Anti-Socinianism, Part 1
Firſt, Concerning Chriſt's ſuffering the wrath, &c.
I Had verily reſolved to have been ſilent in Polemical matters, but as the Prophet Jeremiah ſaith,aJer. 20.9. ſo may I, the Word of the Lord was in mine heart, and as a fire ſhut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, yea I could not ſtay; For Sions ſake then I cannot hold my peace, eſpecially when I hear that thoſe who pretend much to Truth, and ſome who Virtute officii, ſhould be Aſſertors and Maintainers thereof, do take a courſe to betray it, by countenancing and commending ſuch books as are repugnant thereunto.
I know the weighty doctrine of a ſinners juſtification before God, hath been notably canva…ed and diſcuſſed among Divines of all ſorts; and is excellently defined and determined in, and by the word of God; yet partly through the weakneſs of humane apprehenſion, and partly through the deceit and malice of the devil. There is not any doctrine of our ReligionbPraecipue in controverſiam vocatur. that I read of, more impugned, more obſcured with errors and abſurdities then this precious point.cDoctrinam Chriſti & Apoſtolorum de praecipuo ſalutis Articulo vocat. Dr. Prideaux. Lect. 5: de Juſtificat.
To wave the difference between the Papiſts and us, concerning it, and to ſpeak the very truth, we are far from agreement among our ſelves; Some affirming our juſtification to be by infuſion of righteouſneſs into us, for which we are accepted; Others take away the imputation of Chriſt's righteouſneſs from us; A third ſort deny the ſatisfaction of Chriſt; A fourth would have the very act of beleeving accounted for righteouſneſs; One cries up this; Another that, as their ſeverall humours and affections ſway them; So that there are almoſt found tot Sententiae, quot capita, as many different minds as men.
Among which, I find one Gentleman (the Author of the Dialogue I mean) who by the fame and opinion of his learning and piety, hath drawn in many profeſſours of Religion, not only to a liking, but defending of his errors; For with that tract of his, baited with the glorious Title of the Meritorious price of Mans redemption, hath he hooked in many, and ſome no ſmal fools in the eye and judgement of the World. The very Title pagedHedera illa, quam in Dialogi ſui veſtibulo & fronte ſuſpenſam habet, vinum intus haud vendibile indicat. whereof is ſufficient to declare its contents to be unſound; what then can be expected from the whole? Indeed nothing but what is exceedingly derogatory both to the Juſtice of God, and the Grace of Chriſt,eNimis extenuatur Chriſti gratia, niſi ejus ſacrificio, vim expiandi, placandi, & ſatiſfaciendi concedimus. Cal. Inſt. lib. 2. cap. 17. Sect. 4. which being openly publiſhed and ſecretly commended, eſpecially by ſome of repute and office in this Common-weal, may contribute much to the heap of thoſe many errors and hereſies, too much abounding already among us.
For reclaiming then of the Ignorant, who are by him ſeduced, for confounding of the Impudent, who are by him perverted, and for ſtopping the mouths of thoſe his high Admirers, who ſet themſelves againſt the known Truth, ſo long received, ſo cleerly maintained, as a Chriſtian, as a Miniſter (though the leaſt and moſt unworthy of many thouſand) I ſhall diſcover him to be a dangerous Socinian Sophiſter; and his book ſo highly commended, ſo much admired, to be as oppoſite to Truth as light to darkneſs, Chriſt to Belial.
The whole controverſie between us is laid down in theſe four things.
1. Concerning Chriſt's ſuffering the wrath of God due to the Elect for ſin.
2. Concerning God's imputation of ſin to Chriſt.
3. Concerning the true nature of the Mediatorial obedience of Chriſt, &c.
Laſtly, the Juſtification of a ſinner.
The two former, as they are diſpoſed in the Dialogue are a meer foreign, yet we will not alter their place, but take them up as they lye before us; and write ſomething briefly concerning each, leaving the more particular handling thereof to ſome more worthy, ſeing Reverend Mr. Norton cannot be heard; or if God ſo pleaſe, to a more large and full diſcourſe hereafter.
Zanch. de Attr.And firſt concerning Chriſt's ſuffering the wrath*Ira Dei ſignificat vel eſſentiale Dei attributum, vel ejus attributi effectum i. e. poenam. of God due to the Elect for ſin.
I will paſs by the impertinent and unſound expoſition, which he makes of that place of Moſes, Gen. 2.17. wherein Mr. Norton hath cleerly evicted him; for ſaith he, the ſum of the ſenſe thereof, according to the Dialogue is this, Chriſt could not ſin, therefore he could not ſuffer the puniſhment due to the Elect for ſin, as their ſurety; which he calls, and that truly a reaſonleſſe and ſick conſequence, and the contrary thereof true. He could not as a Mediatour and ſurety have ſuffered ſatisfactorily the puniſhment due to others for ſin, if he had not been himſelf without ſin. Though Chriſt was not a ſinner inherently, yet was he a ſinner imputatively, whereupon the ſubſtantialfExecratio quam Chriſtus pro nobis ſubiit, non fuit ceremonialis, ſed realis. Sibr. Lubbus. lib. 2. cap. 1. curſe of the Law, was juſtly executed upon him; and what is the ſubſtantial curſe of the Law, but the wrath of God, which he for a time endured for us, that we might be freed from the weight thereof for ever?
That Chriſt did ſuffer this is plain from that which follows, for that he ſhould be ſo troubled in ſoul as St. John gJohn 12.27.declareth, in ſo grievous an Agony as St. Luke hLuke 22.44.in ſuch anguiſh of mind, and deep diſtreſs as St. Mark, iMark 14.35.have his ſoul ſo invironed with ſorrow, and that ſorrow to the death as St. Matthew kMatth. 26.38.doth ſet forth: no manner of violence being offered to him in body, no man touching him, or being neer him, in a cold night,lFor they were fain to have a fire within doors at that time of the year, as Biſhop Andrews obſerves. And John 18.25. being abroad in the air, and upon the cold earth, to be all of a ſweat, and that ſweat to be bloud,mforeign, ſometime foreign is taken for an adverb of ſimitude, and ſometime adjuncta certitudinem indicat, Joh. 1.14. Joh. 7.10. i. e. in ſecret. and not as they call it Diaphoreticus, a thin faint ſweat; but Grumoſus, of great thick drops, ſo many, ſo plenteous, as that they went through all, and ſtreamed to the ground in great abundance, do all ſpeake aloud the greatneſs of his ſufferings: And that his moſt dreadful cry, which at once moved all the powers of Heaven and Earth; my God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? muſt needs be the voyce of ſome weighty anguiſh wherewith his ſoul was ſmitten. For as that learned PrelatenBiſh. Andrews ſer. de paſſion. pag. well obſerves, derelinqui a Deo, the body cannot feel, or tell what it meaneth; It is the ſouls complaint: and therefore without all doubt, Chriſts trouble, anguiſh, agony, ſorrow and deadly ſorrow, muſt needs declare unto us thoſe ſpiritual and internal torments,*Propter nostram juſtificationem ſic actum est per Chriſtum. Nos enim peccatoris in ipſo infernales poenas, quas juſtè meremur, exſolvimus. Nicol. de Cuſa, exercitationum, lib. 10. which he ſuffered in his ſoul out of the ſenſe of Divine wrath hanging over him, and inflicted on him, by reaſon of the guilt of our ſins, which lay upon him, being imputed to him.
Beſides this, he being the Son of God, Lord of Heaven and Earth, to be ſo terrifyed with the ſenſe of a bodily death only, which he was to ſuffer, and the Dialogue endeavours to perſwade, as that he ſhould for very fear thereof ſweat bloud, want the comfort and ſupport of an Angel, and cry out ſo bitterly, when on the contrary we ſee many others, not only without ſorrow and fear; but even with joy and rejoycing, conflict with as violent a death every deal; it muſt neceſſarily follow, that either Chriſt the Son of God, Lord of Heaven and Earth, had leſſe ſtrength, leſſe courage, leſſe confidence, and leſſe conſtancy, then the common ſort of men, which to ſay, is impious and blaſphemous, (and yet the Dialogue doth in effect affirm ſo much) or elſe his ſufferings muſt be more then others, and ſo, not only corporal but ſpiritual alſo.
To deny which, as the Dialogue every where doth, is, with Socinus and his followers, to ſwim againſt the ſtream of all the Orthodox both Antient,oDamaſus ad Paulinum, & Cyrillus de incarnatione, &c. Calvini Inſti. lib. 2. cap. 16. Act. 10. &c. Bezae annotat. and Moderne;pAug. cout. Fel. St. Auguſt. reaſoning againſt Felicianus the Arian, proveth that Chriſt took not only humane fleſh, but an humane ſoul, ſi totus homo periit, &c. ſaith he, if man wholly were loſt both body and ſoul, he wholly ſtood in need of a Saviour; Chriſt by his comming, wholly redeemed him, therefore Chriſt took upon him the whole nature of man, both body and ſoul. For ſince the whole man had ſinned, and Chriſt only had taken our fleſh, and not our ſoul, the ſoul of man ſhould ſtill have remained lyable to puniſhment: By the ſame reaſon we prove it neceſſary that Chriſt ſhould ſuffer both in body and ſoul; he did aſſume both, to redeem both: but he redeemed us, not in being born for us, or walking, or preaching here upon the Earth (though theſe were preparations to his ſacrifice) but by dying and ſuffering for us. Therefore he ſuffered both in body and ſoul that very puniſhment, which was due unto the Elect, or that at leaſt, which was equivalent thereunto, conſiſting in the very ſenſe and feeling of Gods wrath; yea, ſaith Willet, qSynopſis, pag. 1642.the torments of Hell, [for a ſeaſon] due unto them, by reaſon of their tranſgreſſions; So Gerhard rDolorem inferni perſen ſit, ut nunquam illos ſentiremus, Med. 7.in his Meditations. So that to deny this, is not only to oppoſe the Orthodox, but even to go againſt the Scriptures themſelves, which (being freed from the corrupt gloſſe the Dialogue puts upon them) do ſufficiently, not only in thoſe very places formerly quoted, but in many others, prove the ſame. That the Prophet David ſPſal. 88.doth briefly & emphatically deſcribe thoſe torments, which Chriſt our redeemer ſuffered in his paſſion, not only the chief, but even al Expoſitors,tIs enim ante alios omnes ſenſit iram & judicium Dei, &c. Mollerus in Argu. Pſalmi. F…abritius, Muſculus, Calvinus, &c. yea the ſubſtance & circumſtances of the Pſalm it ſelf, do ſufficiently declare. For verſ. 3. My ſoul is Saturata malis brim full of troubles,uTanta mole calamitatum obrutam, & ferre aut ſuſtinere amplius nequeat: Id. Moller. the Spirit of God chuſing rather to expreſſe it, by ſoul then body; becauſe tho…e Calamities of which he ſpeaks did eſpecially oppreſſe his ſoul,*Sanè non ſclum corporis dolores, ſed etiam maximos & inenarrabi…es animi angores perſenſiſſe, conſtat. Joan…s G…r. Voſſius reſponſione ad judi…ium Ravenſpurgr. by reaſon of the weight, which he ſuſtained; as alſo, Vita inferno appropinquavit; my life draweth nigh to Hell, I know the word here uſed for Hell, is tranſlated the grave, yet doth it admit of a more deep ſignification; for if it were only the grave, why ſhould our bleſſed Saviour, ſo cry out of that, and be ſo terrified with the thought of it, which would put an end to all his miſery, and be an entrance for him into his glory, the very conſideration of which hath put Spirit and Vigour into others, even in the midſt of as great, if not greater corporal ſufferings, then theſe of his? Verſ. 4. Tanquam vir cui nulla virtus, ſaith Millarus; deſtitute of all help and ſuccour as Muſculus wHeb. eſt foreign Grae. foreign Muſc. in Pſal. 88.turns it. His ſoul was even as ſcorched heath-ground, without ſo much as any drop of dew of Divine comfort: as a naked Tree, no fruit to refreſh him within, no leaf to give him ſhadow without; The power of darknes let looſe to afflict him; The influence of comfort reſtrained that ſhould relieve him.
We cannot be barren or banquerupt of teſtimony for the vindication of this truth, namely, that Chriſt ſuffered the wrath of God due to the Elect for ſin, that they might be freed from the ſame; This Pſalm is able ſufficiently to furniſh us, but we muſt not dwell upon particulars, leſt we ſhould ſwell into a volumne.
The Prophet Iſaiah xIſa. 53.4.ſpeaking of the ſufferings of Chriſt, doth thus expreſſe himſelf. He hath born our griefs, and carryed our ſorrows; underſtanding and intending hereby thoſe very ſufferings, that were due to the Elect for ſin, which Chriſt himſelf did bear for them, and in their ſteed, as may plainly appear, both by the ſcope of the chapter, and alſo by the two Hebrew words with are uſed in the ſame. The one is foreign he hath born; for by that phraſe ferre peccatum, to bear ſin, is inferred the bearing of the puniſhment of ſin; For the Hebrews, that they may ſignify that, which the Latines call puniſhment, have no expreſſion more common, and more received then this, ferre peccatum, to bear ſin. Anſwerable whereunto is that of the Latines, Luere delicta, to bear the offence, that is the puniſhment of the offence, as Lev. 5.1. He that heareth the voyce of ſwearing, and is a witneſs thereof, if he do not utter it; ſhall bear his iniquity. The other word is foreign he hath carryed, veré dolores noſtros bajulavit, he hath ſtood under the burthen of our griefs; It hath a double ſignification in Scripture: it imports either the carrying of ſome burthen on the ſhoulder, ſoyIſa. 46.7. the Prophet ſpeaking concerning their Gods of Gold and Silver, which they made, they leave them, ſays he, upon the ſhoulder; andzGen. 49.15. Iſſachar is a very ſtrong Aſſe, couching down between two burdens, and ſeeing that reſt was good, he bowed the ſhoulder to bear. Which manner of expreſſion is uſed by God himſelf, concerning his dealing with his peopleaIſa. 46.4. yet by an foreign, even to hoary hairs will I carry you, I have made and I will bear &c. Or elſe the leaving of ſome grievous puniſhment, as,bLam. 5.7. Our Fathers have ſinned and are not, and we foreign bear their iniquities, that is, we do undergo as a great burthen, the puniſhment of their iniquities: for ſo by an uſual Metongmie it is often taken in Scripture, the verb foreign retaining the proper ſignification of bearing an hard and heavy burthen.
Whence we conclude, whoſoever hath born or carryed our iniquities, ſuſtaining and ſuffering puniſhment and death for the ſame, that we might be free from the guilt and puniſhment thereof, he hath truly and indeed undergone thoſe moſt grievous puniſhments due unto and for the ſame: But Chriſt hath ſo born or carryed our iniquities, ſuſtaining and ſuffering death for the ſame, that we might be freed there from; Therefore he hath truly and indeed ſuſtained the moſt grievous puniſhments of our iniquities.
Here the Dialogue doth endeavour Tenebras inducore rebus, to caſt a miſt before our eyes, by telling us, that this very place being cited by St. Matthew cMat. 8.17., is by him applyed to bodily ſickneſſes and diſeaſes, inferring from hence, that Chriſt did not bear infirmities or ſickneſſes from the ſick and diſeaſed, as a Porter bears a burthen, by laying them on his own body, but bearing them away by the power of his Word*See how they reaſon; Ferre ſeu portare in Scripturali quando, ergo Semper., after which manner alſo he bare our ſins and our iniquities; One egg cannot be more like another, then theſe Words and this gloſſe are to thoſe, and that of Socinus, dDe Chriſto Servatore.and his Diſciple Crellius, eCorporales morbos Chriſtus non ſuſtinuit aut perculit, ſed ab hominibus abſtulit, ac verbo Sanavat. Cont. Grot. pag. 56.if they may not be ſaid, and that truly to be the ſame.
To which we, in the name of the Orthodox, do anſwer, that that place of St. Matthew is to be read by way of application, not explication; ſickneſſes and diſeaſes are the effects and fruits of ſin; therefore he declareth Chriſt to be a Phyſician, not for the ſoul only, but for the body alſo: and in token of ſpiritual health and recovery from ſin, he did afford and apply corporal, from maladyes and diſtempers. So Pareus upon this place in Matthew. It was the end of Chriſts coming to bear our ſins, which are the ſickneſſes of the ſoul; and therefore he begins by practiſing upon the ſickneſſes of the body, that ſo having cured the one, he might proceed to the Sanation of the other; Thus honeſt Ferus the fryer;fChriſti propoſitum erat ut peccata noſtra portaret, quae verè infirmitates ſunt animarum, &c. in Mat. 8. Alſo St. Chriſoſt. ſaith,gHomil. 25. that the corporal health which Chriſt afforded to the ſick, was a type of that ſpiritual health which was to be expected from him. Nor is there ſo much difference (if any at all) between that in Iſaiah, which is foreign and that in St. Matthew, which is foreign, as they would bear us in hand, in regard he may be truly ſaid to bear both; the one by paſſion, the other by compaſſion. Now ſeeing the figg-leaf will not ſerve to cover their nakedneſs, but that it muſt be diſcovered; for that he bare wounds and bruiſes for us cannot be denyed; He, that is our Dialogue tells us, that Satan and his inſtruments did thus bruiſe and wound him; True, but not for us. The ſufferings, wounds and bruiſes of which the Prophet Iſaiah doth ſo liberally diſcourſe, and ſo literally deſcribe, are not only ſuch, wherein Satan and wicked men were inſtruments, (as theſe Socinians, the Dialogue and the reſthWe put them together as birds of a ſeather. do fondly fain) but ſome of them were immediately inflicted by God himſelf, without any ſecond means, as inſtruments of the ſame; ſo Verſ. 6. the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all; alſo Verſ. 10. It pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him: Now theſe ſufferings were principally in his ſoul, which neither men nor Divels could afflict or terrify: but God could and did, as was foreſpoken of him in the ſame verſe. Thou ſhalt make his ſoul a ſacrifice for ſin. Add to theſe the complaint of Chriſt himſelf,iMatt. 26.33 foreign. my ſoul is exceeding heavy, even unto the death. And then the ſum of all will be this, that Chriſt our Saviour did undergo moſt exquiſite torments both in body and ſoul, joyned with, and lying under the ſenſe of Divine wrath, by reaſon of the guilt of ſin which lay upon him, and was imputed to him.
For the further confirmation hereof, I might urge (and that with better authority, then any can refuſe it) that place in the book of the Lamentations,kLam. 1.12. Is it nothing to you, all ye that paſſe by? Behold and ſee if there be any ſorrow like unto my ſorrow which is done unto me; wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath. I know, and according to the letter, it cannot be denyed, but that theſe words are ſet down by the Prophet Jeremiah, in the perſon of his own people, being then in great miſery, and of the holy City, then laid waſt by the Chaldees, their profeſſed Enemies; what then? ſays onelBiſhop Andrews his ſerm. as learned, as the beſt of thoſe that dare oppoſe it. I find, ſaith he, there is not any of the Ancient writers, but do apply, yea, and in a manner appropriate this ſpeech to our Saviour Chriſt; and whereſoever they treat of the paſſion, ever this cometh in, to expreſſe the bitterneſs and the horrour thereof. And, to ſay the truth, taking the words ſtrictly, and as they lye before us, they cannot agree with, or be verified of any, but of him, and him only. For though ſome other, and not altogether unfitly, may ſay the ſame words, yet it muſt be in a qualified ſenſe: For, in full and perfect propriety of ſpeech, he, and none but he can ſay, ſi fuerit dolor, ſicut dolor meus; no day of wrath like to his day: no grief, no ſorrow, no torment to be compared to his, yea his exceeded them all. Beſides, what if it were ſpoken literally of this people then? So was that in the Propheſie of Hoſea, mHoſ. 11.1.Ex Aegypto vocavi filium, out of Aegypt have I called my Son: yet it is by the EvangeliſtnMatt. 2.15. underſtood of, and applyed to our Saviour Chriſt. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? was at firſt uttered by David oPſal. 22.1.yet Chriſt himſelf maketh uſe of the ſame words, and that more truly and properly, then ever David did or could: and of thoſe of Davids, and of theſe of Jeremies, there is the ſame reaſon. Well, though the Ancients all along have aſcribed them unto Chriſt, and in fitneſs of terms, and more fulneſs of truth, they may be taken to be ſpoken of him, more, and rather, then of any other whatſoever, yet becauſe we will give n…ne occaſion to cavil, we will freely and fairly paſſe them by.
A man that would commend a Spring water, need not drink up the whole Fountain, one or two draughts is ſufficient; We have already had a taſt of the truth of Chriſts ſuffering the wrath of God for us: Yet we will take a ſip or two more, and ſo will conclude this firſt part.
And to this purpoſe, mark how fully the Apoſtle Paul pGal. 3.13.expreſſeth himſelf; Chriſt, ſaith he, hath redeemed us from the curſe of the Law, when he was made a curſe for us: (For it is written, curſed is every one that hangeth on a Tree) that the bleſſing of Abraham, &c. Which words we take as an anſwer to an objection, occaſioned from the 10. verſe, thus; If they be accurſed, that continue not in all things written in the Law to do them, then all men are accurſed, and the Gentiles are not partakers of the bleſſing of Abraham, as is before declared; To this, the Apoſtle applyeth theſe words, Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the Law, that is, to them that believe, there is full redemption from this curſe of the Law, to which they were lyable, Chriſt himſelf having undergone the curſe for them. For the more cleer illuſtration of this anſwer, the Apoſtle gives us a deſcription of our Redemption, in theſe three particulars. 1. The Authour, Chriſt hath redeemed us. 2. The form or manner, being made a curſe for us. 3. The end, which is two-fold. 1. More generally, that the bleſſing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles. 2. More particularly, that we might receive the promiſe of the Spirit.
In the firſt and the laſt, the Authour and the end, we all agree the difference between us lyes in the manner or form of our Redemption, expreſſed in theſe words, Who was made a curſe for us. For the better underſtanding whereof, theſe four things are to be enquired after; Firſt, what this curſe is? Secondly, how Chriſt is ſaid to become a curſe? Thirdly, in what nature Chriſt was accurſed. Laſty how far forth Chriſt was accurſed. Firſt, we will enquire what this curſe is? Here Socinus, Gitichius, Oſtorodius, Smalcius, Muſcorovius, Crellius with all the reſt, do croud in, and would fain be heard; But let us hear the Dialogue, and we hear them all, who now liſpeth not, but expreſly uſeth the ſame Language, and to the very ſame intent and purpoſe with them; which is, that the Apoſtle ſpeaks in this Chapter of a two-fold curſe, of the eternal curſe, verſ. 10. of the outward temporary curſe, verſ. 13. Namely ſuch a curſe as all men do ſuffer, that are hanged upon a Tree: which curſe the Apoſtle brings in, ſpeaking in a Rhetorical manner only, thus, Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the Law; namely, from the eternal curſe, at the very ſelf ſame time, when he was made, not thatqChriſtus non noſtram, ſed aliam quandam ſubiit execrationem Socinus de Chriſto Servatore. curſe, but a curſe for us, according to that in Deut. 21.23. and thus the Dialogue with them endeavoureth fictis illudere verbis, with a ſhadow to deprive us of the ſubſtance; But to deal truly and uprightly with the Reader, we are to know, that the Apoſtle in the 10. verſ. Speaks of the eternal or moral curſe, and in the 13. verſ. both of the eternal and ceremonial, in neither of which is there any need of Rhetorick or any Rhetorical expreſſions. What a ſtrange, imaginary or illuſory curſe would theſe men frame to themſelves, if they might have their own wills, and make others believe our Saviour under-went? When as St. Paul tells us in plain terms, he was made that very curſe that they had deſerved, which continued not in all things written in the book of the Law, to do them. And this doth appear by that place forecited,rDeut. 21.23. Curſed, even with that moral curſe, is every one that hangeth upon a Tree. Beſides, this is made more evident, by proving that the perſon hanged upon a Tree, and accurſed, was a Type of Chriſt. For, if the type bare the ceremonial, 'tis then manifeſt, that the Anti-type bare the moral; that is, the eternal curſe. If not only the curſe of every one that is hanged upon a Tree, be ſignified, but alſo Chriſts redemption of us from the curſe of the Law, by being made a curſe for us,*Deus Ideò ſuſcepit carnem ut maledictum carnis peccatricis ab…lerot, & factus eſt pro nobis maledictum, ut benedictio abſorberet ma edictionem, integritas peccatum, &c. Abroſius de Fuga ſeculi. cap. 7. Maledictionem condemnationem, cui obnoxii eramus, aſſumpſit Chriſtus, ultro que in ſerecepit, quae pati debucramus, illa ipſe pertulit. Theodoras Abucara. diſput. 15. c. 5. be both ſignified and fore-told in that place of Deuteronomie, then that place hath not only a proper, but a typical ſignification: But not only the curſe of every one that is hanged upon a Tree is ſignified and fore-told in that place. Therefore that place hath not only a proper, but a typical ſignification; which typical ſignification being taken away, namely, Chriſts bearing the moral curſe upon the Tree, all the Hebrew Doctors (whoſe judgment in other things our Dialogue doth ſo highly eſteem and magnify) are now at a non-plus to give a ſufficient, yea probable reaſon, why hanging upon a Tree, ſhould ſo much defame, or faſten this ſpecial curſe upon the perſon hanged, above all other capital ſufferings whatſoever.
I ſuppoſe Mr. Norton in his anſwer to the Dialogue hath written very fully and ſatisfactorily to this purpoſe, to which I referre the impar…i…l and judicious Reader, that ſo we may proceed.
This curſe ſaith Abrahamus Callovius, ſNihil aliud eſt, quàm damnatoria ſ ntentia de ſubcundis paenis peccatu debitis; vel i…ſ… paena à ſent nti… legis damnaturia dependens, de Satisfact. Chriſti.Paſtor of the Church of Wittenberg, is nothing elſe but the condemning ſentence of the Law, whereby a man is adjudged to undergo ſuch puniſhment, as is due to the offence committed. Or elſe, it is the very pun ſhment it ſelf, depending upon that condemnatory ſentence of the Law. foreign, is according to Aretius, tAr…tius in Gal. 3.13.the due puniſhment of ſin, that is, the wrath and high diſpleaſure of God, yea, even eternal death, due to the Elect by reaſon of their tranſgreſſions, which he in a manner, and in ſome kind,uQu… ad acerbitate…, etſi non quoad durationem. D…. Prid. de redem. may juſtly be ſaid to ſuffer for them.
We come to the ſecond, namely, how Chriſt is ſaid to be a curſe. For anſwer; He is not ſo by nature: for he is the very natural Son of God; but firſt by voluntary diſpenſation. Secondly, by mutual combination between the three Perſons of the Deity, Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt; Thirdly, by manifeſt and apparent Ordination,w1 Pet. 1.20. and that before the foundation of the World was laid; Fourthly, by Divine obſignation,xIohn. 6.27. Fiftly, by a ſeaſonable and timely conſecration; and that firſt by his Baptiſme, in which, ſaith Mr. Perkins, yPerkins on the Gal.he took upon him our guilt, as we put off the ſame in ours; and ſecondly, by his bitter croſſe and paſſion, in which he underwent the puniſhment of our ſin, and thus he was made a curſe.
For the third, in what nature he was made a curſe? We have this anſwer, In his humane nature, conſiſting of body and ſoul, yea in ſoul rather then in body, the ſoul of man being the principal ſeat, and place of reſidence for ſin.
For ſaith Chriſt himſelf,zMat. 15.19. out of the heart, which in Scripture beareth uſually the name and title of the ſoul, proceedeth evill thoughts, murthers, adulteries, &c. Yet I ſay in both, compleating and making up the humane nature, ſuſtained and ſupported by the Divine, being in Union with it. Here is ſomething to be borne, and meet it is,aBiſhop Andrews ſer. that every one ſhould bear his own burthen; the nature that had ſinned bear his own ſin; Mans nature had ſinned, and therefore mans nature ought to ſuffer. But that which mans nature ſhould, mans nature could not bear, not the heavy and inſupportable weight of Gods wrath due to ſin: but God could; The one ought, and could not; The other could, but ought not; if he had not bin man, he could not have ſuffered; if he had not bin God, he had ſunk in his ſufferings, and had never bin able to have gone thorow with them. God had no ſhoulders; Man had, but too weak, God knows, to ſuſtain ſo great a weight; So that as he was man, he was lyable, and as he was God he was able, ſaith that learned PrelatebPag. to bear the burthen in the heat of the daycPſal. 16.. To the laſt, how far forth Chriſt was accurſed? We anſwer thus; There is a two-fold death; a firſt and a ſecond death; in the firſt death there are two degrees, ſeparation of body and ſoul: and the putrifaction of the body ſeparated. The firſt Chriſt ſuffered, but not the ſecond: For his body being deprived of life (according to the dialect of the Pſalmiſt)cPſal. 16. ſaw no corruption. Again, in the ſecond there are two degrees, the firſt is a ſeparation from God in ſenſe and feeling: The ſecond is an abſolute ſeparation from him for ever, never to be admitted into favour any more. Into this laſt degree of death, Chriſt entred not: for in the midſt of his moſt grievous ſufferings, in the exaltation and height of all his ſorrows, he yet cryed out, my God, my God; declaring his truſt in, and dependance upon God, notwithſtanding all his miſery. Neither could it be otherwiſe without a diſſolution of the perſonal Union. But into the firſt deg…ees of this ſecond death, we affirm, and that upon plain Scripture grounds, againſt all oppoſition, that Chriſt did enter; that is, the ſenſe and feeling of Gods wrath and indignation,dCum ira Dei ſit voluntas puniendi rectè etiam di…ipoteſt Iratus illo quèm vice & loco delinquentium punire vult. eſſen. due to the Elect in regard of their iniquities, by which they had provoked him, to be highly diſpleaſed with them. Not to muſter up any more*Inſtances. witneſſes, we will only take a ſhort ſurvey of that place of the Apoſtle to the Hebrews, cap. 5. verſ. 7. Who in the dayes of his fleſh, when he had offered up Prayers and Supplications, with ſtrong crying and tears unto him that was able to ſave him from death, and was heard in that he feared; and ſo free it, what we may, from the violence done unto it by the Dialogue, who notwithſtanding his profeſſion of reverence to thoſe Authours, who expound the word foreign; fear, yea, the fear of aſtoniſhment at the ſenſe and feeling of Gods wrath for the guilt of our ſins; yet labours tooth and naile to overthrow their expoſition; and by one of his own, to carry the meaning of the Text another way; telling us, that ſome tranſlate it reverence, others dignity, a third ſort piety, to which, becauſe he himſelf adheres rather then to any other, doth therefore conclude, that it muſt be ſo taken here, and muſt not, cannot be otherwiſe.
But by the Dialogues good leave, there is no ſuch neceſſity for that, as he would have us believe; the proper ſignification of the word being fear; together with the frequent uſe of it by all ſorts of Greek Authours both holydHeb. 12.28. foreign. and humane,eforeign, &c. Plut. in Camille. declare the contrary; as alſo the Propoſition annexed,fforeign, which cannot be bribed or corrupted to comply with the ſenſe and interpretation of the Dialogue. It was not an ordinary fear, ariſing from an ordinary cauſe,gMetus vel ſolitudo, &c. that thus conſtrained our bleſſed Saviour to entreat and ſupplicate: for he felt ſuch pains, ſaith Piſcator hIn animo pariter & corpore tales ſenſit dolores, quales damnati ſenſuri ſunt in inferno, ut ita ſatisfaceret pro peccatis noſtris, quae ut Sponſor in ſe ſuſceperat, &c. In Heb. 5.7.as the Elect, (if they had bin damned in Hell) ſhould have felt; that ſo he might make ſatisfaction to the Juſtice of God for their ſins, the guilt of which, as a Pledge or ſurety, he had freely and voluntarily taken upon him. He offered up ſaith the Apoſtle, prayers and ſupplications, with ſtrong crying and tears, to him that was able to ſave him from death, and was heard in that he feared; If it had bin fear of bodily death only (as the Dialogue would have it) what need ſuch cryes, ſuch ſtrong cryes with tears? Surely be would make him leſſe then a man, and more faint in a good cauſe, then Malefactors are in a bad; But the Text is plain, he was heard in that he feared, that is, ſaved from the death he feared; but he was not ſaved from the bodily death: for he dyed, and gave up the GhoſtiMat. 27.58. therefore it was not the bodily death, but the great horrour of ſoul,*Chriſtus ut plenè pro nobis ſatisfaceret, non tantum corporis, ſed etiam ſummos animi cruciatus ſuſtinuit & Vicit. B…za. in Mat. by reaſon of the wrath of God, which he ſuffered, that he ſo feared, and from which he was in reſpect of the eternity there of delivered. Nor was it Chriſts deliverance out of theſe ſufferings, much leſſe from a bodily death only, as the Dialogue (but upon what grounds I know not) doth moſt vainly (to ſay no worſe) affirm, but the glory of God his Father, in the ſalvation of the Elect, which was the Maſter-piece of all his prayers.
Well, we have enough for our purpoſe; He prayed that he might be delivered from death; True, but this death was the death of the croſſe, the principal part whereof was the curſe, that is, the wrath of God due to the Elect for ſin, from which he was delivered in reſpect of duration, but ſuſtained it for a time for them, that they might for ever be freed from the ſame. And this we take to be the very drift and purpoſe of the Holy Ghoſt in this place of the Apoſtle.
Further more, there are ſome, and thoſe of no ſmall account in the Church of God, who take that Article in the Creed of Chriſts deſcenſion into Hell, to ſignify thoſe Spiritual and internal paſſions, which he ſuffered in his Soul, out of the ſenſe of Divine wrath hanging over him, and inflicted upon him, by reaſon of the guilt of our ſins, for which he was to ſatisfie. Thus U…ſinus kCatechiſm. pag 236., and Spanhemius lSummos cruciatus, angustias & dolores quas Chriſtus perpoſſus, &c. de exinatione Chriſti, pag. 274., alſo our own Perkins mPerkins on the Creed.upon the Creed, expounding that part of Hannah's ſong, 1 Sam. 2.6. The Lord killeth, and the Lord maketh alive; He bringeth down to Hell, and raiſeth up again, ſaith thus; The Lord maketh men feel wo and miſery in their Souls, yea even the pangs of Hell, and afterwards reſtoreth comfort and refreſhment to them. But we paſſe this.
What ever uncertainty in this point the Dialogue would faſten on us, and make the World believe there is among us, ſhall ſo he may gain the more credit to himſelf, and his Socinian opinion, I leave to the judgment of the indifferent Reader; in the mean ſeaſon, let all men know, that in this we all agree, and this conſtantly and un…nimouſly affirm that Chriſt Jeſus ſuffered that death, and thoſe very SoulnIpſam poenam infornalem re ipſa tulit, &c. Poliander 1. concertatione. torments, to which the Elect were ſubject, by reaſon of the curſe of the Law, which lay upon them.
For the further confirmation whereof, we here propound a three-fold queſtion. Firſt, in what manner? Secondly, in what meaſure? Thirdly, for what time Chriſt ſuffered this death and theſe torments? Which being reſolved, will not be much unlike Solomons three-fold cord, not eaſily broken.
Firſt, how and in what manner Chriſt ſuffered this death and theſe torments? Anſw. Our ſins, and we by reaſon of our ſins, being accurſed, hatefull and abhominable in the ſight of the moſt pure God, not beholding us in our filthineſſe but with indignation towards us; It pleaſed Jeſus Chriſt, being himſelf moſt holy, by the unſpeakable mercy of the Father, and his own free grace and goodneſs taking upon him our miſerable and forlorne condition, and undergoing both in body and ſoul, thoſe torments which we ſhould everlaſtingly have ſuffered,*Chriſtus fit pro nobis maledictio in cruce, luens poenam iis debitam qui voluerunt dificri. Bez. in Luc. 23. to free us from the ſame. This I ſay, he did freely, and of his own accord; for though according to the Evangeliſt,oMat. 26.39. there may ſeem ſome reluctancy in him, yet (againſt the Monotholites) we conſider in Chriſt a double will, the one Divine, the other humane; in reſpect of his humane will he may be ſaid, under condition, to eſchue death, and deſire to be delivered from it: but his Divine will was, that the will of his Father, and not his humane will, might be accompliſhed; which being conſidered, he did freely and voluntarily engage himſelf to ſuffer what ever his Father in Juſtice would, even to his wrath and indignation, to ſatisfy the ſame, and free the Elect from it. Secondly, how much and in what meaſure Chriſt ſuffered? Anſw. As much in full weight and meaſure (if we may uſe the terms) as did counter-vail all the ſins of the Elect, paſt, preſent and to come; and what was wanting in his bodily torments, to make full ſatisfaction to Divine Juſtice, was ſupplyed and made up in his ſoul ſufferings,*Chriſtus cum Satana, cum p…ccatis, cum morte deni que horren…a illa maledictione De…armatis, potenter luctans, &c. Beza in Mar. cap. 13. the ſenſe of which, both before, and in the time of ſuffering, did ſo much moleſt and trouble him.
Thirdly, what time and how long did he ſuffer? Anſw. From the very time that he began to work out the Redemption of the Elect, date it when they will, untill upon the croſſe he cryed out, conſummatum eſt, it is finiſhed. To the Jews this may be a ſtumbling block, to the Greeks fooliſhneſs, to the Dialogue and the reſt of the Socinian brood, abſurd and ridiculous, but, both to Jews and Greeks with all that believe, it is the mighty power, wiſdome and goodneſs Object 1 of God to Salvation. But here the Dialogue, &c. do ſcoffingly object; what? would God deal ſo hardly with his own Son, as not to abate him any thing of the full price of that which ſinfull man ſhould have payed? Anſw. To which the Apoſtle himſelf hath given an anſwer, hear we him, for we cannot mend it,pRom. 8.32. foreign, non pepercit, he ſpared not his own Son, but gave him up to death; and what death? even the curſed death of the croſſe for our redemption.
Object 2 It is further objected, that this puniſhment, and theſe ſufferings, and that death, which our Savivour Chriſt endured, cannot he ſaid to be eternal, becauſe they laſted but a time, which being expired, they were likewiſe finiſhed. Anſw. For anſwer whereunto, we affirm, that a thing may be ſaid to be eternal two wayesqVel ratione quid dicatis, vel ratione durationis, L. V. de ſatisfactione., either in reſpect of the ſubſtance, or in reſpect of the circumſtance, the being or continual being of a thing; in the former ſenſe, Chriſt ſuffered eternal death, not in the latter; he ſuffered the eſſential part of thoſe tormentsrIpſiſſimam maledictionem in lege minacum ſubierit. Idem., which all the Elect ſhould have ſuffered unto all eternity, though not the circumſtantial in reſpect of duration. Beſides, eternal death in the phraſe and dialect of the Scriptures, doth not ſignify the perpetual diſſolution of body and ſoul, as the Socinians do underſtand it, for ſo, the damned themſelves do not ſuffer eternal death, ſAliud eſt ceterum in morte manere: aliud eſt aeternam mortem ſuſtinere. Illud durationem, hoc virtutem mortis, utrumque vel de animae & corporis ſolutione, vel de cruciatibus gehennae intelligitur. Cal. de Satisf. pag. 466.but either in the immeaſurable greatneſs of infernal torments, or the everlaſting continuance thereof. The firſt of which is eſſential, the other but accidental; That Chriſt ſuffered; This he could not, ought not to undergo. Could not, becauſe he is eternal life it ſelf, God bleſſed for ever, Amen.
Ought not, becauſe it was his office to free us from death, by conquering the power, and taking away the ſting thereof. Laſtly, Chriſt may be ſaid to ſuffer eternal death potentially (if we may borrow that expreſſion to declare our intention) though not actually, that is, a death alwayes enduring; though not by him alwayes to be endured. There is this proportion between that death which we ſhould have ſuffered, and that which Chriſt did ſuffer for us; the one being infinite in time, the other infinite in weight and meaſure. The Son of God then truly ſuffered eternal death in reſpect of the greatneſs of thoſe miſeries, which he endured, and the ſenſe of Gods wrath in thoſe ſufferings,tEx gravitate dolorum, quos perpeſſus eſt filius Dei mortem aeternam ſubiit, &c. which he ſuſtained.
Here the Dialogue by an imperfect and impertinent deſcription of Hell torments, labours to betray and beguile his over-confident and unwary Reader, inferring from thence, that becauſe Chriſt ſuffered not circumſtantially, that is, in al the circumſtances of time, place, &c. therefore he can in no ſenſe be ſaid to ſuffer any part or degree of the ſame; as if the Devil, becauſe not alwayes in the place of torment, cannot be therefore ſaid to be tormented.
The New-Engliſh anſwer hereunto,uMr. Norton, pag. 29. hath made ſuch a breach in this Fort, that every eye may ſufficiently diſcern the weakneſs hereof, and ſo put no truſt to, or confidence in it. But yet again ſome may Object 3 object and ſay, could temporal death, or the ſuffering of the curſe for ſo ſhort a time, counter-vail the ſuffering and ſubſtaining of that eternal death and deſtruction to which we by reaſon of our great impiety and Rebellion were lyable? To which we give this affirmative anſwer; Anſw. Yes, if we do but conſider, that which is here worthy of our conſideration, namely the perſon that did ſuffer?wEtſi enim temporalia tantum, ac finita fuerint, quae fecit ac perpiſſus eſt, a perſona tamen ejuſmo…i quatis ipſe fuit, praeſtita, equalis ſaltem meriti fuerunt & ad juſtitiae Divinae cùm ſatisfactionem cùm illuſtrationem, &c. Bradſhaw de Juſtificat. For as our ſin though not infinite in it ſelf, yet in reſpect of the object againſt whom it is committed, the infinite Majeſty of God, may therefore be ſaid to be infinite: So the paſſion of Chriſt may be ſaid to be infinite to, in reſpect of the ſubject, which did endure it, the everlaſting Son of the Father, who thought it no robbery to be equall with God, the leaſt of whole ſufferings, for the leaſt moment of time, was more and of more eſteem, then if all the men in the World had ſuffered infinite and unſpeakable torments unto all eternity; Therefore the death of Chriſt, the beloved Son of the Father, both in reſpect of the meaſure of the puniſhment, as alſo in reſpect of the worth and dignity of the perſon, doth every way counter-vail and fully ſatisfie for that eternall death, to which we were lyable, and which we ſhould have ſuffered to all eternity.
Object 4 Laſtly, it is objected, could God be ſo angry with his own only begotten, moſt innocent and alwayes obedient Son, in whom he was for ever well pleaſed, as to inflict ſo great wrath upon him? Anſw. Anſwer. If any where that diſtinction be to be uſed, which the Dialogue would have ſo often remembred, that is, that Chriſt ſuffered as a Malefactor, and as a Mediatour at one and the ſame time, it is here, though not in that ſenſe, in which the Dialogue takes it. Chriſt is to be conſidered under a double notion, as the Son of God, and ſo at all times, and for ever beloved of him; and as our Pledge and ſurety, and ſo lyable to the curſe of God, by reaſon of the guilt of our ſins that lay upon him; Neither is there any ſuch contradiction in this, as the Socinians dream of, to ſay that Chriſt was grievouſly afflicted, and yet highly beloved of God, both a curſe, and a ſacrifice of a ſweet Savour unto his Father, at one and the ſame time: becauſe it is not ſpoken in one and the ſame reſpect. Chriſt was grievouſly afflicted,xAfflictus & execrabilis factus eſt Chriſtus, quae noſtri locum ſuſtinuit qui irae Dei & maledictioni obnoxii eramus Calovius de ſatisfactione Chriſti. and made a curſe, as he ſtood in our ſteed, and took our place and caſe upon him, who were our ſelves Children of wrath, and obnoxious to the curſe of God; yet was he beloved of God, and moſt dear to him, in reſpect of his moſt holy, and perfect obedience, which he performed to all his commands; likewiſe, a ſacrifice of a ſweet Savour in regard of the Effect, God being thereby pacified and reconciled to us. So that God inflicted wrath upon him, not as his only beloved Son, but as our ſurety, and one that undertook to bear the penalty for us, that Gods Juſtice being in him fully ſatisfied, we might be freed from that wrath, which otherwiſe might, and that juſtly have bin inflicted on us.
I ſuppoſe by this time we have ſufficiently proved againſt the Dialogue, and in him Socinus, and all his followers, that Chriſt Jeſus, as our Pledge and ſurety did ſuffer the wrath of God,*Ira Dei peccata noſtra in filio ſponſore noſtro vindicantis tenebrarum horrore ſancitur, Beza in Mar. 15. being made a curſe for us, yea that very curſe, which we ſhould have ſuffered, or elſe the Apoſtles Argument could not hold, there being in it four terms in reſpect of the diverſity of the ſignification of the word curſe. Hence are two things to be proved by us; one, that Chriſt ſuffered the curſe for us, to declare which, we thus argue, either Chriſt ſuffered the curſe due to us for our ſins, or we ſuffer it our ſelves, or the curſe is not executed; But we ſuffer it not our ſelves, neither is the curſe not executed; for then the truth of the commination and Divine Juſtice ſhould fail. Therefore Chriſt ſuffered the curſe due to us for our ſins. The other, that he ſuffered that very curſe to which we were lyable: this is plain. 1. From the Rule of interpretation rightly laid, not having recourſe to Tropes or Figures, where there is no neceſſity for them. 2. From the Apoſtles alternation, we are freed from the curſe of the Law, Chriſt is made the curſe of the Law for us, which very variation or inverſion doth evidently declare to any ordinary capacity, that Chriſt was made the very true curſe of the Law for us. For the whole argument lyes thus. As Chriſt freed us from the curſe, ſo did he ſuffer the curſe; But Chriſt did ſo free us from the curſe, that he hath foreign truly redeemed us from the puniſhment and damnatory Sentence of the Law to which we were lyable; Therefore he hath alſo ſo ſuffered the curſe, that he hath foreign truly bin obnoxious to the puniſhment, and damnatory Sentence of the ſame. 3. From the quality of the curſe; He is made a curſe, the word is foreign, maledictus, not in reſpect of men only, as all the Socinian party would have it, but alſo in reſpect of God; for ſo we read that place of Moſes, yDeut. 21.23.foreign, curſed of God. Now what is it to be curſed of God, but to have the puniſhment of the curſe inflicted on him both in body and ſoul? It is no marvell that the grand Enemy of our Salvation doth ſet men, and they their wits on work to oppoſe this wholſome Doctrine, namely the truth of Chriſts ſuffering the wrath of God for the Elect, conſidering the great benefit which iſſues from, and the good uſe may be made of the ſame.
As firſt, by faith beholding Chriſt in his Spiritual conflict with the wrath of God, and ſeeing him ſorrowing, ſweating, praying, fainting, crying out unto and upon his Father,*Jeſus in inferrarum gurgitem ſubmerſus ejulat. Bez. in Mat. as one utterly forſaken by him, no whit ſparing, or one jot regarding him, ſtanding in the room of ſinners, and by reaſon of our iniquities ſuffering ſuch things, ſhould make us loath and abhorre our ſins, which cauſed God to be ſo diſpleaſed with his own Son, by reaſon of the guilt thereof, which lay upon him; and to think thus ſadly with our ſelves, Oh how ſhall we, if we go on now, and lye down hereafter in our ſins and tranſgreſſions, be able in the great day to appear before him? How ſhall we endure his fury, which made the Son of God, ſo groane and cry? Surely we can expect no other, no better, then with Eſau to be ſent away empty, though with tears we ſeek the bleſſing. We will therefore reſolve thus ſeriouſly with our ſelves, reaſonably to break off our ſins by repentance, and our iniquities by turning to our God, from whom ſo long we have turned away, to ſerve our own turns in and upon the vanities of this life, which by no means the Devil can endure to hear.
Secondly, it begets an exceeding contentment and comfort in us, when the hand of God by ſickneſs, with other bodily diſeaſes and diſtempers do lye hard and heavy upon us, th…n to think with our ſelves, why? what are theſe, to thoſe miſeries, that anguiſh, thoſe horrours of conſcience, thoſe eternal and unutterable torments, which my ſins have deſerved, or my Saviour ſuffered? As a poor Priſoner laid up for ſome capital crime, by reaſon of which, according to his deſert, and the equity of the Law, he can expect nothing but death, and that with the ſevereſt execution; but being beyond hope pardoned his life, and only adjudged to the penalty of ſome few ſtripes, doth rejoyce in the midſt of theſe his petty ſufferings, conſidering what he ſhould have undergone: So we, though we be in miſery here, yet being by the mercy of God, and the ſufferings of Jeſus Chriſt, delivered from thoſe etern…l torments, which were due unto us by reaſon of our ſins, do rejoyce in the midſt hereof, with joy unſpeakable, and full of glory, which the Devil cannot endure to ſee; and therefore ſtirs up his inſtruments with all the ſlights and tricks that may be, to weaken the ground thereof; And truly theſe of all other the moſt dangerous: for under the pretence of exalting Chriſt, they moſt of all debaſe him, making him more infirm then other men, which have ſuffered as great, if not greater bodily torments, and yet never expreſſed ſo much fear, grief and ſorrow under them; or elſe (with ſhame to them be it ſpoken) to counterfeit what he ſuffered not; ſo while they inconſiderately endeavour to defend his glory, they moſt of all darken and obſcure it, by calling in queſtion the truth of his ſufferings, and conſequently the certainty of our Redemption, leaving us under the inſupportable weight of Gods wrath, which if he hath not, none other, either man or Angel is able to ſatisfie for us; yet here's our comfort, Truth is ſtrong, yea ſo ſtrong, that the gates of Hell cannot prevail againſt it.