CHAP. I.

TO justifie, is eitherI will not insist on the words [...], jus, ju [...]i [...]ia, justific [...]re. taken in a moral sense, or in a judi­cial▪ for the work­ing a change in a mans person, or [...]he making a change in his estate. By the first, he is made a new crea [...]ure: By the second, he is absolv­ [...]d at the Bar of Justice. The Pa­ [...]ists contend wholly for the first [...]nse; namely, that justification [...]ught to be taken for the infu­ [...]on of holiness, and the Reformed [...]r the second, viz. the discharg­ [...]g and absolving one in Law▪ [Page 2] Now that this, and not the former must be the meaning and sense of the Holy Ghost in this affair, ap­pears,

1. Because otherwise we shouldVoces qui­bus utitur Sp. S. nul­l [...]bi in to­ [...]a Scrip­turâ, in [...]u­sâ iustitiâ justū face­ [...]e, notant. nec apud proba [...]os latinitatis Authores, hoc sensu usurpan­ [...]ur. confound justification, and sancti­fication, which the Scripture every where distinguisheth, 1 Cor. 6. 11. But ye are sanctified, but ye are ju­stified, Rom. 8. 29, 39. whom he called, (namely, to a conformity to the image of his Son) them he also justified. 1. In sanctification, the change is absolute and inherent; in justification, relative and juri­dical, 2. Sanctification is gradu­al and successive, justification is instantaneous, and compleat at once. 3. By the first we are made like God, by the second we are taken into the favour of God. 4. Sanctification is the subduing the dominion and power of sin in us. Justification is the removing the obnoxiousness to the curse which was against us. Though [Page 3] these two [...]n the case we speak of beever un [...]ed, yet they are not to be confounded. They differ as to the praedicate, though they be not separate as to the subject; though where the one is, there the other be also, yet the one is not formally the other. In many other cases they are separable, one may be morally just, and yet not juridical­ly justified; as Christ, who though he was every way Innocent, Pilate himself being Judge, Joh. 18. 38. Joh. 19. 4. 6. yet he was condemn­ed; and on the other hand one may be morally unjust, and yet judicially acquitted, daily experi­ence bearing witness: however in all cases they are distinct. But to say the truth, the Papists acknow­ledge no pardon of sin distinct from sanctification, for though they speak of remission, yet they always understand it by renovati­on, which is a stumbling at the ve­ry threshold, and an argument of [Page 4] their little insight into this myste­ry of God.

2. Because the Apostle, who so often useth the word, never useth it for the Infusion of holiness, but for a judicial absolution and therefore opposeth it not to pollution and de­filement, but to accusation and con­demnation, Rom. 5. 18. As by the offence of one judgment came upon all to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the freegift came upon all men unto justification of life, Rom. 8. 33, 34. It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth. And according­ly he describeth it by remession of sin, not by renovation of nature, Rom. 4. 7. and by Imputation of righteousness without us, to us, not by an Infusion of holiness, or working of grace in us, Rom. 4. 6.

3. Because the question be­twixt the Jews and the Apostle, was not whether we were renewed in our souls by the works of the [Page 5] Law, or by Faith, but by which of them we were acquitted at the Ba [...] of God. This is clear through­out the whole dispute.

The word then is to be taken in a judicial legal sense, and so is op­posed to condemn; now in this sense it is used two ways in Scrip­ture.

1. For the declaring of oneJu [...]um judicare. vid. Mat. 11. 19. Mat. 12. 37. Luc 7. 29 & 16. 15. just, 1 Tim. 3. 16. justified in the spirit the Son of God, having as­sumed our nature, being made of a woman, Gal. 4. 4. taking flesh and bloud, Heb. 2. 14. and mani­festing himself in the flesh, he was judged by the world, not onely to be a meer man, but condemned as an Impostor and Malefactor; now he was justified in the spirit, that is, in and by the spirit; He was not only vindicated, and proclaimed innocent from all the accusations of his enemies, but withal ap­proved and declared to be the true and the great God; partly by the [Page 6] attestation of the Holy Ghost, in visible descent on him at baptism, Mat. 3. last, partly by audible voice both then, and at other times, Mat. 17. 5. Joh. 12 28, 29. partly by the testimony of mira­cles, which he wrought by the spi­rit, Heb. 2. 4. Act. 2. 22. partly by that great testimony of raising himself from the dead, through the eternal spirit, Rom. 1. 4. Act. 13. 33. 1 Pet. 3. 18. partly by the testimony of the Prophets and Apostles, who as they spake by the inspiration of the spirit, 2 Pet. 1. 21. Joh. 16. 13. So they bare witness to the divinity and God­head of Christ. This also is the import of the word, Jam. 2. 21. was not abraham our father justi­fied by works, i. e. declared to be just; by the offering of Isaac, Abra­ham testified his faith to be true and right, Gen 22. 12. by this I know that thou fearest me, upon which God reneweth unto him [Page 7] the promise, as a testimony and de­claration that he was justified.

2. But most properly, and alsoJustum judicare, vid Deut. 25. 1. ps. 143. 2 Rom. 8. 33, 34. most frequently, it is made use of to signifie to absolve and acquit in judg­ment; Act. 13. 29. by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which he could not be justi­fied by the law of Moses, Rom. 2. 13. not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified, Rom. 3. 20. by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight, see Rom. 5. 16, 17. 1 Cor. 4. 4. Gal. 12. 16, 17. Now this is the sense we are to under­stand the words in, in this affair, to discharge by accounting righte­ous in law.

CHAP. II.

HAving established the sense of the words, that in the af­fair before us we are alone to take them in a judicial sense; some things are to be offered in the next place for the rendring more easie and clear the common notion of our justification.

1. Justification is an act of ju­stice, and not of mercy, Rom. 3. 26. To declare his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of them which believe in Jesus. [Page 9] This is the difference betwixt for­ [...]iveness and justification, that the [...]rst is an act of mercy, the latter [...]n act of justice. The word justi­ [...]e is a judicial word, and in all Courts of Judicature, proceedings [...]ught to be according to right, [...]nd not according to favour; and [...]entence should not be according [...]o mercy, but law; grace, but equi­ [...]y, Exod. 23. 2, 3, 6.

2. None but just men can be [...]ustly justified; a man must be just, or made just before he can be justly justified, Deut. 25. 1. If there be a controversie between men, and they come unto judg­ment, that the Judges may udge them, then they shall justifie the righteous and condemn the wicked. There is a wo denounced against him that shall justifie the wicked, Isa. 5. 23. Solomon tells us, that he who justifies the wicked, is as much an abomination to the Lord as he that condemns the just, Prov. [Page 10] 17. 15. Not but that it is lawful sometimes for a Prince or others to pardon an offendor, but with­out calling good evil, which God denounceth a wo against, Isa. 5. 20. An offendor cannot be justified. Joseph pardoned his Brethren, but he could no ways justifie them: according to all lines and measures of justice, it is as cri­minal to justifie the Nocent, as to condemn the Innocent, Prov. 24. 24. He that saith to the wicked, thou art righteous, him shall the People curse; and this not onely holds with reference to Men, but God, Exod. 34. 7. He will by no means clear the guilty, Mica. 6. 11. Shall I count them pure with the wick­ed ballances? There is a strong negation in ihe question, I cannot: To strengthen this a little further, and render it more plain; we must distinguish between pro­nouncing the sentence of guilt and death, and the execu [...]ion of the sen­tence: [Page 11] A prisoner may be found guilty and condemned, and yet [...]ot execute; forasmuch as he may produce a pardon, or obtain a reprieve, but he can no ways be justified, and acquitted as not guilty. Thus God by Nathan pronounced against David the sen­tence of guilt, yet pardoned him as to the execution of it, 2 Sam. 12. 7. 13. God neither did nor could pronounce him guiltless of the murder, &c. though he could and did remit the sentence of death. That none but those who are just or made just, can be justly justified, ap­pears further here. (1.) Because all Gods judgments are according to truth, Rom. 2. 2. but it were con­trary to truth, to say to a man he is guiltless, when he is guilty. (2.) All God's judgments are according to justice, Psal. 119. 75. But it were contrary to justice, to acquit and declare a man innocent, when he were nocent.

Possibly it may be objected that God is said to justifie the un godly, Rom. 4. 5. and that there­fore those who are unjust, may be justly justified. Answ. It is true, God justifies those who are guilty of sin, and doth justly in so doing, in that Christ hath made satisfa­ction for their sin, and through saith they can plead an interest in it, so that it becomes theirs, and is accounted to them for righteous­ness.

3. Those that are once unjust, cannot be made just again, or ac­quitted as just, without a compen­sation and satisfaction made to the party injured for the offence; what­soever else can be thought of, or may be pleaded, is not enough for the acquitting of a person as just. We will briefly view all that is, or can be said in the case.

(1.) Sorrow for the offence committed is not sufficient, for the constituting of the offendor [Page 13] just: The Heathen said, Quem [...]nites peccasse, paenè est innocens, almost innocent, but not alto­ [...]ther. The Law proceeds against Malefactour, be his sorrow for [...]s crime never so great: He that [...]stains a wrong is not righted by [...]s sorrow that doth commit it. [...]od himself proceeded against David, for his sin of numbring the [...]ople, though David heartily sor­ [...]wed and repented for it, 2 Sam. [...]. 10.

(2.) Confession of the fault, is [...] ground in Law for absolution, [...] more than repentance and sor­ [...]w; when a person stands ar­ [...]gned, his confession of the fact [...]th not at all tend to the acquit­ [...]g him of guilt, but on the con­ [...]ry promotes his condemnati­ [...]. And therefore when the A­ [...]stle saith, if we confess, &c. [...] is just to forgive us our sins, Joh. 1. 9. It is in reference to [...]od's promise, but that which is [Page 14] the ground of it with respect t [...] Hoc inte­rest inter condona­tionem m [...]ram, & justificati­o [...]ē acquisi [...]am; quod ibi pana relaxatur, hic meri­tum paenae G [...]tak. Remissio non justos, sed a p [...]na pecca [...]i li­beros, sta­tuit, G [...]mar. Nemo prudens punit quia peccatum est, sed n [...] peccetur; revoca [...]i enim prae­terita non possunt, futura prohibcantur, Sen. Hence pu­nishments are called [...]. justice, is the bloud of Christ, v. 7▪

(3.) Remission and forgivene [...] doth not make a man that i [...] guilty to become guiltless; thoug [...] a Thief be pardoned, yet as t [...] guilt he is a Thief still; this i [...] only the gratifying of an offendo [...] not the justifying of him: this i [...] a meer Act of Grace, not an Ac [...] of Justice. Forgiveness can only release from the penalty, whereas justification releases from th [...] demerit.

(4) It is not the sustaining th [...] penalty that makes a man who i [...] unjust to become just; I know there are many of another mind but the ground of the mistake [...] apprehend to be this, that they d [...] not consider, that the end of th [...] Law, in all criminal matters, i [...] obedience, and that the penalty i [...] added for other ends; as to d [...] ter men from doing the like; Deut▪ 13. 11. and 17. 13. and to dive [...] [Page 15] [...]he wrath of God; which if sin go unpunished, is kindled not on­ [...]y against the Offenders, but the whole Land, Deut. 13. 15. 16, 17. But the sustaining the penalty ne­ [...]er makes a man that is unjust to [...]e just in Law. A Perjured per­son, though he has lost his ears; [...]et he is reputed a perjured per­son still, and if introduced into a Court of Justice to take an Oath, [...]e will be rejected and refused, as unworthy and uncapable in Law. Though a Thief be Burn't in the Hand, yet he is accounted a Thief [...]till: The sustaining the penalty, doth not save and make up the wrong done to the party preju­diced. If a Traitor take away the [...]ife of the Supream Governour, [...]is undergoing the utmost tor­ [...]ure cannot compensate the wronge he hath done the State. However should it be so in other [...]ases, yet it is most certain, that [...]n the case we are to treate of, a [Page 16] man that is unjust, cannot by un­dergoing the penalty be made just again: for to undergo the pe­nalty of sin, is to be ever damn­ed, and never justified. So that itSatisface­re, est tan­tum facere quantum satis est [...]rato ad vindictam remains, if a man hath been once unjust, he can only be made just again by a satisfaction; and this is able to do it; for plenary satisfa­ction for a fault, and the non com­mission of it, are of equal justice, if there be an equivalency and just value in that satisfaction that is made, to the honour of [...]he party offended, and law that is broken,Satisfa­ctio pro solutione est, saith the Civil Law. so that as much benefit ariseth by the satisfaction, as there was dam­mage by the offence, then the satis­faction is full, and justice it self acquits that man.

4. The fourth thing I would offer to be observed in general is this, that it is not needful that the satisfaction be always made in kind, but it is sufficient if it be made in value. If a Beast be stollen, [Page 11] satisfaction may be made by pay­ing down as much money to the party wronged as he demands, as well as if the very Beast were re­stored. It was ordained in the Judicial Law, that if a man smote the eye of his servant, that it pe­rish'd, he should let him go free for his eyes sake, Exod. 21. 26. so that God himself being judge, the mans liberty was esteemedVid. etiam Exod. 21. 18, 19, 32, 33. valuable satisfaction for the loss of his eye.

5. I would propose this to be considered, that it is not always [...]eedful that the satisfaction be made by the party offending, but [...]t may be made by an other. If [...]he Surety pay the Debt, it is all [...]ne to the Creditor as if he that [...]ontracted it, pay'd it. This uni­ [...]ersally holds in pecuniary mat­ [...]ers; if the Debt be pay'd, the [...]aw doth not enquire who paid [...]. But in criminal matters it is [...]therwise, there noxa sequitur ca­put, [Page 18] put, a Man hath dominion over his money, and in that respect, may in way of suretiship engage him­self to pay another mans debt; but no man hath a dominion over himself, or his own life, and there­fore may neither part with a mem­ber of his own in commutation for the member of another, no [...] lay down his own life, for the redemption of anothers. This doth admirably display the Grace o [...] So that there legis is both Im­pletio & relaxatio; solutio debiti, & debiti con­donatio. God, as well as his Justice, tha [...] though he would have his Law satisfied, yet he would allow [...] commutation, where the rigou [...] of the Law allowed none. An [...] it also shews the full dominio [...] that Christ had over his own life that he could part with it for th [...] life of others.

6. Let this be taken notice o [...] that satisfaction may be made b [...] doing, or suffering, or jointly b [...] both: If a man owe a summ [...] money, and cannot pay his Cr [...] ditor [Page 19] in kind, he satisfies him if he does it in service; if he work as [...]ong freely for him, as the Credi­ [...]or shall count valuable to the [...]ebt. If a Person having injured mother should afterwards hazard [...]is life for him, this might be [...]eemed satisfaction for the former [...]njury. Or one that is in debt to [...]nother, may pay him part in mo­ [...]ey, and part in service.

CHAP. III.

WE must in order to being justified, be arraigned [Page 20] and charged, otherwise, as on [...] well notes, If a man be pronoun­ced righteous, that was never en­dited, he is onely praised, not justified. Now we all stand arraigned and charged, Joh. 5. 45 There is one that accuseth you, eve [...] Moses, i. e. the Law of Mose [...] This was one great reason wh [...] after we had lost and darkned th [...] transcript of the Law which w [...] in our natures: God renewed th [...] Law by Moses, Gal. 3. 19. It [...] added because of transgression. N [...] only to curb and restrain from si [...] but to charge and accuse for si [...] For as the Apostle says elsewher [...] 1 Tim. 1. 9. the Law is not for t [...] righteous, but the disobedient, [...] e. it is not to accuse and conde [...] the righteous, but only to accu [...] and threaten the disobedient. W [...] stand all endited and charged b [...] the Law, Gal. 3. 20. By the L [...] is the knowledge of sin. We shou [...] not have known our selves so w [...] [Page 21] to be guilty, unless the Law hadMemine­rit deum se adhibe­re testem, idestut ar­bitror, mentem suam, Cic. charged us with guilt, Rom. 7. 7. And that the charge is true, our own consciences come in for wit­nesses, Rom. 2. 15. we need none else to prove the Inditement, our own hearts giving testimony a­gainst us.

2. Being thus charged we must Plead, he that refuseth to Plead a­bandoneth himself to the Law. Now there are but two Pleas, that of guilty, and not guilty.

1. As I said before, we cannot plead not guilty, being under the [...]mpeachment of our own consci­ [...]nces,Utut alios latere pos­sis tute tibi con­scim eris. Mens quo­que namen habet. as well as of the Law. Illo [...]ocens se damnat quo peccat die. This might have been the Plea of Adam before he fell, but of none [...]se, 1 King. 8. 46. There is no man [...]hat sinneth not, Eccles. 7. 20. [...]here is not a just man upon earth [...]at doth good and sinneth not. [...]ome understand it, that sinneth [...]t in doing good, 1 Joh. 1. 8. If [Page 22] we say, we have no sin, we deceiv [...] our selves, and the truth is not in us, Prov. 20. 9. Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin, James 3. 2. In many things we offend all. In a word, all have sinned, Rom. 3. 23. All, though not all a like see, Rom. 3. 9, 19. Whatever be the Plea of the Sons of Men, that cannot.

2. Our Plea then must be Guilty, and in this Case we must either Plead mercy for the sake of mercy, or mercy for the sake of a satisfaction. There is no third.

1. There is no being justified upon the Plea of mercy, for the sake of mercy. For as one well observes, it were not to plead, but to beg. Nor were it at all to be justified, but meerly to be par­doned, it were to be dealt with alone upon the score of grace, not at all upon the score of righteous­ness; and we have already proved, that justification is an act of ju­stice, [Page 23] and not of mercy. It is true, in the salvation of sinners, both grace and justice meet; we are both pardoned and justified. God is as merciful as we can de­sire, and yet as righteous as him­self can desire: There is the freest Grace, and the fullest Justice. As God pardons sin, he displays his mercy; as he justifieth us from sin, he manifesteth his righteous­ness. The ignorance of this is the [...] of a late Socini­an Pamphlet, written in opposi­tian to a Sermon, which was late­ [...]y Preached in behalf of the satis­ [...]action of Christ: That because there is forgiveness, that therefore there is no justification; and be­cause God acts towards us in a way of mercy, that therefore he doth not also act towards us in a way of justice: As if God, for the advancing the honour of one [...]roperly and perfection of his Na­ [...]ure, must Impeach and Eclipse [Page 24] all the rest. But if the Author of that discourse be as teachable as he is ignorant, he may once for all take notice, that the freeness of remission doth not consist in the want of a satisfaction, or in any defect in the satisfaction that is made; but in these four other things.

1. In that though he exact a sa­tisfaction, he doth not exact it, at the hand of the delinquent. In the rigour of the Law, the Cri­minal himself should bear the pu­nishment! and here si alius sol­vit, aliud solvitur. Now is not this grace? that though he will have his justice satisfied, yet he will dispense so far with the of­fendor,Solvere dicitur qui per se pretium numerat, satisfacere qui quod alius de­bet selvit. as not to demand solution from himself, but he will allow the substitution of a Surety to make the satisfaction, and take sa­tisfaction for solution.

2. In that he both contrived the satisfaction, and gave his own Son [Page 25] to make it. Supposing that he would have accepted a satisfacti­on, yet he might haue left it to the offendor, to have found out the way and the means to have made it: whatever diminitive thoughts the Sociniaus may have of this, I am sure the Scripture every where delivers it as a fruit and result of inexpressible love; Joh. 2. 16: Rom. 5. 8. 1 Joh. 4. 9, 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propi­tiation for our sins. Was there no grace in Christ his Interposing for us, and not for Angels? was God under any obligation to fallen man, that he behoved to recover him more than fallen Angels? Might not God have honoured his justice in the damnation of both alike, and that without the least [Page 26] derogation to his mercy? was there no grace in translating o [...]r sins from us to Christ, Isa. 53. 6. and exacting full payment at his hand in our room, Isa. 53. 5, 10, 11? In a word, however these Socinian Gentlemen stile them­selves Vindicaters of the Grace of God, as they wholly subvert his justice, and darken his holiness, they will also be found to any so­ber enquirer, greater eclipsers, of his mercy, and derogators from his love and grace, than any of their adversaries.

3. It consists in a gracious ac­ceptation of that satisfaction in our steads, for so many, and no more; for such, and not for others, he might have refused it for all, or accepted it for others, not for such. That the death and blood of Christ is of infinite wort [...] proceeds from the dignity of his person, and greatness of his suffer­ings; yet that it is a rans [...]m [...] or [Page 27] satisfaction for many, and parti­cularly for such, doth not imme­diately arise from its sufficiency and worth, but from the intention and agreement of the Father and Son, using and accepting it to that end, and in behalf of such. There is a value in the blood and satis­faction of Christ, to have purcha­sed both grace and pardon for all mankind, if the Father and Son had so intended and pleased. Now that grace and life should be bought by it to some, and not others, as it is solely to be ascrib­ed to the pleasure of the Father and Son, designing and using it to that purpose; so it is the effect and issue of high mercy and distin­guishing love at leasure, see Joh. 17. 19. [...] significat se Deo in Sanctam victimam consecrare, vid. Heb. 2. 10. Heb. 5. 9. Eph. 5 2, 25. Heb. 10. 14. Tit. 2. 14. Is there no grace in this, that the death of Christ should be intend­ed [Page 28] and accepted as a satisfaction in behalf of some, so that in due time the Father, because of that, should bestow grace upon, and be reconciled to such; others, in the meane time, being left under the power of their lusts and sins, and obnoxious to God's wrath and enmity? Whatever apprehensi­ons that sort of men have of it, there are others who desire to take notice of, and admire it.

4. The freeness of God's grace towards sinners, stands in the free and effectual application of the death and satisfaction of Christ to them; his free donation of the spirit to some, to work faith in them, and to bring them up to the conditions, upon which the sa­tisfaction of Christ and pardon through it is only pleadable. The Father and Son having contrived and brought about this satisfacti­on, without any help or rise from us, We could have no actual interest [Page 29] in the benefits of it, but upon such tearms as the Father and Son should agree to. It is true, if we our selves had made the satisfaction, that then without the intervention of any new condition, both Law and Justice would have discharged us. But that being done by others, without any contrivance or influence of ours, the benefit of it is not to be expected by us, but upon such conditions as those who brought about and accomplished that work think fit to appoint. Now it having pleased the Father and the Son to constitute and ap­point, believing as the condition upon which the satisfaction of Christ should be accounted ours, and without which we should have no interest in the benefit of it; and we being both unable and unwilling to believe, our moral impotency and insufficiency to this, being no less than our Physi­cal inability and incapacity was to [Page 30] the former, Joh. 16. 44. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Joh. 6. 29. Is it not then emi­nent mercy and grace? that while the generality are left under their unwillingness, enmity, and inabi­lity; God should in some work both to will and to do, Phil. 2. 13. Give them to believe, Phil. 1. 29. Ephes. 2. 8. Draw them to Christ, Joh. 6. 44. Fullfil the work of faith in them with power, 2 Thes. 1. 11. Cer­tainly whatever low imaginations some have of this, there are others will not cease to adore that distin­guishing and eminent love and mercy which unfolds it self in it.

Having thus briefly shown wherein the Grace of God in the pardoning of sin consists; though he pardon none but with respect to, and upon the account of a sa­tisfaction. I return to that which I was upon, namely, that to be ju­stified upon the Plea of meer mer­cy, is both perfect nonsense, and a formal contradiction. Whatever [Page 31] these high masters of reason think of it, we poorer mortals use to account it nonsense, to say a man is justified, when he is meerly gra­tified, and according to our little Philosophy we esteem it a contra­diction, to make that the alone ef­fect of mercy, wherein justice hath only to do. And our adversary must give us leave to retort his own Phrase, with this little alteration upon himself, that he and his friends are absurd not only in their Faith, but in their Reason: As we are justified, God acts only to­wards us in way of righteousness; as we are pardoned, he acts only towards us in way of mercy. But as in being saved, we are both par­doned and justified, so in the whole of our recovery, there is a wonder­ful combination and union of mer­cy and justice.

Now though this were enough to overthrow our being justified upon the Plea of mercy, for the [Page 32] sake of mercy. I shall yet for the fuller clearing and establishing the truth that we are discoursing, en­deavour to prove, that as we have already said, it is a contradictio [...] to be justified upon the sole term [...] of mercy and grace. So secondly, It was not possible for God i [...] a way of consistency with his truth and justice, to save sinners and par­don sin, but through the Intervention of a satisfaction. And let thi [...] be noted once for all, that wha [...] God cannot do in agreeableness t [...] his truth and righteousness, he cannot do at all.

That it was not possible fo [...] God to pardon sin and save sinners without the intervention and consideration of a satisfaction, may b [...] demonstrated, First, From th [...] truth of God's threatnings. Now for the better understanding th [...] strength of this Argument, an [...] that exceptions and cavils may b [...] obviated, I shall premise thes [...] things.

[Page 33]1. Though threatnings precise­lyLoquuntur de debito, non de e­ventu. and universally taken, do only signifie what is due, not what shall actually be; yet forasmuch as God in giving his creatures a law, intended not only to tell them that according to that they must live, but also that according to that they must be judged; there­fore though in the primary sense of all threatnings, the meaning only is, such a penalty in case of of­fence shall be due; yet in that God signifieth he will govern ac­cording to his law. He seconda­ [...]ily declareth, that he will inflict the penalty, and give to all their [...]ue. As it was necessary thatTaci èper­miti tur, quod sinc ultione prehibet [...]r, Tert. God in the enacting his law, [...]hould annex a penalty, so in the [...]romulgation of his law, he in­ [...]ended that the world should be­ [...]eve he would execute the pe­ [...]alty in case his law were violate.

2. There is a difference betwixt [...]rticular threatnings denounced [Page 34] in some singular cases, to some spe­cial ends, & a General commination or threatening annexed to an uni­versal law; and however the first sort may be relaxed or dispensed with, Isa. 38. 1. with 5. Jonas 3. 4▪ with 10. yet the second is as unal­terable as the law it self; because without it the end of the law can­notQui rati­one duci non pos­sunt, metu continen­tur, Quint be compassed, though the end of the law be not the inflicting o [...] the penalty, but obedience, yet the annexing of the penalty to th [...] law is necessary to the enforcing o [...] obedience.

3. We must distinguish be­twixt those threatnings which im­port only temporal punishment and those which denounce eternal [...] For suppose God doth suspend th [...] infliction of temporal judgments yet this is no violation of the Sanction of his law, forasmuch a [...] what he forbears here, he may inflict in severer kind hereafter; b [...] on the other hand should he rela [...] [Page 35] and dispense with those threatn­ings which denounce eternal judg­ments, no crime were possibly pu­nishable according to its demerit, seeing all that creatures are capa­ [...]le of having inflicted on them in [...]his life, is infinitely still below [...]he desert of their least sin.

4. We ought heedfully to note [...]he difference, betwixt Evangeli­ [...]al threatnings and legal: Evan­ [...]elical I count those that form ob­ [...]gation to fatherly and Gospel [...]hastisements; legal, such as de­ [...]ounce unmixed and unallayed [...]urse and wrath. These two widely [...]ffer not only in their nature but [...]d; the end of Gospel threatn­ [...]gs,This is it which Au­t [...]ors call [...], cum pan [...] infligitu [...] [...]mendan­di causa. is the recovering us to, and [...]e keeping of us within the bounds [...] Child-like obedience, and there­ [...]re God hath not only signified, [...]t the nature of the affair re­ [...]tires, that they should be exe­ [...]ted only in case need be, 1 Pet. 6. Supposing then that the bu­siness [Page 36] of these threatnings be done to the hand of God without the execution of them; it clearly fol­lows, that the obligation of th [...] believer to them, as they have re­spect to such an end, dissolves an [...] ceaseth. That which is God's intent by them, being obtained without them, the execution of them without the least derogation to th [...] This is that which Au [...]hors call [...], cum paena ad­hibetur ani [...]o ul­cis [...] endi. Hoc inte­rest inter castigati­onem & [...]oe [...]am▪ poena vin­dictae rati­onem ha­bei, casti­gatio ve [...]ò habei ra­tionem▪ [...]mendati­onis, Ga­met. truth of God, or impeachment of h [...] other properties, may be suspen [...] ed. But legal threatnings being [...] another nature, and having anoth [...] end, namely, the vindication [...] God's holiness and justice upon pr [...] soners and rebels, they are no wi [...] dissolvable, but must necessari [...] be inflicted, that the perfectio [...] and government of God may vindicated, and sin may be [...] venged. All sin is a contemp [...] God's authority and governme [...] and casts dirt upon his glory, a [...] punishment is the vindicating God's honour in the revenging [...] evil which is committed. On [...] [Page 37] let this be noted, that in case ofThough I use these words in stead of better, yet I would not be un­derstood as if there were any mutatio, abrogatio, dispensa­ti [...], [...]ut re­l [...]xatio legis; ni▪ hil tale hic locum h [...]bere cre▪ do, tantum per addi­tionem le­gis fidei ad leg [...]m operum divini ju­ris & lat [...] legis, ex­hibetur interpre­ta [...]io. such a proportionable satisfaction, by which the honour and equity of his law is vindicated, his ju­stice, holiness, and hatred of sin demonstrated, the ends of go­vernment attained, he may relax and dispense with his threatnings as to the party offending, which is the case here, for by executing the threatning upon Christ, and re­ceiving a valuable consideration and satisfaction from him, he hath given as eminent demonstration of his righteousness, purity, and hatred of sin, and as fully vindi­cated his law from contempt, as [...]f the offenders themselves had suffered, and therefore by an ad­mirable mixture of grace with [...]is justice hath released us. I do [...]ot say, he hath released his law [...]or I think, that is only interpreted; [...]ow interpretation doth not take off the obligation of the law, only declares that in such a case it was [Page 38] not intended to oblige. Having now premised these things, I reassume the argument, namely, that the truth of God's threatning would not allow him to pardon sin and save sinners, but upon the consi­deration of a satisfaction.

1. God having denounced death, and the curse against sin, Gen. 2. 17. Deut. 27. 26. The ve­racity and faithfulness of his na­ture, obliged him to see it inflicted. Never any intertained a notion of God, but they included in it that he spake truth; could ever any threatning of God be of awe up­on the conscience of a sinner, should the first and great threatn­ing be made so easily void? should it be granted, that not­withstanding God's solemn de­nunciation of wrath in case of sin, that yet he hath taken the of­fendor into favour, and pardoned the offence without any satisfacti­on or consideration at all; what [Page 39] would creatures imagine? but that God either intended his threatnings for mea [...] scarcrows, or that he were subject to muta­bility; which apprehensions be­ing once recieved, what boldness would men assume in sin? believ­ing that the comminations of the Gospel, would be no more ex­ecuted than those of the law. But let God be true, and every man a liar, Rom. 3. 4.

2. To suppose that God hath abrogated his threatning, is at once to overthrow the whole Scripture, for that expresly tells us, That not one jot of the Law was to perish, Mat. 5. 18. That every disobedience received a just recom­ [...]ence of reward, Heb. 2. 2. see Heb. 8. 28. Heb. 9. 22, 23. That with­ [...]ut blood there was to be no remission.

3. If the threatning annexed to the law be released, it is either by virtue of the law it self, or by virtue of the Gospel. It is not by [Page 40] virrue of the law, for that was [...] significat inutilem. otiosum, inanem reddere. [...]. i. e [...]are fa­cimus, fir­mam effic [...]c [...]m red­d [...]mu [...] h [...] ­no [...]m ei suum de­fendimus. [...]. signi­ficat abe­l [...]r [...]. aebro­gare fa­ctis, vel di­ctis legem oppugnare. q [...]d. coe­lum terroe miscebitur potius, quam ut id fiat. wholly inexorable, requiring ei­ther perfect and constant obedi­ence, or denouncing unmixed and unallay'd wrath, Gal. 3. 10. Not is it released by the Gospel, this the Holy Ghost clearly informs us, Rom. 3. 31. Do we then make void the law through faith? God for­bid: yea, we establish the law. Beza his Paraphrase here is very good, Christi satisfactio quid aliud quam legis minas ostendit minimè irritas esse, quam illas luere Christum oppor­tuerit? & Christi justitia quid a­liud est quam legis praestatio? See also Mat. 5. 17, 18. Think not (saith Christ) that I come to destroy, the Law or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fullfil. For verily, I say unto you; till heaven and earth pass away, one jot, or one title shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled. As all the predictions of the Prophets were fulfilled by him, and in him▪ [Page 41] so was the whole law in his keep­ing the precepts of it, and teach­ing others to do the like, and in his bearing the penalty of it, and his fulfilling and answering the types of it. The Gospel is so far from repealing the penalty of the law, that the very Gospel is founded in Christ's undertaking to bear the penalty of it, Heb. 9. 15, 16. There could have been no Testament, but in and through the death of the Testator. There could have been no such thing as a Gospel, or tender of glad tydings and mercy to us, but through Christ's undertaking as our surety to bear the curse of the law, Gal. 3. 13. And so much for the first argument from the truth of God's threatning.

2. It was not possible for God upon the Plea of meer mercy, without any consideration or sa­tisfaction, to forgive sin and re­lease the sinner, because the ju­stice, [Page 42] holiness, and righteousness of his nature would not allow it. The necessity of a satisfaction isMirum quantum pe [...]ile [...] ­tissime So­cino grati­ficentur, qui aliter sentiuns, Amyr. Thes. Salm de neces. sa­tisf. See this Text vindicated in the Ap­pendix. not only founded in the wisdome and soveraignty of God; God thought it convenient, and would have it so: but it is founded in t [...]e holiness, justice, and righteous­ness of God: His nature would not otherwise admit him to for­give sin and save sinners, Heb. 2. 10. It became God, this refers to God's nature, not his meer will. This will the better appear,

1. If we consider the nature of sin, which in it self, abstracting from any constitution of God about it, deserves to be punished. I do not speak universally of all sins, for there are somethings indif­ferent, and become evil only by virtue of the Divine prohibition; but there are other things natural­ly evil without any enacting will of God about them, As to love, fear, and reverence God, are du­ties [Page 43] founded in our very natures, to which we had stood obliged though there had never been any positive precept of God enjoiningDic ergo cur adul­terium male steri putes, an quia id facere, lex vetat? non sane ideo malum est quia vetatur lege, sed ideo ve­tatur lege, quia malum, August. li. 1. de libe­ro Arbit. them. So to deny or hate God are essentially evil, previously to any prohibition of God about them; otherwise they might have been duties supposing God had commanded them, which he might have done, if they were in themselves things indifferent, and became evil only from his free prohibition; but that these could have heen duties, I think no man dare say, that knows whereof he affirms. As there is an eternal comeliness, that a reasonable crea­ture should love and honour God; so there is an everlasting indecency and horridness, that a rational soul should hate or contemn him. That these things are good and evil, doth not depend so much on God's will, as his nature, and for God to will that the one should [Page 44] be bad, and the other good, were for him to change his holy and un­changeable nature, which is impos­sible; he cannot do it, not through any defect, but through infinite­ness of perfection, see 2 Tim. 2. 13. Tit. 1. 2. It being then ob­tained that there were somethings evil, antecedently to any determi­nation of God's will about them,Si non reddit fa­ciendo quod de­bet, reddet patiendo quod de­bet, Au­gust. Nemo malus felix, Juven. it naturally follows, that there be­longed a dueness of punishment to those things, there being an indis­pensable connexion betwixt mo­ral evil and physical. He that does ill, deserves to suffer ill: Neither divine wisdome nor righteousness can allow, that sin and impunity should for ever dwell together. It is the highest point of reason, that he who provokes God, should forfeit his favour, and feel his an­ger; and if so, then without a sa­tisfaction it cannot be otherwise, for the justice of God requires that every thing should have its [Page 45] due, though it be under the Free­dome of God's will, whether he will punish sin in the person of the sinner, or the surety; yet it is not under the freedom of his will, whether he will punish sin or not. Though the putting forth of ju­stice in these or in other effects, be under the liberty of the Di­vine will, yet the punishing of sin in a way of vindictive justice is not; but it results necessarily from the nature of sin, to which punishment is indispensably due.

2. It further appears; if we con­sider the nature of God, and the account Scripture gives us of it, with reference to sin and sinners. He is every where represented as hating them, Psal. 5. 4, 6, 7. Thou hast no pleasure in wickedness, thou hatest the workers of iniquity, Jer. 44. 4. Do not the abominable thing, which I hate. Psal. 11. 5. The wicked, and him that loveth vio­lence his soul hateth. See Deut. [Page 46] 12. 31. Mal. 2. 16. Zech. 11. 8. Levit. 16. 30. Levit. 20. 23. &c. and why doth God abhort and loath sin and sinners? is it only from the determination of his will he hath decreed and determi­ned so? No, not only so, but from the purity and justice of his nature, because without ceasing to be a holy and righteous God, he cannot do otherwise. Hab. 1 13. Thou art of pur [...]r eyes, than to be­hold iniquity, and canst not look on evil. Josh. 24. 19. Ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is an holy God, he is a jealous God, he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. The principle in God, by virtue of which he punisheth sin, is not so much any free act of his will, as the justice and purity of his nature. See 2 Thes. 1. 6. It is a righteous thing with God, to re­compence tribulation to them that trouble you, Rom. 2. 5. Rev. 16. 5, 7. Rev. 19. 11. Justice in [Page 47] God is a property of his nature,See Heb. 10 30, 31. Nahum. 1 3. Deut 4. 24. Num. 14. 18. as well as his mercy and goodness are, Exod. 34. 7. Exod. 20, 5. It is a contradiction to suppose a God, and not suppose him just▪ there is no possibility of framing a notion of God, without includ­ing justice in it. And if it were not thus, it is not imaginable, how the heathens should come to have an ingraft notion of God's punish­ing sin; for what depends meerly upon the will of God, is no other ways to be known but by revela­ [...]ion: but that the Gentiles with­out revelation are under a know­ [...]edge that God will punish sin, [...]he Apostle informs us, Rom. 1. [...]2. Knowing the judgments of God, [...]hat they which commit such things [...]re worthy of death. It was from [...]ence that their accusations of [...]onscience arose, Rom. 2. 15. From [...]ence also sprung their several en­ [...]eavours and attempts to appease God by lustrations, hecatombs, [Page 48] sacrifices, &c. From all which i [...] clearly follows that vindictive ju­stice is an essential property o [...] God. If justice be to give ever [...] thing its due, we must needs ascrib [...] it to God, unless we will suppos [...] him to act contrary to the principles and measures of all equity. If in man, it be a virtue and per­fection becoming a rational na­ture, we must either give it to God, or suppose him to be an un­reasonable Being.

3. This may be further strengthened, if we consider God actin [...] towards us as Supream Governor Ruler, and Judge. God havin [...] created Man a rational creature behoved to give him a law. It i [...] a contradiction for a man to be [...] man, and not obliedged to love fear, and obey God. These thing [...] man became obliedged to, without any other constitution of God will about him, save only his making him a man, though God migh [...] [Page 49] [...]ave chosen, whether he would [...]ave made such a creature as man [...]r not, yet on supposition that he [...]akes such a creature; it neces­ [...]arily results from his very nature, [...]hat he should reverence, love, [...]nd serve God. Now this being [...]nce established, that man be­ [...]oved to be under a law, it as ne­ [...]essarily follows, that God as the [...]oly and just Governour of the [...]orld, should make punishment [...]ue to him, in case he broke that [...]w. Duety being once consti­ [...]ted, though there had been no [...]enalty annexed to the law, yet [...]e dueness of punishment ariseth [...]om the nature of sin. Reatus [...]lpae, & reatus poenae, howso­ [...]er they may be separable in some [...]ses in humane laws, they are not [...] in divine. In brief, if there [...]ere not penalties annexed to [...]ws, they would be contemptible [...]ings, and Government would be [...]t an empty notion. Now the [Page 50] dueness of punishment bei [...] granted in case of sin: It follow [...] by a like necessity, that in case punishment become actually due▪ God as righteous Judge and G [...] vernour should execute it. Ge [...] 18. 25. Shall not the Judge of [...] Injusti judic [...] est be neagen­tem non r [...]m uncra­r [...] ▪ & ne­gligent [...]m non corri­pere, Sene. the earth do right. Execution is [...] needful a part of God's governin [...] his creatures, as Legislation; an [...] if this were wanting all laws we [...] ridiculous things: the forbearin [...] to execute punishment, would b [...] nothing less than to invite and i [...] courage sin. To conclude, the [...] is no presumption ingrafted mo [...] into the hearts of men than this,

And thus I have overthrown th [...] first plea of a guilty sinner; nam [...] ly, that of mercy for the s [...]ke [...] mercy; and shown that it is n [...] only a contradiction that [...] [Page 51] should be justified upon that plea, but likewise that it was not possi­ble, that upon that plea we should have been so much as pardoned.

Object. 1 Object. 1. But it is objected, that there could be no need of a satisfa­ction, unless we will deny that to God, which we daily allow to men: we admit them to forgive injuries without any satisfaction, and shall we not allow God to do the like? we grant that men may remit of their right, and shall we say that God cannot remit of his? To this I of­fer these several things by way of Answer.

Answ. 1 1. If by our remitting injuries be meant the retaining or receiv­ing the offending party into our intimate favour and friendship; then it may be questioned, whe­ther we be bound to forgive inju­ries otherwise than upon the terms recorded by Luke 17. 4, [...] [...] thy Vid. Grot. in Luc. [...]. 4. Brother trespass against [...]ee, [...] return, saying, I repen [...] [...] thou shalt [Page 52] forgive him. Though, as we have said before, confession of a fault, and deprecation of wrath be no satisfaction to the law, nor compensation for a crime; yet in cases of private injuries betwixt Brother and Brother it is a kind of a satisfaction, and as much bene­fit and honor may arise to the in­jured party from it, as he sustain­ed dammage by the offence: But if by remitting injuries be meant only the not persuing revenge a­gainst the offendor, I grant that in some cases this both may and ought to be, notwithstanding he should prove obstinate in his of­fence: But now that which is in­tended by God's forgiving us, is not only his superceding to exe­cute wrath upon us, but also the taking us into friendship and fa­vour with himself again, and the wrong being done to the law, and God being in this whole affair to be considered as judge, there is no [Page 53] arguing therefore from the one case to the other.

Answ. 2 (2.) There are cases wherein not so much as in the last sense ought private persons to forgive injuries without a satisfaction. If one murther anothers Son, it is not in the Father's power to remit it, but he is bound to prosecute the revenge of it upon the offen­dor: Though a private person may remit in cases which refer only to his own utility and profit, yet he ought not to do the like in cases where honesty, and the main­taining of good manners is con­cern'd.

Answ. 3 (3.) Whatever may be allowed to a private person in reference to an injury done to himself, yet a publick person or Magistrate ought not to forgive an injury done to the law, though a Judge may remit a pecuniary debt due to himself, yet he cannot remit a criminal offence committed a­gainst [Page 54] the State. Supposing that the Papists should be convicted of having burnt London, though the Judges in that case might forgive the crime so far as their own houses were concern'd (which I also question) yet they are bound to punish it, as it is a wrong to mankind, to all communities, the whole Nation, and the Protestant Religion: Now God in this Trans­action is not to be considered as an absolute Lord, or as a meer Cre­ditor, but as Supream Rector and Governour. It is true, he that is Rector, is both absolute Lord and also Creditor, yet we are in this affair to consider him only as Rector; and therefore, though it were possible for him to pardon sin as he is, Pars laesa, The party wronged (though to pardon or to punish, appertain to none under that relation) yet he is obliged to punish it, as he is the holy and righteous ruler of mankind, other­wise [Page 55] he should be unjust in his re­ctorship, the end of the law would be subverted, and he should not act as becomes a just Governour: For delicta puniri publicè interest. And as Lactantius says very well, Non est enim fas, cum, cum talia fieri videat, non moveri, & insur­gere ad ultionem sceleratorum, & pestiferos, nocentesque delere, ut bo­nis omnibus consulat. Now that God in this transaction is to be considered only as Rector, ap­pears,

(1.) Because, to absolve and condemn are acts no wise peculiar to any but a Governour: None may administer these acts, under the relation of being either an ab­solute Lord, or an offended and provoked party, but only under the relation of being vested with Government. [...]urgimus ad vin­dictam, non quia laesi sumus; sed ut disciplina servetur, mores corri­gantur, licentia comprimatur; haec [Page 56] est ira justa, quae sicut in homine necessaria est, sic utiqu [...]in deo, à qu [...] ad hominem pervent exemplum, Lact.

(2.) Because for one to exact his debt or to remit it, to use his right or release it, are no wise acts of justice: We do not call it ju­stice, for a man to claim or remit that which is owing to him; or for a person to pursue or release his right, where he hath an abso­lute power: But now the Scrip­ture stiles it an act of justice in God, both to inflict punishment upon sinners, and also to justifie belivers: for the first see 2 Thes. 1. 6. Heb. 2. 2. Rev. 16. 5, 6, 7. and 19. 2. The inflicting punish­ment upon sinners, is that which the justice of God requireth, hence called [...], The judge­ment of God, Rom. 1. 32. and therefore not only the punishment inflicted is called [...], Vengeance, Jude. 7. but the principle and pro­perty [Page 57] in God, that constitutes and [...]nflicts it, is also so stiled, Act. 28. 4. For the last see, Rom. 3. 25, 26.

(3.) Because, for a person to re­ [...]mit his right where he hath abso­ [...]ute power, or to forgive a debt where he is sole creditor, are in no [...]ases, contrary to the lines of ju­ [...]tice, and no person becomes un­ [...]ust for doing so; but in some [...]ases to remit sin, for example, where it is not so much as repent­ [...]d of, according to our very ad­ [...]ersaries, is inconsistent with ju­ [...]ice, and by consequence God [...] the punishing or pardoning of [...]n, doth not act as Creditor or [...]ord, but as Judge and Gover­ [...]our.

(4.) Because the end of a Lord [...]s pursuing his right, and a Cre­ [...]tor his exacting of his debt, is [...]eir own benefit and interest; [...]t the end of inflicting punish­ [...]ent, is the interest of government, [Page 58] and the benefit of the world; s [...] that these two differing in thei [...] ends, and the ground of God hi [...] inflicting punishment being th [...] last, it necessarily follows, that h [...] is to be look't upon in this whol [...] transaction: as a Governour, no [...] as a meer Creditor, or as an absolute Lord.

Answ. 4 (4.) It is a strange kind of A [...] guing, that because one man m [...] remit an offence committed again [...] him, (may be by his equal, at leas [...] by his fellow creature) that ther [...] fore God ought to do the like b [...] us, who being the work-man sh [...] of his own hands, have yet rebe [...] led against him. What kind [...] reasoning would it be? that b [...] cause we are not upon every inj [...] ry to pursue the ruin of one an [...] ther, that therefore God witho [...] the impeachment of his mercy a [...] goodness may not inflict vengean [...] upon sinners: or because we m [...] be bound in case a man ha [...] [Page 59] [...]ronged us, and doth not so [...]uch as repent of it, but perse­ [...]re in it, yet nevertheless to for­ [...]ve him; shall we therefore in­ [...]r that God should forgive a man [...]s sins, as well in case he persevere [...] them and repent not, as in case [...]e reform and repent?

Answ. 5 (5.) Is there no difference be­ [...]wixt God his abating in his [...]ght, and his total parting with [...]? is it not something that he [...]ill allow a surety, but that he [...]ust altogether release the debt? [...]nnot God be gracious without [...]easing to be just? God might [...]ave most justly damned us, he [...]as under no necessity of extend­ [...]g mercy to us, any more than [...]o fallen Angels; and he hath re­ [...]itted of the r [...]gour of his ju­ [...]ice in that he hath contrived [...]nd allowed the intervention of [...] Mediator.

Answ 6 (6.) This Objection con­ [...]ounds God's power, with his ju­stice; [Page 60] whereas the question [...] not what God in way of unlim [...] ted power can do, but what [...] agreeableness to the righteou [...] ness of his nature is fit for him [...] do. It is not through want of po [...] er, that he cannot pardon s [...] without a satisfaction, but b [...] cause he is infinitely holy an [...] just as well as powerful, and [...] thereby obliged to do nothin [...] unbeseeming the purity an [...] righteousness of his nature.

Answ. 7 (7) We are not only to consid [...]r what God might have don [...] without the impeachment of hi [...] justice, but also that we ascrib [...] nothing to him mis-becoming hi [...] wisdom. That God should en­act a law, and in the most solem [...] way annex punishment to the violation of it, and yet being broken, should without any more ad [...] forgive the offendor, seems [...] p [...]ain imprudence in Government, and altogether unworthy the wis­dom of God.

Object. 2 2. But it is again Objected, that sin every where said to be forgiven, [...]ardone, remitted, and the for­ [...]veness of it attributed to mercy [...]d grace, and consequently that [...]ere can be no satisfaction made [...]r it, there being nothing more [...]ntrary to forgiveness, than com­ [...]nsation, nor more opposite to grace [...]an what is paid for. Thus the [...]amphleter, p. 6, 7, 8, 9. out of his [...]asters, Socinus, Crellius, &c. [...]o which I offer these things by [...]ay of return.

Answ 1 (1.) It is a most ignorant mis­ [...]ke, that satisfaction made by [...]hrist, and forgiveness made to [...]s, are opposite and inconsistent; [...]hereas Scripture every where [...]olds forth the agreement be­ [...]wixt these two, Rom. 3. 24, 25. [...]eing justified freely by his grace, [...]rough the redemption that is in [...]esus Christ, &c. Where though [...]rgiveness be held forth as free [...]d of grace, yet it is also decla­red [Page 62] to be through Christ, as a pro [...] pitiation, and by virtue of th [...] redemption, which by his bloo [...] he had purchased and wrough [...] See also Eph. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. [...] is said to be free and of grace i [...] reference to us, to exclude the m [...] rit of our works; not in respect [...] Christ, to exclude his satisfact [...] on. Herein God hath display [...] the depths of his wisdome, th [...] pardon is both of grace and [...] merit, that it is at once an act [...] mercy, and an act of righteou [...] ness.

Answ. 2 (2.) It hath been already sho [...] wherein the grace and freeness remission consists, and that it [...] wise stands, either in the want [...] a satisfaction or in any deficien [...] in the satisfaction that was mad [...] Let the adversary, if he plea [...] attempt to overthrow what ha [...] been spoken to that purpose, [...] shall find us ready upon all oc [...] [...] [...] vindicate it.

Answ. 3 [Page 63](3.) The clearing of this shall be further essayed in the Appen­dix.

2. The second and only plea then of a charged sinner is to plead for justification, upon the account of a satisfaction made to the party offended for the offence, and this satisfaction must be pleaded, either as made by our selves, or made by another in our stead.

1. It cannot be pleaded, that we have made any satisfaction our selves: There are but three ways can with any seemingness be insisted on to this purpose, and it is altogether impossible it should be made any of these ways.

1. Some may be ready to ima­gine, that satisfaction might be made by sacrifices and costly of­ferings, and that by them God's wrath might be appeased, and the guilt of sin expiated. Sacrifices [Page 64] were of God's own appointment, and after the fall the first piece of instituted worship, Gen. 4. 3, 4. Rom. 14. 23. Heb. 11. 4. By faith Abel offered; which implies the warrant of a command: and if this were not necessary, there would be no such thing as will▪ worship in the world, and faith would differ nothing from a blind venturous boldness. Now sacrifices may be considered tw [...] ways.

First, As an Appendix of th [...] Covenant of works, and as they were intended to testifie guilt [...] and in that sense the Apostle is t [...] be understood, Col. 2. 14. Th [...] hand writing of Ordinances whic [...] was against us, which was contrar [...] to us. Ephes. 2. 15. Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, eve [...] the law of commandments contained in Ordinances.

Secondly, They are considerable as subservient to the Cove­nan [...] [Page 65] of grace. As they were our School-master to lead to Christ, Gal. 3. 24. As they were shad­dows and he the body, Col. 2. 17. And as they were types of the great sacrifice which he was to offer, Heb. 9. 9. God having made man a promise of recovery [...]nd redemption, through the [...]eed of the woman, Gen. 3. 15. [...]nd it being necessary that this [...]hould be accomplished in the way of death and blood, Heb. 9. [...]5, 22. God therefore appoint­ [...]d sacrifices, to typifie and prefi­ [...]ure the great sacrifice of the [...]essiah; and in this sense among [...]thers may Rev. 13. 8. be under­ [...]ood, (if that be the right read­ [...]g of the place) The Lomb slain [...]om the foundation of the world; [...]ot only in the virtue and the effi­ [...]cy of his death, but also with [...]spect to the sacrifices, which [...]efigured his death. Now the [...]nerality of mankind soon sunk [Page 66] into an ignorance of the right end of sacrifices, and instead of con­sidering them [...]s Divine appoint­ments, to represent the sacrifice of the Son of God, and to strengthen their faith in that: they begin to rely upon them alone, fo [...] expiation of guilt and right to life But that no satisfaction can b [...] made by sacrifices, appears.

(1.) In that Scripture expresl [...] Sacrificia conside­rantur, vel qua [...]enus typi crant futurae sa­tis factic­nis Messia, vel quate­nus illis vis expiandi per se ad­scribeba­tur; priori modo Deu [...] illa voluit, posteriori carejecit, Walth. rejects all sacrifices, when truste [...] to for that end and purpose, Psal [...] 40. 6. Sacrifice and offering th [...] didst not desire, mine ears hast th [...] opened; burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required, i. e. h [...] did not desire them as means b [...] which sin could be expiated. S [...] Psal. 50. 8. to 12. Micah 6. 6, 7 Heb. 9. 9. and 10. 1, 2, 3, 4. Go [...] in Scripture expresseth his disli [...] of sacrifices upon three occasion [...] (1.) Because of the prophaness [...] the Offerers, Isa. 1. 11 12. &c. [...] 18. Isa. 66. 5. Jer. 6. 20. (2 [...] [Page 67] When they were preferred to mo­ral obedience, 1 Sam. 15. 22. Hos. 6. 6. Jer. 7. 21, 22. (3.) When trusted to for justification and life, as we have just before expressed.

(2.) There is no worth in the blood of a Bull or Goat, to make reparation for the dishonour done by sin to God; he must have very mean thoughts both of sin and God, that thinks his justice can be satisfied, or the guilt of sin ex­piated by the bloud of a Calf or Lamb. The wrong done by sin being infinite, justice requireth that the satisfaction should be pro­portionable.

(3.) Nor was there any propor­ [...]ion nor relation either, betwixt the sinner and the sacrificed beast, that the blood and death of the one, should pass for a satisfaction [...]or the sin and offense of the other. There should be a conjunction in Nature, betwixt him that commits [...]he offence, and him that makes [Page 68] the satisfaction; in what nature the sin is committed, in that na­ture the reparation should be made; there being therefore no communion in nature betwixt a beast and a man, the blood of the one cannot pass for a satisfaction for the crime of the other.

(4.) Because it is necessary that whoever makes satisfaction for another, should consent and wil­lingly submit to such an undertak­ing; now a beast is altogether un­capable of stipulation or agreeing to such an exchange, Psal. 118. 27. and therefore can no wise make sa­tisfaction. The Heathen could say,

So that upon the whole it is clear we cannot plead a satisfaction b [...] sacrifice.

II [Page 69]2. Others possibly may be ready to insist on moral obedience as if by that we could make God a va­luable compensation for the wrong we have done him. This was the the great refuge of the Jews of old, Rom. 2. 17. They rested in the law. Rom. 9. 31. They followed after the law, i. e. they expected life and righteousness, in and through the observance of the law; not that they thought them­selves able so universally to keep it, as not at all to sin, but they ap­prehended that they sufficiently kept the law to justification, if they performed the outward acts of duety, and forbore the out­ward acts of sin, or if their good works were more than their evil, Mat. 19. 18, 19, 20. Phil. 3. 6. but that there is no coming off on this Plea,

(1.) The Scripture every where informs us, in its disclaiming all possibility of being justified by [Page 70] works, Rom. 3. 20. By the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justi­fied in his sight. Gal. 3. 21, 22. If there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law, but the Scripture hath con­cluded all under sin, &c. Rom. 8 3. what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, &c. The law, had we kept it, by continuing in the s [...]ate wherein we were cre­ated, was both appointed and able to have given life, but man by▪ sin becoming flesh, the law stood by, as altogether insufficient to help such an one; and is therefore called the ministration of death, 2 Cor. 3. 7. and of condemnation, 2 Cor. 3. 9. and though it was af­terward continued for other ends, yet it was never intended that they should have life and righteousness by it.

(2.) The obedience of the law is such as never any sinner did or [Page 71] can perform, Psal. 143. 2. In thy sight shall no man living be justifi­ed, i. e. upon a personal righteous­ness of his own. Psal. 130. 3. If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand. The law required not only a personal, but an universal, perfect, and perpe­tual obedience, and as to all the last three we are sadly defective, and accordingly those Saints, who had as much to plead this way as any, yet constantly disclaim'd be­ing justified on this score, Psal. 19. 12. Psal. 40. 12. My sins are more than the hairs of my head. As if he had s [...]id, I may sooner tell my hairs than reckon my sins, Job 9. 2, 3, 15, 20, 21, 30. read it at lei­sure. See also 2 Cor. 4, 4. Though I know nothing by my self, yet am I not hereby justified, Phil. 3 8, 9.

(3▪) Were it possible that we coul [...] give God a perfect and uni­versal obedience (which we never can) yet it were no more than a [Page 72] debt which we owe him, as we are his Creatures, and therefore could be no satisfaction from us, as we are his delinquents. What­ever we are or have, it being from God, we owe him the farthest im­provement of all, without ren­dring him beholding; yea, in the state wherein he created us, he might have obliged us to the ut­most obedience, and after all that, instead of any reward, have redu­ced us▪ into the state of nothing, out of which he raised us; being fallen, more than we can yield, is a debt we owe him as our Maker, and therefore can be no satisfacti­on to him as an offended Judge. One debt useth not to go in payment for another, if a man commit one treasonable act, and for a time make an escape, but be afterwards apprehended, it will be no Plea in Law, to say he is Loyal now, be­cause he was bound to have been so before, and therefore must sa­tisfie [Page 73] for his former disloyalty.

(4.) All the obedience we are [...]er able to yield to God, it is [...]rough the alone strength and in­ [...]uence of his grace, Joh. 15. 5. Cor. 3. 5. And therefore instead [...] being a satisfaction to his ju­ [...]ce, we are made fresh debtors to [...]s mercy.

(5.) One sin dishonours God [...]ore than an eternity of obedience [...]n recompence; all our service [...]ings no accession to God to me­ [...] any thing at his hand. Job 22. 3. Can a man be profitable to [...]d? is it pleasure to the Almighty [...]at thou art righteous? or is it [...]in to him, that thou makest thy [...]ys perfect? Job 35. 7. If thou [...] righteous what givest thou unto [...]m? or what receiveth he at thine [...]nd? see also Psal. 16. 2, 3. Luc. [...]. 10. Rom. 11. 35. Acts 17. 25. [...]t the least sin is a derogation [...]m his honour, and lays us under [...] obnoxiousness to eternal wrath.

[Page 74](6.) Justification upon the ple [...] of obedience is that which the A­postle through the Epistles to th [...] Romans and Galatians so largel [...] disputes against, and therefore w [...] must either make nonsense of a [...] his arguments, or we must els [...] confess that there is no being justi­fied upon this plea.

III 3. It remains, that if we ma [...] satisfaction by our selves, it mu [...] be alone done by sufferings. Th [...] Papists, though they agree with [...] about the truth of Christs satisfaction, yet they greatly deroga [...] from it in the establishing the n [...] cessity of humane satisfaction [...] It is true, their doctrine is a litt [...] intricate in this affair, they are n [...] accorded among themselves, eith [...] as to the extent or the condignit [...] of such satisfactions, yet they a [...] meet in this, that Christ hath n [...] so satisfied as to remove the who [...] punishment, but that there is so [...] of the legal penalty still to be u [...] dergo [...] [Page 75] by our selves, which is [...]artly born in punishments in this [...]fe, and partly in purgatory tor­ [...]ents in the future. This they [...]alliate by distinguishing betwixt [...]moving of the fault, and re­ [...]oving of the punishment: The [...]ult is the offence committed [...]gainst God, which is done away [...] remission; the punishment is [...]e penalty, which after the fault [...] removed, remains, say they, [...]ll to be suffered; and by the [...]aring of which, either in our own [...]rsons, or one for another, we [...]ake God formal satisfaction.

But (1.) we have already prov­ [...], that the bearing of the penal­ [...], doth constitute no man who is [...]ce unjust, just again. The first [...]ention of the law is obedience, [...]d nothing doth satisfie the pri­ [...]ary design of the law but that. [...]grant that in humane laws in [...]me cases it may be otherwise, [...]mely where the law is purely [Page 76] penal, the intention of the la [...] giver being neither precisely [...] command nor forbid any thing [...] but on a penalty to allow th [...] which otherwise he prohibite [...] As for example, that if a perso [...] be chosen Sheriff of Lon [...]on, [...] shall either hold, or pay such fine: The paying the fine do [...] here satisfie the law, forasmuch [...] the law did not precisely enjoy [...] the party to hold, but only boun [...] him to the payment of such [...] summ in case he would not. Bu [...] in Divine Laws the case is different, the end of all God's Law [...] being obedience, and the penalt [...] being annexed only for other ends

(2.) The distinction upon whic [...] the Papists here proceed, implie [...] one of the absurdest things ima­ginable; namely, that the fault should be remitted, and not the punishment; that the debt should be forgiven▪ and yet payment ex­acted; seeing the forgiving the [Page 77] [...]ebt, is nothing else but the dis­ [...]olving the offenders obligation to [...]unishment. See Mat. 18. 17.

(3.) Sin being of an infinite de­ [...]erit, requires an infinite penal [...]y, [...]ow a penalty can be infinite only [...]ne of three ways.

(1.) Through the infinite worth of the person sustaining the pu­nishment, and in this sense I sup­pose none will say that man is of [...]uch value and dignity, as that any suffering he undegoes should be accounted infinite.

(2.) A penalty may be infinite from the infinite weight of what is inflicted and sustained, and in this sense no man can undergo an infi­nite punishment▪ forasmuch as no finite creature can bear any weight but what is finite.

(3.) A punishment may be in­finite as to length and duration, but for to think that a person can sa­tisfie by bearing a punishment which is infinite as to continuance, involves,

[Page 78](1.) A plain contradiction, being for ever to suffer, and nev [...] to satisfie; for ever to be damne [...] and never acquitted.

(2.) Such kind of suffering do [...] not satisfie the primary intentio [...] of the law, seeing law and justi [...] in their first intention, require th [...] the punishment be commensura [...] to the crime in the weight of i [...] rather than in the length. S [...] that upon the whole we cannot b [...] justified upon the plea of havin [...] made a satisfaction our selves.

If we plead justification then▪ upon the account of a satisfaction▪ it must be alone, because of a sa­tisfaction made by another: an [...] this leads me to the next point, th [...] ground and matter of our justifi­cation, viz. the satisfaction o [...] Christ.

CHAP. IV.

2. THE second and only Plea of a guilty sinner is, that Christ hath made satisfaction. To this end he was incarnate, and for this end he died. That there were other subordinate ends of his In­carnation, Obedience, and Passion is not denied; but that any thing else was either the supream, or the only end, must not be granted. That which is first pleaded by th [...] Socinians, is that all which Christ underwent was to ratifie and con­firm his Doctrine; having preach­ed the freeness of remission to such as should repent. And men find­ing a witness in themselves of their liableness to wrath and death, being [Page 80] ready to suspect every proposal o [...] grace and favour; t [...]erefore Chris [...] by his death (say they) made fait [...] of, and gave assurance of what h [...] had taught. Now that what w [...] have to offer in opposition to this, may be the better secured agains [...] all exceptions, we premise thes [...] three things to be first taken no­tice of.

1. That Christ answerable t [...] the threefold necessity that w [...] were in, stood in a threefold office▪ As we were ignorant of God, h [...] was our Prophet, Joh. 6. 14. Act▪ 3. 22, 23. As we were under th [...] guilt of sin, he was our Priest, Heb▪ 2. 17. Heb. 7. 26, 27. As we [...] were in bondage to sin and Satan▪ he was constituted our Captai [...] and King, Isa. 55. 4. Heb. 2. 10. Dan. 9. 25. Now as he is ou [...] Prophet, he not only reveals and makes known the Father to us, Joh. 1. 18. but hath also by his death sealed and confirmed his do­ctrin [...] [Page 81] Joh. 18. 37. As he is our [...]riest he hath by his death ex­ [...]iated sin, Heb. 9. 15. 1 Joh. 2. [...]. purchased remission to us, Mat. 26. 28. Eph. 1. 7. and [...]ought grace for us, Phil. 1. 29. [...] Pet. 2. 1. And as he is our [...]ing, he hath by his death conque­ [...]ed our enemies, Col. 2. 15. Heb. [...]. 14. and left us an example of [...]ffering and patience. 1 Pet. 2. 21. [...]ow one or more of these ends [...]e not exclusive of the other, be­ [...]ause some of these were the ends [...] his death, we must not say that [...]hers are not. But the Socinians [...] they confound the Priesthood of [...]hrist, either with his Kingship [...] with his Prophetical Office; so [...]ey confine the ends of his death, [...] what meerly was done as he [...]od in these relations: but as [...]e shall (God willing) hereafter [...]monstrate him to be properly Priest, as well as a King, or [...]ophet: So for the present we [Page 82] distinguish what were the ends of his death as Priest, from those which were the ends of it, as he was King and Prophet.

2. We would have it observed, that there were some more primary and principal ends of Christ's death, and others that were less princip [...] and only secondary. The more primary and principal end of his death, was that he might give himself a ransome for sinners, 1 Tim. 2. 6. be a propitiation for our offences, 1 Joh. 2. 2. and be­come a sacrifice for sin, Heb. 9. 26. and 10. 12. The secondary and less principal were, that he might ratifie the truth of his doctrine, and leave us an example of pati­ence in suffering: Now the adver­saries insist only upon the subordi­nate and secondary ends of his death, and altogether shut out the more principal and chief.

3. We would distinguish be­twixt the proper end of his death, [Page 83] and those things which are the fruits and consequences of it, through his having obtained that end. The proper end of the death of Christ, was the satisfying of God's justice, and the vindica­ting his Law and Government, Rom. 3. 25. and 4. 25. but the fruits and consequences of it through his having compassed that end, are our deliverance from the curse and condemnation of the law, Gal. 3. 13. Rom. 8. 34. The remission of our sins, Col. 1. 14. justification at the Bar of God, Rom. 5. 9. and a right and title to life, 1 Pet. 3. 18. Rom. 5. 18. Ha­ving now premised these things, we come to prove that the con­firmation of the doctrine of the Gospel, could not be the only not yet the principal end of the death of Christ.

1. Because the truth of his do­ctrine was otherwise sufficiently established; for being demon­strated [Page 84] to be from God, there need­ed no▪ further evidence of the truth of it; and that it was from God was abundantly proved,

(1.) By those motives of credi­bility, and inbred evidence which it carried in it; if we consider the Purity, Majesty, Plainness, Full­ness, Method and Manner in which delivered, it is not possible, but that without further means of conviction, we may be ascertained that God is the Author of it.

(2.) God himself by the Testi­mony and Attestation of Miracles gave irrefragable evidence that it was true, and from himself, Heb. 2. 4.—God bearing witness, with signs, and wonders, and divers miracles, &c. Act. 2. 22. Jesus a man approved of God amongst you, by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, &c. and it was to these that Christ so often appealed for the truth of his doctrine, Joh. 5. 36. [Page 85] I have a greater witness than that of John; for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me; Joh. 10. 25. The works that I do in my Fathers Name, they bear witness of me. So Joh 15. 24. and alibi. And it was upon the conviction and evidence of these, that the world received his doctrine, Joh. 2. 23. Many believed in his Name, when they saw the miracles which he did. Joh. 3. 2. We know that [...]hou art a Teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles [...]hat thou dost, except God be with [...]im, Joh. 7. 31. And many of the [...]eople believed on him, and said, [...]hen Christ cometh, will he do more [...]iracles, then these which this man [...]ath done. So that there was no [...]ecessity for Christ to have dyed in [...]eference to this end, his doctrine [...]eing by other mediums suffici­ [...]ntly confirmed, had there never [Page 86] been any such thing as the death of Christ, yet there wanted not suffi­cient grounds by which a Divine Revelation might be known. Those that lived before the incarnation of Christ, were not without suffi­cient evidence of the truth and di­vinity of the doctrine of Moses and the Prophets, yet they had not this argument to establish and confirm them in the belief of it.

(3.) The needlesseness of Christs dying in relation to the ascertain­ing the truth of his doctrine ap­pears hence, in that the highest ar­gument and motive the Holy Ghost instanceth in, in reference to the confirming any declaration o [...] God is God's Oath, Heb. 6. 17, 18. So that if this had been the su­pream end of the death of Christ I do not see how it was any wise necessary that Christ should hav [...] dyed, there having been other way [...] and me [...]ns every way sufficient fo [...] the attaining of that end; yea, [Page 87] [...]annot understand how it is con­ [...]istent with the wisdome, good­ [...]ess, and righteousness of God, [...]o have put an innocent person, [...]nd one so dear to him as his own Son to death, when he might [...]ave spared him, and yet arrived [...]t all he propounded by his suf­ [...]erings.

2. If the confirming the truth of the Scripture, had been the [...]upream end of all the sufferings of Christ, and if it be upon that [...]ccount that he is so often said to [...]ave dyed for us; this is no more [...]han what men are capable of do­ [...]ng, yea, than what the Martyrs [...]ave actually done, for they by sufferings, blood, and death have [...]ealed and confirmed the truth of the Gospel, and yet they are ne­ver said to have dyed for us, or to have reconciled us to God by their blood; yea instead of this it is expresly denied, that they ever did, or could dye for us in that [Page 88] sense, and to that purpose tha [...] Christ did, 1 Cor. 1. 13. Act. 4. 12. and by consequence there be­hoved to be other and greate [...] causes of the death and suffering [...] of Christ, then the sealing o [...] confirming the truth of his doctrine.

3. It may from hence be fur­ther demonstrated, that it was no [...] the supreame end of Christ's dy­ing, only to encourage us to be­lieve the certainty of God's pro­mise, in reference to the free re­mission of sin, because the Scri­pture every where assigns other ends, namely, that he might bea [...] our sins, Rom. 4. 25. destroy th [...] e mity betwixt God and us, Eph. 2. 16. save us from perishing, an [...] give us a right to life, Joh. 3. 16. So that the first Plea of the Soci­niars remains confuted and over­thrown.

2. The second end instanced in, and pleaded for as the impulsive [Page 89] cause of the sufferings and death of Christ is, that he might give us an example of suffering with pati­ence. It is not denied, but that the death of Christ is of singu­lar import to these purposes, 1 Pet. 2. 21. and 4. 1. Heb. 12. 2, 3. but yet these were not the prin­cipal ends of his sufferings and death, neither were they indispen­sably needful upon that score.

(1.) Because the Old Testa­ment Saints were patiently carri­ed through suffering, who (though they lived in the faith of the death of Christ) yet had not the lively example of the quality of his sufferings, nor of his patience under them.

(2.) Because upon these terms Christ should not be properly our Saviour, but the act of sav­ing us should be our own: Christ should only chalk us the way to salvation, whereas we should go in it, and consequently the act of [Page 90] saving us should be altogethe [...] ours.

(3.) Because God by the strength and influence of hi [...] grace could have carried us through suffering with patience, without setting us the pattern an [...] example of his Son; and this he actually doth in that which is every way as difficult; for exam­ple, the mortifying of indwelling corruption; wherein the adversa­ry dare not say, that Christ was capable of being our pattern. These being disclaimed then from being the supream ends of Christ his suffering, it follows that we demonstrate the true and princi­pal end of his dying to have been that he might make satisfaction to God for us.

CHAP. V.

WE being in debt to God, Christ undertook to be our Surety, Heb. 7. 22. I do not deny but that he is also God's Surety to us, for the making good of all the promises, which are therefore said to be in him, yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1. 20 and he is [...] Sponsor propriè est qui pro alio spon­det, vel ut debitum solvat, Prov. 22. 26. vel ut paenam l [...]at, Gen▪ 44 32, 33. Turret. in reference to this called God's Witness, Isa. 55. 3, 4. But with­all he is our Surety to God for the discharging of our debt: And that that is the intendment of the Apostle in the forequoted place appears from the context, in that he is there treating of the Priest­hood of Christ; and particular­ly [Page 92] treating of it in reference t [...] those things which were to b [...] done with God for m [...]n. It i [...] true there were two parts of th [...] Priests office; one was to declar [...] God's statutes and ordinances t [...] the people, and to oversee hi [...] worship, according to his ow [...] institution and appointment: an [...] in this sense Christ is called, Th [...] High Priest of our profession, an [...] said to be faithful in God's house, Heb. 3. 1, 2. which is also the im­port of Zech. 6. 13. He shall buil [...] the Temple of the Lord, and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his Throne, and he shall be a Priest upon his Throne. The other part was to offer sacrifice for men to God, and to reconcile God to the people, and this was the principal part of the Priest's office, Heb. 5. 1. the other being only secondary, and consequent to this. And in this sense the Apostle in the foregoing place un­derstands [Page 93] Christ's Priesthood, [...]nd in reference to this notion of [...], stiles him surety, forasmuch as [...]t had our debt charged upon [...]im, and suffered the penalty [...]hich we should have born, Ere [...]e attempt the proof of this, we [...]esire first to establish these two [...]hings.

1. It is not against justice in [...]od to cast pains upon an innocent [...]erson. This the adversary dare [...]ot deny, forasmuch as it was [...]one in reference to Christ. I do [...]ot now dispute, whether those [...]ains were satisfactory; all a [...] [...]resent I intend is, that God [...]ithout injustice may inflict pains [...]pon an innocent, as it is mani­ [...]est he did upon Christ. Though [...]mongst men it be against all [...]rinciples of justice, to take away [...]he life of a guiltless person, see­ [...]ng we have no natural and abso­ [...]ue dominion over one another, [...]either is there any such power [Page 94] allowed us by the supream Sov [...] raign; yet God having an abs [...] lute dominion over the lives, b [...] dies, and fortunes of men; he ha [...] a right to act, what none els [...] without the grossest injustice ca [...]

2. It is not in every case unj [...] for one to be made undergo the p [...] nishment of anothers sin. The I [...] fants of Sodome, were involve [...] in the punishment of those crim [...] of which themselves were n [...] guilty, Gen. 19. Cham commi [...] ted the sin, and the slavery w [...] entailed upon Canaan, Gen. 9. 2 [...] 25. The lye was singly Gehezi [...] but yet the Leprosie clave not t [...] him alone, but also to his post [...] rity, 2 Kings 5. 27. Scriptu [...] furnisheth us with an infini [...] number of instances, where Go [...] makes use of the Sons misery, t [...] punish the Fathers offence. S [...] 2 Sam 21. 8, 14. and 24. 15, 1 [...] Josh. 7. 24. 1 Kings 14. 10. Ja [...] 22. 30. God threatens to visit t [...] [Page 95] [...]niquity of the fathers upon the Children, unto the third and [...]ourth generation, Exod. 20. 5. Neither is this any more, then what in one instance or other hath [...]een, and is still practiced among [...]en in all Nations. If a person [...]e convicted of Treason, his in­ [...]eritance escheats to the Crown, [...]nd all right of claim ceaseth from his posterity. In pecuniary [...]atters it cannot be denied, but [...]hat punishment may redound to [...]he Surety: And in criminal cases, [...]autionaries have been often pu­ [...]ished for others whom they have [...]e presented.

Now to render such a trans­ [...]ction just, that one be made to [...]uffer for anothers fault, there are [...]ut these things necessary.

1. That the innocent person [...]ave a dominion over that which [...]e parts with; hence a person [...]aving a dominion over his estate may alienate it to pay anothers [Page 96] debt, and had we as absolute pow [...] over our lives as over our money▪ we might likewise dispose [...] them for the preservation of th [...] lives of others. And among th [...] Heathens, who apprehended tha [...] they had the same right over th [...] one as over the other, there wan [...] not instances of that nature; neither were those commutations among them ever blamed of injustice. The example of Dam [...] and Pithias is obvious. That which alone renders such transactions unjust is, that we have not a domini [...] on over our lives, and so cannot alienate and part with them: But now Christ had a plenary domini [...] on over his own life, and so coul [...] freely dispose of it for the lives o [...] others, John 10. 18. I lay down my life of my self, I have power to lay it down.

2. That there be a willingnes [...] in the parties concerned, in the Judg and Ruler, to allow and ac­cept [Page 97] such a commutation in the [...]bses and Surety to condescend to, [...]nd engage in such an undertak­ [...]ng: There is no wrong done, [...]en all parties are willing. Now [...]oth parties are here agreed; the Father in calling and inviting Christ to it, John 10. 18.—I lay [...]own my life—this commande­ment have I received of my Father. The Son in readily, submitting to [...]nd engaging in the work, Heb. 10. [...], 6, 7, 8, 9.—loe I am [...]ome, &c.

3. That the party stipuluting be [...]ble to overcome all he exposeth [...]imself to, and that those in [...]hose stead he doth it, do there­ [...]y escape what they themselves [...]ood obnoxious to. If either [...]e be sure to perish in the engage­ [...]ent, or they for whom he under­ [...]akes be likely to receive no ad­ [...]antage by it, then the whole un­ [...]ertaking is altogether inconsistent [...]ith wisdome, whatever it be [Page 98] with righteousness. But now Jesus Christ know himself able t [...] discharge all he became bound for, Joh. 10. 18. I lay down my life, and I take it up again. And certai [...] deliverance was to attend those i [...] whose room he became substitute [...] Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed u [...] from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.

4. That there be some near con­junction in him that suffers, with those that should have suffered. Justice doth not allow that a per­son altogether inconcerned in the offence, should be subjected to the punishments due to those with whom he hath no relation. But now there is the nearest union be­twixt Christ and those in whose behalf he became engaged.

(1.) There is an union of nature, the satisfaction is made in the same nature in which the offence was committed, Heb. 2. 14, 16. There could have been no possibility of [Page 99] [...]aving sinners, without a satisfa­ [...]tion in the nature that sinned; [...]nd there was no need at all of Christ's having assumed our na­ [...]ure, but only in order that he [...]ight suffer and dye in it: And [...]he Apostle in forecited place, [...]aketh his assuming our nature, [...]he very foundation of his fitness [...]o undertake in our behalf, and the ground why the benefits of his suf­ [...]ering do in justice redound to us.

(2.) Being one with us in na­ [...]ure, he became also one with us in [...]aw: Though Physically the Sure­ [...]y and Debter be two different [...]en, yet Juridically and in conspe­ [...]tu fori, in the account of the [...]aw, they are one and the same [...]erson. Thus Christ being our [...]urety, was one with us legally, and in a law sense became charge­able wi [...]h, and pu [...]suable for all [...]ur sins, Isa. 53. 6.—The Lord [...]aid on him the iniquity of us a [...], [...] Cor. 5. 21. He made him to be [Page 100] sin for us, who knew no sin.

(3.) He became also one with, u [...] in a mystical and spiriturl sense, on [...] with us as head to members, Eph. 1. 22, 23. One with us a [...] husband to wife, Eph. 5. 31, 32. And one with us as King to Sub­jects. Now as a husband may b [...] justly sued for his wives debt; and if the hand offend the head may be smitten. So is Christ withou [...] any unrighteousness impleadable for our sins.

5. That the inducements mov­ing to such a transaction be weigh­ty and considerable: It is not f [...] that the criminal himself shoul [...] be released, nor that an innocen [...] person should be substituted i [...] his room, but upon a cause that i [...] momentous and great. There­fore do Historians justifie the De­cii in devoting themselves to death in that it was for the preservatio [...] of the Commonwealth. No [...] there was most important rea­son [Page 101] [...]ns for the transfering our guilt [...]pon Christ, and exacting satis­ [...]ction at his hand.

(1.) Because otherwise the [...]hole race of mankind had been [...]terly lost. In the fall of Angels [...]ere was only a certain number [...]at sinned, millions being preser­ [...]d in their obedience to God, and [...] condition of blessed enjoying of [...]m. But in the fall of man the [...]hole race was involved. not so [...]uch as one of the whole kind [...]uld have ever come to the frui­ [...]on of God; and besides God [...]ould have mist that, which was [...]art of his end in the creating of [...]em, viz. active glory in a way of [...]anksgiving and praise. Now [...]ough their was no necessity arose [...]om hence upon God, but that [...] might have left them in their [...] and misery; yet there was a [...]eat agreeableness in it to the Di­ [...]ne wisdom, that a whole species [...] rational creatures should not [Page 102] be lost; but that as there we [...] some of the Angels who stood [...] give God the active glory of h [...] perfections and works; so som [...] of fallen mankind should be recovered to joyn forever with th [...] in that employment.

(2.) Because otherwise God ha [...] lost the opportunity of glorifyin [...] his mercy and grace. God in th [...] creation of the world had glorifi­ed his power, wisdom, and boun­ty; and in the preterition of falle [...] Anctels, he had glorified his holi­ness and vindictive justice: No [...] without the recovering of falle [...] man, his mercy and grace had no [...] been equally honored and mani­fested with his other properties▪ And it is observable, that there i [...] no one attribute of God's nature▪ by which he loveth and chuseth to m [...]ke himself more known, ther [...] goodness, clemency, and mercy▪ Exod. 34. 6, 7. 2 Chron▪ 30. 9. Ps [...]l. 86. 5, 15. and 3. 4. and alibi.

[Page 103](3.) Because otherwise all reli­ [...]ion had been necessarily extin­ [...]uish'd in dispair. It is not pos­ [...]ble to serve God without hope [...]f reward, Heb. 11. 6. Had man [...]een unavoidably left obnoxious [...]o wrath he would through des­ [...]air have resigned himself to all [...]in and villany; being left equally [...]opeless with the devils, he would [...]ave been as opposite to the love and obedience of God as they. Now it was very becoming the Divine wisdome, that obedience and service should not utterly pe­rish from the earth.

6. The last thing needful to ren­der such a transaction just i [...], that the honor of the transactors be height­ned, at lest secured by the transaction. It were no ways consonant either to wisdom or righteousness, to allow the interposure of a fidejussor or substitute, if more could be had by retaining the offendor. But now by the exacting satisfaction [Page 104] from Christ as our Surety, the glo­ry of the perfections of God's na­ture, the honour of his law and government are much more en­hanced, than if God should have inflicted punishment personally upon us. First, for his Law, that is honored both in the precept, and threatning of it; Christ hav­ing both fulfilled the command and born the curse: whereas had God confined himself to the sin­ner, he had forever lost the honour of the obediente of his law, and could have only honoured his threatning. 2ly. For the proper­ties of his nature. (1.) Had he detained the offendor, he had com­passed only the honour of his ju­stice, but he had mist the glory of his grace: His justice indeed had been conspicuous, but his mercy had never come in view. He had rendred himself dreadful and terrible to his creatures, but not endeared, whereas now he hath [Page 105] given evidence and demonstration of it to the utmost, 1 John 4. 10. Eph. 2. 4, 5, 6, 7. (2.) For his justice, though it had been enough that it did not suffer through the the releasing the offendor, yet it is moreover exalted above whatever it could have been, had God re­solved on the destruction of the sinner. (1.) Had he executed the punishment upon us, his justice had been glorified only passively, but by inflicting it upon Christ, it is glorified not only passively, but also actively. Christ loved the Majesty of God at the same tim [...] he satisfied his Justice, but the damned while under the effects of God▪s justice, they hate both it and his holiness: The voluntary suf­ferings of Christ do infinitely more honour the justice of God, than the forced torments of the ungodly can. (2.) In that had he confined himself to the sinner, his justice should never have been sa­tisfied. [Page 106] The damned are alwise paying their debt, but yet never pay it. Now Christ hath satisfi­ed to the full. (3.) In that justice hath not only all its demands, but is obliged with a surplusage; he that was our creditor, is become our debtor; there is more honor ariseth to God from Christ's suf­ferings, than he suffered dishonor by our sins. 3ly. For his wisdom, how wonderfully is that display'd in the whole transaction▪ the debt pay'd, and yet the debtor forgiven; sin punished, and yet the sinner ac­quitted: God at once infinitely righteous, and withal gracious. Death submitted to, yet conquer­ed, &c. See Eph. 1. 8. Eph. 3. 10. and as the Father is honoured through this transaction, so is the Son; hereby he gives demonstra­tion of his love to mankind, Rev. 1. 5. is rewarded for his sufferings with a numerous seed, Isa. 53. 10, 11. And in recompence for his [Page 107] depression and humiliation, he hath a name given him above every name, Phil. 2. 7, 8, 9. Eph. 1. 21, 22. and to overweigh his cross and shame, he is crowned with dignity, honour, and glory, Heb. 2. 9.

Having thus far cleared our way, by demonstrating that it is not against justice for one to be made suffer for anothers sin, and having opened what conditions are necessary to render such a trans­action righteous, and that they all meet in the affair before us. Be­fore we come to the proof of Christ his having suffered what we should have suffered, we desire further to premise these three things.

1. We are to distinguish what is essential in the punishment, from what only is accidental in it, what it includes in its own nature from what ensueth through the weakness of the subject. If we consider [Page 108] only what is absolutely included in the threatning, we shall find no more but this, namely, that the sinner ought to undergo, both as to sense and loss as much as it is possible for a creature to bear. The law principally eyes the quality and the weight of the punishment, not so much the duration and con­tinuance. The living and dying in Prison is no part of a man's debt, neither is that the primary intention of the law towards any, yet this comes justly to be his lot, that will not, or cannot pay his debt. That which lyes then for­mally in the threatning is death, Rom. 6. 23. wrath, Rom. 2. 5. and the curse Gal. 3. 10. but that this is eternal, ariseth meerly from the finiteness and weakness of the creature: If a sinner could at once bear that which is proportionable and equal in justice to his crime, and by so doing make satisfaction, there might in time be an end of his [Page 109] punishment, but this he cannot do, [...]nd therefore must suffer forever according to what he is capable of bearing. Now Christ was to un­dergo only what was formally in the threatning, to bear the weight of it, and having by bearing of it made satlsfaction, he was no ways concerned in the eternity and duration of the punishment, ju­stice it self discharging him, the debt being pay'd.

2. We must distinguish betwixt those effects which flow naturally from suffering, and those which through the corruption of the party punished, flow only accidentally from it. If the Socinians would be pleased to take notice of this, they would ease us the trouble of that thread-bare objection, viz. that in case Christ underwent the punishment of the law, he beho­ved to dispair and blaspheme, for­asmuch as these do not flow natu­rally from suffering, but proceed [Page 110] meerly from the corruption and imbecillity of those that suffer. A person may undergo punish­ment, without either murmuring at the Judge who sentenceth him, or reproaching the law by which he is condemned. The blasphe­my of a damned sinner ariseth in way of causation meerly from his own corruption, his pains are at most but occasional of it; and while he had mercies they issued in the like effects. For the dispair of a damned person, it proceeds hence, that he knows he shall ne­ver make satisfaction, nor extri­cate himself from under what he feels. Now it was not possible, that either of these should fall up­on Christ; not the first, seeing he was perfectly holy in his nature, without any principle of or incli­nation to sin: Not the second, in that he knew himself able to make God a satisfaction, and foresaw, and believed a glorious issue from all his pains.

[Page 111]3. We must make a difference be­twixt those sufferings which were directly in the threatning, and those that were only consequentially [...]in it. Those, that the humane na­ture may be made obnoxious to, though it be holy and innocent; and those that follow the humane nature, as existing only in our sinful persons. Christ assumed only the common nature of man, and not the person of any man; and there­fore was neither subject to passio­nate disorders of mind, nor pain­ful sicknesses of body; seeing these do not appertain to the essence of the humane nature, but only at­tend it as it exists in our sinful per­sons.

These things being premised, I come now to prove that Christ hath suffered what we should have suffered; and that the same pe­nalty which was due to us was in­flicted on him: the death and curse which the law denounced [Page 112] against the sinner, Christ as the Surety bore.

The punishment which was due to us consisted of two parts, death and the curse to be inflicted upon us; and the favour of God to be suspended and withdrawn from us.

1. That which was expresly denounced, as the penalty of sin was death and the curse, Gen. 2. 17. Deut. 27. 26. Rom 6. 23. Rom. 5. 12. Gal. 3. 10. And this, and no less; this very punishment, and not an other did Christ under­go: the same sentente of the law, which should have been executed upon us, was executed upon him. There was a change of persons, the Surety suffering for the Debtor, the just for, the unjust; but no change of punishment at all. Christ tast­ed death, Heb. 2 9. was put to death, Joh. 18. 31, 32. became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross, Phil. 2. 8. bore the curse, [Page 113] Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us. The Apostle having asserted in the 10. verse, that every person who continues [...]ot in all things, which are writ­ [...]en in the Book of the Law to do [...]hem, is cursed: He here opens [...]ow believers, notwithstanding [...]hat commination, come to be [...]eed from the curse; namely, be­ [...]ause Christ hath born it; and for [...]he proof of this, he refers them [...]o Deut. 21. 23. where they were [...]aught so much. [...], Execra­ [...]o, a Curse, the abstract for the [...]oncrete (as is usual in Scripture,2 C [...]r. 3. 9. and 5. 21 Eph. 5. 8. John 17 17. Rom. 3. 30. [...]e the Texts in the Margin) that is, [...]e underwent all the wrath which [...]e law denounced; particularly, [...]at death to which it only affixed [...] curse. By curse we may either [...]nderstand the sentence of the law [...]ecrating and condemning the sin­ [...]r, which is called the curse [...]tively, or we may understand [Page 114] the execution of punishment ac­cording to that sentence which is the curse passively; for in both re­spects Christ was made a curse. I would have well observed here, that though hanging was reckoned always an ignominious kind of death, ye [...] that it alone was an ac­cursed death, arose meerly from the constitution of the Law-mak­er, and the declaration of the Law. Whatever malefactors were hang­ed before the enacting and pro­claiming of this Law, we have no ground to believe that they were accursed; and originally the curse was ceremonial, being in­tended by God as a type of the moral curse, which Christ was to bear. Suspensus, secundum legem ceremonialem est execrationi Deo: nam alicqui neque secundum naturae legem, nec secundum jura civilia, neque per seipsum denique, qui sus­pensus est, Deo execrabilis, Jun. Pa­ral [...]ll. l. 2. And here the provi­dence [Page 115] of God is very observable, that whereas suspension was not any o [...] the capital punishments prescribed by Moses, neither was it the custome of the Jews to pu­nish their malefactors with that kind of death, Christ should dye by a Romane and not a Judaical law. It is true, that some after they were stoned to death, were sometimes for the enormity of their fact, put to the ignominy ofDeut 21. 22. And he be to be put [...]o death, and thou hang him on a Tree; ough [...] to be read, and he be put to de [...]th. and thou hang him on a Tree, See Grot. and Fag. on the place. the Gibbet, but otherwise it was no Judaick punishment; and had Christ been executed according to a Mosaick law, he could not have been Crucified. But among the Romans, it was a death to which they often used to put Traitors, Thieves, Murderers, and Seditious persons. Authores Seditionis aut tumultus▪ pro qualitatis d [...]gnitate, aut in crucem tolluntur, aut bes [...]tis obj [...]c [...]untur, Paulus. l. 5. tit. 22. Now Christ being condemned by Pilate upon accusation of affecting [Page 116] the Soveraignty, disturbing the Nation, and being an enemy to Caesar, Luc. 23. 2. Joh. 19. 12. underwent the death of the Cross, which was the Roman punishment for these crimes. Crucem autem irrogatam Christo, tanquam seditio­nis auctori verissimè à multis nota­tum est▪ eam enim p [...]nam ei cri­mini statuunt Romanae leges, Grot. in Mat. 27. And as of all deaths it was the most painful and shame­ful, summum supplicium, Paul. in Se [...]tent. Extrema poena, Apul. Servile supplicium, Tacit. Pone crucem servo, Juven. So over all these there was in the death of Christ the curse of the law, and the wrath of God. And this, to­gether with the apprehension and sense of the withdrawment of his Fathers love (of which more anone) was the rise of that grief and hor­rour in the soul of Christ, which the Holy Ghost by the several E­vangelists so largely expresseth. [Page 117] His soul was exceeding sorrowful, Mat. 26. 38. [...], undequaque tristis, Bez. It▪ signifies the soul surrounded and encompassed with an excess of sorrow, beset with grief round about. The soul de­pressed and bowed under dejection of mind, the Holy Ghost seems to [...]ave respect to Psal. 116. 3. The [...]orrows of death compassed me, and [...]he pains of hell got hold upon me: [...] found trouble and sorrow. See [...]lso Psal. 22. 14. Mark expresseth [...]t, He began to be sore amazed and [...]ery heavy, Mar. 14. 33. [...], [...] signifies an high degree of hor­ [...]our and amazement, Medici vo­ [...]ant horripilationem, when the hair [...]ands up through fear, [...]. [...]ravissimè angebatur, Bez. It im­ [...]lies much fear attended with rest­ [...]eness and anxiety of mind: Prae [...]oerore pene concidere animo. John [...]presseth it, Now is my soul trou­ [...]ed, Joh. 12. 27. [...], it sig­ [...]fieth great trouble through fear [Page 118] or grief: Hence tartarus, hell, [...], quia terret omnia. Luke satth he was in an agony, Luke 22. 44 [...], it signifi­eth fear and commotion of mind, upon the feeling and foresight of evil and danger, yet not so as to be dispirited, or disheartned. From hence also proceeded his bloody sweat ibid. his sweat was as it were great drops of blood. Tears were not sufficient eviden­ces of his inward sufferings, nor could the sorrows of his heart be vented enough at his eyes, but the innumer [...]ble pores of his bo­dy must represent and speak the bitter anguish of his soul. There is no instance can parallel it: That a person under no distem­per of body, who before hand had agreed to lay down his life, and was now willing to do it: A person perfectly innocent both in nature and life, under no accusa­tion of conscience as to personal [Page 119] [...]uilt, free from all solicitude in [...]eference to the cares of the world, and c [...]tain of a Crown of Glory, should be under such [...]nguish and const [...]rnation; which [...]lea [...]ly argues that it did not pro­ [...]eed from the consideration of meer natural death, but from the [...]ense of Divine wrath, and the [...]eeling of the curse. I here are [...]wo instances in Thuanus, which [...]hough very strange yet do infi­ [...]itely differ from this. Dux qui­dam indigna mortis metu adeo con­ [...]ussus animo fuit, ut sanguineum [...]udorem toto corpore fudit, Hist. [...]. 11. Juvenis ob [...]le [...]em causam à S [...]xto 5. ad mortem damnatus, prae doloris vehementia lachrymas crucn­ [...]as fudisse, & sanguinem pro su­ [...]dore, toto corpore mittere visus est, l. 80 I might also add, That his strong crys and tears arose from the same spring, Heb. 5. 7. [...]. It denoteth a most ardent kind of praying: A [...]dentior orandi [...]o [...]ma, [Page 120] cum lachrymis, gemitu, aliisque gestibus conjuncta. Luke express­eth it, [...], he praye [...] more earnestly. To say that all this was only from a preapprehension of his bodily sufferings, is a most irrational as well as a false sugge­stion; for what were this but to abase the valour and courage of Christ below that of thousands of men, who have undauntedly, at least with less consternation, encountred death in its most ter­rible shapes. The ground then of all this anguish and agony which Christ was in, was his conflicting with Divine wrath, and the curse of the law in death. There was not the least change of the punishment in reference to the Surety, from what was denoun­ced against the sinner. The con­sideration of this overthrows, First, the Popish phansie, of Christ his suffering formally only in his body, and in his soul only [Page 121] by way of simpathy; he suffer­ed the very same that we should have suffered, i. e. he suffered both in soul and body. In neither did God spare him, but both gave him up to death, and made his soul an of­fering for sin, Rom. 8. 32. Isa. 53. 8, 10. Secondly, It over­throws the phansie of others, that if God had so pleased, one drop of the blood of Christ might have been a compensation for our sins; whereas seeing it was death, wrath, and the curse which was in the threatning, nothing less could have made a satisfaction for sin. It is a note of Camero's, Dignitas personae [...] satisfacti­onis detrahere nil potest, [...] po­test; ratio est, [...] est satisfacti­on [...] essentialis, [...] non est.

2. The second part of the curse was separation from God, and the sense of the loss of his favour, and this also Christ under­went, being for a time under the [Page 122] with drawment and loss of the feeling of God's love So much was before hand prophesied con­cerning him, Psal. 22. 1. and himself declareth that he bore it, Mat. 27. 46. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken m [...]? It is true, he was not left as to the dissolu­tion of the personal union with the Divine Essence [...]on. 14. 11. and 10. 30. Heb. 9. 14. n [...]r as to the vertue and support of God's power and providence, Psal. 16. 8, 9 Joh. 16. 32. nor as to grace and sanctification, Col. 1. 19. It was needful that he should be al­ways holy, otherwise he had fail­ed in the work which he came about, but [...]t was not needful that he should be always joyful; yea, considering his undertaking, it was impossible that he should be so: and therefore he was left only as to the communication of the ef­fects of Divine love and favour, which is that which the damned [Page 123] [...]ye under in hell. And this, with what I delivered under the for­mer head, was the ground of his fear, agony, and bloody sweat, &c. Having proved that Christ suffered the very same which we should have suffered; it naturally follows, that he did it in way of a satisfaction, for there is no other reason imaginable, why God should thus punish a person who in himself was altogether inno­cent, and one so dear to him as his own Son, but that he stood charged as a Surety with our sins, to make satisfaction to Divine Ju­stice for them.

CHAP. VI.

THE next thing which comes under consideration for the more full clearing, that Christ hath satisfied for us is this; that as he suffered the same which we should have suffered, so he suffered it all in our room and stead. It was before hand told, that the Messiah should be cut off, but not for himself, Dan. 9. 26. He was to be penal­ly cut off, not upon his own ac­count, or for himself, but for us. This particular will be fully made out by considering these five things.

1. In that he underwent death, which God had constituted the pu­nishment of sin, and there being no [Page 125] [...]use in himself why he should suf­ [...]r that penalty, It unavoidably [...]llows, that it was because he stood [...]arged with our offences. I do not [...]ow dispute, whether God might [...]ave made man obnoxious to [...]ath in case he had never sinned, [...]e only question is what he hath [...]one: I will not deny, but that [...]od having given us our beings [...]nd lives, might without inju­ [...]ice have taken back, what he [...]ad given, he might in way of do­ [...]inion and soveraignty have sent [...] into the world to act our parts [...]or a time, and then remanded us [...]to our state of not being again; [...]e only question is what he hath one, and that in condecency to is wisdom, goodness, and righte­ [...]usness as governour of his crea­ [...]res; and here we affirm that [...]eath was appointed by God to be [...]e wages of sin, and that if man [...]ad not sinned, he should not have [...]yed, notwithstanding the possibi­lity [Page 126] of dying, which was in ma [...] nature, he should by the power [...] God have been preserved fro [...] actual dying. Whatever he was ob [...] noxious to in the constitution [...] his nature, he should for ever na [...] been free from death in the even [...] And it was very consonant to Di [...] vine wisdom and goodness, th [...] perfect righteousness and puri [...] should have been attended wit [...] life and immortality, and th [...] God should not take away th [...] being which he had bestowed but upon a faileur in reference t [...] the end for which it was given God appointed death to be th [...] punishment of sin, Gen. 2. 17. I [...] the day that thou eatest thereof, th [...] shalt surely dye. This being de­nounced only in case of sin, w [...] are thence fully informed, that i [...] man had not sinned he should no [...] have dyed. To this it were [...]asi [...] to subjoyn many other places o [...] Scripture, Rom. 6. 23. The wag [...] [Page 127] of sin is death. Rom. 5. 12. Death entred into the world by sin. It came not in as a consequent of the frailty of humane nature, but as the deme [...]it of the fall. Hence death is called an enemy, 1 Cor. 15. 26. God made not death, saith [...]he Apocryphal writer. Now Jesus Christ having suffered death, which was the punishment of sin, and having had no sin of his own for which he could be punished, it results by a necessary consequence, that he suffered death as the penalty of our sins, [...]nd as he stood in our room.

Object. Object. But possibly it may be [...]bjected, that this interferes with our own doctrine. For if death be the [...]enalty of sin, then for asmuch as Christ by bearing the penalty hath de­ [...]ivered us from every thing that is [...]enal, he should have delivered us from death too, but not having deli­vered us from death, we contradict [...]ur selves in calling death the pu­ [...]ishment of sin.

Answ. I Answer, All those for who [...] Christ hath satisfied, are delive­red by him from death, so far as it is penal: So that though it be continued, yet it is not as it is a punishment, but in order to other ends; sin and the curse being se­parate from it, it is no more poi­sonous but medicinal. Instead of a punishment, it is become a priviledge. Christ having unstung it, and swallowed up the curse which was in it, 1 Cor. 15. 54, 55. it can­not hurt them, though it seise them. Instead of being an inlet to wrath, it is an entrance to glo­ry.

2. Christ his suffering in our room, will be made further out, if we consider that our sins were laid on him, Isa. 53, 6, 7. The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all; he was oppressed, and he was afflict­ed. That it is the Messiah and none other, who is intended throughout that whole Chapter [Page 129] hath been abundantly justified a­gainst the Jews: and it is utterly impossible with any congruity and sense to apply it to any other. And several testimonies taken hence are in the New Testament expresly ap­plyed to Christ, ver. 1. Joh. 12, [...]7, 38. ver. 4. Mat. 8. 17. ver. 7, 8. Act. 8. 28. ad 36. ver. 12. Luke 22. 37. The attempts of Grotius in accommodating the whole to Jeremiah, have been a­ [...]undantly refuted by Hoornbeck, Alex. Morus, and the learned Dr. Owen, to whose writings I profess my self more beholding for a clear understanding of some things in [...]he mystery of the Gospel, than to [...]ny mans besides. Taking then at present for granted, that it is to be understood of the Messiah: Is it possible that we should desire, in [...]eference to the affair in hand, a Text either more plain or full? He [...]aid on him the iniquities of us all. The word is [...] hiphgiang, [Page 130] from the root [...] pahang. Now [...] signifieth properly to meet▪ and therefore [...] must signifi [...] he made to meet. They were s [...] made to meet on him, that h [...] bore them ver. 11. It were nonsense to render the words, Th [...] Lord made him to intercede the in [...] quity of us all upon him. It s [...] true, the word is sometimes s [...] translated, where the subject matter requires it, as Jer. 7. 16. bu [...] neither Grammar nor context wi [...] allow it to be so here. See ver. [...] 5, 10. He hath born our grieffs, an [...] carried our sorrows—he wa [...] wounded for our transgressions, [...] was bruised for our iniqu [...]ties. Go [...] doth not remit sin only in favou [...] of his Son at his intreaty, as King sometimes pardon Malefactors a [...] the earnest request of a favourit [...] No, Christ prayed that if ma [...] without his death could have bee [...] saved, the Cup might pass fro [...] him, Mat. 26. 39. but it woul [...] [Page 131] not do; they were so laid on him, that God exacted of him a satis­faction for them. He was oppr [...]ssed and he was afflicted, so we render it: but it might be better rendred, It was exacted, and he answered. how [...] nagus, with: sin, signifi­eth to exact and require; and how [...] naaneh, signifieth to answer, as well as to be afflicted, and how translated either ways, it admira­bly establisheth the satisfaction of Christ; see our Annotators on the place. That Christ was to suffer, through having our sins laid on him, was the faith of the Old Testament Church; typified in their imposition of hands upon, and confession of sin over the head of the sacrifice, Levit. 16. 21. Levit 5, 5, 6. Their confessing of sin over the sacrifice, and their laying their hands on it, was both to signifie their earnest desire that their sins might be taken off from them, and laid on the sacrifice, and [Page 132] that the punishment which wasHow far the Hea­then did in this imi [...]ate the [...], see Herodot. lib 2. c. 29. and Plu­tarch in I side. due to them might be upon it: Quicquid à me peccatum est, sit in hujus victimae caput; i. e. paenam peccato commeritam ab illa reposc [...]t Deus: As also a profession of their faith in Christ, as the true sacrifice to be slain for sin, and that the present sacrifice was only a type thereof. And this for the second consideration, for the confirming that what Christ suffered, he suf­fered in our room and stead.

3. That Christ suffered in our room, and as being charged with [...]u [...] sins, will be yet more fully established, if we take notice of that of the Apostle, he was made sin for us, 2 Cor. 5. 21. He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin. Now sin is either to be taken pro­perly or metonymically; metonymically, either by a metonymie o [...] the cause for the effect, Isa. 53. 12 He bore the sin of many. i. e. th [...] punishment, 1 Pet. 2. 24. Wh [...] [Page 133] his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree. i. e. The punish­ment of our sins in his body, Gen. 4. 13. My punishment is greater than I can bear, so we render it; but in the Hebrew, It is my iniquity is greater, &c. See also Gen. 19. 15. Zech. 14. 19. or else by a meto­nymie of the adjunct for the sub­ject; sin put to denote a sacrifice for sin, Levit. 4. 29. and 5. 9. and elsewhere frequently in that book, we render it sin offering, but in the Hebrew it is sin. See also Hos. 4. 8. Isa. 53. 10. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin; so we read it, but it is in the He­brew trespass or sin. Now whe­ther we pitch upon either of these or both, the Text proves this much, that Christ who had no sin of his own to suffer for, suf­fered the punishment that was due to ours; he that had no crime of [...]is own to expiate, became a sa­crifice of expiation for our crimes. [Page 134] Or if you will take sin here pro­perly, as the context by stating sin in opposition to righteousness, seems to encline it. Non per tro­pum est explicandum, sed [...] su­mendum est, pro ut oppositio mon­strat. Walth. Then the imporr will be, that Christ who had no sin in his nature, nor committed any in his life; who in a moral sense was altogether free from sin, was yet in a judicial sense made sin. Our iniquities were charged upon him, and satisfaction ex­acted of him for them, as if they had been his own. Lutherus non male Christum nominavit maximum p [...]ccatorem. It is a most frivolous civil of the Socinians, that Christ his being made sin, signifieth no more than that the world esteem­ed of him, and treated him as a sinner. Sinit cum tractari tanquam scelerosum, Grot. in loc. Won­derfully betraying the truth, even after he had once defended it. [Page 135] There might have been some plea for this exception, if it had been he was accounted sin, or if it had [...]een man made him to be sin: But [...]s (1.) they can hardly shew that [...]o be made sin, is in all the Scri­ [...]ture of the same intendment with being esteemed a sinner: much [...]ess (2.) can they show that to be made sin by God, should be ever [...]sed to imply the being reputed a [...]inner by men. (3.) That this can­ [...]ot be the meaning, the next words [...]at out of question; For as our [...]eing made the righteousness of God, [...]s not that the world holds us for [...]ighteous, but that in a law sense [...]e are constituted as righteous [...]hrough Christ, as God ei­ [...]er desires or can require: So is being made sin is not that the [...]orld esteemed him a sinner, or [...]at God suffered him to be treat­ [...]d by the world as a sinner; but [...]e intendment is that he was l [...] ­ [...]ally, and in a judicial sense cha [...] ­ed [Page 136] with our sins, and that what­ever the law made the punishment of them he bore.

4. Christ his suffering in our room and stead, will be furthe [...] strengthned by considering those expressions and places, in which it [...] expresly affirmed that he died f [...] our sins, and that he suffered for us There are four prepositions the Holy Ghost useth to this purpose that if one be more emphatica [...] that another they may all conspir [...] to justifie this truth. First, o [...] Rom. 4. 24. Who was delivered f [...] our offences; this particle joyne [...] with an accusative doth general [...] signifie the impulsive cause, a [...] not the final. See Mat. 10. 2 [...] and 13. 5. and 14. 9. Joh. 20. 1 [...] 2 Cor. 4. 11. and particularly wh [...] used in reference to sufferings, hath that signification and [...] other, see Levit. 26. 18. 28. De [...] 28. 11. 2 Kings 23. 26. Jer. 1 [...] 22. Joh. 10. 32. in all the [Page 137] places it necessarily signifies the meritorious and impulsive cause, and no wise the final. And so in the foregoing place [...], for our offences must needs be undestood that our offences were the meritorious and impul­sive cause of Christ's suffering. Another particle that the Holy Ghost useth, is [...], Rom. 6. 8. For when we were yet without strength Christ died for the ungodly, Rom. 8. 32. He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up to death for us all. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Christ hath once suff [...]red—the just for the unjust, Tit. 2. 14. who gave himself for us—1 Tim. 2. 6. who gave him­self a ransome for all, Heb. 2. 9. he tasted death for every man, Joh. 10. 15. I lay down my life for my sheep, Luke 22. 19, 20. This is my body which is given for you—This Cup is the New Testament in my blood which is shed for you. Now the particle [...] among [Page 138] other significations that it hathe signifieth sometimes the impulsiv [...] cause, Phil. 2. 13. Eph. 5. 20. Rom. 15. 9. Sometimes the sub­stitution of one in the room of another, 2 Cor. 5. 20. Philem. v. 13. [...]. De­most. Ego pro te molam, Terent. Particularly when the sufferings of one for another is exprest by it, it always signifieth the substitution of one in the place of another, Rom. 9. 3. [...]. Eurip. Unum pro multis dabitur caput.

When ever it's used to imply ones dying for another, it always signifi­eth the dying in his stead. Ano­ther Preposition made use of in this affair is [...] 1 Pet. 3. 18 Christ also hath once suffered for sins, Gal. 1. 4. who gave himself for [Page 139] our sins, 1 Joh. 2. 2. and he is the propitiation for our sins. Now this particle though it hath several significations according as the sub­ject matter requires, yet among others it often signifyeth the im­pulsive cause, Luke 19. 37. Joh. 10. 33. especially when it refers to sufferings, Jud. 15. The last par­ticle made use of to this purpose is [...] Mat. 20. 28. even as the Son of Man came to give his life a ran­some for many. Repeated again Mark 10. 45. Now this Prepositi­on when ever applyed to persons or things, it always imports a sub­stituting of one in the room of another, or an exchanging of one for another, Mat. 2. 22. Mat. 5. 38. and 17. 27. Luke 11. 11. Rom. 12. 17. 1 Cor. 11. 15. 1 Pet. 3. 9. So that from the whole we may con­fidently conclude that Christ not only suffered for our good, but in our room and stead.

5. That Christ dyed not only for [Page 140] our advantage and profit, but in o [...] place, will be fully demonstrated, i [...] we observe that he is sa [...]d to hav [...] born our sins, 1 Pet. 2. 24. who hi [...] own self bare our sins in his ow [...] body on the tree, Heb. 9. 28. Chris [...] was once offered to bear the sins of many, [...] he carried up our sin [...] on his body on the tree; they wer [...] made to ascend on him. Now to bear sin is usually in the Scripture phrase to bear the punishment o [...] sin, Levit. 5. 1. and 7. 18. and 20. 17. Numb. 14. 33. Exod. 28. 43. Ezek. 28. 20. and 23. 49. and 18. 20. Lament. 5. 7. And though it should be granted that to bear sin sometimes signifieth only to remove sin, yet that this is not the sol [...] meaning of it in reference to Christ his bearing sin, the Holy Ghost puts out of question, Isa. 53. 4, 5, 8, 10. He hath born our griefs, and ca [...]rie our sorrows,—he was wounded for our transgressions—for the transgression of my people [Page 141] [...]as he striken—he shall bear [...]eir iniquities. The two words [...]hich the Holy Ghost there useth [...]e [...] nasa, and [...] saball; [...]w though [...] signifies some­ [...]mes only to take away, Job 7. 1. and to forgive, Exod. 34. 7. [...]um. 14. 18. Psal. 32. 1. yet [...]: [...]gnifieth ever to bear, or carry a [...]urthen by taking it on, nor is it [...]nce used otherwise in all the Scri­ [...]tures. And besides, however [...] in other places may be allow­ [...]d to signifie only to remove or [...]ake away; yet that it should sig­ [...]ifie so here, the context will not [...]dmit, In that it is said he bore our [...]ns so, as to be wounded for them, [...]rieved, bruised, chastised, and put [...]o pain for them, which clearly [...]hews the ground and cause of his [...]ufferings, and not only the issue [...]nd the event.

Object. But it is objected, that [...]his of the Prophet of Christ his [...]earing our diseases is applied, Mat. [Page 142] 8. 16, 17. in reference to Christ [...] healing of diseases, and ther [...] fore if the bearing our sickness [...] be only his removing of them by c [...] ring them, in like manner [...] bearing our sins is not the takin [...] them upon himself to undergo the p [...] nishment of them, but only his takin [...] them away by forgiveness and he [...] ing.

To this I return these things b [...] way of Answer. (1.) It may [...] denyed that Christ his bearing o [...] diseases, is to be understood on [...] in reference to his removing [...] them; but that it imports also h [...] travelling under them as a b [...] then▪ He had a fellow feeling [...] the pains and griefs he cured: [...] was affected and afflicted under t [...] sense of them, as if they had be [...] his own, Heb. 4. 15. besides [...] underwent great trouble, pain, an [...] travel in the curing of them. S [...] much at least is implyed in t [...] word [...]. Est in hac voce [...]ne [...] [Page 143] quaedam & [...]olestiae significatio, Grot. Nuspiam non portare sig­nificat, & bajulare, vid. Mat. 3 11. and 20. 12. Mat. 14. 13. Luke 7. 14. and 10. 4. and 14. 27. Joh. 19. 17. and 20. 15. Acts 15. 10. Rom. 15. 1. Gal. 6. 5. Rev. 2. 3.

(2.) We meet with a great deal more in Scripture to induce us to believe that Christ bare our sins by taking them upon him, than that he bare our diseases by taking them upon him; for our sins are said to have been laid on him, Isa 53. 6, and he is said to have been made sin for us, 2 Cor. 5. 21. where­as we do not read that our si [...] ­nesses were laid on him, or that he was made blind, or lame, &c. for us.

(3.) A Scripture may be alleged to be fulfilled, not only when the thing foretold and principally in­tended comes to pass, but when something like it falls out: when there is only an allusion or accom­modation [Page 144] to the Prophesie, though in the primary and literal meaning of it, there be something else in­tended; though there be but one lite­ral & coordinate sense of Scripture, yet there may be divers senses o [...] several kinds one subordinate to another. Compare Psal. 78. 2. with Mat. 13. 35. Isa. 29. 13. with Mat. 15. 7, 8. Jer. 7. 11. with Mat. 21. 13. Isa. 1. 9. with Rom. 9. 29.

(4.) A Scripture may be said to be fulfilled, either when that which is chiefly designed is brought forth▪ or when that which only typisie [...] and represents the other comes t [...] pass. Many things in Scripture ar [...] spoken of the type, which principally belong▪ to the Antitype, s [...] 2 Sam. 7. 14. compared with He [...] 1. 5. and Hos. 1. 11. with Mat. 2. 15▪ and Jer. 31. 15. with Mat. 2. 16▪ 17, 18. Now Christ his healin [...] of bodily diseases, being a type o [...] his curing the diseases of the sou [...] therefore the Holy Ghost appli [...] [Page 145] [...]hat which firstly and chiefly be­ [...]ongs to the one, to the other, that [...] they might not look on Christ [...]s a meer bodily Physitian, but ra­ [...]er as one whose work and end [...] was to heal their souls, where­ [...]f the curing the infirmities of [...]eir bodies was only a type and [...]mbol, see Mat. 8. 2.

(5.) A Scripture may be said [...] be fulfilled, when the accom­ [...]ishment of it is demonstrated [...] the effects. Multa fieri dicun­ [...]r, quando facta esse intelliguntur, [...]e Psal. 2. 7. with Acts 13. 32, 33. [...]hrist in the day of his resurrecti­ [...] is said to be begotten of the [...]ather, because he was then most [...]idently shown to be the Son of [...]od. So Jam. 2. 21. Abraham [...] the offering of his Son Isaac is [...]id to be justified by works, be­ [...]use that great work gave demon­ [...]ation of his being justified. Now [...]hrist his taking away bodily di­ [...]mpers, being an evidence of his [Page 146] taking away sins, which is done b [...] bearing of them; therefore tha [...] which the Prophet spake in ref [...] rence to the cause, the Evangeli [...] applies in reference to the effect [...] So that having dispatched this objection, we presume to conclud [...] from the whole of what hath bee [...] offered, that as Christ suffered th [...] same penalty which was due to us so he suffered it in our room an [...] stead, and as a satisfaction an [...] compensation to God's justice fo [...] our sins.

CHAP. VII.

THat Jesus Christ hath ma [...] satisfaction for our sins wi [...] [Page 147] [...]rther appear, if in the next place [...]e consider, that he hath effected [...]d accomplished what in other cases [...]eth to be the effects and results of a [...]tisfaction; namely, he hath re­ [...]emed us from the wrath and curse [...] which we were obnoxious. To [...]eem in the general import of [...]e word, is either to deliver from [...]ndage and misery, through the [...]tervention of a price; or to re­ [...]ue out of a state of slavery [...]rough force and power. In this [...]uer sence the deliverance of [...]ael out of Egypt is often called [...]demption, Exod. 15. 13. Deut. [...]8, and 9. 26. and 13. 5. and 21. 8. [...]al. 77. 15. and in many places [...]sides. And Moses having been [...]nally employed in that affair is [...]lled [...], deliverer, Acts 7. [...]. and let this be observed by the [...]ay, that as the redemption of [...]e people from the bondage of [...]gypt was typical of the Redem­ [...]ion from the wrath of God; so [Page 148] it is called redemption, not so much from the general nature of deliverance, as from the respect i [...] had to the redemption to be wrought by Christ, whereof i [...] was a type. And besides, as tha [...] temporal deliverance from th [...] Egyptian bondage, was typical o [...] the spiritual redemption from th [...] curse; so there was a typical pric [...] exacted and paid suitable to tha [...] typical redemption, to point to u [...] the real and proper price whic [...] Christ was to pay for our prop [...] and spiritual redemption. An [...] in reference to this it is that Chri [...] is called our Passover, 1 Cor. 5. [...] and as they were redeemed fro [...] temporal wrath, and typically r [...] conciled to God by the blood [...] the Paschal Lamb, so we are r [...] deemed from eternal wrath, a [...] really reconciled to God by t [...] blood of Christ, who is therefo [...] called the Lamb of God, Joh. 1 2 [...] and a Lamb without spot and blemi [...] 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19.

But to redeem in its first and most proper intendment, signifies by the payment and solution of a price and ransome to set free.

Now one may be in bondage, ei­ [...]her as a Debtor to a Creditor, or [...]s a Criminal to a Governour and Ruler; he that is in Prison on the first foot of account, must con­ [...]nue so, unless satisfaction be made by the payment of the summ of which he stands charged; and [...]e that is detained on the second [...]ccount, is not to expect delive­ [...]ance, unless the penalty be under­ [...]one, to which his offence hath [...]endred him obnoxious. And [...]hose who upon other terms come [...]o be free, cannot proberly be said [Page 150] to be redeemed, but only to be re­leased.

Having stated the significatio [...] of the word before I come t [...] prove, that Christ through the payment of a price hath in a pro­per sense redeemed us; I desire to premise these three things.

1. That we stood obnoxious t [...] God's fiery indignation and wrath. His law we had broken, and by his sentence we stood condemned▪ [...] is his judgment, that they who com­mit sin are worthy of death. [...], God's constitution and ap­pointment. The precept of the law being broken, we lay liable to the curse as the penalty of it, Gal. 3. 10. Divine Justice had made us prisoners, Isa. 61. 1. and we were subject to Satan as God's jaylor, and without payment there was to be no deliverance.

2. That as we had for feited the favour of God, and were become sub­ject to his wrath, so we had lost his [Page 151] image, and were fettered in our own lusts. Therefore as we wer [...] to be redeemed from the justice and wrath of God, so we were to be set free from the dominion and power of corruption; as a Ca­ptive delivered from the penalty of the law, is also released from his prison and irons; and as the delivery of a Traitor from the wrath of the Governour, and sen­tence of the law, is the primary and principal thing intended in re­demption, and the loosing of him from his fetters and jayl; follows as consequential and secondary upon that: So Christ having as the chief end of his suffering, sa­tisfied the justice of God, and re­deemed us from his wrath, he hath through a redundancy of merit, which was in his blood consequen­tially purchased grace for us, and set us free from the power of our corruption. Hence as he is said to have redeemed us from the curse [Page 152] of the law, Gal. 3. 13. so he like wise is said to have redeemed u [...] from iniquity, and from our vai [...] conversation, Tit. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18▪

3. We must distinguish betwix [...] pecuniary debts and penal, betwix [...] a meer Creditor and a Governour▪ In pecuniary debts something ma­terial is paid and received, by which the Creditor is made rich­er: In penal, it is enough that th [...] Law be satisfied, though the Go­vernour be not formally made th [...] richer. A person that is wronged may account himself satisfied, i [...] the party who hath offended him hazard his life for him, though h [...] formally pay him nothing. S [...] here it was not needful that Go [...] should properly receive any thing [...] it was enough that he should ac­cept what was done. To mak [...] good God's acceptance of th [...] price, it is sufficient that his law is satisfied, and that his justice suf­fered not by the delivery of th [...] [Page 153] sinner, though he be not formally made the richer; and this is not on­ly true that the justice of God suf­fers nothing by our release, Rom. 3. 25. but besides, it is more glo­rified, than it could have been in the destruction of the sinner.

These things being premised, we come now to prove that Christ, by the interposition of his blood as a price, hath proper­ly in way of solution and pay­ment redeemed and delivered us. And this will appear if we consi­der these three things.

1. If we observe that there was a price paid; and this the Scri­pture fully informs us, 1 Cor. 6. 20. for ye are bought with a price; and what this price was, we are expresly told, 1 Pet, 1. 18, 19. Ye are not redeemed with silver and gold—but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot. Of what use silver and gold are in other [Page 154] cases to redeeme captives, of that use is the blood of Christ to re­deem sinners. Hence Christ's death is called a ransome, Mat. 20. 28. He gave his life a ransome for many, [...], it is all one whe­ther it come from [...] to loose, or [...] to pay. As we w [...]re held prisoners by the law and justice of God, we are by this [...] re­deemed and set free. The Anti­entC [...]ot. in Mat. 28. 20. Jews used to stile the Messiah [...]. It is not improbable that the Romans derived their lu­strum from [...], when many were delivered from destruction by one or more suffering, to pu­rifie and [...]xpiate the sin of the rest. Hinc Dec [...]i dicuntur lustrasse Romanum exercitum. Now Christ was such a [...], instead of many. Hence he is stiled [...], 1 Tim. 2. 6. Quum alius solvit, quod reus non potera [...], Ar [...]t. Est tale pretium in quo liberator simile quid sub [...]t et [...]alo quod ei imminebat qui libera­tur, [Page 155] Scult. It signifieth a coun­ter price, that which one undergo­eth in the room of another. When one giveth his own life▪ for the saving of anothers. Such were those whom the Greeks▪ called [...], who gave life for life, and body for body; who used to devote themselves to death to de­liver others; as Alceste did for Admetus, Philumene for Aristides, An [...]inous for Adrian, the Decii for their Country. So Christ laid down his life to redeem ours, he bore▪ the curse that we might escape it, he shed his blood in our lieu, and offered up himself a va­luable compensation for our re­lease.

2. That it was paid and accept­ed in our lieu▪ and stead. There is no other ground with any consi­stency to Scripture or reason can be assigned of the payment of it; for not being paid for himself, it must meeds have been for us. It [Page 156] is chiefly and principally in refe­rence to this, that he is our Medi­ator; it was God's law and ju­stice which was against us, and the only way for a Mediator to deal with them, was in bearing the penalty to give justice the sa­tisfaction which it did claime. So that should it be granted, that the word is sometimes used to signifie only an interpreter and intermes­senger, yet the nature of the case betwixt God and us doth necessa­rily require, that whoever inter­poseth in way of mediation, must do it by price and ransome. And the Apostle puts it out of doubt, by asserting this as the cause, ground, and end of his mediator­ship, in those places where he so stiles and mentions him, 1 Tim. 2. 5, 6. There is one Mediator be­twixt God and Man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ran­some, Heb. 9. 15, He is the Media­tor of the New Testament, that by [Page 157] means of death, for the redemption of transgressions that were under the first Testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance, Heb. 12. 24. And to Jesus the Mediator of the New Co­venant, and to the blood of sprink­ling▪ In all which places the A­postle clearly assigns this as the cause and reason of Christ's be­ing Mediator, namely, that he gave himself a ransome, and by his blood made reparation for transgression.

3. This will further appear by observing that by vertue of the so­lution and payment which Christ hath made we are said to be redeem­ed, Ephes. 1. 7. repeated, Col. 1. 14. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, &c. Though there be forgiveness, yet it is only through the redemption wrought and ac­complished by the blood of Christ, &c. see Rev. 5. 9. Heb. 9. [Page 158] 12. 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. Rom. 3. 25. In all these places both our redemption is asserted, and the blood of Christ h [...]ld forth as the meritorious and procuring cause of it. The words are [...], and [...], never so far as I re­member, made use of in the whole New Testament, but to denote a proper redemption; save that▪ [...] is once metaphorically employed, Heb. 11. 35. to signi­fie a temporal deliverance. From what hath been offered we may now confidently infer the truth and certainty of a satisfaction.

Object 1 Object. 1. But it is Objected. That Moses as a type of Christ, in reference to his bringing the people of Israel out of Egypt, is called a redeemer, who yet paid no price for them, and consequently that the in­tendment of the Scripture, when it speaks of Christ's having redeemed us, is not that he payd any ransome for us, but only that he hath set us [Page 159] free, which he may have done by other ways and means than the solu­tion of a price.

Answ. To this I offer these An­swers, (1.) It is a strange way of arguing, that because redemption is taken sometimes Metaphorical­ly, that therefore it must always be so taken; because we so inter­pret it in such places, where it is expresly said to be done in a way of power, must we likewise interpret it so in such places where there is express mention of a price and ransome.

(2.) We have shown before, how that temporal deliverance out of Egypt, was not wrought without a typical reconciliation and price, to intimate that the spi­ritual deliverance was not to be effected but by a proportionable price and ransome.

(3.) Though I do not deny but that Moses was a type of Christ, and that the redemption [Page 150] out of Egypt was a type of that which the Messiah was to work; yet it no ways follows, that be­cause the redemption out of E­gypt was without any ransome of price, therefore the redemption from sin must likewise be so; for it is not needful that the type and the thing typified be in all things alike, it is enough if they agree in that, wherein the one was de­signed of God to be the type of the other. Jonas his being in the belly of the Whale, was a type of Christ's being in the bowels of the Earth; must we therefore in­fer, that because Jonas was alive in the belly of the Whale, that Christ was so in the grave? So here, it was sufficient to render Moses a type of Christ, that they were both deliverers, and that they both wrought deliverances; but it was no wise needful either that their deliverances should be of one kind, or accomp [...]ished [Page 161] after one manner. The deliverance which Moses wrought, was a tem­ [...]oral deliverance; who will therefore say that that of Christ was but a temporal deliverance? [...]o more ought we to alledge, that because the one was accomplished without a price, that therefore the [...]ther must be effected so also.

(4.) Moses was not a type of Christ in all his Offices. Now [...]hat wherein Moses was a type of Christ was Christ's Kingship, and therefore we are not to expect an agreeableness betwixt what Christ wrought as he was Priest, and what Moses did; but we must seek [...]he resemblance in that wherein [...]he one was the type of the other. Now there is a resemblance be­ [...]wixt Moses's redeeming Israel [...]rom the tyranny of Pharaoh, and Christ's redeeming us from the power of Satan.

Object. 2 Object. 2. But is is further ob­ [...]ected, that redemption in this whole [Page 162] affair must be understood in a Metaphorical sense, because we are sai [...] to be redeemed from iniquitie [...] Tit. 2. 14. and from a vain con­versation, 1 Pet. 1. 18. but it can­not be said that there was a pric [...] paid to sin, or that there was a sa­tisfaction made to our vain conver­sation, and consequently that to redeem is no more in this affair but t [...] deliver.

Answ. For Answer, (1.) The objecto [...] at once proclaim themselves igno­rant both of Law and Religion; i [...] there any thing more usual, tha [...] when a person pays to the Creditor the debt of one that is in Prison; or the ransome of one that i [...] in bondage, to him that detain [...] him; to say that that person hath redeemed such a one out of Prison▪ and from the Gally, though the satisfaction was not made to the Prison or Gally, but to him or them▪ by whom they were held and detained in these conditions. In al [...] [Page 163] cases satisfaction is to be made to him who detains the captive by way of law, power, and authori­ty; and not to them who detain him only in subserviency to the principal Creditor and Judge. Now it was God that we were debtors to, and criminals against; it was his Law we had broken, and it was by his Sentence that we stood condemned. Our sins were the debts satisfaction was to be made for, not to be made to: Sa­tan was only an instrument of our vexation and bondage, in subser­viency to God's leave and commis­sion; neither they, nor he were properly our detainers, but only as the Jaylor and Irons detain a Malefactor at the Action of the Creditor, Sentence of the Judge, and Authority of the Law.

(2.) We have before distin­guished the principal end of Christ's death from the subordi­nate, betwixt that which was the [Page 164] primary end of his dying, and that which was only secondary. Now the principal and primary end of the death of Christ, was the satis­fying the justice of God, the ma­king him a compensation for the dishonour which had been done to his Name, and for the contempt which had been shown to his Law; the secondary, and that which was only consequential on the for­mer, was the purchasing the spirit and grace for us, that thereby we might be enabled to resist and con­quer Satan, kill and subdue inbred corruption, have a conformity wrought in us to God's holiness, and be brought again to a willing obedience.

CHAP. VIII.

TO reconcile is to restore and recover lost friendship, it is the renuing of peace betwixt per­sons once at an agreement, but now at variance; so that it suppo­seth these two things.

1. That there was once a peace and friendship betwixt God and Man. God approved Man, and Man loved God. In the state of innocency there was a twofold uni­on betwixt Man and God; an union of nature, he was like God; and an union of state, he was Gods friend.

[Page 166]2. By the fall there arose a breach of that peace and friend­ship We at once lost the image of God, and forfeited his f [...]vour; we became alienated from God through sin, and God became alienated from us for sin. The enmity is mutual, not only on our part to God, Col. 1. 21. but on God's part to us. There is no peace in him to the wicked, Isa. 48. 22. They are the children of his wrath, Ephes. 2. 3. And under his curse, Gal. 3. 10. Their per­sons are an abomination to him, Psal. 5. 5. And their services an ab­horrency, Prov. 15. 8 and 21. 4. Now Christ by a satisfactory sa­crifice hath appeased the anger of God, purchased his grace to renue us, and so hath brought God and Man into a state of friend­ship and favour again.

The words the Holy Ghost ex­presseth this by, are [...] Rom. 5. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19, 20. [...] [Page 167] [...], Ephes. 2. 16. Col. 1. 20, 21. [...], Col, 1. 20. [...], Rom. 5. 11. 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19. [...], Heb. 2 17. [...] 1 Joh. 2. 2. 1 Joh. 4. 10. [...], Rom. 3. 25. Now all these words sig­nifie to appease, to render propiti­ous, to turn away anger, to attone, to reconcile and import as well God's being' reconciled to us, as our being reconciled to God. [...], in S [...]phocles is to at­tone the Anger of the Gods, and to render them propitious and fa­vourable. [...] in Home [...], is by sacrifice to appease God. It is that which the Latines call Propitiare & placare. And in this sense do the Septuagint most fre­quently make use of them, Exod. 30. 15, 16. and 32. 30. Levit. 4. 20. and 10. 17. Numb. 28. 22, 30. In all which places, and innum [...]ra­ble more, the words signifie by appeasing anger, to reconcile God to us.

It is not denied but that the words are used sometimes to im­port and signifie our accepting the tenders of God's grace and favour, as 1 Cor. 5. 20. We pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled. But withal we affirm that in their most frequent use, they signifie the ap­peasing God's anger, and the re­conciling him to us. This we confirm from the ensuing Scri­ptures, Rom. 5. 10. When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. Where by being reconciled is principally meant, God's being reconciled to us, as appears,

(1.) Because the reconciliation spoken of here, is that to which justification is equivalent, ver. 9. but justification is God's reconci­liation to us, not our conversion to him.

(2.) In that the reconciliation here intended, is that which is the immediate effect of the death of [Page 169] Christ; and consequently we can­not understand by it the reconciling of our natures to God, this being immediat fruit of the spirit of Christ, (for though remotely it be founded on the death of Christ, yet in Scripture it is made the im­mediate effect of the resurrection, life, and power of Christ, Acts 5. 31. and latter part of this same verse 10. Much more being recon­ciled by the death of his Son, we shall be saved by his life.) But we must necessarily understand the re­conciling of God to us.

(3.) Because the reconciliation here spoken of is that which is tendred to us, and which we re­ceive, ver. 11.—have received the atonement, and therefore can­not be meant of our reconciliati­on or conversion to God, foras­much as we are not said to receive our conversion, or to have our conversion tendred to us, but must needs be spoken in reference to [Page 170] the appeasing of God's anger to­wards us, and our acceptation with him; and accordingly the Syriack renders it, Reconciliatus est nobiscum Deus, God was recon­ciled to us. Another Scripture which offers for the further esta­blishing of this is, 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19, 20. All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Je­sus Christ, and hath given us the ministry of reconciliation, to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of re­conciliation, now then we are Em­bassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. Besides the reconciliation of man to God by conversion, mentioned in the latter end of the 20 vers. and to which we are there exhorted: There is also mention of God's reconciliation to us, and [Page 172] [...]hat this is the main thing insisted [...]on, and intended by the Apostle appears,

(1.) In that he expresseth it by God's not imputing our sins to us, not by our conversion from sin to God; and what is it now for God not to impute sin? it is, not [...]o charge our sins upon us, so as [...]o condemn us, but in considera­ [...]ion of the death of Christ to lay aside his anger, and receive us into [...]avour.

(2.) Because the reconciliation [...]ere intended, is that, the declarati­on whereof is committed to the Ministers of the Gospel: Now that which they have in trust to Preach, is not that we are actually converted to God, but that God in consideration of the sufferings of Christ is willing, upon terms of faith and repentance, &c. to take us into favour and friendship.

(3.) Because, if the intend­ment of all these Verses, were only [Page 172] our conversion to God, we should be necessitated to fasten nonsen [...] upon the Apostle, for at this ra [...] of expounding, the import woul [...] be, ye are converted, therefore be ye converted. Many more testi­monies speaking clearly to the same purpose, if I studied no [...] brevity, might be alledged: Se [...] Ephes. 2. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Col. 1. 20.

Object. But it may be objected, that we often read of our being re­conciled to God; but we do not once read in the whole Bible that God i [...] reconciled to us.

Answ. It is true, but the reason is because God is the offended Ru­ler and Judge, and we are the of­fending Subjects; now in every case the party who offends is said to be reconciled to the party offended, and not on the contrary, so Mat. 5. 23, 24. 1 Cor. 7. 11. See that pertinent place to this purpose, 1 Sam. 29. 4. where the Philistines [Page 173] [...]efusing to let David march along with them to the encounter against Saul, assign this as the reason of it: For wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his Master? should it not be with the heads of these men? Now David had no enmity nor anger against Saul, only Saul was angry with David, and yet it is ex­pressed that David should recon­cile himself to Saul, i. e. that he would endeavour by such a strata­gem to make Saul his friend. God having given us no cause then why we should be angry with him, but we having given him cause of be­ing provoked against us, it lyes with us to go and reconcile our selves to him, but how? by the appeasing of his anger, which for­asmuch as we could not do, Christ hath done it. That Christ by the appeasing of God's wrath and anger hath wrought reconcili­ation, and by consequence our ve­ry adversaries being judges made [Page 174] satisfaction, will receive full esta­blishment, if we consider thes [...] things.

1. That this was prophesied before hand of the Messiah, Dan. 9▪ 24.—and to make reconcil [...]a­tion for iniquity. Which the Apo­stle expresly applies to Christ, Heb. 2. 17. Wherefore in all thing [...] it behoved him to be made like unt [...] his brethren, that he might be▪ [...] merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. [...] is by an enallage put for [...], to make reconci­liation with God for iniquities; not meerly, Peccata a [...]ferre, aut purgare à peccato; to take away [...] apud grae­cos Scri­ptores o­mnes poc­tas, hic o­ricos, alios est placare. G [...]ot. de satisf sin, or to cleanse from sin; as Gro­tius in his notes, contrary to him­self elsewhere, but expiare, placa­re, to attone, to reconcile by re­moving wrath according to the constant use of the word in all [Page 175] Greek Authors. It is equivalent to that phrase, Heb. 1. 3.—when he had by himself purged our sins. Namely, by the attoning and paci­fying God's anger, through the sa­crifice of himself, that we should not be condemned for them; not by the sanctification of believers from them. It is an observation of the reverend and learned Dr. O­wens, that wherever sin, not sin­ners, are made the object of any mediatory acts of Christ, that act immediately respecteth God, and not the sinner. So Heb. 9. 15. For the redemption of trans­gressions, i. e. to redeem from the wrath due to transgression, by ma­king God a reparation. And Heb. 9. 26.—he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, to take it away by satisfaction, so that it should not be charged.

2. Christs reconciling us to God by propitiation and attonement, will receive further strength and light, [Page 176] if we observe that this was the great truth and mystery which was signified and intended in the Aare­nical Priesthood, and Levitical Sa­crifices. That these did in their institution and end typifie the sa­crifice of the Son of God, the Ho­ly Ghost puts out of question by calling them shadows, Col. 2. 17. Heb. 8 5. Heb. 10. 1. figures, Heb. 9. 9. patterns, ibid. ver. 23. [...]. Now attonement and reconciliation is every where a­scribed to these, Levit. 4. 20. and 5. 6. and 6. 7. and 10. 11. Num. 5. 8. and 28. 22. and 31. 50. & alibi. And that not only in reference to some sins, or to lesser sins, but in reference to all sins, to the ve [...]y great­est, Levit. 16. 21, 22. Levit. 5. 1, 2, 3. 4, 5, 6, 7, 14. &c. Num. 5. 6▪

Object▪ If it should be objecte [...] that there were some sins fro [...] which by the law of Moses the [...] could not be justified, Acts 13. 39▪ and therefore that their sacrifice [...] [Page 177] did not serve to make attonement for all sins.

I Answer, (1.) All that the Apostle intends is, that the sacri­fices of the law could expiate no sin further than typically, and that it was Christ whom they typified who could alone absolutely ju­stifie from any sin. The sacrifices of the law could not of them­selves so much as attone for one sin, Gal. 3. 13. but typically they ser­ [...]ed to make attonement for every [...]n: The Jews in reference to whom [...]he Apostle discourseth, trust­ [...]d solely to sacrifices for righte­ [...]usness and life, and in this he [...]firms that they were mistaken, [...]d that it was only the blood [...]d sacrifice of Christ which they [...]gnified and shadowed, that could [...]ally free the conscience from the [...]ilt of the least sin.

(2.) It may be Answered, that [...]der the law there was a twofold [...]ilt, a Ceremonial, and a Moral; [Page 178] one external binding over the transgressour unto temporal pu­nishment, another spiritual bind­ing over the offendor unto eterna [...] wrath. Now sacrifices as the [...] were incorporated into their policy as well as a part of their worship were in many cases appointed, an [...] accordingly served to deliver fro [...] temporal guilt, Heb. 9. 15. b [...] there were other cases wherei [...] they were not at all allowed to deliver from the temporal punishment, Psal. 51. 16. but accordin [...] to their political constitutions death was without mercy to [...] inflicted on the offendor. No [...] says the Apostle, these sins fro [...] the temporal guilt of which a [...] your sacrifies could not dischan [...] you, the blood of Christ is su [...] cient to acquite you from the ete [...] nal guilt even of those.

This objection being discha [...] ed, it stands established that [...] tonement and reconciliation [Page 179] ascribed to sacrifices, and that not only in reference to some sins, but to every sin. Now this expiation was not real, but only typical; all their sacrifices were not able to acquit them from the moral guilt of one sin, Heb. 9. 9. and 7. 19. and 10. 4. For it is not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins. But the sole intendment of all their sacrifices was to shaddow forth the great sa­crifice of the Messiah, and the at­ [...]onement and expiation which were to be made by it. This will arrive with more light to the Rea­der, if we present it in these three [...]eads.

1. Christ is our true Priest in [...]atters pertaining to God, whom all he other Priests did but shaddow. All others were only called Priests [...]ecause they represented him, and [...]utwardly by type expressed, what [...]e was really to accomplish and [...]o: and never one could do the [Page 180] proper work of a Priest, namely, make reconciliation for the sins of the people, but he. That he should be a Priest then only in a metapho­rical sense, is such a contradiction to Law and Gospel, as it could not possibly receive the entertainment of any, who had not first set themselves in opposition to the whole mystery of God▪ but that Christ was properly a Priest, may be many ways rendred evident.

(1.) From the definition of a Priest properly so called, Heb. 5. 1. Every high Priest taken from among men is ordained for men in thing [...] pertaining to God, that he may offe [...] both gifts and sacrifices for sin That this is the definition of [...] Priest properly so called, is bot [...] clear in the thing it self, for if suc [...] a one as is here described be no [...] properly a Priest, there was neve [...] a Priest properly so called in th [...] world; as also in the Apostles a [...] commodating it, ver. 4. to Aaro [...] [Page 181] who was unquestionably a Priest in a proper, and not in metaphori­cal sense. Now that Jesus Christ is such a Priest as is here described, is manifest in that all the parts of this description do admirably ap­pertain to him; he was taken from among men. To this very end principally, and none other, did he partake of the humane na­ture, Heb. 10. 5. He was also or­dained for men, see ver. 5, 6. and herein he excelled all other Priests that he was constituted only for others, and not for himself, Heb. 7. 27. Lastly, he was ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices, yea here­in he transcended all other Priests, that he had something of his own to offer; other Priests had indeed something to offer, but nothing of their own; they only offered the bodies of beasts, which the peo­ple brought them, but Christ had a body given him to be at this own disposal to this purpose. That [Page 182] this description of a Priest belongs properly to Christ, yea, that it is he whom the Holy Ghost princi­pally describes, may be put out of question, by observing that the A­postle applies it ver. 5. particular­ly to him.

(2.) That Christ was properly a Priest, may be further establish­ed from Heb. 8. 3. Every high Priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of neces­sity that this man have somewhat also to offer. Now if Christ be not truly a Priest, this way of arguing is altogether impertinent; for it might be easily replyed, that though it be needful that a Priest properly so called, should have somewhat to offer, yet it is not ne­cessary that he who is only meta­phorically a Priest, should have any thing to to offer; for it is no ways needful, that whatever ap­pertains to that which is true and real, should also appertain to that [Page 183] which is figurative and improper. Though a man be a rational crea­ture, yet it doth not follow that the picture of a man should be so. And therefore the Apostle by concluding that Christ behoved to have somewhat to offer, be­cause he was a Priest, mvst needs intend that he was a Priest in a proper, and not in a metaphorical sense.

(3.) It appears further, that Christ was truly and properly a Priest, in that he was a Priest of a true and proper order, namely, of the order of Melchisedeck, Psal. 110. 4. Heb. 5. 10. and 7. 17. 21. I do not now dispute who Mel­ch sedeck was, all that I affirm is, that according to the Holy Ghost he was a real Priest, and that his order was a real order, and there­fore Christ being of a true order, behoved also to be a true Priest. As the Levitical Priests were truely and properly Priests, be­cause [Page 184] of the order of Aaron, which was a true and proper order of Priesthood; so Christ being of the order of Melchisedeck, which was a true order of Priest­hood, must also have been a true Priest. And this is the reason why believers though all Priests, Rev. 1. 5. yet are alloted to no order, because they are not pro­perly Priests, but only metapho­rically so.

(4.) That Christ was properly a Priest, may be demonstrate [...] from the design of the Apostl [...] throughout the Hebrews, especial­ly from the 7. chap. to the 10 which is to exalt the Priesthoo [...] of Christ above that of Aaron Now this were the most incon­gruous way of disputing imaginable if Christ were only metaphorically a Priest, Aaron having been properly one; for howeve [...] Christ m [...]ght be more eminen [...] t [...]an Aaron in other respects, ye [...] [Page 185] in respect of his Priesthood he would be less excellent, foras­much as what is so only metapho­rically, is beyond all contradicti­on less than what is properly so.

(5.) This may be yet confirm­ed from the more solemn institu­tion and confirmation of Christ's Priesthood, above that of any other; for the more solemn and sacred the institution of a thing is, the more excellent is the thing it self. Now Christ was esta­blished a Priest by oath, which none other ever was, Heb. 7. 20, 21. and therefore his Priesthood is more excellent than the Priest­hood of any else, and consequent­ly must be a true Priesthood, and not a metaphorical.

(6.) Christ was properly a King & Prophet, and consequently pro­perly a Priest, forasmuch as the Scripture declares him to be a Priest, as well as any of the for­mer, and he was typified in that, as well as in these.

[Page 186]2. He is the true sacrifice; bein [...] a true Priest he must have a tru [...] sacrifice, Heb. 8. 3. yea, all othe [...] sacrifices were but meerly typic [...] of the sacrifice which he was t [...] offer. No other sacrifice coul [...] make the comers thereunto perfec [...] or take away sins, Heb. 10. 1, [...] They were only appointed to be [...] shadow of the great sacrifice [...] Christ, Heb. 8. 5. Heb. 10. 1. H [...] alone in the offering of himsel [...] offered to God a true sacrific [...] That the death of Christ is a s [...] crifice, the following Scriptur [...] may be sufficient to render clea [...] Ephes. 5. 2. He hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacr [...] fice to God for a sweet smelling s [...] vour, 1 Cor. 5. 9. Christ our Pass [...] over is sacrificed for us, Heb. [...] 14,—through the eternal spirit [...] offered up himself to God, Heb. [...] 27. He needeth not daily to offer [...] sacrifices, for this he did once whe [...] he offered up himself; Heb. 9. 2 [...]

[...]ow once in the end of the world, he [...]ath appeared to put away sin by [...]he sacrifice of himself, Heb. 10. [...]0.—we are sanctified by the of­ [...]ring of the body of Jesus once for [...]ll. It is one of the most ground­ [...]ss figments of the world, which [...]e Socin [...]ns here suggest, namely, [...]at none of all this is to be interpre­ [...]d in reference to any thing Christ [...]id on earth, but that it is only to be [...]xpounded in reference to his entring [...]to heaven, and his appearing before [...]od for us. We do not deny but [...]at Christ continues to be a [...]riest in heaven, and shall do so, [...]ll the whole mediatory work be [...]ver; but withal we affirm, that [...]y the shedding of h [...]s blood and [...]eath, he perfected his whole sa­ [...]rifice here on earth. Redemption [...]as obtained before he entred into [...]e holy places, Heb. 9. 22. Sin [...]as purged before he sat down on [...]e right hand of majesty on high, [...]eb. 1. 3. where by purging is [Page 188] not meant purging by sanctifyin [...] grace,

(1) Because that spoken o [...] here was perfected ere Chri [...] went to heaven, which sanctific [...] tion is not.

(2.) Because the purging her [...] spoken of is that which is don [...] by Christ alone, without the u [...] and intervention of any oth [...] means—when he had by himself purged our sins, but sanctific [...] tion is accomplished by the wor [...] and spirit; so that the purging [...] sin here, is the expiating of si [...] which is expresly asserted to hav [...] been finished are Christ ascende [...] That Christ's Priesthood was o [...] earth, is further demonstrated b [...] all those places where he is said t [...] have offered himself once, an [...] where there is mention made [...] one offering, Heb. 7. 27. and [...] 28. and 10. 10, 14. for this ca [...] not refer to what he does in he [...] ven, seeing what he does there, h [...] [Page 189] [...]oes always, and is continually in [...]oing of it; it must necessarily [...]fer therefore to what he did on [...]rth. That his Priesthood was [...]n earth, may be further confirm­ [...]d, by considering the parts of [...]e Levitical Priesthood; there [...]as in that, besides the high [...]riest's carrying the blood into [...]he Holy of Holies, and sprink­ing the Mercy Seat with it, the laying of the beast without: Now [...]s Christ's intercession in heaven, by which he continues his Priest­ [...]ood) answers the last of these. So there behoved to be Christ's offering of himself a sacrifice on [...]arth, to answer the first; other­ways there should not have been [...] correspondency in the heavenly [...]hings to the earthly. Lastly, Christ his being Priest on earth, will be yet strengthened, by ob­serving that there were many sa­crifices, the blood whereof was not at all carried into the Holy [Page 190] place (for that was done but once a year, Heb. 9. 7.) and that these sacrifices were types of Christ, and therefore what Christ wa [...] mainly to do, behoved to be be­fore he entred into heaven, other­wise the Antitype had not answe­red the type, and that in the very thing wherein it was a type. S [...] that we see Christ is both tru [...] Priest, and true sacrifice, wich th [...] Socinians themselves bein [...] judges establisheth the satisfaction of Christ.

3 It is by Christ alone, that w [...] have the true and real attonement All the Levitical propitiations and reconciliations were at mos [...] but typical of this. He alon [...] hath purged away our sins, Heb [...] 1. 3. i. e. He hath removed th [...] guilt of all sins from the conscienc [...] and the obnoxiousness of the sinne [...] to punishment for them, Heb. [...] 14. for as the sanctifying of t [...] flesh, ver. 13. was the setting th [...] [Page 191] offendor free from temporal pu­nishment, so the purging the con­science is the setting the offendor free from eternal punishment. He hath made reconciliation for sins, Heb. 2. 17. Through him we have attonement, Rom. 5. 11. He hath slain the enmity which was in God to sinners, by his cross, Ephes. 2. 16. He is our [...], propitiation, 1 Joh. 2. 2. and 1 Joh. 4. 10. Our placamen, that by which God is reconciled towards us. He is our [...], Rom. 3. 25. It is much at one whether you take it in the Masculine, or in the Neuter; if you take it in the first, then the import is, that it is Christ who reconciles God to us; if you take it in the second, then the meaning is, that he doth it by himself as by a placamen, an an­ger appeasing sacrifice. Most take it in the Neuter, and so it is either by way of allusion to the propitiatory sacrifices, by which [Page 192] God was said to be attoned and reconciled, Levit. 6. 30. and 8. 15. Hence the Ram was called the Ram of attonement, Num. 5. 8. [...], Septuagint. So Christ hath put away sin by the sa­crifice of himself, Heb, 9. 26. Or else by way of allusion to the Mercy Seat (which the Apostle calls [...], Heb. 9. 5.) either because the Mercy Seat covered the Ark; the law which charg­eth and condemneth us for sin lay in the Ark, Exod, 25. 16. Now the Mercy Seat covered the Ark, to signifie that through Christ the law should not condemn us, Exod, 25. 20, 21. Exod. 36. 34. So Christ hath blotted out, removed, and cancelled the handwriting which was against us, Col. 2. 14. Or else because through sprinkling of th [...] blood of the sacrifice upon th [...] Mercy Seat, God signified himsel [...] pleased and attoned, Levit. 16. 15 16, 1 [...], and it is very remarkabl [...] [Page 193] [...]hat the High Priest durst not go [...]ear the Mercy Seat, but with the [...]lood of the sacrifice which was [...]ppointed to make attonement. [...]o in and through the blood of Christ we are accepted, Ephes. 1. [...]6. but without coming in the ver­ [...]ue, and under the sprinkling of [...]he blood of Christ there is no [...]cceptance. Or else, because it was [...]om the mercy seat, that God as [...]econciled communed with his [...]eople, Exod 25. 22. Num. 7. 89. [...]o in and through Jesus Christ we [...]ave access with boldness and con­ [...]dence, Ephes. 2. 18. and 3. 12. We hope now that from this which hath been tendred in the [...]resent chapter, especially, toge­ [...]er with what hath been deliver­ [...]d in the preceding chapters, we [...]ay boldly infer and assert the [...]ruth of Christ's satisfaction.

Object. 1. But it is objected, that [...]od before hand loved us, foras­ [...]uch as in demonstration of his [Page 194] love, he sent his Son to dye for us and consequently that he cannot be sai [...] to have been angry with us, or that b [...] needed to be reconciled.

For Answer 1. It is true, God' [...] love was carried towards us as hi [...] creatures, but at the same time h [...] hated us as sinners. Deus mir [...] modo quando nos oderat, diligebat [...] odit in unoquoque nostrum quod s [...] ceramus, amavit quod fecerat, Be [...] He did not love us and hate us [...] the same time, and in the same respect. He loved us as his cre [...] tures whom he intended to recover, he hated us as rebels who ha [...] transgressed his law, and contemned his government.

Answer 2. There is a twofol [...] love in God, a love of benevo [...] lence, and a love of friendship; [...] love of good will, and a love [...] delight. The first we ascrib [...] to God antecedently to the consi [...] deration of the death of Christ as that which was the spring an [...] [Page 195] [...]untain of his giving Christ, and [...]his we own to have been superla­ [...]ve in its kind, Joh. 3. 16. 1 Joh. [...]. 10. Neither was there in God [...]ny hatred or anger opposite to [...]is love; but then this love was [...]othing else but a purpose of con­ [...]iving, and by such means of [...]inging about our reconciliation, [...]hile in the mean time we were [...]e objects of his wrath, Joh. 3. [...]6. Ephes. 2. 3. God's eternal [...]urpose of reconciling himself to [...]s, did not in the mean time ex­ [...]mpt us from being the objects of [...]is wrath, but supposeth both that [...]e were, and behoved to continue [...], till by such ways and mediums [...]ur peace was purchased. It im­ [...]lyes not the least contrariety to [...]firm that God hated us, but yet [...] as to purpose by such means his [...]turning into friendship with us. [...] the 42. chap. of Job ver. 7, 8. [...]e read of God's being angry [...]ith Jobs three friends, yet so as [Page 196] to signifie by what means he would again accept them.

Object. 2. It is objected 2ly▪ That upon supposition that God would not pardon us without a satisfacti­on, and that Christ undertook an [...] hath made satisfaction, we should b [...] more obliged to the Son, than to th [...] Father.

Answ. We are infinitely, an [...] alike obliged to both; to the Father in giving his Son to make th [...] satisfaction, and in taking us int [...] favour upon it, being made; t [...] the Son in condescending and undertaking to make it. And accordingly the Scripture mention [...] equally the love of both, the lo [...] of the Father as the rise and sprin [...] of our reconciliation, Joh. 3. 16 1 Joh. 4. 10. Rom. 5. 8. and in r [...] ference to this he is called our Saviour, 1 Tim. 1. 1. Tit. 1. 3. Th [...] love of the Son, as the means [...] carrying it on, and accomplishi [...] it, Eph. 5. 2. 25. Rev. 1. 5. Gal. [...] [Page 197] 20. Eph. 3. 19. So that to make the comparison betwixt the one and the other, argues not only bold presumption, but also ignorance of this whole mystery of God.

Object. 3. But it is alledged thirdly, that by asserting the satis­faction of Christ, we must be exposed to one of these two absurdities; ei­ther that Christ hath satisfied him­self, or else that he is more merciful than the Father, and pardons sin without any satisfaction.

Answer 1. To this I return these two things. 1. It is no ways ab­surd, to say he hath satisfied him­self. The Court of Aldermen having a Citizen before them, who [...]s obnoxious to a mulct, and which they in consistency with the preservation of Government can­not remit, and the offendor not having wherewithal to pay, may not one of themselves make solu­ [...]ion in the offenders behalf to the Court; and so by making satisfa­ction [Page 198] to the Bench, he makes also satisfaction to himself, forasmuch as he is a member of it. So God being in this whole affair conside­rable a Governour, and not as a meer Creditor, it is no pageantry to affirm that he might satisfi [...] himself.

Answer 2. Upon supposition that Christ hath made satisfaction, yet it doth not follow that adequatè he hath made it to himself, seeing he made it as God man, and it was made to him only as God. Now as there is nothing more usual in Scripture than to affirm contrary things of Christ under different respects; for example, that the Father is greater than he, Joh. 14. 28. and yet that the Father and he are one, Joh. 10. 30. that he is Gods equal, Phil. 2 6. and yet Gods s [...]r­vant, ibid. ver. 7. So under dif­ferent respects he both made the satisfaction, and had it made to him. Having at great length de­monstrated [Page 199] the satisfaction of Christ, which is the alone plea upon which we can be justified, the next enquiry is how upon this plea, we come to be justified.

CHAP. IX.

HAving fully established the satisfaction of Christ, which is the only plea a guilty sinner hath why he should be justified, that which falls next under consi­deration is how upon this Plea we come to be justified, or how we come to have an interest in the sa­tisfaction made by Christ, so as by vertue of that Plea to be acquit­ted, [Page 200] I had intended and according­ly digested my thoughts to a con­siderable length on this subject, and treated the whole interest both of faith and works in this affair; but finding this treatise already lengthened beyond what the Rea­der may desire, though much short of what the subject requires; and not knowing to what bigness the Appendix may grow, I shall not proceed as I had designed, but refer it to another season, if not wave it forever. Only that the present tract may not be wholly imperfect, it will be necessary to suggest a few things.

This then I would first premise, that the satisfaction of Christ was as effectual to justification and life to those who could plead it, before it was actually made (he having undertaken it) as it is to those who can now plead it, it is made: the Father acted in the same way of justifying believers then that he [Page 201] doth now. The blood of Christ had the same efficacy then which it hath now, Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past. The Old Te­stament Saints were saved upon terms of justice, as well as the New. God by exacting afterwards full satisfaction from Christ, de­clares himself to have acted to­wards them as a righteous Judge, as well as a gracious Father. This I take to be the intendment of the Apostle, Col. 1. 2. And having made peace through the blood of his Cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. Whereby things in hea­ven is meant the Saints already in heaven, who are said now to be reconciled, because the price of their reconciliation was now paid.See Go­mar. on the place. All that were saved then, were [Page 202] saved alone through faith in Christ, Heb. 11. 13. In this fe­deral transaction betwixt the Fa­rher and Son, about the recovery and pardon of sinners, Divines take notice that there is a mutual trusting of each other; as Christ having paid the price and ransome, takes the Fathers word now, for the bringing in and justifying of all those in due time, in whose room and stead it was paid; so the Fa­ther before received many into fa­vour and to glory, upon the Sons promise, that in the appointed time he would make him a full sa­tisfaction.

Having pr [...]mised this, there is a twofold justification, one funda­mental in Christ of all the elect before faith, yet so as they abode under wrath till they came actual­ly to believe; wherein that con­sists I had at length drawn out, but must now forbear it.

2ly. There is an actual justifi­cation [Page 203] of all the elect in Christ upon their believing. The Father and Son having contrived and brought about this great affair of our recovery without any rise or help from us, we can have no actu­al interest in the benefits of it, but upon such termes as the Father and Son have agreed unto. And here I would observe these two things. 1. The necessity that we should not be justified, but upon some condition. 2. That it was most agreeable to the Divine wis­dome that faith should be the con­dition.

1. It was not fit that we should be actually justified, but upon some condition; and this is the main hinge upon which the com­pact betwixt the Father and Son▪ in his undertaking the work of re­demption, turns, Isa. 53. 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many, i. e. by the knowledge of him, where know­ledge [Page 204] (as often elsewhere in Scri­pture) signifies faith. It was not fit that the justice of God should acquit us to the impeachment of the Divine purity. The holiness of God was a bar to our being recei­ved into favour, as well as his righteousness; it was needful there­fore that a respect should be born to that as well as this; and that though justice had received a sa­tisfaction, yet that the benefits of it should not redound to us, but upon terms of conformity to the purity and holiness of God.

2. So far as can be imagined by us, it was most convenient that faith should be the condition. (1.) Because that alone quites all pre­tensions of being justified any other way, and trusts solely to be justified this way. It is the nature of faith to take us of from what­ever else we are apt to confide in, and to engage us only to depend upon the righteousness of Christ. [Page 205] It is the constitution of faith, and no other grace to trust the pro­mise of God, and to receive and embrace what is there tendred. Hence faith is set in opposition to self, trust, and confidence, Phil. 3. 9. Rom. 9. 31, 32. Rom. 4. 15. Gal. 5. 4, 5. It is faith alone by which the soul owns Christ for its surety, rolls over it self upon him, so that in conspectu fore in the account of the law, Christ and the pleader are but one. (2.) Because it is by faith that Christ and we come to be spiritually united, and as it were concorporated together. Christ is brought to dwell in us by faith, Eph. 3. 17. and we are im­planted and rooted in him by the same, Col. 2. 7. by faith Christ and we become one spirit, 1 Cor. 6. 17. This being then the bond of union betwixt him and us, it was most convenient that it should be the condition of our interest in him, and of our right to all the bene­fits [Page 206] of his satisfaction and pur­chase. What this faith is, how it is called our righteousness, and how none are actually justified till they believe, though prepared to have been here inserted, yet to prevent the excess of this discourse, shall be wholly superceded.

Only a little how upon our be­lieving we are actually justified. Justification is God's act, Rom. 8. 33. A man is then justified, when he is constituted righteous in law; now this is done by God's imputing and accounting the righte­ousness of Christ ours, Rom. 4. 11. 24. Rom. 5. 19 So that he is made our righteousness, 1 Cor. 1. 30. Jer. 23. 6. and we are as righteous through him as God can require or doth desire, Phil. 3. 9. It is no more harsh that his righteous­ness should be thus made ours, then that our sins should be made his, which the Apostle expresly asserts, 2 Cor. 5. 21. and we have [Page 207] before opened. Now God may be said to justifie such a person two ways.

(1.) In his secret acquitting of him within himself, accounting of him as righteous, and in a state of favour. He that was in a state of hatred before, the obligation to punishment being now dissolved, is accounted of as in a state of friendship.

(2.) In the constituting and pro­claiming in the Gospel, that who­ever believes is justified. As a person is condemned by a law, and said to be condemned when the law condemns him: so we are justified by the Gospel patent, and may be said to be so, when that Charter declares us justified, which it doth if we believe. Now the effects of this are a non-impu­tation of sin, and a donation of a right to life; our obligation to punishment is dissolved, and we are vested with a title to life.

[Page 208]1. Sin shall never be charged upon us in the legal guilt of it, Rom. 8. 1, 33, 34. The legal guilt of all sins past is removed formally, and the legal guilt of all sins to come is removed virtually: That is thus, justification takes of legal guilt where once it was, and keeps it of where else it would be.

And (1.) It is no more harsh that sins should be legally disim­puted to us before committed, than that they should be legally imputed to Christ before com­mitted, which all the sins of the elect, who have lived, and are yet to live, since the death of Christ, were.

(2.) Because the guilt of sin may be as well disimputed to be­lievers before committed by them, as the satisfaction of Christ was imputed to believers before made by him, which it was to all the Old Testament Saints.

2. Being constituted righteous, [Page 209] by having the righteousness of Christ accounted ours, [...] only our obligation to punishment is [...]issolved, but there also emergeth [...]nd ariseth a new title to life, Christ purchased not only redem­ [...]tion from wrath, but a right to [...]he heavenly inheritance. And this [...]hall suffice at least at present to [...]ave been discoursed upon this whole affair.