Of the Death of Christ, Discourse · Chapter 8
CAP. VIII.
Of the Will of God in Reference to them for whom Chriſt died immediately upon the Conſideration of his Death; and their State, and Condition before actual Believing in Relation thereunto.
THE Second Inſtant Propoſed to be Conſidered, is, In the immediate Iſſue of the Death of Chriſt, as Purpoſed, and accompliſhed. Purpoſe, and Accompliſhment are indeed different; but their Effects in reſpect of God, are the ſame. In reference to us alſo▪ the Death of Chriſt hath the ſame Efficacy as promiſed, and as performed. What Acts the Scripture aſcribes unto God, antecedent unto any Conſideration of the Death of Chriſt (or at leaſt ſuch as are abſolutely free, and of Sovereignty, without any influence of cauſality from thence) we ſaw before: (for as for the order of Gods Decrees compared among themſelves, I will not with any one Contend) Here we enquire what it holdeth out of him, that being in all its Efficacy ſuppoſed.
And we Affirme,
1 That the Will of God is not moved to any thing thereby, nor changed into any other Reſpect towards thoſe for whom Chriſt died, then what it had before; This was formerly proved, and muſt again be touched on. But,
2 The Death of Chriſt purpoſed, and accounted effectual (as before) God can agreeable to his infinite Juſtice, Wiſdome, Truth, and appointment, make out unto ſinners for whom Chriſt died, or was to die, all thoſe good things, which he before purpoſed, and Willed by ſuch means to them: thoſe things being purchaſed, and procured, and all hinderances of beſtowing them, being removed, by that Satisfaction, and Merit, which by free Compact, he Agreed, and Conſented ſhould be in that Death of Chriſt.
3 That as the making out of all ſpiritual bleſſings, firſt purpoſed by the Father, then purchaſed by the Son, that they might be beſtowed Condecently to divine Juſtice; God hath reſerved it to his own Sovereign diſpoſal. That it be done, ſo that they for whom this whole Diſpenſation is appointed, may really enjoy the Fruits of it, is all, that neceſſarily is included, either in the Purpoſe, or Purchaſe.
Hence it is that the diſcharge of the Debtor, doth not immediately follow the Payment of the Debt by Chriſt, not becauſe that Payment is refuſable; but becauſe in that very Covenant, and Compact, from whence it is that the Death of Chriſt, is a Payment; God reſerveth to himſelf this Right, and Liberty, to diſcharge the Debtor, when, and how he pleaſeth. I mean as to Times and Seaſons; for otherwiſe, the means of actual freedom, is procured by that Payment, though not conſidered meerly as a Payment, which denotes only Satisfaction, but as it had adjoyned Merit alſo.
Therefore that Principle much uſed, and reſted on by Mr Baxter in the Buſineſs of Satisfaction, to obviate this very difficulty, of a not immediate diſcharge, if Chriſt paid the Debt, viz. That the Satisfaction of Chriſt is a refuſable Payment; which he preſſeth Page 149, 150. is neither true in it ſelf, nor accommodate to this difficulty▪
1 Not True: For,
The Suffering of CHRIST may be Conſidered, either,
1, Abſolutely, as in it ſelf, abſtracting from the Conſideration of any Covenant, or Compact thereabout; and ſo it cannot be ſaid to be a refuſable Payment: not becauſe not refuſable, but becauſe no Payment. That any thing ſhould have any ſuch reference unto God as a Payment, or Satisfaction, whether refuſable or otherwiſe, is not from its ſelf, and its own nature, but from the Conſtitution of God alone. Between God, and the Creature there is no Equality, not ſo much as of Proportion. Chriſt in Reſpect of his Humane Nature, though United to the Deity, is a Creature, and ſo could not abſolutly ſatisfie, or merit any thing at the hand of God: I mean with that kind of merit, which ariſeth from an abſolute Proportion of things. This Merit, can be found only among Creatures: and the Advancement of Chriſts Humanity takes it not out of that Number. Neither in this ſenſe can any Satisfaction be made to God for ſin. The Sinners own undergoing the Penalty neither is Satisfaction in the ſenſe whereof we ſpeak, neither can it properly be ſaid to be ſo at all; no more then a thing to be done, which is Endleſsly in doing.
2 It may be Conſidered with Reference unto Gods Conſtitution, and Determinatiou, Predeſtmating Chriſt unto that Work, and appointing the Work by him to be accompliſhed, to be ſatisfactory, equaling (by that Conſtitution) the End, and the Means. And thus the Satisfaction of Chriſt in the Juſtice of God was not refuſable; the Wiſdom, Truth, Juſtice, and ſuitable Purpoſe of God, being engaged to the Contrary.
2, This diſtinction is not accommodate to this difficulty; the ſole Reaſon thereof being what was held out. before, of the Intereſt of Gods Sovereign Right to the beſtowing of Purpoſed, Purchaſed, Promiſed Bleſſings, as to Times, and Seaſons, according to the free Councel of his own Will.
3, Hence then it is, That God in the Scripture upon the Death of Chriſt is ſaid to be reconciled, to be returned unto Peace with them for whom he ſo died, the Enmity being ſlain, and peace actually made, Epheſ. 2. 14, 15, 16. Colloſ. 1. 20. becauſe he now will, and may, ſuitablely to his Juſtice▪ Wiſdome, and Appointment, make out unto them? for whom the Atonement was made, all fruits of Love, Peace, and Amity. Heb. 2. 17. Rom. 5. 10, 11. 2 Cor. 5. 19.
The OBJECTION unto this, How then can God deny us the preſent Poſſeſſion of Heaven; uſed by Mr Baxter, Page 157. is not of any force, the whole diſpoſal of theſe Things, being left to his own pleaſure.
And this is the SCHEME, which upon the Death of CHRIST, we aſſigne unto God: He is atoned, appeaſed, actually reconciled, at peace with thoſe for whom Chriſt died, and in due time for his ſake will beſtow upon them all the Fruits, and Iſſues of Love, and renewed Friendſhip.
This poſſibly may give ſome light into the immediate Effect of the DEATH of CHRIST; which though I ſhall not purpoſely now handle, yet Mr Baxter with much diligence having employed himſelf in the Inveſtigation thereof, I ſhall turn aſide a little to Conſider his ASSERTIONS, in this Particular.