Secondly, The proper counsel and intention of God in sending his Son into the world to die was, that thereby he might confirm and ratify the new covenant to his elect, and purchase for them all the good things which are contained in the tenure of that covenant, — to wit, grace and glory; that by his death he might bring many (yet some certain) children to glory, obtaining for them that were given unto him by his Father (that is, his whole church) reconcilia- tion with God, remission of sins, faith, righteousness, sanctification, and life eternal. That is the end to which they are to be brought, and the means whereby God will have them attain it. He died that he might gather the dispersed children of God, and make them par- takers of everlasting glory, — to " give eternal life to as many as God gave him," John xvii. 2. And on this purpose of himself and his Father is founded the intercession of Christ for his elect and chosen people ; performed partly on the earth, John xvii., partly in heaven, before the throne of grace : which is nothing but a presenta- tion of himself and his merits, accompanied with the prayers of his mediatorship before God, that he would be pleased to grant and effectually to apply the good things he hath by them obtained to all for whom he hath obtained them. His intercession in heaven is nothing but a continued oblation of himself So that whatsoever Christ impetrated, merited, or obtained by his death and passion, must be infallibly applied unto and bestowed upon them for whom he intended to obtain it ; or else his intercession is vain, he is not heard in the prayers of his mediatorship. An actual reconciliation with God, and commimication of grace and glory, must needs betide all them that have any such interest in the righteousness of Christ as to have it accepted for their good. The sole end why Christ would so dearly purchase those good things is, an actual application of them unto his chosen : God set forth the propitiation of his blood for the remission of sins, that he might be the justifier of him which believeth on Jesus, Horn. iii. 25, 26. But this part of the controversy is not
OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST. *)!
that which I principally intend; only, I will give you a brief sum of those reasons which overthrow their heresy in this particular branch thereof: —
First, The death of Christ is in divers places of the Scripture re- strained to his "people," and "elect," his "church," and "sheep," Matt, i, 21; John x. 11-13; Actsxx. 28; Eph.v. 25; Johnxi. 51, 52; Rom. viii. 32, 34; Heb. ii. 9, 14; Rev. v. 9; Dan. ix. 26; — and therefore the good purchased thereby ought not to be extended to " dogs," " re- probates," and " those that are without."
Secondly, For whom Christ died, he died as their sponsor, in their room and turn, that he might free them from the guilt and desert of death ; which is clearly expressed Rom", v. 6-8. " He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities : the chastise- ment of our peace was upon him ; and with his stripes we are healed," Isa. liii. 5, 6, etc. " He hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us," GaL iil 13. " He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin," 2 Cor. v. 21. Evidently he changeth turns with us, " that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Yea, in other things, it is plain in the Scripture that to die for another is to take his place and room, with an intention that he should live, 2 Sam. xviii. S3 ; Rom. v. So that Christ dying for men made satisfaction for their sins, that they should not die. Now, for what sins he made satisfaction, for them the justice of God is satis- fied ; which surely is not done for the sins of the reprobates, because he justly punisheth them to eternity upon themselves. Matt. v. 26.
Thirdly, For whom Christ "died," for them also he " rose again," to make intercession for them: for whose "offences he was delivered," for their "justification he was raised," Rom. iv. 25, v. 10. He is a high priest " to make intercession for them" in the holy of holies for whom " by his own blood he obtained eternal redemption," Heb. ix. 11, 12. These two acts of his priesthood are not to be separated ; it belongs to the same mediator for sin to sacrifice and pray. Our assur- ance that he is our advocate is grounded on his being a propitiation for our sins. He is an " advocate" for every one for whose sins his blood was a " propitiation," 1 John ii. 1, 2. But Christ doth not in- tercede and pray for all, as himself often witnesseth, John xvii. ; he " maketh intercession" only for them who " come unto God by him," Heb. vii. 25. He is not a mediator of them that perish, no more than an advocate of them that fail in their suits ; and therefore the benefit of his death also must be restrained to them who are finally partakers of both. We must not so disjoin the offices of Christ's mediatorship, that one of them may be versated about some towards whom he ex- erciseth not the other ; much less ought we so to separate the several acts of the same office. For whom Christ is a priest, to offer himself