faith comes between: but that faith is merited by the death of Christ, and for Christ vouchsafed to them, for whom he died, Tit. 3. 6. Ephes. 1. 3. Phil. 1. 29. Ephes. 6. 23.
Some have answered, that all men are the sheep of Christ, as the dispersed, torne, and devoured of evill pastors and beasts of the field, and the seduced and destroyed are acknowledged to be sheep, Jer. 23. 1, 2. Ezek. 34. 5, 6. But the Prophets speake only of the people of the Jewes, which at that time was distinct from the Gentiles, as the flock and inheritance of the Lord: so that hence nothing can be gathered, but that they, who live in Christs Church and fold, are his people and sheep of his pasture.
Againe, the Scripture speakes of the sheep of Christ, two wayes, according to vocation or according to election. According to vocation they are sheep, who externally pertaine to the number of Gods people and the Church: according to election, many sheep are without,Jer. 23.3.
Rom. 9.27.
Ezek. 34.5,6. many wolves within, and many sheep within, many wolves without. Although there be a distinction betwixt the merit of Christ by his obedience even to death, and his intercession, yet one of them cannot be separated from the other: for he maketh intercession for them to his Father for whom he hath merited reconciliation by his death, and we cannot thinke he should lay downe his life for them, for whom he would not pray. If we looke unto the signification of the words, Mediatour and Intercessor note the same thing: and if Christ have put himselfe betwixt the wrath of God and man to obtaine reconciliation by making satisfaction to offended justice, can it be thought, he will not request, that for the virtue of his sacrifice they for whom he hath satisfied, might be accepted of the Father. If we looke to these two functions of Mediation, suffering death and making intercession, they are conjoyned in Scripture. It is Christ that died,Rom. 8.34. yea rather that is risen againe, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. If any man sinne1 Joh. 2.1,2. we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our our sinnes. Christ is our Advocate, if he be our propitiation, if we will receive the testimony of the Apostle and not separate things that God hath conjoyned. Incredible it is, that Christ out of his incredible love should vouchsafe to lay downe his life for them as well as others, for whom, the time of his passion being at hand, he would not power out a prayer. Howthese
