1. Notwithstanding the right granted them for whom Christ died, upon his death, to a better state and conihtion in due time, — that is, in the season suiting the infinitely wise sovereignty of God, — yet as to the present condition, in point of enjoyment, they are not actually difterenccd from other.<. Their prayers are an abomination to the Lord, Prov. xxviii. 9 ; all things are to them unclean, Tit.
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i. 15; they are under the power of Satan, Eph. ii. 2; in bondage unto death, Heb. ii. 15; obnoxious to the curse and condemning power of the huv in the conscience, Gal. iii. 13; having sin reigning in them, Rom. vi. 17, etc.
2. What spiritual blessings soever are bestowed on any soul, I mean peculiarly distinguishing mercies and graces, they are all bestowed and collated for Christ's sake ; that is, they are purchased by his merit, and procured by his intercession thereupon.
That supernatural graces cannot be traduced from any natural faculty, or at- tained by the utmost endeavour of nature, howsoever affected with outward ad- vantages, I now take for granted. These things I looked upon as the free gifts of love : so the Scripture, John xv. 5 ; 2 Cor. iii. 5 : Eph. ii. 8 ; 1 Cor. iv. 7 ; Eph. ii. 10; Matt. xi. 25, 26 ; Acts xvi. 14, etc.
Now, the dispensation of all these, as it is through Christ, so they are ybr Christ. On whomsoever they are bestowed, it is for Christ's sake. For instance, Peter and Judas are unbelievers. Faith is given to Peter, not to Judas. Whence is this difference? Presupposing God's sovereign discriminating purpose, the im- mediate procuring cause of faith for Peter is the merit of Christ : " To us it is given on the behalf of Christ to believe on him," Phil. i. 29. We are " blessed with all sjiiritual blessings in him," Eph. i. 3. Whatsoever is in the promise of the covenant is certainly of his procurement; for therefore he is the surety, Heb. vii. 22. And his blood, the ransom he paid, is the blood of the covenant, Matt, xxvi. 28 ; whereby " all the promises " thereof become " in him yea, and in him Amen," 2 Cor. i. 20. And whether faith be of the blessings of the covenant, and included in the promise thereof, or no, let the Scripture be judge, Jer. xxxi. 31-34; Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27; Heb. viii. 8-12.
Furthermore ; what we have through him, we have for him ; all these things being made out on this condition, that " he should make his soul an offermg for sin," Isa. liii. 10.
3. That all the procurements of the death of Christ, in the behalf of his, are to be made out by virtue of a stipulation sub termino; or, in respect of their actual collation and bestowing, they are to be made out in the season limited and ap- pointed by the will of the Father. Of this before.
4. No blessing can be given us for Christ's sake, unless, in order of nature, Christ be first reckoned unto us.
Here I must do two things: — (1.) Declare what I mean by reckoning Christ inito us; and then, (2.) Prove the assertion as laid down.
(1.) God's reckoning Christ, in our present sense, is the imputing of Christ unto ungodly, unbelieving sinners for whom he died, so far as to account him theirs, and to bestow faith and gi-ace upon them for his sake.
This, then, I say, at the accomplishment of the appointed time, the Lord reckons, and accounts, and makes out his Son Christ, to such and such sinners, and for his sake gives them f;uth, etc. Exercising of love actually, in the bestowing of grace upon any particular soul, in a distinguishing manner, for Christ's sake, doth suppose this accounting of Christ to be his; and from thence he is so indeed, — which is the present thesis. And, —
(2.) This may be proved; for, —
[1.] Why doth the Lord bestow faith on Peter, not on Judas? Because Christ dying for Peter, and purchasing for him the grace of the covenant, he had a right unto it, and God according to his promise bestowed it; with Judas, it was not so. But then, why doth the Lord bestow faith on Peter at tlie fortieth year of his age, and not before or after ? Because then the term was expired which, upon the purchase, was by the counsel of God's will prefixed to the giving in the beginning of the thing piu'chased unto him. What, then, doth the Lord do when he thus bestoweth faith on him? For Clu'ist's sake, — his death procuring the gift,
470 OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST.
not moving the will of the giver, — he creates faith in him by the way and means suited to such a work, Eph. i. 18, 19, ii. 1, etc. If, then, this be done for Christ's sake, then is Christ made ours before we believe. Else, why is faith given hirn at this instant for Christ's sake, and not to another, for whom also he died ? That it is done then, is because the appointed time is come ; that it is done then for Christ, is because Christ is first given to him. I cannot conceive how any thing should be made out to me for Christ, and Christ himself not be given to me, he being " made unto us of God, righteousness," 1 Cor. i. 30.