The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Introduction
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• The Divine Feudal Law Represented
• §1.
• §2.
• §3
• §4
• §5
• §6
• §7
• §8
• §9
• §10
• §11
• §12
• §13
• §14.
• §15
• §16
• §17
• §18
• §19
• §20
• §21
• §22
• §23
• §24.
• §25
• §26
• §27
• §28
• §29
• §30
• §31
• §32
• §33
• §34
• §35
• §36
• §37
• §38
• §39.
• §40
• §41
• §42
• §43
• §44
• §45
• §46
• §47
• §48
• §49
• §50
• §51
• §52
• §53
• §54
• §55
• §56
• §57
• §58
• §59
• §60
• §61
• §62
• §63
• §64
• §65
• §66
• §67
• §68
• §69
• §70
• §71
• §72
• §73
• §74
• §75
• §76
• §77
• §78
• §79
• §80
• §81
• §82
• §83
• §84
• §85
• §86
• §87
• §88
• §89
• §90
• §91
• §92
• §93
• §94

§80

The third Argument of Jurieu.The Third Argument of Jurieu, (p. 82.) is, That at the time of the Death of Christ there were now 4000 Years past over, in which space of time very many, being as without God in the World, and out of the Covenant, perished, and so the greater part of those who were to be damn’d, were already doom’d to eternal Punishment. But since there is no Redemption from Hell, it must needs be that the Passion of Christ for those already damn’d must be in vain, which is an Absurdity. It is more like a monstrous Thing then a Dream, that a Price should be paid for the Life of them who have the least Punishment inflicted on them. This difficulty is dissolv’d, if it be consider’d that the Merit of the Passion of Christ is of infinite value, and so is not divisible into several Parts, as for Instance, a great Sum of Money is divisible into Thousands or Hundreds: To which on the other side the Price of a certain thing may be equall’d, or it may be determin’d how much the one exceeds the other. Whence, if a thing of Infinite Price is done for another thing, which does not equal the value of that, or exhaust it, we must not therefore say that there was any Prodigality therein, or an unprofitable Profusion of a precious thing. But if the Merit of Christ did belong to a certain part of Mankind, and so were proportion’d to that, so as not to reach any further, it were upon this account Finite: When as the Redemption but of one Man exceeds all Humane Power, Psal. 49:7, 8. Therefore the Death of the Redeemer came to pass at length in the fulness of Time, yet by Vertue of the Covenant which God after the Fall made with the first Parents, it has exerted its Force backwards also; and therefore whoever have been damn’d before it, have perish’d for their Incredulity, and because they did not put their trust in the Saviour of the World who was to be born. Hence he is said to be the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World, Rev. 13:8. And so it suffices to maintain the universal Will of God for bestowing Salvation, that God has reveal’d the way of Salvation to all from the beginning of the World, and that the Perdition of Men comes not to pass by his Absolute Will, but by their own Fault, and Neglect of the way of Salvation. And when afterwards a Ransome of Infinite Price was to be presented, nothing could be diminish’d, or subtracted from it, tho’ many before hand had rendred themselves uncapable of the Fruits of it.