The Sufferings of Christ, Part 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. The Vindication of Gen. 2.17.
Gen. 2.17. In the day thou eatest thereof, thou ſhalt die the death.
Dialogu. YOu ſay that the term Thou is thou in thine own perſon, and thou in thy poſterity; thus far I approve of your expoſition: but whereas you extend the term Thou unto the Redeemer, this last clauſe I diſlike: for the death and curſe here threatned cannot extend it ſelf unto the Redeemer in the manner of his ing out our redemption.
Anſw. For the better underſtanding this Text, the miſunderſtanding whereof ſeemeth not a little to have miſl…d the Authour, and the true underſtanding whereof may be of good uſe to preſerve the Reader; Conſider theſe three things.
1. What is here intended by death.
2. The diſtribution of death.
3. The application of that diſtribution.
The Death here ſpoken of is the wages of ſin, Rom. 5.21. and 6.23. That is, all evill (the evil of Adams ſin excepted) in one word. As all lines unite in the center, ſo all ſorrows meet in that one term Death. The commination Thou ſhalt ſurely die, is not particular concerning ſome kinde of Death, but indefinite, therefore aequivalent to a univerſall comprehending all kindes of death; God inflicts no evill upon man but for ſin, and all evill not only of affliction, but alſo of ſin followeth upon Adams ſin; Originall ſin proceeding thence as an effect from the cauſe, and actuall ſin as an act from the habit: As all evil is inflicted for ſin, ſo all evil in Scripture-language is called Death. The evil of affliction Exo. 10.17. Of bodily Death, Gen. 3.15. Rom. 8.10. Gen. 26.10. Exo. 21.16. Of spirituall death, i.e. the death of the ſoul in ſin, 1 Tim. 5.6. 1 Joh. 3.14. Of eternall death, Joh. 8.51. Ezek. 33.8.
Concerning the Diſtribution of Death.
Puniſhment is taken in a large or ſtrict ſenſe, If taken largely, the caſtigations of the elect are puniſhments but not ſo, if taken ſtrictly. Poena eſt caſtigatio aeterna, vel vindicta poena correctionis vel maledictionis Oecolampad. in Ezek. 22. Caſtigatio electorum eſt poena latè ſumptâ voce poenae eadem non eſt poena, ſtrictè ſumptā voce poenae. Polan. l. 6. c. 4. The ſufferings of the Elect are not vindicatively-paenall in a ſtrict ſenſe, i.e. they are not inflicted by God upon them in a way of ſatisfaction to juſtice.Death is either Death
In ſin
Separation of the Image of God from the ſoul, and the
Caſtigatory or correctively-poenall and temporary in the Elect.
Properly poenall, viz. Vindicatively, or ſtrictly-poenal, i.e. in way of ſatisfaction to divine juſtice.
Preſence of ſin.
For ſin
Separation of the ſoul from the body
Temporal and caſtigatory in the Elect.
Temporal and properly-poenal in Chriſt.
Temporal and properly poenal in the Reprobate.
Separation from the ſenſe of the good things in the promiſe,
Partiall, temporary, and caſtigatory in the Elect.
Total, temporal, and properly-poenall in Chriſt.
Total, perpetual, and properly-poenall in the Reprobate.
Preſence of the evil things in the Commination.
Separation of the whole perſon, ſoul and body from God.
Totall, eternall, and properly poenal in the Reprobate.
The caſtigatory or correctively poenall part of death only was executed upon the elect, the eſſentiall properly poenall part upon Chriſt: both the eſſentiall and circumſtantiall properly-poenall parts of death upon the Reprobate.
The caſtigatory but not poenall, i. e. ſtrictly-poenall part was and is executed upon the elect,Poſt remiſſam culpam adhuc tam multa patimur, & tandem etiam morimur, ad demonſtrationem debitae miſeriae, vel ad emendationem labilis vitae, vel ad exercitationem neceſſariae patieutiae. Auguſt. tractat. 124. in Joannem. for though Chriſt freed his from the puniſhment of ſin; yet not from the caſtigation or correction for ſin, thereby leaving a teſtimony againſt ſin, a remedy for ſin, a place for conformity unto their head.
The whole eſſentiall properly-poenall death of the curſe, that is, the whole eſſentiall puniſhment thereof was executed upon Chriſt.
The whole properly-poenal death of the curſe is executed upon the reprobate both in reſpect of the eſſential and accidental parts thereof.
Adam then ſtanding as a publike perſon containing all mankinde (and which is more: ſo ſtanding as that the firſt Adam a publike perſon contaiing all mankinde diſobeying, was a figure of Chriſt the ſecond Adam a publike perſon containing all the Elect obeying; ſo Paul expreſly, who is the figure of him that was to come, Rom. 5.14.) the meaning of theſe words, In the day thou eatest thereof thou ſhalt die, is this: If man ſin man ſhall die, either in his own perſon as the Reprobate, or in the perſon of the man Chriſt Jeſus their ſurery, as the elect, according to the diſtribution above: ſo is the Text a full and univerſal truth, Man ſins, and man dies.
Touching the Reprobate there is no controverſie: Concerning the Elect thus, Either Chriſt ſuffereth the poenall Death of the curſe due to the Elect for ſin, or the Elect ſuffer it themſelves, or the curſe is not executed; but the Elect ſuffer it not themſelves, neither is the curſe not executed; for then the truth of the Commination, and Divine juſtice ſhould fail. Therefore Chriſt ſuffered the poenall Death of the curſe due to the Elect for ſinne.
Briefly, this Text Gen. 2.17. is Gods judiciall denunciation of the puniſhment of ſinne, with a reſervation of his purpoſe concerning the execution of the execution of it. The puniſhment is denounced to ſhew divine deteſtation of ſin, to deterre man from ſin, to leave man the more inexcuſable in ſin: his purpoſe concerning the execution is reſerved, that the myſtery of the Goſpel might not be opened before its time. This for the clearing of the Text.
Since you diſlike the laſt member of the disjunction you do ill to approve the former, for thence it followeth, Either that God is not true, or elſe that Adam with his Elect poſterity muſt periſh: for they ſinned, yet by your expoſition neither die in themſelves nor in their ſurety, notwithſtanding the Divine Commination; and ſo either you take truth from God, or ſalvation from the elect (which alſo denieth the truth of God in the promiſe) in your very entrance.
But why cannot the curſe here threatned be extended unto the Redeemer?
Dialogu. This Text doth not comprehend Jeſus Chriſt within the compaſſe of it, for this Text is a part of the Covenant only that God made with Adam and his poſterity, reſpecting the happineſſe they had by Creation.
Anſw. Though Chriſt do not fall within the compaſſe of the Covenant of works, it doth not thence follow that he is excluded the compaſſe of the Text. Damnation is no part of the Goſpel, yet it is a part of the verſe wherein the Goſpel is revealed; He that beleeveth and is baptized ſhall be ſaved, but he that beleeveth not ſhall be damned.
Adam in his eating intended and prohibited in this verſe, was a figure of Chriſt to come, Rom. 5.14.Vel potiu… ex ipſo eventu & Evangelij patefactione hunc typum Apostolu… nos vult intelligere. Pareus in loc. Sequitur illam comminationem (quo die comederis morieris) ex intentione divinā non fuiſse purè legalem, &c. Vide Rhetorf. exercit. pro div. gratia ex. 2. c. 2. 'Tis certain then (though Adam during the firſt Covenant perceived it not) yet that Chriſt was couched and comprehended in ſome part of the revealed will of God, during the firſt Covenant. 'Tis very probable that the Tree of Life Gen. 2.9. was a Figure of Chriſt, who is called and indeed is the Tree of life, Rev. 22.2. If Chriſt be not within the compaſſe of the Text, the Text is not true.
Dialogu. Death here threatned concerns Adam and his fallen poſterity only, therefore Chriſt cannot be included within this Death.
Anſw. This is nakedly affirmed, your reaſon annexed being impertinent, and the contrary to your aſſertion is already proved.
Dialogu. God laid down this rule of Juſtice to Adam in the time of innocency, Why ſhould the Mediatour be comprehended under the term Thou?
Anſw. Becauſe God ſo pleaſed. Becauſe elect ſinners, not dying in their own perſons muſt die in their ſurety, elſe the Text ſhould not be a truth.Unde admirabilis Dei foreign cognoſcitur qui in morbo remedium, in morte vitam, in perditore …ervatorem adumbratum voluit. Paraeus in locum. He that compareth Rom. 5.14. with Gen. 2.17. hath an unſpeakable ground of conſolation, whileſt he reades Gods purpoſe to redeem us in our firſt fathers ſinning, and we in him. From hence Paul gathers an argument to conclude that all Adams poſterity deſcended from him by way of ordinary generation to be guilty of Adams ſin. Whileſt you acknowledge that in Gen. 2.17. God laid down a rule of juſtice to Adam, you muſt needs imply the ſurety of the elect to have ſatisfied that rule of juſtice, and conſequently to have ſuffered the wrath of God, and in concluſion you tacitely contradict your ſelf, and act our cauſe.
Dialogu. The nature of death intended in this Text is ſuch as it was altogether impoſſible the Mediatour ſhould ſuffer it.
Anſw. The diſtinction premiſed concerning death in ſin, and death for ſin, is here to be applied; and accordingly the caſtigatory part of death in ſin was intended to the ſinner, not to the ſurety.
The eſſentiall part of death for ſin was intended to the ſurety not to the elect ſinner. The eſſentiall and circumſtantiall poenall part of death in ſinne and death for ſin, was intended for the Reprobate.
The Text muſt needs proceed according to this interpretation in reſpect of the elect. There i… as good and greater reaſon why it ſhould ſo proceed in reſpect of Chriſt, it being much more impoſſible that he ſhould ſuffer death in ſinne, that is, become a ſinner, then that the elect ſinners ſhould ſuffer poenall i. e. properly-poenall death for ſinne: that is, be damned, though both be impoſſible.
Dialogu. The death here threatned must be understood primarily of a spirituall death or death in ſin.
Anſw. All that you ſay concerning ſpiritual death befalling Adam in the day that he ſinned, and therefore primarily inflicted, is vain and impertinent; for that denyeth not the inflicting of eternall death to be intended afterward, nay, it rather argueth eternall death to be primarily intended, becauſe not executed; according to that Propoſition, That which is firſt in intention is laſt in execution.
That which is of the eſſence or ſubſtance of the puniſhment of ſin, is primarily in the curſe, and therefore primarily to be underſtood; but death for ſin, not death in ſin is of the eſſence of the puniſhment of ſin, as we ſaw in the firſt Diſtinction, Chapter the firſt.
Inſtead of proving your aſſertion, viz. That it was impoſſible for Chriſt to ſuffer any of the curſed death, intended Gen. 2.17. your arguing only proves another thing, viz. that the death here primarily intended was ſpirituall death, i. e. death in ſinne, which Chriſt could not ſuffer, and ſo you loſe your Queſtion.
Though it be granted that death in ſin be here underſtood primarily; yet if death for ſinne be underſtood ſecondarily, then this argument concludes not againſt Chriſts ſuffering any death intended, but only againſt his ſuffering the death primarily intended in the text.
Though death in ſin compared with eternal death be primarily intended in regard of Adams reprobate poſterity; yet it cannot be ſaid it was primarily intended in reſpect of Adam himſelf (if you will yield him to be ſaved) and his elect poſterity; becauſe that would imply eternall death to be ſecondarily intended, which was never at all intended as concerning them. Howſoever, certain it is, that death for ſin as concerning the eſſentiall poenall part thereof, is ſolely intended concerning Chriſt; and death in ſin, not at all.
Dialogu. Calvin in Gen. 2.17. demandeth what kinde of death it was, that God threatned to fall upon Adam in this Text; he anſwereth to this purpoſe, It ſeemeth to me (ſaith he) that we muſt fetch the definition thereof from the contrary: Conſider (ſaith he) from what life Adam fell, at the first (ſaith he) he was created in every part of his body and ſoul with pure qualities after the image of God, therefore on the contrary (ſaith he) by dying the death is meant, that he ſhould be emptied of all the image of God, and poſſeſſed with corrupt qualities as ſoon as ever he did but eat of the forbidden fruit.
Anſw. It is a vain queſtion (ſaith Calvin) upon the place, how God threatned death unto Adam, in the day wherein he touched the fruit, ſince he deferred the puniſhment unto a long time afterward.
Your labour to confirm Adams falling into death in ſin the ſame day that he ſinned, is altogether impertinent: the Queſtion being, Whether …uch poenall death for ſin is not here intended, as it was poſſible for Chriſt to ſuffer?Mihi definitio petenda ex oppoſito videtur: tenendum inquā eſt ex quâ vitâ homo ceciderit; erat enim omni ex parte beatus. Calvin in loc. That poenall death for ſin is here intended, Calvin proveth (though you omit his proof) by the nature of oppoſites, thus: The death that he fell into was oppoſite to the good he fell from. But the good he fell from was all kinde of bleſſedneſſe. Therefore the death he fell into comprehended all kindes of miſery. This is the ſcope of his argumentation, your miſtake thereof, though it is eaſily pardoned; yet your other defect in the citation, the Reader that compareth Calvin and the Dialogue together can hardly excuſe.
Dialogu. If there be good and neceſſary reaſon (as there is) to exempt our Mediatour from ſuffering the firſt curſed spirituall death, then there is good reaſon alſo to exempt him from ſuffering any other curſe of the Law whatſoever.
Anſw. The ſum is, Chriſt could not ſinne, Therefore he could not ſuffer the puniſhment due to the elect for ſin as a ſurety; a moſt reaſon-leſſe and ſick conſequence, and the contrary true; He could not as Mediator and Surety have ſuffered ſatisfactorily the puniſhment for ſinne, if he had not been without ſinne.
Though Chriſt was not a ſinner inherently, yet he was a ſinner imputatively, whereupon the ſubſtantiall curſe of the Law was juſtly executed upon him.
Dialogu. Examine the particulars of any other curſe of the Law, and they will be found to be ſuch as Chriſt could not ſuffer. Diſeaſes, naturall death, putrefaction of body after death, eternall death, are curſes of the Law; Christ did not bear diſeaſes and bodily infirmities, yet by the common doctrine of imputation you muſt affirm it: nor ſuffer naturall death in our ſtead, nor ſee corruption, nor ſuffer eternall death, therefore he did not ſuffer the curſed death meant Gen. 2.17.
Anſw. We are to diſtinguiſh between the ſufferings which are of the eſſence or ſubſtance of the curſe, and thoſe the inflicting whereof in particular is not of the eſſence of the curſe. Bodily diſeaſes, Putrefaction, the duration of puniſhment for ever, are not eſſentiall to the curſe; becauſe the wrath of God may be ſuffered where theſe are not: The Devils are not ſick, the reprobate that ſhall not die but be changed (therefore not ſee coruption) yet ſhall ſuffer the wrath of God. No reprobates endure all miſeries formally and individually, yet all ſuffer the wrath of God. Eternall death is an evill, not in kinde but in value: not formally but virtually: As the enjoyment of bleſſedneſſe doth not preſuppoſe all temporall good things enjoyed in kinde, ſo neither doth the ſuffering of the wrath of God ſuppoſe the ſuffering of all temporall evils in kinde.
Duration of puniſhment for ever is not of the ſubſtance of puniſhment, but is an adjunct following upon the inability of the Patient to ſatisfie juſtice; as continuance in priſon is no part of the debt, but the conſequent of the debtors inability to pay the debt; the puniſhment of the damned continueth for ever, becauſe they can never ſatisfie divine juſtice; The puniſhment of Chriſt endured but a time, becauſe he ſatisfied juſtice: The ſufferings of Chriſt were eternall in value, though temporall in duration;Mors aeterna duratione & pondere. Paraeus in Rom. 3. Willet. Synopſ. cen. 5. gen. cont. 28. par. 4. qu. 3. had they been eternall in duration, he had been overcome by the curſe; had they not been eternall in value, he had not overcome the curſe.
Chriſt ſuffered death as inflicted upon him by the juſtice of the curſe, Gal. 3.13. 1 Pet. 2.24. hanging on the tree was a type, therefore a divine teſtimony of a curſed death: The curſe notes the execution of juſtice, and that executed upon ſin in our ſtead, Rom. 5.25. Who was delivered for our offences.
The bodily death of Chriſt alone did not redeem our bodies, nor the ſpirituall death of Chriſt alone redeem our ſouls, but the whole ſuffering of that perſon who was God; In reſpect of his humane nature both body and ſoul from the inſtant of his incarnation to the inſtant of his death redeemed our whole perſons, both bodies and ſouls. Thoſe places of Scripture, which attribute our redemption unto his bloud, are to be underſtood ſynechdochically, mentioning a more viſible part of his ſufferings for the whole.
Dialogu. My reaſons why Chriſt could not ſuffer eternall death for our redemption therefrom, are firſt, Then he must have ſuffered all other curſes of the Law to redeem us from them, but I have ſhewed that utterly impoſſible immediatly before. 2. Then he did deſcend locally into hell it ſelf to ſuffer it there: for no man can ſuffer death eternall in this life: no man can ſuffer the ſecond death till after this Life is ended.
Anſw. Your firſt reaſon is in effect ſatisfied in the foregoing anſwer, where we ſaw that Chriſt ſuffered the eternall wrath of God, and conſequently eternall death in value, equivalent unto, yea, exceeding of eternall death in kinde: it doth not follow that he muſt ſuffer all the other curſes of the Law in kinde; but the contrary followeth, he hath ſatisfied the debt, therfore there can be no more required.
Sufferings for ſin (as we have divers times ſaid before) are ſuch as are poenall eſſentially, viz. in reſpect of the puniſhment conſidered in it ſelf, namely, the privation of the preſent fruition of the good of the promiſe, and inflicting of the ſinleſſe miſery of the curſe: or conſequentially, viz. not in reſpect of the puniſhment it ſelf, but in reſpect of the condition of the Patient, ſuch are called deteſtable conſequents, namely ſins, imperfections, &c. And evils that are proper to the reprobate. 3. Innumerable common ſorrows of this life. 4. The duration of the puniſhment for ever.
As the eternall vertue of Chriſts ſufferings redeemed us from the eternity of ſuffering formally, ſo Chriſt in ſuffering the wrath of God formally, ſuffered virtually whatſoever was due to the Elect for their ſin, and ſo by ſuffering redeemed us from all the properly-poenall curſes of the Law whatſoever.
'Tis true, Heb. 2.17. and 4.15.Omnis poena damnatorū his duobus continetur generibus, ut aliae pertineant ad corpus, aliae ad animam. Cham. 1.2. l. 5. c. 19. ſ. 14. in all points he was like unto us, ſin only excepted; in [All] generically, not individually; that is in [All] in reſpect of the generall kindes of temptation, namely both bodily and ſpiritually, but not in [All] in reſpect of each particular paſſion and malady.
As concerning your ſecond Reaſon. The place of puniſhment is not of the eſſence of puniſhment. Malefactors may and oft do ſuffer out of the ordinary place of execution. The devil alwaies ſuffers helliſh pains in ſome degree, yet is many times out of the place of hell. Souls in this life feel the wrath of God in ſome degree; 'tis not impoſſible then in reſpect of the thing it ſelf, but that it may be felt in its full degree. Chriſt felt the joys of heaven out of heaven in his transfiguration and after his Reſurrection; ſo he both might and did feel the pains of hell out of hell: There is a poenall hell and a locall hell; a poenall hell may be where there is not a locall hell.
'Tis from the free diſpenſation of God, not from the nature of the things themſelves, that the full meaſure of the wrath of God is not ordinarily executed in this life. As Enoch and Eliah entred into the joys of heaven without death. So (if God pleaſe) may a perſon enter into the pains of hell without death: The Reprobate alive at the laſt day ſhall not die, and yet ſhall ſuffer the pains of eternall death.
The diſtinction of the firſt and ſecond Death in reſpect of the order of the execution holds only concerning the Reprobate; Chriſt ſuffered the eſſentiall poenall wrath of God, which anſwers the ſuffering of the ſecond death due to the elect for their ſin, before he ſuffered his naturall death.
Dialogu. If Chriſt bare Adams ſin by Gods imputation, and his curſe really, then you make Chriſt to be dead in ſinne.
Anſw. We diſtinguiſh between the imputation of the Commiſſion of ſin, and the imputation of the guilt, i.e. the obligation of the puniſhment.
God imputed not unto Chriſt the guilt of Commiſſion of ſin, but the guilt of obligation unto puniſhment for ſin committed; and becauſe ſo, the contrary followeth from our doctrine, viz. that Chriſt is not dead in ſin,
As it is not the inherent righteouſneſſe of, or actuall working of Righteouſneſſe by Chriſt,Willet. Synopſ. but the vertue, power, and efficacy which is imputed to the beleever; ſo it is not the inherence or commiſſion of ſin, but the guilt and puniſhment of ſin that is imputed to a Beleever.
Dialogu. Conſider the true force of the Word Impute, in the naturall ſignification thereof, and then I beleeve you will acknowledge that it cannot ſtand with the juſtice of God to impute our ſins to our innocent Saviour; for to impute ſin to any, is to account them for guilty ſinners, and to impute the guilt of other mens ſins to any, is to account them guilty of other mens ſins by participation.
Anſw. To impute in Court-language is judicially to reckon unto a perſon either that which is his properly, and not only as a Legall Surety; ſo ſin is imputed to the offender, Lev. 17.4. Or that which is not his properly, but as a legall Surety only; So Philemon may put Oneſimus his debt on Paul, ver. 18. or that which though it be not his properly, yet is his in a way of grace; So the word Impute is uſed ten times, Rom. 4.
Diſtinguiſh between the nature of ſinne, and the guilt of ſin, and there will be no cauſe to ſay with Socinus, that it is againſt juſtice to impute ſin (underſtanding thereby the guilt of ſin) unto an innocent perſon, eſpecially upon theſe conſiderations.
1. If the innocent be of the ſame nature with the nocent.Urſin. Paraeus in Rom. 5. Dub. 5.
2. If he voluntarily undertake the paenal ſatisfaction of the debt.
3. If he can ſatisfie the puniſhment.
4. If he can thereby free others from the puniſhment which they cannot undergo.
5. If in this ſatisfaction he looks at the glory of God and the good of man. It is therefore not only a perillous untruth, but a high blaſphemy to ſay, and that without any diſtinction; ſhould God impute our ſin to our innocent Saviour, he ſhould be as unjuſt as the Jews were.
The meer imputation of the guilt of ſin, doth no more infer a participation with the commiſſion of ſin, then the imputation of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt inferreth a participation in the working thereof.
Dialogu. If our Mediator had stood as a guilty ſinner before God by his imputing of our ſins to him, Then he could not have been a fit perſon in Gods eſteem to do the office of a Mediator for our Redemption.
Anſw. As it was requiſite that Chriſt ſhould be without ſin, i. e. without the commiſſion of ſin, Heb. 7.26. So it was requiſite that Chriſt ſhould be made fin, i. e. that the guilt of ſin ſhould be legally imputed to him, 2 Cor. 5.21. both were neceſſary to make him a meet Mediator.
You erre, not diſtinguiſhing according to the Scripture.
Dialogu. The common doctrine of imputation, is I know not what kinde of imputation; it is ſuch a ſtrange kinde of imputation, it differs from all the ſeverall ſorts of imputing ſin to any that ever I can meet withall in all the Scriptures.
Anſw. It is a judiciall imputation of that unto a perſon, which is not his properly, but made his by way of voluntary, and both Legall and Evangelicall account.
If you know not what kinde of Imputation it is, the being of things depends not upon mans knowledge, much leſſe upon his ignorance, but upon the will of God: notwithſtanding the term of imputation in this ſenſe were not in the Scripture, yet the thing intended by it is: The terms of eſſence, trinity, ſatisfaction, merit, &c. are not in the Scripture expreſly, yet are they acknowledged generally to be contained in the Scripture by juſt conſequence; becauſe the things contained by thoſe terms are found therein expreſly: The very term Impute taken for judicial imputation of that unto a perſon, which is not his properly; yet reckoned to be his in a way of grace, is (as was ſaid before) ten times uſed Rom. 4.
Your other Reaſons for what you aſſert, which you promiſe immediatly before, we ſhall expect in their place.