was, fo to fpeak, fet on work by infinite love, to find out fome way how justice and mercy might embrace each other, did fall upon no other way, but that the only Son of God fhould fatisfy: therefore is there an emphafis in this whom (excluding all other means and ways imaginable) God hath fet forth, to be conceived. VII. Sure it must be fome more urgent, weighty and important caufe, for which God fhould fet forth Chrift to die, and fhed his blood, than to confirm his doctrine; feeing that was fufficiently done by his life and miracles; and the death of the bleffed martyrs that fuffered for the truth; and feeing he was fo dear to his Father, his Son, his only begotten Son, his well beloved Son; and feeing it was no ordinary exercife he was put to, even to die, and to die in an unheard-of manner; and more than that too, to give his foul an offering for fin. And what elfe can it be for, than to fatisfy juftice, and loofe the obligation of a ftanding law, &c. hence it is called a propitiation here, and 1 John ii. 2. and iv. 10. Upon this, fure, it is that he is call ed a bloody facrifice, and was typified by the facrifices under the law. which is, in ordinary fpeech, faid to be VIII. Seeing (as we cleared, Doct. 3d.) because of fin, God has a real difpleasure at us, and a legal enmity, and Chrift fatisfied, (as was shown in the last Doct. Ob. 1erv.) it followeth as a clear truth, that God is now pacified by that which Chrift did and fuffered; atonement being made, he is now reconciled; that is, his wrath and anger, and all the effects of it, are now turned away: not as if we thought there were any proper change in God, who is ftill one and the fame unchangeable Jehovah; but now the bars that obftruct his love of complacency and friendship, fuch as the law, juftice and truth, are re-ground, in that it is fuch a propitiation moved, without the leaft change in him, all the change being in us. It is true, we find it not faid exprefsly, that God is reconciled to us, but that we are reconciled to God, because we are the party offending, as hath remiffion following it. Now, remiffion being an act of God, it fheweth, that by the propitiation he was pacified; for, want of fatisfaction to juftice, lay in the way of pardon and remiflion, before; bus but now, when there is remiffion, it fays, that fatisfaction is had, and fo God is pacified. 3diy, In that it followeth, that he might be the juftifier of the believers in Chrift; for what fenfe were it to fay, we were reconciled, or atoned, that he might juflify? Is it not better fenfe to fay, Juftice now being fatisfied, and the law anfwered by the atonement, God was then free to justify believers, there being now a fair door opened, which was clofed before. IX. Howbeit Chrift was a worthy perfon, being the Son of God, who thought it no robbery to be counted equal with the Father, Phil. ii. 6. yet by no lefs could he fatisfy juftice than by his death and blood; no lefs could be a propitiation, there being a ftanding, law, and the covenant runing thus, The day thou eatest, thou shalt die: Juftice required that that should be made good, either by himself or by his cautioner. The facrifices, which were types of Chrift, were bloody, and fo the Antitype behoved to be fo alfo. Chrift was a teftator, and a teftament is of no force until the teftator die, Heb. ix. 16. 17. and without feeding of blood there is no remiffion, ver. 21. Hence is there fo often mention of his blood, Heb. ix. 14. and x. 19. 1 Pet. i. 2. 19. 1 Johni.7. 1 Cor. x. 16. Eph. ii. 13. and we are faid to be redeemed and purchafed by blood, Acts xx. 28. Rom. v. 9. And though blood be, particularly mentioned, it includes all his precedent fufferings, both of body (which made way for this bloody death) and of foul, Matth. xxvi. 27. and xxvii. 46. Gal. iii. 13. Therefore it is faid here, to be a propitiation through his blood. X. Albeit that man by his fall incured death, both spiritual and temporal, and fo was dead in fin, Eph. ii. . and had miferies, fickness, and diseases on his body, and was liable to corruption, and death of foul and body in hell for ever, Mat. ix. 44. 46. 48. 2 Theff. i. 9. and altho' it be true that Chrift Jefus was never dead in fin, but was like us in all things except fin, Heb. iv. 5. and : vii. 26. and was free from difeafes of body, nor was liable to corruption, Pfalm xvi. 10. Acts ii. 31. and xiii. 35. nor did defcend locally into hell, feeing that fame night he went to Paradife, Luke xxiii. 43. nor indured the curfe for ever; yet was Christ our furety, Heb. vii. 22. and his death and fufferings were fatisfactory unto juftice; the law was thereby fatisfied, God's wrath averted for whatever was effentially and properly penal, in the punishment which was due unto the finners, was fuffered by Chrift, who endured the total temporal privation of all the fenfe of the good of the promife, and the pofitive evil flowing from the curfe, confidered abfolutely, without refpect to the difpofition of the patient. Now, it is accidental to the punifhment, and that which floweth from the difpofition of the fufferer,, that he dies in fin, (for fin is not effential to punishment, whereof God is author) or despaireth, or licth finally, and for ever under the punishment, for this floweth merely from the inability to make fatisfaction; nor is the place of torment effential to the pu nifhment: fo that the punishment that Chrift underwent, being both the pain of lofs, Pfalm xxii. 2. Matth. xxvii. 40. and the pain of fenfe, Matth. xxvi. 37. Ifa. lui. Luke xxii. 44. was equivalent (if not the fame) to what the law threatened. For here there was a propitiation, though but in his blood, or death. See Heb.ii.ix.14. Gal.iii.13. XI. Altho' God in juftice might have refufed any fatisfaction made by Christ, feeing it was wholly out of God's free love that Christ was fent and appointed unto that office; and he might (had it so seemed good in his eyes, who doth all things according to the good pleasure of his will, Eph. i. 11.) have execute the threatening upon us who were the offenders; yet Chrift being appointed to the work by God, and accordingly difcharging the undertaking, what he did and fuffered was a full and perfect fatisfaction; it had an intrinfic worth, in that he was God, who laid down the price, Acts xx. 28. and the price was no lefs than himself, Heb. ix. 28. So that it was perfect, not because God did by way of grace fupply what he wanted, and indulged any defect; or because of God's gracious acceptation, but because of the inward equality and condignity betwixt the price and the thing purchased; fo that Chrift's obedience and fufferings were more fatisfactory to justice, than the everlafting death of all had been; and more fatisfactory than the fins of all thofe for whom he died were difpleafing; otherways God would never have fuffered fin to have been: Therefore it is a propitiation in his blood. XII. Howbeit it be a truth that Chrift hath delivered all his own from all the penalty of fin, by fuffering it in their fstead, and yet believers meet with death, feeing it is fo appointed, Heb. ix. 28. yet it will not hence follow, that Chrift's temporal death was not any part of fatisfaction, becaufe death to them is not properly penal, but rather a favour, liberating them out of their prifon for here there is a propitiation even in his blood. Hence he was a curfe, even when he died, Gal. iii. 13. and he is faid to offer himself for us. XIII. Albeit Chrift Jefus was innocent in himself, and knew no fin, yet this will not hinder but his fufferings were fatisfactory; nor was it any injuftice that he, an innoent perfon, fhould fuffer for the nocent and guilty, feeing he was moft willing to do fo, and took delight in it, and was the head of his church, and fo a near kinfman, yea, and able to pay all, and fuffer all, and procure more glory to God than man's own fufferings could have done hence God's goodness is the more fet forth to us, in that fuch an one who knew no fin, fhould have been made fin for us, 1 Cor. v. 21. fee alfo, 1 Pet. ii. 21. and iii. 18. For here there is a propitiation in his blood, and God (who is justice itself, and can do no wrong) fet him forth. XIV. Tho' Chrift be acting the part of high priest in heaven, making intercef fion for the carrying on the work of our falvation, and fo is able to fave to the uttermost all that come to God through him, Heb. vii. 25. yet feeing the foundation of that work which he carrieth on there, was laid in the earth, he was a high-prieft before he afcended, even while on the earth; hence it is faid, that he gave himself a facrifice, Eph. v. 2. and fuch an one is a priest, Heb. v.1. fee Eph. v. 2 5. Gal. ii.22. Rom. viii. 32. and iv. 25. Heb. v. 6.7. and i. 3. and vii. 27. and ix. 12. 26. 1 Pet. ii. 21. Thus the blood of the facrifices which typified Chrift, viz. the daily facrifices, was not carried into the holy place. Therefore here there is a propitiation in his blood, and fo before he afcended he was a priest making atonement. XV. To expect juftification for any works we can do, is to cross the grand defign, and noble device of God, in fending his Son to die; for that God hath fet Christ out to be a propitiation, is a standing argument, that juftification is not by works, but by faith. XVI. Albeit God fet forth Chrift from eternity to be a propitiation for his chofen, in particular, and in time fent him to lay down the price and ransom for those and no other, in particular; and Chrift both undertook, and discharged the undertaking, for none other, but for those in fpecial; yet this price paid and laid down, is not forthcoming to the elect, nor actually applied for their good, until they believe; for it is a propitiation through faith and faith is the way God in his wifdom hath carved, whereby this death and blood of Chrift's becometh an actual propitiation. XVII. Albeit faith be requifite to the applying of the redemption purchased by Chrift, yet this doth no way leffen the freedom of it, feeing our faith, upon whatever score, doth not come in to pay the leaft penny of the price; it comes not in as a mite in the raníom, but receives the whole ranfom, and refts upon it, in an other. other. Tho' we cannot be the better of an alms till we receive it, yet it is no lefs an alms that we receive it. And further, faith itself is given and beftowed freely; for we are justified freely by his grace, verse 23d, altho' the propitiation be through faith. fin as a reward of Chrift's death and fuf- XVIII. Faith looks for acceptance for nothing in itself, but goes quite out of. at man's felf, and refts upon the merits and death of Chrift, as only fatisfactory to juftice, and through which it expects to bev accepted of God, and brought into favour again; it pleads this only as the ground of its being juftified before God: therefore it is faith in his blood. XIX. Tho' when angels, more glorious creatures than men, fell, there was no poffibility of recovery, or of pardon for them, yet it feemed good in the Lord's eyes, the riches of whofe love is unfearchable, to make forgiveness of fins poffible and attainable unto poor man: hence is there men tion made here of remiffion of fins. XX. Albeit man that has finned can never be made innocent again of that whereof now he is guilty; for what is once done can never be fo undone; nor can it ever be faid, that his fins deferve not God's wrath; the law being once made, the breach thereof doth, thro' God's appoint ment, incur his wrath and displeasure; nor the blot that fin maketh upon the foul can never be removed fully till death; yet fin is fo far pardoned, as that the actual obligation unto condemnntion is removed, guilt actual is taken away, fo that the finner once pardoned, fhall never be condemned; for this, is remiffion of fins here mentioned. XXII. Tho'God decreed from all eternity to pardon the fins of his own chofen, and fo their fins may be faid, in fo far, to be pardoned intentionally, before they be committed, and laid our fins on Chrift, who in due time fatisfied for them, and fo meritoriously they may be faid to be pardoned, yet are they not actually pardoned, until the finner, convinced of a neceffity, flee in to that price, and lean to it; for remiffion is not had but by faith in his blood, going before; fo that pardon refults from Chrift's merits, and our accepting of these merits, and refting on them. XXIII. In juftification believers have their inquities pardoned, all their by-past,. tranfgreffions are covered and remited: for being justified by his grace, ver. 24th, is to have their fins remited, ver. 25th. XXIV. Albeit the elect be not actually juftified or reconciled until they believe, as we cleared, Doct. 16th and 22d; yet XXI. Chrift's merits are the only pro- hereby there is no wrong done to Chrift curing caufe of our pardon and remiffion, our Mediator, that the fruits of his mediand our remiffion is no lefs remiffion that ation are thus fufpended, feeing it was his it has such a valuable, confiderable price own will it fhould be fo; for thus it was going before to purchafe it; for it is in covenanted (to speak fo) betwixt the Father and through the propitiation in Chrift, tha and the Son, both of them having the fame remiffion is had, and a proper remiffion too: will and intention, and so agreeing mutualfo that it is falfe to fay, God pardonethly, both anent the manner and time of our reconciliation; fatisfied juftice in the room of the elect, (not that we fubftituted him in our place, to do and fuffer all which we were bound to do and fuffer; for then his righteoufnefs fhould be ours whether we believed or not, he believing in our name, as well as fuffering: yea, then what he did and fuffered fhould be more ours than his, as the deed of an attorney and meffenger is more the deed of fuch as they reprefent, than their own) being substituted in our room by the Father, to fatisfy the law for us, and fo becoming one perfon, in law, with the principal debtors, paying the fame debt, fo as no other fatisfaction is required and the justifier of him that believeth, as merited and purchased thereby. reconciliation; To that what was God's pur- XXV. Albeit that Chrift as a cautioner, pofe in the matter, was Chrift's alfo, he being in the work, but (to fpeak fo) the Father's fervant, Ifa. xlii. 1. doing all in obedience to God's command, John x. 18. Now, it was God's purpofe that the benefits of Christ's death fhould be fufpend ed until faith, John vi. 40. and iii 14. 15. 16. Ifa. liii. 11. Nor doth this wrong or impair the intrinsical worth of Christ's death and merits; for his death, notwithstanding of this, was a full and complete fatisfaction to divine juftice, (as we fhewed, Doct. 1.) fo that the last farthing is paid, and juftice can crave no more by way of fatisfaction: and it can be no wrong to juftice, that the Son make fatisfaction, and the Father ac-of the debtors: yet this fatisfaction made cept thereof, upon terms which they may by Chrift our cautioner, is not properly agree upon; and, particularly, that the our juftification and pardon of fin, but onfinner, or debtor, be not actually loofed ly its ground and meritorious caufe; for from the obligation upon the Cautioner's he is fet forth to be a propitiation, and then payment, till fuch or fuch a time. Nei- followeth, as a diftinct thing, remiffion of ther hereby is the death of Chrift ren-fins; and juftification, that he might be just, dered lefs efficacious, and the fruits and effects of it lefs certain; for it is a redemption which fhall have effect in due time, faith not being fuch a poteftative condition as is fully in our own power to act or not; but fuch a condition as is purchafed by Chrift, and which God hath decreed to work irrefiftibly, Acts xiii. 48. John vi. 36. Jer. xxx. 31. Eph. i. 18. Nor is it ridiculous that God fhould promife upon a condition which himself worketh, feeing faith is not immediately from himfelf, but fo wrought by him as it is our act, and fo performed by us voluntarily, And Chrift's death contributes an immediate efficacy unto reconciliation, and is the only immediate meritorious caufe thereof; faith neither making Chrift's death meritorious, (as if it were not fo before) nor moving God to accept of it as meritorious; for it is faid here, that Chrift's death was a propitiation, and fo completely fatisfactory, the thro' faith; and upon thofe terms he was fet forth to be a propitiation, viz. through faith. XXVI. Whatever difference there be betwixt thofe under the Old Teftament, and those under the New, the one having Chrift only in a promife, the other as actually come in the flefh, and exhibited in the gofpel; the one having him in types and dark fhadows, which were but shadows of good things to come, the other, the image of the things themselves, Heb. x. 1. the one having more full and clear promises than the other, Heb. viii. 6. yet (both the old and the new covenant being the fame in fubftance, viz. a covenant of grace, made not with perfect man, as the covenant of works was, but with finners, Deut. xxix. 30, 31.32. and often renewed, Deut. Xxxi. 28. 29 30. and iv. 30. 31. 2 Chron. xv. 14. 2 Kings xi. 7. and xxiii. 3. 2 Chren. xxiii. 6. and xxxiv..) even then there was remiffion of fins promifed and granted, which is a great privilege of the new covenant. Heb. viii. 2. For here we have mention made of remiffion of fins that 1 were |