirmed.
We have already laid before you the universal force and efficacy of Christ’s death in three theses. In the first we showed that God appointed this death of Christ and set it before the human race as a universal remedy applicable to every human being. In the second we explained in what sense Christ is said to have died for all—or in what sense his death is owned as a universal cause of salvation established for the good of the whole human race. Not, as some want, merely by bare sufficiency or intrinsic worth, in which respect Christ’s death, or the blood of the Son of God, is a price more than enough to redeem every human and every angel. Rather, by the gospel covenant established and confirmed in this death and blood of Christ. By the terms of that covenant every human being gained a right, under the condition of faith, to claim remission of sins and eternal life.
To those two theses we added a third. Even with this universal force of Christ’s death in place, and with this universal gospel covenant looking to any person whatsoever, this or that particular person does have, by the sole benefit of that death, God bound to make peace with him and to give him life if he believes. He does not yet have actual justification or reconciliation—or the actual state of grace and salvation—before he believes. There remains a fourth and final thesis. Its chief work is to clear a scruple from the minds of those who stretch this universal efficacy of Christ’s death, which we defend, farther than the truth of the matter will bear.
Latin
CAPUT VI. Thesis ultima proponitur & confirmatur. Universalem mortis Christi virtutem & efficaciam tribus thesibus explicatam vobis exhibuimus. In prima demonstratum est, Hanc Christi mortem a Deo constitutam, atque humano generi propositam, tanquam universale remedium omnibus & singulis hominibus applicabile. In secunda exposuimus quo sensu Christus pro omnibus mortuus dicatur, sive quo sensu Christi mors universalis causa salutis in bonum totius humani generis stabilita agnoscatur: Nempe, non (ut quidam volunt) ratione nudae sufficientiae sive intrinseci valoris, quo respectu mors Christi, vel sanguis Filii Dei, est pretium hominibus angelisque omnibus ac singulis redimendis plusquam sufficiens, sed ratione foederis Evangelici hac Christi morte ac sanguine stabiliti & confirmati, juxta cujus foederis tenorem, omnibus & singulis hominibus accrevit jus, sub fidei conditione vendicandi sibi remissionem peccatorum & vitam aeternam. Hisce duabus thesibus subjunximus tertiam, qua ostensum est, Posita hac universali virtute mortis Christi, atque hoc universali foedere Evangelico ad quemlibet hominem spectante, tamen hanc vel illam singularem personam habere quidem solo beneficio hujus mortis Deum obligatum ad pacem cum illo ineundam, vitamque illi dandam, si crediderit; non autem habere actualem justificationem aut reconciliationem, sive actualem statum gratiae & salutis, antequam credat. Jam restat quarta & ultima thesis, quae inserviat potissimum eximendo cuidam scrupulo ex animis eorum qui hanc universalem, quam defendimus, mortis Christi efficaciam amplius extendunt quam rei veritas patietur.