A DEFENCE OF THE Catholick Faith Concerning the Satisfaction of Christ Written originally By the Learned HVGO GROTIVS And now Translated by W. H. A Work very necessary in these Times for the preventing of the Growth of Socinianism LONDON Printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercers Chappel and Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lyon in St. Paul's Church-yard 1692. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Sir CHARLES WOOSELEY Knight and Baronet Much Honoured Sir THE Translation of this worthy Labour of the great and famous Grotius may boldly Claim the Honour of being Dedicated to your Patronage for many Causes The Excellency of this Subject being a Defence of one of the most Fundamental Articles of the Christian Faith requires a Patron of Worth and Excellency and such a one I may speak it without flattery is your self who are eminent for Learning and exemplary for Piety Your Works that are published in the World which are both greatly approved for their Piety and justly admired for their Profundity are an invincible Argument how Greatness and Goodness are joyned together in you by a a lovely Union But there is also a peculiar Encouragement to Dedicate this Book to you because you were the first that encouraged the Translation and Publication of this Work And verily if the seasonableness of a thing adds to its beauty as Solomon hath testified this Work hath found a fit time for its Impression For at this time that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnable Heresie or Heresie of Destruction as the word in the Original signifies that Root of Bitterness the hellish Error of wretched and blasphemous Socinus who trampled under his Feet the Blood of Jesus the Mediatour of the New Covenant is now beginning to spread it self in England and to infect whole Houses with a worse and more dangerous than any Egyptian Plague If the Son of Croesus who had been dumb all his days before was so wonderfully affected with the danger his Father's Life was in that the bands of his Tongue through the vehemency of Natural Affection were dissolved so that he that never spake before suddainly cried out Kill not my Father King Croesus how much more zealously may I that have been a great while lurking in Darkness as those that have been long dead now appear in the Light against those Enemies of my Redeemer who by their horrid Blasphemies are not ashamed to spit in the Face of my Lord Jesus with greater Impudence than ever did the Jews at his Crucifixion I am very glad that my blessed Redeemer hath honoured me to be Instrumental for the Confutation of that filthy Error of Socinianism which is as ready a way to Hell as ever the Devil of Hell found out since he was a Devil Methinks the very mention of the name of Socinus may make the heart of a gracious Christian to rise with holy Indignation and his hair to stand with amazement that such a blasphemous Wretch could be found upon the Earth How did this Blasphemer strive to vilifie the Blood of Christ Jesus as if thereby our Sins had not been expiated as if thereby no Satisfaction had been made to the Justice of the holy God as if the Death and Sufferings of this Lamb of God had not taken away the sins of the World and had been no Propitiation for our sins Those wicked Blasphemies are throughly Confuted both by invincible Arguments of sound Reason and evident Testimonies of Scripture in this Learned Work of Grotius God hath exhorted all Christians by the holy Apostle Jude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to contend vehemently or to contend as men that are striving for the mastery as the Original Word signifies for the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints therefore I may justly hope that this Work will be acceptable to all good Christians into whose hands it shall come And that your self as you were the first Encourager of its Publication will now also willingly Patronize its being published Worthy Sir I recommend you to the Grace of the Lord Jesus and I beg of God that he may prolong your Life to the glory of his Name and after you have passed the time of your Mortality that an Entrance may be ministred to you abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I am Your much obliged Servant W. H. A DEFENCE OF THE Catholick Faith Concerning the Satisfaction of Christ AGAINST FAVSTVS SOCINVS Written by Hugo Grotius CHAP. I. The State of the Controversy is shewed and the true Opinion is Explained in the Words of Scripture BEfore we come to this Dispute we will first set down that Opinion which being taken out of Sacred Writings the Church of Christ hath hitherto defended with an unwavering Faith that afterwards it may evidently appear what is the difference between this and the Opinion of Socinus Therefore we shall explain the same Opinion bringing some Testimonies of Scripture which because Socinus wrested to another Sense by the way the true Interpretation of them shall be vindicated Therefore the Catholick Opinion is thus God being moved by his own Goodness to be signally beneficial unto us but our sins standing in the way which deserved Punishment he appointed that Christ being willing of his own free Love towards men should suffer punishment for our sins by enduring very grievous Torments and a bloody and ignomious Death that without prejudice to the demonstration of the Divine Righteousness we should by Faith Interposing be delivered from the punishment of Eternal Death The first Efficient Cause of the Thing whereof we treat is God God gave his only begotten Son that he that believeth in him should not perish John 3.16 God spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all Rom. 8.32 God laid upon Christ the sins of us all Isai 53.6 God made Christ sin 2 Cor. 5.21 The former Cause that moved God is Mercy or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love to Mankind So God loved the World that he gave his Son John 3.16 God commends his Love to us that when we were yet sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5.10 The other Cause which moved God is our Sins deserving Punishment Christ was delivered for our sins Rom. 4.25 Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is with an Accusative which amongst the Authors of the Greek Tongue Sacred and Profane is a very usual sign of an impulsive Cause As when it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For these things the wrath of God comes upon the Children of Disobedience Eph. 5.6 And as oft as that Phrase propter peccata for Sins is joined to Sufferings it admits no sense different from an impulsive Cause I will punish you seven times for your sins Levit. 26.28 For those Abominations the Lord God casts them out from your sight Deut. 18.12 and in several other places of Scripture neither is it any where other ways And that other Phrase pro peccatis for
is a sign of the immutableness of the thing to which it is added Psal 95.11 110.4 Hebr. 3.11 6.17 7.21 And a Promise gives power to a Party which cannot without injury be taken from it Therefore though to promise is free yet there is not a freedom to break Promises therefore that ought to be referred to those things that have immutable pravity in themselves Therefore God cannot do this who is therefore called faithful because he keeps his Promises 1 Thess 5.24 Therefore let us see whether there is in the said Penal Law any thing that utterly disallows Relaxation And first it may be objected That it is just naturally that the Guilty themselves be punished with such a punishment as is answerable to their Crime and therefore that it is not subject to Free-will nor is relaxable That this Objection may be answered it must be known that unjust doth not follow of any denial of just no not at that very time when the same Circumstances are put for as it doth not follow if a King should be called Liberal who gave to some Man a thousand Talents that he should therefore not be Liberal if he gave them not so it is not perpetual that that which is performed justly cannot be omitted but unjustly Now a thing is called natural as in Physicks so in Morals either properly or less properly Natural in Physicks properly is that which necessarily coheres to the Essence of every thing as for a living Creature to have sense but less properly that which is convenient and as it were fitted for any Nature as for a man to use his right hand So then in Morals there are some things properly natural which follow necessarily from the relation of the things unto rational Natures as that Perjury is unlawful but some improperly as that a Son succeeds the Father Therefore that he that hath offended deserves Punishment and therefore is punishable this follows necessarily from the relation of the sin and sinner to the Superior and it is properly natural But that any sinner should be punished with such a Punishment as is answerable to the Fault is not neceslary simply and universally Neither is it properly natural but agreeable enough unto Nature whence it follows that nothing hinders why the Law commanding this same thing should not be relaxable The sign of a definite Decree or Irrevocability appears not in that Law of which we Discourse neither is it a promising Law therefore none of those things hinder a Relaxation for it should not be admitted that a threatning should be equallized to a Promise for by a Promise some right is acquired to him to whom the Promise was made But by threatning only the merit of Punishment in the sinner and the right of punishing in the Threatner are more openly declared Neither is it to be feared least something be detracted from the Veracity of God if he doth not fulfil all his Threatnings for it must be understood that all threatnings that have not with them a sign of Irrevocability by their own nature do diminish nothing of the right of the Threatner to relax as before was declared and it appears manifestly by the Example of the Divine Clemency towards the Ninevites It must not be here omitted that the ancient Philosophers by Natural Light judged that no matter was more relaxable than Penal Law Therefore Aristotle says that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Sopater in an Epistle to Demetrius saith so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which is called moderate Justice comfortably interpreting the austere voice of the Laws seems unto me an innocent pretence of the true and free Graces but correcting Justice in mutual Exchanges wholly shuns the nature of the Graces But that which consists in Accusations doth not abhor the meek and courteous face of the Graces It appears by these things which hitherto have been said that that Positive and Penal Law of God was dispensable But this hinders not but that there were certain Reasons which might disswade that I may stammer after humane manner this Relaxation And these may be taken either from the nature of all Laws or from the proper matter of the Law It is common to all Laws that by relaxing something seems to be taken away from the Anthority of a Law It is a property of this Law that though that Law as we said hath not an inflexible Rectitude yet it is very agreeable to the Nature and Order of things from which things it follows That the Law was not to be wholly unrelaxable but not easily nor for a light Cause And the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infinitely wise Lawgiver did according to that For he had a very weighty Cause when Mankind fell into sin to relax the Law because if all sinners had been to be given up to Eternal Death two very beautiful things had utterly perished out of the World on Mens part Religion towards God on God's part the Testimony of his special Bounty towards Men. Neither did God in relaxing the Law observe Causes only and that very weighty ones but also did set a singular Bounds to the Relaxation concerning which there will be a fitter place to Discourse afterwards CHAP. IV. Whether it is unjust that Christ should be punished for our sins And it is shewed that it is not unjust THE Arguments whereby Socinus goes about to disprove this Doctrine having not been placed by him in a right enough Order seems to us that they ought to be digested in this manner That the first rank be of those Reasonings which gather that That which we defend to have been performed is unjust The second of those that deny there was cause for so doing The third of those which deny that God did that which we assert For if the thing it self hath Unrighteousness in it in vain is the Cause thereof sought for because there can be no reasonable Cause of that which is unjust In vain also is it disputed Whether it hath been because no unjust thing can be done by God Also the Examination of the Cause because by nature it goes before the Question of the Fact should also first be handled therefore that we may come to the Question of Just and Unjust first these things are to be separated Whether it was just that Chirst should be punished for our sins And if that could any thing Conduce to obtain a pardon for us For this latter must be referred to the second rank that disputes of the Cause of the Fact but it belongs not properly to this first For though such a Cause of Punishment had not been it would not thence follow that some Injury is contained in the Punishment But it seems that an Injury may be sought either in the Matter it self that is in the very heavy Afflictions and Death compared with the Innocency of him who suffered those things or in the Form that is in the Punishment compared with other mens Sins
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
of a Hebraism or Syrianism or to epitomize in a perspicuous compend of words those things which belonged to the same Matter the Scripture hath delivered in several places So that which the Scripture said That Christ was delivered to death for sins and to have suffered sins that is the punishment of sins and that his blood was shed for the remission of sins is expressed in elegant Latine and significantly by the word satisfaciendi of satisfying for that word in Law or common use signifies the exhibition of a Fact or Thing from which Deliverance followeth not ipso facto but an Act of the Will being joyned And it useth to be taken in this sense not only in pecuniary Debts but also in Crimes which Languages that are derived of the Roman Language with depravation call contentare to content But that it may appear that Expressions of the same value yea those very Expressions that Socinus rejects are found in Sacred Scripture we shall add some other Testimonâ—…s unto those that were drawn out of the Sacred Book above in the first Explication of this Sentence and we shall refer them to four Classes The first Class shall be of those Expressions that signifie the turning away of Anger The other of those that declare Deliverance made by Redemption or the paying of a price The third of those that signifie Subrogation The fourth of those that ascribe unto the Death of Christ the vertue of an Expiatory Sacrifice That we may enter upon the first Class it is very well known that to turn away the wrath of a man is called in the Greek Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the Latine placare pacare conciliare reconciliare also propitiare to appease to pacify to reconcile to propitiate Both the act it self and also that by which the act is properly performed is called by the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the Latines placamen In God Anger as we said above is called by anthropopathy as it were the affection of punishing which the Apostle saith is revealed from heaven upon all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men that detain the Truth in unrighteousness that is that go against the known Commands of Christ But no man is excepted because we are all by nature the sons of wrath that is liable to the anger of God This anger abides upon some Joh. 3.26 and it is turned from them upon whom it abides not Christ by his Death attains this Aversion and therefore it is very rightly called Propitiation So John the Apostle calls him twice when he says If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is a Propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of all the world Epist 1. cap. 2. vers 2. Also in this is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be a Propitiation for our sins cap. 4. vers 10. with which place that of Paul must be compared God commendeth his love that when we were yet sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5.8 for both Paul and John prove by the same Argument that we did not first love but were beloved of God and that which Paul calls he died John calls he was made a Propitiation Moreover that place of Paul must be added We are justified freely by the Redemption in Christ Jesus whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation by Faith in his Blood Therefore Christ was made a Propitiation in his own blood which what is it else but that very thing that Socinus denies That God was reconciled in Christ for that he interprets in John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expiation and by the word Expiation understands the destruction of sin he doth that for no cause and guarded by no example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all Greek Writers Poets Historians and others is to propitiate and useth to be construed with an Accusative signifying the person whose anger is turned away neither is it otherways taken in the Septuagint and Luke 18.13 In one place only which is Hebr. 2.17 Christ is said to be appointed a Chief Priest to propitiate the sins of the people where there is an Enallagy coming from the Hebraism to propitiate the sins when it should have been said according to custom to propitiate God for the sins of the people Therefore he there signifies Expiation but that which is made by Reconciliation Otherways this use of the word should have nothing common with the nature of the word and the perpetual signification of the same Wherefore that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to propitiate and the word thence derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propitiation cannot signifie such an Expiation as Socinus deviseth that is the destruction of sin which is performed without atonement But Socinus interpreteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned by Paul that in which God sheweth himself appeased We deny not that this signification may agree to the word and for some such reason the covering of the Ark is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Writer to the Hebrews But because words of that Termination signifie properly a certain effective Vertue and improperly a declarative no reason suffereth us here to depart from property for it is evident that Christ is so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Paul as he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by John But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verily signifies atonement not the testimony of atonement wherefore Scripture interpreting Scripture the word also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be expounded of Christ actively not declaratively Moreover the word blood being joyned with it shews the same to which the virtue of reconciling is attributed because without shedding blood there is no remission These are well known Sanguine placastis ve'ntos virgine coesa Ye pacifi'd the Winds with blood and a Virgin slain and the like in Poets concerning which there will afterwards be place to discourse more accurately The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is like the word appeasing to procure favour and reconcile which Paul useth in this very Argument Rom. 5.10 and 11.292 Cor. 5.18 and Eph. 2.16 and Col. 1.10 Socinus opposeth That it is written that God was not reconciled to us but we to God and that upon that account because God was not angry at us but we were turned away from God For the word reconciling as also the word appeasing promiscuously assigns sometimes the Dative sometimes the Accusative to either party both the party that is angry and also the party that is not angry at all or less angry Therefore it hath the same signification that we are reconciled to God and God to us Sophacles in Ajax 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But he goes being turned to the best Opinion That he may be reconciled to the Gods from his anger Where the Quire expresseth that which Ajax had said
Town with Cursings that all the Evils of the City might fall upon him and so he was sacrificed to the Immortal Gods All which being gathered together into one we shall see that Plinius not without cause cried out concerning these Sacrifices So those things agreed with all the World though it was at variance and unknown to it self Thus we have discoursed by the by concerning Humane Sacrifices in which the Heathen sinned not only that they sacrificed unto false Gods but also because they had no command to worship God after that manner such as Abraham had But that Custom of the Gentiles in Expiating the sins of Men or Sacrificing of Beasts brings no little light to the understanding of the nature of an Expiatory Sacrifice and the proper names of that Argument And so much the less can this labour be deâ—…iâ—…d because Socinus says That the Baptist when he called Christ the Lamb of God had respect unto Sacrifices in the general by which not only amongst the Hebrews but also among the Heathen sins were believed to be expiated And it is an undoubted thing that seeing the Divine Writer to the Hebrews in this very Argument of Expiatory Sacrifice often useth the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he used it in that sense which the Greek Tongue had received Whence it is easie to understand what that signifies that Christ is called a Sacrifice for sin or expiation For whereas Socinus brings three Interpretations the first That the Death of Christ by begetting Faith in us draws us from sins in time to come The second That Death it self is a certain thing antecedent to the obtaining remission of sins The third That it bears testimony as it were to the remission it self or the Decree made concerning it Of these three only the second belongs hereto Not that Christ did not also those other things and that much more effectually than Socinus thinks but because those things belong not to Sacrifices for sins for Socinus confesseth That the similitude of legal Sacrifices for sin and of the Sacrifice performed by Christ consists in Expiation To which may be joyned the like Sacrifices of the Gentiles considered not according to the thing but according to the opinion of the Gentiles But these Sacrifices did not withdraw from sin especially by procuring the belief of any thing neither did they bear testimony to remission performed or certainly decreed but as Socinus acknowledgeth they were a certain antecedent thing requisite unto remission which those words of the Law shew He shall make atonement and it shall be forgiven Therefore in this the Comparison consists and it is necessary that Expiation should signifie the same when it is applied to legal Sacrifices and when it is applied to Christ because the Writer to the Hebrews brings both from the same Decree to wit that without shedding of Blood there should be no remission but expiation must be made in blood Hebr. 9.21 It hinders not that it is said Hebr. 10.4 that it was not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to conscience must be repeated from what was said before as appears manifestly if you compare the like places with this chap. 9. vers 9 and 14. The blood of beasts took away sins that is Temporal Guiltiness but not Spiritual Guiltiness as we shewe before Neither can you without a remarkable wresting interpret that in the Apocalyps who washed us from our sins as if it signified who declared that we are washed Or 1 John 1.7 where it is said The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin as if it signified it declares us to be clean for both the property of the Words and the perpetual use of Scripture in this Argument contradicts it Socinus confesses That Guiltiness in many places is signified by the name of Vncleanness Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take away that guiltiness or to make remission as the Writer to the Hebrews expounds the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 9.22 Christ by himself made this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purification Hebr. 13. Christ purgeth the conscience from dead works Hebr. 9.14 that is as Socinus himself interprets He frees the conscience from guiltiness and punishment and the fear of punishment Also in the Old Testament tachar hath the same sense Psalm 51.9 But that which in these places is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cleanse The same upon a like account is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sprinkle 10.22 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to wash in the same verse Whereto belongs the Prophesy Zach. 13.1 There is no reason to go from the sense of the Apostle John in these places for though Jesus is called a faithful witness Apoc. 1.5 yet that washing should not therefore be referred unto bearing witness for those do not cohere immediately the faithful witness and he washed but the mention of his being the first-born from the dead comes between them and the mention of a Kingdom and afterwards of Love that it may appear to a blind man that many Offices and Benefits of Christ are joyned together to illustrate his Dignity But in the Epistle of John it is utterly absurd to interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the declaring of purification and not of purification it self because a little while after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are joyned The Apostle reasons from things joyned together If you walk in light you have cleansing that is remission by the blood of Christ because sins are imputed unto none that walk in the light And the preaching of the Baptist naming Christ the Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world seeing it respects the Expiatory Sacrifices both of the Hebrews and the Gentiles according to the acknowledgment of Socinus suffers us not otherways to interpret to take away sins than to take away guiltiness For Expiatory Sacrifices did this but did not withdraw from sinning Neither is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the putting away of sin Hebr. 9.26 any other thing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we may be cleansed that we may have remission as appears by vers 22. But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putting away of sin was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the sacrificing of himself verse 26. But though Socinus endeavours to pluck away some places from the true sense yet being convinced by many others he acknowledgeth That in the Sacrifice of Christ it is expressed that an Expiation was made which goes before the remission of sins as something requisite Yet he denies that God by that Sacrifice is moved to pardon but he say That a certain Faith is begotten in us by which being brought to amendment of life at length we obtain remission of sins In which first he did little remember that which he said That the figure should agree with
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
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
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
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
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
pay such a price of Redemption Therefore it remained that the sinless God ought to dye for them that had sinned for this only way remained of deliverance from that Evil. What then he that brought every Nature out of nothing into being who was not in distress to find out a way of Deliverance he found out for them that were Condemned a most sure Life and a very honourable way of abolishing Death and he is born a Man of the Virgin after such a manner as he himself knows for speech cannot declare the wonderfulness thereof and he died in what he became and purchased Redemption by what he was according to the saying of Paul In whom we have Redemption by his Blood the remission of sins O glorious works he purchased Immortality for others for he himself was Immortal Leo concerning the Passion Serm. 12. What hope can they have in the safeguard of this Sacrament who deny the truth of Human Substance in the Body of our Saviour Let them tell by what Sacrifice they are reconciled by what Blood they are redeemed who is he that gave himself for us an Oblation and Sacrifice for a savour of sweet smell Or what Sacrifice was ever more holy than that which the true High-Priest laid upon the Altar of the Cross For though the Death of many Saints was precious in the sight of God yet the killing of no other Innocent person was the Propitiation of the World The Just receive Crowns but did not give them and from the Courage of the Faithful have arisen Examples of Patience but not Gifts of Righteousness for there were singular Debts in each one of them neither did any of them pay another man's Debt by his Death whereas it was only our Lord Jesus Christ that was found among the Sons of Men in whom all were crucified all died all were buried and also all were raised again Claudianus Mamertus concerning the State of the Soul lib. 2. Pictavus Hilarius in many of his high Disputations being somewhat different in his Opinion asserted these two things contrary to truth one of of which was this That he said nothing was created Incorporeal the other was this That he said Christ suffered no pain in his Passion whose Passion if it had not been true our Redemption also could not have been true Anastasius Sinaita Bishop of Antiochia concerning the Right Rules of the Catholick Faith lib. 4. concerning the Passion and impassible Deity of Christ His Blood was shed which was sufficient to redeem many Perhaps it would be better to say it was sufficient to redeem all for all are also many Procopius of Gaza on the 24th of Exod. Seeing Christ was by nature joyned to the Father if we are made partakers of him by the Spirit we will also by him be united to the Father coming into the Society of the Divine Nature Neither did they go up into the Mountain before they were crucified with the Blood of Christ who gave himself a price of Redemption for us offering his own Flesh as an unblameable Sacrifice to God and the Father Gregor M. lib. 3. Moral cap. 13. Another that was created for Paradise would proudly take upon him the similitude of Divine Power Nevertheless the Mediator paid for the fault of this Pride being himself without fault Hence it is that a certain wise man said to the Father because thou art just thou desposest all things justly also thou condemnest him that ought not to be punished But it must be considered how he can be just and dispose all things justly if he condemns him that ought not to be punished For our Mediator ought not to have been punished for himself because he had no contagion of sin But if he had not undertaken an undue Death he had never delivered us from a due Death Therefore the Father because he is just in punishing the just one he disposeth all things justly For hereby he justifies all in that he condemns him that is without sin for sinners Isychius on Levicic cap. 16. The Law made the Children of Israel liable to the Curse and to Death so that they had therefore a necessity of Expiation and the Sacrifice of the only begotten is slain for them principally but he is Sacrificed for all men so that Caiphas said It behoveth that one man should dye for the People and not the whole Nation perish And the Evangelist John confirming and also correcting what was said added But this he said not of himself but being High-Priest that year he prophesied that Christ was to dye for that Nation and not for that Nation only but that he should gather together into one the Sons of God that are scattered to wit the Gentiles Jesus was slain for Israel and he offered him for all Mankind to be an Expiation of our Uncleanness Antiochus in Exomologess Thy Word was discoloured with no sprinkling of sin at all whom thou sentest through the bowels of thy Mercy that he might call back his own handy-work into the way being made flesh he suffered himself for our sake to be crucified and abolished the Hand-writing that was against us being made a Propitiation for our sins Sophronius of Jerusalem Epist to Sergius Patriarch of Constantinople Christ condescended to dye for men and for their redemption shed his Divine Blood and laid down his Soul which was a Gift more Divine than all Dignity Elias Cretenses Christ was called Redemption because he set us at liberty that were sold under sin and gave himself as a price of Redemption for the Expiation of the whole World Nicephorus of Constantinople Epist to Leo 3. which is extant in Baronius Tom. 9. Annal. p. 587. Edit Mor. 2. I believe he was crucified not in that Substance wherein he shines with the Father though it is said the Lord of Glory was crucified but in our Earthly Nature in which he took upon him our Earthly Mass and was made a Curse for us that he might make us partakers of the Blessing that comes from him and he was content to suffer the Death of Malefactors according to the flesh that by suffering Death he might condemn the sting of Death in his flesh and might destroy him that had the Power of Death that is the Devil Mark the Hermite in his Book concerning them that think they are justified by Works Christ is Lord according to his Essence and Lord also according to Dispensation Because he made them that were not and hath redeemed them that died to sin by his own Blood and gave Grace to them that thus believed Theodorus Abucara Bishop of the Carians Disp 15. cap. 5. God in his just Judgment required all things of us that are written in the Law which because we were not able to pay therefore our Lord paid those things for us and freely took and received upon himself the Curse and Condemnation to which we were liable he himself suffered those things that we ought to have suffered The same in the