God the Father to Christ the Mediator, which it has been shewn is to be understood of the elect. Secondly, That Christ in discharging his office of Mediator and Saviour, embraces and regards them with a special love, attention, and care, that is, with such love, attention, and care as may produce in them the infallible effect of eternal life. Which manifestly appears from Heb. ii. 13, where Christ represents to his Father that those children who had been given to him by his Father were preserved and saved, Behold, I and the children which God hath given me. Now that we may bring all these things into a small compass, Those whom Christ commended to the Father by special intercession, that is, by absolute prayer, as Bannes expresses it (in 1, qu. 23, art. 5, p. 297,) or as Suares says (in 3, tom. 1, quæst. 19, disp. 31, p. 634,) for whom he prayed with an effectual and absolute will, that the merit of his death might be effectually applied to them; for the preserving and keeping of whom he watched in an extraordinary manner; for whom he so sanctified himself, that they might effectually receive from him that sanctification which is produced in the hearts of those who are saved by the doctrine of the Gospel, and moreover, whom he will place altogether at length before his Father safe and glorious: these persons, beyond all controversy, he also embraced with a special design in the very act of his offering, and so likewise in the whole work of redemption. For it is absurd to say, that by a special design, salvation was procured by the Mediator for those persons for whom the death of Christ, which is the cause of the salvation of mankind, was not destined by a special design.

3. A third argument is derived from those Scriptures in which the death of Christ, when joined, and as it were connected with his certain and absolute purpose of giving eternal life, is not extended to all men, but is limited to certain persons, and that according to the special design of Christ himself. Such as (John x. 15) I lay down my life for the sheep. (John xi. 51, 52) He prophesied that Jesus -should die, &c. that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. (Ephes. v. 25, 26)

the head over

(Eph. v. 23)

Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, &c. (Tit. ii. 14) Jesus Christ gave himself for us, that he might purify unto himself a peculiar people, &c. (Acts xx. 28) Feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Ephes. i. 22, 23) He gave him to be all things to the church, which is his body. Christ is the head of the church, and he is the Saviour of the body. In all these passages three things are to be observed first, That by the names of sheep, the church, the children of God, the body of Christ, are intended the sheep, the children of God, and members of Christ, not as actually united to him by faith already received, but as by the counsel and design of God to be united by faith to be received. Secondly, That the whole human race promiscuously cannot be meant by these titles. Thirdly, When it is said that Christ died that he might gather together in one these children of God, that he might sanctify this church, that he might purchase this church, &c. there is not denoted in Christ's offering himself an ineffectual will, or some conditional design, which might fail of the intended effect; but an effectual will and design joined with an infallible event. It is proved in the first place, That his discourse in the passages aforesaid, is concerning his sheep, his members, his children considered according to the eternal and secret purpose of Divine election, and not according to their actual present state; Because no one actually becomes a sheep of Christ, a child of God, a member of his mystical body, except by the merit and benefit of the death of Christ actually and effectually derived and applied to him: therefore, Christ died for the sheep, for the children of God, for the church, for the members destined for him from eternity according to the purpose of election, namely, that by the merit of the death of Christ this predestination of God might be accomplished in them. Thus Augustine says (in Johan. tract. 46,) The Lord knoweth them that are his; they are his sheep, according to his predestination, according to his foreknowledge, according to his election

of the sheep, before the formation of the world. And (Tract 49, page 366) he thus speaks of the children of God that were scattered abroad. These things are said according to predestination: For they were not as yet the sheep or the children of God, because they had not yet believed. It is proved, Secondly, That in the passages alleged, the death of Christ is said to be limited to certain persons for some special reason. For otherwise why would the Scripture have mentioned sheep, children, or the church, if it wished to mark that it is extended to all? It would have been in vain to make use of words which describe a small part of the human race, unless it had also shewn that the design of Christ in this thing did not regard the whole human race, but referred to those few only. The death of Christ, and the design of God embracing all mankind promiscuously is excellently expressed, John iii. 16, God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. But he so loved his sheep, his children, his church, that he determined by his death effectually to derive to them faith and eternal life. As often as the holy Scripture makes mention of the death of Christ in reference alone to the church, the sheep, the members of his mystical body, it would unfold to us the special design of Christ in offering himself, arising from his special love; according as Aquinas says (Part. 3, qu. 24, art. 4,) God fore-ordained the salvation of the elect, by predestinating from eternity, that it should be accomplished through Jesus Christ. It is proved, Thirdly, That in the passages aforesaid, it is shewn that the will of God the Father and of Christ, concerning the salvation of the sheep by the death of Christ, is not ineffectual or conditional, but absolute and effectual; Because Christ speaking of the same sheep, says, (John x. 28) I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish: and (John xvii. 24) Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am. And (Eph. v. 23) the Apostle says of that church for which Christ gave himself, Christ is the head of the church, and he is the Saviour of the body. These passages all express an absolute will joined with its effect.

Therefore Christ is truly called the Saviour and Redeemer of the world, inasmuch as he hath brought to the whole world a saving remedy, which is applicable by faith. But he is the Saviour and Redeemer of his sheep, his church, his body, in short, of the predestinated children of God, inasmuch as by his special design he hath destined and procured this remedy to be applied to them, by granting to them that the eyes of their understanding should be enlightened (Eph. i. 18,) that by faith they might possess Christ effectually united and applied to them.

4. Lastly, we may confirm our opinion by those passages in which God hath absolutely promised to Christ, on his dying, that by the merit of his death the church should be infallibly delivered from death, and put in possession of eternal life. (Gen. iii. 15) The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head. What else does this mean, but that by the virtue and merit of the death of Christ, Satan should be trodden down, and all those should be delivered from his power whom God in Christ willed specially to pity? Now who can doubt that Christ, by a special design, referred his death, which was to destroy Satan, to those who, by a special benefit, were to be delivered through him? But that those who were infallibly to be delivered were the elect, is allowed by all sound Divines. Rupert (lib. 2, de victoria Verbi Dei, cap. 18) says, He calls the elect by name the conquerors of the serpent; because, truly, the efficacy of the death and resurrection of Christ to bruise the devil is of his special mercy destined and procured to be effectually applied to them alone. From whence Marloratus* says on this passage, The devil and the generation of

Augustine MARLORAT, an eminent Protestant divine of the 16th century, was born in the dukedom of Lorrain in 1506. Having made great proficiency in his studies, in a Monastery of Augustine Friars, whose licentious morals appear to have inspired him with a dislike for their religion, he quitted that monastery, and pursued his studies first in France, and afterwards at Lausanne, where he made open profession of the Protestant religion, and was admitted into the Ministry. He was chosen pastor at Vevey, and then at Rouen, in Normandy, where he contributed to the dif fusion of the principles of the Reformation. In 1561, he was present at the memorable conference held at Poissy between Beza and the Cardinal of

the wicked fight against the elect of God; but the elect at length come off the victors, on account of their head, even Christ, who by his death hath destroyed him that had the power of death. Therefore the death of Christ was specially intended and destined to bruise Satan under the feet of the elect, and effectually to save them, and that according to the most sure promise of God himself. A promise not dissimilar of God the Father concerning the efficacy of the death of Christ as to the elect, is contained in Isaiah liii. 10, 11. The words are these, When thou shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand; he shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied, &c. In these words God the Father promises to the Son, that his passion and death should not be useless or without fruit, but a seed should undoubtedly be brought forth to him. I ask then, whether this promise regards vague and uncertain individuals, or certain persons specifically known to God the Father and Christ the Mediator? Without doubt it

would be most unworthy of Divine perfection and wisdom

Lorrain, in which he distinguished himself by his ability and zeal in defence of the Protestant cause. In the following year the civil wars broke out in France; and, Rouen being taken, Montmorency, Constable of France, threw Marlorat into prison, on the false charge of being a seducer of the people. On this charge, of which NO proofs were brought, he was condemned to be hanged, his head then to be set upon a pole on the bridge of the city, and his property confiscated. He accordingly suffered Oct. 30, 1562, in the 56th year of his age. He wrote Commentaries on Genesis, Job, the book of Psalms, and the Song of Solomon, and on the prophecies of Isaiah; and a book of Common Places. But his greatest work is entitled, Novi Testamenti Catholica Expositio Ecclesiastica, of which there were not fewer than nine Editions between the years 1561 and 1604. It was formerly held in the highest estimation, and deservedly so: it contains Erasmus's Latin Version of the New Testament, and the Expositions are collected with singular industry and ability from the works of the early Ecclesiastical writers as well as from modern Protestant Interpreters and Commentators, with which the Author has interwoven his own judicious remarks. English translations of his Exposition of the Psalms and of the Gospels of St. Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and of the Epistle of Jude, and the Apocalypse, were published at London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. (Chal mers's Biographical Dictionary, Vol. XXI. p. 332. Walchii Bibliotheca Theologica, Vol. II. pp. 414. 606.)