was purposed and decreed of God, but as it was actually suffered by Christ, when the farre greatest part of the world, was for present state drowned in Infidelity and Idolatry, wherein they had continued a long time, being rejected and cast off of God. The end of Christs death and resurrection there named by the Apostle, sheweth it is to be meant of the fruit and application, that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but to him which died for them, that is, that by force of that communion which they have with him their head, being dead unto sinne, they should live unto righteousnesse. But that can agree unto none, who are not partakers of the fruits of Christ; none are fitted by grace to live unto Christ, but they that have put on Christ by faith. That All for whom Christ died, is that world, which God in Christ hath reconciled unto himselfe, not imputing their sins, ver. 19. whereby is meant the world of Jew and Gentile, of which we have spoken before in the fore-cited places, which must have the same meaning; and cannot be affirmed of the world universally according to that present state wherein it stood, when Christ suffered.
How then doth the Apostle conclude common misery from this, If one died for all, then were all dead? It may well be understood, of death unto the world and sinne, and not of death in sinne, as if he had said, if Christ died for all, then all that are his, are dead to sinne and to the world. The words and scope of the Apostle do both agree well to this interpretation. It hath been alleadged, that the words speake of a death passed, not present, as our translation sheweth, and so could not be understood of death unto sin. But Vorstius upon that very word noteth,Vorst. in
2 Cor. 5.15
Schol. that he understandeth all Christians in which the efficacie of Christs death sheweth forth itself, as they also by the example of Christ are dead to sin and the flesh. Confer Rom. 6. 2, &c. 1 Pet. 4. 1. Some foolishly understand this of the guilt of death, that the sense should be, because Christ is dead for all men, hence it is truly gathered, that all men are guilty of death; which is refuted in the verse following. This is Vorstius his censure of that interpretation. As for the words, seeing they speake of the death of Christ applyed in the time past, it was requisite these that intreat of the death of sin in them that be Christs, should be put in the time past also. And so the words doe more confirme, then weaken the interpretation.It
