1 Ilor. Dc Art. I'oct., ver. 38. 3 Ilor. Epist. lib. ii. Epist. i. 117; lib. i. Epist. ii. 32.
THE
DEATH OF DEATH IN THE DEATH OF CHKIST.
A TREATISE OF THE REDEMPTION AND RECONCILIATION THAT IS IN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, WITH THE MERIT THEREOF, AND SATISFACTION WROUGHT THEREBY,
BOOK I. CHAPTER I.
In general of the end of the death of Christ, as it is in the Scripture proposed.
By the end of the death of Christ, we mean in general, both, — first, that which his Father and himself intended in it ; and, secondly, that which was effectually fulfilled and accomplished by it. Con- cerning either we may take a brief view of the expressions used by the Holy Ghost: —
I. For the first. Will you know the end wherefore, and the intention wherewith, Christ came into the world ? Let us ask him- self (who knew his own mind, as also all the secrets of his Father's bosom), and he will tell us that the " Son of man came to save that which was lost," Matt, xviii. 11, — to recover and save poor lost sin- ners; that was his intent and design, as is again asserted, Luke xix. 10. Ask also his apostles, who know his mind, and they will tell you the same. So Paul, 1 Tim. i. 15, " This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." Now, if you will ask who these sinners are towards whom he hath this gracious intent and purpose, himself tells you, Matt. XX. 28, that he came to "give his life a ransom for many;" in other places called us, believers, distinguished from the world: for he "gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father," Gal. i. 4. That was the will and intention of God, that he should give himself for us, that we might be saved, being separated from the world. They are his church: Eph. v. 25-27, "He 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:" which last words
1 58 THE DEATH OF DEATH. [BOOK I.
express also the very aim and end of Christ in giving himself for any, even that they may be made fit for God, and brought nigh unto him; — the like whereof is also asserted, Tit. ii. 14, "He gave him- self for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify vmto himself a j)ecu]iar people, zealous of good works." Thus clear, then, and apparent, is the intention and design of Christ and his Father in this great work, even what it was, and towards whom, — namely, to save us, to deliver us from the evil world, to purge and wash us, to make us holy, zealous, fruitful in good works, to render us acceptable, and to bring us unto God ; for through him " we have access into the grace wherein we stand," Rom. v. 2.
II. The effect, also, and actual product of the work itself, or what is accomplished and fulfilled by the death, blood-shedding, or oblation of Jesus Christ, is no less clearly manifested, but is as fully, and very often more distinctly, expressed; — as, first, Reconciliation with God, by removing and slaying the enmity that was between him and us; for " when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son," Rom. v. 10. " God was in him reconciling the world unto himself, not imj)uting their trespasses unto them," 2 Cor. v. 19; yea, he hath " reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ," verse IS. And if 3^ou would know how this reconciliation was effected, the apostle will tell you that " he abolished in his flesh the enmity, the law of commandments consisting in ordinances ; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might recon- cile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby," Eph. ii. 1 5, 1 6 : so that "he is our peace," verse 14. Secondly, Justification, by taking away the guilt of sins, procuring remission and pardon of them, redeeming us from their power, with the curse and wrath due unto us for them ; for " by his own blood he entered into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemjDtion for us," Heb. ix. 12. " He redeemed us from the curse, being made a curse for us," Gal. iii. 18; " his own self bearing our sins in his own body on tlie tree," 1 Pet. ii. 24. We have " all sinned, and come short of the glory of God ;" but are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Clu'ist Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins," Rom. iii. 23-25 : for " in him we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins," Col. i. 14. Thirdly, Sanctification, by the purging away of the unclcanness and pollution of our sins, renewing in us the image of God, and supply- ing us with the graces of the Spirit of holiness: for "the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself to God, purgeth our consciences from dead works, that we may serve the living God," Heb. ix. 14; yea, "the blood of Jesus Christ clcansetli us from all sin," 1 John i, 7. "By himself he purged our sins,"