ceived into favour, and that pardon of sin is promised unto all that shall continue in that Covenant, and not transgresse against it. Arm. respon. ad Art. 13, 14. so that to consummate happinesse there is need of continuance only in the state, which evermore hath effectuall communication conjoyned. And restitution into the state of grace, and actuall reconciliation, if they be not one thing, they be inseparable. And this doth take away the objection which they raise from the words following,vers. 19,20. And hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now therefore we beseech you, we pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God. For not to say, the Apostle speakes to the Corinthians at that time beleevers, and in the state of persons reconciled: hath not God committed the word of reconciliation to the Ministers, who are to beseech mankind actually restored into grace, and admitted into the new Covenant, to be reconciled? The word of reconciliation is of use, both to them that be not restored into grace, that they might be called, and to them that be reconciled, that they might continue and be builded forward.
That passage of the Apostle, 1 Joh. 2. 1, 2. If any man sinne, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sinne: and not for ours only, but also for the sinnes of the whole world, is like to the former, as all men confesse, and hath the same answer. For as Christ is our Advocate by office to plead our cause, and defend us against the accusation of all our enemies, so is he our propitiation: But Christ is not the Advocate of every man simply, but of his people. And as he is the propitiation1 Joh. 4.10. of the beleeving Jewes, so he is of the whole world: but he is the propitiation of the beleeving Jewes, in that God is propitious unto them in Christ, and not propitiable or reconcileable only. He is their propitiation through faith in his bloud. Rom. 3. 25. by whomCyril in Ioh. l.
11. cap. 19.
Aug. tract. 87.
in Ioh.
Autor de vocat.
Gent. l. 2. c. 1.
Euseb. Hist. l. 4.
c. 15. Estius in
1 Ioh. 2.2. their sinnes are covered, not coverable, and expiated and done away, not expiable only. Therefore the Apostle speakes of the application of Christs death, and by the whole world, man-kind in common considered as under the fall cannot be understood, but the whole world of the Gentiles now called to the faith, and admitted into Covenant. Thus Vorstius himself, though in his common places upon this Chapter, he would understand these words, as if Christ sufficiently and efficiently quantum in se was the propitiation for the sinnes of all mankind: yet inhis
