nterested, since "we must all appear before the judgment-seat of
Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad." We should
occupy our talents until our Lord come, that we may receive from him
that best of plaudits—"Well done, good and faithful servant, enter
you into the joy of your Lord." Let us endeavor to maintain the
Christian graces in lively and vigorous exercise, and to be always
in a posture of preparation for the coming of Christ—Luke 12:35, 36.
And, let us "abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have
confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming." 1 John
2:28.

SECTION 5. The Lord Jesus, by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of
himself, which he through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto
God, has fully satisfied the justice of his Father, and purchased
not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the
kingdom of Heaven, for all those whom the Father has given unto him.

Exposition of 8.5

This section relates to the ends gained, or the effects
accomplished, by the obedience and sacrifice of Christ. It is
affirmed—

1. That he has fully satisfied the justice of his Father.
Retributive justice is essential to God, as a moral governor; and
the exercise of it, upon the entrance of sin, was indispensably
necessary. Christ, as the surety of those whom the Father had given
unto him, made a true and proper satisfaction to divine justice, by
enduring in their stead the very punishment which their sins
deserved. "He put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." "He
finished transgression, made an end of sins, and made reconciliation
for iniquity." "He has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being
made a curse for us." Hebrews 9:26; Daniel 9:24; Galatians 3:13.

"Our Lord's sufferings, as our surety, possessed everything
requisite to a true and proper satisfaction for sin; he suffered by
the appointment of God, who alone had a right to admit of the death
of a surety in the room of transgressors; he suffered in the same
nature that had sinned; his sufferings were voluntary and
obediential, and therefore possessed a moral fitness for making
reparation to the injured honors of the divine law; he was Lord of
his own life, and had a right to lay it down in the room of others;
and his sufferings were, from the dignity of his person, of infinite
value for the expiation of our sins."

That the sacrifice of Christ was fully satisfactory to divine
justice, cannot be questioned. An apostle testifies, that the
sacrifice which he offered up was "for a sweet-smelling savor unto
God." Ephesians 5:2. Christ himself announced that the satisfaction
was complete, when, on the cross, he proclaimed, "It is finished."
And we have a most decisive proof of the satisfactory nature of his
sacrifice, in his resurrection from the dead, and his glorious
exaltation in Heaven. 2. He purchased reconciliation for his people.
This necessarily flows from the former; for if justice is fully
satisfied, God's judicial displeasure must be turned away. It is sin
which separates between God and sinners; and, therefore, Christ made
reconciliation by satisfying divine justice for sin—the cause of the
separation. God was not merely rendered reconcilable, but fully
reconciled, by the death of Christ. If God were only reconcilable,
then some acts of our own must be the proper ground of our
reconciliation. But such a sentiment is subversive of the gospels
which everywhere declares, that Christ made reconciliation by his
death.—Romans 5:10. From this, however, it will by no means follow,
that the elect are in a state of actual reconciliation, either from
the time of Christ's death, or from the first moment of their own
existence. The Scripture represents them as being "by nature
children of wrath, even as others." A sure foundation for their
reconciliation was laid by the death of Christ; but they are only
actually reconciled to God when, by that faith which is of divine
operation, they accept of pardon and peace as obtained by Christ,
and freely exhibited to them in the gospel. "We joy in God," says an
apostle, "through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now
received the atonement," or rather the reconciliation.—Romans 5:11.

3. He purchased for his elect an everlasting inheritance in the
kingdom of Heaven. Christ not only sustained the full infliction of
the penalty of the law, to obtain for his people deliverance from
condemnation, but also perfectly fulfilled its precept, to procure
for them a title to the eternal inheritance. Indeed, his endurance
of the penalty, and his obedience to the precept of the law, though
they may be distinguished, cannot be separated, and constitute that
one righteousness which is meritorious of their complete salvation.
"Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus
Christ our Lord." Romans 5:21. "By Christ's satisfaction," says the
accurate Witsius, "deliverance from sin, and all the happy effects
of that immunity, were purchased at once for all the elect in
general."

SECTION 6. Although the work of redemption was not actually wrought
by Christ until after his incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and
benefits thereof, were communicated unto the elect in all ages
successively from the beginning of the world, in and by those
promises, types, and sacrifices, wherein he was revealed, and
signified to be the Seed of the woman, which should bruise the
serpent's head, and the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world,
being yesterday and today the same, and forever.

Exposition of 8.6

This section asserts the efficacy of the death of Christ for the
salvation of sinners before, as well as since, he actually laid down
his life. Though four thousand years elapsed before he actually
appeared in the flesh, and put away sin by the sacrifice of himself,
yet he was exhibited from the beginning of the world, in promises,
predictions, and types; and believers under the Old Testament were
saved by the merit of his sacrifice, as well as those under the New.
Abraham "rejoiced to see his day," and was justified by faith in
him. "His death is not more efficacious now, nor will be to
eternity, than it was before; for he is the same in point of virtue
yesterday, in the ages past, as he is today, at present, and will be
in the ages to come." Hebrews 13:8. Let us rejoice that his death
still possesses the same virtue and efficacy that ever it had;
nothing more is required but the application of faith for the
communication to us of its fruits and effects.

SECTION 7. Christ, in the work of mediation, acts according to both
natures; by each nature doing that which is proper to itself; yet by
reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one
nature is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the person
denominated by the other nature.

Exposition of 8.7

In opposition to Roman Catholics, who maintain that Christ is
mediator only as man, this section asserts that Christ, as mediator,
acts according to both natures. The Scriptures teach us that he
acted as mediator prior to his assumption of human nature. It is a
mediatorial act—the act of a prophet, to reveal the will of God; and
it cannot be questioned that Christ was the author of revelation
under the old as well as the new dispensation. It is a mediatorial
act to intercede for the Church; but this Christ did long before his
incarnation.—Zechariah 1:12. And since his incarnation the mediator
acts as God-man, and the works peculiar to each nature are ascribed
to the person of Christ, in which both natures are united. The human
nature alone could suffer and die; yet it is said, "The Lord of
glory wan crucified;" and, "God purchased the Church with his own
blood." 1 Corinthians 2:8; Acts 20:28. This claims our special
attention; for upon the communion of the two natures in the person
of Christ, in all mediatory acts, especially as a surety, the
inherent value of his work principally depends.

SECTION 8. To all those for whom Christ has purchased redemption, he
does certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same;
making intercession for them; and revealing unto them, in and by the
Word, the mysteries of salvation; effectually persuading them by His
Spirit to believe and obey; and governing their hearts by His Word
and Spirit; overcoming all their enemies by his almighty power and
wisdom, in such manner and ways as are most consonant to his
wonderful and unsearchable dispensation.

Exposition of 8.8

This section relates to the extent of Christ's death with respect to
its objects, and in opposition to the Arminian tenet, that Christ
died for all men—for those who shall finally perish, as well as for
those who shall be eventually saved; it affirms that the purchase
and application of redemption are exactly of the same extent. In the
fifth section we were taught that Christ purchased redemption only
for "those whom the Father has given unto him;" and here it is
asserted, that, "to all those for whom Christ has purchased
redemption, he does certainly and effectually apply and communicate
the same." It was formerly remarked, that at the period when the
Confession was framed, the phrase to purchase redemption was nearly
synonymous with the phrase to make atonement for sin. What language,
then, could affirm more explicitly than that here employed, that the
atonement of Christ is specific and limited—that it is neither
universal nor indefinite, but restricted to the elect, who shall be
saved from wrath through him?

The sacrifice of Christ derived infinite value from the dignity of
his person; it must, therefore, have been intrinsically sufficient
to expiate the sins of the whole human race had it been so intended;
but, in the designation of the Father, and in the intention of
Christ himself, it was limited to a definite number, who shall
ultimately obtain salvation. This important truth may be confirmed
by the following arguments—

1. Restrictive terms are frequently employed in Scripture to express
the objects of the death of Christ: "He bare the sin of many." "He
gave his life a ransom for many." Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 20:28. Does
not this intimate that Christ died, not for all men, but only for
many?

2. Those for whom Christ died are distinguished from others by
discriminating characters. They are called the sheep, John 10:15;
the church,—Ephesians 5:25; God's elect,—Romans 8:33; the children
of God.—John 11:52.

3. Those whom Christ redeemed by his blood are said to be "redeemed
from among men" (Rev. 14:4), which, if Christ had redeemed all men,
would be an unmeaning and inconsistent phrase; they are also said to
be "redeemed out of every kindred," etc. (Rev. 5:9), which certainly
implies that only some of every kindred are redeemed.

4. The redemption obtained by Christ is restricted to those who were
"chosen in him," and whom the Father gave to him to redeem by his
death.—Ephesians 1:4, 7; John 17:2.

5. Christ died in the character of a surety, and therefore he laid
down his life only for those whom he represented, or for his
spiritual seed.—Isaiah 53:10.

6. The intention of Christ in laying down his life was, not merely
to obtain for those for whom he died a possibility of salvation, but
actually to save them—to bring them to the real possession and
enjoyment of eternal salvation.—Ephesians 5:25, 26; Titus 2:14; 1
Peter 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:10. From this, it inevitably follows,
that Christ died only for those who shall be saved in him with an
everlasting salvation.

7. The intercession of Christ proceeds upon the ground of his
atoning sacrifice; they must, therefore, be of the same extent with
regard to their objects; but he does not pray for the world, but
only for those who were given him out of the world; his sacrifice
must, therefore, be restricted to that definite number.—1 John 2:1,
2; John 17:9.

8. An apostle infers from the greatness of God's love in delivering
up his Son to death for sinners, that he will not withhold from them
any of the blessings of salvation; we must, therefore, conclude that
Christ did not die for all mankind.—Romans 8:32.

9. The same apostle infers the certainty of our salvation by the
life of Christ, from our reconciliation to God by his death; now,
since all are not saved by his life, we must conclude that all were
not reconciled by his death.—Romans 5:10.

10. Christ, by his death, procured for his people not only
salvation, but all the means leading to the enjoyment of it;
consequently, his intention in dying must be limited to those who do
repent and believe, and not extended to the whole human race.

11. The doctrine that Christ died for all men leads to many absurd
consequences, such as,—That Christ shed his blood for many in vain,
since all are not saved; that he laid down his life in absolute
uncertainty whether any of the human race would be eventually saved;
that he shed his blood for millions who, at the very moment of his
death, were consigned to the pit of everlasting destruction; that he
died for those for whom he does not intercede; that he died for
those to whom he never sent the means of salvation, yes, to some of
whom he even forbade his gospel to be preached,—Matthew 10:5; Romans
10:14; and that God acts unjustly in inflicting everlasting
punishment upon men for those very transgressions for which he has
already received full satisfaction by the death of Christ. To affirm
any of these things, would be blasphemous in the highest degree,
and, therefore, that doctrine which involves such consequences must
be unscriptural.

Universal terms are sometimes used in Scripture in reference to the
death of Christ; but reason and common sense demand that general
phrases be explained and defined by those that are special, and
which can only admit of one interpretation. The meaning in each case
may usually be ascertained from the context; and one obvious reason
for the use of indefinite and universal terms in relation to the
death of Christ is, to intimate that the saving effects of his death
extend to some of all nations—to Gentiles as well as Jews—to all
classes and descriptions of men.



9. Of Free Will

SECTION 1. God has endued the will of man with that natural liberty,
that it is neither forced, nor by any absolute necessity of nature
determined, to good or evil.

Exposition of 9.1

The decision of most of the points in controversy between Calvinists
and Arminians, as President Edwards has observed, depends on the
determination of the question—Wherein consist that freedom of will
which is requisite to moral agency? According to Arminians three
things belong to the freedom of the will—1. That the will has a
self-determining power, or a certain sovereignty over itself, and
its own acts, whereby it determines its own volitions. 2. A state of
indifference, or that equilibrium, whereby the will is without all
antecedent bias, and left entirely free from any prepossessing
inclination to one side or the other. 3. That the volitions, or acts
of the will, are contingent, not only as opposed to all constraint,
but