Of the Death of Christ, Discourse · Chapter 9
CAP. IX.
A Degreſſion concerning the Immediate Effect of the Death of Chriſt.
IT is one of the greateſt and nobleſt Queſtions in our Controverted Divinity, What are the immediate Effects of Chriſts Death? He that can rightly Anſwer this, is a Divine indeed; and by help of this, may expedite moſt other Controverſies about Redemption, and Juſtification. In a word; The Effects of Redemption undertaken, could not be upon a Subject not yet exiſtent, and ſo no Subject, though it might be for them. None but Adam and Eve were then Exiſtent: Yet as ſoon as we do Exiſt, we receive benefit from it. The ſuſpending of the rigorous execution of the Sentence of the Law, is the moſt obſervable immediate Effect of the Death of Chriſt; which ſuſpenſion is ſome kind of Deliverance from it. Thus far Mr Baxter. Theſſ. 9. Explicat. pag. 67.
There are ſcarce more lines, Anſw.then miſtakes in this Diſcourſe: Some of them may be touched on.
1 Effects are to be Conſidered with Reſpect to their Cauſes. Cauſes are Real, or Moral. Real, or Phyſical Cauſes, produce their Effects immediately, either Immediatione ſuppoſiti, or Virtutis: Unto them the ſubject muſt be Exiſtent. I ſpeak not of creating power, where the Act produceth its Object.
Moral Cauſes do never immediately acting their own Effects, nor have any immediate influence into them: There is between ſuch Cauſes, and their Effects, the intervention of ſome 3d Thing, previous to them both, viz. Proportion, Conſtitution, Law, Covenant, which takes in the Cauſe, and lets out the Effect: And this for all Circumſtances of where, how, when, ſuitable to the limitations in them expreſſed, or implyed: with the Nature of the things themſelves.
The Death of Chriſt is a Moral Cauſe, in reſpect of all its Effects: Whether thoſe ſubjects on which it is to have its Effects, be Exiſtent, or not Exiſtent, at the time of its performance, is nothing at all conſiderable: If it wrought Phyſically, and Efficiently, the Exiſtence of the Subjects on which it were to work, were requiſite. It is altogether in vain to enquire of the immediate Effects of Chriſts Death upon an Exiſtent ſubject: By the way: That Adam and Eve only were Exiſtent, when Chriſt undertook the work of Redemption, to me is not cleer: no, nor yet the following Aſſertion, That as ſoon as we do Exiſt, we receive Benefit by it: taking benefit, for a benefit actually collated (as Mr Baxter doth) not for a right to a benefit, or the purpoſe of beſtowing one, which will Operate in its due time: This is eaſily Affirmed; and therefore Eadem Facilitate is Denyed.
I have no fancy to ſtrive to carry the Bell, and to be accounted a Divine indeed, by attempting at this time, a right Stating of, and Anſwer to this Queſtion Propoſed: I am not altogether ignorant of the endeavour of others, even as to this Particular, and have formerly ſpoken ſomthing that way my ſelf.
Mr Baxter ſeems here to underſtand by this Queſtion, (viz. What is the immediate Effect of the Death of Chriſt) what is the firſt benefit, which from the Death of Chriſt, accreweth unto them for whom he died: Not what is the firſt thing, that every particular perſon is actually in his own Perſon, in his own time made partaker of: but a Benefit Generally eſtabliſhed, and in being, upon the deſignment of the work of Redemption, which every one for whom Chriſt died hath a ſhare of: And of this he Poſitively Affirms, That the ſuſpending of the rigorous execution of the Sentence of the Law, is the moſt obſervable, immediate Effect of the Death of Chriſt: and ſo deſerves the Title of a Divine indeed.
Now truly (though not to contend for the Bell with Mr Baxter, whereof I confeſs my ſelf utterly unworthy, and willingly for many commendable Parts aſcribe it unto him) I cannot cloſe with him, nor Aſſent unto that Aſſertion: Very gladly would I ſee Mr Baxters Arguments for this; but thoſe, (as in moſt other Controverted things in this Book) he is pleaſed to Conceal: and therefore though it might ſuffice me, to give in my Diſſent, and ſo wait for further Proof; yet that it may be apparent, That I do not Deny this meerly becauſe its ſaid, not Proved, (which in things not cleer in themſelves is a Provocation ſo to do) I ſhall oppoſe One or Two ARGƲMENTS unto it.
All the Effects of the Death of Chriſt are peculiar only to the Elect, to ſome: the ſuſpenſion of the rigorous execution of the Law, is not ſo. Ergo.
The Minor is apparent: The Major proved by all the Arguments againſt Ʋniverſal Redemption uſed in my former Treatiſe.
2 All the Effects of the Death of Chriſt are Spiritual, diſtinguiſhing, and ſaving, to the praiſe of Gods free Grace.
The ſuſpending of the vigorous Execution of the Law, is not ſo. Ergo,
The Aſſumption is manifeſt: 'tis only a not immediate caſting into Hell, which is not a ſpiritual diſtinguiſhing Mercy: but in reſpect to many, tends to the manifeſtation of Gods Juſtice. Rom. 9. 22.
The Propoſition is evident. The Promiſes made unto Chriſt upon his undertaking this Work, doubtleſs do hold out all that he Effected by his Death. Of what Nature they are, and what is the main tendance of them I have elſewhere diſcovered, from the firſt to the laſt, they are reſtrained to diſtinguiſhing Mercies: ſee Iſa. 49. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Chap. 53. 10, 11, 12. Iſa. 61. 1, 2. and no leſs is poſitively affirmed, Eph. 1. 4. Rev. 1. 5, 6.
If Mr Baxter ſay, that his meaning in this is, That if Chriſt had not undertaken the Work of Redemption, and Satisfaction, then the Law muſt have had rigorous Execution upon all, and therefore this being ſuſpended upon his undertaking of it, is the firſt fruit of the Death of Chriſt.
Notwithſtanding this, Anſw.yet that ſuſpenſion (which in reſpect of the different Perſons towards whom it is actually exerciſed, hath different ends) is not a Fruit, nor Effect of the Death of Chriſt, but a free Iſſue, of the ſame eternally wiſe Providence, Sovereignty, and Grace, as the Death of Chriſt himſelf is: If then by the rigorous Execution of the Law, you intend the immediate Execution of the Law in all its rigour, and puniſhments, this if it had been effected, could in your own Judgment have reached Adam, and Eve, and no more; and would have ſo reached them, as to cut off the Generation of Mankind in that Root: If ſo, and this be the Fruit of Chriſts Death, Why do you not reckon the Procreation of humane race, among thoſe Fruits alſo? for had it not been for this ſuſpenſion, that alſo had failed: which is as good a Cauſative Connection, as that between the Death of Chriſt, and this Suſpenſion: had not he undertaken the Work of Redemption, it had not been.
If by a rigorous Execution, you intend the Penalty of the Law, inflicted in that way, which hath pleaſed the Will of the Law-giver by ſeveral parts, and degrees, from conception through birth, life, death, to Eternity; the Curſe of it being wholly incumbent in reſpect of deſert, and making out it ſelf, according to Gods appointment, then the ſuſpenſion thereof is not the immediate Effect of the Death of Chriſt; which (oppoſing the firſt Arguments to the former acceptation) I further prove: If thoſe for whom Chriſt died do lie under this rigorous Execution of the Law, that is the Curſe of it, until ſome other Effect of Chriſts Death be wrought upon them, then that is not the firſt Effect of the Death of Chriſt: but that ſuppoſal is true: Joh. 3. 36. Epheſ. 2. 3. therefore ſo alſo the Inference.
2 In a word: Take the ſuſpending of the rigorous execution of the Law, for the Purpoſe of God, and his acting accordingly, not to leave his Elect under the actual Curſe of it; ſo it is no Fruit of the Death of Chriſt, but an Iſſue of the ſame Grace; from whence alſo the Death of Chriſt proceeds.
Take it for an actual freeing of their Perſons from the Breach of it, and its Curſe, and ſo it differs not from Juſtification, and is not the immediate effect of Chriſts Death in Mr Baxters Judgment.
Take it for the not immediately executing of the Law upon the firſt offence, and I can as well ſay, Chriſt died becauſe the Law was ſuſpended; as you, that the Law was ſuſpended becauſe Chriſt died: had not either been, the other had not been.
Take it for the actual forbearance of God towards all the World, and ſo it falls under my Two firſt Arguments.
Take it thus, that God for the Death of Chriſt, will deal with all men upon a new Law, freeing all from the Guilt of the firſt broken Law, and Covenant: So it is non Ens.
If you mean by it Gods entring into a New way of Salvation with thoſe for whom Chriſt died: this on the part of God is antecedaneous to the Conſideration of the Death of Chriſt, and of the ſame free Grace with it ſelf.
For the Queſtion it ſelf (as I ſaid before) I ſhall not here in Terms take it up, the following Diſcourſe will give Light into it: I have alſo ſpoken largely to it in another place; and that diſtinctly.
The Sum is: I conceive that all the intermediate Effects of the Death of Chriſt, tending to its ultimate Procurement of the Glory of God, are all in reſpect of his death immediate; that is, with ſuch an immediation as attends Moral Cauſes: Now theſe concerning them for whom he died, as they are not immediatly beſtowed on them (the ultimate Attingency of the Cauſe, and the firſt Riſe of the Effect, lying in an intervening Compact) ſo not ſimul, at once neither: though ſimul, and a like procured: the Cauſe of this, being that Relation, Coherence, and Cauſality, which the Lord hath appointed between the ſeveral Effects (or rather parts of the ſame Effect) of the death of Chriſt, in reference to the main, and ultimate End to be thereby attained: as at large I have diſcuſed: Lib. 2. Cap. 1. p. 52, 53, &c. In one word, The firſt Effect of the Death of Chriſt in this ſenſe, is the firſt Fruit of Election: For, for the Procuring▪ and Purchaſing of the Fruits thereof, and them alone, did Chriſt die.
If I miſtake not, Mr Baxter himſelf is not ſetled fully in this Perſwaſion, that the ſuſpenſion of the Rigorous Execution of the Law, is the moſt immediate Effect of the Death of Chriſt: for pag. 52. theſe words which he uſeth [God the Father doth accept the Sufferings and Merits of his Son, as a full ſatisfaction to his violated Law, and as a valuable Conſideration upon which he will wholly acquit and forgive the Offendors themſelves, and receive them again into favour, ſo that they will but receive his Son upon the terms expreſſed in the Goſpel] ſeems to place the ultimate Efficacy of the Death of Chriſt in Gods acceptation of it, as to our good, on the Condition of Faith, and Obedience.
Which, firſt makes the ſuſpenſion of the Law to be ſo far from being the firſt effect of the Death of Chriſt: that the laſt reacheth not ſo far: And 2dly, the fond abſurdity of this Conditional Acceptation I have before declared.
Neither am I clear to which of thoſe Aſſertions, that of Page 92, (where he affirms, That ſome benefit by Chriſt the Condemned did receive) is moſt accommodate: neither can I eaſily receive what is here Aſſerted; if by Benefit you underſtand that which in reſpect of them is intentionally ſo.
For, Firſt, Condemned Perſons, as condemned Perſons ſurely receive no Benefit by Chriſt, for they are Condemned.
Secondly, The delay of the Condemnation of Reprobates, is no part of the Purchaſe of Chriſt: The Scripture ſayes, Nor more, nor leſs of any ſuch thing: but peculiarly aſſigns it to another Cauſe. Rom. 9.