Paul Hobson (d.1666) Affirming Christ’s Death for Every Man

As you read the following, keep in mind that Hobson was a leading London Particular Baptist and evangelist, who signed the 1644 and 1646 Confessions. Thomas Gower wrote a preface to this book.

So now to my Affirmation, which is, that Christ died for every man, but not for all alike.

First, that he died for every man, for the proof of that see 1 Tim. 4.10. he is the Saviour of every man, but especially, so there is a common salvation by Christ intended to all. This truth is also made good in 2 Pet. 2.1. where he declares some men to be men of destruction, and tells them that they had denied the Lord that bought them; so that wicked men and men of destruction were comprehended in the purchase of Christ, further see Heb. 2.9.

Now I shall shew you what I do intend in it, and my Grounds for it, besides what already hath been said, consider, all men were comprehended in Adam, according to Scripture, Rom. 5.12. And what God speaks as to blessing and cursing, when he speaks to Adam, Gen. 2.17. saying, In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death; now Adam when he eat fell, all men fell in him and came under this curse, according to these Scriptures Rom. 5.12,15,17. 1 Cor. 15.21, 22.

Now what the Lord saith must be true and exactly performed, which was in the very day when he eat, he must die, which word [death] doth comprehend death, in every sense. Now had not Jesus Christ been brought forth by the Lord to step between the pronunciation of the curse and the act meriting, and the execution of the curse, man must immediately have died, or else God had not been exact in his Word, but we know he is: Now Christ was brought forth to bear the wrath of the Lord, and the satisfaction of his Justice, in that great breach and gap that man had made, and so Christ was the Saviour of every man from the execution of that curse, and they have some time to live here in the world, or else their destruction had been in their conception, either of all or so many as Christ did not undertake for, for Gods Word is exactly true in all things. So that in the first sense, Christ is the Saviour of all men from the execution of that curse, at which time, and in which purchase, the world is no longer Gods upon the old account; but as it is the inheritance of Jesus Christ, according to Psal 1.8. Heb. 1.5,6. Matt. 22.3,8. applied to the 42. where God hath given the utmost part of the earth and Nations of the Heathen to Christ for his portion: so it comes to pass that mercy is extended according to these Scriptures both to the just and unjust, Matth. 5.45: Psalm 145.9. Eccles. 9.2. Psalm 36.6.

Secondly, Christ by his Death doth not only free the Creature from the immediate execution of that curse, but he hath also taken them from under the dreadfull killing power of that state which man was in when he fell, which was to lie under the fire and killing appearances of God, in that killing Law, nothing standing between God as fire, and they as stubble, but he hath brought them into a state and under the authority of himself, wherein there is a cessation from that fiery appearance of God, and they are now under the tender of life and salvation by Jesus Christ, according to these Scriptures Matth. 13.38. chap. 24.14. chap. 26.13. Mark 10. ch. 14.9. chap. 16.15. Rom. 10.18. Col. 1.6. And this is to be done for the gathering out the chosen of God from the world, till Christ hath brought his Enemies under his feet, and then resign up the Kingdom to his Father, and God become all in all, 1 Cor. 15.24,25.

Besides the Scriptures which I have brought, which are sufficient to prove what I affirmed, yet for your further satisfaction minde my Reasons, to prove that every one hath the benefit of Christ's Death in those two things before exprest.

The first Particular.

First Reason, that which was included in the curse must needs be in the immediate execution prevented by Christ. But the immediate execution of a temporal death, must needs be included in the curse, therefore,

The Major is not questionable, the Minor Proposition is proved by this Reason.

Reason. That which was a fruit of sin must be comprehended in the curse, but a natural death is a fruit of sin, therefore

The Major Proposition none will deny, the Minor is proved from these Scriptures, 1 Cor. 15.21,56. 2 Kings 14.6. 2 Chron. 25.4. Job 24.19. Rom. 6.23. ch. 8.10. Besides these Scriptures I prove the Minor Proposition thus:

Reason. If any thing that is a part of a temporal death be a fruit of sin, then is the whole; but afflictions and pains in men and women, which is a part of a temporal death is a fruit of sin, therefore,

None can deny the Major, the Minor is proved from these Scriptures, Gen. 3.16. 1 Kings 8.33,35. Psal. 38.3. Jer. 8.14. Isai 3.10. Jer. 50.7.

Now as the freedom from any thing of this temporal misery is a fruit of Christ, so what comes instead of that, as the enjoyment of life with other mercies of this world, with the Sun shining and the Rain falling upon the just and unjust must needs be a fruit of Christ which extends to all, Matth. 5.45. Eccles. 9.2. Psalm 145.9. & 36.6.

Now my Reasons to prove this second thing, to wit, that all men are by Christ brought, under the authority and power of Christ, and discoveries of Life by him, are these:

Reason. First, that which the Scriptures declares to be a truth we must believe, but that all men in that state are under the power and authority of Christ, and discoveries of Life by him, the Scriptures declare; therefore a Truth.

The Major Proposition none can deny, the Minor is proved from these Scriptures, Matth. 28.18. John 17.2. Mark 2.10. Luke 5.24. Ephes. 1.19.

Secondly, if mens sins be aggravated by the abuse of the mercies they enjoy, in being under the authority and discoveries of Christ, then to be under the authority and discoveries of Christ must needs be a benefit; but mens sins are aggravated by their abusing of mercies that they enjoy under the authority and discoveries of Christ; therefore,

The Major is proved by this Reason.

Reason. Sin is never aggravated, but either by the extent of a Law, or discoveries of Love; and if sin be aggravated, as before exprest, then it must be either by by the extent of the Law, or discoveries of mercy; and if either it discovers the truth of the Major, to wit, that they are under the authority and discoveries of Christ, by whom now all Law and Love is handed out to poor creatures, they being all under his power: the Minor Proposition is proved from these Scriptures, John 15.22,24. Matth. 11.21,22,23.

Paul Hobson, Fourteen Queries and Ten Absurdities About the Extent of Christ’s Death, the Power of the Creatures, the Justice of God in Condemning Some, and Saving Others, Presented by a Free-willer to the Church of Christ at Newcastle, and Answered by Paul Hobson a Member of Said Church (London: Printed by Henry Hills for William Hutchison Book-seller in Durham, 1655), 6–14.

Christ tasted death for every man, and to deny it is heresie...

Ibid., 101.