A Table Concerning Christ our Advocate
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A13213.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A Table concerning Christ our Advocate, and whether remission of sins once obtained, can again be made frustrate, comprised in four propositions, and fourteen Conclusions.
C HRIST is the Advocate of the elect only, and (that) of all which have been from the beginning of the world, and shall be to the end.
2 Christ also is the propitiation only for the sins of the elect of the whole world: therefore he is their Advocate only. So the Church of Smirna to all the parishes, as Paul saith; Christ did suffer for the salvation of all the world which are to be saved; but the elect only are saved. So Ambrose, Tom. 2. de fide ad gratianum, lib. 4. c. 1. If thou dost not believe, he descended not for thee: therefore he suffered only for the believers.
3 The (world) is sometimes taken for the whole world, and all men, as well Elect as Reprobate. Sometime for the more principal part; to wit, the Elect. Sometime for the worse part of the world, that is, the Reprobate. The author also of the book, De vocatione Gentium, lib. 1. cap. 3. doth declare by examples of many scriptures, oftentimes for a part of the earth, the whole earth; for a part of the world, the whole world; for a part of men, all men to be nominated: and this as well touching the wicked as the godly. Therefore when he saith, that Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world, we are not enforced by the name of (the whole world) to understand universally all men.
4 There is a difference between the work of our Redemption, and the force (or fruit) of our redemption: for the first is once done, the other is eternal, extending it self as well to them which were from the beginning of the world; even before the work of our redemption was accomplished, as to them who after the work of our redemptiō effected, shall be to the end of the world. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is properly the efficacy of redemption and propitiation; nothing therefore doth let, but that Christ hath been, and is perpetually the atonement for the sins even of them which were elected from the beginning of the world.
The summary of questions, whether remission of sins once obtained, can again be made frustrate, comprised in fourteen Conclusions.
THe whole course of the Gospel is contained in this sum, that it might persuade us with belief in Christ, that our salvation is firm & constant (that is in Christ.) If therefore any shall say, that remission of sins once obtained, by consequent falls can be made frustrate in the Saints, he doth over-turn the whole scope of the Gospel. Read Isaiah 38. 44. Mich. 7.
2 Only by an absolute relapse from piety to impiety, the remission of sins past once obtained, can be done away. But this relapse the true Saints and elect are not incident unto: therefore in them forgiveness of sins cannot be frustrate.
3 In the Reprobate true remission of sins never took place: therefore it can never in them be frustrate; wherefore in none.
4 For the blood of Christ, by which alone remission is achieved, is not according to the purpose of God, and in deed shed out for the reprobate unbelievers, but only for other many, that is, the Elect, and that for all those many.
5 Neither did Christ pray upon earth, nor now mediate in heaven, for the reprobate; but only for the elect believers, & in time to come to believe in Him; but remission of sins is obtained by the intercession of Christ.
6 Likewise none but the Elect are truly endued with the Spirit of Regeneration, who are truly Christ's, Rom. 8. But without the Spirit of Regeneration forgiveness of sins is not gotten.
7 So also true and justifying Faith is only proper to the Elect: How then can the reprobate attain remission of sins?
8 To the wicked reprobates there is no peace, as saith the Prophet, but of remission of sins doth follow true peace.
9 From remission of sins doth always follow title to eternal life, and after title the possession itself; but the reprobate can never have any title unto life eternal, and much less to the possession thereof.
10 To attain remission of sins, and to be justified, are all one Rom. 4. Now none are justified who are not predestinated, and elect to justification and life eternal; and whosoever are justified shall be glorified Rom. 8. Therefore the Reprobate shall never obtain truly remission of sins, therefore it can never be frustrate in them, in whom it is not at all.
11 By that speech of the Apostle to the Hebrews c. 6. It is impossible that they who are illuminated, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and have been made partakers of the holy Spirit, and have tasted notwithstanding of the good Word of God, and of the Powers of the world to come, and are fallen away, to be again renewed to repentance: it cannot be concluded that the reprobate are endued with the true Spirit of Regeneration, with a true and justifying Faith, and therefore with true remission of sins: yet that many of them are affected with a temporary faith, and some tastes of the holy Spirit, this, and other places, do plainly teach.
12 The place 2. Pet. 1. touching Hypocrites (For he that hath not these things is blind, which seeth nothing a far off, forgetting that he was purged from his old sins) is to be understood according to the custom of the holy Scriptures, which do call Saints according to the judgment of charity, Just, purged from their sins, although they are not all so before God, so many as are Baptized into Christ, and confess Him, all such are Sacramentally cleansed.
13 That of Ezech. chap. 18. (If the Just do avert from his Justice) is not to be understood of him who is truly just, but of him who only seemeth of men to be just. For neither can he who is truly righteous, finally fall from justice to iniquity, and die therein, of which final and perfect aversion the Prophet speaketh: Now hypocrites being just only before men, do never obtain true remission of sins before God, therefore it cannot be proved by this sentence, that it is frustrate.
14 That Mat. 18. So your heavenly Father shall do to you, unless you forgive everyone to his brother from his heart their offenses; doth not conclude, that sins once truly released can again be called into judgment, but this only, that such men are deceived, who think their debts to be remitted from God unto them, when as they do not forgive trespasses to their brethren.
Every tongue that speaketh against me (that is the Holy Ghost) shall be condemned.
If in this life we have only hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
Printed at London for Henry Bell, and are to be sold at his Shop without Bishops-Gate. 1615.