Cap. 7 Arg. 2: Christ keeps and sanctifies the given—John 17; Hebrews 2:13

2. The same is proved from those places that teach Christ, conscious of the Father’s will, directs and infallibly leads to salvation the aforesaid persons specially given to him, with special care. That would doubtless not happen unless Christ’s death—which is the meritorious cause of every saving grace granted us—had been destined to those same persons as saving and life-giving by a special intention. But let us hear the words of Scripture. John 17:9: “I ask for them; I do not ask for the world, but for those you have given me, because they are yours.” And verse 12: “I have kept them; those you gave me I have guarded.” And verse 19: “For them I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.” Nothing is clearer than that two things are affirmed in these places: first, that not all promiscuously, but certain ones, were specially given by God the Father to Christ the mediator—which has been shown to be understood of the Elect; second, that Christ, in discharging the very office of Mediator and Savior, embraces and pursues those same persons with special love, intention, and care—that is, with such love, intention, and care as produce in them the infallible effect of eternal life. That is plain from Hebrews 2:13, where Christ presents these children given him by the Father to his Father safe and sound: “Behold, I and the children God has given me.”