Thirdly, [It is contrary to reason] that a ransom should be paid for captives, upon compact for their deliverance, and yet upon the payment those captives not be made free and set at liberty. The death of Christ is a ransom. Matt. xx. 28, paid by compact for the deliverance of captives for whom it was a ransom; and the promise wherein his Father stood engaged to him at his undertaking to be a Saviour, and undergoing the office imposed on him, was their deliver- ance, as was before declared, upon his performance of these things : on that [being done, that] the greatest number of these captives should never be released, seems strange and very improbable.
Fourthly, It is contrary to Scripture, as was before at large de- clared. See [also book iii.] chap. x.
234 THE DEATH OF DEATH. [BOOK IL
But now, all this our adversaries suppose tliey shall wipe away with one slight distinction, that will make, as they say, all we affirm in this kind to vanish; and that is this: "It is true," say they, "all things that are absolutely procured and obtained for any do presently become theirs in right for whom they are obtained ; but things that are obtained upon condition become not theirs until the condition be fulfilled. Now, Christ hath purchased, by his death for all, all good things, not absolutely, but upon condition; and until that con- dition come to be fulfilled, unless they perform what is required, they have neither part nor portion, right unto nor possession of them." Also, what this condition is they give in, in sundry terms; some call it a not resisting of this redemption offered to them; some, a yield- ing to the invitation of the gospel; some, in plain terms,, faith. Now, be it so that Christ purchaseth all things for us, to be bestowed on this condition, that we do believe it, then I affirm that, —
First, Certainly this condition ought to be revealed to all for whom this purchase is made, if it be intended for them in good earnest. All for whom he died must have means to know that his death will do them good if they believe ; especially it being in his power alone to grant them these means who intends good to them by his death. If I should entreat a physician that could cure such a disease to cure all that came unto him, but should let many rest ignorant of the grant which I had procured of the physician, and none but myself could acquaint them with it, whereby they might go to him and be healed, could I be supposed to intend the healing of those people? Doubtless no. The application is easy.
Secondly, This condition of them to be required is in their power to perform, or it is not. If it be, then have all men power to believe ; which is false: if it be not, then the Lord will grant them grace to perform it, or he will not. If he will, why then do not all believe? why are not all saved? if he wdll not, then this impetration, or ob- taining salvation and redemption for all by the blood of Jesus Christ, comes at length to this: — God intendeth that he shall die for all, to procure for them remission of sins, reconciliation with him, eternal redemjdion and glory; hut yet so that they shall never have the least good hy these glorious things, unless they perform that tvhich he knows they are no luay able to do, and which none but himself can enable them to perform, and luhich concerning far the greatest part of them he is resolved not to do. Is this to intend that Christ should die fen- them for their good ? or rather, that he should die for them to expose them to shame and misery? Is it not all one as if a man should promise a blind man a thousand pounds upon condi- tion that he will see.
Thirdly, This condition of faith is procured for us by the death of Christ, or it is not. If they say it be not, then the chiefest grace,
THE PROPER END OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST ASSERTED. 235
and without whicli redemption itself (express it how you please) is of no value, doth not depend on the grace of Christ as the meri- torious procuring cause thereof; — which, first, is exceedingly injurious to our blessed Saviour, and serves only to diminish the honour and love due to him; secondly, is contrary to Scripture: Tit. iii. 5, 6; 2 Cor. V. 21, " He became sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." And how we can become the righteous- ness of God but by believing, I know not. Yea, expressly saith the apostle, " It is given to us for Christ's sake, on the behalf of Christ, to believe in him," Phil. i. 29 ; " God blessing us with all spiritual blessings in him," Eph. i. 8, whereof surely faith is not the least. If it be a fruit of the death of Christ, why is it not bestowed on all, since he died for all, especially since the whole impetration of redemp- tion is altogether unprofitable without it? If they do invent a condition upon which this is bestowed, the vanity of that shall be afterward discovered. For the present, if this condition be, So they do not refuse or resist the means of grace, then I ask, if the fruit of the death of Christ shall be applied to all that fulfil this condition of not refusing or not resisting the means of grace? If not, then why is that produced? If so, then all must be saved that have not, or do not resist, the means of grace ; that is, all pagans, infidels, and those infants to whom the gospel was never preached.