2. None of the advocates of a general and indefinite Atonement can believe that Christ purchased redemption, faith, or obedience, for those for whom he died; for in that case all for whom he died must repent, believe, and obey. But the Scriptures teach that Christ did purchase those blessings for those for whom he died, This is plain—(1.) Because men have no natural power to furnish
CHAPTER Vi.
Christ purchas- ed faith and re- pentance for his people.
CHAPTER VIL
372 THE DESIGN OF THE ATONEMENT.
those conditions themselves. The Scriptures everywhere ascribe the whole ground and cause of our salvation to Christ. But if the differentiating grace which distin- guishes the believer from the unbeliever is to be attributed to any cause exterior to Christ’s redemption, then that cause, and not his redemption, is the cause of salvation. (2.) Faith and redemption are expressly said to be gifts of God. Eph. i. 8: ‘‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Acts v. 31: “Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” (3.) They are given to us for Christ’s sake, as the purchase of his blood. In Phil. i. 29 it is said to be “oiven us in the behalf of Christ to be believe on him.” Eph. i. 38, 4: “ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things 772 Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” Titus iii. 5, 6: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.” Gal. ii. 13, 14: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law.... that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Acts u. 33: ‘Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” Emmons, the logical advocate of a general Atonement, asserts that the only benefit we receive from Christ is forgiveness of sins on condition of | faith.* But the Scriptures over and over again declare that Christ died with the design and effect of procuring
* Emmons’ Works, vol. iii., p. 18.
TRUTH OF THE REFORMED DOCTRINE. D373
for those for whom he died the subjective grace of sauc- caarrea tification, including faith, as well as the objective grace of forgiveness conditioned on faith. ‘‘ Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 11. 14). “Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without. blemish” (Eph. v. 25-27). “‘ Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctifi- cation, and redemption” (1 Cor. i. 30). (4.) All whom the Father gave to the Son believe, and none others. ‘All that the Father giveth me shall come to me;.... and this is the Father's will...... that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing” (John vi. 37—89). “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I. give unto them eternal life..... My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all” (John x. 27, 28). Christ said, in the tenth chapter of John, “T lay down my life for the sheep ;” and then said to the Jews, “Ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep” (John x. 15, 26). ‘‘ As many as were ordained to eternal life believed” (Acts xiii. 48). Christ said to his disciples, “It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given” (Matt. xiii, 11).
If, then, as the Scriptures teach, Christ purchased all spiritual graces for those for whom he died, all those for whom he died must believe. If the object for which he died was to sanctify and cleanse those for whom he died, then that great mass of men who live and die eaten to the core with every form of corruption cannot be those for whom Christ died.
CHAPTER VI.
Christ died after half the human race were already dead.
Christ died in execution of the terms of an eternal covenant with his Father.
374 THE DESIGN OF THE ATONEMENT.