Now this Reconciliation is made and continued betwixt God and us three ways, namely, by the oblation of Christ which was the price that procured it, and so we were virtually or meritoriously reconciled. By the application of Christ and his benefits to us through faith, and so we are actually reconciled. And by the virtual continuation of the sacrifice of Christ in heaven, by his potent and eternal intercession, and so our state of reconciliation is confirmed, and all future breaches prevented. But all depends as you see, upon the death of Christ. For had not Christ died, his death could never be applied to us, nor pleaded in heaven for us. How the death of Christ meritoriously procures our reconciliation is evident from that forecited Scripture, Rom. 5.10. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, (i. e.) Christs death did meritoriously or virtually reconcile us to God, who as to our state were enemies, long after that reconciliation was made. That the application of Christ to us by faith, makes that virtual reconciliation to become actual is plain enough from Eph. 2.16.17. And that he might reconcile both unto God in ⟨p. 531⟩one body by the Cross, having slain the enmity thereby. And came and Preached peace to you that were afar off, and to them that were nigh. Now therefore (as it is added vers. 19.) Ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow Citizens with the Saints, &c. And that this state of friendship is still continued by Christs intercession within the veil, so that there can be no breaches made upon the state of our peace notwithstanding all the daily provocations we give God by our sins; is the comfortable truth which the Apostle plainly asserts, after he had given a necessary caution to prevent the abuse of it, in 1 Joh. 2.1, 2. My little children, these things write I unto you that ye sin not; and if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father; Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation, &c. Thus Christ reconciles us to God, by his death.
Now this Reconciliation is made and continued betwixt God and us three waies, namely, by the oblation of Christ which was the price that procured it, and so we were virtually or meritoriously reconciled. By the application of Christ and his benefits to us through faith, and so we are actually reconciled. And by the virtual continuation of the sacrifice of Christ in heaven, by his potent and eternal intercession, and so our state of reconciliation is confirmed, and all future breaches prevented. But all depends as you see, upon the death of Christ. For had not Christ died, his death could never be applied to us, nor pleaded in heaven for us. How the death of Christ meritoriously procures our reconciliation is evident from that forecited Scripture, Rom. 5.10. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, (i. e.) Christs death did meritoriously or virtually reconcile us to God, who as to our state were enemies, long after that reconciliation was made. That the application of Chri•t to us by faith, makes that virtual reconciliation to become actual is plain enough from Eph. 2.16.17. And that he might reconcile both unto God in ⟨p. 531⟩one body by the Cross, having slain the enmity thereby. And came and Preached peace to you that were afar off, and to them that were nigh. Now therefore (as it is added vers. 19.) Ye are no more strangers and foraigners, but fellow Citizens with the Saints, &c. And that this state of friendship is still continued by Christs intercession within the vail, so that there can be no breaches made upon the state of our peace notwithstanding all the daily provocations we give God by our sins; is the comfortable truth which the Apostle plainly asserts, after he had given a necessary caution to prevent the abuse of it, in 1 Ioh. 2.1, 2. My little children, these things write I unto you that ye sin not; and if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father; Iesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation, &c. Thus Christ reconciles us to God, by his death.
