the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to remove from himself so a Tree le ts go the Bark remittit librum a Horsman le ts go the Bridle so the Ears are remitted aures remittuntur and by translation custodia custody disciplina discipline animus the mind and in many places remitti and intendi are opposite Hence the Debt is said remitti when there is no account made of it and so Punishment Neither is that word applied to Punishment for Debt nor to Debt for Punishment but to both for another thing in which those agree with one another It may be added that in some sense it may be said that Punishment is owing to a man not properly because no man here is really a Creditor but for some resemblance For because as the Creditor hath power of exacting the Debt that is due to him so the Governor hath power of punishing and the Accuser of requiring Punishment Therefore sometimes we are said catachrestically to owe Punishment either to a Governor as to God or to an Accuser as to the Devil though neither is the Devil injured if Punishment is not inflicted on a man neither doth it consist with the Justice of God to remit in infinitum infinitely any kind of Punishment neither of which can have place in real Creditors CHAP. III. Of what manner is the Act of God in this Business and it is shewed that it is a Relaxation of the Law or Dispensation THE Part which God undertakes in this Business having been examined it will be easie to give some Name to the Act it self And first because God is here to be looked upon as we have proved as a Governor it follows that this Act is an Act of Jurisdiction generally so called Whence it follows that the Discourse is not here of Acceptilation taking a Debt for paid as Socinus thinks for that is not an Act of Jurisdiction That its own Genus may be more nearly attributed unto this Act the Act it self may be considered either with relation to the Divine Sanction or as Modern Lawyers speak the Penal Law or without that relation which we therefore add because though no Law had expressed Punishment yet naturally the Human Act it self whether having an intrinsâ—…al pravity from the unchangable nature of the thing or also extrinsical for the contrary Command of God for that very Cause deserves some Punishment and that a heavy one that is it was just that man being a sinner should be punished If we consider it thus the Act of God of which we treat will be the Punishment of one to procure freedom from punishment to another concerning the Justice of which Act we shall presently discourse But if furthermore we look back to the Sanction or the Penal Act the Act it self will be a way to Indulgence or a Moderation of the same Law which Indulgence at this day we call Dispensation which may be defined an Act of a Superior whereby the Obligation of a standing Law about certain Persons or Things is taken away This is the Sanction Man eating of the forbidden fruit shall surely dye Gen. 2.17 where by one kind of sin every kind of sin is signified as the same Law expresseth being more clearly explained Cursed is he that continueth not in all the Precepts of the Law Dur. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 But by the word Death and Curse in these places we understand chiefly Eternal Death Therefore it is the same sense as if the Law had been expressed after this manner Let every man sinning bear the Punishment of Eternal Death Therefore there is not here the Execution of that Law for if God should have executed the Law no sinner could have been saved from the Punishment of Eternal Death But now we know that there is no Condemnation to them that believe because they are delivered from Death Rom. 8.2 Gal. 3.31 Moreover this act is not an Abrogation of the Law for a Law that is abrogated hath no power of binding But Unbelievers are yet subject to the same Law Therefore it is writtten that the wrath of God abides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on them that believe not Joh. 3.36 and that the wrath of God comes upon them to the uttermost 1 Thess 2.16 Also the Interpretation of the Law is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Moderation for that Interpretation shews that some Fact or Person hath not been comprehended under the Obligation of the Law as the Works of Religion and Mercy were never comprehended under the forbidding of working on the Sabbath Matth. 12.5 and 6. But all men as having been shut up under sin Rom. 11.32 Gal. 3.22 yea those also that are delivered by nature or of themselves are the Sons of Wrath Eph. 2.3 that is they were obliged to the Sanction of the Law therefore the Obligation is not declared to be none But this is the business that that Obligation which was may be taken away that is that there may be a Relaxation or Dispensation of the Law Here it may be asked Whether that Penal Law is relaxable For there are some Laws unrelaxable either absolutely or upon Conditition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The absolutely unrelaxable are those of which the opposite contains an immutable pravity in it self by reason of the nature of the thing it self As for Example the Law which forbids Perjury and bearing false Witness against a Neighbour for as we say that God cannot lie Hebr. 6.18 or deny himself 2. Tim. 3.13 so no less rightly shall we say That God cannot do or approve evil Actions or grant a power to do them But Laws unrelaxable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon Supposition are those that are made by a definite Decree which the Scripture calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unchangableness or unrepentableness of Will such as is the Law of damning them that are not willing to believe in Christ Hebr. 3.18 but all Positive Laws are absolutely relaxable neither should men fly to an hypothetical necessity by a definite Decree when there is no sign appearing of such a Decree But that some are affraid lest if we grant that we do an injury to God as if we made him mutable in that they are greatly deceived for the Law is not something Internal in God or the very Will of God but a certain Effect of his Will But it is very certain that the Effects of the Divine Will are mutable neither doth God in promulgating a Positive Law which he would at sometime relax signifie that he willeth another thing than he really willeth For God seriously sheweth that he wills that the Law should be ratified and oblige yet retaining the power of relaxing which is joyned to Positive Law of its own nature neither can it be understood by any sign to be abdicated of God Verily it is another thing if there adhere to a Po-Positive Law either an Oath or Promise both of which are observed Hebr. 6.18 for an Oath
the Manich cap. 4. Christ undertook our punishment without guilt that thereby he might take away our guilt and also put an end to our punishment The same in the eight Sermon concerning Time There is a twofold cause chiefly why the Son of God became the Son of Man One is that as Man through suffering all things for us he might set us free from the bonds of Sins for so the Prophet Isaiah had foretold he bore our sins c. But the other cause of the Lord's Passion is that he might stir us up whom he redeemed from sins and wickedness by his own blood unto the study of Piety not only by the help of Doctrine and Grace but also by his own Example De Temp. Serm. 51. Death could not be overcome but by Death therefore Christ suffered Death that an unjust Death might overcome just Death and might deliver them that were jusâ—ly condemned whilst he was unjustly slain for them And Serm. 141. Our Lord Jesus Christ by partaking with us of the punishment without the sin hath taken away both the sin and the punishment De Serm. Dom. on Luke 37. It is thy fault that thou art unjust but it is thy punishment that thou art mortal He that he might be thy Neighbour he undertook thy punishment but he took not upon him thy sin or if he took it upon him he took it upon him to abolish it not to do it And presently after by taking upon him the punishment and not taking upon him the sin he abolished both the sin and the punishment Cyrillus on Leviticus lib. 10. Then all the People cried that he should let Barrabbas go free but delier up Jesus to Death Behold thou hast the Goat that was sent away alive into the Wilderness carrying with him the sins of the People crying and saying Crucifie Crucifie He then is the Goat was sent alive into the Wilderness and he is the Goat that was offered to the Lord for a Sacrifice to make Atonement for sins and he made a true Propitiation for the People that believe in him The same against Julian lib. 9. See therefore the Sacrament and how it is well delineated by the two Goats For the Goat was slain for the sins of the Priest and People according to that which was commanded in the Law And because Christ was sacrificed for our sins he is compared to a Goat For so saith the Prophet Isaiah We all went astray like sheep every man wandred in his own way and God delivered him up for our sins For two Goats are taken not that there are two Christs that is two Sons as some supposed But rather because it was requisite that he should be seen who was also to be slain for us dying indeed according to the flesh but living according to the spirit The same on John lib. 2. cap. 1. One Lamb is slain for all that he may offer all kind of men to God One for all that he may gain all and that all may no longer live to themselves but to Christ that died for all and that rose again for all For because we were in sin and were therefore a due debt to Death and Destruction the Father gave his Son for our Reddemption He gave one for all both because all are in him and he is better then all The same in the Homil. that was said at Ephesus against Nestorius Verily these wicked Hereticks are the Sons of Perdition and the wicked Seed which deny the Lord that bought them for we are bought with a price not corruptible as Gold and Silver but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and spot But how could the blood of a common man like us have been the Redemption of the World In the Exegesis to Valerianus concerning the Incarnation of the Word which is extant Concil Eph. 6. c. 17. He who was without a Body as God confesseth that he hath a Body prepared for him that being made an oblation for us he might heal us all by his stripes according to the saying of the Prophet But how could one dying for all pay a sufficient price for all if we say that was the suffering of any meer man But if the Word having suffered according to the Flesh translated unto himself the Sufferings of his own Flesh as if they were his own Sufferings and claimed them to himself then indeed we do very well affirm that the Death of one according to the Flesh was of greater value than the life of all men Theodoretus quaest 9. on Numb For the Lord Christ only as Man is unblameable and the Prophet Isaiah fore-seeing this cries out Who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth For this cause also he took upon him the sins of others having none of his own for he saith he doth bear our sins and is in anguish for our sakes And the great John Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World For this cause he is free among the dead as having suffered Death unjustly The same Serm. 10. concerning Providence he brings in the Lord speaking thus For I have paid the Debt for that Generation for not owing Death I suffered Death and being made subject to Death I undertook Death and though being unblameable I was reckoned among them that were worthy of blame and being free from Debts was reckoned amongst the Debtors I therefore paid the Debt of nature and having suffered an unjust Death I abolish the just Death and I having been unjustly detained do free them that were justly detained from their bondage Behold the Nature's Bill of Indictment taken away O bitter Death behold it nailed to the Cross Behold it being a Bill of wickedness not received for the eyes of this very body have paid for the eyes that beheld wickedly the ears of this body for the ears that received pollution this tongue likeways these hands and the other parts for those Members that committed any manner of sin But the Debt being paid it is requisite that they who were kept in bondage upon this account should be freed from their bondage and receive their former liberty and return to the Country of their Father Proclus the Constantinopolitan Homil concerning the Nativity of Christ. The nature of man was deeply indebted through sins and was in distress about the Debt for through Adam all were made guilty of sin the Devil kept us in slavery The first Inventer of our Miseries stood up arguing the Debt upon us and demanded of us Justice Therefore it was necessary that one of these two things should be that either Death should be brought upon all according to the Condemnation because all have sinned or that such a price should be given in recompense that contained all Righteousness that was required Now then Man could not save us for he was liable to the Debt of Sin An Angel could not redeem the Human Nature for the was not capable to
sins hath the same force as oft as it is join'd with Sufferings Hitherto belong those Christ died 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our sins 1 Cor. 15.3 Christ suffered once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for sins 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ gave himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our sins Gal. 1.4 Christ offered a Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for sins Hebr. 10.12 And yet in these places Socinus would have the final Cause and not the impulsive to be denoted Yea which is more he adds That by the word pro for and the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for there was never an impulsive Cause declared but always a final Many places do evince that this latter on which Socinus relies is not true For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 use to signifie no less the impulsive Cause than the final Cause The Gentiles are said to praise God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Mercy Rom. 15.9 that thanks may be given on our behalf 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith Paul 2 Cor. 1.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for you Eph. 1.16 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 5.20 We pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Christ's sake 2 Cor. 5.21 Great is my glorying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on your behalf 2. Cor. 7.4 and 9.2 and 12.5 straits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Christ 2 Cor. 12.10 I give thanks to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for you 1 Cor. 1.4 God will rebuke the wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all their ungodly Deeds Jude 15. So also the Latines say Pro beneficiis gratias agere aut reddere to give or render thanks for benefits as Cicero doth very often The same said Vlcisei pro injuriis To revenge for Injuries Pro magnitudine sceleris poenas persolvere To suffer punishment for the greatness of the Crime Supplicia pro maleficiis metuere To fear punishments for evil Deeds As Plautus Castigare pro commerita noxia To chastise for a deserving Crime And Terentius Pro dictis factis ulcisci To take vengeance for Words and Deeds In all these places pro for signifies not the final Cause but the impulsive So also when Christ is said pro peccatis passus aut mortuus to have suffered or died for sins the Matter it self suffers not the final Cause to be understood as Socinus would have it for because there is a twofold End 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The End to whom and the End for whom As the End to whom the Medicine is made is the diseas'd Man the End for the sake whereof is Health and neither of them agree to sin For whether you say with Socinus that it is the end of Christ's Death that we should be drawn back or removed from our sins or whether also that we may obtain the remission of sins that we may omit that this End according to his opinion could not be attributed unto Death but very remotely neither of them can be expressed by these words propter peccata for sins or pro peccatis for sins for the End to whom will be Man but the End for what is not for sins but for that which is most contrary to sins the destruction or remission of sins Who ever said a Drug or Medicine was taken for Death that is to prevent Death But it is therefore said to be taken for the Disease because the Disease drives us thitherto It follows therefore that the impulsive Cause should be understood here Wherefore when also the Particle Min amongst the Hebrews denoted the Antecedent or impulsive Cause as Psal 38.9 and elsewhere often that place of Isai 53.5 cannot be translated better and more agreeably to other Scriptures than Dolore afficitur ob defectiones nostras atteritur ob iniquitates nostras he is afflicted for our faults he is bruised for our iniquities And that Romans 6.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 died unto sin what other thing can it signifie but Mortuus est ob peccatum he died for sin But the impulsive Cause though it may be manifold yet in this place it must be taken for meritorious for the Discourse is of Punishment as we shall presently shew Now sins are the cause of punishment no otherways than by way of merit Neither can it be shewed that these words ob peccata for sins or propter peccata for sins are any otherways taken in the holy Scriptures than in this signification of Merit especially when they are joined with Sufferings That place doth not prove the contrary 1 Kings 14.16 God will deliver Israel for the sins of Jeroboam for the sins of Jeroboam in that place signifie the kind it self of the sin to wit Idolatry unto which Jeroboam stirred up the People for the following words make that evident quibus peccavit quibus peccare fecit Israelem which he sinned and which he made Israel to sin For this is the truer Interpretation than that brought by Socinus Qui peccavit qui peccare fecit Israelem Who sinned and who made Israel to sin Therefore those sins whereof Jeroboam was the Author and the People the Followers deserved that Punishment of being delivered up Though I may also mention that Sacred Writings do testify that the followers of other mens sins are justly punished not only for their own but also for other mens sins which is so evident that Socinus himself is compelled to confess that a man may be punished for other mens sins if he is partaker of the Crime But that place of Psalm 39.12 which Socinus citeth makes evidently against him In increpationibus propter iniquitatem corripuisti aliquem liquefieri fecisti ut tineam desiderium ejus With rebukes thou hast corrected man for iniquity and hast made his beauty to consume like a Moth that is If thou would'st punish a man as much as his sin deserves verily that man's life would not be worth the enjoying of it for by this Argument he endeavours to move God to pity As elsewhere If thou mark iniquities that is if thou strictly requirest punishment for them who shall stand or endure Psal 130.3 Therefore that remains unshaken that the Phrase ob peccata for sins doth denote the Impulsive Cause and indeed the Meritorious for that Socinus somewhere seeks this way of escape that he says It is sufficient for the truth of this Phrase that any kind of occasion be signified First That is contrary to his Position in which he had said that the word pro for was never referred to an Impulsive Cause but always to a Final Cause because an Occasion is no way a Final Cause but if it deserves to be called a Cause it ought to be referred to an Impulsive Moreover both the Custom of Scripture and Usual Speech doth clearly confute such an Exposition of the words pro peccatis for sins and ob peccata for sins Hence it may be understood how erroneously Socinus denies That there may be found an Antecedent Cause of the
declare to have went before For neither did the Angels make mention of Enmity when they proclaimed that Peace was to come upon the Earth Luke 2.14 nor the Apostle when he said We have peace with God Rom. 5.1 And as the Hebrews put Sin for Punishment as it appears besides other places now alledged Zachar. 14.19 and Gen. 4.13 so also the same call him sin who suffers the punishment as also the Latines take piaculum both for the Crime and also for him that suffers the punishment of the Crime Whence it is that instead of peccatum sin the Scripture calls the Piacular Host or Propitiatory Sacrifice Sin Lev. 4.29 and 5.6 Therefore Isaiah following this form of Speech said concerning Christ Tashim asham naphsho he made his Soul sin that is he made his Soul obnoxious to the punishment of sin Neither did Paul speak otherways For God made him that knew no sin to become sin that we might be the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.2 It appears in the words of Paul that in both Members the Adjunct is taken for the Subject Socinus that he may invalidate the authority of that place of Paul by the word sin would have to be understood a man supposed by men to be a sinner First without Example for no where is the Hebrew or Greek word so taken Moreover Paul attributes this Action to God that he made Christ sin But yet that the Jews and others did judge of Christ as if he had been a wicked and flagitious man God is in no ways the Author of that thing yea on the contrary by a Voice from Heaven and by working Miracles he did that which made the Innocency of Christ manifest unto all men Moreover that new Interpretation of Socinus can in no ways agree to the words of Isaiah which contain the like Phrase for that which Paul said God did Isaiah attributes the same to Christ to wit that he made his soul sin or that he made himself sin Moreover Paul opposeth sin and righteousness We are made the righteousness of God that is we are justified or delivered from Divine punishment but Christ that that might come to pass was made sin that is he suffered Divine punishment There is also another Antithesis to be observed in these same words of Paul for God made him that knew no sin that is who deserved no punishment to become sin that is he would have him suffer punishment Christ was innocent not only towards the Humane but also the Divine Law Therefore the force of the opposition requires that he should also have suffered the punishment of the Divine Law Moreover it is a thing that daily comes to pass that the Innocent are evil entreated by the Wicked but here the Apostle observes some excellent thing And what other thing can this be but that God laid punishment on him that deserved it not Not unlike those former places is that of Paul to the Galatians 3.13 Christ redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is he that hangeth on a Tree that the Blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus might come unto the Gentiles Here we have the less difficulty in understanding the sense of Paul's words when he says Christ was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Curse or Execration because he himself interprets himself and alledges Moses the Author of his saying he shews that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Curse he understands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Accursed And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul himself being Interpreter is he that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the Curse Execration saith Socinus in this place is the very punishment of Execration which is true For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Curse in many places signifies the punishment proceeding from the sanction of the Law 2 Pet. 2.14 Matth. 25.41 And here the mention of the Law being added forbids the Curse to be otherways taken And the same Socinus confesseth That this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Curse was in Christ the Cross it self Therefore the Cross of Christ signifies punishment and that is it which we say Perhaps Socinus will grant that the Cross was a punishment because it was laid upon Christ by Pilate the Judge in way of a punishment But this doth not contain all that Paul said For that he may prove that Christ was made liable to punishment he cites Moses openly saying That those who are hanged to wit according to the Law of God are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Accursed of God Wherefore the same word also is to be supplied in Paul citing Moses and referring these words to Christ as if he had said That Christ was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Accursed of God that is liable to the punishment inflicted by God and that very ignominious For the Apostles when they refer the Passion of Christ to our uses they do not therein look at the deeds of men but at the fact of God himself as is manifest by many places before mentioned To all these things this also may be added That Death it self that is the destruction of that person which is made up of a Body and Soul inasmuch as it is inflicted by God hath always some signification of punishment Not that God hath no power otherways to inflict it upon man for he is Lord of the Creature but because it seemed good otherways to his Goodness That the state of this peculiar Controversy may be rightly understood we deny not that Man when he was created was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earthly who had a certain vital strength but not a life-giving strength as Paul teacheth us 1 Cor. 15.45,46 and therefore that was the Condition of the Body that it would have perished unless God sustained it yet we contend that by the decree of God he was not to die if he had continued in Innocency The nobleness and eminency of that Creature proveth this as being the only Creature that is said to be made after the Image of God that is endued with a Mind and Free-will which is the Foundation of his Dominion over other Creatures for he cannot be Lord of other things who is not Lord of his own Actions Therefore this Excellency above other Creatures is an Argument that something more than a Temporal use was regarded in the Creation of Man And now what is more clear than that Divine Word If thou eatest thou shalt die Here the Discourse is concerning the Act of Death whether it was to be violent or without violence Therefore Death it self would not have happened unto Man unless the Condition of Sin had been No less clear and general is that of Paul The wages that is the punishment of sin is death Rom. 6.23 Before he had said By sin came death and so death passed upon all men All men saith he therefore he treats of the common event of all Mankind Therefore by man that is by human
and those things that followed his Resurrection But that it was requisite Death should go before But if the Scripture had signified so it would have mentioned perpetually the Resurrection or rather the Exaltation unto Heaven and sitting at the right hand of God where forgiveness of sins is discoursed of not Death and Blood at least not so often and in words so significant For that so frequent and usual joyning of Blood with Remission signifies some Effect not common but proper not far remote but near hand For what By-ways are these The Remission of sins is granted unto none but them that live holily for so speaks Socinus Faith and a certain hope of reward makes for holiness of Life This Faith is begotten by the Example of Christ raised from the Dead and glorified for holiness of Life as Socinus would have it Death went before that raising up therefore rightly and fitly is Remission said to be obtained by the Death of Christ Is not this it really which he finds fault with in others Alas That the Pine-tree was cut in the Pelian Wood for that is brought for a cause which is not some near thing or at least not far distant but that which is most remote from the Effect What if this had been in one place of Scripture it would perhaps have been less wonderful But what man that is in his right wits can believe that the Scripture speaks so often so obscurely and so coldly That Saying of Paul is very unlike Christ was raised from the dead for our justification Rom. 4.25 Which that it may be explained there is no need to fetch so long a compass of Socinus For the Resurrection of Christ begets in us Faith and Reliance on God and Christ to which Faith is promised Remission of sins And this Series is manifestly shewed Acts 13.33,38 Rom. 1.4 and 10.9 for Death is so far from being fit to beget Faith that on the contrary it most affrighteth men from that Faith And therefore in preaching the Gospel the Apostles do always oppose the Resurrection to the Ignominy of the Cross and the Misery of Death But that by Death and the shedding of Blood which the Scripture frequently expresseth in this Argument which is not properly a Cause of the Resurrection but only an Antecedent he would have the Resurrection it self to be expressed What is it else but to name Night that thereby Day may be understood Moreover if Death did not belong to the Remission of sins except because of the Resurrection that followed how could it have happened that Remission of sins was very seldom referred to the Resurrection but to Death in innumerable places Now add this also that Paul doth attribute to Death it self apart that is as it is abstracted from the Resurrection and Glory of Christ the Effect of Redemption purchased For he says If when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life Rom. 5.10 Death is opposed unto a glorious Life and as Reconciliation is ascribed distinctly unto that so is Preservation unto this Reconciliation is obtained for Enemies by Death as a Sacerdotal Act being reconciled they are kept by his Kingly Power unto which Resurrection made access So also elsewhere the same Apostle puts Reconciliation before Preaching which begets Faith God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their sins unto them and did put in us the Word of Reconciliation therefore we are Ambassadours for Christ and as if God were requesting by us we beseech you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.19,20 Here a twofold Reconciliation is put the former which is declared by the Word the other that is made by the Word that is the Reconciliation of Impetration this of Application that is before the Word this is after the Word We treat of that former and do justly deny that it can be referred to the Ingeneration of Faith which comes by the Word That also may be added John 3.16 where Christ is said to be given to wit unto death that they who believe may not perish Therefore it is profitable for another thing than that they may believe And verily if you please to attend the same thing is not obscurely shewed in that very place of Paul which is by Socinus cited for to confirm his own Opinions to wit that of which we discoursed who was delivered to wit unto death for our sins and rose again for our justification Because Sins are an evil thing and Justification a good thing it appears that the word propter for is not taken alike in both Members and it is convenient that the final Cause should be expressed in the latter Member if I am not mistaken we sufficiently shewed above that in the former the Impulsive Cause is signified Just as if I say that a Medicine is taken for a Disease and for Health Therefore Justification is the end proposed unto the Resurrection to wit by the Ingeneration of Faith by the Confession of Socinus Though verily I know not whether the Resurrection in this place is looked upon as an Argument to perswade Faith or whether it rather signifies the whole glorious state of Christ who hath this end proposed to himself amongst others that the Preachers of the Gospel may be sent and that their Endeavour may be promoted with a very plentiful Influence of the Spirit and Faith being made after that manner men may obtain the Remission of sins for so said Christ himself All Power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Therefore go ye and teach all Nations Behold I am with you always to the end of the World Matth. 28.18,19,20 Before as John saith the Spirit was not to wit poured forth with that efficacy and abundance the cause is added because Jesus was not yet exalted to Glory John 7.39 Paul also said of Christ When he had ascended on high he led Captivity captive and gave gifts to men He gave some Apostles others Prophets and others Evangelists and others Pastors and Teachers to the perfecting of the Saints Ephes 4.8,12 But whether of these two ways you take it it appears that some peculiar and is ascribed to the Resurrection inasmuch as it is distinguished from Death On the other side it is ascribed unto Death apart or deliverance unto Death that it happened for sins but that very thing is no where ascribed unto the Resurrection and in this place it is not obscurely taken from the same But the Death of Christ in this Affair is both to be separated from the Resurrection and from the Ingeneration of Faith and in these places which deduce the Remission of sins from the Resurrection of Christ a certain distinct Effect is to be understood which the very simplicity of the Words import agreeing with other words of Scripture which say That Christ for our sins died a bloody death and that the
after we are justified by Faith Rom. 5.1 Before we are sons o wrath Eph. 2.3 for our sins are the cause of separtion that is they make God averse from us Isai 59.2 This Anger excludes Peace or Friendship but not any kind of Love generally so called as appears John 3.16 and 1 John 4.10 And verily Socinus himself supposeth That sins are not forgiven to men before repentance But he cannot be said to be reconciled or as Socinus expresseth it throughly reconciled who yet imputes sins Which thing that it may be more clearly understood there are verily three moments that I may so say of Divine Will to be distinguished The first is before the coming to pass of the Death of Christ either really or in the decree and foreknowledge of God In this moment God is angry at a sinner but so as he doth not abhor all ways and reasons of laying down his wrath The second moment is when Christ's Death is now come to pass In which God doth not only appoint but also promise that he will lay down his wrath The third is when a man believes with a true faith in Christ and Christ according to the form of the Covenant commends the Believer to God Here now God lays down his anger and receives a man into favour But because Verbs Active and Passive answering to the same use to have a twofold signification either that they are confined within Vertue and Efficacy or that they include Effect also it follows that in the first moment neither of these have place and therefore in respect thereof God may be called only reconcileable In the second and third he is rightly said to be reconciled the two Senses that I mentioned being distinguished In the former sense God is said to have reconciled the world to himself and we reconciled to God when we were Enemies In the latter is that Be ye reconciled to God and we received Reconciliation and the same is the signification of the words Redemption and Expiation and that expression whereby Christ is said sometimes to have died for all sometimes for some Moreover that must be observed that the word Reconciliation doth not exclude Satisfaction or all Performance and Expence For in Livius there is That by that gift he might reconcile unto himself the minds of his Country men and elsewhere in many places the like may be seen so that upon that account Christ should no less be called our Reconciler which very thing the Scripture also shews when it adds to Reconciliation the mention of Blood CHAP. VIII Concerning our Redemption purchased by the Death of Christ THat we may come to the second Class of Testimonies which is of Redemption before all things it must be put beyond Controversie that Redemption and the like words in holy Scripture are applied to our deliverance from deserved Punishment which appears to be so Gal. 3.13 Rom. 3.24 and especially Eph. 1.7 and Coloss 1.14 neither doth Socinus deny it Yea also those places which say that we were redeemed from iniquity and vain conversation as Tit. 2.14 and 1 Pet. 1.18 belong to the same for it is a very frequent thing for sin to be put for the punishment of sin And in that place to Titus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being added that is to expiate which we shall afterwards explain and after that in the place of Peter the mention of a Lamb that is a Sacrifice make this evident because the Scripture in many places bears witness that this Redemption is ascribed to the Death of Christ as the cause as Eph. 1.7 Rom. 3.24 Hebr. 10.12 Socinus could not deny it But how the Death of Christ is the cause of Redemption this is it that is in Controversie For we say That the Death of Christ is therefore the cause of Redemption because thereby he moved God to deliver us from punishment but Socinus denies this thing But though there were something ambiguous in these Testimonies in which mention of Redemption is made it would be sufficient to bring other places of the same Argument for interpreting them of which sort we have cited many which signifie not obscurely that Christ died for our sins suffered punishment for us and so obtained us the remission of sins to wit God being reconciled by his Death yet we hope that the same Opinion may be proved clearly enough by these places which use the word Redemption and other like it Now there is a twofold phrase in Scripture one which names the Redemption of sins another which names our Redemption by a divers kind of speaking but with the same signification That former phrase Hebr. 9.15 where the Death of Christ is said to have been caused 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the redemption of transgressions but that by this kind of speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latine culpas delicta crimina redimere to redeem faults offences crimes there is not only signified the Cause moving to deliver but such also as includes Compensation or Satisfaction it is so manifest that Socinus ought to have confessed that also Therefore sith this is the most usual signification of that word it is not allowed us to recede from it except two things be proved that sometimes though less frequently another thing is signified by that expression and that there is here just cause why the less usual signification should be preferred before the more usual Neither of these is proved by Socinus For he brings no place of Sacred or Profane Writer where to redeem transgression sins faults offences signifies any other thing but that which we said In the Sentence of Solomon Prov. 16.6 there is a Hebrew word Chaphar which doth not properly answer the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which very thing Socinus also acknowledgeth when he saith Expiation rather than Redemption is signified by that word It may be added that the most native signification of that word is to cover and thence it is drawn to other things by a certain resemblance Neither doth it follow because the word Chaphar which among the Hebrews as many others because of the penury of primitive words in that tongue is of many significations so that it may signifie both other things and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to redeem that therefore likewise the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should have all the significations that Chaphar hath because the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is simple among the Greeks answering its own Original but other words of the Greeks express other significations of the word Chaphar In Dan. 4.24 there is a Hebrew word Pharak which is not of equal force with the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but both properly and frequently it signifies to tear to break to pluck up and for this also to deliver Howbeit though we should interpret redimere in this place with the Ancients nothing compels to take this word out of the signification that we defend
Genus and Species for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to kill for the honour of God but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to kill upon any account And Plutarch said That the French-men and Scythians believed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Gods delighted in the blood of slain men and that this was the most perfect Sacrifice Neither did the Scripture speak otherways in this Argument Abraham being commanded to offer his Son Gen. 22.2 prepares to kill him verse 10. And therefore because he had performed the sacrificing of him though not with his hand yet with his mind he is said to have offered his son Hebr. 11.17 Sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies simply and out of Sacrifice to kill as John 10.10 And Christ is called by John the Lamb slain Apoc. 5.6 12. and 13.8 which Paul so expresseth our Passover Christ is sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 But the Passover used not to be brought into the most holy place Hebr. 9.26 therefore the Sacrifice went before the Appearance followed So elsewhere in the same Epistle Christ is said to have entred into the Celestial Sanctuary by his own blood having obtained eternal Redemption Hebr. 9.2 and to have sat down at the right hand of the Divine Throne having made expiation for our sins In which places the words of by-past time do shew that Redemption or Expiation was made before Christ entred into the Celestial Palace Therefore though Christ is such a High-Priest that ought not to have remained on earth as the Levitical Priests Hebr. 8.14 but having entred into Heaven he ought to be higher than the Heaven Hebr. 4.14 and 7.26 as whose Priesthood ought to be eternal and intransitory 7.24 yet he was a true Priest and a true Sacrifice at that very time when he delivered himself on Earth up to Death And therefore he is said to have come into the world Hebr. 10.5 that is into the earth as the Scripture if self interprets John 18. 37. 1 Tim. 1.15 that he might do the will of God vers 7 and 9. that he might offer his own body being prepared by God that is sacrificed vers 6. to God vers 10. for sins vers 12. In which place it must be also observed that we are said to be sacrificed by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oblation once whereas Christ intercedes as oft as there is need for us So that here not killing but intercession must be understood Therefore the Oblation of Christ as of certain Legal Sacrifices is twofold The first of killing the other of shewing the former Oblation of Christ was performed on Earth the later in Heaven but that former was not a preparation of a Sacrifice but a Sacrifice the later is not so much a Sacrifice as a Commemoration of a Sacrifice that was performed Wherefore seeing Appearance and Intercession are not properly Sacerdotal Acts but as they depend upon the virtue of the Sacrifice that was made he that takes away that Sacrifice allows not unto Christ a true Priesthood against the manifest Authority of Scripture which assigns unto Christ a Pontifical Dignity distinct from a Prophetical and Royal not figuratively so called but true for his Priesthood is opposed to the Levitical Priesthood which was a true Priesthood as a more perfect Species of the same Genus to another less perfect neither could it be rightly inferred that it was necessary that Christ should have what he might offer Hebr. 8.3 but from the truth of that Priesthood unto which he was appointed vers 3. But it is no wonder if they who have taken away from Christ his Natural Glory that is the Divinity of his true Name if they also diminish his Offices and are unwilling to acknowledge his chief Benefits To thee O Lord Jesus as the true God as the true Redeemer as the true Priest as the true Sacrifice for sins together with the Father and the Spirit one God with thee be Honour and Glory FINIS THE TESTIMONIES OF THE Ancients THE TESTIMONIES OF THE ANCIENTS IReneus lib. 5. cap. 1. For he would not really have had Flesh and Blood by which he redeemed us except he had restored the ancient Creation of Adam in himself Which place Theodoretus cites out of Ireneus in the Greek Language Dialog 2. cap. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he had not really had Flesh and Blood by which he redeemed us Tertullianus against the Jews cap. 13. It behoved Christ to be a Sacrifice for all Nations who was led to the slaughter as a Sheep and as a Lamb is dumb before the shearer so he opened not his mouth Origen on Leviticus homil 3. almost at the beginning If any man remember well those things that have been said he may say to us that we asserted that the Sacrifice which we said the High-Priest offered for sin is a Type of Christ and it will not seem agreeable to the true Christ who knows not sin that he should be said to have offered Sacrifice for sin though the thing is acted by a Mystery and the same is put for the Priest and also for the Sacrifice See then if we may also solve this Objection after this manner That Christ indeed did no sin yet he was made sin for us whilest he that was in the form of God condescends to be in the form of a Servant whilest he that is immortal dies and he that is impassible suffers and he that is invisible is seen and because either Death or all other Frailty of the Flesh was brought upon us men by the condition of sin he himself also who was made after the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man undoubtedly he himself for sin which he undertook because he carried our sins did offer the Calf without blemish that is his immaculate Flesh a Sacrifice to God Origen homil 4. on Numbers If sin had not been it would not have been necessary that the Son of God should become a Lamb neither had it been needful that he being placed in the flesh should be slain but that which was in the beginning would have remained God the Word But because sin entred into this World and the necessity of sin requires a Propitiation and Propitiation is not made but by Sacrifice it was necessary that a Sacrifice for sin should be provided On Matthew cap. 16. Tract 11. A man cannot give any exchange for his soul but God gave an exchange for the souls of all men the precious blood of his own Son For we are not bought with corruptible silver or gold but with the precious Blood of the Lamb without blemish On the Epistle to the Romans lib. 2. cap. 2. Ye confess that it is undoubtedly true which is written in the Epistle of Peter because we are redeemed no with the corruptible price of silver and gold but with the precious blood of the only begotten If then we are bought with a price as Paul also jointly bears witness we are without
and so it was observed in every Sacrifice no Sacrifice being otherways offered For which things it is said that the Beasts were brought that their lives might be offered for theirs Antonius the Hermite Epist 2. in which also the Father of Creatures being moved in his Bowels for our wound which could not be heled but by his goodness only sent his only Begotten to us that by our Bondage he might take the form of Bondage and deliver himself up for our sins And our very sins humbled him but by his stripes we all were healed Macarius Bishop of Jerusalem Lib. 2. Act. Concil Nicen. But he came a Saviour of all men and undertook for our sake in his own flesh the punishments that were due to our sins Athanasius concerning the Incarnation of the Word of God And because it was necessary that that which was due from all should at length be restored for it was due that all men should dye as I said before for which chiefly he came For this cause after his manifesting of his Divinity by his Works it remained that he should offer a Sacrifice for all having given the Temple of his own Body unto Death for all men that he might make all men unblameable and free from the ancient Transgression and might declare himself also to be more powerful than death having shewed his own body uncorruptible as a First-fruits of the Resurrection of all And presently For there was need of Death and there was need that Death should be for all that that which was due from all might be performed whence as I said before the Word because it was impossible that he should dye for he was Immortal took upon himself a Body that could dye that he might offer it as being his own instead of all men And that he suffering for all men by entring thereinto he might destroy him that had the power of Death that is the Devil and might deliver those that through fear of Death were subject to Bondage The Saviour of all men having died for us we that believe in Christ do not now dye the death as of old according to the threatning of the Law The same in the same place And by such a manner of death Salvation came to all men and all the Creation was redeemed this is the life of all And as a Sheep he gave his Body unto Death instead of all men for their Salvation The same upon the Passion and Cross of Christ But beholding the visibleness of the wickedness and that the Mortal Generation was not able to stand against Death nor able to suffer the punishment of their sins for the excessive greatness of the evil exceeded all punishment and seeing the goodness of his Father seeing also his own fitness and power For Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God he was moved with love to Mankind and pitying our weakness he cloathed himself therewith for he himself as saith the Prophet took our Infirmities and carried our Diseases and pitying our Mortality cloathed himself therewith for Paul saith He humbled himself unto death and that the death of the Cross and seeing the impossibility of our bearing the punishment took it upon himself For Christ became a Curse for us and so being compassed about and cloathed with Humane Nature by himself brought us to the Father that he himself suffering may make mans suffering to be without damage and may exchange small things for great Hilarius Pictaviensis on cap. 14. Matth. in the Hymn on the Epiphany Jesus hath forth shin'd The gracious Redeemer of all Mankind Blest John with fear doth shiver To dip him in the River Whose Blood is able to purge out The sins of all the world throughout Optatus Milevitanus concerning the Schism of the Donatists against Parmenianus lib. 3. When ye say redeem your souls whence bought ye them that ye may sell them Who is that Angel who makes a fair of souls which the Devil possessed before his coming Christ the Saviour redeemed these with his Blood according as the Apostle said Ye are bought with a price for it is evident that all men were redeemed by the Blood of Christ Victor Antiochenus on the fifteenth Chapter of Mark. And wherefore sayest thou was the Lord and Maker of all things made Man for our sakes and suffered so much reproach and so great punishments He was made like unto us and took our Miseries and our Crosses upon himself that he might raise up our Nature that was fallen down by sin and might again restore it unto its ancient degree of Dignity Therefore the Advantages that have redounded unto us by his Torments are very many for he paid our Debts for us he bore our sins he both lamented and sighed for our sake Cyrillus of Jerusalem Catechis 13. But he set free all that were kept in Bondage under sin and redeemed the whole World of Mankind And you need not wonder that the whole World was redeemed for he was not a meer man but the only begotten Son of God who died for them And verily the sin of one man Adam was effectual to bring death upon the World But if Death reigned over the World by the sin of one man how much more shall life reign by the Righteousness of one man And if then they were thrown out of Paradise for the Tree of Food verily now by the Tree of Jesus Believers shall more easily enter into Paradise If the first man that was formed of the Earth brought Death upon the World certainly it must needs be that he that formed him of the Earth being Life himself should bring Eternal Life If Phinehas being zealous against the Evil-doer caused the Anger of God to cease doth not Jesus who slew not another but delivered up himself the Price of our Redemption take away the Anger of God that was provoked against men Basilius Homil. on Psalm 48. One thing was found that was worthy of all together which was given for the price of the Redemption of our Souls the holy and precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ Gregor Nazianz. in the two and fortieth Oration which is the second on the Paschal Lamb. That great thing and unsacrificeable that I may so speak in respect of the first Nature was mingled with Legal Sacrifices and not for a small part of the World nor for a little time but for all the World and it eternized the Purification The same in the same place A few drops of Blood renew the Creation of the whole World and they have united and gathered all men into one Body And in the same Oration It is therefore requisite to search into the Matter and Doctrine which hath been neglected by many but by me hath been very diligently searched after For unto whom was that great and much celebrated Blood of God and the High-Priest and the Sacrifice poured forth and upon what account for we were kept in Bondange by that wicked one under sin and
should serve the Lord more diligently lest being offended he should deliver us back to that death from which he redeemed us For he bought us with a very dear price that he might give his blood for us The same on the same Ep. c. 11. We take the mystical Cup of the blood for the preservation of our body and soul because the blood of the Lord redeemed our blood that is made the whole man safe For the flesh of the Saviour was for the salvation of our body and the blood was shed for our souls The same on the second Epistle to the Corinthians cap. 5. Because he was offered for sins he is not without cause said to be made sin because the Sacrifice in the Law which was offered for sins was called sin that we might be the righteousness of God in him who knew no sin as Isaiah says Who did no sin neither was guile sound in his mouth He was slain as if he had been a sinner that sinners might be justified before God in Christ Epiphanius Hoeres 55. First he offered himself that he might abolish the Sacrifice of the Old Testament having offered a more perfect living Sacrifice for all the world himself being the Temple himself the Sacrifice himself the Priest himself the Altar himself God himself Man himself a King himself an High-Priest himself a Sheep himself a Lamb becoming all in all for our sake that he might become life to us in all respects and might procure the unchangeable establishment of his Priesthood Andraeas Caesariensis on Apoc. cap. 1. Honour saith he Glory and Dominion becometh him who being inflamed with burning love by his own Death deliverec us from the bonds of Death and by the pouring forth of his Life-giving blood and water washed us from the filth of sin and chose us for a Royal Priesthood Prudentius on Roman Mart. This is the Cross the Salvation of us all saith Romanus this is man's redemption Chrysostomus in his Preface on the Comment on Isaiah How great is the Clemency of God towards us He spared not a Son that he might spare a Servant He delivered up his only Begotten that he might redeem Servants that were altogether unthankful he payed the blood of his own Son for their price Hieronymus lib. 1. against the Pelagians And saith he when he would enter in let him offer a Calf for sin and a Ram for a Burnt-Sacrifice and let him take two Goats for the People let him offer one of them for his own sin and one for the sin of the People and a Ram for a Burnt-Sacrifice One of the two Goats takes all the sins of the People upon him for a Type of the Lord our Saviour and carries them away into the Wilderness and so God is reconciled to all the Multitude The same on Isaiah He was despised and not regarded when he was hanged on the Cross and being made a Curse for us bore our sins and spake to the Father My God why hast thou forsaken me Augustine concerning the Trinity lib. 13. cap. 14. What is the righteousness where-by the Devil was overcome What other but the righteousness of Jesus Christ and how was he overcome because when he found nothing in him worthy of Death yet he killed him And verily it is just that the Debtors whom he held should be sent away free believing in him whom he slew without any Debt For so was that innocent blood shed for the remission of our sins And presently He goes on afterwards to his Passion that he might pay that which he owed not for us the Debtors And in the next Chapter Then that blood because it was the blood of him that had no sin at all was shed for the remission of our sins that because the Devil kept those deservedly in bondage whom being guilty of sin he bound over to a condition of Death he might justly set these free by him whom being guilty of no sin he punished with Death without his deserving The strong man was overcome by this righteousness and tied with this bond that his Goods might be taken away that whilst they were in his possession were together with him and his Angels Vessels of Wrath and that they might be turned into Vessels of Mercy The same on John Tract 41. We are not reconciled but by the taking away of sin which is the Medium of Separation but the Mediator is the Reconciler Therefore that the Wall of Separation may be taken away the Mediator comes and the Priest himself is made a Sacrifice Lib. 7. de Civ Dei cap. 31. God sent his Word unto us who is his only Son by whose Birth and Sufferings for us in the Flesh that he took we might know how much God prized man and might be cleansed by that one Sacrifice from all our sins and Love being spread abroad in our hearts by his Spirit having overcome all Difficulties we might come to everlasting rest In his Declaration on Psalm 95. Men were held captive under the Devil and served Devils but they were redeemed from Captivity For they could sell themselves but they could not redeem themselves The Redeemer came and gave the price shed his blood and bought the world Ask ye what he bought See what he gave and find what he bought The blood is the price What is of so great worth What but the whole world What but all Nations They are very unthankful to their own price or they are very proud who say that either it was so small a price that it purchased only Africans or that they themselves were so great that it was given for them only Therefore they should not insult nor be puft up with pride he gave for the whole as much as he gave He knows what he bought because he knows for how much he bought it and how much he gave for it On Psalm 129. Our Priest received from us what he might offer for us for he received flesh from us In the flesh he was made an Expiation he was made a whole Burnt-Offering he was made a Sacrifice Lib. 4. against the two Epistles of the Pelagians But how say the Pelagians that Death only passed unto us by Adam For if we therefore dye because he died and he died because he sinned they say the punishment passeth unto us without the Fault and that the innocent Infants are punished by an unjust Judgment in being liable to Death without the merits of Death Which the Catholick Faith acknowledgeth of one only Mediator between God and Men the man Christ Jesus who condescended to undergo Death for us that is the punishment of sin without sin For as he only was made the Son of Man that through him we might be made the Sons of God So he undertook punishment for us without evil merits that we throught him might obtain grace without good merits Because as there was not any good due to us so neither was any evil due to him Lib. 14. against Faustus
Death of Christ besides the Will of God and Christ Which is manifestly contrary to the saying of Paul If there is righteousness by the Law then Christ died 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in vain Gal. 2.21 where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in vain by the acknowledgment of Socinus signifies without Cause but there should have been added without an Antecedent Cause which is the original and most frequent signification of this word The original of it is from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Gift that is such a Gift as hath not an Antecedent Cause of Right whence it began to be translated also to other things in which the Antecedent Cause is not found So David Psalm 25.19 speaking of his Enemies says They hated me hinam in vain that is when I had given them no Causes of hatred Which Christ applying to himself John 15.25 says They hated me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without a cause just in the same signification The place of Paul it self of which we are treating suffers not another Cause than an Antecedent to be understood For the Cause which Socinus deviseth to wit That they who mend their lives should be assured of the pardon of their sins this Final Cause appertains unto the Preaching and the Resurrection but not to Death which when Socinus saw here he would have Christ understood by the name of Death and also that Preaching and the Resurrection are included both wrestingly and contrary to the mind of Paul for Paul denying that Christ died for all signifies that there is some peculiar Cause which should belong to the Death of Christ for otherways he could have preached for a certain Cause and for a certain Cause have received a Reward for according to Socinus the Resurrection is only referred hither and not have died Moreover that Paul had a peculiar respect to the Death of Christ that which goes before makes it sufficiently evident who gave himself for me for that Giving every where in the Scripture signifies Death And Paul calling this same thing the Grace of God denies that that is despised or rejected by him and immediately gives a Reason For if righteousness came by the Law Christ then died in vain signifying by the contrary that this is the peculiar Cause why Christ gave himself and died because we by the Law were not just but guilty of punishment therefore our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniquity is the Antecedent Cause of the Death of Christ The other Efficient Cause is Christ himself and that a willing Cause I lay down my life saith Christ no man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self John 10.18 Christ gave himself for us for the Church Gal. 2.20 Eph. 5.2 and 5.25 The Cause that moved Christ was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love to Mankind This is saith he my Command that ye love one another as I loved you Greater love than this hath no man that a man should lay down his life for his Friends Ye are my Friends John 15.13 In the Faith of the Son of God that loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 Who loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood Apoc. 1.5 Christ loved us and gave himself for us an Oblation Eph. 5.2 Christ loved the Church and gave himself for her Eph. 5.25 The Matter is both the Torment going before Death and chiefly Death it self Isaiah calleth Torments by a pathetical name haburah a Wound Isai 53.5 And 1 Pet. 2.24 calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stripes Therefore we also see mention made of the Cross where this Argument is handled He reconciled both to God by the Cross Ephes 2.16 Having made peace by the blood of the Cross 1 Col. 12. Neither should only those Corporal pains be understood by the name of Torments but chiefly those very grievous Sufferings of Mind which the Evangelists signifie by the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be sorrowful to be astonished to be heavy in respect of which chiefly Christ cried out that he was forsaken of God The other part of the Matter Death it self is urged in many places I lay down my life John 10.18 He reconciled us by Death Coloss 1.22 Death coming between for the Redemption of Transgressions Hebr. 9.15 This Death in the holy Scriptures is considered chiefly with two qualities as Bloody and as Ignominious That quality of bloody Death is denoted by the word Blood This is the Blood of the New Covenant which is poured forth for many for the remission of sins Matth. 26.28 Luke 22.20 God purchased the Church with his own blood Acts 20.28 God hath appointed Christ for a Propitiation by Faith in his Blood Rom. 3.25 Justified in his Blood Rom. 5.9 We have redemption by his Blood the remission of sins Eph. 1.7 Ye that sometimes were afar off are made near by the Blood of Christ for he is our peace Eph. 2.13 We have redemption by his Blood Col. 1.14 Having made peace by the Blood of the Cross Col. 1.14 Not by the Blood of Bulls or Goats but by his own Blood he entred into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption Hebr. 10.12 Without shedding of Blood there is no remission Hebr. 10.22 Ye are come to the Blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel Hebr. 12.24 According to the purification of the Blood of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.2 The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1.7 Christ washed us from our sins in his Blood Apocal. 1.5 But the other quality of an Ignominious Death is signified by the very Name of the Cross for in that very punishment there is great ignominy whence it is said He suffered the Cross having despised the shame Hebr. 1.2 And by the name of Contempt which Isaiah used Isai 53.3 Here by the by it may be observed That not only in the places now alledged and others like them that either only or chiefly treat of the remission of sins there is mention made of Death Cross Blood but that in very many places the Apostles did profess they knew nothing they taught nothing but Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 1.23 and 2.2 and that therefore the Gospel it self is by them called the Word of the Cross 1 Cor. 1.12 Moreover Christ appointed the Sacred Sacrament of his Supper not peculiarly for a Commemoration of his Life or Resurrection but of his Death and the shedding of his Blood 1 Cor. 11.26 Which things having been so often repeated do manifestly shew that some proper and peculiar Effect should be attributed unto this Death and Blood which Socinus cannot do For the whole Life of Christ gave an Example of Holiness more than his Death it self which was compleated in a short time But the Confirmation of that Promise of Celestial Life consists properly in the Resurrection of Christ unto which Death is only as a way
Yea also Greek and Latin Authors when they use that Phrase do always include imputation Socinus for the confirming of this Exception cites a place of Jeremiah which is thus Our Fathers sinned and are not and we bear their punishment neither doth he suffer here any imputation to be understood But by what Argument doth he prove that that Phrase signifies another thing here than in all other places where it is put Socinus himself is compelled to confess that as oft as the Sons follow their Fathers footsteps not only their own but their Fathers sins are imputed unto them for the Word of God is evident Exod. 20.5 But that those concerning whom Jeremiah speaks were like their Fathers that makes it evident which follows in the Prophet Wo to us that we have sinned verse 16. Neither is this different from the intent of Jeremiah for that he may aggravate the Misery of those that then lived he saith That the punishment both of their own and their Ancestors sins redounds upon them and that therefore the lot of their Fathers was much better than their lot who being alike guilty were yet taken out of life before that those very bitter punishments heaped up as if it were in the Treasure of Divine Wrath were at length poured forth together But though the signification of these words ferre peccata to bear sins were ambiguous in Sacred Writings yet both in this place of Isaiah and in that of Peter the joint mention of the Sufferings of Christ and our Deliverance would make the Interpretation certain For to bear sins by suffering and so that others may be delivered from them cannot signify another thing but the undertaking of anothers punishment And in the same Isaiah vers 6. and 7. it is God cast or laid on him the punishment of us all he is punished and he is afflicted Here Socinus moves every stone that he may wrest the genuine sense from the words and deviseth a new Interpretation God did by him or with him go against the iniquity of us all But the Hebrew word doth manifestly contradict Hiphgiah being of that Conjunction which signifies not a single but twofold Action wherefore seeing Phaga properly signifies to go against it follows that Hiphgiah signifies he made to go against and by Metaphor he deprecated because a person that deprecates doth as it were interpose his Prayers To deprecate here hath not place for then God should be said to have deprecated for Christ for that is the signification of this word the Particle Beth following Jer. 15.11 Neither doth fecit deprecari he made to deprecate agree here both because bo on him follows when otherways it ought to have been said He made him deprecate and also because all things that next go before and follow pertain to Affliction not to Deprecation Therefore these words do not bear another sense but this God did make the sins of us all occurrere illi to go against him that is impegit incussit he inflicted or he did cast upon him Sin is required exigitur peccatum that is according to Scripture phrase the punishment of sin Et ipse affligitur and he is afflicted Here Socinus objects unto us that place of Lev. 16.21 and 22. where sins are said to be put upon the Goat of Atonement and the Goat himself is said to carry the sins of the people into a waste Wilderness For he thought that nothing is more manifest than that it could in no ways be said that this Goat suffered punishment for the sins of the People which by what right he takes upon him I see not For verily Punishment taken in the general befals Beasts also The blood of all your Souls will I require Of every Beast will I require it Gen. 9.5 When an Ox shall push a Man or a Woman that he die let that Ox be stoned Exod. 21.28 If any man lie with a Beast let him be put to death also slay the Beast it self Lev. 20.15 The Earth was cursed with a Deluge for man's sake Gen. 8.21 The Creature was subject to vanity Rom. 8.20 Neither is there Cause why Socinus should object that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scape-Goat did not use to be killed but that the shedding of blood or death was required for the remission of sins For though the Scripture doth not expresly declare that that very Goat was thrown headlong from a high place in the Wilderness and so slain the Hebrew Interpreters agree about it which though it were not so yet what other thing did that driving into a waste Wilderness threaten but a death not at all natural either of hunger or the tearings of wild Beasts Also the word Nagash is to be marked in Isaiah for it is very certain that Nagash Schin having a point in the left-horn doth properly signify exigere to require as appears 2 Kings 23.35 Zach. 9.8 but metaphorically is taken for opprimere to oppress therefore the Passive Nagash is either opprimitur he is oppressed or exigitur he is required Opprimitur he is oppressed hath no place here because it follows in the same vehou Sentence ipse affligitur and he is afflicted whence it appears that this Verb is referred to another Noun than that unto which the word affligitur he is afflicted is applied Therefore it remaineth that that word should be taken properly that it may signify exigitur is required and may be referred to the Noun immediately going before Now to require sin is or can be nothing else but to require the punishment of sin therefore the requiring of Punishment and Christ's Affliction are joined together There went before in the same Prophet these words The Chastisement of our peace was laid upon him and by his stripes we are healed In the Hebrew Chastisement is called Musar which word signifieth not every Affliction but that which hath a relation to Punishment whether it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exemplary or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admonitory only by which words of old Taurus the Philosopher did aptly distinguish the kinds of Punishment And thence it came to pass that any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admonition per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the figure Catachresis was signified by the word Musar But because the signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebuke hath no place in Christ especially seeing the discourse is concerning Afflictions including Death it remains that we should understand Affliction that hath joined together with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exemplary punishment for the use of that Hebrew word is not found separated from all respect unto a fault But here if by the subject matter we understand the good of Impunity it will appear that Christ's Punishment and our Impunity are very well opposed the one against the other Though nothing hinders Reconciliation to be understood by the name of Peace though there was no mention made of Enmity which the matter it self and the following words of the Prophet do abundantly
fact came death and by man came the resurrection of the dead As in Adam all die as many as die so in Christ all shall be made alive as many as shall be made alive 1 Cor. 15.21,22 Who reading these very words sees not that this saying to the Corinthians is exactly answerable to that to the Romans Therefore the Discourse is concerning Death that is common to the Posterity of Adam and from which they do rise again which rise again Wherefore also this place being compared with that to the Romans we say the Discourse is here concerning Adam a sinner for what he said here by man there he said by sin The Animal Condition of Adam is discoursed upon in Twenty Verses and more by the Apostle on a very different occasion for here Death is opposed to the Resurrection but there the Qualities of the Body at the first created and afterwards raised again are compared with one another of which that had joined with a natural possibility of dying by the bounty of God a possibility also of living but this shall so have life in it self that it shall be without any natural possibility of dying Here I cannot omit the adding of an excellent place of the very excellent Writer of the Book of Wisdom which though it is not in the Hebrew Canon yet it hath a venerable Antiquity and was always had in estimation among Christians So then saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1.13 And next 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2.23 God made not Death neither doth he delight in the destruction of living Creatures for he created all things to have Existence and their Generations are healthful and the Poison of destruction is not in them neither is the dominion of Hell upon Earth But Righteousness is immortal But the ungodly with their hands and words called it to them and thinking it to be their Friend were consumed and made a Covenant with it because they are worthy to have a portion with it God created Man for uncorruption and made him the Image of his own Deity but by the Envy of the Devil Death came into the World and they have Experience of it that are on its side Here he shews that any kind of Death is understood which Death God is said not to have created nor to desire to wit with a will going before sin in opposition to uncorruption for the hope whereof Man is said to be created and that hope is not obscurely declared to have been a part of the Divine Image or at least a Consequent thereof But Uncorruption excludes all Death whether it is violent or not violent And what the Apostle said That by Man and by Sin Death entred this Author said no less truly That Death entred by the Envy of the Devil For all these Expressions signify the same Fact to wit That the first Sin of Man was committed by the Suggestion of the Devil Neither doth it hinder that this Author observes a certain special Effect of Death upon the Wicked for Death having entred by the first sin and gained power over all Men gets a certain peculiar strength by the great and continual sins of every Man in which sense sin is called the sting of death 1 Cor. 15.56 Therefore those from whom after their death all passage to life is shut up are deservedly called the Confederates of Death or its Bondslaves and peculiar Possession It might very easily be demonstrated if this were the thing that is treated upon that this was the constant Opinion both of Jews and Christians that any kind of death of a Man is a punishment of sin so that the Christian Emperours not without cause disallowed that Opinion besides others in Pelagius and Celestius that they said That Death did not flow from the snare of sin but that the Law of an unchangeable Appointment required it But that we may gather the things that hitherto have been said into one because the Scripture saith That Christ was chastised by God that is was punished That Christ did bear our sins that is the punishment of our sins That he was made sin that is subjected to the punishment of sin That he was made a Curse unto God or liable to the Curse that is the punishment of the Law But the Passion of Christ it self having been full of Torments bloody and ignominious is a very fit matter of punishment Moreover because the Scripture saith That these things were inflicted on him by God for our sins that is our sins so deserving because Death it self is called the wages that is the punishment of sin verily it cannot be justly doubted that in respect of God the Passion and Death of Christ was a punishment Neither are the Interpretations of Socinus worthy to be regarded which deviates from the constant use of words without Example especially because no just reason hindereth to retain the signification of the words which shall appear more evident afterwards Therefore in God the punishment is actively in Christ passively yet to whose Passion a certain voluntary Action is joyned to wit the undertaking of the Penal Passion The end of the thing that is discoursed upon according to the Intention of God and Christ which being placed in act may also be called an Effect is twofold to wit a Demonstration of the Divine Righteousness and the Remission of Sins in respect of us that is our Impunity For if you take the exacting of punishment impersonally it 's end is the Demonstration of Divine Righteousness but if you take it personally that is wherefore Christ was punished the end is that we might obtain freedom from punishment The former end is expressed by Paul when he saith concerning Christ Whom God hath appointed for a Propitiation in his Blood for the demonstration of his Righteousness for the pardoning the foregoing sins in the forbearance of God Afterwards he adds repeating almost the same words To declare his Righteousness at this time that he may be the justifier of him that is of the Faith of Jesus Rom. 3.25,26 Here next unto his Blood that is his bloody Death is joyned the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to declare his Righteousness By this Name of the Righteousness of God that Righteousness should not be understood that God works in us or which he imputeth unto us but that which is in God for it follows That he may be just that is that he may appear to be just This Justice of God that is Righteousness according to its divers Objects hath divers Effects About the good or evil Deeds of a Creature the Effect thereof amongst others is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reward unto which Paul having respect said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is it is just with God to reward Affliction to them that afflict you And elsewhere Every Transgression and Disobedience received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a just Recompence of Reward And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.8 the Syrian translated it Whose Condemnation
Christ God laid upon Christ our sins that is the punishment of sins which were so required that he upon that account was afflicted Christ did bear our sins that is again the punishment of sins Isai 53.5,6,7 1 Pet. 2.24 Christ made himself Sin and a Curse that is liable to the punishment of sins Isai 53.10 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 The Blood of Christ was shed for the Remission of sins so that that Remission did not come to pass without the shedding of Blood but by it Matth. 26.28 Hebr. 9.22 and elsewhere in many places Here Socinus opposeth many things Some Examples and Promises before Christ some sayings concerning those things that God said he gave by Christ The word remittere and cordonare to forgive and pardon and the very nature of Liberality from which he thinks it follows that God willeth to grant Impunity to us repenting requiring no punishment of any man upon that account As touching the Examples of Indulgence besides that no universal thing is rightly concluded from them it must be observed that these belong either to Temporal Punishment or Eternal If they belong to Temporal Punishment only the difference is manifest for as it is proverbially said That which is deferred is not taken away Now add this that in the very Fact of Achab as also in the Fact of David the contrary appears of that which Socinus would infer alledging them for himself for the Temporal Punishment was so taken away from David and Achab that it was translated unto others And in the Law it self sins are not forgiven except the Blood of the Sacrifices be poured out as shall be explained afterwards But if the remission of Eternal Punishment be the matter of Discourse Socinus proves by no Argument that it was made to any man without a respect of God to Christ The same must be said of Promises that hath been said of Examples and by the way it must be observed That when God promiseth to them that repent that he will forgive Temporal Punishments that should not be understood always of the whole punishment but of so much for God often useth to punish them also that repent but fatherly and gently So God restored his people when they repented from the Babylonish Captivity unto their Country but restored not the former Liberty and Glory of the Kingdom But as touching Eternal Punishment there is no Promise of Remission which excludes a respect to Christ Hitherto belong those sayings of Sacred Scripture which shew that Christ tasted death for all men without any difference of time that he gave himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ransom for all Heb. 2.9 1 Tim. 2.6 and much more those that by a Comparison being added admit no restriction of time as when all are said to have sinned and to be justified by Redemption in Christ Rom. 3.23 and when Righteousness is said to have come by one Christ upon all to wit as many as are justified as by one Adam Condemnation came upon all men Rom. 3.12 5.17,18 1 Cor. 15.22 Hence it is that Christ is called the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Apoc. 13.8 which place is sufficiently vindicated from the Interpretation of Socinus both by the very coherence of the words and also by a like place of Peter where Redemption is said to be made by the Blood of Christ the unblameable and unspotted Lamb that was foreknown before the foundation of the World but made manifest in the last times 1 Pet. 1.19,20 Wherefore elsewhere the Death of Christ is said to have interposed for the Redemption of those Transgressions that had been under the former Covenant Hebr. 9.15 and the Righteousness of God is said to be declared by his Blood for the pardoning of sins that went before which God is shewed to have tolerated and suffered at that time the declaring of Righteousness being deferred to the time of Christ Rom. 3.25 Hereunto belongs that famous place to the Hebrews 3.25 not that he should often offer up himself as the Chief Priest entered once a year into the Sancturry with the Blood of another or else he should have suffered often from the Foundation of the World but now he hath been made manifest once in the end of the World to take away sin by the offering up of himself and as it is appointed for all men once to die and after this the Judgment so Christ was once offered that he might carry up the sins of many c. The whole coherence of which place if it be rightly considered and especially if that place of Peter be compared 1 Pet. 1.19 where the same thing is discoursed of almost in the same words it will appear that in this the Sacrifice of Christ differs from the Levitical because the Efficacy was limited within the time of a year but the Efficacy of that extends it self through all Ages for his Passion was esteemed with God as performed before all Ages though really it was performed in a certain time and so the decree of God was very manifestly revealed unto us And unless it had been so Christ must often have underwent Sufferings not after he began to preach but from the beginning of the World Which words have no signification at all unless the Efficacy of the Death of Christ extend it self to all sins which have any time been forgiven to men from the very beginning of the World Just as the Judgment after Death extends it self to all sins that a man committed during life But the contrary Interpretation of Socinus doth not only render the words vain but weakens the Argument of the Writer for it doth not follow if it were granted that Christ should have often been offered that he ought to have suffered not only often but often from the Foundation of the World unless you put together that Christ should have been often offered from the Foundation of the World for these have a coherence with one another for the Effect of the Oblation is not stretched farther than the Dignity of the Sacrifice But that Christ should have been offered oft-times from the Foundation of the World if the parity of the Sacrifice of Christ and the Levitical were granted which the Writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews opposeth it would not follow from any other thing but because the Effect of the Oblation of Christ is extended unto those sins that were at any time committed and forgiven from the Foundation of the World For if it were equal to the Levitical that is of a vertue limited within a certain time verily its Efficacy could not reach from the time that Christ died unto the most ancient sins But it would have been altogether necessary that many Acts of that kind should have been interposed between both times Now let us come to those Testimonies that seem to Socinus properly to belong to the time of Christ and the New Covenant Jeremiah indeed says God will be propitious to sins but denies not
before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I go to washings and the brinks of the shore that having cleansed my faults I may escape the heavy wrath of the Goddess We see here manifestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be reconciled to the Gods is the same with escaping their anger And verily he that diligently hath lookt into those places just now cited cannot deny that they speak of this Reconciliation that is the turning away of the wrath of God or verily of this also For Rom. 5. Paul after his own manner expressing twice the same thing that which he had said before that Christ died for the wicked and sinners vers 6. and 8. presently he expresseth the same in these words that when we were Enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son vers 10. And it appears by the opposite Member that this benefit is before Conversion it self If these things saith he are so much more now being justified by him we shall be saved from wrath verse 9. also much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life The Apostolick Argumentation proceeds à majori If God was so good towards us before we were converted what will he be to us being converted Here the word Reconciliation in the formed Member cannot signifie Conversion for the Apostle observes some singular thing in Christ but to convert sinners is not such a thing for they are not converted at any time but being sinners But it is a rare and altogether singular thing to dye for sinners and to reconcile sinners by death seeing that there have been always very few who would dye for their Friends being good men vers 7. Then Conversion is more aptly ascribed unto the glorious Life of Christ than his Death but this Reconciliation is attributed to Death distinguished and discriminated from a glorious Life as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposite signification of the word shews Moreover by the latter benefit it is given to be understood what the former is The latter that comes to the converted is to have peace with God verse 1. to be saved from wrath vers 9. and 10. The Apostle calls this same to receive reconciliation verse 11. What other thing is it here to receive reconciliation but to receive remission of sins as the Scripture speaks Acts 10.43 and 26.18 but to receive Conversion is an unknown kind of speaking If therefore in the latter Member to receive reconciliation is to receive the reconciliation of sinners and in effect to be delivered from wrath or from punishment in the former Member also to be reconciled should have an analogical signification that the former Member may be a right to the thing the latter an exhibition of the same thing Add unto all these that the love of God cannot be said but very unsutably and unaptly to be gathered from this that we have departed from the hatred of God For though Paul would have discoursed of the benefit of our Redemption it should have been expressed with anotherguess word that might signifie not our action but Gods But nothing is more plain than our Interpretation nothing more agreeable to the Apostle's purpose But that Socinus objects that the mention of satisfaction here is not sutable yea that the praise of love is thereby diminished it is a vain thing for mention is not made of satisfaction in respect of its being a punishment but as it is a way of delivering us Neither as we proved before can the love of God towards men be more manifestly shewed any way than that being angry that is requiring punishment yet found a way for our freedom from punishment having bestowed Christ for that purpose In that place 2 Cor. 5. about the end as in that to the Romans there is found mention of a twofold Reconciliation The former Reconciliation is that whereby God reconciled all things or the World to himself by Christ or in Christ vers 18 and 19. The latter is that unto which the Apostles as Ministers of Reconciliation in whom the word of Reconciliation is put exhort men in the name of God and Christ vers 18 19 20. Therefore that former cannot be Conversion it self for it is the Antecedent and chief Matter of that word by which conversion is made Moreover Paul himself sheweth that it consists in the not imputing of sins that is in the decree of not imputing them But now to impute sins and to forgive them signifie the same thing Rom. 4.6,7,8 But how is this Decree of not imputing sins founded on Christ Paul will tell for God made him that knew no sin to become sin for us That which Socinus objects That the not imputing of sins is contrary to that way of reconciling by satisfaction is without reason for as was explained before satisfaction goes before afterwards emission and non-imputation of sins follow It may also be said that it is not absolutely said that God imputes not sins but that he imputes them not to them that is to the sinners And that sin may be forgiven to one man or not be imputed to him and that it may be imputed to another man for example or that another man may upon that account be afflicted and punished it appears sufficiently both by many things that we alledged before and also chiefly by that which happened to David And though these are not joyned immediately in words not imputing sins and he made him that knew no sin to become sin that doth not make them not to belong to the same thing For these are joyned to one another by conjunctive words and and for neither doth any new speech and differing from this argument come between but this is said that God hath made the Apostles Ambassadors and Ministers of the benefit by him bestowed to wit that they were sent for this purpose through the World that they might plant the Faith of that benefit in men by their preaching But the strongest argument for making that Faith is from the delivering up of Christ unto Death for it is not credible that God would have had his Son that was most dear to him and most innocent so heavily afflicted except he had proposed some excellent end unto himself But this end to wit the proper end and most nearly adhering to that fact Scripture every where and reason it self in some respect by induction testifying can scarcely be any other but the obtaining the right of pardon by antecedent satisfaction But that we request you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God though according to the nature of the word it may signifie either cast ye away your hatred towards God or receive ye the remission of sins to wit by repentance as is shewed Mark 1.4 Luke 3.3 Acts 3.19 and 5.31 yet according to the nature of the thing discoursed of it more rightly admits the latter sense for a weaker person useth not to be requested to receive more
thing whether you strike a private Person or a King also whether you strike an unknown Person or a Father because strokes are directed to the Body not to the Dignity of the Person which gross Errour long since Aristotle hath confuted Also the common-Judgment dissents from Socinus For those People whose Laws are most praised esteemed punishments by the dignity of the Persons and other Attributes Wherefore according to the Laws of the Romans which are known evidently to be very full of equity Punishments are varied according to the Condition of the Persons and it hath been abundantly demonstrated by them that did write of Commonwealths that other Nations famous for Wisdom did not otherways appoint And the Interpreters of the Roman Law prove it CHAP. IX What doth it import that Christ died for us IN the third Class we did put those Testimonies which intimate Subrogation as when Christ is said to have tasted death for all men Hebr. 2.9 died for the people John 11.50 suffered for us 1 Pet. 2.21 died for us wicked and sinners Rom. 5.7,8 one died for all 2 Cor. 5.14 It is received in every Tongue that when a Person did or suffered a thing in the room and place of another it is said that he suffered or did that for him So it is in Terentius I will lead thee pro instead of him I will grind pro for thee Neither is this phrase only applied to persons but also to things for that is said to be given put or had for him which in his stead or room is given put or had Socinus declines this Interpretation by the ambiguity of the word pro for which often signifies only the profit of another which is true of the Latin word as also of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is â—ound in Matthew 20.28 and Mark 10.45 wholly rejects this signification and requires commutation So evil is said to be rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for evil 1 Pet. 3.9 Rom. 12.17 an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth Matth. 5.38 so a Serpent given for a Fish Luke 11.15 the birthright for one morsal Hebr. 12.16 hair for a covering 1 Cor. 11.15 But as oft as that Particle is applied to Persons it signifies that one succeeded into the place of another So Archelaus is said to have reigned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the room of Herod his Father that is that he succeeded him in the Kingdom Matth. 2.22 so Peter is commanded to give a piece of money for himself and Christ Matth. 17.27 because he alone in that action supplied the room of two Neither is it otherways in prophane Writers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one in the room of many and the like Here Socinus being in a strait dares not deny that a certain change is signified by that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for many But he miserably seeks an escape When the Redemption is discoursed of saith he there is place for that Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though a Captive owes nothing for Redemption This is true but not to the purpose For we do not from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 directly infer payment but we gather from thence that Christ died in our stead that is unless Christ had died we should have died and because Christ died we shall not die an eternal Death For verily the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being joyned to a Person and the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 requires that a Person expressed in the Genitive was to give the same in Gender or Species which now another gave Neither is it any difference whether it be lawfully as in a Bond for Debt or unlawfully as in him that is taken by High-way-men but this being granted that it would come to pass that we should have been put to death unless Christ had died the payment is afterwards rightly gathered from the very nature of the thing For either we were to have been unjustly put to death or justly not unjustly for we had deserved death therefore justly If justly then we were debtors of death Christ procured us deliverance from this debt by giving something But to give something that another by that same may be delivered from a Debt is to pay or satisfie Therefore that expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give for many signifies a true exchange as always not a metaphorical which Socinus invents without example But touching the other Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it must be observed that it also not always but often signifies the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul wisheth to be accursed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in room of the Jews whom otherways persevering in their unbelief he knew would be accursed Rom. 9.3 The Apostles are Ambassadors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Christ that is they are Ambassadours in the room of Christ himself 2 Cor. 5.20 Wherefore seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 necessarily signifies exchange and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 useth sometimes to be put for the same nothing forbids to interpret a word of a doubtful notation from a certain chiefly when the same Argument is treated of But especially that place 2 Cor. 5.14 seems to require that interpretation If one died for all then are all dead Moreover though the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it self ambiguous had not been used in these places but it had been openly said that Christ died for our good by this very thing that exchange should not have been excluded but rather inclued other places being compared For he also who dies for this purpose that thereby he may deliver another from death dies for his good Neither can this sense be rejected because the fact of Christ is proposed to us for example For unto an example it is sufficient that there be a certain general similitude though the difference be in a special respect of which nevertheless mention sometimes is made for denoting the thing more certainly Which is manifestly evident from the Exhortation of Peter 1 Pet. 2.19 he would have us be patient in bearing afflictions which we suffer innocently He brings the example of Christ who said he himself also suffered This was sufficient for a comparison but he added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us which belongs not the comparison but clearly expresseth the thing it self that is the suffering of Christ Therefore Patience is a common thing but that manner is different Otherways Paul should in vain ask if Paul was crucified for believers 1 Cor. 1.13 for he also could have been crucified for the Church that is for the use of the Church as he said he suffered for the Church Col. 1.24 and afterward he himself was for the great good of the Church beheaded Peter and other Apostles crucified But neither Paul nor any other man could be crucified in that manner that Christ was by suffering punishment in our stead Therefore that word pro expresseth here something
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Herodotuus lib. 1. the Phrygian Adrastus being polluted with Manslaughter needed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Expiatory Sacrifice Croesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expiated him And he saith there is the same way of Expiating amongst the Lydians and Greeks In Hermogenes there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither purged from iniquities Plat. 2. de Rep. said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abolishments and Cleansings of Vnrighteousness are put for the same Plutarch concerning the Romans interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is averrunca things that turned away the Divine Anger There is nothing more frequent in Virgil and others than the word placandi of appeasing in holy things the force whereof Horace so expresseth Mactata veniet mitior hostia She will come meeker Sacrifice being slain Livius hath often Pacem Deos exposcere to beg peace of the Gods Plinius saith Beasts are acceptable in the Atonement of the Gods Ovid primo Fastorum saith the Gods are reconciled to man by Sacrifices which word we shewed before to signifie the same with the word placandi of making Atonement to purge and purifie being translated from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken thence because guiltiness seems to be a certain uncleanness The word purifying is in Suetonius and Plinius Lucan said Purgare moenia lustro but lustrare is more received concerning the Original whereof we spake before So lustrare exercitum is in Livius Ovid expoundeth it by expurgare 13 Met. Ego lustror ab illis Expurgante nefas novies mihi carmine dicto I 'm purifi'd by them Nine times a sin-purging Verse having been to me Servius in Virgil Lustramurque Jovi and we are purified to Jupiter 3 Aen. he expounds it we are purged we are expiated Seneca in Troas himself explains lustrale sacrum quo piantur rates a purifying Sacrifice wherewith Ships are expiated And Papinius called Menoeceus Caput lustrale a purifying head which he so expounds Terrigenam cuncto patriae pro sanguine poscunt They require the earth born man for all the Counreys blood Also Date gaudia Thebis Quoe pepigi toto quae sanguine prodigus emi Give joy to Thebes Which I covenanted and which I bought with all the blood Therefore lustrale sacrum a purifying Sacrifice is that which buys blood that is which redeems by blood which belongs to the proving of those things which were formerly disputed by us concerning Redemption And it must be observed in the first place that when Expiatory Sacrifices are discoursed of there is mention made of Blood because according to the most ancient Law of God given to Noah Gen. 9.4 and thence propagated to all people Blood is instead of the Life and therefore is called by the name of Life Hence that of Virgil Sanguine quaerendi reditus animáque litandum With Blood Returns must be sought and Expiation made by Life Which words Macrobius explaining out of Trebatius saith Those Sacrifices are called Animal or belonging unto life Sins themselves are properly said to be expiated that is to be satisfied for whether by paying the due punishment or another thing that succeeds into the place of due punishment As behold in Virgil Et culpam miserorum morte piabunt They will expiate the fault by the death of those miserable wretches that is they shall cause them to be punished Plinius Wars use to expiate the luxury of the people Cicero The Immortal Gods expiated thy crimes upon our Souldiers And in the same there is often scelera supplicio expiare to expiate crimes with punishment and in Sallust to expiate slaughter with slaughter and blood with blood yea also the word supplicium was first in holy things whence it was translated to punishment But in Sacrifices piare is to expiate by the succession of another thing into the place of due punishment Hence Plautus Men ' piaculum oportet fieri propter stultitiam tuam Vt meum tergum stultitiae tuae suba'as succedaneum Should I be made a Sacrifice for thy folly That thou may'st put my back in the room of thine for thy folly Hence Cato Cùm sis ipse nocens moritur cur victimo pro te When thou art faulty thy self why dies a Sacrifice for thee Where for thee signifies in thy place And in the same place he saith Those that offer Sacrifices hope for their own safety by the death of another Hence the Sacrifices themselves are properly piacula Ea prima piacula sunto Virg. Aen. 6. Make these the first Sacrifices Téque piacula nulla resolvent And no Sacrifices will expiate thee Horatius Which also Ovid called piamina Februa Romani dixêre piaminá Patres The Roman Fathers called Expiations Februa The force of which word he himself presently expressed quo crimina nostra piantur whereby our Crimes are expiated and Plinius called those things piamenta Improperly piacula are crimina propter quae piacula debentur Crimes for which Sacrifices are due As Servius well observed on that Verse of Virgil Distulit in seram commissa piacula mortem He deferred his Crimes he committed unto a late death But though as we said piare properly is here to suffer punishment and therefore is properly said of the guilt it self and debt yet it began to be taken for words of a near signification placare lustrare to make Atonement to purifie by Sacrifice So Cicero said Cereris numen expiandum So Livius that the manifest murther might be expiated by some Sacrifice his Father was commanded ut filium expiaret that is lustraret to purge his Son by Sacrifice So Seneca in Troas said piare rates that is lustrare to make Atonement for the Ships Also in another Author prodigia piare to expiate the Prodigies for the wickednesses for which the Anger that was raised was declared by Prodigies There is a place where the Jews are discoursed of by the same Author There happened Prodigies which the Nation that is subject to Superstition and an Enemy to Religion judged unlawful to expiate by Vows or Sacrifices Where by the by that may be observed we said before That the Expiations in the Law of the Jews were not set forth to expiate every kind of anger of God By these things it manifestly appears that purging Sacrifices and Expiations belonged to the appeasing of the Deity and so to the obtaining impunity of the sins that had been committed which Plinius so expresseth An ancient Opinion obtained in former times that all things are Februa whereby the guiltinesses of evil deeds might be purged and sins taken away Neither must that remarkable place of Porphyrius concerning Expiatory Sacrifices be omitted for all Divines have agreed in this That in Expiatory Sacrifices they should not have touched the things sacrificed and that they should use purgings None went into the City or into his own House unless first he washed his Garment or Body
doubt bought from some person whose Servants we were who also demanded the price he would have that he might send from under his power them that he held but the Devil held us to whom we were in bondage by our sins Therefore he required our price the blood of Christ But until the Blood of Jesus was given which was so precious that it was sufficient alone for the Redemption of all men it was necessary that those who were instructed in the Law every one for himself should give his own Blood as it were in imitation of the future Redemption and therefore we for whom the price of the blood of Christ was fulfilled have no need to offer for our selves a price that is the blood of Circumcision Cyprian Epist 8 to Clem. and the People He prayed for us though he was not a sinner himself but bore our sins The same Epist 63. to Cecilius parag 9. Christ carried us all who also carried our sins The same in his Book to Demetrianus parag 22. Christ imparts this Grace he gives this gift of his mercy by subduing Death with the Triumph of the Cross by redeeming the Believer with the price of his Blood by reconciling man to God the Father by enlivening mortal man with the Celestial Regeneration The same or rather another Writer of the Book of the Cardinal Works of Christ to Cornelius the Pope Serm. 7. which is concerning the manner of Circumcision that one Oblation of our Redeemer was of so great Dignity that it was sufficient alone to take away the sins of the World who with so great Authority went into the holy place with his own Blood that afterwards no request of Suppliants needed the Blood of any other The same Serm. 16. which is concerning the Ascension of Christ Who for our sakes having been sold for thirty pieces of silver would have it to be understood how great an unequality there was in the price that was given for him and in that which he himself gave for the World Whereas he being bought and sold for a little silver redeemed us at so great a price so that it cannot be a doubtful case that the greatness of the price exceeded the bargain Neither could the damage that verily just damnation deserved be equallized to the Obedience of Christ which proceeded unto Death it self and over and above paid what it owed not Lactantius concerning the Benefits of Christ Whosoever thou art that art present and comes within the threshold of the middle Temple look on me who being guiltless suffered for thy sin c. And presently For thee and for thy life I entred the Virgins womb was made Man and suffered a dreadful Death c. Eusebius Coesariensis lib. 10. of the Demonstration of the Gospel For it behoved the Lamb of God that was taken up by the great High-Priest to be offered a Sacrifice to God for the other Lambs of the same kind and for all the Flock of Mankind For because by man came Death by man also came the Resurrection of the Dead The same lib. 10. cap. 1. And as when one Member suffers all the other Members suffer with it so also when many Members suffered and sinned he also suffered according to the ways of sympathy For forasmuch as it pleased God being the Word to take the form of a Servant and to be joyned to the common Tabernacle of us all he takes upon himself the pain of the suffering Members and makes our Diseases his own and suffers grief and pain for us all according to the Laws of Love to Mankind And the Lamb of God having not only performed these things but having been punished for us and having endured the sufferings that he himself did not deserve but we for the sake of the Multitude of them that trespassed he became to us the Author of the forgiveness of sins having undertaken Death for us and translated unto himself the stripes and reproaches and shame that was due to us and drawn upon himself the Curse that was due to us becoming a Curse for us and what other thing was this but the giving life for life Therefore the Oracle saith in our person we were healed by his stripes and the Lord delivered himself for our sins Eusebius concerning the Preparation of the Gospel lib. 1. cap. 10. And God had respect to Abel and his Gifts but unto Cain and his Sacrifice he had no respect Hence you may understand that he that offered Beasts was more acceptable than he that offered a Sacrifice of the Fruits of the Earth And Noah immediately offered upon the Altar Burnt-offerings of all clean Beasts and of all clean Fowl and the Lord smelled a smell of sweet savour But Abraham also is recorded to have sacrificed so that by testimony of sacred Scripture those that were lovers of God of old esteemed the Sacrifice of Beasts the chiefest of all But I suppose the reason of this thing was not accidental or found out by man's wit but taught by the Divine Wisdom for seeing they saw that they who in their manners were holy and conversant with God and inlightned in their souls by the Divine Spirit and that they needed to perform great service for the cleansing away of the sins of Mortals they supposed that the price of their Salvation was due to him that is Prince both of life and soul Moreover having nothing better nor more precious to sacrifice than their soul instead thereof they offered a Sacrifice of brute Beasts bringing them in the room of their own life thinking that they sinned not nor offended in this thing because they were taught that the soul of unreasonable Creatures was not equal to the reasonable and intellective faculty of Men and having been taught that their life is no other thing but their blood and the lively power in the blood which they also presented offering it as a life for a life unto God And Moses also evidently declares this same thing the life of all flesh is the blood thereof and I have given you the blood upon the Altar to make atonement for your sins for their blood shall make atonement for the life Therefore I have commanded the Children of Israel that no soul of you should eat blood therefore consider diligently of these things how it is said I gave you blood upon the Altar to make Atonement for your souls For blood shall make atonement for the soul For he doth manifestly say that the blood of slain Beasts makes atonement for the soul of man And the Law concerning Sacrifices gives him that looks into it attentively to understand this same thing Therefore he commands every man that sacrificeth to lay his hands upon the Head of the thing sacrificed and to bring the Beast that is to dye to the Priest as offering the Sacrifice instead of his own life Therefore he says of every one He shall present it before the Lord and shall put his hands upon the Head of the Offering
received the pleasure of Wickedness But if the price of Redemption belongs to no other but the Possessour I ask to whom was this offered and for what cause If you say that it was offered to that wicked one fie upon that Blasphemy whereas this thing proceeds from God only Yea if it were so a Robber would receive God for a price of Redemption and thereby a Reward over and above of his Tyranny for which it was just to spare us But if it was offered to the Father first how for we were not kept in Bondage by him But what a saying is that that the Blood of the only begotten delights the Father who did not accept of Isaac offered by his Father but he exchanged the Sacrifice delivering a Beast instead of the reasonable Sacrifice Or it is evident that the Father receiveth not having asked nor having been requested but for the dispensation and because of the necessity that man should be sanctified by the Humane Nature of God that he might deliver us having laid hold on the Tyrant by force and might bring us to himself by his Son being Mediator and dispensing this for the honour of the Father Gregory Nyssene to Olympius the Monk concerning the Form of a perfect Name But we learn that Christ is the price of Redemption having given himself a price for us This we are taught by such a saying that we should learn how he having paid a certain price for every man's soul made immortality the peculiar possession of them that were by him redeemed from Death unto Life Ambrosius lib. de Tobia cap. 10. Behold the Prince of this world cometh and findeth nothing of his own in me he owed nothing but he payed for all as he himself bears witness saying Then I restored that which I took not away The same in his Book concerning Joseph the Patriarch Joseph was sold in Egypt because Christ was to come to them to whom it was said Ye were sold for your sins And therefore he redeemed them whom their own sins had sold But Christ was sold by undertaking the Condition not the Fault And he owes no price for sin because he himself did no sin Therefore he drew on debt by our price not his own he took away the Hand-writing removed the Usurer freed the Debtor he alone paid that which was due from all Ambrose concerning Esau cap. 7. God therefore took flesh upon him that he might abolish the Curse of sinful flesh and was made a Curse for us that the Blessing might swallow up the Curse the Integrity the Sin the Indulgence the Condemnation and Life Death For he undertook Death that the Sentence might be fulfilled and that the Judgment due to sinful Flesh by the Curse might be satisfied unto the Death Therefore nothing was done against the Sentence of God because the Condition of the Divine Sentence was fulfilled for the Curse was unto Death and after Death came Grace The same Lib. 9. Epist 7. The Lord Jesus when he came forgave all men the sin which no man could avoid and blotted out our Hand-writing by the shedding of his own Blood that is as he saith Sin abounded by the Law but Grace superabounded by Jesus because after all the World was subdued the took away the sin of all the world Lib. 1. Epist. 11. See whether that is the saving Sacrifice which God the Word offered in himself and sacrificed in his own Body And a little after But that he pours out the Blood at the Altar thereby may be understood the cleansing of the World the remission of all sins For he pours out that Blood at the Altar as a Sacrifice to take away the sins of many For the Lamb is a Sacrifice but not a Lamb of an unreasonable Nature but of a Divine Power Concerning whom it was said Behold the Lamb of God behold him that taketh away the sins of the world for he hath not only with his Blood cleansed the sins of all but also endued them with a Divine Power The same upon Luke lib. 7. cap. 12. The Adversary esteemed us at a base rate as Captive-slaves but the Lord hath redeemed us by a great price as being beautiful Bond-slaves which he made after his own Image and Likeness who is a fit Judge of his own handy-work as the Apostle said For ye are bought with a price and well it may be called great which is not prized by Money but by Blood because Chrst died for us who delivered us by his precious Blood c. And well it may be called precious because it is the Blood of an unspotted Body because it is the Blood of the Son of God who hath not only redeemed us from the Curse of the Law but also from the perpetual death of Impiety The same Lib. 10. upon Luke Chap. 22. I have sinned because I have betrayed innocent Blood the price of Blood is the price of the Lord's Passion Therefore the World is bought by Christ with the price of Blood Lib. 3. concerning Virginity near the end We were put in pledge to an evil Creditor by sins we drew on the Hand-writing of the Fault we owed the price of Blood The Lord Jesus came he offered his own Blood for us And presently Therefore do thou also behave thy self worthy of such a price lest Christ come who hath cleansed thee who hath redeemed thee and if he find thee in sin he say unto thee What profit hadst thou by my blood What hath it profitted thee that I went down into Corruption Lib. 1. of the Apology of David cap. 13. The Apostle says excellently Because the Lord Jesus hath forgiven our sins blotting out the Hand-writing of the Decree which was against us and he hath taken it away saith he having fixed it to the Cross He blotted out the Ink of Eve with his own Blood he blotted out the Obligation of the hurtful Inheritance On the Epistle to the Hebrews cap. 9. But all the bodily cleansing of the Old Testament belonged to him but now there is a Spiritual cleansing of the Blood of Christ Therefore he saith This is the blood of the New Testament for the remission of sins In those there was an outside sprinkling and again the sprinkled person was rinsed for the People did not always walk besprinkled with blood But it is not so in the Soul but the Blood is mingled with its Essence making that clean Fountain and bringing forth unspeakable beauty For this cause was the killing of the Lamb and its blood was sprinkled on the Door-posts of them that were to be delivered For this cause also we read of all the Sacrifices of the Old Testament which were appointed to typifie this Sacrifice by which comes the true remission of sins and the cleansing of the Soul for ever The same or rather the Writer of the Commentary on the Epistles of Paul attributed to Ambrose on 1 Cor. cap. 6. Because we are bought with a dear price we