perish; therefore he died for all men in respect of impetration, it hangs but loosely: for they themselves will say, Christ died for the faithfull only in respect of application, and not for all men, whatsoever we are to thinke of the condition of the faithfull, whether they shall stand, or may perish. Amongst themselves, some that maintaine generall redemption by the death of Christ, doe yet hold, that no lively member of Jesus Christ, can perish, or fall away. And I can hardly see how their positions will hang together, if they doe not grant, that though some believers may fall and perish, yet others cannot: But as concerning the weake bretheren, such as be true believers, it is possible they should be grievously shaken by offences and temptations, yea destroyed, as farre as lies in the authours of scandall and temptation, and their own frailty: but in respect of the decree and unchangeable love of God and the intercession of Jesus Christ, they shall not utterly perish, but if they be tempted, they shall be supported, or if they fall, God will raise them up againe. The Apostles exhortation then is forcible, that they should not offend their weake brother, for this was as much as lies in them to destroy him for whom Christ died.Perditio est morbi ac vulneris, non mortis.
Vorst. in Rom. 14.15. Thus Vorstius paraphraseth the text, offend not him with thy meat, I pray thee, and as much as in thee is destroy him, for whom Christ died. And in his loc. com. upon that Chapter, although the elect cannot perish, the unchangeable decree of God withstanding, yet it is not said in vaine, that they perish by our fault, who when they have entered into the way of salvation, being offended with our actions begin to turne from the same. And in loc. com. upon the other place; although Christ will suffer none of his to perish, yet indeed they are said to drive weake Christians into destruction, who doe rashly offend them, because to wit offences of themselves doe tend to their destruction, to whom they are objected.
Lastly, It is objected, that the Covenant in Christ is generall, Joh. 3. 16. & 6. 30. without respect of others.
As the Covenant is generall, so is the fruit and application of Christs death, in and through whom the Covenant is made, that is, proffered of God, and accepted of man. As all and every man is called into Covenant, liveth under the Ordinances of grace, is partaker of the fruits of the Spirit, and applieth the death of Christ, so Christ died and rose againe for him. But this manner ofChrists
