Chapter 2 Section 27.

- Hilarius Diaconus

The
CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH.
Part 4
Chapter 2—Of Redemption

Section 27—Hilarius Diaconus. A.D. 380.

Hilary the Deacon, or whoever is the author of the commentaries on the epistles of the apostle Paul, commonly
ascribed to Ambrose, has furnished Monsieur Daille[1] with numerous instances, urged by him, in favor of the general
scheme; though the most that can be made of them is, that God’s wills that all men should be saved, and that Christ
died for all conditionally, sub conditione fidei, "provided they believe," as appears even from several of the citations[2]
made by him out of this writer. And sometimes Hilary expresses the sufficiency of the death and sacrifice of Christ for
all; thus, on those words, "any being made perfect," etc., he makes this note,[3] "It shows what gain is his passion
quae omnibus credentibus sufficit ad salutem sempiternam which is sufficient for all believers to everlasting salvation."
And in another place,[4] speaking of the offering of Christ once for all, he says, "This offering is once offered up, sed
semper potens est abluere omnes credentes, ‘ but is always powerful, or is effectual to wash all believers,’ and all that
desire to be cleansed in it." And certain it is, that this writer thought that there are some who in a special sense are
redeemed by Christ, otherwise he would not have said as he does, quotquot redempti sumus,[5] "As many of us as are
redeemed, are redeemed by this sacrifice." He observes,[6] that the word all, signifies sometimes only a part of a
people, either all the good or all the bad, and gives instances of it; and adds, semper enim duo populi in una plebe, "for
there are always two people in one commonalty." And elsewhere he affirms,[7] that "all do not obtain grace, nor are all
justified by the faith of Christ." He represents those for whom Christ died, and that share in the benefits of his
redemption, to be the children of God, believers in Christ, such as love him, and belong to his body. "He (the apostle)
calls God our Father," he says,[8] "because of the original of things, for from him are all things; but he calls Christ the
Lord, because ejus sanguine redempti, ‘being redeemed by his blood,’ we are made the children of God." Again he
says,[9] "Christ is crucified for our sins, that destroying death, credentes sibi liberaret ab ea, he might deliver from it
them that believe in him." Moreover, he observes,[10] that "as to them that love him, redemptio venturus est Christus,
Christ is to come as the redemption; so to them who love him not, let him be anathema, that is, let him hate and
destroy them." Once more "As Adam’s sinning," he says,[11] "found death, and held it, so that all springing from him
are dissolved; so likewise Christ not sinning, and hereby conquering death, hath procured life, omnibus qui sant ex ejus
corpore, for all who are of that body."

ENDNOTES:

[1] Apolog. p. 787, etc.

[2] Vide Comment. in Romans p, 259; in 1 Timothy p. 574; et in Hebrews p. 650.

[3] In Hebrews p. 652.

[4] Ibid. p. 651, 652.

[5] Ibid. p. 63.

[6] In Romans p. 257.

[7] Ibid. p. 271, 272.

[8] Ibid. p. 239.

[9] In 2 Corinthians p. 458.

http://www.pbministries.org/books/gill/Cause_of_God_and_Truth/Part%204/chapter2/chap02_section27.htm[11/2/2010 10:48:55 AM]

Chapter 2 Section 27. - Hilarius Diaconus

[10] In 1 Corinthians p. 410.

[11] Ibid. p. 402.

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