Divine Truths in Jesus Christ, Chapter 4

Divine Truths in Jesus Christ · Chapter 4

p. 42CHAP. IV.

Chap. 4 Gods Punitive Juſtice aſſerted from Scripture and Nature. It was neceſſary that there ſhould be a Satiſfaction for Sin: Rectoral Juſtice required it. Ʋnleſs Chriſts Sufferings were ſatisfactory, no good account can be given of them. It's not enough to ſay, That he was an Example of Patience; That he confirmed the Covenant; That Gods immenſe Love was manifeſted therein, or that his Reſurrection aſſured ours. Gods Juſtice appears, in that He, though of infinite Mercy, inflicted thoſe Sufferings on Chriſt; In that Chriſt, the Patient, was Man, the Son of God, an holy Innocent One; In that the Sufferings of Chriſt were proportionable to the ſinning-powers in Man; To the Law; To the ſin and ſufferings of a World. The fruits of his Sufferings as to Himſelf, and as to Ʋs. The Dreadfulneſs of ſin, in reſpect of the Sufferings of Chriſt, and the miſerable end of impenitent Sinners.

HAVING diſcourſed of Gods Holineſs, I now come to his Vindictive Juſtice; which, as a learned man ſaith, is a Branch or Emanation from the other. That pure Eſſence which cannot but hate ſin,Juſtitia vindicatrix in Deo ſanctitatis & ſummae rectitudinis pars quaedam eſt, & foreign, Turret. de ſatiſfact. muſt needs have a propenſity to puniſh it. That propenſity cannot be ſeparated from the hatred of ſin, nor that hatred from infinite Rectitude. The Socinians, that they might raze Chriſts Satisfaction to the very foundation, deny this Attribute: This Juſtice, ſay they, is not an Attribute p. 43in God. Neither is it called Juſtice in Scripture, but rather Severity, which is not reſident in God, but only an effect of his Will. But, that there is ſuch an Attribute in God, is evident in Scripture: He is called foreign, Right, and foreign, Righteous. As the firſt chiefly reſpects his Univerſal Righteouſneſs, ſo the ſecond doth his Judicial one. He is ſaid to be juſt in his judging, Revel. 16.5. His judgment is a righteous judgment, Rom. 2.5. It is a righteous thing with him to render tribulation, 2 Theſſ. 1.6. Puniſhment is called a juſt Recompence, Heb. 2.2. Puniſhment, how afflictive ſoever, cannot be Puniſhment unleſs Juſtice be declared in it; nor can Juſtice be declared in that, which it requires not. The Greek word, foreign, ſometimes denotes the Puniſhment, Jude v. 7. Sometimes the Punitive Juſtice it ſelf, Acts 28.4. One foreign is from another, juſt Puniſhment iſſues out from Vindictive Juſtice: with reſpect to that only it is, that God is called a conſuming fire, Heb. 12.29. As he is Light in his Eſſential Purity, ſo he is Fire in his Eſſential Juſtice, which is ever in Conjunction with his Purity, and, as it were the ardour of it, breaking out in flames of Wrath in ſuch ſort, as ſeems fit to him. Thus Scripture. But further, Nature concurs to make it good. This, that God is Juſt, is graven in the minds of all men: The very Heathens, by the indelible Characters which they find there, are able to read the Judgment of God, and ſay, that he hath foreign, an avenging Eye; a Ray of it ſhines in their own boſom. The Barbarians, upon the ſight of the Viper on Pauls hand, cry out of a foreign, a Vengeance that purſued him as a Murderer. The very inſtinct of Nature told them, that there was a p. 44Connexion between Guilt and Puniſhment. Conſcience is Dei vicarius, a kind of Repreſentative Numen in men: it hath a ſecret Tribunal in the Heart, and from that Seal and impreſs which divine Juſtice hath ſet upon it, dooms and judges Offenders unto miſery. Hence that ſaying,

—Prima eſt haec ultio, quod ſe

Judice, nemo nocens abſolvitur.

Puniſhment is coetaneous to Guilt. Sin in its egreſs out of the heart leaves a ſting behind. The Offender cannot be well within, his diſtemper is foreign, a conſcience of his evil-deeds; his mind reflects torment upon it ſelf: inwardly he is nothing but Wounds and amazing Horrors; the Apparitions of Wrath haunt him; Conſcience is ſenſus & praejudicium judicii divini, a kind of anticipation and preſenſation of the laſt Judgment. After all this, to deny God to be juſt, is to offer violence to the Principles of Nature, and put a lye upon thoſe Notions which are born with, and inſtamped-upon our Reaſon: It is to ſay, That the Image and Impreſs of a Deity upon our hearts, is but a Counterfeit; That Conſcience is but a Cheat, and all the Terrors there but a falſe Alarm. In a word, It is to eradicate all Religion, and open a Flood-gate to all wickedneſs and impiety. Theſe being intolerable abſurdities, it cannot but be granted, that there is ſuch an Attribute in God: foreign, ſaith Plutarch; Juſtice follows God, or rather it is his very Eſſence.

It is an enquiry among Divines, How far it was neceſſary, that ſin ſhould be puniſhed; that without p. 45Satisfaction there ſhould be no Remiſſion. It is an indubitable Verity, That it was neceſſary by virtue of Gods Decree: He hath declared himſelf, that he will by no means acquit the guilty. But this is not all. In Scripture, Puniſhment is not attributed meerly to his Will or Decree, but to his juſt and righteous Nature; Thou art righteous, O Lord, becauſe thou haſt judged thus, Revel. 16.5. Though the mode and circumſtance of Puniſhment be determined by his Soveraign pleaſure, yet the puniſhment it ſelf iſſues out from his Juſtice. Sin merits puniſhment; They that do ſuch things are worthy of death, Rom. 1.32. It is not meerly Gods Will, but his Juſtice, which renders unto ſin its due. The proportion which is between Sin and Puniſhment, ſhews who holds the ballance: Were it meerly at the divine Pleaſure to puniſh ſin or not, God need not puniſh obſtinate and impenitent perſons. This the Socinians themſelves cannot bear. They ſay, There is one Juſtice in God,una…eſt juſtitia Dei, quâ perpetuo utitur, dum ſceleſtos, & contumaces, ac perditae ſpei homines plectit, atque exterminat. Soc. de Serv. pars prima. cap. 1. Indignum Deo eſt, eorum ſcelera impunè dimittere. Crell. de Deo & Attr. cap. 23. which he ever uſeth in puniſhing contumacious ſinners: nay, it would be unworthy of God not to puniſh them. Now, here two things may be obſerved: The one is this; Obſtinacy is not puniſhed for it ſelf, for in good it is Conſtancy and worthy of praiſe; but it is puniſhed becauſe it is in evil. Sin is puniſhed foreign for it ſelf, but Obſtinacy for the ſin only; and if ſin be puniſhed for it ſelf, then every ſin muſt be puniſhed. The other is this, If Jeſus Chriſt had not come and ſatisfied for us, all ſinners would have been impenitent and contumacious; the grace of Repentance would never have been given by an unatoned God; neither is it now derived to us, but through a Mediator. Him hath God exalted p. 46with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance, Acts 5.31. Hence it appears, that without Chriſt, all ſin would have been in conjunction with impenitency, and conſequently neceſſarily puniſhed. But a little more to clear this Neceſſity, I ſhall lay down ſome Particulars.

1. Man, a rational Creature, could not be created, but he would immediately by the very frame of his Soul be under a Law. His Reaſon by the innate notion of a Deity, could not but be bound to know the Supreme Truth. His Will by its propenſion to its proper Object, could not but be bound to love the Supreme Goodneſs. The Reſpects, which are in the rational Powers towards their Creator, are a Law never to be altered. God will no more diſſolve them, than he will contradict his own work: Man cannot looſe himſelf from them, which are interwoven with his immortal Faculties. As long as God is God, the Supreme Truth and Goodneſs; and Man Man, an Intellective and Elective Creature; It muſt needs be indiſpenſably juſt for us to know and love our Creator. The differences of Good and Evil are founded in Nature. The Image of Righteouſneſs is not a movable thing, for then the love of God might be it to day, and by a Counter-motion, the hatred of him might be ſuch to morrow, which is utterly impoſſible.

2. Man by his very Creation being under a Law, it could not be otherwiſe but God muſt be a Rector and Judg over him. He that made, muſt rule him; He that put a Law into his Faculties, muſt be his Judg; His Rectitude and Juſtice made him fit to be ſo. Hence that of the Apoſtle, Is God unrighteous p. 47who taketh vengeance? I ſpeak as a man, God forbid; for then how ſhrll God judg the world? Rom. 3.5, and 6; As if he had ſaid, Unleſs God ceaſe to be Himſelf; unleſs his Righteouſneſs and Juſtice fail, He muſt needs be Judg.

3. God being Rector and Judg, He muſt needs carry himſelf as becomes one of infinite Rectitude and Juſtice. It is right, that ſin ſhould be puniſhed; And ſhall not the Judg of all the Earth do right? After Man, nay all the Race of mankind, had for many Ages turned Rebels againſt God, and violated, and, as much as in them lieth, made void his Sacred Laws: After they had by the contempt of their ſins deſpiſed his Majeſty and Soveraignty, and by the turpitude of them offended his Purity and Holineſs; ſhould all this paſs unpuniſh'd, how black would the Conſequence be? Would it not be a blot to his Government to nod and let fall the reins of Diſcipline? a ſlight to his Law to neglect it as a thing ill-contrived, or unworthy of a Vindication? Would not the great things of the Law appear very ſmall, and the horrible Ataxy of ſin a minute inconſiderable nothing? Muſt not the divine Attributes of Rectitude and Juſtice be co-ſufferers with that Law, upon whoſe Commands and Comminations their very Image is engraven? Would not the face of things look, as if the moral Foundations, the Differences of good and evil, were ſhaken and deſtroyed; as if all things were indifferent, and ſin or no ſin, were all one to the Holy One? Which way ſhould his infinite hatred and abhorrence of ſin be manifeſted; no more diſpleaſure outwardly appearing at a world of ſin, than there would at none at p. 48all? The total managery of things no way demonſtrating Sin to be odious, or Holineſs grateful; Obedience failing, and there being nothing vicarious, no Puniſhment to ſupply the room of it; How could the order between the Creator and the Creature be preſerved? or what would become of that moral dependance and ſubjection which we owe to our Maker? Doubtleſs no defect, no jeofail can be in his Sacred Government. His juſt Anger requires, that Diſcipline ſhould be kept, Manners corrected, and Licentiouſneſs ſuppreſſed. As an Ancient ſpeaks: Man being under a Law,Surgimus ad vindictam, non quia laſi ſumus, ſed ut diſciplina ſervetur, mores corrigantur, licentia comprimatur: haec eſt juſta ira, quae ſicut in homine neceſſaria eſt, ita in Dto, à qno ad hominem pervenit exemplum. Lact. de Ira Dei. God muſt needs be Rector; and being ſuch, He cannot chuſe but act like himſelf, in a juſt decorum to his holy Attributes and Law: No blot or irregularity can light upon his Government. Sin, which makes a breach upon the ſacred Order, muſt be reduced in ſuch a punitive way, as may bear witneſs to his Rectitude and Juſtice. There are two things in Sin; a Macula, a corrupting Spot; and a Reatus, an obliging Guilt. The Spot is ſuch a Turpitude and ill-temper of mind, that the Soul, in which it is reſident and regnant, cannot have Happineſs; the Guilt is ſuch a Chain and ſtrong binder unto Wrath, that the Soul, to which it adheres, cannot have Impunity. The Wiſdom of God ſecures and aſcertains the firſt, Why ſhould not his Juſtice ſecure and aſcertain the ſecond; ſeeing God by the Law of his Eſſence, is as much bound to act in congruity to his Juſtice, as to his Wiſdom?

4. Upon ſuppoſal that a Puniſhment or Satiſfaction were not neceſſary, What ſhould thoſe millions of Sacrifices and ſlain Beaſts under the Law p. 49mean? If the ſubſtance, the Sacrifice of Chriſt might have been ſpared, what ſhould the types and ſhadows do? Nay, why ſhould the Son of God come, and ſweat, and bleed, and dye upon a Croſs under Divine Wrath, if all this might have been ſpared? God doth not multiply things without cauſe, much leſs did he make his dear Son the Curſe cauſeleſs. The Apoſtle tells us, That it was not poſſible that the blood of Bulls and Goats ſhould take away ſin, Heb. 10.4. But why ſo? if a meer nothing, a no-ſacrifice might do it? He ſignally diſtinguiſhes; the blood of Beaſts purifies the fleſh, and takes away Ceremonial Guilt. But, which is infinitely more, the blood of Chriſt purges the Conſcience, and takes away real Guilt, Heb. 9.13, 14. But will not this diſtinction be altogether vain, if no blood at all were requiſite to take away guilt? Alſo the Apoſtle aſſerts, That we are juſtified by Chriſts blood, Rom. 5.9; But why not without it, if a Satisfaction were unneceſſary? It is very hardly imaginable, that the All-wiſe God ſhould fetch a compaſs, and go round about by his Sons blood, when a word, a merciful pleaſure, might have done the work without it.

Theſe things premiſed, I now proceed to ſhew how Punitive Juſtice was manifeſted in the Sufferings of Chriſt. The Apoſtle ſpeaks memorably, God ſet forth Chriſt to be a propitiation to declare his righteouſneſs, for the remiſſion of ſins; as if he had ſaid, There could be no remiſſion without it: and to make it the more emphatical, he doubles the phraſe, To declare, I ſay, at this time his righteouſneſs; and withal he adds, That he may be juſt, Rom. 3.25, 26. Righteouſneſs, that is, Punitive Juſtice was eminently demonſtrated p. 50in the propitiatory Sufferings of Chriſt; unleſs this were ſo, no ſufficient account could be poſſibly given of them. The Socinians, who deny Chriſt's Satisfaction, cannot give a tolerable reaſon thereof: For what ſay they? Chriſt in his Sufferings was an example of Patience. I anſwer, he was ſo; but there was a Cloud of ſuffering-Martyrs before his Incarnation: and then what ſingular thing was there in his Paſſion? It's true, he was the greateſt Pattern that ever was; but had that been all, why did he ſuffer as our Sponſor and Mediator? why did he bear the Sin of a World, and the Wrath of God due to it? Here he was alone, no man, no Angel was able to trace or follow him. The Saints may fill up the Sufferings of Chriſt in his myſtical body; but they cannot, dare not aſpire ſo far, as to go about to imitate him in thoſe ſatisfactory Ones, which were in his own proper body. Had he been only an exemplary Saviour, he could have ſaved none at all: Not thoſe under the Old Teſtament; for Example doth not, like Merit, look backward to thoſe who were before it: Nor thoſe under the New; for no meer Example, no, not that of an Incarnate God, could have raiſed up Man out of the ruins of the Fall, unleſs there had been in his Sufferings a Satisfaction to Juſtice. The Guilt of Sin could not have been done away, unleſs there had been therein a Merit to procure the Holy Spirit. The Power of Sin could not have been ſubdued; a meer exemplary Chriſt would have been but a titular Saviour. The great deſign of raiſing up a Church out of the corrupt Maſs of Mankind would have failed, a Pattern only being too weak a bottom for it to ſtand upon. p. 51Again they ſay, Chriſt ſuffered, that he might confirm the Covenant with his own blood. I anſwer, the Covenant was confirmed in Abrahams time, Gal. 3.17. It was made immutable by Gods Word and Oath, Heb. 6.17. It was ratified by the glorious Miracles of Chriſt; it was ſealed up by the precious blood of Martyrs: and why muſt the Son of God dye for it? or if he muſt, might not a ſimple death ſerve? Why was there a Curſe, and an horrible Deſertion upon him? There can be no imaginable coherence or connexion between his bearing the tokens of Gods Wrath, and his confirming the Covenant of Grace; the one can have no congruity or ſubſerviency to the other. The Scripture therefore, which gives a better account, tells us that he dyed to pay a foreign, a Ranſom for us; obtain eternal Redemption, aboliſh and make an end of ſin; deliver from the world, and the wrath to come; reconcile to God, purchaſe a Church, and bring in everlaſting Righteouſneſs, and an happy Immortality ſuitable thereunto. Theſe noble and excellent ends could not be compaſſed, but by Sufferings penal and ſatisfactory, ſuch as had the bitter ingredients of Divine Wrath and diſpleaſure in them. Chriſt was not a meer Witneſs, but a Prieſt, Redeemer, and Mediator: His blood was not only foreign, a Teſtimony, but foreign, a Propitiation; neither was it only confirmative of the Covenant, but fundative: all the Promiſes of Grace and Glory ſprung up out of his ſatisfactory and meritorious Paſſion. Further they ſay, that in his Sufferings the immenſe Love of God was manifeſted. I anſwer, His immenſe Love was indeed very Illuſtrious in giving his Son; but to what purpoſe p. 52was he given, but to be a Propitiation? foreign, In this was love, that he ſent his Son to be a propitiation for our ſins, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 John 4.10. When inexorable Juſtice-ſtood as an Obſtacle in the way; when Satisfaction muſt be made, or mankind eternally periſh; then infinite Love appeared in giving the only begotten Son to be an expiatory ſacrifice for us, to ſatisfie Juſtice, that we might partake of Mercy. But if a Satisfaction were needleſs, if the Sufferings of Chriſt might have been ſpared; Where is the vehemence of Love? It may ſeem rather to be in Remiſſion of ſin, than in the Paſſion of our Saviour. That Remiſſion ſhould come to us through his intervenient Death, when that Death was not neceſſary, looks not ſo much like an act of Love, as of Sapience: and yet how Sapience ſhould unneceſſarily, and without juſt cauſe, order ſo great a thing as the Death of Chriſt to be, I cannot underſtand. Moreover they ſay, Chriſt ſuffered, that his Death intervening, we might be aſſured by his Reſurrection, of our own, and of life eternal to be obtained in a way of Obedience. But I anſwer, This is rather to aſſign the end of Chriſts Reſurrection, than of his Death: for his Death here comes in only by the by, as a meer intervenient thing, a cauſa ſine qua non, a thing which hath no proper end of its own. It is not to me imaginable, that ſuch an one as he was, ſhould dye meerly to teſtifie to thoſe things, which were before fecured by the immutable Word and Oath of God himſelf. O beatos nos, quorum cauſâ Deus jurat! miſeros, ſi ne juranti credimus! ſaith Tertullian: his Oath cannot but be a ſufficient ſecurity. It's true, Chriſts Death and Reſurrection do p. 53aſſure Believers, that they ſhall riſe and live for ever in Glory: But how do they do it? what, exemplarily only? no ſurely, his Death was ſatisfactory for ſin, and meritorious of life eternal. His Reſurrection was a Seal, a pregnant proof, that the Satisfaction made by his Death was full and conſummate. Hence ariſes in Believers an aſſurance of Life and Immortality, the ſame being purchaſed and paid for by the blood of Jeſus. Had his Death and Reſurrection been exemplary only, which way ſhould an aſſurance be drawn from it? The argument, if any, muſt run after ſome ſuch rate as this: Jeſus Chriſt, God as well as Man, one having Power over his own life, free from all ſin, never ſeeing corruption, able to overcome death it ſelf, did riſe from the grave; Ergo, meer men, having no power over their lives, tainted with ſin, ſubject to corruption, unable to conquer death, ſhall riſe alſo: the inconſequence is apparent. On the other hand let the argument run thus: Jeſus Chriſt did by a paſſion of infinite Merit and Satisfaction, purchaſe eternal life for Believers; Ergo, they ſhall be ſure to have it: here the conſequence muſt needs be ſure and infallible. Upon the whole matter it appears, that no tolerable account can be given of Chriſts Sufferings, unleſs Juſtice were ſatisfied and declared therein. But to explicate this more diſtinctly, I ſhall a little conſider three things:

1. God the great Rector, who inflicted thoſe Sufferings on Chriſt.

2. Chriſt the Patient, who bore them.

3. The Sufferings in themſelves, and in their fruits.

p. 541. God, the righteous Rector, who inflicted them, was one of infinite Mercy. Mercy in men, though but finite, is ſometimes a remora to puniſhment. Joſeph, being foreign, a juſt, that is (as the word there muſt be taken) a merciful man, would not foreign, make Mary a publick ſpectacle of Juſtice, Matth. 1.19. But though God were one of infinite Mercy, and that not meerly reſident in his Nature, but as it were in motion, triumphantly going forth in a moſt compaſſionate deſign towards mankind; yet he would have Juſtice ſatisfied in the Sufferings of his Son: To declare, I ſay, at this time his righteouſneſs, ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 3.26. Obſerve, it was at this time, it was then a day of Salvation, a Jubilee of Redemption to Mankind; yet for all that, Juſtice muſt have its due, and be declared in the Sufferings of Chriſt. But here the Socinians object, That infinite Juſtice, and infinite Mercy are oppoſites, and cannot both be together in God; or if they were, God, who cannot act contrary to any thing in his Nature, could neither puniſh becauſe of his Mercy, nor yet pardon becauſe of his Juſtice. But I anſwer, Mercy and Juſtice are not oppoſites in Man. After the Idolatry of Iſrael in the Molten Calf, Moſes would in Juſtice have every one ſlay his Brother; yet in an high exceſs of Mercy and Charity he would pray, Forgive their ſin; if not, blot me out of thy book, Exod. 32.27, & 32. Neither are they oppoſites in God, when he proclaims his Name in thoſe ſtately Titles; The Lord merciful, gracious, long-ſuffering, abundant in goodneſs and truth, keeping mercy for thouſands, forgiving iniquity, and tranſgreſſion, and ſin: He yet adds in the cloſe p. 55of all, That he will by no means clear the guilty, Exod. 34.6, 7. Mercy and Juſtice in God have different objects: the Penitents, who partake of Mercy, are not the objects of Juſtice; the Impenitents, who feel Juſtice, are not the objects of Mercy. Yet theſe Attributes are not contrary the one to the other; being both Divine Perfections, they can no more be contrary the one to the other, than the Divine Eſſence, which both of them are, can be contrary to it ſelf. Cruelty, not Juſtice, is oppoſite to Mercy; Injuſtice, not Mercy, is oppoſite to Juſtice. Neither doth God in pardoning or puniſhing, act contrary to any thing in his Nature. In pardoning Penitents, he acts not againſt his Juſtice, for that was ſatisfied in their Sponſor Jeſus Chriſt: In puniſhing Impenitents, he acts not againſt his Mercy; for that, as the Socinians themſelves confeſs, extends not to obſtinate ſinners, neither are they at all capable of it. Theſe two Attributes do mutually illuſtrate one another: the Mercy of God is the more Illuſtrious, becauſe when Juſtice was inexorable, it ſent his Son to ſuffer for us. The Juſtice of God is the more glorious in Chriſts Sufferings, becauſe they were inflicted by one whoſe Mercy was infinite in his nature, and in his deſign towards Men.

2. Chriſt the Patient, who bore thoſe Sufferings, may be conſidered under divers reſpects, each of which ſhew Juſtice to be Illuſtrious in his Sufferings. Take him as Man, Juſtice appears, in that the penal Sufferings were in the ſame nature which had ſinned. The nature of Angels was not aſſumed, the facrifice of Beaſts would not ſerve the turn, neither had the ſame nature with man; but that Juſtice p. 56might be exact, that the Sufferings might be in the ſame nature which had ſinned, the Son of God was made fleſh, and ſuffered in it as an expiatory Sacrifice for us. Notable is that of the Prophet, All their wickedneſs is in Gilgal, there I hated them, Hoſ. 9.15. Sin was found in the humane Nature, and there it muſt be puniſhed. Take him as the Son of God, Juſtice appears, in that ſo great, ſo dear a perſon ſuffered for us. David ſpared Joab, becauſe he was a great, a potent man in the Army. And Abſolom, becauſe he was a dearly beloved Son. In the former he ſaid, The Sons of Zerviah are too hard for me: and in the latter, Deal gently with the young man. But though Jeſus Chriſt was very great, God, and Gods Fellow, one who thought it no robbery to be equal with God; though he was very dear, a Son, and an only begotten, the Fathers eſſential Image, and eternal joy: Yet for all this, ſtanding in the room of ſinners, he muſt not be ſpared. It was a great Wrath in Henry the Second of France, Thuan. l. 20.564.which made him by a paſſionate throw to ſmite, though but occaſionally, his own Son then ſitting at his feet. But oh! how great, how wonderful was the Juſtice of God in Chriſts Sufferings, when no greatneſs, no dearneſs, though infinite, did obviate or turn away the ſtroke? When he bruiſed and wounded to death his own Son, and that intentionally, and on purpoſe to vindicate the Honour of his Juſtice and Law? In other puniſhments he falls but upon meer Creatures; but here, with Reverence be it ſpoken, He falls upon himſelf; the Son of God, very God, (and a dearer or greater perſon there could not be) was the ſufferer. Further, p. 57take him as an holy Innocent One; Juſtice, which uſually hath only to do with ſinners, will yet appear. He was Holineſs it ſelf, in his Divine Nature: He was holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparate from ſinners, in his Humane; yet, if he will ſtand as a Surety for mankind, he cannot be excuſed. It is obſervable in Scripture, that penal Sufferings ſtay not meerly at the offenders door, but run over upon thoſe in conjunction with him. Achan ſinned in the accurſed thing, and his Sons and Daughters were ſtoned, and buried with fire. David ſinned in numbring the people, and no leſs than ſeventy thouſand ſubjects fell by a Peſtilence. But the Holy Jeſus is an inſtance above all others: their Sufferings fell indeed upon Relations, yet ſtill upon ſinners; here they fell upon the Holy One. Juſtice is illuſtrious, when ſinners ſuffer in conjunction with ſinners; but how highly doth it act, when Innocency it ſelf ſuffers in conjunction with them; I mean, as a Sponſor on their behalf? But here the Socinians cry out,Nibil divinae juſtitiae magis contrarium eſt, quàm inſontem ſontis loco puniri, Volk. de Sat. Quid hoe aliud eſt, quam ſaevum tyrannum facere? Sclicting. cont. Melſ. Inſignis immanitas at que ſaevitia, potius quàm liberalitas appellanda eſt, Soc. de Servat. pars 3. c. 2. That if God ſhould puniſh the innocent for the guilty, Chriſt for us Sinners, he would be unjuſt, a cruel Tyrant, one like Hannibal, who looked upon a ditch full of Humane blood, as a fair ſpectacle. Unto which I anſwer, the Scripture is very pregnant; our ſins were laid upon him, they were condemned in his fleſh, he bore them in his body: he was wounded and bruiſed for them, and that even unto death, and that not a meer ſimple death, but one that had a penal curſe in it. And if theſe phraſes expreſs not puniſhment, no words can do it. Yet for all this, corrupt Reaſon is ſo deſperate, that rather than ſubſcribe to the Sacred Oracles, it will blaſpheme and call God Tyrant. Indeed p. 58an innocent cannot be puniſhed for the guilty compulſorily, but Chriſt ſuffered by conſent: Lo, I come to do thy will, O God, Heb. 10.7. The Law of Redemption was in his heart, he gave himſelf for us, an offering, and a ſacrifice, Eph. 5.2. And what is freer than Gift? or what colour of Injuſtice can there be in ſuch a Suffering? The Reaſon and Juſtice of all Nations agree in this, that one may by his own conſent be puniſhed for another. It's true, he cannot juſtly conſent to ſuffer in that which he hath not a juſt power over. Men have not ſuch a power over their lives, as they have over their eſtates. The only blemiſh in the foreign of old, who engaged life for life, was this, That they had not a juſt power over their lives to give them as a Compenſation for others; but Chriſt might juſtly conſent, he had power over his own life: I have power, ſaith he, foreign, authority to lay down my life, and authority to take it up again, Joh. 10.18. Hence it appears, that his conſent to ſuffer puniſhment for us, was a very juſt valid one, it being in that, which he had authority over; and where there is ſuch a juſt conſent, there an innocent one may ſuffer for the guilty. It's true, an innocent one meerly as ſuch cannot be puniſhed; neither did our Saviour ſuffer as ſuch, but as one in conjunction with us, as our Goel and Sponſor, who undertook to bear the puniſhment of our ſins. It could not be unjuſt for him to undertake it; and after undertaking, it could not but be juſt for him to perform it; eſpecially, ſeeing his perſon could not ſink under his Sufferings, and his Sufferings could not be in vain, or to no purpoſe. He roſe as a glorious Victor, and out of his Penal Evils ſprung that great p. 59Good, the Redemption of a World.

3. The Sufferings of Chriſt are to be conſidered in themſelves, and in their fruits. Take them in themſelves, Juſtice appears in the proportionableneſs of them: in puniſhing Juſtice holds the Ballance, it weighs and meaſures out Penal Evils for Moral: Judgments on Sinners are called, the portion of their meaſures, Jer. 13.25. as being inflicted in a due proportion. Now the Sufferings of Chriſt were proportionable in divers reſpects.

1. There was a proportion between the ſeats of Suffering in Chriſt, and the ſeats of Sin in us. Man ſinned in his body, Sin was organically and inſtrumentally there; proportionably Chriſt ſuffered in his body, no part of it but was racked upon a tormenting Croſs: becauſe our Corporeal Parts had been weapons of Iniquity, Juſtice made his the ſubjects of Miſery. Man ſinned in his Soul, there was the prime and chief ſeat of Sin; proportionably Chriſt ſuffered in his Soul; nay, there was the prime and chief ſeat of Suffering: becauſe the main reſidence and venom of ſin was in our Souls, the greateſt preſſure, and bitterneſs of wrath was upon his. He was exceeding ſorrowful, even to death; He was ſore amazed, and as it were fainted away; yea, for very anguiſh he ſweat drops of blood, and upon the Croſs, cryed out, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? All this befel him, who was fortitude and conſtancy it ſelf. Under the Law, Juſtice had eye for eye, tooth for tooth, wound for wound, ſtripe for ſtripe; in Jeſus Chriſt it had a Suffering body and ſoul, as a Compenſation for the ſinning bodies and ſouls of Men.

2. There was a proportion between the Penal Sufferings p. 60in Chriſt, and thoſe in the threatning of the Law. Chriſt ſuffered not the very Idem, neither indeed could he do ſo; becauſe there was a change of perſon, and in ſtrictneſs, Si alius ſolvit, alind ſolvitur: but his Sufferings came as near to thoſe in the Law, as could poſſibly ſtand with a juſt decorum to his Sacred Perſon; as little was abated as might be. This will appear by the many ſteps of his Humiliation. He, the Son of God, very God, aſſumed our frail Nature. But might this infinite and wonderful Condeſcenſion ſatisfie Juſtice for the ſin of the world? no, He muſt be under the Law, and fulfil all Righteouſneſs. Well, that being done, might that obedience (wherein ſo high an Honour was reflected upon the Law, as that it was obeyed perfectly in all things, and that by its Maker) ſatisfie for ſin? No, that alone was not enough, there muſt be ſhedding of blood, or no Remiſſion. But if there muſt be blood, might not a few drops of his blood, the ſame being of an infinite value, do the work? No, the Law calls for Death, without that he could not be an expiatory Sacrifice for us. But if a Death muſt be, might not a ſimple one, being of ſo great a perſon, ſerve the turn? No, the Law pronounces a Curſe, and that he was made, the marks and tokens of Wrath were upon him: and why all this, but that God would have his Sufferings comply, and come as near the terms of the Law as might be? It's true, he did not bear the accidentals of puniſhment, his Sufferings were not eternal; but in the Law puniſhment is eternal, only as it relates to a finite Creature, which can never ſatisfie, but not as it relates to a mighty Sponſor, who could pay down all at once, p. 61and ſwallow up death in Victory. He ſuffered not the worm of Conſcience, or Deſperation: But the firſt of theſe is from Sin, inherent, and putrifying in Conſcience; and the ſecond from the Imbecillity of of the Creature, ſinking under its burden, neither of which could be in him. He bore not the accidentals of puniſhment; but as great a perſon as he was, the eſſentials could not be abated. There was in his Sufferings Paena ſenſûs, when the fire of wrath melted him into a bloody ſweat; and paena damni, when the Eclipſe of favour made him cry out of forſaking. Though God in his Soveraignty would relax the Law, and introduce his own Son, as a Sponſor to ſatisfie for us; yet his Son ſtanding in that capacity, He would in Juſtice have him ſuffer as near the penalty in the Law as could be.

3. There was a proportion between the Sufferings of Chriſt, and the Sin of a World. Sin is an infinite evil; and his Sufferings, to compenſate it, were of an infinite value. Sufferings are not to be eſtimated as money, which, in whoſe hands ſoever it be, is one and the ſame; but according to the Dignity of the Perſon. Hence that of the people to David, Thou art worth ten thouſand of us, 2 Sam. 18.3. Hence that Spaniſh Proverb, uſed to Charles the Ninth,Thuat. l. 42.446. to move him to ſeize upon the chief Proteſtants: One Salmons head is more worth than the heads of fifty Frogs. In the Roman Laws, puniſhments are varied according to the condition of Perſons. Free-men were not under the ſame puniſhments as ſervants. The Lex Porcia would not leave Rods upon the back of a Free-man: the Sufferings of a Prince and a private man, are not to be valued at the ſame rate. At the p. 62Death of Abner, David took ſpecial notice of it, and cryed out, A Prince, a great man is fallen this day in Iſrael, 2 Sam. 3.38. The Sufferings of great men are very eſtimable; What then are the Sufferings of a God, ſuch as our Saviour? The Scripture is very emphatical in ſetting forth this to us: God purchaſed the Church with his own blood, Acts 20.28. God laid down his life for us, 1 Joh. 3.16. The Lord of Glory was crucified, 1 Cor. 2.8. The man Gods fellow was ſmitten, Zach. 13.7. He offered up himſelf through the eternal ſpirit, Heb. 9.14. The Prince of life was killed, Acts 3.15. His Deity ſtamped an infinite value upon his Sufferings, ſuch as made them a full Compenſation for the ſin of a world. That therefore of Socinus, Quicquid paſſus eſt Chriſtus, nullam majorem vim per ſe habere poteſt, quam ſi quilibet purus homo idem paſſus eſſet. De ſervatore, pars 3. cap. 4.that the Sufferings of Chriſt have no more virtue in themſelves, than if a meer man had ſuffered, is no leſs than horrible blaſphemy, and for ever to be abhorred by us.

4. There was a proportion between the Sufferings of Chriſt, and the Sufferings of a world. One dyed for all, ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 5.14. But what an one was he? No leſs than very God: his Deity elevated his Sufferings into a kind of infinity. Upon this account his Sufferings, though but the Sufferings of one,Unum ſi multiplices, habthis tandem numirum omnium hominum; omnium verò bominum collectio, quantumcun que multiplicetur, nunquam Chriſti potentiam, authoritatem, dignitatem, ſapientiam, ſanctitatem, deitatem aequabit, Theſ. Salmur. de paſſ. Chriſti. did equalize, nay, ſuperexceed the Sufferings of a world. For as the French Divines have obſerved; if you multiply one, you ſhall at laſt have the number of all men: but a Collection of all men, however multiplied, will never equal the Power, p. 63Authority, Dignity, Wiſdom, Sanctity, and Deity of Chriſt. In the Sufferings of a world, every ſufferer would have been but a meer Creature; but in his Sufferings, the ſufferer was no leſs than God himſelf. Here therefore Juſtice appears more ſignally, than if all the world had ſuffered, and that for ever. His Sufferings, though but Temporary, did more than counterpoiſe the eternal Sufferings of a world. Should we ſuppoſe, which is impoſſible, that all men had paid and paſſed through eternal Sufferings, thoſe would have delivered them from the Curſe of the Law; the Sufferings of Chriſt (which ſhews their Equivalency, and more) produce the ſame effect, and over and above merit life eternal. There is a double order in puniſhing: The order of Juſtice would have a puniſhment infinite in Magnitude; but becauſe a finite Creature cannot bear it, the order of Wiſdom will have it infinite in Duration. But as the French Divines have obſerved,Theſ. Salm. deneceſſ. Sat. Chriſt being ſubſtituted in our room, the order of Juſtice returns again. Our Saviours Sufferings were of an infinite value, the ſum of Sufferings was paid down all at once. In theſe therefore Juſtice is more Illuſtrious, than it could have been in eternal Ones; wherein mere finite Creatures would have been ever a paying a little, and a little, but could never have ſatisfied Divine Juſtice.

Thus the Sufferings of Chriſt in themſelves, do by their excellent proportionableneſs manifeſt the Juſtice of God; but beſides, the conſequents and fruits of them, ſhew the fulneſs of his Satisfaction to that Juſtice. And theſe may be conſidered with reſpect to Chriſt himſelf, or elſe with reſpect to us.

p. 64As to Chriſt himſelf, What were the conſequents of his Sufferings? The pains of death were looſed, as not able to hold ſuch a Satisfier as he was; He was taken from priſon, Iſa. 53.8. as having diſcharged all: He had an acquittance in his Reſurrection, as a ſure proof, that he had made full payment in his death: The God of peace brought him again from the dead, Heb. 13.20. Obſerve, it was the God of Peace. Firſt, the Divine Juſtice was appeaſed, and then the Divine Power raiſed him up. He had all the Power in Heaven, and in Earth, Matth. 28.18, as an infallible witneſs, that he had by his Blood reconciled all things there. He aſcended, and entred into the true Sanctuary, into Heaven it ſelf; and this tells us, that the expiatory and ſatisfactory blood was ſhed before in his Death: He appears in the preſence of God for us, Heb. 9.24; and that aſſures us, that the Divine Anger is over: having by himſelf purged our ſins, he ſate down at the right hand of the Majeſty on high, Heb. 1.3. His ſatisfactory-work was perfectly done, and then he reſted in ſtate. All theſe glorious Conſequents make it appear, that his Satisfaction was a plenary one.

As to us, the fulneſs of his Satisfaction appears, in that Juſtice hath nothing at all to demand from ſuch as are in him, and by Faith become myſtical parts and pieces of him; the atoning Blood is upon them, and the damning Law paſſes over them. Thus the Apoſtle ſaith, There is no condemnation to thoſe which are in Chriſt Jeſus, Rom. 8.1. The Apoſtle ſaith not, that there is nihil condemnabile, for the reliques of ſin are in them: but he ſaith, there is nulla condemnatio, p. 65no condemnation to them; for the Satiſfaction applied, cleanſes away ſin, and delivers from Wrath. It's true, Believers may have afflictions; but what are they? They are only Caſtigatory, and for their good; not Vindictive, or for the Satisfaction of Juſtice. Again, the fulneſs of his Satisfaction appears, in that his Sufferings were not meerly ſatiſfactory, but redundantly meritorious. Theſe have opened Heaven, as well to let down thoſe influences of Crace to us, which, unleſs Juſtice had been appeaſed, would never have fallen upon us, as to introduce us into that life and bleſſed Immortality which we guilty and defiled Creatures, while ſuch, could not be capable of. We ſee here, that the Satisfaction of our Saviour was not a poor, ſhort, or ſcanty thing; but good meaſure, preſſed down, and running over in the purchaſe of all good things for us.

It was a good ſaying, Vulnera Chriſti ſunt biblia practica, the Sufferings of Chriſt, in which Juſtice ſo eminently appears, are a ſtrong Motive to Repentance; enough, if duly conſidered, to ſet all men a weeping over their iniquities: What, did the Creator ſuffer? Was the Lord of Glory crucified? Was the bleſſed One made a Curſe? Did the Son of God, very God, ſo dear, ſo great a perſon, ſweat, bleed, cry out, and expire upon a tormenting Croſs, and all this to take away ſin? What a ſpectacle is this? Who can look upon it with dry eyes, or an unmelting heart? When the Son of God was broken, ſhould our hearts be untouched? May we ſpare our tears, when he parted with his blood? To look upon his wounds, and not mourn over our ſins, can be p. 66no leſs than unnatural hardneſs. Oh! what a thing is ſin? how horrible, how infinite an evil, that it could not be expiated at an eaſier rate, than the blood of God himſelf? What Plea can be made, or colour given for ſo vile a thing, that it ſhould have a Being in the world, or ſo much as a reſidence in an humane Thought? Should that be indulged which coſt Jeſus Chriſt ſo dear? or that go free, which nailed him to the Croſs? Canſt thou love that which ſtabbed him at the heart? or live in that for which he dyed? May that be light, which preſſed him into an agony and bloody-ſweat? or that ſweet, which put ſo much Gall and Vinegar into his Cup? Canſt thou bleſs thy ſelf in that which made him a Curſe? or follow after that which made him cry out of forſaking? Think, and again think, if thy blind eyes and hard heart will let thee, what, and how dreadful a thing it is for thee to go on in thine iniquities. In ſo doing, thou doſt not meerly run upon the Authority and Soveraignty of the Almighty, but upon the wounds and blood of thy dear Saviour, impiouſly trampling them under thy impure feet: and how grievous a thing is this? If thou art fearleſs, and ſtoppeſt not here, what hope canſt thou have? It becomes thee to ſit down and lament that helliſh impetus in thy own heart, which moves ſwiftly towards Hell, without admitting any remora. A few words from God gave check to Abimelech, Gen. 20. And ſhall not the wounds and blood of thy dear Lord do as much to thee? The ſword of an Angel put a ſtop to Balaam in his perverſe way, Numb. 22. And wilt thou go on, who haſt ſeen the ſword of God drawn againſt the Man, his fellow, for thine iniquities? If the p. 67groans of the Creatures, all round about, ſounding in thine ears, did not ſtartle thee, yet ſhouldeſt thou be deaf and ſenſleſs to the Sufferings of thy Saviour, bleeding and dying upon a Croſs, in compariſon of which the daſhing down of a world is a poor nothing? If the breaches of the Sacred Law, dearer to God than Heaven and Earth, do not move thee, yet wilt thou not be moved, when thou ſeeſt that amazing ſight, God for our ſins bruiſing and breaking his Son, his eſſential Image, in our aſſumed Nature? If thou doſt not bluſh at the blots and turpitudes which ſin hath made in thy own ſoul, yet methinks it ſhould deeply affect thee, that the Son of God was made ſin and a Curſe for thee. Should God let thee down to Hell, and after ſome ſcorches from the fire unquenchable, take thee up again, wouldeſt thou yet go on in ſin? no ſurely; and why wilt thou do it now, after thou haſt ſeen ſuch a ſpectacle of Juſtice in the Lord Jeſus, as more than countervails the Sufferings of a world? When a Temptation approaches, How is it that thou ſeeſt not the price of blood writ upon it? Which way doſt thou forget the nails and bloody Croſs of thy Redeemer? Thou ſeeſt plainly, that God is ae juſt, a righteous One; and for a full proof of it, he hath written Juſtice in red Letters, in the Paſſion of his own Son; if thou run on in thy ſins, how, which way canſt thou eſcape? God ſpared not his own Son, ſtanding in our room, and will he ſpare thee in thy impenitent ſinning? Wrath fell very ſeverely upon the Holy, Innocent, meek Lamb of God: and will it paſs over thee, wallowing in thy filthy luſts and corruptions? What, did God exact ſo great a Satisfaction p. 68for ſin, that it might be allowed? Did he vindicate his broken Law at ſo high a rate, that it might be more broken, and that with Impunity? 'Tis utterly impoſſible: thoſe Sufferings of Chriſt which did witneſs Gods hatred of Sin, could not open a gap to it: the Surety did not ſweat, pray, bleed, and dye under Wrath, that the impenitent ſinner might be ſpared. O how profane and blaſphemous is ſuch a thought, which makes the great Redeemer a Patron of iniquity! He came to ſave us from our ſins, not in them; to redeem from iniquity, not to encourage it; What then? where is thy hope, O impenitent ſinner? Is it in Gods Mercy? As infinite as it is, it will not let out a drop to the impenitent, neither indeed can it do ſo, unleſs, which is impoſſible, one Attribute can croſs another; Mercy can reproach Holineſs or Juſtice. Believe it, Salvation it ſelf cannot ſave thee in thy ſins: Is it in Chriſt and his Merits? He is the Saviour of the Body, but thou art out of it. He is the Author of eternal Salvation to them that obey him: but thou art a Rebel. May Chriſt be divided? Canſt thou have a part in his Prieſtly office, who art in Arms daily againſt his Kingly? Shall the Promiſes comfort thee, who caſteſt off the Righteous Commands? It cannot be. What Concord hath Chriſt with Belial? How ill-ſuited are an hard heart and a bleeding Saviour? How canſt thou truſt in that Jeſus, whom thou deſpiſeſt, and crucifieſt afreſh by thy Rebellions? or depend on his Merits, when thou liveſt in enmity againſt his Divine Spirit and Life? Theſe are meer inconſiſtencies. Thy caſe, while p. 69thou art in thy ſins, is very forlorn and deſperate. God will be a conſuming fire to thee; thy ſelf muſt be as dry ſtubble before him; every luſt will be a never-dying worm; thy ſoul will furiouſly reflect upon it ſelf for its prodigious folly; abuſed Mercy will turn into fury. Chriſt, the great Saviour, will doom thee to perdition; fire and brimſtone, and an horrible tempeſt will be rained down upon thee, and that for ever. If then thou haſt any fear of God, or love to thy ſelf, caſt away thy tranſgreſſions, and return to him, that thou mayeſt eſcape the Wrath to come, and enjoy the pure beatitudes which are in Heaven.