Some say that God sent Christ to die for all men, but only con- ditionally, if they did and would believe ; — as though, if they believed, Christ died for them; if not, he died not; and so make the act the cause of its own object: other some, that he died absolutely for all, to procure all good things for them, which yet they should not enjoy until they fulfil the condition that was to be prescribed unto them. Yet all conclude that in his death Christ had no more respect unto the elect than others, to sustain their persons, or to be in their room, but that he was a public person in the room of all mankind.
III. Concerning tlie close of all this, in respect of the event and immediate product of the death of Christ, divers have diversely ex- pressed themselves ; some placing it in the power, some in the will, of God ; some in the opening of a door of grace; some in a right pur- chased to himself of saving whom he pleased ; some that in respect of us he had no end at all, but that all mankind might have perished after he had done all. Others make divers and distinct ends, not almost to be reckoned, of this one act of Christ, according to the diversity of the persons for whom he died, whom they grant to be distinguished and differenced by a foregoing decree; but to what purpose the Lord should send his Son to die for them whom he him- self had determined not to save, but at least to pass by and leave to remediless ruin for their sins, I cannot see, nor the meaning of the twofold destination by some invented. Such is the powerful force and evidence of truth that it scatters all its opposers, and makes them fiy to several hiding-corners; who, if they are not Avilling to yield and submit themselves, they shall surely lie down in darkness and error. None of these, or the like intricate and Involved impedite dis- tinctions, hath [truth] itself need of; into none of such poor shifts and
THE PROPER END OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST ASSERTED. 231
devices doth it compel its abettors; it needeth not any windings and turnings to bring itself into a defensible posture; it is not liable to contradictions in its own fundamentals: for, without any farther cir- cumstances, the whole of it in this business may be thus summed up : —
" God, out of his infinite love to his elect, sent his dear Son in the fidness of time, whom he had promised in the beginning of the world, and made effectual by that promise, to die, pay a ransom of in- finite value and dignity, for the purchasing of eternal redemption, and bringing unto himself all and every one of those ivhom he had before ordained to eternal life, for the praise of his oiun glory." So that freedom from all the evil from which we are delivered, and an enjoyment of all the good things that are bestowed on us, in our traduction from death to life, from hell and wrath to heaven and glory, are the proper issues and effects of the death of Christ, as the meritorious cause of them all; which may, in all the parts of it, be cleared by these few assertions : —
First, The fountain and cause of God's sending Christ is his eter- nal love to his elect, and to them alone; which I shall not now far- ther confirm, reserving it for the second general head of this whole controversy.
Secondly, The value, worth, and dignity of the ransom wbich Christ gave himself to be, and of the price which he paid, was in- finite and immeasurable; fit for the accomplishing of any end and the procuring of any goo'd, for all and every one for whom it was intended, had they been millions of men more than ever were created. Of this also afterward. See Acts xx. 28, " God purchased his church with his own blood." 1 Pet. i. 18, 19, " Redeemed not with silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ;'' and that answering the mind and intention of Almighty God, John xiv. 31, " As the Father gave me commandment, even so I do;" who would have such a price paid as might be the foundation of that economy and dispensation of his love and grace which he intended, and of the way whereby he would have it dispensed. Acts xiii. 88, 39, " Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins ; and by him all that be- lieve are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justi- fied by the law of Moses." 2 Cor. v. 20, 21, " We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteous- ness of God in him."
Thirdly, The intention and aim of the Father in this great work was, a bringing of those many sons to glory, — namely, his elect, whom by his free grace he had chosen from amongst all men, of all sorts, nations, and conditions, to take them into a new covenant of grace with himself, the former being as to them, in respect of the event,