The Mystery of the Gospel Vindicated and Socinianism Examined, Commentary on text · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
Of the Death of Christ, as it was a punishment, and the Satisfaction made thereby.
SO is the Death of Christ revealed as a Price, and a Sacrifice;§. 1. what are the proper effects of it, under these considerations, shall be afterward declared.
The 3d consideration of it, is, its being a penalty, or a punishment. To cleare this, I shall demonstrate foure things.
1. What Punishment properly so called, is.
2. That Christs death was a punishment, or that in his Death he did undergoe punishment.
3. What that was that Christ underwent, or the materiall cause of that punishment.
4. Wherein the formallity of its being a punishment did consist; or whence that dispensation had its equity.
For the first. I shall give the definition of it, or the description of its generall nature.
2. The Ends of it are to be considered.§. 2.
For the first, that usuall generall description seemeth to beSi non reddit faciendo quod debet reddet patiendo quod debet. August. lib. 3. de lib. Arbit. comprehensive of the whole nature of punishment; it is, malum passionis, quod infl…gitur ob malum actionis, An evill of suffering inflicted for doing evill▪ Or more largely to describe it; it is an Effect of justice in him, who hath soveraigne Power, and Right, to order and dispose of offenders, whereby he that doth contrary to the Rule of his actions, is recompenced with that which§. 3. is evill to himselfe, according to the demerit of his fault.Vid. Diat. de just. Vindic. foreign. Hier.
1. It is an Effect of Justice; hence Gods punishing is often called an inflicting of Anger; as Rom. 3. 5. is God unrighteous, foreign; who inflicteth Anger? Anger is put for the justice of God, Rom. 1. 18. the Anger, or Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven, &c. That is, his vindict…ve justice against sinne▪ is manifested by its effects; and againe, the Cause for the Effect. Anger for the effect of it in punishment. And therefore we have translated the word vengeance, Rom. 3. 5. which denotes the punishment it selfe.
2. It is of him, who hath Soveraigne Power, and Judiciary§. 4. Right to dispose of the Offenders; and this is either immediate in God himselfe, as in the case whereof we speake: He is the only Law giver, who is able to save, and to destroy, Jam. 4. 12. or it is by him delegated to men, for the use of humane Society; so Christ tells Pilate, he could have no Power over him (whom he considered as a Malefactor) unlesse it was given him from above., Joh. 19. 11. though that is spoken in reference to that peculiar dispensation.
3. The Nature of it consists in this, that it be evill to him, on§. 5. whom it is inflicted; either by the immission of that which is Corrupting, vexing, and destroying, or the substraction of that which is cheering, usefull, good, and desireable, in what kind soever: And therefore did the Antients call punishment fraus, because when it came upon men, they had deceived, and cut short themselves of some good, that otherwise they might have enjoyed. So the Historian, Caeterae multitudini diem statuit, antequam Salust. bell. Catil.liceret sine fraude ab armis discedere: that is, that they might go away freely, without punishment. And so is that expression explained by Ʋlpian, Dig. lib. 20. Capitalem fraudem admittere, est tale aliquid delinquere, propter quod, capite puniendus sit.
The Schoolemen have two Rules that passe amongst them§. 6. without controll. 1. That Omne peccatum est adeo voluntarium▪ ut si non sit voluntarium non est peccatum. It is so of the nature of sin, that it be voluntary, that if any thing be not voluntary, it is not sinne. The other is, est ex naturâ poenae ut sit involuntaria: it is so of the nature of Punishment, that it be against the will of him that is punished, that if it be not so, it is not punishment.
Neither of which Rules is true, yea the latter is undoubtedly false. For the first, every sinne is thus farre indeed voluntary, that what is done contrary to the expresse will of him that doth it, is not his sinne; but that the actuall will, or willing of the sinner is required, to make any thing his sin, is false. In the case of originall sinne manifestly; wherefore John gives us another definition of sinne then theirs is, that it is, dictum, factum, concupitum contra legem; namely, that it is foreign, a transgression of the Law; have it the actuall consent of the will or no, if it be a Transgression of the Law, an inconformity to the Law, it is sinne.
For the latter, it is true indeed, that for the most part it falls out, that every one that is to be punished, is unwilling to undergoe it; and there is an improper nolleity (if I may so speak) in nature, unto the substracting of any good from it, or the immission of any evill upon it; yet as to the perfection of the nature of punishment, there is no more required, then what was laid down in generall before, that there be malum passionis, ob malum actionis, a suffering of evill for doing of evill, whether men will or no. Yea men may be willing to it, as the Souldiers of Caesar after their defeat at Dyrrachium, came to him, andQuanta fortitudine dimicaverint. testimonio est, quod adverso semel apud Dyrrachium praelio, poenam in se ultro depoposcerunt. Sueton. in Jul. Cael. cap. 68. More patrio decimari voluerunt. Appianus. desired that they might be punished, more antiquo: being ashamed of their flight. But what ever really or personally is evill to a man for his evill, is punishment; though chiefely among the Latines, punishment relates to things reall: capitall revenges had another name. Punishments were chiefely pecuniary, as Servius on that of Virgil: Post m…hi non simili paena commissa luetis: luetis: persolvetis: & hic sermo a pecunia descendit, antiquorum enim poenae omnes pecuniariae fuerunt. And supplicium is of the same importance. Punishments were called supplicia, because with the mulcts of men, they sacrificed, and made their supplications to God; whence the word is sometimes used for that worship; as in Salustius, describing the old Romans, he says they were in suppliciis Deorum magnifici.
4. There is the procuring cause of it, which is, doing evill, §. 7.contrary to the Law and Rule, whereby the Offender ought to walk, and regulate his actings and proceedings: omnis poena, si justa est, peccati poena est, sayes Aug. indeed not only s… justa est, but si poena est; taking it properly, Offence must precede punishment.
And whatever evill befalls any, that is not procured by offence, is not properly punishment, but hath some other name and nature. The name poena, is used for any thing that is vexatious or troublesome, any toyle or labour, as in the Tragedian, speaking of one who tired himselfe with travaile in hunting: Quid te ipse poenis gravibus infestus gravas but improperly is it thusSenec. Hippol. Act. 2. used. This Abraham evinceth in his plea with God, Gen. 18. 25. That be farre from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked; and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be farre from thee: shall not the judge of all the Earth do right? It is of God as the Judge of all the Earth of whom he speakes; that is, of him that hath the supreame power of disposing of offenders; and of his Justice inflicting; which as I said, was the cause of punishment. It is that, whereby God doth right: and he gives the procuring cause of all punishment, the wickednesse of men; that be farre from thee, to destroy the righteous with the wicked. And therefore that place of Job, chap. 9. 22. This is one thing, therefore I said it, he destroys the perfect and the wicked: Is not to be understood absolutely, but according to the subject of the dispute in hand, between him and Bildad. Bildad sayes, chap. 8. 20. That God will not cast away a perfect man. that is, he will not afflict a godly man to death. He grants that a Godly man may be afflicted, which Eliphas his companion seemed to deny: yet saies he, he will not cast him away, that is, leave him without reliefe from that Affliction, even in this Life. To this Jobs answer is, this is one thing; that is, one thing I am resolved on, and therefore I said it, and will abide by it, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked; not only Wicked men are destroyed, and cut off in this life, but Perfect men also; but yet in this very destruction, as there is a difference in the persons, one being perfect, the other wicked: So there is in Gods dealing with them; one being afflicted to the doore of Heaven, the other cursed into Hell. But for punishment properly so called, the cause is sinne, or the offence of the person punished. And therefore in the Hebrew, the same words (many of them) signify both sin & punishment, so neer & indissoluble is their relation. foreign. Plut. de Serâ Numin. vindicta.
5. The measure of any penalty, is the demerit of the offence:§. 8. it is a rendring to men, as for their works, so according to them
Nec vincet Ratio hoc, tantundem ut peccet, idem{que}
Qui teneros caules alieni fregerit hortiHor. Sa. lib 1. 3.
Et qui nocturnus Divum Sacra legerit. Adsit
Regula, peccatis quae poenas irroget aequas,
Nec scutica dignum, horribilisectere flagello.Vid. Catonis orat. apud Salust. Bel. Catalin.
I shall not trouble the Reader with the Heathens Apprehension of Rhadamanthean Righteousnesse, and the exact rendring to every one according to his Desert even in another world.
There is a twofold Rule of this proportion of sinne and punishment: The one constitutive, the other declarative. The Rule constitutive of the proportion of penalty for sinne, is the infinitely wise, Holy, and Righteous will of God. The Rule declarative of it is the Law.
For the first, It is his Judgement that they which commit sinne are worthy of Death, Rom. 1. 32. This the Apostle fully declares: Chap. 2. 5, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10. The day of punishing, he calls the day of the Revelation of the Righteous Judgement of God. That is, what his Judgement is concerning the demerit of sinne. The world shall then know, what in Justice he requires for the due vengeance of it. And this according to his Will, v▪ 6. He will in his Righteous judgement render to every one according to his deeds.
And here it is to be observed, that though there be an exceeding great variation in sinne, in respect of degrees, so that some seeme as mountaines, others in comparison of them but as molehils, yet it is the generall nature of sinne, (which is the Creatures subducting its selfe from under the Dominion of God, and dependance upon him,) that punishment originall is suited unto:§. 9. Whence death is appointed to every sinne, and that eternall;Puniendispeccatis tres esse debere causas existimatum est. Ʋna est quae foreign dicitur: cum poena adhibetur castigandi at{que} emendandi gratia, ut is qui fortuito deliquit, attentior fiat, correctior{que}. Altera est, quam ii, qui vocabula ista curiosius diviserunt, foreign appellant, ea causa animadvertendi est, quum dignitas authoritas{que} ejus, in quem est peccatum, tuenda est, ne praetermissa animadversio contemptum ejus pariat, & honorem elevet. &c. vid. A. Gell. lib. 6. cap. 24. wherein the degrees of punishment vary not the kind.
2. * For the severall kinds of punishment (I call them so, in a generall acceptation of both words) they are distinguished according to their ends, and Causes: the ends of punishments, or all such things as have in them the nature of punishments, may be referred to the ensuing heads.
1. The first End of punishment, is, the good of him that is punished, and this is twofold. 1. For Amendment, and recovery from the evill, and sinne that he hath committed. This kinde of punishing is frequently mentioned in Scripture; so eminently Levit. 26. doth the Lord describe it at large, and insists upon it, reckoning up in a long series, a Catalogue of severall judgements; he interposing, But if ye shall not be REFORMED by these things, but will walke contrary to me, as v. 25. then will I do so, and so, or adde this, or that punishment to them foregoing: and this in reference to the former end of their Reformation; & the successe of this proceedure we find variously expressed: sometimes the end of it in some measure was fulfilled, Psal. 18. 32, 33, 34, 35. sometimes otherwise, Isai. 1. 5. Why should you be smitten any more? you will revolt more and more; intimating, that the end of the former smiting was to cure their revoltings. And this kinde of punishment is called *foreign. Plut. de virtut.foreign, correction for instruction; and is not punishment in its strict, and proper sence.§. 10.
2. For the taking off of sinners, to prevent such other wickednesses as they would commit, should patience be exercised towards thē. The very Heathen saw, that he that was wicked & not to be reclaimed, it was even good for him, & to him, that he should be destroyed. Such an one as Plutarch says, was, foreign, hurtfull to others, but most of all to himself. How much more is this evident to us, who know that future judgements shall be proportionably encreased to the wickednes of men in this world; & if every drop of Judgement in the world to come, be incomparably greater, then the greatest & heaviest a man can possibly suffer in this life, or loose his life by, it is most evident, that a man may be punished with death for his own good: mitius punientur. This is foreign. And this hath no place in humane Administrations of punishments, when they arise to death it selfe: men cannot kill a man, to prevent their dealing worse with him, for that is their worst; they can doe no more sayes our saviour; but accidentally it may be for his good. Generally foreign, or foreign, is as Aristotle speakesArist. Rhet. 1. foreign: and is thereby differenced from foreign (of which afterwards) which as he says, is foreign Hence foreign, is one not corrected, not restrained, incastigatus. And therefore the punishment of death cannot at all properly be foreign: but cutting off by God to prevent farther sinne, hath in it foreign thereunto.
2. The second end of punishment, which gives a second§. 11. kind of them in the generall sence before mentioned, is for the good of others, and this also is various.
1. For the good of them that may be like minded with him that is punished; that they may be deterred, afrighted, and perswaded from the like evills. This was the end of the punishing of the presumptuous sinner, Deut. 17. 12, 13. That man shall dye, and all the people shall heare, & feare, and do no more presumptuously. The people; that is any among them that was like minded unto him that was stoned & destroyed. So in some places they have taken Lions that have destroyed men, and hung them on crosses, to fright others that should attempt the like. Hence exemplum, isTerent. Eunuch. Ac. 5. S…e. 4. sometimes put absolutely for punishment because punishment is for that end. So in the Comedian, Quae futura exempla dicunt in eum indigna: on which place Donatus, graves poenae, quae possunt caeteris documento esse, exempla dicuntur. And this is a tacite end in human punishment. I do not know that God hath committed any pure Revenge unto men: That is, punishing with a meere respect to what is past. Nor should one man destroy another, but for the good of others. Now the good of no man lyes in revenge. The content that men take therein, is their sin, and cannot be absolutely good to them. So the Philosopher, nemo prudens punit quia Se…▪peccatum est, sed ne peccetur; revoc…ri enim praeterita non possunt, futura prohibeantur. And Rom. 13. 4. If ye do that which is evill, be afraid, &c. See what he hath done to others, and be afraid.
2. It is for the good of others, that they may not be hurt in§. 12. the like kind, as some were by the sin of him who is punished for it. This seems to be the main end of that great fundamental Law Naturale jus talionis hic indicatur. Grot. in Gen. 9. 6. Inde foreign, & foreign. Math. 1. 19.of humane society, Let him that hath killed by violence be killed, that the rest of men may live in peace. And these kinds of punishments in reference to this end are called foreign, Examples: that others by impunity be not enticed to evil, and that the residue of men may be freed from the harme that is brought upon them, by reason of such evils.
Hence the Historian sayes, that Commonwealths should rather be mindfull of things done evilly, then of good turnes: the forgetfulnesse of the latter, is a discouragement to some good, but of the former an encouragement to all licentiousnesse. Thus Joseph suspecting his espoused consort, yet refused foreign, to make an open example of her by punishment. And these punishments are thus called from their use, and not from theirforeign. Thucid. lib. 3. own nature: and therefore differ not from foreign and foreign, but only as to the end and use from whence they have their denomination.
3. The good of him that punisheth is aymed at, and this§. 13. is proper to God. Man punisheth not, nor can, nor ought, for his own good, or the Satisfaction of his own justice; but God made all things for himselfe, and the wicked for the day evill, Prov. 16. 4. and Rom. 9. 22. and in Gods dealing with men, whatever he doth unlesse it be for this end, it is not properly punishment.
This is foreign, vindicta noxae; purely the recompensing of the evill that is committed, that it may be revenged. This (I say) in Gods dealing is properly punishment, the revenge of the evill done, that himselfe, or his justice may be satisfyed, as was seen before, from Rom. 2. 7, 8, 9. verse. Whatever of evill God doth to any, which is therefore called punishment, because it partaketh of the generall nature of punishment, and is evill to him that is punished; yet if the intendment of God be not to revenge the evill past upon him, in a proportion of Law, it is not punishment properly so called. And therefore it will not suffice to prove that Believers are, or may be punished for sinne, to heap up Texts of Scripture, where they are said to be punished, and that in reference to their sinne; unlesse it can be also proved, that God doth it animo ulciscendi, and that their punishment is vindicta noxae, and that it is done foreign: but of this I am not now to treat. The Reader may hence see what punishment is in generall; what are the ends of it, and its kinds from thence; & what is punishment from God, properly so called. It is vindicta noxae, animo ulciscendi, ut ipsi satisfiat: and this kind of punishment was the death of Christ: which is to be proved.
3. That the death of Christ was a punishment properly§. 14. so called, which is the third consideration of it, as I said, is next to be proved. Of all the places of Scripture and Testimonys whereby this may be demonstrated, I shall fix only on one portion of Scripture: and that is Isai. 53. What in particular shall be produced from thence; will appeare when I have given some generall Considerations of the Chapter, which I shall do at large, as looking on that Portion of Scripture as the sum of what is spoken in the old Testament, concerning the Satisfactory Death of Jesus Christ.
1. This whole Prophesy from▪ v. 13. of chap. 52. which is§. 15. the head of the present Discourse, is evinced to belong to the Messias, against the Jewes.
1. Because the Chaldee Paraphrast, one of their most ancient Masters, expressly names the Messias, and interprets that whole Chapter of him; behold (saith he) my servant the Messias shall deale prudently. And the Ancient Rabbins, as is abundantly proved by others, were of the same mind. Which miserably intangles their present obdurate Masters, who would fixe the Prophesy upon any, rather then on the Messias. Seeing evidently, that if it be proved to belong to the Messias in Thesi, it can be applyed to none other in Hypothesi, but Iesus of Nazareth.
2. Because they are not able to find out, or fixe on any§. 16. one whatever, to whom the things here spoken of, may be accomodated. They speak indeed of Ieremiah, Iosias, a righteous man in generall, the whole people of Israel; of Messiah Ben Ioseph, a man of Straw of their own setting up; but it is easy to manifest, were that our present work, that scarce any one Expression, in this Prophesy, much lesse all, do or can agree to any one, or all of them named, so that it must be brought home to its proper subject: of this at large in the ensuing digression against Grotius.
3. That to us it is evident above all contradiction, that the§. 17. whole belongs to Iesus Christ; because not only paticular Testimonies are taken from hence in the New Testament and applyed to him, as Mat. 8. 17. Mark. 15 28. Luk. 22. 37. Rom 10. 16. but it is also expounded of him in generall for the Conversion of soules, Act. 8. 28. The story is knowne of Philip and the Eunuch.
3. This is such a Prophesy of Christ, as belongs to him not§. 18. only properly, but immediately: that is, it doth not in the first place point out any Type of Christ, and by him shaddow out Christ, as it is in sundry Psalmes, where David and Solomon are firstly spoken of, though the Messias be principally intended: but here is no such thing. Christ himself is immediately spoken of. Socinus sayes indeed, that he doubted not but that these things did primarily belong to another, could he be discovered, who he was; and that from Him was the Allusion taken, and the Accommodation made to Christ: and if (saith he) it could be found out who he was, much light might be given into many expressions in the Chapter. But this is a bold figment, for which there is not the least countenance given either from Scripture or reason; which is evidently decryed from the former Arguments, whereby the impudency of the Jewes is confounded: And shall be farther in the ensuing digression where it shall be proved that it is impossible to fix on any one but Jesus Christ, to whom the severall expressions, and matters expressed in this Prophesy may be accommodated.
2. Now there are three generall parts of this Prophesy, to§. 19. consider it with Reference to the businesse in hand: As the seat of this Truth in the old Testament.
1. A description given of Christ, in a mean, low, miserable condition, from v. 14. of Chap. 52. to v. 5. of Chap. 53. His visage was marred, and his forme, more then the Sonnes of men, he hath no forme, nor comelinesse v. 2. No beauty, a man of griefe, and sorrowes, despised, neglected, acquainted with griefe, v. 3. looked on as stricken and aflicted of God. v. 4.
2. The Reason is given of this Representation of the Messias, of whom it is said in the entrance of the Prophesy, that he should deale prudently, and be exalted, and extolled, and be very high. To which this description of him seemes most adverse and contrary. The Reason (I say) hereof is given from v. 5. to the 10. it was on the account of his being punished, and broken for us, and our sinnes.
3. The issue of all this from v. 10. to the end, is the Justification and Salvation of Believers.
It is the second that I shall insist upon, to prove the Death of Christ, to have in it the nature of punishment, properly and strictly so called.
Not to insist upon all the particular passages, that might be§. 20. done to great advantage, and ought to be done, did I purpose the through, and full handling of the businesse before me, (but I am in transitu, and pressing to …omewhat farther) I shall only urge two things.
1. The Expressions throughout, that describe the state and condition of Christ as here proposed.
2. One or two singular Assertions, comprehensive of much of the rest.
For the the first, let the Reader consider what is contained in§. 21. the severall words, here setting forth the condition of Christ: we have, despising and rejecting, sorrow and griefe, v. 4. He was stricken, smitten, afflicted; or there was striking, smiting, affliction on him. Wounded, bruised, chastised with stripes, v. 5. wounding, bruising, chastising unto sorenesse, oppressed, stricken, cut off, killed, brought to slaughter, v. 7, 8, 9. Bruised, sacrificed, and his soule made a… offering for sin▪ v. 10.
Now certainely for the materiall part, or the matter of punishment, here it is abundantly: here is malum passionis in every kind. Immission of evill, substraction of Good in soule and body: here is plentifull measure heaped up, shaken together, and running over.
But it may be said, though here be the matter of punishment,§. 22. yet it may be all this was for some other end; and so it may be it was (foreign or foreign, or foreign,) not foreign, or punishment properly so called.
Consider then the ends of punishment before insisted on▪ and see what of them is applicable to the Transaction▪ betweene God and Christ here mentioned.
1. Was it for his own Correction? No sayes the Prophet, v. 9. He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth: He was perfectly innocent. So that he had no need of any Chastisement for his Amendment; and so signally in sundry places, where mention is made of the Death of Christ, his own spotlesse innocency is often pleaded. Neither was it for his instruction that he might be wise, and instructed in the will of God; for at the very entrance of the Prophesy, Chap. 52. 13. he sayes, he shall deale prudently and be exalted. He was Faithfull before in all things. And though he experimentally learned obedience, by his sufferings, yet habitually to the utmost his eares were bored, and himselfe prepared to the will of God, before the afflictions here principally intended. Neither
3. Was He foreign; punished for example; to be made en example to others, that they might not offend: For what can offenders learne from the punishment of one who never offended: He was …ut off, but not for himselfe: and the end assigned v. 11. 12. which is not the Instruction only, but the justification, and Salvation of others, will not allow this end. He shall justify many, for he shall beare their iniquities; H… set us an example in his Obedience; but he was not punished for an Example. Neither
4. Was it foreign, a suffering to beare witnesse and Testimony to the Truth. There is no mention of any such end in this place. Yea to make that the maine intendment here, is a monstrous figment. The expressions all along as we shall see in the next place, are, that all this was for our transgressions, for our sinnes, for our iniquities, for our peace. God wounded, bruised, killed him, fo… ou… iniquities▪ that is, he dyed to beare witnesse to his Doctrine▪ Credat Ap…lla.
2. Then, the matter of punishment being expressed, see§ 23▪ the cause of the infliction of it. It was for Transgressions, for iniquities, v. 5. For wandring and iniquity, v. 6. For Transgressions, v. 8. For sinne, v 12. Let us now remember the generall description of punishment that was given at the beginning; It is Malum passionis quod infligitur ob malum actionis, and see how directly it suits with this punishment of Jesus Christ. 1. Here is malum passionis inflicted, wounding, bruising, killing. And 2. there is malū actionis deserving, sinne, iniquity, and transgression. How these met on an innocent person, shall be afterwards declared. 2. Goe along to the peculiar description of punishment properly so called, as mannaged by God. It is vindicta noxae; now if all other ends and causes whatever, as of Chastisement or Example, &c. be removed, and this only be asserted, then this Affliction of Christ was vindicta noxae, punishment in the most proper sence; but that these ends are so removed hath been declared upon the particular consideration of them.
And this is the first Argument from this place to prove; that the Death of Christ and his suffering, hath the nature of punishment.
2. The second is, from the more particular expressions of§. 24, it to this purpose, both on the part of the person punishing, and on the part of the person punished: a single expression on each part may be insisted on.
1. On the part of God punishing, take that of v. 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all: of which sort also is that of v. 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, he put him to griefe, when th…u shalt make his soule an offering for sinne.
2. On the part of him punished, v. 11▪ He shall bear… their iniquities. From the consideration of these expressions, we shall evidently evince what we have proposed. Of these in the next Chapter.