The Harmony of the Divine Attributes in Mans Redemption, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
Divine Justice is declared and glorified in the Death of Christ. The threefold account the Scripture gives of it: As a Punishment inflicted for Sin, as a Price to redeem us from Hell, as a Sacrifice to reconcile us to God. Man was Capitally guilty. Christ with the allowance of God interposes as his Surety. His Death was inflicted on him by the Supreme Judg. The impulsive Cause of it was Sin. His Sufferings were equivalent to the Sentence of the Law. The Effect of them is our Freedom. An Answer to the Objection, That 'tis a violation of Justice to transfer the Punishment from the guilty to the innocent. The Death of Christ is the Price that redeems from Hell. This singular effect of his Death distinguishes it from the death of the Martyrs. An Answer to the Objections. How could God receive this Price, since he gave his Son to that Death which redeems us? And how our Redeemer, supposing him God, can make Satisfaction to Himself? The Death of Christ represented as a Sacrifice. The Expiatory Sacrifices under the Law were substituted in the place of guilty Men. The Effects of them answerable to their threefold respect, to God, Sin and Men: The Atonement of Anger, the Expiation of Sin, and Freedom from Punishment. All sorts of Placatory Sacrifices are referr'd to Christ, and the effects of them in a sublime and perfect manner. No prejudice to the Freeness and Greatness of God's Love, that Christ by his Death reconciled Him to men.
HAving premised these things, I shall now prove that the Divine Justice is really declar'd and glorified in the obedient Sufferings of Christ. For the opening this point, 'tis necessary to consider the account the Scripture gives of his Death; which is threefold:
1. 'Tis represented under the relation of a Punishment inflicted on him for Sin, and the effect of it is Satisfaction to the Law.
2. As a Price to redeem us from Hell.
3. Under the notion of a Sacrifice to reconcile God to Sinners.
First. As a Punishment inflicted on him for Sin. This will appear by considering,
1. That Man by his Rebellion against God was capitally guilty: He stood sentenced by the Law to Death.
2. Christ with the allowance of the Supreme Judg, interposed as our Surety, and in that relation was made liable to Punishment. Sins are by resemblance called Debts. As a Debt obliges the Debtor to payment, so Sin doth the Sinner to Punishment. And as the Creditor hath a right to exact the Payment from the Debtor,Vid. Dr. Stillingfleet, who with admirable clearness hath vindicated the Doctrine of Satisfaction, from the Objections of Crelli…e. so God hath a right to inflict Punishment on the guilty. But with this difference, the Creditor by the meer signification of his will may discharge the Debtor, for he hath an absolute power over his estate: whereas publick Justice is concern'd in the Punishment of the guilty. This is evident by many instances. For 'tis not sufficient that a Criminal satisfie his Adversary, unless the Prince, who is the Guardian of the Laws, give him Pardon. The interest of a private Person, who hath received an injury, is so distinct from that of the State, that sometimes the injured party solicites the Pardon of the offender without success. Which shews that principally 'tis not to satisfie the particular person, that the Crime is punish'd, but to satisfie the Law, and prevent future Disorders.
Now our Debt was not pecuniary but penal: And as in civil Cases, where one becomes Surety for another, he is obliged to pay the Debt, for in the estimate of the Law they are but one person; So the Lord Jesus Christ entring into this relation, He sustained the person of Sinners,Heb. 7.22. and became judicially one with them, and according to the order of Justice, was liable to their punishment. The displeasure of God was primarily and directly against the Sinner, but the effects of it fell upon Christ, who undertook for him. The Apostle tells us, That when the Fulness of time came, God sent his Son, made under the Law, Gal. 4.4, 5.that he might redeem them that were under the Law. He took our Nature & Condition: He was made under the Law Moral and Ceremonial. The directive part of the Moral Law He fulfilled by the Innocency of his Life; the penalty he satisfied as our Surety, being under an Obligation to save us. And he appeared as a Sinner in his subjection to the Law of Moses. Col. 2.14.That Hand-writing was against us; He therefore enter'd into the Bond that we had forfeited. In his Circumcision He signed it with those drops of Blood, which were an earnest of his shedding the rest on the Cross. For whosoever was Circumcised, became a Debtor to the whole Law. And we may observe, 'tis said, That as Moses lifted up the brazen Serpent, so the Law of which Moses was a type and Minister, lifted up the Messiah on the Cross.
3. The Scripture is very clear and express in setting down the part that God had in the Sufferings of Christ as Supreme Judg, the impulsive cause that moved Him, their proportion to the punishment of the Law, and the effect of them for our Deliverance. He was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledg of God. Acts 2.23.All the various and vicious actions of men, were over-ruled by his Providence: The falsness of Judas, the fearfulness of Pilate, and the malice of the Jews were subservient to Gods eternal design. And as He wills not the Death of a Sinner, much less of his Son, but for most weighty Reasons: these are declared by the Prophet, All we like sheep have gone astray, and turned every one to his own waies: Our Errours were different, but the issue was the same, that is, Eternal Death:Isa. 53.6. And the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all: that is, the Punishment of our Iniquities. His Sufferings had such a respect to Sin, as included the imputation of it. 'Twas an act of Sovereignty in God to appoint Christ as Man to be our Surety, but an act of Justice to inflict the punishment, when Christ had undertaken for us. 'Tis said, He hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows. The expressions are comprehensive of all the Miseries of his Life, especially his last Sufferings. The Hebrew words Nasa, and Sabal signifie such a taking away,foreign Primum designat ips…m actum tollendi onus in humeros, alterum gestationem on…is impositi. as is by laying upon one who bears it from us. And thus it is interpreted by St. Peter, He himself bare our sins in his own Body on the tree. This necessarily implies the derivation of our guilt to him, and the consequent of it, the transferring of our punishment. Those words are full and pregnant to the same purpose: He was wounded for our transgressions, Isa. 53.5.he was bruised for our Iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was on him, and with his stripes we are healed. Where the meritorious cause of his Sufferings is set down, as appears by the connexion of the words with the former. The Jews thought him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted; that is, justly punisht for Blasphemy, and usurping Divine Honour. In opposition to this conceit 'tis added, But he was wounded for our transgressions. This the Apostle expresly telleth us, when he declares that Christ died for our Sins.
This will appear more fully, by considering what the desert of Sin is. By our Rebellion we made the forfeiture of Soul & Body to Divine Justice: Death, both the first and the second, was the Sentence of the Law. Now the Sufferings of Christ were answerable to this Punishment. The Death which the Law threatned for Sin, was to be accompanied with Dishonour and Pain. And he suffered the Death of the Cross to which a special Curse was annext. And this was not onelyonly in respect of the Judgment of Men, before whom a Crucified person was made a Spectacle of publick Vengeance for his Crimes, but in respect of Gods declaration concerning it. The Jews were commanded that none should hang on a Tree longer then the Evening;Deut. 21.23. lest the Holy Land should be profaned by that, which was an express mark of Gods Curse. Now the legal Curse was a Typical signification of the real, that should be suffered by our Redeemer. Besides, his Death was attended with exquisite pains: he suffer'd variety of torments, by the scourges, the thorns, the nails, that pierc'd his Hands and Feet, the least vital, but most sensible parts. He refused the Wine mix'd with Myrrh, that was given to stupifie the senses; for the design of his Passion requir'd, that he should have the quickest sense of his Sufferings, which were the Punishment of Sin. And his inward Sorrows were equivalent to the pains of loss and sense that are due to Sinners. 'Tis true, there are circumstances in the Sufferings of the damn'd, as Blaspemy, Rage, Impotent fierceness of mind, which are not appointed by the Law, but are accidental arising from the perversness of their Spirits: For the punishment of the Law is a Physical evil, but these are Moral: and that punishment is inflicted by the Judge, but these are onelyonly from the guilty Sufferers: Now to these he was not possibly liable. Besides, the Death that the Sinner ought to Suffer is Eternal, attended with despair, and the intolerable anguish of Conscience. Now our Redeemer having no real Guilt, was not liable to the worm of Conscience, and his Temporary Sufferings were equivalent to the Eternal, upon the account of his Divine Person, so that he was not capable of Despair. But he endur'd the unknown terrours of the second Death, so far as was consistent with the Perfection of his Nature. The anguish of his Soul was not meerly from sympathy with his Body, but immediately from Divine Displeasure. It pleased the Lord to bruise him: this principally respects the Impressions of Wrath made upon his inward Man.Isa. 53.10. Had the Cup he fear'd been onelyonly Death, with the bitter ingredients of dishonour and pain, many have drank it with more appearing resolution. The Martyrs endured more cruel torments without complaint; nay in their sharpest conflicts have exprest a triumphant joy. Whereas our Redeemer was under all the innocent degrees of fear and sorrow at the approach of his Sufferings. From whence was the difference? Had Christ less Courage? He was the Fountain of their Fortitude: the difference was not in the disposition of the Patients, but in the Nature of the Sufferings. He endured that which is infinitely more terrible than all outward torments. The Light of Joy that always shined in his Soul, a sweet Image of Heaven, was then totally eclips'd. God, the Fountain of Compassion, restrain'd himself; his Father appear'd a severe inexorable Judge, and dealt with him not as his Son, but our Surety. Under all the Cruelties exercis'd by men, the Lamb of God open'd not his mouth, but when the Father of Mercies, and the God of all Consolations forsook him, then he broke forth into a mournful complaint. Now by this account of Christs Sufferings from Scripture, 'tis evident, they were truly penal; for they were inflicted for Sin, by the Supreme Judg, and were equivalent to the Sentence of the Law. And the benefit we receive upon their account, proves that they are satisfaction to Divine Justice, for we are exempted from Punishment, by his Submission to it. He freed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us. Gal. 3 13. Isa. 53.5.The Chastisements of our Peace was upon him, by whose stripes we are healed. So that his Death being the Meritorious Cause of freeing the Guilty, is properly Satisfaction.
Before I proceed to the second Consideration of Christs Death, I will briefly answer the Objection of the Socinians, viz. That 'tis a Violation of Justice to transfer the Punishment from one to another, so that the Righteous God could not Punish his innocent Son for our Sins. Now to show the invalidity of this Pretence we must consider.
1. That Justice is not an irregular appetite of Vengeance arising from Hatred that cannot be satisfied but with the Destruction of the Guilty. It preserves Right with pure Affections, and is content when the Injury is repair'd, from whomsoever satisfaction comes.
2. Though an innocent person can't suffer as innocent without Injustice, yet he may voluntarily contract an Obligation, which will expose him to deserved sufferings. The Wisdom and Justice of all Nations agree in punishing one for anothers fault, where consent is preceding, as in the case of Hostages. And although it is Essential to the Nature of Punishment to be inflicted for Sin, yet not on the Person of the Sinner: for in Conspectu fori, the Sinner and Surety are one.
3. That exchange is not allowed in Criminal Causes where the Guilty ought to suffer in Person, 'tis not from any Injustice in the Nature of the thing, for then it would not be allowed in Civil; but there are special Reasons why an Innocent Person is not ordinarily admitted to suffer for an offender.
1. No man hath absolute Power over his own life. 'Tis a depositum consigned to him for a time, and must be preserv'd till God, or the Publick good, calls for it.
2. The Publick would suffer prejudice by the loss of a good Subject. Therefore the Rule of the Law is just, Non auditur perire volens. The desire of one that devotes himself to ruine is not to be heard. And the guilty person who is spared might grow worse by impunity, and cause great disorders by his evil example. But these considerations are of no force in the case of our Saviour: For,
1. He had full Power to dispose of his life: I have power to lay it down, Joh. 10.18.and I have power to take it again: this Commandment have I received of my Father. He declares his Power as God, that his life intirely depended on his will, to preserve it, or part with it: and his subjection as Mediator to the order of his Father.
2. Our Saviour could not finally Perish. 'Twas not possible he should be held under the power of Death. Act. 2.24.Otherwise it had been against the Laws of reason, that the precious should for ever suffer for the vile. Better ten thousand Worlds had been lost, than that the Holy One of God should perish. He saved us through his Sufferings, though as by fire: and had a glorious reward in the issue.
3. There is an infinite good redounds from his Sufferings: for Sinners are exempted from Death, and the preservation of the guilty is for the glory of Gods government: for those who are redeemed by his Death, are renewed by his Spirit. He covers their sins, that he may cure them. He is made Righteousness and Sanctification to his People. The serious belief that Christ by dying hath rescued us from Hell,1 Cor. 1.30. produces a superlative Love to him, an ingenuous and grateful fear lest we should offend Him, an ambition to please Him in all things; briefly, Universal Obedience to his Will, as its most natural and necessary effect. So that in laying the punishment on Christ, under which Mankind must have sunk for ever, there is nothing against Justice.
2. The Death of Christ is the price which redeems us from our woful Captivity. Mankind was fallen under the dominion of Satan and Death, and could not obtain freedom by escape, or meer power. For by the order of Divine Justice we were detained Prisoners; So that till God the Supreme Judg is satisfied, there can be no discharge. Now the Lord Christ hath procured our deliverance by his Death, according to the testimony of the Apostle, We have Redemption through his Blood, Col. 1.14.even the forgiveness of sins. His Blood is congruously called a price, because in consideration of it our Freedom is purchased. He is our Redeemer by Ransom;1 Tim. 2.6. He gave himself a Ransom for all: and that signifies the price paid for the freeing of a Captive. The word used by the Apostle foreign, hath a special Emphasis, it signifies an exchange of conditions with us, the redeeming us from Death, by dying for us. As the foreign, who devoted themselves to Death, for the rescuing of others. Our Saviour told his Disciples that the Son of Man came to give his Life a ransom for many:Mat. 20.28. foreign· foreign signifies a commutation or exchange, with respect of things, or persons: Thus we are commanded to render to none Evil for evil: Luke 11.12. foreign·And if a Son ask of his Father a Fish will he give him a Serpent for a Fish? When 'tis used in respect of persons, it imports a substitution in anothers place.foreign. Mat. 17.27. Archelaus reigned instead of his Father Herod and Peter paid tribute for Christ, that is, representing Him: the effect therefore of our Saviours words, that He gave his Life a Ransome for many, is evidently this, that he dy'd in their stead; and his Life as a Price intervened to obtain their Redemption. 'Tis for this Reason the Glorified Saints sung a Hymn of Praise to the Divine Lamb, saying, Thou art worthy for thou wast slain, Rev. 5.9.and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood. This singular and blessed effect of Christs Death, distinguishes it from the Death of the most Excellent Martyrs. If he had dyed only for the Confirmation of the Gospel, or to exhibit to us a Pattern of Suffering Graces, what were there peculiar and extraordinary in his Death? How can it be said that he was Crucified for us alone?1 Cor. 1.13. For the Martyrs Sealed the Truth with their Blood, and left admirable Examples of Love to God, of Zeal for his Glory, of patience under Torments, and of Compassion to their Persecutors: yet it were intolerable Blasphemy to say that they redeem'd us by their Death. And 'tis observable, when the Death of Christ is propounded in Scripture as a Pattern of Patience, 'tis with a special Circumstance that distinguishes it from all others. Christ suffered for us, leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps: 1 Pet. 2.19, 24.who his own self bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree; by whose stripes ye were healed. The truth is, if the sole end of Christs Death were to induce Men to believe His Promises, and to imitate His Graces, there had been no such necessity of it: for the Miracles he did, had been sufficient to confirm the Gospel, yet Remission of Sins is never attributed to them: and the Miseries he Suffered during the course of his Life, had been sufficient to instruct us how to behave our selves under Indignities and Persecutions: and at the last he might have given as full a Testimony to the Truth of his Doctrine by his descent from the Cross as by dying for us. But no lower Price than his Blood could make Compensation to the Law, and satisfaction to God, and to deny this, is to Rob him of the Glory of his Death, and to destroy all our Comfort.
'Tis objected by those who nullifie the Mystery of the Cross of the Lord Jesus; How could God receive this Price, since he gave up his Son to that Death which Redeems us? And how can our Redeemer, supposing him God, make satisfaction to himself? To this I answer.
1. The infinite Goodness of God in giving our Redeemer, doth not devest him of the Office of Supreme Judge, nor prejudice his examining of the Cause according to his Sovereign Jurisdiction, and his receiving a Ransom to preserve the Rights of Justice inviolable. There is an eminent instance of this in Zaleucus, the Prince of the Locrians; who past a Law that Adulterers should lose both their eyes: and when his Son was convicted of that Crime, the people who respected him for his Excellent Vertues, out of pity to him, interceded for the Offender.Vid. Aelian Var. histor. l. 13. c. 24. Zaleucus in a Conflict between Zeal for Justice, and Affection to his Son, took but one Eye from him, and parted with one of his own to satisfie the Law. And thus he paid and received the Punishment: he paid it as a Father, and received it as the Conservator of Publick Justice. Thus when guilty Mankind in its Poverty could not pay the Forfeiture to the Law, God the Father of Mercies was pleased to give it from the Treasures of his Love; that is, the Blood of his Son for our Ransom. And this he receives from the Hand of Christ, offer'd upon the Cross, as the Supreme Judge, and declares it fully valuable, and the Rights of Justice to be truly performed.
2. It is not inconsistent with Reason, that the Son of God cloathed with our Nature, should by his Death make Satisfaction to the Deity, and therefore to himself. In the according of two Parties, a Person that belongs to one of them, may interpose for Reconciliation, provided that he devests his own Interest, and leaves it with the Party from whom he comes. Thus when the Senate of Rome, and the People were in dissension,Menenius Agrippa, Liv… l. 2. one of the Senators trusted his own Concernment with the Council, of which he was a Member, and mediated between the Parties to reconcile them. Thus when the Father and the Son both possest of the Imperial Power, have been offended by Rebellious Subjects, 'tis not inconvenient that the Son interpose as a Mediator, to restore them to the Favour of the Prince. And by this he reconciles them to himself, and procures them Pardon of an Offence, by which his own Majesty was violated. This he doth as Mediator, not as a a Party concern'd. Now this is a fit Illustration of the Great Work of our Redemption, so far as Humane things can represent Divine. For all the Persons of the Glorious Trinity were equally provok'd by our Sin; and to obtain our Pardon the Son with the consent of the Father deposits his Interest into his Hands, and as a Mediator intervenes between us and him, who in this Transaction is the Depositary of the Rights of Heaven, and having performed what Justice required, he reconciled the World to God, that is, to the Father, Himself, and the Eternal Spirit. In this Cause his Person is the same, but his Quality is different: he made Satisfaction as Mediator, and receiv'd it as God. 'Tis in this sense that the Apostle saith, We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 1 Joh. 2.2.Not to exclude the other Persons, but in regard the Father as the First Person is the Protector of Justice, our Mediator in appeasing Him appeases the others also.
3. The Death of Christ is represented under the notion of a Sacrifice offer'd up to God. For the more full understanding of this, we must consider that Sacrifices were of two kinds.
1. Some were Eucharistical: They are called Peace-offerings, by which the Sacrificer acknowledged the Bounty of God, and his own unworthiness, and rendered Praise for a favour received, and desired the Divine Blessing.
2. Expiatory: The Sin-offerings for the averting of Gods wrath. The Institution of them was upon a double Reason;
1. That Man is a sinner, and therefore obnoxious to the just indignation and extreme displeasure of the Holy and Righteous God. 2. That God was to be propitiated, that he might pardon them. These Truths are engraven in the natural Consciences of Men, as appeares by the… pretended Expiations of sin among the Heathens: But are more clearly reveal'd in the Scripture. Under the Law without the effusion of Blood there was no Remission; To signifie,Heb. 9.22. that God would not forgive Sin without the atonement of Justice, which required the Death of the Offender; but it being tempered with Mercy, accepted a Sacrifice in his stead. And that there was a Substitution of the Beast in the place of the guilty Offender, appeares by the Law concerning Sacrifices. 1. None were instituted for Capital Offences, as Murder, Idolatry, Adultery, &c. Because the Sinner himself was to be cut off: But for other Sins, which although in strictness they deserved Death, yet God who was the King of Israel, was pleased to remit the Forfeiture, and to accept the life of the Sacrifice for the Life of the Sinner. 2. The guilty Person was to offer a clean Beast of his own; to signifie the Surrogation of it in his stead. For in the relation of a Possessour he had a dominion over it, to apply it to that use. 3. The Priest, or the person that offer'd,Exo. 29.10. Lev. 1.4. was to lay his hands on the head of the Sacrifice, thereby Consecrating it to God, and Devoting it in his stead to bear the Punishment. For this reason 'twas called a Sin, and a Curse. 4. The Confession of Sin by the People,Lev. 17.11. or the Priest, as in the day of Atonement, signified that the guilt of all met on the Sacrifice for Expiation. 5. The Blood was to be shed wherein the vital spirits are, an express representation what the Sinner deserved: and that it was accepted for his Life. 6. Lastly, The deprecating of God's Anger was joyned with the Sacrifice. As when a Man was slain, and the Murderer was not found; the Elders of the City next to the dead Body, were to kill an Heifer in a Valley, and to pray that innocent Blood might not be laid to their charge: otherwise the Land could not be clensed from the guilt of Blood, but by the Blood of the Murderer.
Those effects are exprest by foreign and foreign with the Hebrews, and by foreign with the Greeks. Lev. 4.20, 26, 31, 35.2. The Effects of these Sacrifices declare their nature: And they are answerable to their threefold respect, to God, to Sin, to Man. To God, that his Anger might be appeased; to Sin, that the fault might be expiated; to Man, that the guilty person might obtain Pardon, and Freedom from Punishment. Thus when a Sacrifice was duly offered, 'tis said to be of a sweet savour unto the Lord, and to atone him, Lev. 1.17. and the Remission of Sins, with the Release of the Sinner followed; The Priest shall expiate it, that is declaratively, and it shall be forgiven him. Now there was a double Guilt contracted by those that were under the Mosaical Dispensation.
1. Typical, From the breach of a Ceremonial Constitution, which had no relation to Morality. Such were natural Pollutions, accidental Diseases, the touching of a dead Body, &c. which were esteemed vicious according to the Law, and the Defiled were excluded from Sacred and Civil Society. Now these Impurities, considered in themselves, deserved no punishment. For involuntary and inevitable Infirmities, and corporeal things, which do not infect the inward man, are the marks of our abject and weak state, but are not in themselves sinfull. Therefore Ceremonial Guilt was expiated by a Ceremonial Offering. For 'tis according to the nature of things, that Obligations should be dissolved by the same means, by which they are contracted. As therefore those Pollutions were penal merely by the positive Will of God; So, (the exercise of his Supreme Right being tempered with Wisdome and Equity,) he ordained that the guilt should be abolisht by a Sacrifice, and that they should be fully restored to their former Priviledges. Thus the Apostle tells us, that the Blood of those Sacrifices Sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh, that is,Heb. 9.13. communicated a legal Purity to the Offerers, and consequently a right to approach the holy Place. Now the reason of these Institutions was, that the legal Impurity might represent the true defilements of Sin, and the Expiatory Sacrifices prefigure that great and admirable Oblation, which should purge away all Sin.
2. A real Guilt which respects the Conscience, and was contracted from the breach of the Moral Law, and subjected the Offender to Death temporal and eternal. This could not be purged away by those Sacrifices. For how is it possible the Blood of a Beast should cleanse the Soul of a Man, or content the Justice of an offended God? Nay on the contrary they reviv'd the guilt of Sin, and reinforced the rigour of the Law, and were a publick profession of the Misery of Men: For this reason the Law is called the Ministry of Death. As the Moral contained a declaration of our guilt, and Gods right to punish, so all the parts of the Ceremonial were either arguments and convictions of Sin, or images of the punishment due for them. But as they had a relation to Christ who was their Complement, so they signified the expiation of moral guilt by his Sacrifice,Levit 5. Vid. Vossium contra Ravensperg. c. 24. and freed the Sinner from that temporal Death to which he was liable; as a Representative of our freedom from Eternal Death by the Blood of the Cross. This will appear more clearly by considering, 1. That all kinds of placatory Sacrifices are referred to Christ in the New Testament. 2. That all their Effects are attributed to him in a sublimer and most perfect manner. He is called a Lamb in the notion of a Sacrifice, The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Rev. 13.8. Lev. 5.6. & 14.12. 1 Cor. 5.7. Exo. 12.13.A Lamb was used in the Expiation of moral and legal Impurities. He is called our Passover that was sacrificed for us. The Paschal Lamb in its first Institution had an expiatory efficacy, for God by looking on that Blood, averted the destruction from the Israelites, which seized on the Egyptians. This was the reason of the Prohibition, that none should go out of the house till the Morning, lest they should be struck by the destroying Angel: Not but that the Angel could distinguish the Israelites from the Egyptians abroa…, but 'twas typical, to shew their security was in being under the guard of the Lambs Blood, which was shed to spare theirs. Thus the Apostle Peter tells us, We are redeemed by the Blood of the pure and perfect Lamb. And he was represented by the red Heifer,1 Pet. 1.18. whose ashes were the chief ingredient in the water of Purification. For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats, Heb 9.13, 14.and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the Flesh▪ How much more shall the Blood of Christ purge the Conscience? Especially the Anniversary Sacrifice, which was the Abridgment and Recapitulation of all the rest, had an eminent respect to Christ: The whole Epistle to the Hebrews is tinctured with this divine Doctrine.
Secondly, The Effects of Christs Death are infinitely more excellent than those that proceeded from Levitical Sacrifices.Heb. 10.1. The Law had a shadow of good things to come; But the real Virtue and Efficacy is only found in Christ.
1. The Aversion of Gods Wrath is ascribed to his Death; according to the Words of the Apostle: Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood, Rom. 3.5·26.to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of Sins that are past, through the forbearance of God, to declare, I say, at this time his Righteousness, that he might be Just, and the justifier of him that believed in Jesus. A Propitiation foreign, The Title of the Mercy-Seat,Heb. 5.5. partly in regard it cover'd the Tables of the Law which were broke by us, to signifie that by Him Pardon is procur'd for us, and principally because God was rendred Propitious by the sprinkling the Blood of the Sacrifice on it, and exhibited himself there, as on a Throne of Grace, favourable t… his people. For this Reason he gives the name of the Figure to Christ, for he alone answers the Charge of the Law, and interposes between Justice and our Guilt, and by his own Blood hath reconciled God to us. Now the design of God in this appointment was to declare his Righteousness, that is, that Glorious Attribute that inclines him to punish Sinners: For in the Legal Propitiations, although the guilt of Men was publickly declared in the Death of the Sacrifices, yet the Justice of God did not fully appear, since he accepted the Life of a Beast in Compensation for the Life of a Man: but in the Death of Christ he hath given the most clear Demonstration of his Justice, a sufficient Example of his Hatred to Sin, Condemning it, and Revenging himself upon it, in the Person of his beloved Son; that the whole World may acknowledge 'twas not from any Inadvertency, but meerly by the Dispensation of his Wisdom and Goodness that he forbore so long. And by the Death of Christ he hath declared that Glorious Mystery which no created Understanding could ever have conceived, that he is inflexibly just, and will not suffer sin to pass unpunish'd, and that he justifies those who are guilty in themselves, if by a purifying Faith they receive Christ for Pardon. The same Apostle tells us, that Christ hath given himself for us, *foreign an allusion to the peace-offering and sin-offering; for the truth of both is in the death of Christ, which appeases God, and obtains the Blessings that depend on his favour.an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour, Eph. 5.2. He is qualified as a Priest, whose Office it was to present to God an offering for Appeasing his Anger; He gave himself; the Oblation that is added to his Death, gives the compleat Formality of a Sacrifice to it; for 'tis the Priest gives being to the Sacrifice: and the effect of it is, to be a sweet smelling savour to God, that is, to conciliate his Favour to us. The same phrase is applyed to the Sin-Offering under the Law.Gen. 8.20. Exod. 29. Lev. 1.10. We may observe that upon this account our Reconciliation to God is attributed to the Death of Christ, in distinction from his Glorified Life:Rom. 5.10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his Life. And the same Apostle tells us, that God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself, 2 Cor. 5.19.not imputing their trespasses unto them; we pray you therefore in Christs stead, be reconciled to God. A double Reconciliation is mentioned, that of God to Men, and of Men to God: the first is the ground of the Apostle's exhortation, the latter the effect of it. The first was obtained by the Death of Christ, who by imputation had our guilt transferred upon Him, and consequently our punishment, and in consideration of it, God who is Just and Holy is willing to pardon penitent Believers. The latter is by the powerful working of the Spirit, who assures Men that are guilty, and therefore suspicious and fearful of God's anger, that he is most willing to pardon them upon their repentance, since he hath in such an admirable manner found out the means to satisfie his Justice.
2. The true expiation of sin is the effect of Christs Death. He is called the Lamb of God,1 John 29. that takes away the sins of the World. Now sin may be taken away in two manners.
First, by removing its guilt, and exempting the Person that committed it from Death; and when this is effected by enduring the punishment that was due to sin, 'tis properly expiation.
Secondly, By healing the corrupt inclinations of the Heart, from whence actual sins proceed. 'Tis true, our Redeemer takes away sin in both these respects: he delivers from the Damnation and Dominion of it: for he is made of God our Righteousness and Sanctfication. 1 Cor. 1.30.But the first sense is only convenient here: for 'tis evident that the Lamb took away sin, that is, the guilt of it, by dying instead of the sinner, and had no effect for the destroying the malignant habits of sin in those who offered them. It appears further that this Divine Lamb hath taken away the guilt of our sins,1 Pet. 2.24. in that He bore them in his own Body on the Tree. For the native force of the word signifies, not only to take away,foreign. but to carry and bear, which applyed to sin is nothing else but to suffer the penalty of it. And 'tis to be observed, when Cleansing, Purifying, and Washing are attributed to the Blood of Christ, they have an immediat respect to the guilt of sin, and declare its efficacy to take off the obligation to punishment. Thus 'tis said that His Blood cleanseth from all sin:1 Joh. 1.7. Heb. 9.4. Rev. 1.6. and that it purgeth the Conscience foom dead Works; and that we are washt from our sins in His Blood. The frequent Sprinklings and Purifications with Water under the Law, prefigured our cleansing from the defilements of sin by the Grace of the Spirit; but the shedding of the Blood of Sacrifices was to purge away sins▪ so far as they made liable to a Curse.
Thirdly, Our exemption from punishment, and our restoration to Communion with God in Grace and Glory is the fruit of his expiating sin. For this reason the Blood of the Mediator speaks better things then that of Abel: Heb. 12.24.For that cryed for revenge against the Murderer, but his procures remission to Believers. And as the just desert of sin is separation from the presence of God, who is the fountain of felicity; so when the guilt is taken away, the person is received into God's favour, and fellowship. A representation of this is set down in the 24 of Exod. where we have described the manner of dedicating the Covenant between God and Israel by bloody Sacrifices:Exod. 24.6, 11. after Moses had finisht the Offering, and sprinkled the Blood on the Altar and the People, the Elders of Israel who were forbid before to approach neer to the Lord, were then invited to come into his presence,Exod. 24.9, 10, 11. Heb. 13.20. Luk. 22.20. and in token of reconciliation feasted before him. Thus the Eternal Covenant is establisht by the Blood of the Mediator, and all the benefits it contains, as remission of sins, freedom to draw near to the Throne of Grace, and the enjoyment of God in Glory, are the fruits of his reconciling Sacrifice.
The sum of all is this, That as under the Law God was not appeased without shedding of Blood, nor sin expiated without suffering the punishment, nor the sinner pardoned without the substitution of a sacrifice; so all these are eminently accomplisht in the Death of Christ. He reconciled God to us by his most precious Blood, and expiated sin by enduring the Curse, and hath procured our pardon by being made sin for us. So that 'tis most evident, that the proper and direct end of the Death of Christ was, that God might exercise his Mercy to the guilty sinner in a way that is honourable to his Justice▪
'Tis objected, that if God from infinite Mercy gave his Son to us, then antecedently to the coming of Christ he had the highest love for mankind, and consequently there was no need that Christ by his Death should satisfie Justice, to reconcile him to us. But a clear answer may be given to this by considering,
1. That Anger and Love are consistent at the same time, and may in several respects be terminated on the same subject. A Father resents a double affection towards a rebellious Son; he loves him as his Son, is angry with with him as disobedient. Thus in our laps'd state God had compassion on us as his creatures, and was angry with us as sinners. As the injured party he laid aside his anger, but as the preserver of Justice he required satisfaction.
2. We must dinstinguish between a love of goodwill and compassion, and a love of complacency. The first is that which moved God to ordain the means, that without prejudice to his other perfections he might confer pardon and all spiritual benefits upon us: the other is that whereby he delights in us being reconciled to him, and renewed according to his Image. The first supposes him placable, the latter that he is appeased. There is a visible instance of this in the case of Job's Friends. The Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, Job. 42.7, 8.My anger is kindled against thee, and thy two Friends; because ye have not spoken of me the things that are right, as my Servant Job. Here is a declaration of God's anger, yet with the mixture of Love: for it follows, therefore take unto you now seven Bullocks, and seven Rams, and go to my Servant Job, and offer up for your selves a burnt-offering, and my Servant Job shall pray for you, for him will I accept. He loved them when he directed the way that they might be restored to his Favour; yet he was not reconciled, for then there had been no need of Sacrifices to atone his anger.
2. Tis further objected, that supposing the Satisfaction of Christ to Justice, both the freeness and greatness of God's Love in pardoning sinners, will be much lessen'd. But it will appear that the Divine Mercy is not prejudiced in either of those respects.
First, The freenss of Gods Love is not diminished, for that is the original mover in our Salvation, and hath no cause above it, to excite or draw it forth, but meerly arises from his own will. This Love is so absolute that it hath no respect to the sufferings of Christ as Mediator: for God so loved the World, Rom. 9.18.that he gave his Son to die for us; and that which is the effect and testimony of his Love, cannot be the impulsive cause of it. This first Love of God to Man is commended to us in Christ, who is the medium to bring it honorably about.
Secondly, Grace in Scripture is never opposed to Christs Merits, but to ours. If we had made Satisfaction, Justice it self had absolved us. For the Law having two parts, the command of our Duty which consists in a moral good, and the sanction of the punishment that is a physical evil; to do or to suffer is necessary, not both: or, if we had provided a Surety, such as the Judge could not reject, we had been infinitely obliged to him, but not to the favour of the Judg. But 'tis otherwise here. God sent the Reconciler when we were enemies, and the Pardon that is dispenc'd to us upon the account of his Sufferings, is the effect of meer Mercy. We are justified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ. 'Tis pure Love that appointed and accepted, that imputes and applies his Righteousness to us.
And as the Freeness, so the Riches of his Mercy is not lessened by the Satisfaction Christ made for us. 'Tis true we have a pattern of God's Justice, never to be parallel'd, in the Death of Christ: but to the severity of Justice towards his only beloved Son, his clemency towards us guilty Rebels is fully comensurate. For He pardons us without the expence of one drop of our Blood, though the Soul of Christ was poured forth as an Offering for Sin. Thus in an admirable manner He satisfies Justice, and glorifies Mercy: and this could have been no other way effected: for if He had given His Spirit alone to restore us to His Image, His Love had eminently appeared, but the honour of his Justice had not been secured. But in our Redemption they are infinitely magnified; His Love could give no more than the Life of His Son, and Justice required no less: for Death being the Wages of Sin, there could be no satisfaction without the Death of our Redeemer.