Salus electorum, sanguis Jesu, or, The death of death in the death of Christ a treatise of the redemption and reconciliation that is in the blood of Christ with the merit thereof, and the satisfaction wrought thereby : wherin the proper end of the death of Christ is asserted ... and the whole controversie about universall redemption fully discussed in foure parts, whereof the I. Declareth the eternall counsell, and distinct actuall concurrence of father, sonne, and holy spirit ... 2. Removeth false and supposed ends of the death of Christ ... rightly stating the controversie, 3. Containeth arguments against universall redemption from the word, with an affection of the satisfaction and merit of Christ, 4. Answereth all considerable objections as yet brought to light ... / by John Owen ...

CHAP. I.

In generall of the end of the Death of Christ, as it is in the Scripture proposed.

BY the end of the death of Christ, we meane in gene∣rall, both first, that which his Father, and himselfe [Sect. I] intended in it; and secondly, that which was effect∣tually fulfilled and accomplished by it. Concerning either, we may take a briefe view of the expressions used by the Holy Ghost.

For a the first: will you know the end wherefore, and the inten∣tion wherewith Christ came into the world? Let us aske him∣selfe (who knew his owne minde, as also all the secrets of his Fa∣thers bosom) and he will tell us, that the sonne of man came to save that which was lost, Mat. 18. 11. to recover and save poore lost sinners; that was his intent and designe, as is againe asserted, Luk. 19. 10. Aske also his Apostles, who know his minde, and they will tell you the same. So Paul 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to

save sinners. Now if you will aske who these sinners are, towards whom hee hath this gracious intent and purpose, himselfe tells you, Mat. 20 28. that he came to give his life a ransome for ma∣ny; in other places called us, beleevers, distinguished from the world; for he gave himselfe, for our sinnes, that hee might deli∣ver us from this present evill world, according to the will of God and our Father, Gal. 1. 4. That was the will and intention of God, that he should give himselfe for us, that we might be saved, being separated from the world: they are his Church, Eph. 5. 25, 26, 27. He loved his Church, and gave himselfe for it, that hee might sanctifie and clense it, with the washing of water, by the word, that he might pre∣sent it to himselfe a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. Which last words expresse also the very ayme, and end of Christ, in giving himselfe for any, even that they may be made fit for God, and brought nigh unto him: the like whereof is also asserted, Tit. 2. 14. he gave himselfe for us, that he might redeeme us from all iniquities, and purifie unto himselfe, a peculiar people zealous of good workes. Thus cleare then and apparent, is the intention and designe of Christ and his father in this great worke, even what it was, and towards whom, viz. to save us, to deliver us from the evill world, to purge and wash us, to make us holy, zealous, fruitfull in good workes, to render us acceptable, and to bring us unto God, for through him we have accesse into the grace wherin we stand, Rom. 5. 2.

The effect also, and actuall product of the worke it selfe, or what is accomplished and fulfilled by the death, bloodshedding, or oblation of Jesus Christ is no lesse clearely manifested; but is as [§ II] fully and very often more distinctly expressed, ^b as first Reconcili∣ation with God, by removing and slaying the enmity that was betweene him and us: for when we were enemies, we were reconci∣led unto God by the death of his sonne, Rom. 5. 10. God was in him reconciling the world unto himselfe, not imputing their sins unto them. 2 Cor. 5. 19. yea he hath reconciled us to himselfe by Jesus Christ verse 18. and if you would know how this reconciliation was ef∣fected, the Apostle will tell you, that hee abolished in him selfe, the enmity, the law of Commandements consisting in ordinances, for to make in himselfe of twaine, one new man, so making peace. And that he might reconcile both unto God, in one body by the crosse, having slaine the enmity thereby, Ephes. 2. 15, 16. so that he is our peace, ver. 14.

Secondly, Justification, by taking away the guilt of sinne, procu∣ring remission and pardon of them, redeeming us from their power, with the curse and wrath due unto us for them, for by his owne blood he is entred into the holy place, having obtained eternall re∣demption for us, Heb. 9. 13. he redeemed us from the curse being made a curse for us. Gal. 3. 13. his owne selfe bearing our sins in his owne body on the tree, 1 Pet. 2. 24. wee have all sinned and come short of the glory of God; but are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ; whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins, Rom. 3. 23, 24, 25. for in him we have redemption through his blood even the forgivenesse of sinnes, Col. 1. 13. Thirdly, Sanctifica∣tion, by the purging away of the uncleannesse and pollution of our sins, renewing in us the image of God, and supplying us with the graces of the spirit of holinesse for the bloud of Christ, who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe unto God, purgeth our consci∣ences from dead works that we may serve the living God. Heb. 9. 14. yea the bloud of Jesus Christ, clenseth us from all our sinnes. 1 Joh. 1. 7. by himselfe he purged our sinnes. Heb. 1. 3. to sanctifie the people with his owne bloud he suffered without the gate. Heb. 13. 12. he gave himselfe for his Church to sanctifie and cleanse it, that it should be holy and without blemish, Eph. 5. 25. 26. peculiarly amongst the graces of the spirit, it is given to us 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for Christs sake to believe on him. Phil. 1. 29. God blessing us in him, with all spirituall blessings in he avenly places. Eph. 1. 31. Fourthly Adoption, with that evangeli∣call liberty, and all those glorious priviledges which appertaine to the sonsof God; for God sent his son made of a woman, made under the law; to redeeme them thatwere under the law, that we might receive the Adoption of sons. Gal. 4. 4. 5. 5^ly. Neither, do the effects of the death Christ, rest here, they leave us not, untill we are setled in heaven, in glory and immortallity for ever, our inheritance is a purchased possession, Eph. 1. 14. And for this cause he is the Mediator of the new Testament, that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions, that were under the first Testament, they which are called may receive the promise of eternall inheritance. Heb. 9. 15. The summe of all is: the death and bloodshedding of Jesus Christ hath wrought, and doth effectually procure, for all those that are concerned in it, eternall redemption, consisting in grace here, and glory hereafter.

Thus, full, cleare, and evident are the expressions in the Scrip∣ture [§ III]

concerning, the end and effects of the death of Christ, that a man would thinke every one might runne and read: c but we must stay: Among all things in Christian Religion, there is scarse any thing more questioned, than this which seemes to be a most fun∣damentall principle, a spreading perswasion there is of a generall Ransome to be paid by Christ for all, that he died to redeem all and every one, not only for many, his Church, the Elect of God, but for every one also of the posterity of Adam. d Now the Masters of this opinion, doe see full-well and easily, that if that be the end of the death of Christ which we have from the Scripture asserted, if those before recounted be the immediate fruits and products there∣of, that then one of these two things will necessarily follow: that either, First, God and Christ failed of their end proposed, and did not accomplish that which they intended; the death of Christ being not a fitly proportioned means, for the attaining of that end, (for any cause of failing cannot be assigned) which to assert, seemes to us blasphemously injurious to the wisedome, power and perfection of God, as likewise derogatory, to the worth and value of the death of Christ, or else, that all men, all the posterity of Adam, must be saved, purged, sanctified, & glorified, which surely they will not maintaine, at least the Scripture, and the wofull ex∣perience of millions will not allow: wherefore to cast a tollera∣ble colour upon their perswasion, they must, and do denie that God, or his sonne, had any such absolute ayme or end, in the death or bloodshedding of Jesus Christ: or that any such thing, was immediately procured and purchased by it, as we before re∣counted: but that God intended nothing, neither was any thing effected by Christ, that no benefit ariseth to any immediately by his death, but what is common to all and every soul, though never so cursedly unbeleiving here, & eternally damned hereafter, untill an act of some, not procured for them by Christ: (for if it were, why have they it not all alike?) to wit, faith, doe distinguish them from others. Now this seeming to me, to enervate the vertue, value, fruits, and effects of the satisfaction and death of Christ, serving besides for a basis and foundation, to a dangerous uncom∣fortable, erroneous perswasion, I shall by the Lords assistance de∣clare, what the scripture holds out in both these things, both that assertion which is intended to be proved, and that which is brought for the proofe thereof: desiring the Lord by his spirit to

lead us into all truth, to give us understanding in all things, and if any one be otherwise minded, to reveale that also unto him.

Notes

• The end of the death of Christ in Scripture.
• a

  1 Laid downe in generall.
• Secondly, distingui∣shed into sundry particulars
• Col.
• c

  By some opposed with.
• d

  The rea∣sons of that opposition.