necessary for each is abundantly sufficient for the infinite number and variety of plants and animals which fill the earth. All that Christ did and suffered would have been necessary had only one huauin soul been the object of redemption ; and nothing different and nothing more would have been required had every child of Adam been saved through his blood.
In the third place, the question does not concern the suitableness of the atonement. What was suitable for one was suitable for all. The rigiiteousness of Christ, the merit of his obedience and death, is needed for justification by each individual of our race, and there- fore is needed by all. It is no more appropriate to one man than to another. Christ fulfilled the conditions of the covenant under which all men were placed. He rendered the obedience required of all, and suffered the penalty which all had incurred ; and there- fore his work is equally suited to all.
In the fourth place, the question does not concern the actual application of the redemption purchased by Christ. The parties to this controversy are agreed that some only, and not all of mankind are to be actually saved.
The whole question, therefore, concerns simply the purpose of God in the mission of his Son. What was the design of Christ's coming into the world, and doing and suffering all He actually did and suffered? Was it merely to make the salvation of all men possible ; to remove the obstacles which stood in the way of the offer of pardon and acceptance to sinners ? or. Was it specially to render certain the salvation of his own people, i. e., of those given to Him by the Father ? The latter question is affirmed by Augus- tinians, and denied by their opponents. It is obvious that if there be no election of some to everlasting life, the atonement can have no special reference to the elect. It must have equal reference to all mankind. But it does not follow from the assertion of its having a special reference to the elect that it had no reference to the non- elect. Augustinians readily admit that the death of Christ had a relation to man, to the whole human family, which it had not to the fallen angels. It is the ground on which salvation is offered to every creature under heaven who hears the gospel ; but it gives no authority for a like offer to apostate angels. It moreover secures to the whole race at large, and to all classes of men, innumerable blessings, both providential and religious. It was, of course, de- signed to produce these effects ; and, therefore. He died to secure them. In view of the effects which the death of Christ produces on the relation of all mankind to God, it has in all ages been cus
VOL. n. 35
546 PART III. Ch. Vm. — for whom did CHRIST DIE?
toinary with Augiistinians to say that Christ died " sufficienter pro oinnilms, efficaciter tantum pro electis ; " sufficiently for all, effica- ciously only for the elect. There is a sense, therefore, in which Pie died for all, and there is a sense in whicli He died for the elect alone. The simple question is, Had the death of Christ a reference to the elect which it had not to other men? Did He come into the world to secure the salvation of those given to Him by the Father, so that the other effects of his work are merely incidental to what was done for the attainment of that object ?
§ 2. Proof of the Augustinian Doctrine.
That these questions must be answered in the affirmative, is evident, —
1. From the nature of the covenant of redemption. It is admit- ted that there was a covenant between the Father and the Son in relation to the salvation of men. It is admitted that Christ camo into the world in execution of that covenant. The nature of the covenant, therefore, determines the object of his death. According to one view, man having by his fall lost the ability of fulfilling the conditions of the covenant of life, God, for Christ's sake, enters into a new covenant, offering men salvation upon other and easier terms ; namely, as some say, faith and repentance, and others evangelical obedience. If such be the nature of the plan of salva- tion, then it is obvious that the work of Christ has equal reference to all mankind. Accordino; to another view, the work of Christ was designed to secure the pardon of original sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit for all men, Jews or Gentiles, and those are saved who duly improve the grace they severally receive. The former is the doctrine of the ancient Semi-Pelagians and modern Remon- strants ; the latter of the Wesleyan Arminians. The Lutherans hold that God sent his Son to make a full and real legal satisfaction for the sins of all mankind ; and that on the ground of this perfect satisfaction the offer of salvation is made to all vAxo hear the gos- pel; that grace is given (in the word and sacraments) which, if unresisted, is sufficient to secure their salvation. The French theologians at Saumur, in the 17th century, taught also that Christ came into the world to do whatever was necessary for the salvation of men. But God, foreseeing that, if left to themselves, men would universally reject the offers of mercy, elected some to be the sub- jects of his saving grace by which they are brought to faith and repentance. According to this view of the plan of salvation, elec- tion is subordinate to redemption. God first redeems all and then