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CHAPTER 4
OF SANCTIFICATION, AND OF THE CAUSE OF FAITH, AND THE PROCUREMENT THEREOF BY THE DEATH OF CHRIST.
Arg.
8. 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 is
not is most apparent, faith being the first principle of the
heart’s purification, Acts 15:9, and “all men have not
faith,” 2 Thessalonians 3:2; it is “of the elect of
God,” Titus 1:1. 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 is the sacrifice
of expiation, which the apostle so expressly compareth with the
sacrifice and oblation of Christ. Of this he affirmeth, Hebrews
9:13, 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 to God, purge your
conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” If I
know anything, that answer of Arminius and some others to this,
— namely, 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 blood-shedding
and death of our Savior, 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 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. Romans 6:5, 6,
“or
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 Romans 6:5, — namely, 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, seeing it is laid as a foundation to press forward
unto all decrees of sanctification and freedom from the power of
sin.
The
same apostle also tells us, 2 Corinthians 1:20, 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 blood-shedding, for the confirmation of
the testament, whereof these promises are the conveyance of the
legacies to us, — confirmed by the “death of him, the
testator,” Hebrews 9:16: for he was “the surety of this
better testament,” Hebrews 7:22; which testament or
“covenant he confirmed with many,” by his being
“cut off” for them, Daniel 9:26, 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, Jeremiah 31:33, 34;
whence they are repeated by the apostle, Hebrews 8:10-12, to set
out the nature of that covenant which was ratified in the blood
of Jesus, in which you have a summary description of all that
free grace towards us, both in sanctification, Hebrews 8:10, 11,
and in justification, Hebrews 10:12. Amongst these promises,
also, is that most famous one of circumcising our hearts, and of
giving new hearts and spirits unto us: as Deuteronomy 30:6;
Ezekiel 36:26. So that our whole sanctification, holiness, with
justification and reconciliation unto God, is procured by, and
established unto us with, unchangeable promises in the death and
blood-shedding of Christ, “the heavenly or spiritual thinks
being purified with that sacrifice of his, Hebrews 9:23;
“For we have redemption through his blood, even the
forgiveness of sins,” Colossians 1:14; “By death he
destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the
devil,” that he might “deliver them who, through fear
of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage,”
Hebrews 2:14, 15.
Do
but take notice of those two most clear places, Titus 2:14,
Ephesians 5:25, 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 Corinthians 1:30,
“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 Romans 3:25. 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 an one as is immediately and really
efficient of the effect. Faith is the cause of pardon of sin; but
what cause? In what kind? Why merely as an instrument,
apprehending the righteousness of Christ. Now, do these causes,
whereof one is efficient, the other instrumental, both natural
and real, hinder that the blood of Christ may not only concur,
but also be the sole cause, moral and meritorious, of these
things? Doubtless, they do not.
Nay,
they do suppose it so to be, or else they would in this work be
neither instruments nor efficient, that being the sole foundation
of the Spirit’s operation and efficience, and the sole cause
of faith’s being and existence. A man is detained captive by
his enemy, and one goes to him that detains him, and pays a
ransom for his delivery; who thereupon grants a warrant to the
keepers of the prison that they shall knock off his shackles,
take away his rags, let him have new clothes, according to the
agreement, saying, “Deliver him, for I have found a
ransom.” Because the jailer knocks off his shackles, and the
warrant of the judge is brought for his discharge, shall he or we
say that the price and ransom which was paid was not the cause,
yes, the sole cause of his delivery? Considering that none of
these latter had been, had not the ransom been paid, they are no less
the effect of that ransom than his own delivery. In our delivery
from the bondage of sin, it is true, there are other things, in
other kinds, which do concur besides the death of Christ, as the
operation of the Spirit and the grace of God; but these being in
one kind, and that in another, these also being no less the fruit
and effect of the death of Christ than our deliverance wrought by
them, it is most apparent that that is the only main cause of the
whole. Secondly, To take off utterly this exception, with all of
the like kind, we affirm that faith itself is a proper immediate
fruit and procurement of the death of Christ in all them for whom
he died; which (because, if it be true, it utterly overthrows the
general ransom, or universal redemption; and if it be not true, I
will very willingly lay down this whole controversy, and be very
indifferent which way it be determined, for go it which way it
will, free-will must be established), I will prove apart by
itself in the next argument.
Arg.
9. Before I come to press the argument intended, I must
premise some few things; as, —
1.
Whatever is freely bestowed upon us, in and through Christ,
that is all wholly the procurement and merit of the death of
Christ. Nothing is bestowed through him on those that are his
which he hath not purchased; the price whereby he made his
purchase being his own blood, 1 Peter 1:18,19; for the covenant
between his Father and him, of making out all spiritual blessings
to them that were given unto him, was expressly founded on this
condition, “That he should make his soul an offering for
sin,” Isaiah 53:10.
2.
That confessedly, on all sides, faith is, in men of
understanding, of such absolute indispensable necessity unto
salvation, — there being no sacrifice to be admitted for the
want of it under the new covenant, — that, whatever God hath
done in his love, sending his Son, and whatever Christ hath done
or doth, in his oblation and intercession for all or some,
without this in us, is, in regard of the event, of no value,
worth, or profit unto us, but serveth only to increase and
aggravate condemnation; for, whatsoever is accomplished besides,
that is most certainly true, “He that believeth not shall be
damned,” Mark 16:16. (So that if there is in ourselves a
power of believing, and the act of it do proceed from that power,
and is our own also, then certainly and undeniably it is in our
power to make the love of God and death of Christ effectual
towards us or not, and that by believing we actually do the one
by an act of our own; which is so evident that the most ingenious
and perspicacious of our adversaries have in terms confessed it,
as I have declared elsewhere). Such being, then, the absolute
necessity of faith, it seems to me that the cause of that must
needs be the prime and principal cause of salvation, as being the
cause of that without which the whole would not be, and by which
the whole is, and is effectual.
3.
I shall give those that to us in this are contrary-minded
their choice and option, so that they will answer directly,
categorically, and without uncouth, insignificant, cloudy
distinctions, whether our savior, by his death and intercession
(which we proved to be conjoined), did merit or procure faith for
us, or no? or, which is all one, whether faith be a fruit and
effect of the death of Christ, or no? And according to their
answer I will proceed.
First,
If they answer affirmatively that it is, or that Christ did
procure it by his death (provided always that they do not
willfully equivocate, and when I speak of faith as it is a grace
in a particular person, taking it subjectively, they understand
faith as it is the doctrine of faith, or the way of salvation
declared in the gospel, taking it objectively, which is another
thing, and beside the present question; although, by the way, I
must tell them that we deny the granting of that new way of
salvation, in bringing life and immortality to light by the
gospel in Christ, to be procured for us by Christ, himself being
the chiefest part of this way, yea, the way itself: and that he
should himself be procured by his own death and oblation is a
very strange, contradictory assertion, beseeming them who have
used it (More, p.35.) It is true, indeed, a full and plenary
carrying of his elect to life and glory by that way we ascribe to
him, and maintain it against all; but the granting of that way
was of the same free grace and unprocured love which was also the
cause of granting himself unto us, Genesis 3:15.); — if, I
say, they answer thus affirmatively, then I demand whether Christ
procured faith for all for whom he died absolutely, or upon some
condition on their part to be fulfilled? If absolutely, then
surely, if he died for all, they must all absolutely believe; for
that which is absolutely procured for any is absolutely his, no
doubt. He that hath absolutely procured an inheritance, by what
means soev’er, who can hinder, that it should not be his?
But this is contrary to that of the apostle, “All men have
not faith,” 2 Thessalonians 3:2; and, “Faith is of the
elect of God,” Titus 1:1. If they say that he procured it
for them, that is, to be bestowed on them conditionally, I desire
that they would answer bona fide, and roundly, in terms without
equivocation or blind distinctions, assign that condition, that
we may know what it is, seeing it is a thing of so infinite
concernment to all our souls. Let me know this condition which ye
will maintain, and en herbam amici! the cause is yours Is
it, as some say, if they do not resist the grace of God? Now,
what is it not to resist the grace of God? is it not to obey it?
And what is it to obey the grace of God?, is it not to believe?
So the condition of faith is faith itself. Christ procured that
they should believe, upon condition that they do believe! Are
these things so? But they can assign a condition, on our part
required, of faith, that is not faith itself. Can they do it? Let
us hear it, then, and we will renew our inquiry concerning that
condition, whether it be procured by Christ or no. If not, then
is the cause of faith still resolved into ourselves; Christ is
not the author and finisher of it. If it be then are we just
where we were before, and must follow with our queries whether
that condition was procured absolutely or upon condition. Depinge
ube sistam.
But,
secondly, if they will answer negatively, as, agreeably to their
own principles, they ought to do, and deny that faith is procured
by the death of Christ, then, —
1.
They must maintain that it is an act of our own wills, so our
own as not to be wrought in us by grace; and that it is wholly
situated in our power to perform that spiritual act, nothing
being bestowed upon us by free grace, in and through Christ (as
was before declared), but what by him, in his death and oblation,
was procured: which is contrary, —
(1.)
To express Scripture in exceeding many places, which I shall
not recount:
(2.)
To the very nature of the being of the new covenant, which
doth not prescribe and require the condition of it, but
effectually work it in all the covenantees, Jeremiah 31:33, 34;
Ezekiel 36:26; Hebrews 8:10, 11:
(3.)
To the advancement of the free grace of God, in setting up
the power of free-will, in the state of corrupted nature, to the
slighting and undervaluing thereof.
(4.)
To the received doctrine of our natural depravedness and
disability to any thing that is good; yea, by evident unstrained
consequence, overthrowing that fundamental article of original
sin: yea,
(5.)
To right reason, which will never grant that the natural
faculty is able of itself, without some spiritual elevation, to
produce an act purely spiritual; as 1 Corinthians 2:14.
2.
They must resolve almost the sole cause of our salvation into
ourselves ultimately, it being in our own power to make all that
God and Christ do unto that end effectual, or to frustrate their
utmost endeavors for that purpose: for all that is done, whether
in the Father’s loving us and sending his Son to die for us,
or in the Son’s offering himself for an oblation in our
stead, or for us (in our behalf), is confessedly, as before, of
no value nor worth, in respect of any profitable issue, unless we
believe; which that we shall do, Christ hath not effected nor
procured by his death, neither can the Lord so work it in us but
that the sole casting voice (if I may so say), whether we will
believe or no, is left to ourselves. Now, whether this be not to
assign unto ourselves the cause of our own happiness, and to make
us the chief builders of our own glory, let all judge.
These
things being thus premised, I shall briefly prove that which is
denied, namely, that faith is procured for us by the death of
Christ; and so, consequently, he died not for all and every one,
for “all men have not faith:” and this we may do by
these following reasons; —
1.
The death of Jesus Christ purchased holiness and
sanctification for us, as was at large proved, Arg. 8; but faith,
as it is a grace of the Spirit inherent in us, is formally a part
of our sanctification and holiness: therefore he procured faith
for us. The assumption is meet certain, and not denied; the
proposition was sufficiently confirmed in the foregoing argument;
and I see not what may be excepted against the truth of the
whole. If any shall except, and say that Christ might procure for
us some part of holiness (for we speak of parts, and not of
degrees and measure), but not all, as the sanctification of hope,
love, meekness, and the like, I ask, — first, What warrant
have we for any such distinction between the graces of the
Spirit, that some of them should be of the purchasing of Christ,
others of our own store? secondly, Whether we are more prone of
ourselves to believe, and more able, than to love and hope? and
where may we have a ground for that?
2.
All the fruits of election are purchased for us by Jesus
Christ; for “we are chosen in him,” Ephesians 1:4, as
the only cause and fountain of all those good things which the
Lord chooseth us to, for the praise of his glorious grace, that
in all things be might have the preeminence. I hope I need not be
solicitous about the proving of this, that the Lord Jesus is the
only way and means by and for whom the Lord will certainly and
actually collate upon his elect all the fruits and effects or
intendments of that love whereby he chose them. But now faith is
a fruit, a principal fruit, of our election; for saith the
apostle, “We are chosen in him before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy,” Ephesians 1:4, — of
which holiness, faith, purifying the heart, is a principal share.
“Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also
called,” Romans 8:30; that is, with that calling which is
according to his purpose, effectually working faith in them by
the mighty operation of his Spirit, “according to the
exceeding greatness of his power,” Ephesians 1:9. And so
they “believe” (God making them differ from others, 1
Corinthians 4:7, in the enjoyment of the means) “who are
ordained to eternal life,” Acts 13:48. Their being ordained
to eternal life was the fountain from whence their faith did
flow; and so “the election hath obtained, and the rest were
blinded,” Romans 9:7.
3.
All the blessings of the new covenant are procured and
purchased by him in whom the promises thereof are ratified, and
to whom they are made; for all the good things thereof are
contained in and exhibited by those promises, through the working
of the Spirit of God. Now, concerning the promises of the
covenant, and their being confirmed in Christ, and made unto his,
as Galatians 3:16, with what is to be understood in those
expressions, was before declared. Therefore, all the good things
of the covenant are the effects, fruits, and purchase of the
death of Christ, he and all things for him being the substance
and whole of it. Farther; that faith is of the good things of the
new covenant is apparent from the description thereof, Jeremiah
31:33, 34; Hebrews 8:10-12; Ezekiel 36:25-27, with divers other
places, as might clearly be manifested if we affected copiousness
in causa facili.
4.
That without which it is utterly impossible that we should be
saved must of necessity be procured by him by whom we are fully
and effectually saved. Let them that can, declare how he can be
said to procure salvation fully and effectually for us, and not
be the author and purchaser of that (for he is the author of our
salvation by the way of purchase) without which it is utterly
impossible we should attain salvation. Now, without faith it is
utterly impossible that ever any should attain salvation, Hebrews
11:6, Mark 16:16; but Jesus Christ, according to his name, doth
perfectly save us, Matthew 1:21, procuring for us “eternal
redemption,” Hebrews 9:12, being, “able to save to the
uttermost them that come unto God by him,” Hebrews 7:25: and
therefore must faith also be within the compass of those things
that are procured by him.
5.
The Scripture is clear, in express terms, and such as are so
equivalent that they are not liable to any evasion; as
Philippians 1:29, “It is given believe on him.” Faith,
or belief, is the gift, and Christ the procurer of it: “God
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in him in heavenly
places,” Ephesians 1:3. If faith be a spiritual blessing, it
is bestowed on us “in him,” and so also for his sake;
if it be not, it is not worth contending about in this sense and
way: so that, let others look which way they will, I desire to
look unto Jesus as the “author and finisher of our
faith,” Hebrews 12:2. Divers other reasons, arguments, and
places of Scripture might be added for the confirmation of this
truth; but I hope I have said enough, and do not desire to say
all. The sum of the whole reason may be reduced to this head,
— namely, if the fruit and effect procured and wrought by
the death of Christ absolutely, not depending on any condition in
man to be fulfilled, be not common to all, then did not Christ
die for all; but the supposal is true, as is evident in the grace
of faith, which being procured by the death of Christ, to be
absolutely bestowed on them for whom he died, is not common to
all: therefore, our Savior did not die for all.
Arg.
10. We argue from the type to the antitype, or the thing
signified by it; which will evidently restrain the oblation of
Christ to God’s elect. The people of Israel were certainly,
in all remarkable things that happened unto them, typical of the
church of God; as the apostle at large [declares], 1 Corinthians
10:11. Especially their institutions and ordinances were all
representative of the spiritual things of the gospel; their
priests, altar, sacrifices, were but all shadows of the good
things to come in Jesus Christ; their Canaan was a type of
heaven, Hebrews 4:3, 9; as also Jerusalem or Sion, Galatians
4:26, Hebrews 12:22. The whole people itself was a type of
God’s church, his elect, his chosen and called people:
whence as they were called a “holy people, a royal
priesthood;” so also, in allusion to them, are believers, 1
Peter 2:5, 9 Yea, God’s people are in innumerable places
called his “Israel,” as it is farther expounded,
Hebrews 8:8. A true Israelite is as much as a true believer, John
1:47; and he is a Jew who is so in the hidden man of the heart. I
hope it need not be proved that that people, as delivered from
bondage, preserved, taken nigh unto God, brought into Canaan, was
typical of God’s spiritual church, of elect believers.
Whence we thus argue: — Those only are really and
spiritually redeemed by Jesus Christ who were designed,
signified, typified by the people of Israel in their carnal,
typical redemption (for no reason in the world can be rendered
why some should be typed out in the same condition, partakers of
the same good, and not others); but by the people of the Jews, in
their deliverance from Egypt, bringing into Canaan, with all
their ordinances and institutions, only the elect, the church of
God, was typed out, as was before proved. And, in truth, it is
the most senseless thing in the world, to imagine that the Jews
were under a type to all the whole world, or indeed to any but
Gods chosen ones, as is proved at large, Hebrews 9:10. Were the
Jews and their ordinances types to the seven nations whom they
destroyed and supplanted in Canaan? were they so to Egyptians,
infidels, and haters of God and his Christ? We conclude, then,
assuredly, from that just proportion that ought to be observed
between the types and the things typified, that only the elect of
God, his church and chosen ones, are redeemed by Jesus Christ.