Redemption from the Curse, To the reader 1 – To the reader 2
To the Reader
THe doctrine of Chriſts Satiſfaction by his bloudy death to the Justice of God for the ſins of all who beleeve in him is ſo clearly held forth in Scripture, that there are none found to contradict it, but ſuch who deny his eternall Godhead; and thereby are forced by adding one Hereſy to another, to renounce the Doctrine of his ſatiſfaction alſo. For who but a God could reſcue us out of the hand of the Divel, give a Ranſome for ſin, ſatiſfy infinite Juſtice, and redeem us from the curſe of the law? Who but a God could reconcile us to God, and purchaſe Justification, ſanctification, and eternal ſalvation for us?
And therefore let all thoſe who beleev that Chriſt Jeſus is the true God one in eſſence with the Father, be alſo confirmed in the Doctrine of his Satisfaction. The whole comfort, and happineſs of a Christian is wrapt up in theſe two fundamentall truthes. For if Christ be not God, or if he be a God onelyonly by Office (as Magiſtrates are called Gods) and not by nature, then is Christian religion a Compound of folly, Madneſs, and Idolatry, in worſhipping a meer creature, or a made God (as the Socinians blaſphemouſly call him) with Divine worſhip, in praying to him, in truſting and beleeving in him. And if he hath not made ſatisfaction for our Sins, then are we ſtill under the curſe of the Law, liable to the revengfull justice of God, & muſt of neceſſity periſh everlaſtingly.
Indeed the word ſatisfaction is not in Scripture (no more then the word Trinity or Sacrament) but there is that in Scripture which is every way aequivalent to it. For it ſayeth. That we are Redeemed by Christ. Col. 1.14.And not Redeemed by way of Permutation (as when one Priſoner is exchanged for another) or by way of free manumiſſion (as Ahab freely diſmiſſed Benhadad) or by way of force and power (as the Iſraelites were delivered out of Egypt) unleſs it be in reference to the Divel, out of whoſe clutches we are by force reſcued by Christ. But by way of Justice, by paying a ſufficient and ſatisfactory price unto God for the party Redeemed.1 Cor. 6.20 Therefore we are ſaid to be bought with a price. And this Price is called a ranſome price Matt. 20.28. A price to ranſome us out of our ſpirituall captivity,Matt. 20.28 and it is ſaid to be laied down foreign. Now the prepoſition foreign (as learned men know) ſignifieth a ſubſtitution and Surrogation of one in the roome of another (As Matt. 2.22. Archelaus is ſaid for to raign foreign in the roome of Herod) Adde further. That this Price which Christ laid down for our Redemption is called not onelyonly foreign but foreign A Counter-priſe or a price correſpondent and anſwerable, 1 Tim. 2.6.to the debt it is paid for. It was foreign
If any ſhall ask what this price was Saint Peter tells us.1 Pet. 1.19. Act. 20.28. It was the most pretious bloud of Christ, and Saint Paul tells us. It was the Bloud of God. It is called the Bloud of God, becauſe ſhed in his humane nature by him whoſe Perſon was God bleſſed for evermore; Rom. 9.5.and hereby it came to have an infinite virtue and efficacy in it. Ex infinita Perſonae dignitate infinitum erat pretium ſanguinis et carnis quam pro nobis obtulit. Hence it was that the Bloud of one man became ſufficient to Redeem all beleevers, and the Bloud ſhed in a little ſpace, able to ſatisfy for ſins which deſerved eternall puniſhment, becauſe the Perſon that ſuffred was God as well as man. All this, and much more which might be added doth clearly prove That Jeſus Christ hath made Satisfaction to God for the Sins of all who beleeve in him.
This great and fundamentall truth is very pithily, ſoundly, Orthodoxly, practically, and profitably handled in this enſuing Treatiſe. It is written by a grave, ancient, and religious Minister of very good repute amongſt the Godly in Yorkſhire. A Master-builder in Gods Houſe. If any ſhall not reliſh, and taſte the ſweetneſs of it, he will thereby make it appear that his Palate is much out of tune. For to a real Christian it muſt needs be very welcom. Let not our ignorance of the Author hinder us from buying, and reading of it, but let us conſider that it is recommended to us by one who well knowes him,Mr. Edw. Bowles Mininſter at York. and who is well-known to the world, and in whoſe judgment we may ſafely confide.
The ſubject matter of this diſcourſe is to ſhew how Jeſus Christ, who is the fountain of all bleſſedneſs volutarily ſubmitted himſelf to be made a curſe (not onelyonly accurſed, but a curſe) to Redeem us from the curſe of the Law due to our ſins. And that this may not ſeem a riddle, or a Paradox, you muſt know that Christ Jeſus may be conſidered 2 wayes
1. As he was the Sonne of God.1 Pet. 2.24.
2. As our ſurety bearing our ſins in his body upon the Croſs.
In the firſt reſpect he was alwaies the well-beloved Sonne of God in whome he is well-pleaſed But as he was our Repreſentative in this reſpect he underwent the wrath of God and the curſe of the law due to us, not due to him ſimply, M…tt. 3.17.but due to us, and born by him, as our ſurety. The hatred was againſt us, and our ſins. God never hated his Sonne. But yet as he ſtood in our ſtead and was made ſin for us who knew no ſin, he ſuffered the effects of Gods hatred even the puiſhment due to our ſins.2 Cor. 5.21
And whereas the Socinians, and thoſe who are againſt Christs Soule-ſufferings ſay. That Chriſt is therefore onelyonly ſaid to be made a curſe becauſe he ſuffred the bodily death of the Croſs, which by the law was a curſed way of dying; and this they ſay is evident, by what the Apoſtle addes in the latter end of the curſe — for it is written, Gal 3.13.Curſed is every one that hangeth on a tree.
This is notoriouſly falſe, as appears
1. Becauſe that curſe which Christ redeemed us from, that curſe Christ was made; or elſe the Apostle had not reaſoned ſoundly in ſaying. Christ hath redeemed us from the curſe of the law being made a curſe for us. That curſe which Chriſt redeemed us from, that curſe he was made. But Chriſt redeemed us from the corporal, ſpiritual and eternal curſe; And therefore ſuch a curſe he was made ſecundum aequipollentiam, though not ſecundum omnimodam Identitatem. Jeſus Chriſt for our ſins ſuffered ſo much of the curſe of the law, as was poſſible, D. Willetand neceſſary for him to ſuffer. And (as a learned man ſaith) he ſuffred all ſuch pains of hell which were neither diſhonourable to his perſon, nor defiling to his nature, nor obstructive to the works of Redemption.
2. The bodily death of Christ upon the Croſs is brought in by the Apostle (as one very well ſaith) not as the formal reaſon of the Curſe,Calov…us in his Sociniſmus profligatus. but onelyonly as a ſigne and declaration of it. The Curſe did not preciſely conſiſt in the death of the croſs, neither were they that were hung upon a Tree therefore accurſed, becauſe hung upon a Tree, but the hanging on the Tree, was a ſigne they were accurſed; as Hierome excellently,Hier. upon Galat. 3.13. Non quicun que pependerit in ligno maledictus coram Deo, ſed qui propter ſcoelus ſuſpenſus. Not every one that hangeth on a Tree is curſed of God, but he that hangeth there for his ſinne. If Haman had prevailed for the hanging of innocent Mordecah upon the gallowes, he ſhould not have ſtood accurſed. Wherefore it was not the death of the Croſs, but our ſinnes, hanging upon the Croſs that derived this curſe upon Christ. This is evident by the very words of Moſes, quoted by the Apoſtle.Deut. 21.22, 23. If a man hath committed a ſinne worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a Tree, his body ſhall not remain, &c. By which words it appeares, That it was not ſo much the kinde of death, as the deſert of death, which made it ignominious. It was our ſinnes hanging with Christ upon the Croſs, which made the ſame an accurſed death:
Adde what Moſes ſaith, Deut. 21.23. He that is hanged is accurſed of God. But now, no death is in it ſelf more ignominious then another before God.3. The ſhame thereof is external, and concerneth men. Ergo the Curſe was not onelyonly nor eſpecially, in the ſhamefulneſs of the death. The ordinary gloſs thus noteth upon the words, Non est hoc in contumelia Domini, quid mirum ſi maledictus dicitur a Deo, qui habet in ſe, quod Deus odit. id est peccatum. This redoundeth not to the reproach of God; for what marveil, if he be ſaid to be accurſed of God, in 3 Gal.that hath in himſelf that which God hateth, namely ſinne, not his own, but ours. And therefore I conclude. That Chriſt was made a Curſe for us, not onelyonly by the ignominious manner of his death, but by ſuffering in our stead the Curſe due to our ſinnes.
The Lord give us grace, ſo to ſtudy Christ's being made a curſe for us, that by faith in him, and love to him we may be freed from it, and the bleſſings of Abraham may be our portion.
Thy ſervant in Chriſt Jeſus, Edm. Calamy.
TO THE READER.
ALthough this Treatiſe, in regard of its worth and weight, might without any Teſtimonial, have adventured it ſelf, even upon this cenſorious, and froward generation, yet ſeeing ſomething by way of recommendation is deſired, I look upon it, not onelyonly as a duty, but an honour, that I may be ſerviceable, in leading forth ſo uſefull a book into the world, as I apprehend this to be, and certainly I can make no better uſe of my Name, than to prefix it to this diſcourſe, if it may be an inducement unto any one to read it.
The Authour (concerning whom my affectionate eſteem will not ſuffer me to be wholly ſilent) is a perſon of long ſtanding in the faith, and much experience in the things of Chriſt, now paſſing the ſeventieth year of his age, and about the forty fifth year of his Miniſtery. And having well-nigh fulfilled the dayes of our yeares, which are ſaid to be Threeſcore and ten,Pſal. 90.10. being within ſight of Eternitie, he hath ſet before his eye the infinite obligations of eternal Redemption, and not thought it ſufficient to ſerve his own generation, by preaching the Goſpel, but hath been perſwaded to leave this labour of Love as a Legacy to the generation to come, that the people yet to be borne, may know, and praiſe their Redeemer. The work, thou haſt in thine hand, is the fruit of a well-grown tree, that brings forth fruit in its old age, and though the leaves and branches thereof, may not be ſo ſeemingly fair, and luxuriant, as ſome younger plants do afford, yet taſte of the fruit, and thou ſhalt finde it of good reliſh, ſound, and nouriſhing. It grew indeed in a cold Northern Climate, which men think, brings little to perfection; but it had the advantage of a warme heart, which is the beſt ſoil, and the beames of the ſonne of righteouſneſs for the ripening of it. If any ſay, It is a common Subject, let him remember,Titus 1.4. that it is Common Faith, and Common Salvation, Iude 3.and muſt be known by more then a common knowledge. It's plain indeed, as being reached, not to Curioſity, but to Conſcience; but plain work, clean wrought, is very commendable, and many times, where is moſt of Art; there is leaſt of Uſe. Yet it is not ſo plain, but the lines and engravings of the Holy Ghoſt may be diſcerned in it, by an eye well enlightened▪ and although, the Treatiſe was entended mainly for Practiſe, yet our reverend Authour like a wiſe, and vigilant builder, hath (as the exigents of theſe times require) carried on his work with a weapon on the one hand,Neh. 4.17. and a working Inſtrument in the other, defending the Truth againſt its adverſaries, as well as recommending its followers.
Let it not therefore be grievous to thee, for it is ſafe for thee (Chriſtian Reader) to retire a little from the Curioſities, and Contentions of this pretending Age, to a ſerious Conſideration of this moſt neceſſary, and weighty ſubject. For though thou underſtood all Myſteries, and all knowledge, and hadſt Faith to remove mountains, it will profit thee nothing, unleſs thou canſt finde this Mount EBAL levell'd,zechar. 4.7. this great Mountain of CURSES made to thee a plain before the Lord JESUS, who buildeth up his Church, as an Holy Temple unto God. But I will not detain thee from the work it ſelf, whith ſet's before thee DEATH, and LIFE, a CURSE, and a CHRIST. The Lord by his ſpecial grace incline thine heart unto, and eſtabliſh it in a ſincere choiſe of the Lord Jeſus, that thy ſoul may live.
So prayes Thy ſervant in the Goſpel, Edw. Bowles. YORK, April 19. 1658.