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as for them that were then actually saved (for whom it was not needful), of any more value. For, first, Those that were saved, were saved upon this ground, that Christ should cer tainly suffer for them in due time, which suffering of his was as effectual in the purpose and promise, as in the execution and accomplishment. It was in the mind of God accounted for them as accomplished: the compact and covenant with Christ about it being surely ratified upon mutual unchangeable promises (according to our conception); and so our Saviour was to perform it, and so it was needful for them that were actually saved: but for those that were actually damned, there was no such inducement to it, or ground for it, or issue to be expected out of it. Secondly, A simile will clear the whole if a man should send word to a place where captives were in prison, that he would pay the price and ransom that was due for their delivery, and to desire the prisoners to come forth, for he that detains them accepts of his word and engagement; when he comes to make payment, according to his promise, if he finds some to have gone forth according as was proposed, and others continued obstinate in their dungeon; some hearing of what he had done, others not, and that according to his own appointment, and were now long since dead; doth he in the payment of his promised ransom intend it for them that died stubbornly and obstinately in the prison? or only for them who went forth? Doubtless only for these last: no more can the passion of Christ be supposed to be a price paid for them that died in the prison of sin and corruption before the payment of his ransom; though it might full well be for them that were delivered by virtue of his engagement for the payment of such a ransom. Thirdly, If Christ died in the stead of all men, and made satisfaction for their sins, then he did it for all their sins, or only for some of their sins. If for some only, who then can be saved? If for all, why then are not all saved? They say it is because of their unbelief they will not believe, and therefore are not saved. That unbelief, is it a sin or is it not? If it be not, how can it be a cause of damnation? If it be, Christ died for it, or he did not. If he did not, then he died not for all the sins of all men. If he did, why is this an obstacle to their salvation? Is there any new shift to be invented for this? or must we be contented with the old? viz.

Because they do not believe: that is, Christ did not die for their unbelief, or rather, did not by his death remove their unbelief, because they would not believe, or because they would not themselves remove their unbelief; or he died for their unbelief conditionally, that they were not unbelievers. These do not seem to me to be sober assertions.

For whom Christ died, for them he is a mediator, which is apparent; for the oblation or offering of Christ, which he made of himself unto God, in the shedding of his blood, was one of the chiefest acts of his mediation. But he is not a mediator for all, and every one, which also is no less evident, because as mediator he is the priest for them, for whom he is a mediator: now to a priest it belongs as was declared before, to sacrifice and intercede, to procure good things and to apply them, to those for whom they are procured, as is evident; Heb. ix. and was proved before at large; which confessedly Christ doth not for all. Yea, that Christ, is not a mediator for every one, needs no proof: experience sufficiently evinceth it, besides innumerable places of Scripture. It is, I confess, replied by some, that Christ is a mediator for some, in respect of some acts, and not in respect of others; but truly this, if I am able to judge, is a dishonest subterfuge that hath no ground in Scripture, and would make our Saviour a half mediator in respect of some, which is an unsavoury expression. But this argument was vindi

cated before.

CHAP. IV.

Of sanctification, and of the cause of faith, and the procurement thereof by the death of Christ.

ANOTHER argument may be taken from the effect and fruit of the death of Christ unto sanctification, which we thus propose. If the blood of Jesus Christ, doth wash, purge, cleanse, and sanctify, them for whom it was shed, or for whom he was a sacrifice; then certainly he died, shed his blood, or was a sacrifice, only for them that in the event are washed, purged, cleansed, and sanctified; which that all or every one are not, is most apparent, faith being the first principle of the heart's purification; Acts xv. 9. and all men have not faith; 1 Thes.

iii. 2. it is of the elect of God; Tit. i. 1. The consequence, I conceive, is undeniable, and not to be avoided with any distinctions. But now we shall make it evident that the blood of Christ, is effectual for all those ends of washing, purging, and sanctifying, which we before recounted; and this we shall do, first, From the types of it; and, secondly, By plain expressions, concerning the thing itself. First, For the type; that which we shall now consider in the sacrifice of expiation, which the apostle so expressly compareth with the sacrifice and oblation of Christ: of this he affirmeth, Heb. ix. 13. that it legally sanctified them, for whom it was a sacrifice; for, saith he, The blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh.' Now that which was done carnally, and legally in the type, must be spiritually effected in the antitype, the sacrifice of Christ, typified by that bloody sacrifice of beasts. This the apostle asserteth in the verse following; How much more,' saith he, shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot unto God, purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God?' If I know any thing, that answer of Arminius, and some others to this, viz. that the sacrifice did sanctify not as offered, but as sprinkled; and the blood of Christ, not in respect of the oblation, but of its application, answereth it, is weak and unsatisfactory; for it only asserts a division between the oblation and application of the blood of Christ, which though we allow to be distinguished, yet such a division we are now disproving, and to weaken our argument, the same division which we disprove is proposed. Which, if any, is an easy facile way of answering. We grant, that the blood of Christ sanctifieth in respect of the application of the good things procured by it, but withal prove, that it is so applied to all, for whom it was an oblation, and that because it is said to sanctify and purge, and must answer the type which did sanctify to the purifying of the flesh. Secondly, It is expressly, in divers places, affirmed of the bloodshedding and death of our Saviour, that it doth effect these things, and that it was intended for that purpose; many places for the clearing of this were before recounted. I shall now repeat so many of them, as shall be sufficient to give strength to the argument in hand; omitting those which before were produced, only desiring that

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all those places which point out the end of the death of Christ, may be considered as of force to establish the truth of this argument. Rom. vi. 5, 6. 'For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection; knowing this that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.' The words of the latter verse yield a reason of the former assertion in verse 5. viz. That a participation in the death of Christ, shall certainly be accompanied with conformity to him in his resurrection. That is both to life spiritual, as also to eternal; 'Because our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed;' that is, our sinful corruption and depravation of nature, are by his death and crucifying, effectually and meritoriously slain, and disabled from such a rule and dominion over us, as that we should be servants any longer unto them which is apparently the sense of the place, being it is laid a foundation, to press forward unto all degrees of sanctification, and freedom from the power of sin. The same apostle also tells us, 2 Cor. i. 20. that, all the promises of God are in him yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us:' yea and Amen, confirmed, ratified, unchangeably established, and irrevocably made over to us; now this was done in him, that is, in his death and bloodshedding, for the confirmation of the testament, whereof these promises, are the conveyance of the legacies to us, are confirmed by the death of him the testator;' Heb. ix. 16. For he was 'the surety of this better testament;' Heb. vii. 22. which testament or covenant, he confirmed with many,' by his being cut off for them; Dan. ix. 26, 27. Now what are the promises that are thus confirmed unto us, and established by the blood of Christ? The sum of them you have, Jer. xxxi. 33. whence they are repeated by the apostle, Heb. viii. 10-12. To set out the nature of that covenant, which was ratified in the blood of Jesus; in which you have the summary description of all that free grace towards us, both in sanctification, ver. 10, 11. and in justification, ver. 12. Amongst also these promises, is that most famous, of circumcising our hearts, and of giving new hearts and spirits unto us; as Deut. xxx. 6. Ezek. xxxvi. 26. So that our whole sanctification, holiness, with justification and reconciliation

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unto God, is procured by, and established unto us, with unchangeable promises in the death and bloodshedding of Christ; The heavenly or spiritual things being purified with that sacrifice of his ;' Heb. ix. 23. For we have redemption by his blood, even the forgiveness of sins;' Col. i. 13. By death he destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil; that he might free those who by reason of death, were obnoxious to bondage all their lives; Heb. ii. 14, 15. Do but take notice, of those two most clear places, Tit. ii. 14. Eph. v. 25, 26. In both which, our cleansing and sanctification is assigned, to be the end and intendment of Christ the worker, and therefore, the certain effect of his death and oblation, which was the work, as was before proved; and I shall add but one place more, to prove that, which I am sorry that I need produce any one to do; to wit, that the blood of Christ purgeth us from all our sin; and it is, 1 Cor. i. 30. Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.' Of which because it is clear enough, I need not spend time to prove, that he was thus made unto us of God, inasmuch as he set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood; as Rom. iii. 25. So that our sanctification, with all other effects of free grace, are the immediate procurement of the death of Christ. And of the things that have been spoken, this is the sum, sanctification and holiness, is the certain fruit and effect of the death of Christ, in all them for whom he died, but all and every one are not, partakers of this sanctification, this purging, cleansing, and working of holiness; therefore, Christ died not for all and every one, quod erat demonstrandum. It is altogether in vain to except, as some do, that the death of Christ is not the sole cause of these things; for they are not actually wrought in any, without the intervention of the Spirit's working in them, and faith apprehending the death of Christ. For, first, Though many total causes of the same kind, cannot concur to the producing of the same effect; yet several causes of several kinds, may concur to one effect, and be the sole causes in that kind wherein they are causes. The Spirit of God is the cause of sanctification and holiness; but what kind of cause I pray? Even such a one as is immediately, really efficient of the effect. Faith is the cause of pardon of sin; but what cause? in what kind?

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