Thus, though it be most true that Christ died to reconcile us to God by our conversion to him, yet all the places cited by Mr B. to prove it (so unhappy is he in his quotations) speak to the defence of that truth which he doth oppose, and not of that which he would assert ; and which by asserting in opposition to the truth, with which it hath an eminent consistency, he doth corrupt.
The next question I shall not insist upon; it is concerning the object of the death of Christ and the universality thereof. The words of it are, " For whom did Christ die?" The answer is from 2 Cor. V. 14, 15; 1 Tim. ii. 6; Heb. ii. 9; John iii. 16; where men- tion is made of " all" and " the world," in reference to the death of Christ. The question concerning the object of the death of Christ, or for whom he died, hath of late by very many been fully discussed, and I have myself spoken elsewhere somewhat to that purpose.^ It shall not, then, here be insisted on. In a word, we confess that Christ died for " all" and for " the world ;" but whereas it is very sel- dom that these words are comprehensive of all and every man in the world, but most frequently are used for some of all sorts, — they for whom Christ died being in some places expounded to be "the church, believers, the children, those given unto him out of the world," and nowhere described by any term expressive constantly of an absolute universality, — we say the words insisted on are to be taken in the latter sense, and not the former; being ready, God assisting, to put it to the issue and trial with our adversaries when we are called thereunto.
He proceeds : —
Q. What was the procuring cause of Chrisfs death ? A. Rom. iv. 25; Tsa. liii. 5; 1 Cor. xv. 3.
The expressions are, that Christ was " delivered for our offences," that Christ was " bruised for our iniquities," and " died for our sins."
That in these and the like places, that clause, " For our offences, ini- quities, and sins," is expressive of the procuring cause of the death of Christ, Mr B. grants. Sin can be no otherwise the procuring cause of the death of Christ but as it is morally meritorious thereof To say, " Our sins were the procuring cause of the death of Christ," is to say that our sins merited the death of Christ; and whereas this can no otherwise be but as our sins were imputed to him, and he was ' Sal us Electorum Sanguis Jesu., vol. x.
VOL. XII. 27
418 VINDICI^ EVANGELIC^.
put to death for them, Mr B. hath in this one question granted the whole of what in this subject he contends against! If our sins were the procuring cause of the death of Christ, then the death of Christ was that punishment which was due to them, or in the justice, or according to the tenor, of the law of God, was procured by them ; and so, consequently, he in his death underwent the penalty of our sins, suffering in our stead, and making thereby satisfaction for what we had done amiss. Mr B.'s masters say generally that the expression of " dying for our sins" denotes the final cause of the death of Christ; that is, Christ intended by his death to confirm the truth, in obedi- ence whereunto we shall receive forgiveness of sin. This grant of Mr B.'s, that the procuring cause of the death of Christ is hereby expressed, will perhaps appear more prejudicial to his whole cause than he is yet aware of, especially being proposed in distinction from the final cause or end of the death of Christ, which in the next place he mentions, as afterward will more fully appear; al- though, I confess, he is not alone, Crellius making the same conces- sion.^
The last question of this chapter is, " What are the ends of Christ's suffering and death intimated by the Scripture?" whereunto, by way of answer, sundry texts of Scripture are subjoined, every one of them expressing some one end or other, some effect or fruit, some- thing of the aim and intendment of Christ in his suffering and death ; whereunto exceeding many others might be annexed. But this business of the death of Christ, its causes, ends, and influence into the work of our salvation, — the manifestation that therein he under- went the punishment due to our sins, making atonement and giving satisfaction for them, redeeming us properly by the price of his blood, etc., — being of so great weight and importance as it is, lying at the very bottom and foundation of all our hope and confidence, I shall, leaving Mr B., handle the whole matter at large in the ensuing chapters.
For our more clear and distinct procedure in this important head of the religion of Jesus Christ, I shall first lay down the most emi- nent considerations of the death of Christ as proposed in the Scrip- ture, and then give an account of the most special effects of it in particular, answering to those considerations of it; in all mani- festing wherein the expiation of our sins by his blood doth con- sist.