The Fruit of Christ's Death.

Herman Witsius has written:

“For, 1st. The scripture no where declares, that the fruit of Christ’s death is a possibility of the remission of sins: nor does Arminius produce any passage of scripture to that purpose. But to speak of the fruit of Christ’s death without scripture is untheological. 2ndly. Nay, the scripture asserts the contrary, as we have at large shewn § III, IV, V. 3rdly. It is also contrary to all reason to say, that the proper effect of Christ’s most perfect satisfaction was, that God might let the captive go free, yet so that the captive might always remain in prison and be liable to pay the debt. How absurd! that God would receive full satisfaction by the death of his Son, for the sins of any particular person, and yet, notwithstanding this plenary satisfaction of Christ, that man is to be sent to eternal fire, there to satisfy, in his own person , for those very sins which Christ had fully satisfied already? 4thly. Such a bare possibility of remission, which, from the nature of the thing, may never become actual, overturns the unchangeable covenant between the Father and the Son; the sum of which Arminius himself has well expressed in his oration de Sacerdotio Christi, p. 14. “God required of Christ, the he should make his soul an offering for sin, give his flesh for the life of the world, pay the price of redemption for the sins and captivity of mankind: and promised, if he did so, that he should see his seed, and become an eternal priest. The priest accepted this condition,” &c. Christ, relying on this infallible promise, did willingly give himself up to death. But from this assertion of Arminius and the Remonstrants, it was possible, that Christ, after having paid the ransom, should see no seed, be a king without any kingdom of grace, an everlasting Father without any children, a bridegroom without a bride, a head without a body. All which are most abominable.”

(Witsius, Herman. The Economy of the Covenants Between God and Man, Volume I, Kingsburg, CA: den Dulk Christian Foundation, 1990, pp. 241-242.)