The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, Book 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Of the Agent or chiefe Author of the worke of our Redemption, and of the first thing distinctly ascribed to the person of the Father.
THe aThe Agent in this work the Trinity exclusively acting.Agent in, and chiefe Author of this great work of our Redemption, § I is the whole blessed Trinity, b1 Joyntly.for all the workes which outwardly are of the Deitie are undevided, & belong equally to each person; their distinct manner of subsistance and order being observed, it is true, there were other sundry instrumentall causes in the oblation, or rather passion of Christ; but the worke cannot in any sence be ascribed unto them: for in respect of God the Father, the issue of their indeavor was exceeding contrary to their own intentions; and in the close they did nothing, but what the hand and counsell of God had before determined should bee done, Acts 4. 28. and in respect of Christ, they were no way able to accomplish what they aymed at, for he himselfe laid down his life, and none was able to take it from him, Joh 10. 17, 18. so that they are to be excluded from this consideration. In c2 Distinct for.severall persons of the holy Trinity, the joynt Author of the whole worke, the Scripture proposeth § II distinct and sundry acts or operations peculiarly assigned To the Father is ascribed 1 the sending of his Sonne, consisting in,unto them, which, according to our weake manner of apprehension, we are to consider severally and apart: which also wee shall doe, beginning with them that are ascribed to the Father.
Two peculiar acts there are in this work of our Redemption by the blood of Jesus, which may be and are properly assigned to the person of the Father. First the sending of his Son into the world, for this imployment. Secondly a laying the punishment due to our sin upon him. The Father loves the world and sends his Son to dye. He sent his Son into the world that the world through him might be saved, John 3. 16, 17. he sent his Son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh, and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh, that the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in us, Rom. 8. 3. he set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3. 25. for when the fulnesse of time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the the adoption of sons, Gal. 4. 4. 5. So more than twentie times in the Gospel of John, there is mention of this sending; and our Saviour describes himself by this Periphrasis, him whom the Father hath sent Joh. 6. 39. & the Father, by this, he who sent me: John 8. 16. So that this action of sending is appropriate to the Father, according to his promise, that he would send us a Saviour, a great one to deliver us, Isay 19. 20. & to the profession of our Saviour. I have not spoken in secret from the beginning, from the time that it was, there am I, and now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me: Isay 48. 16: hence the Father himself is sometimes called our Saviour, 1 Tim. 1. 1: according to the commandment foreign of God our Saviour: some copies indeed read it, foreign of God and our Saviour; but the interposition of that particle foreign, arose doubtlesse from a misprision, that Christ alone is called Saviour. But directly this is the same with that paralell place of Titus 1. 3. foreign, according to the commandment of God our Saviour, where no interposition of that conjunctive particle can have place, the same title being also in other places ascribed to him, as Luke 1. 47, my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour. As also 1 Tim. 4. 10: we have hoped in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of them that beleeve: though in this last place, it be not ascribed unto him, with reference to his redeeming us by Christ, but his saving and preserving all by his providence. So also Titus 2. 11. & 3. 4. Deut. 32. 15. 1 Sam. 10. 19. Psal. 24. 5. & 25. 5. Isa. 12. 2. & 11. 10. & 45. 15. Jere. 16. 8. Mich. 7. 7. Heb. 3. 17. most of wch places, have reference to his sending of Christ, wch is also distinguished § III into three several acts wch; in order we must lay down.
First, d1 the imposition of his office consisting inan Authoratitive imposition of the office of Mediator, which Christ closed withall, by his voluntary susception of it, willingly undergoing the office, wherein by dispensation the father had and exercised a kinde of superiority, which the Son, though in the form of God, humbled himself unto, Phil. 2. 6, 7. and of this there may be conceived two parts.
First the e1 His purpose or counsell so to do.purposed imposition of his Counsell; or his eternall Counsell for the setting apart of his Sonne, incarnate to this office: saying unto him, thou art my Sonne, this day have I begotten thee, Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession Psal: 2. 78. He said unto him, sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstoole, for the Lord sware and will not repent, thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedecke: Psal. 110. 1, 4. he appointed him to be heir of all things Heb. 1. 2. having ordained him to be Judge of quick and dead, Acts 10. 42. for unto this he was ordained, before the foundation of the world, 1 Pet. 1. 20. and determined foreign to be the Son of God with power Rom. 1. 4. that he might be the first-born of many brethren Rom. 8. 29. I know that this is an act eternally established in the minde and will of God, and so not to be ranged in order with the other which are all temporary, and had their beginning in the fulnesse of time, of all which this first, is the spring and fountain according to that of James Acts 15. 18. known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world; but yet, it being no unusuall form of speaking, that the purpose should also be comprehended in that which holds out the accomplishment of it, ayming at truth and not exactnesse, we passe it thus.
Secondly the actuall sHis actuall admission of his son to his office byInauguration, or solemne admission of Christ unto his office, committing all judgement unto the Sonne; Joh. § IIII 5. 22. making him to be both Lord and Christ Acts 2. 36. appointing him over his whole house Heb. 3. 1, 2, 3. which is that anointing of the most holy Dan. 9. 24. God anointing him with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes Psal. 45. 7. for the actuall setting apart of Christ to his office, is said to be by Unction, because all those holy things which were Types of him, as the Ark, the Altar &c. were set apart and consecrated by anointing, Exod. 30. 25. 26, 27. &c. To this also belongs that publike testification by innumerable Angels from heaven of his nativitie, declared by one of them to the shepherds; behold saith he, I bring you good tidings of joy, which shall be unto all people, for unto you is borne this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord Luke 2. 10. 11. which message was attended by, and closed with that triumphant exultation of the host of heaven, Glory be to God on high, on earth peace, towards men goodwill. v. 14. with that redoubted noyse which afterwards came from the excellent glory, this is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased. Matth. 3. 17. and Chap. 17. 5. 2 Pet. 1. 17. If these things ought to be distinguished, & placed in their owne order, they may be considered in these three severall acts. First, g1. Proclamation of his Incarnation.The glorious proclamation which he made of his Nativity; when he prepared him a body. Heb. 10. 5. bringing his first begotten in the world, and saying, Let all the Angels of God worship him, Heb. 1. 6. sending them to proclaime the message which we before recounted. Secondly, h2. Plenary unction and justification at his baptisme.sending the spirit visibly in the forme of a dove, to light upon him, at the time of his baptisme, Matth. 3. 16. when he was indued with a fulnesse thereof, for the accomplishment of the worke, and discharge of the office whereunto he was designed; attended with that noyse, whereby he owned him from heaven as his onelyonly beloved. Thirdly, i3. His actuall coronation at his ascention: all which wasThe crowning of him with glory and honour, in his resurrection ascention, and sitting downe on the right hand of Majesty on high. Heb. 1. 3. setting him as his King upon his holy hill of Sion. Psal. 2. 7. 8. when all power was given unto him in heaven and in earth, Matth. 28. 18. all things being put under his feet. Heb. 2. 7. 8. himselfe highly exalted, and a name given him above every name that at &c. Phil. 2. 9. of which it pleased him to appoint witnesses of all sorts, Angels from heaven, Luk. 24, 4. Act. 1. 10. the dead out of the graves, Mat. 27. 52. the Apostles among and unto the living, Act. 2. 32. with those more than five hundred brethren to whom he appeared at once, 1 Cor. 15. 6. Thus gloriously was he inaugurated into his office, in the severall acts and degrees thereof God saying unto him, it is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Jsrael, I will also give thee for a light unto the Gentiles, that thou mayst be my salvation to the ends of the earth. Isa. 49. 6.
Between these two Acts I confess there intercedes a two fold promise § V of God; kPromised long beforeone of giving a Saviour to his people, a Mediator according to his former purpose, as Gen. 3. 15. The seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head, and the Scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, till Shiloh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the people be, Gen. 49. 10. Which he also foresignified by many sacrifices, and other types with propheticall predictions, for of this salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, searching what or what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie, when it testified before hand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow, unto whom it was revealed: that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that preached the Gospel unto you, with the holy Ghost sent downe from Heaven, which thing the Angels desire to looke into, 1 Pet. 1. 10, 11, 12. The other is a promise of applying the benefits purchased by this Saviour so designed to them that should beleeve on him, to be given in fulnesse of time, according to the former promises; telling Abraham, that in his seede the nations of the earth should be blessed, and justifying himselfe by the same faith, Gen. 15. 6. But these things belong rather to the application wholy, which was equall both before and after his actuall mission.
The second act of the Fathers sending the sonne, is the furnishing of him in his sending, with a lSecondly in furnishing him with a fulnesse which Christ was twofold.fulnesse of all guifts and graces, that might any way be requisite for the office he was to undertake, § VI the worke he was to undergoe, and the charge he had over the house of God. There was indeed in Christ a two-fold fulnesse and perfection of all spirituall excellencies; m1 foreign of the Deity.first the naturall all-sufficient perfection of his Deity, as one with his Father in respect of his Divine nature: for his glory was the glory of the only begotten of the Father, John 1. 14. hee was in the forme of God and counted it no robbery to be equall with God, Phil. 2. 6. being the fellow of the Lord of Hosts, Zach. 13. 7. whence that glorious appearance, Isa. 6. 3. when the Cherubims cryed one to another and said, holy, holy, holy, the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory, and the posts of the doores mooved at the noyse of him that cryed, and the house was filled with smoake, and the Prophet cryed mine eyes have seene the King the Lord of hosts, verse 4. even concerning this vision, the Apostle saith, Isaiah saw him and spake of his glory, Iohn 12. 41. of which glory foreign he as it were emptied himselfe for a season, when hee was found in the forme or condition of a servant humbling himselfe unto death, Phil. 2. 7, 8. laying aside that glory which attended his Deity, outwardly appearing to have neither forme, nor beauty, nor comlinesse that he § VII should be desired, Isay 53. 2. But this fulnesse we doe not treat of it being not communicated to him, but essensually belonging to his person, which is eternally begotten of the person of his Father.
The n2 foreign of divine gifts properly intended.second fulnesse that was in Christ, was a communicated fulnesse, which was in him by dispensation from his Father bestowed upon him to fit him for his worke & Office, as he was & is the Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, 1 Tim. 2. 5. not as he is the Lord of hosts, but as he is Immanuel God with us, as he was a Sonne given to us, called wonderfull, Counsellour, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the Prince of peace, upon whose shoulders the government was to be. Isay. 9. 6. it is a fulnesse of grace, not that essentiall; which is of the nature of the Deity, but that which is habituall and infused into the humanity, as personally united to the other: which though it be not absolutely infinite as the other is, yet it extends it selfe to all perfections of grace, both in respect of parts and degrees, there is no grace that is not in Christ, and every grace is in him in the highest degree; so that whatsoever the perfection of grace, either for the severall kinds, or respective advancements thereof, requireth, is in him habitually by the collation of his father, for this very purpose, and for the accomplishment of the work designed; which though (as before) it cannot properly be said to be infinite, yet it is boundlesse and endlesse: it is in him as the light in the beames of the Sun, and as water in a living fountaine, which can never faile, he is the candlestick from whence the golden pipes doe empty the golden oyle through themselves. Zach. 4. 12. into all that are his; for he is the beginning, the first borne from the dead, in all things having the preheminence, for it pleased the father that in him should all fulnesse dwell. Col. 1. 18. 19. in him he caused to be hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge. Col. 2. 3. and in him dwelt all the fulnesse of the Godhead foreign substantially or personally. v. 9. that of his fulnesse we might all receive grace for grace. Joh. 1. 16. in a continuall supply: so that setting upon the worke of redemption he lookes upon this, in the first place the spirit of the Lord God (saith he) is upon me, because the Lord God hath anointed me, to preach the glad tidings to the meek, he hath sent me to binde up the broken hearted, to proclaime liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to proclaime the acceptable yeere of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourne. Isa. 61. 1. 2. and this was the anoynting with the oyle of gladnesse which he had above his fellows, Psal. 45. it was upon his head and ran downe to his beard, yea downe to the skirts of his cloathing. Psal. 133. 2. that every one covered with the garment of his righteousnesse might be made partaker of it. The spirit of the Lord did rest upon him, the spirit of wisedome and understanding, the spirit of councell and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord. Isay. 11. 2. and that not in parcells and beginnings as in us, proportioned to our measure and degrees of sanctification, but in a fulnesse, for he received not the spirit by measure. John 3. 34 that is, it was not so with him, when he came to the full measure of the stature of his age, as Ephes. 4. 13. for otherwise it was manifested in him, and collated on him by degrees, for he increased in wisedome and stature and favour with God and man. Luke 2. 52. hereunto was added all power in heaven and earth which was given unto him. Matth. 28. 18. power over all flesh to give eternall life to as many as he would. John 17. 2. Which we might branch into many particulars, but so much shall suffice to set forth the second act of God, in sending his son.
The third act of this sending, is, his entering into oThirdly by entring into Covenant with him. 1. To protect and as sit him, in,Covenant, § VIII and compact with his Son concerning the work to be undertaken, and the issue or even thereof: of which there be two parts. First his promise, to protect and assist him, in the accomplishment and perfect fulfilling of the whole businesse and dispensation about which he was employed, or which he was to undertake. The Father engaged himself, that for his part, upon his Sons undertaking this great work of Redemption, he would not be wanting in any assistance in tryalls, strength against oppositions, encouragement against temptations, and strong consolation in the midst of terrours, which might be any way necessary or requisite to carry him on through all difficulties to the end of so great an employment. 1. Trialls.VponUpon which he undertakes this heavy burthen, so full of misery and trouble: for the Father before this engagement, requires no lesse of him, than that he should become a Saviour, and be afflicted in the afflictions of his people Isa. 63. 8. 9. yea that although he were the fellow of the Lord of hostes, yet he should endure the sword that was drawn against him, as the shepherd of the sheep Zach. 13. 7. treading the winepresse alone, untill he became red in his apparell Isa. 61. 2. 3. yea to be stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted, wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities: to be bruized and put to grief, to make his soul an offering for sin, and to bear the iniquity of many Isay 33. to be destitute of comfort so far as to cry, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me. Psal. 22. 1. No wonder then if upon this undertaking, the Lord promised, to make his mouth sharp like a sword, to hide him in the shadow of his hand, to make him a polished shaft, and to hide him in his quiver, to make him his servant in whom he would be glorified Isay 49. 2. 3. that though 2. Oppositions, giving him,the kings of the earth should set themselves, and the rulers take coansell together against him, yet he would laugh them to scorn, and set him as King upon his holy hill of Zion Psal. 2. 2. 4. 5. though the builders did reject him, yet he should become the head of the corner; to the amazement, and astonishment of all the world Psal. 118. 22. 23. (Math. 21. 42. Mark 12. 10. Luke 12. 17. John 4. 11. 2. Pet. 2. 4.) yea hee would lay him for a foundation, a stone, a tryed stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation Isay 28. 16. that whosoever should fall upon him, should be broken, but upon whomsoever he should fall, he should grinde them to powder. Hence, arose that confidence of our Saviour in his greatest and utmost tryalls, being assured by 1 Confidence.vertue of his Fathers engagement, in this covenant, upon a treaty with him about the redemption of man, that he would never leave him nor forsake him; I gave (saith he) my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the haire, I hid not my face from shame and spitting Isay. 50. 6. But with what confidence (blessed Saviour) didst thou undergoe all this shame and sorrow? why! the Lord God will help me, therefore I shall not be confounded, therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed, he is neer that justifieth me, who will contend with me? let us stand together; who is mine adversary? let him come neere to me; behold! the Lord God wil help me, who is he that shal condemn me? lo! they shal all wax old as a garment, the moth shall consume them v. 7. 8. 9. with this assurance he was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, & as a sheep before the shearers is dumbe, so opened he not his mouth. Isay. 3. 7. for when he was reviled, he reviled not againe, when he suffered he threatned not, but committed himselfe to him that judgeth rightly. 1 Pet. 2. 23. So that the 2 Assurance.ground of our Saviours confidence and assurance in this great undertakeing, and a strong motive to exercise his graces received, in the utmost endurings, was this engagement of his father, upon this compact of assistance and protection.
Secondly of successe, or a p2 to give him good successegood issue out of all his sufferings, § IX and a happy accomplishment & attainment of the end of his great undertakeing: now of all the rest this chiefly is to be considered, as directly conduceing to the business proposed, which yet would not have been so cleer without the former considerations: for whatsoever it was that God promised his sonne, should be fulfilled and attained by him, that certainly was it, at which the son aymed in the whole undertakeing, and designed it as the end of the work, that was committed to him, and which alone he could and did claime upon the accomplishment of his fathers will: what this was, and the promises whereby it is at large set forth, ye have Isay 49. thou shalt be my servant (saith the Lord) to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel, I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou maist be my salvation to the end of the earth: Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship because of the Lord that is faithfull: And he will certainely accomplish this engagement) I will preserve thee and give thee for a covenant of the people to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritage, that thou mayst say to the Prisoners goe forth, to them that are in darknesse shew your selves, they shall feed in the wayes, and their pasture shall be in all high places, they shall not be hungry neither shall they be thirsty, neither shall the heate smite them, nor the Sun, for he that hath compassion on them, shall lead them, even to the springs of waters shall he drive them; and I will make all my mountaines as a way, and my paths shall be exalted, behold these shall come from farre, and loe these from the North, and from the West, and these from the land of Sinim. verses. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11 12. By all which expressions, the Lord evidently and clearely engageth himselfe to his Sonne, that he should gather to himselfe a glorious Church of beleevers, from among Jewes and Gentiles through all the world, that should be brought unto him, and certainly fed in full pasture, and refreshed by the springs of water, all the spirituall springs of living water, which flow from God in Christ for their everlasting salvation. This then our Saviour certainely aymed at, as being the promise upon which he undertooke the worke, the gathering of the sonnes of God together, their bringing unto God, and passing to eternall salvation; which being well considered, it will utterly overthrow the generall ransome, or universall redemption, as afterward will appeare. In the 53. chap. of the same prophesy, the Lord is more expresse and punctuall in these promises to his sonne, assuring him, that when he made his soule an offering for sin he should see his seed, and prolong his dayes, and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand, that he should see of the travaile of his soule and be satisfied: by his knowledge he should justify many that he should divide a portion with the great, and the spoile with the strong. v. 10. 11. 12. he was (you see) to see his seed by covenant, and to raise up a spirituall seed unto God, a faithfull people to be prolonged & preserved throughout all generations: which how well it consists with their perswasion, who in termes have affirmed, that the death of Christ might have had its full and utmost effect, and yet none be saved; I cannot see, though some have boldly affirmed it and all the assertors of universall redemption, doe tacitely grant, when they come to the assigning of the proper ends and effects of the death of Christ. The pleasure also of the Lord was to prosper in his hand: which what it was he declares, Heb. 2. 10. even bringing of many sonnes unto glory, for God sent his onelyonly begotten sonne into the world that we might live through him, 1 John 4. 9. as we shall afterward more abundantly declare. But the promises of God made unto him in their agreement, and so consequently his owne ayme and intention may be seene in nothing more manifestly, than in the request that our Saviour makes upon the accomplishment of the worke about which he was sent, which certainely was neither for more, nor lesse, then God had engaged himselfe to him for: I have (saith he) glorified thee on earth, I have finished the worke which thou gavest me to do, John 17. 3. and now what doth he require after the manifestation of his eternall glory, of which for a season he had emptied himselfe, ver. 4. clearely a full confluence of the love of God, and fruits of that love upon all his elect in faith, sanctification and glory; God gave them unto him, and he sanctified himselfe to be a sacrifice for their sake, praying for their sanctification, v. 17. 18. their preservation in peace, or communion one with another, and union with God, verse 20. 21. I pray not for them alone, (that is his Apostles,) but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word, that they all may be one, as thou father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: and lastly their glory, v. 24. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me. All which severall Postulata, are no doubt grounded upon the forecited promises, which by his Father were made unto him: and in this not one word concerning all and every one, but expressely the contrary, Joh. 17. 9. Let this then be diligently observed, that the promise of God unto his Sonne, and the request of the Sonne unto his Father are directed to this peculiar end of bringing Sonnes unto God. And this is the first act, consisting of these three particulars.
The second is of laying upon him the q2 By the la…ing the punishment due to our sin upon him.punishment of sinnes, every where ascribed unto the father: Awake O sword against my Shepheard, against the man that is my fellow (saith the Lord of hosts) smite the shepheard and the sheepe shall bee scattered, Zach. 13. 7. What here is set downe imparatively by way of command, I will smite the shepheard, and the sheepe of the flocke shall bee scattered abroad, Math. 26. 31. hee was stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted, yea the Lord layed upon him the iniquity of us all, yea it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and to put him to griefe, Isay 53. 4. 6. 10. hee made him to bee sinne for us, who knew no sinne, that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. 21. The adjunct in both places is put for the subject, as the opposition between his being made sin, and our being made righteousnesse declareth: him who knew no sinne that is who deserved noe punishment, him hath he made to be sinne, or laid the punishment due to sinne upon him; or perhaps in the latter place, sinne may be taken for an offering or sacrifice for the expiation of sinne, foreign answering in this place to the word foreign in the old Testament which signifieth both sinne and the sacrifice for it. And this the Lord did, for as for Herod, Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, when they were gathered together they did nothing but what his hand and councell had determined before to bee done, Acts 4. 27, 28. whence the great shakings of our Saviour, were in his close conflict with his fathers wrath, and that burthen which by himselfe he immediately imposed on him, when there was no hand or instrument outwardly appearing to put them to any suffering or cruciating torment; then began he to bee sorrowfull even unto death, Mat. 26. 37, 38. to wit when he was in the garden with his three choise Apostles, before the traytor or any of his complyces appeared; then was he sore amazed and very heavie, Mark. 14. 34. that was the time in the dayes of his flesh when he offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryes and teares unto him that was able to save him from death, Heb. 5. 7. which how he performed the Apostle describeth, Luk. 22. 43, 44. there appeared an Angell unto him from heaven stregthening him, but being in an agony he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was it were great drops of blood falling downe to the ground: surely it was a close and strong triall and that immediately from his father he now underwent: for how meekely and chearefully doth he submit without any regret or trouble of spirit, to all the cruelty of men, and violence offered to his body, untill this conflict being renewed againe, he cryes, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And this by the way will be worth our observation, that we may know with whom our Saviour chiefely had to doe, and what was that which he underwent for sinners, which also will give some light to the grand quaere, concerning the persons of them for whom he undertook all this: his sufferings were far from consisting in meere corporall perpessions and afflictions, with such impressions upon his soule and spirit, as were the effects and idues onelyonly of them: it was no more, nor lesse, than the curse of the Law of God, which he underwent for us, for he freed us from the curse by being made a curse, Gal. 3. 13. which contained all the punishment that was due to sinne, either in the severity of Gods justice, or according to the exigence of that law which required obedience. That the execration of the Law should be onelyonly temporall death, as the law was considered to be the instrument of the Iewish polity, and serving that oeconomy or dispensation, is true; but that it should be no more as it is the universall rule of obedience and the bond of the covenant between God & man, is a foolish dreame. Nay but in dying for us Christ did not onelyonly ayme at our good, but also directly died in our stead: the punishment due to our sin and the chastisement of our peace was upon him: which that it was the paines of hell in their nature and being, in their weight and pressure, though not in tendance and continuance, (it being impossible that he should be detained by death,) who can deny, and not be injurious to the justice of God, which will inevitably inflict those paines to eternity upon sinners? it is true indeed, there is a relaxation of the Law, in respect of the persons suffering, God admitting of commutation: as in the old Law when in their sacrifices, the life of the beast was accepted (in respect to the carnall part of the ordinances) for the life of the man; this is fully revealed, and we believe it: but for any change of the punishment, in respect of the nature of it, where is the least intimation of any alteration? We conclude then this second Act of God, in laying the punishment on him for us, with that of the Prophet: All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all. Isay. 53. 6. And adde thereunto this observation, that it seemes strang to me, that Christ should undergoe the pains of hell in their stead, who lay in the paines of hell before he underwent those paines, and shall continue in them to eternity, for their worme dieth not, neither is their fire quenched. To which I may adde this dilemma to our Ʋniversalists: rThereby freeing all he died forGod imposed his wrath due unto, and Christ underwent the paines of hell for, either all the sinnes of all men, or all the sinnes of some men, or some sinnes of all men? if the last, some sinnes of all men, than have all men some sinnes to answer for, and so shall no man be saved, for if God enter into judgement with us, though it were with all mankind for one sinne no flesh should be justified in his sight: if the Lord should marke iniquities who should stand? Psal. 130. 3. We might all goe to cast all that we have, to the moles and to the bats, to goe into the clefts of the rocks, and the tops of the ragged rocks for feare of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty. Isay. 2. 20. 21. If the second; that is it which we affirme, that Christ in their stead, and roome, suffered for all the sins of all the elect in the world. If the first, why then are not all freed from the punishment of all their sinnes? you will say, because of their unbelief, they will not believe, but this unbelief, is it a sinne or not? if not why should they be punished for it? If it be, then Christ underwent the punishment due to it, or not, if so, then why must that hinder them more than their other sinnes for which he died, from partaking of the fruit of his death: if he did not, then did he not dy for all their sinnes. Let them choose which part they will.