Of THE SATISFACTION OF CHRIST
John Gill
Though the doctrine of
satisfaction is not only closely connected with, but even included in, the doctrine
of redemption, made by paying a satisfactory price into the hands of justice,
and is a part of it; yet it is of such importance, that it requires it should be distinctly and separately treated of: it is the glory
of the Christian religion, which distinguishes it from others; what gives it
the preference to all others, and without which it would be of no value itself:
and though the word "satisfaction" is not syllabically expressed in
scripture, as used in the doctrine under consideration, the thing is abundantly
declared in it; which yet Socinus {1} denies; though he
himself owns {2}, that a thing is not to be rejected, because not expressly
found in scripture; for he says, it is enough with all lovers of truth, that
the thing in question is confirmed by reason and testimony; though the words
which are used in explaining the question are not found expressly written. What
Christ has done and suffered, in the room and stead of sinners, with content,
well pleasedness, and acceptance in the sight of God, is
what may, with propriety, be called "satisfaction"; and this is
plentifully spoken of in the word of God; as when God is said to be "well
pleased for Christ's righteousness sake", and with it, it being answerable
to the demands of law and justice; and is an honouring and magnifying of it;
and when the sacrifice of Christ, and such his sufferings are, is said to be of
a "sweet smelling savour to God"; because it has
expiated sin, atoned for it; that is, made satisfaction for it, and taken it
away; which the sacrifices under the law could not do; hence here was a
remembrance of it every year, #Isa 42:21 Eph 5:2 and there are terms and
phrases which are used of Christ, and of his work; as "propitiation,
reconciliation, atonement", &c. which are equivalent and synonymous to satisfaction for sin, and expressive of it;
concerning which may be observed the following things:
1. The necessity of
satisfaction to be made for sin, in order to the salvation of sinners; for
without satisfaction for sin, there can be no salvation from it; "for it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things,
in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation
perfect through sufferings"; that is, it became the all wise and all
powerful Former and Maker of all things for himself; it was agreeable to his
nature and perfections; it was fitting, and so necessary, that it should be
done; that whereas it was his pleasure to bring many of the
sons of men, even as many as are made the sons of God, to eternal glory and
happiness by Christ; that the author of their salvation should perfectly and
completely suffer, in their room and stead, all that the law and justice of God
could require; without which not a sinner could be saved, nor a son brought to
glory. If two things are granted, which surely must be easily granted,
satisfaction for sin will appear necessary:
1a. That men are sinners; and
this must be owned, unless any can work themselves up into such a fancy, that
they are an innocent sort of beings, whose natures are not depraved, nor their
actions wrong; neither offensive to God, nor injurious to their fellow
creatures; and if so, indeed then a satisfaction for sin would be unnecessary:
and one would think the opposers of Christ's satisfaction must have entertained
such a conceit of themselves; but if they have, scripture, all experience, the
consciences of men, and facts, are against them; all which declare men are
sinners, are transgressors of the law, and pronounced guilty by it before God;
and are subject to its curse, condemnation, and death, the
sanction of it; and "every transgression" of it, and
"disobedience" to it, has "received", does receive, or will
receive, "a just recompence of reward"; that is, righteous judgment
and punishment, either in the sinner himself, or in a surety for him, #Heb 2:2.
God never relaxes the sanction of the law; that is, the punishment for sin it
threatens; though he favourably admits one to suffer it for
the delinquent. By sin men are alienated from God, set at a distance from him,
with respect to communion; and without reconciliation or satisfaction for sin,
they never can be admitted to it; a sinner, not reconciled to God, can never
enjoy nearness to him, and fellowship with him; and this, when ever had, is the
fruit of Christ's sufferings and death; he suffered, in the room
and stead of the unjust, to bring them to God; and it is by his blood making
peace for them, that they that were afar off, with respect to communion, are
made nigh, and favoured with it, #1Pe 3:18 Eph 2:13,14 the satisfaction of
Christ does not procure the love of God, being the effect of it; yet it opens
the way to the embraces of his arms, stopped by sin. Moreover, men by sin, are
declared rebels against God, and enemies to him; hence
reconciliation, atonement, or satisfaction, became necessary; as they are
enemies in their minds, by wicked works; yea, their carnal mind is enmity
itself against God. And, on the other hand, on the part of God, there is a law
enmity, which must be slain, and was slain, through the sufferings of Christ on
the cross; "Having slain the enmity thereby", #Eph 2:16 and so made
peace and reconciliation; for this designs not any internal
disposition in the mind of God's people, before conversion, which is overcome
in it, by the love of God implanted in them; but the declared enmity of the
moral law against them, broken by them; of which the ceremonial law was a
symbol, in the slain sacrifices of it, and stood as an handwriting against
them; all which were necessary to be removed.
1b. The other thing to be
taken for granted is, that it is the will of God to save sinners, at least some
of them; for if it was not his will to save any from sin, there would be no
need of a satisfaction for, it. Now it is certain, that it is the will and
resolution of God to save some; whom he appointed not to the wrath they
deserve, but to salvation by Christ; whom he has ordained to
eternal life, and are vessels of mercy, afore prepared for glory; and for whose
salvation a provision is made in the council and covenant of grace, in which it
was consulted, contrived, and settled, and Christ appointed to be the author of
it; and who, in the fulness of time, was sent and came about it, and has
obtained it; and which is ascribed to his blood, his sufferings, and death, which were necessary for the accomplishment of it.
Some have affirmed that God
could forgive sin, and save sinners, without a satisfaction; and this is said,
not only by Socinians {3}, but by some, as Twisse, Dr. Goodwin, Rutherford, &c.
who own that a satisfaction is made, and the fitness and expedience
of it: but then this is giving up the point; for if it is fitting and expedient
to be done, it is necessary; for whatever is fitting to be done in the affair
of salvation, God cannot but do it, or will it to be done. Besides, such a way
of talking, as it tends to undermine and weaken the doctrine of satisfaction;
so to encourage and strengthen the hands of the Socinians, the opposers of it;
much the same arguments being used by the one as by the
other. It is not indeed proper to limit the Holy One of Israel, or lay a
restraint on his power, which is unlimited, boundless, and infinite; with whom
nothing is impossible, and who is able to do more than we can conceive of; yet
it is no ways derogatory to the glory of his power, nor is it any impeachment
of it, nor argues any imperfection or weakness in him, to say there are some
things he cannot do; for not to be able to do them is his
glory; as that he cannot commit iniquity, which is contrary to the purity and
holiness of his nature; he cannot do an act of injustice to any of his
creatures, that is contrary to his justice and righteousness; he cannot lie,
that is contrary to his veracity and truth; he cannot deny himself, for that is
against his nature and perfections; and for the same reason he
cannot forgive sin without a satisfaction, because so to do, does not agree
with the perfections of his nature. It is a vain thing to dispute about the
power of God; what he can do, or what he cannot do, in any case where it is
plain, what it is his will to do, as it is in the case before us; at the same
time he declared himself a God gracious and merciful, forgiving iniquity,
transgression, and sin; he has, in the strongest terms,
affirmed, that he "will by no means clear the guilty"; see #Ex 34:6,7
#Jer 30:11 Na 1:3 Nu 14:18 or let him go unpunished; that is, without a
satisfaction. Besides, if any other method could have been taken, consistent
with the will of God, the prayer of Christ would have brought it out;
"Father, if it be possible, let this cup of suffering death pass from
me": and then adds, "not my will, but thine be done!" what that will was, is obvious; see #Heb 10:5-10. It may be
said, this is to make God weaker than man, and to represent him as not able to
do what man can do {4}; one man can forgive another the debts that are owing to
him; and in some cases he should, and is to be commended for it; and one may
forgive another an offence committed against himself, and ought to do it; especially
when the offender expresses repentance. But it should be
observed, that sins are not pecuniary debts, and to be remitted as they are:
they are not properly debts, only so called allusively: if they were proper
debts, they might be paid in their kind, one sin by committing another, which
is absurd; but they are called debts, because as debts oblige to payment, these
oblige to punishment; which debt of punishment must be paid, either
by the debtor, the sinner, or by a surety for him; sins are criminal debts, and
can be remitted no other way. God, therefore, in this affair, is to be
considered not merely as a creditor, but as the Judge of all the earth, who
will do right; and as the Rector and Governor of the world; that great
Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy; who will secure his own authority
as such, do justice to himself, and honour to his law, and
show a proper concern for the good of the community, or universe, of which he
is the moral Governor. So though one man may forgive another a private offence,
committed against himself, as it is an injury to him, yet he cannot forgive
one, as it is an injury to the commonwealth, of which he is a part; a private
person, as he cannot execute vengeance and wrath, or inflict punishment on an
offender; so neither can he, of right, let go unpunished
one that has offended against the peace and good of the commonwealth; these are
things that belong to the civil magistrate, to one in power and authority: and
a judge that acts under another, and according to a law which he is obliged to
regard, can neither inflict punishment, nor remit it, especially the latter,
without the order of his superior. God indeed is not trader another;
he is of himself, and can do what he pleases; he is the Maker and Judge of the
law, but then he is a law to himself; his nature is his law, and he cannot act
contrary to that; wherefore, as Joshua says, "he is an holy God; he is a
jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions, nor your sins"; that
is, without a satisfaction; and which comports with his own honour and glory;
of which he is a jealous God. Sin is "crimen laesae
Majestatis"; a crime committed against the majesty of God; it disturbs the
universe, of which he is Governor, and tends to shake and overthrow his moral
government of the world; to introduce atheism into it, and bring it into
disorder and confusion, and to withdraw creatures from their dependence on God,
and obedience to him, as the moral Governor of it; and therefore
requires satisfaction, and an infinite one, as the object of it is; and cannot
be made, but by an infinite Person, as Christ is; such a satisfaction the
honour of the divine Being, and of his righteous law, transgressed by sin,
requires. Which leads to observe,
That to
forgive sin, without a satisfaction, does not accord with the perfections of
God.
1b1. Not with his justice and
holiness; God is naturally and
essentially
just and holy; all his ways and works proclaim
him to be so; and his creatures own it, angels and men,
good
and bad; as
he is righteous, he naturally loves
righteousness;
and naturally hates evil, and cannot but show
his barred
of it; and which is shown by punishing it. God is
a consuming
fire; and as fire naturally burns combustible
matter, so it is natural to God to punish sin. Wherefore,
punitive
justice, though denied by Socinians {5}, in order to
subvert the
satisfaction of Christ, is natural and essential
to him; he
cannot but punish sin: it is a righteous thing
with him to do
it; the justice of God requires it; and there
is no salvation without bearing it {6}; and he is praised
and
applauded
for it, by saints and holy angels; and to do
otherwise,
or not to punish sin, would be acting against
himself and
his own glory.
1b2. To forgive sin, without satisfaction for it, does not
agree
with his
veracity, truth, and faithfulness, with respect to
his holy and
righteous law: it became him, as the Governor
of the
universe, to give a law to his creatures; for where
there is no
law, there is no transgression; men may sin with
impunity, no charge can be brought against them; sin is not
imputed,
where there is no law; but God has given a law,
which is
holy, just, and good; and which shows what is his
good and
perfect will; and this law has a sanction annexed to
it, as every
law should have, or it will be of no force to
oblige to an observance of it, and deter from disobedience
to
it; and the
sanction of the law of God is nothing less than
death, than
death eternal; which is the just wages, and
proper
demerit of sin, and which God has declared he will
inflict upon
the transgressor; "In the day thou eatest
thereof thou shalt surely die": now the veracity,
truth, and
faithfulness
of God, are engaged to see this sanction
established,
and threatening executed; either upon the
transgressor
himself, or upon a surety for him; for the
judgment of
God is, that such a person is worthy of death;
and his judgment is according to truth; and will and does
most certainly
take place.
1b3. The
wisdom of God makes it necessary that sin should not be
forgiven,
without a satisfaction; for it is not the wisdom
of any legislature, to suffer the law not to take place in
a
delinquent;
it is always through weakness that it is
admitted,
either through fear, or through favour and
affection;
and this may be called tenderness, lenity, and
clemency;
but it is not justice: and it tends to weaken the
authority of the legislator, to bring government under
contempt,
and to embolden transgressors of the law, in hope
of impunity.
The all wise Lawgiver can never be thought to
act such a
part: besides, the scheme of mens peace and
reconciliation
by Christ, is represented as the highest act
of wisdom, known to be wrought by God; for "herein he
has
abounded
towards us in all wisdom and prudence": but where
is the
consummate wisdom of it, if it could have been in an
easier way,
at less expense, without the sufferings and
death of his
Son? had there been another and a better way,
infinite wisdom would have found it out, and divine grace
and mercy
would have pursued it.
1b4. Nor
does it seem so well to agree with the great love and
affection of
God, to his Son Jesus Christ, said to be his
beloved Son, the dear Son of his love; to send him into
this
world in the
likeness of sinful flesh--to be vilified and
abused by
the worst of men--to be buffeted, lashed, and
tortured, by
a set of miscreants and to put him to the most
cruel and shameful
death, to make reconciliation for sin, if
sin could have been forgiven, and the sinner saved, without
all this, by
a hint, a nod, a word speaking; "Thy sins are
forgiven
thee", and thou shall be saved! Nor does it so
fully
express the love of God to his saved ones; but tends
to lessen
and lower that love. God giving his Son to suffer
and die, in the room and stead of sinners, and to be the
propitiation
for their sins, is always ascribed to the love
of God, and
represented as the strongest expression of it!
But where is
the greatness of this love, if salvation could
have been
done at an easier rate? and, indeed, if it could
have been done in another way: the greatness of it appears,
in that
either the sinner must die, or Christ die for him;
such was the
love of God, that he chose the latter! To all
this may be
added, as evincing the necessity of a
satisfaction
for sin, that there is something of it appears
by the very light of nature, in the heathens, who have
nothing else
to direct them; they are sensible by it, when
sin is
committed, deity is offended; else what mean those
accusations
of conscience upon sinning, and dreadful horrors
and terrors
of mind? witness also, the various, though
foolish and fruitless methods they have taken, to appease
the anger of
God; as even to give their firstborn for their
transgression,
and the fruit of their body for the sin of
their souls;
which shows their sense of a necessity of
making some
sort of satisfaction for offences committed; and
of appeasing justice, or vengeance, as they call their
deity, #Ac
28:4. The various sacrifices of the Jews,
they were
directed to under the former dispensation, plainly
show the
necessity of a satisfaction for sin; and plainly
point out forgiveness
of sin, as proceeding upon it; though
they themselves could not really, only typically, expiate
sin, make
atonement and satisfaction for it. But if God
could
forgive sin without any satisfaction at all, why not
forgive it
upon the foot of those sacrifices? The reason is
plain,
Because he could not, consistent with himself, do it
without the sacrifice of his Son, typified by them.
Therefore it
may be strongly concluded, that a plenary
satisfaction
for sin, by what Christ has done and suffered,
was
absolutely necessary to the forgiveness of sin; "Without
shedding of
blood is no remission", neither typical nor
real; without it there never was, never will be, nor never
could be,
any forgiveness of sin, #Heb 9:22.
2. The ground and foundation
of satisfaction for sin by Christ, and the cause and spring of it.
2a. First, The ground and
foundation on which it is laid, and upon which it proceeds, are the council and
covenant of grace, and the suretyship engagements of Christ therein.
2a1. The scheme of making peace with God, or of appeasing
divine
justice, and
of making reconciliation for sin, that is,
satisfaction
for it, was planned in the everlasting council;
which, from
thence is called, "the council of peace",
#Zec 6:13.
"God was" then "in Christ", or with Christ,
"reconciling the world", the whole number of the
elect, "to
himself";
that is, they were consulting together to form the
plan of
their reconciliation and salvation; and the method
they pitched
upon was, "not imputing their trespasses to
them";
not to reckon and place to their account, their sins
and iniquities, and insist upon a satisfaction for them
from
themselves;
for God knew, that if he made a demand of
satisfaction
for them on them, they could not answer him,
one man of a
thousand, no, not one at all; nor for one sin
of a
thousand, no, not for a single one; and that if he
brought a charge of sin against them, they must be
condemned;
for they would not be able to give one reason, or
say anything
on their own behalf, why judgment should not
proceed
against them; wherefore, "Who shall lay anything to
the charge
of God's elect?" since God will not, whoever
does, it will be of no avail against them; for "it is
God
that
justifies" them: and happy are the persons interested
in this
glorious scheme, to whom the Lord "imputeth not
iniquity":
and it was also further devised in this council,
to impute
the transgressions of the said persons to Christ,
the Son of God; which, though not expressed in the text
referred to,
#2Co 5:19 yet it is implied and understood, and
in clear and
full terms signified, in the verse following
but one, in
which the account of the scheme of
reconciliation
is continued; "For he hath made him to be sin
for us, who knew no sin"; that is, the sinless Jesus,
who
was made
sin, not inherently, by a transfusion of sin into
him, which
his holy nature would not admit of; but
imputatively,
by a transfer of the guilt of sin unto him, by
placing it
to his account, and making him answerable for it;
which was done, not merely at the time of his sufferings
and
death,
though then God openly and manifestly "laid upon
him",
or made to meet on him, "the iniquity of us all", of
all the
Lord's people, when "the chastisement of their
peace was on
him"; or the punishment of their sin was
inflicted on him, to make peace for them; but as early as
the council
of peace was held, and the above method was
concerted
and agreed to, or Christ became a Surety for his
people, so
early were their sins imputed to him, and he
became
responsible for them; and this laid the foundation of
his making satisfaction for sin. For,
2a2. The
scheme drawn in council, was settled in covenant; which,
on that
account, is called "the covenant of peace",
#Isa 54:10
Mal 2:5 in which covenant Christ was called to
be a Priest; for Christ glorified not himself to be called
one;
but his
father bestowed this honour on him, and consecrated,
constituted,
and ordained him a Priest with an oath,
#Ps 110:4.
Now the principal business of a priest, was to
make
reconciliation and atonement for sin; for the sake of this
Christ was called to this office; and it was signified to
him
in covenant,
that he should not offer such sacrifices and
offerings as
were offered up under the law, which could not
take away
sin, or atone for it; and though God would have
these
offered, as typical of Christ's atoning sacrifice, from
the beginning, throughout the former dispensation, to the
coming of
Christ; yet it was not his will that any of this
sort should
be offered by him; "Sacrifice and offering thou
wouldst
not": and therefore, though Christ was a Priest, he
never
offered any legal sacrifice; but when anything of this
kind was necessary to be done for persons he was concerned
with, he
always sent them to carry their offerings to a
priest; as
in the case of cleansing lepers, #Mt 8:4 Lu 17:14
a sacrifice
of another kind, and to answer a greater purpose,
was to be
offered by him, and which in covenant was provided;
"A body hast thou prepared me", which is put for
the whole
human
nature; for not the body of Christ only, but his soul
also, were
made an offering for sin, #Heb 10:5,10 Isa 53:10
and this
offering for sin was made by Christ's suffering and
dying in the
room and stead of sinners, when he was wounded
for their transgressions, and bruised for their sins, and
stricken for
their iniquities; that is, to make satisfaction
for them;
this was what was enjoined in covenant; this
commandment
he received from his Father, and he was obedient
to it, even
to die the death of the cross; and this work was
proposed and appointed to him in covenant, and declared in
prophecy, in
order to finish transgression, make an end of
sin, and
make reconciliation for iniquity; and this he did by
the
sacrifice of himself. Now as this whole scheme was drawn
in council,
and settled in covenant, it was proposed to
Christ, and he readily agreed to it, and became the surety
of
the covenant,
the better testament; and engaged to assume
human
nature, to do and suffer in it, all that the law and
justice of
God could require, and should demand of him, in
the room and
stead of sinners, in order to make full
satisfaction for their sins, of which the above things are
the ground
and foundation. Now,
2a3. There
is nothing in this whole transaction that is injurious
to any
person or thing, or that is chargeable with any
unrighteousness; but all is agreeable to the rules of
justice and
judgment.
2a3a. No
injury is done to Christ by his voluntary substitution
in the room
and stead of sinners, to make satisfaction for
their sins; for as he was able, so he was willing to make
it; he
assuming human nature, was qualified to obey and
suffer, he
had somewhat to offer as a sacrifice; as man, he
had blood to
shed for the remission of sin, and a life to
lay down for
the ransom of sinners; and as God, he could
support the human nature in union with him under the weight
of sin laid
on it; and bear the whole of the punishment due
unto it with
cheerfulness, courage, and strength: and as he
was able, so
he was willing; he said in covenant, when it
was proposed
to him, "Lo, I come to do thy will"; and at the
fulness of time he readily came to do it, went about it as
soon as
possible, counted it his meat and drink to perform
it, and was
constant at it; and what was most distressing
and
disagreeable to flesh and blood, he most earnestly
wished for,
even his bloody baptism, sufferings, and death;
and "volenti non fit injuria". Besides, he had a
right to
dispose of
his own life; and therefore in laying it down did
no injustice
to any: the civil law will not admit that one
man should
die for another; the reason is, because no man
has a right
to dispose of his own life; but Christ had, "I
have power", says he, "to lay it down"; that
is, his life,
#Joh 10:18
hence he is called, "The prince of life", both
with respect
to his own life, and the life of others,
#Ac 3:15 and
accordingly it was in his power to give it as a
redemption
price for his people; wherefore he says, he came
"to give his life a ransom for many", #Mt 20:28
and which he
did give;
and he also had a power to take it up again: was a
good man
admitted by the civil law to die for a bad man, it
would be a
loss to the commonwealth, and is another reason
why it is
not allowed of; but Christ, as he laid down his
life for sinners, so he could and did take it up again, and
that
quickly; he was delivered to death for the offences of
men, to
satisfy justice for them; and then he rose again for
the
justification of them; he died once, and continued a
little while
under the power of death, but it was not
possible for him to be held long by it; when through it he
had made
satisfaction for sin, he rose from the dead, and
will die no
more, but will live for ever for the good of his
people. Nor
is the human nature of Christ a loser but a
gainer by
his sufferings and death; for having finished his
work, he is glorified with the glory promised him in
covenant
before the world was; is crowned with glory and
honour,
highly exalted above every creature, has a place at
the right
hand of God, where angels have not; angels,
authorities,
and powers, being subject to him; nor has the
human nature any reason to complain, nor did it ever
complain of
any loss sustained by suffering in the room and
stead of
sinners, and by working out their salvation.
2a3b. Nor is
there any unjust thing done by God throughout this
whole transaction; there is no unrighteousness in him, in
his nature,
nor in any of his ways and works; nor in this
affair,
which was done "to declare his righteousness, that
he might be
just", appear to be just, "and be the justifier
of him that
believes in Jesus"; upon the foot of a perfect
righteousness, and full satisfaction made for sin. The
person sent
to do this work, and who was given up into the
hands of
justice, and not spared, was one God had a property
in, he was
his own Son, his only begotten Son; and it was
with his own
consent he delivered him up for all his people;
and who being their surety, and having engaged to pay their
debts, and
to answer for any hurt, damage, or wrong done by
them; and
having voluntarily taken their sins upon him, and
these being
found on him by the justice of God; it could be
no
unrighteous thing to make a demand of satisfaction for
them; and accordingly "it was exacted, and he
answered", as
the former
part of #Isa 53:7 may be rendered; that is,
satisfaction
was required of him, and he answered to the
demand made
upon him; and where is the unrighteousness of
this?
Christ's name was in the obligation, and that only;
and therefore he was the only person that justice could lay
hold upon,
and get satisfaction from: besides, there was a
conjunction,
an union, a relation between Christ and his
people,
previous to his making satisfaction for them; which
lay at the
bottom of it, and showed a reason for it; as in
all such cases where the sins of one have been punished on
another; as
when God has visited the iniquities of fathers
upon the
children, there is the relation of fathers and
children;
and the fathers are punished in the children, as
being parts
of them; thus Ham, the son of Noah, was the
transgressor, but the curse was denounced and fell on
Canaan
his son, and
Ham was punished in him; when David numbered
the people,
and so many thousands suffered for it, here was
a relation
of king and subjects, who were one in a civil
sense, and
the one were punished for the other. Thus Christ
and his people are one, both in a natural sense, being of
the same
nature, and partakers of the same flesh and blood;
and so
satisfaction for sin was made in the same nature that
sinned, as
it was fit it should; and in a law sense, as a
surety and
debtor are one, so that if one pay the debt it is
the same as if the other did it; and in a mystical sense,
as
head and
members are one, as Christ and his people be head
and members
of the same body, so that if one suffer, the
rest suffer
with it; nor is it any unjust thing, if one part
of the body
sins another suffers for it; as, if the head
commits the offence, and the back is punished: Christ and
his people
are one, as husband and wife are, who are one
flesh; and
therefore there can be no impropriety, much less
injustice,
in Christ's giving himself a ransom price for his
church, to
redeem her from slavery; or an offering and
sacrifice for her, to make atonement for her
transgressions:
and as there
appears to be no unrighteousness in God through
this whole
affair, so far as he was concerned in it, so
there is no
injury done him through a satisfaction being
made by
another; for hereby all the divine perfections are
2a3c. Nor is
there any injury done to the law of God; it has the
whole of its
demands, no part remaining unsatisfied; for it
is neither
abrogated nor relaxed; there is a change of the
person making satisfaction to it, which is favourably
allowed by
the lawgiver; but there is no change of the
sanction of
the law, of the punishment it requires; that is
not abated.
The law is so far from being a loser by the
change of
persons in giving it satisfaction, that it is a
great gainer; the law is magnified and made honourable;
more
honourable
by Christ's obedience to it, than by the
obedience of
the saints and angels in heaven; and is made
more
honourable by the sufferings of Christ, in bearing the
penal
sanction of it, than by all the sufferings of the
damned in hell to all eternity, #Isa 42:21.
2b. Secondly, The causes,
spring, and source of satisfaction.
2b1. So far
as God the Father was concerned in it, he may be said
to be an efficient cause of it, and his love the moving
cause; he
was at the first of it, he began it, made the
first
motion, set it in motion; "All things are of God, who hath
reconciled
us to himself by Jesus Christ", #2Co 5:18 he
called a
council upon it, he contrived the scheme of it, he
set forth Christ in his eternal purposes and decrees to be
the
propitiation for sin, to make satisfaction for it; and
he sent him
in the fulness of time for that purpose; he laid
on him the
iniquities of his people, and made him sin for
them by
imputation; he bruised him, and put him to grief,
and made his soul an offering for sin; he spared him not,
but
delivered him into the hands of justice and death; and
what moved
him to this, was his great love to his people,
#Joh 3:16
1Jo 4:10.
2b2. In like manner Christ may be considered as an efficient
cause, and
his love as a moving cause in this affair; he
came into
the world to die for sinners, and redeem them to
God by his
blood; he laid down his life for them; he gave
himself for
them an offering and a sacrifice unto God, a
propitiatory, expiatory one; and what moved him to it, was
his great
love to them, and kindness for them; "Hereby
perceive we
the love of God", that is, of God the Son,
"because
he laid down his life for us", #1Jo 3:16 and the
love of
Christ is frequently premised to his giving himself
to die in the room of his people, #Ga 2:20 Eph 5:2,25.
3. The matter of satisfaction,
or what that is which gives satisfaction to the justice of God; so that a
sinner upon it, or in consideration of it, is acquitted and discharged; and
this is no other than Christ's fulfilling the whole law, in the room and stead
of sinners; this was what he undertook in covenant; hence
he said, "Thy law is within my heart"; he was willing and ready to
fulfil it; and when he came into the world, by his incarnation he was made
under it voluntarily, and became subject to it, for he came not to destroy it,
but to fulfil it; and he is become "the end of the law", the
fulfilling end of it, to everyone that believes: he has fulfilled it,
3a. By obeying the precepts of
it, and answering all that it requires. Does it require an holy nature? it has
it in him, who is "holy, harmless, and undefiled"; does it require
perfect and sinless obedience? it is found in him, who did no sin, never
transgressed the law in one instance, but always did the things which pleased
his Father; and who has declared himself "well pleased
for his righteousness sake", and with it; and that as wrought out for his
people by his active obedience to the law, which is so approved of by God, that
he imputes it without works for the justification of them, #Ro 4:6 5:19. Nor is
it any objection to this doctrine that Christ, as man, was obliged to yield
obedience to the law for himself, which is true; but then
it should be observed, that as he assumed human nature, or became man, for the
sake of his people, "to us", or for us, "a child is born";
so it was for their sake he yielded obedience to the law. Besides, though he
was obliged to it as man, yet he was not obliged to yield it in such a state
and condition as he did; in a state of humiliation, in a course of sorrow and
affliction, in a suffering state throughout the whole of
his life, even unto death; for the human nature of Christ, from the moment of
its union to the Son of God, was entitled to glory and happiness; so that its
obedience to the law in such a low estate was quite voluntary, and what he was
not obliged unto: nor is it to be argued from Christ's yielding obedience for
his people, that then they are exempted from it; they are not; they are under
the law to Christ, and under greater obligation to obey it;
they are not obliged to obey it in like manner, or for such purposes that
Christ obeyed it, even to justify them before God, and entitle them to eternal
life.
3b. Christ has fulfilled the
law and satisfied it, by bearing the penalty of it in the room
and stead of his people, which is death of every kind, #Ge 3:19 Ro 6:23
corporal death, which includes all afflictions, griefs, sorrows, poverty, and
disgrace, which Christ enured throughout his state of humiliation; for he took
our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses; and was a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with griefs all his days; and all that he suffered in his body, when
he gave his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that
plucked off the hair; when he was buffeted and smitten with the palms of the
hand in the palace of the high priest; and was whipped and scourged by the
order of Pilate; his head crowned with thorns, and his hands and feet pierced
with nails on the cross, where he hung for the space of three hours in great
agonies and distress; and some have confined his satisfactory sufferings to what tie underwent during that time, which though very great
indeed, and none can tell what he endured in soul and body, in that space of
time; yet these, exclusive of what he endured before and after, must not be
considered as the only punishment he endured by way of satisfaction for the
sins of men; the finishing and closing part of which was death, and what the
law required; and hence making peace and reconciliation are
ascribed to the bloodshed and death of Christ on the cross, #Col 1:20 Ro 5:10
which death was a bloody, cruel, and painful one, as the thing itself speaks,
and the description of it shows, #Ps 22:15,16 and was also a very shameful and
ignominious one, the death of slaves, and of the worst of malefactors; and was
likewise an accursed one, and showed, that as Christ was made sin for his
people, and had their sins charged upon him, so he was made
a curse for them, and bore the whole curse of the law that was due unto them,
#Ga 3:13. Moreover, Christ not only endured a corporal death, and all that was
contained in it, and connected with it, or suffered in his body; but in his
soul also, through the violent temptations of Satan, "he suffered, being
tempted"; and through the reproaches that were cast upon him, which entered into his soul, and broke his heart; and through
his agonies in the garden, when his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto
death; and especially through his sufferings on the cross, when his soul, as
well as his body, was made au offering for sin; and when he sustained what was
tantamount to an eternal death, which lies in a separation from God, and a
sense of divine wrath; both which Christ then endured, when
God deserted him, and hid his face from him; which made him say, "My God,
my God, why hast thou forsaken me!" and he a dreadful sense of divine
wrath {7}, on the account of the sins of his people laid upon him, the
punishment of which he bore; when he said, "Thou hast cast off and
abhorred, thou hast been wrath with thine anointed", thy Messiah, #Ps
89:38 and thus by doing and suffering all that the law and
justice of God could require, he made full and complete satisfaction thereunto
for his people; it was not barely some thing, some little matter, which Christ
gave, and with which God was content, and what is called
"acceptilation"; but a proper, full, and adequate satisfaction, which
he gave, so that nothing more in point of justice could be required of him.
4. The form or manner in which
satisfaction was made by Christ; which was by bearing the sins of his people,
under an imputation of them to him, and by dying for their sins, and for
sinners; that is, in their room and stead, as their substitute; these are the
phrases by which it is expressed in scripture.
4a. First, By bearing the sins
of his people, which we first read of in #Isa 53:11,12 where two words are made
use of, both alike translated: "And he bare the sin of many", avn he took,
he lifted them up, he took them off of his people, and took them upon himself;
and again, "He shall bear their iniquities", lboy, as a man bears and
carries a burden upon his shoulders; and from hence is the
use of the phrase in the New Testament: the author of the epistle to #Heb 9:28
observes, that "Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many";
pointing at the time when he bore the sins of many; it was when he was offered
up a sacrifice to make atonement for them; and the apostle Peter observes where
he bore them; "Who his own self bare our sins in his
own body on the tree!" #1Pe 2:24. "He bore them in his own
body", in the body of his flesh; when that was offered once for all; and
"on the tree", upon the cross, when he was crucified on it. Now his
bearing sin, supposes it was upon him: there was no sin "in" him,
inherently, in his nature and life; had there been any, he would not have been
a fit person to take away sin, to expiate it, and make satisfaction for it; he was manifested to take away our sins; that is, by the
sacrifice of himself; and in him is no sin, #1Jo 3:5 and so a fit sacrifice for
it: but sin was upon him, it was "put" upon him, as the sins of
Israel were "put upon" the scapegoat, by Aaron. Sin was put upon
Christ by his divine Father; no creature could have done it, neither angel nor
men; but "the Lord hath laid on him", or "made to meet on
him", "the iniquity of us all", #Isa 53:6
not a single iniquity, but a whole mass and lump of sins collected together,
and laid, as a common burden, upon him; even of us all, of all the elect of
God, both Jews and Gentiles; for Christ became the propitiation, or made
satisfaction, for the sins of both, #1Jo 2:2. This phrase, of laying sin on
Christ, is expressive of the imputation of it to him; for as it was the will of
God, not to impute the trespasses of his elect to
themselves; it was his pleasure they should be imputed to Christ, which was
done by an act of his own; "For he hath made him to be sin for us";
that is, by imputation, in which way we are "made the righteousness of God
in him"; that being imputed to us by him, as our sins were to Christ: the
sense is, a charge of sin was brought against him, as the surety of his people;
"he was numbered with the transgressors"; bearing
the sins of many, he was reckoned as if he had been one, sin being imputed to
him; and was dealt with, by the justice of God, as such; sin being found on
him, through imputation, a demand of satisfaction for sin was made; and he
answered it to the full. All this was with his own consent; he agreed to have
sin laid on him, and imputed to him, and a charge of it brought against him, to which he engaged to be responsible; yea, he
himself took the sins of his people on him; so the evangelist Matthew has it:
"Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses", #Mt 8:17 as
he took their nature, so he took their sins, which made his flesh to have
"the likeness of sinful flesh", though it really was not sinful.
What Christ bore, being laid
on him, and imputed to him, were sins, all sorts of sin, original and actual;
sins of every kind, open and secret, of heart, lip, and life; all acts of sin
committed by his people; for he has redeemed them from all their iniquities;
and God, for Christ's sake, forgives all trespasses; his blood cleanses from
all sin, and his righteousness justifies from all; all
being imputed to him, as that is to them: all that is in sin, and belongs to
sin, were bore by him; the turpitude and filth of sin, without being defiled by
it, which cannot be separated from it; and the guilt of sin, which was
transferred to him, and obliged to punishment; and particularly the punishment
itself, sin is often put for the punishment of sin, #Ge 4:13 #La 5:7 and is greatly meant, and always included, when Christ is said to
bear it; even all the punishment due to the sins of his people: and which is
called, "the chastisement of our peace", said to be "upon
him", #Isa 53:5 that is, the punishment inflicted on him, in order to make
peace, reconciliation, and atonement for sin. Bearing sin, supposes it to be a
burden; and, indeed, it is a burden too heavy to bear by a sensible
sinner: when sin is charged home upon the conscience, and a saint groans, being
burdened with it, what must that burden be, and how heavy the load Christ bore,
consisting of all the sins of all the elect; from the beginning of the world to
the end of it? and yet he sunk not, but stood up under it, failed not, nor was
he discouraged, being the mighty God, and the Man of God's right hand, made
strong for himself: and he himself bore it; not any with
him, to take any part with him, to help and assist him; his shoulders alone
bore it, on which it was laid; and his own arm alone brought salvation to him.
And he bore it, and bore it away; he removed the iniquity of his people in one
day; and that as far as the East is from the West: and in this he was typified
by the scapegoat, on whom were put all the iniquities, transgressions,
and sins, of all the children of Israel, on the day of atonement, and which were
all borne by the scapegoat to a land not inhabited, #Le 16:21,22. Aaron was
also a type of Christ, in bearing the sins of the holy things of the people of
Israel, when he went into the holy place, #Ex 28:38. And the sin offering was typical of the sacrifice of Christ,
which is said to bear the iniquities of the congregation, and to
make atonement for them, #Le 10:17.
4b. Secondly, The form and
manner in which Christ made satisfaction for sin, is expressed by "dying
for sin", that is, to make atonement for it; and "for sinners";
that is, in their room and stead, as their substitute.
4b1. By
dying for the sins of his people; this the apostle
represents
as the first and principal article of the
Christian
faith, "that Christ died for our sins, according
to the
scriptures", #1Co 15:3 according to the scriptures of
the Old Testament, which speak of Christ being "cut
off", in
a judicial
way, by death, but not for himself, for any sin
of his own;
and of his being wounded, bruised, and stricken,
but not for
his own transgressions and iniquities; but as
"wounded
for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities,
and stricken for the transgressions of his people",
#Da 9:26 Isa
53:5,8 that is, wounded and bruised unto
death, and
stricken with death; which death was inflicted on
him as a
punishment for the sins of his people, to expiate
them, and
make atonement for them, being laid on him, and bore
by him: the meaning of the phrases is, that the sins of his
people were
the procuring and meritorious causes of his death;
just as when
the apostle says, "for which things sake"; that
is, for sins
before mentioned; "the wrath of God cometh on the
children of
disobedience", #Col 3:6 the sense is, that
sins are the procuring, meritorious causes of the wrath of
God, being
stirred up, and poured down upon disobedient
sinners: so,
in like manner, when Christ is said to be
delivered
into the hands of justice and death, "for our
offences";
the sense is, that our offences were the meritorious
cause why he was put to death, he bearing them, and
standing in
our room and
stead; as his resurrection from the dead, having
made
satisfaction for sins, was the meritorious and
procuring
cause of our justification from them; as follows,
"and
was raised again for our justification", #Ro 4:25. The
Socinians urge, and insist upon it, that the particle
"for",
used in the
above phrases, signifies not the procuring,
meritorious
cause, but the final cause of Christ's death;
which they
say was this, to confirm the doctrines and
practices he
taught, that men, by obedience to them, might
have the forgiveness of their sins: which is a doctrine
very
false; for
though Christ did, both by the example of his
life, and by
his sufferings and death, confirm the truths he
taught,
which is but what a martyr does; and that though
through the
grace of God, his people do obey from the heart
the doctrines and ordinances delivered to them; yet it is
not by their
obedience of faith and duty, that they obtain
the forgiveness
of their sins; but through the blood of
Christ, shed
for many, for the remission of sins.
4b2. By dying for sinners, as their substitute, in their
room; so
the several
Greek particles, anti, uper, peri, used
in this
phrase, and others equivalent to it, signify a
surrogation,
a substitute of one for another; as in various
passages in
the New Testament; see #Mt 2:21 5:38 and in
various writers, as has been observed by many, with full
proof and evidence,
and most dearly in the scriptures, where
Christ's
sufferings and death are spoken of as for others;
thus Christ
gave his life "a ransom for many", in the room
and stead of
many, #Mt 20:28 so he himself is said to be
antilutron, "a ransom for all", in the room and
stead of
"all"
his people, Jews and Gentiles. The prophecy of
Caiaphas
was, "That one Man should die for the people", in
the room and
stead of them, #Joh 11:50. "Christ died for the
ungodly",
in the room and stead of the ungodly; "While we
were yet sinners Christ died for us", in our room and
stead,
#Ro 5:6-8.
Again, "Christ also hath once suffered for
sins, the
just for the unjust", in the room and stead of the
unjust, #1Pe
3:18. The Socinians say, that these phrases
only mean,
Christ died for the good of men: that Christ
became a Surety for good to his people, and has obtained
good for
them, by performing his suretyship engagements, is
certain; yet
this good he has obtained by obeying,
suffering,
and dying, in their room and stead: thus that the
blessing of
Abraham, even all the spiritual blessings of the
everlasting covenant, might come upon the Gentiles, through
Christ, he
was "made a curse for them", in their room; he
bore the
whole curse of the law for them, as their
substitute,
and so opened a way for their enjoyment of the
blessings,
or good things, in the covenant of grace; and
that sinners might be made the righteousness of God in him,
or have his
righteousness imputed to them for their
justification;
he was "made sin for them", had their sins
laid on him,
and imputed to him, as their substitute; and
was made a
sacrifice for sin in their room and stead, to
make atonement for it; see #Ga 3:13,14 2Co 5:21. This is
the greatest
instance of love among men, "that a man lay
down his
life" uper, "for", in the room and stead of, "his
friend",
#Joh 15:13 and such was the love of Christ to his
church,
"that he gave", delivered "himself" to death
uper authv, for her, in her room and stead {8},
#Eph 5:25.
5. The effects of satisfaction
made by Christ, or the ends that were to be, and have been answered by it.
5a. The finishing and making
an entire end of sin; this was Christ's work assigned him in covenant, and
asserted in prophecy; and which was done when he made reconciliation or
atonement for sin, #Da 9:24 not that the being of sin was removed thereby; for
that remains in all the justified and sanctified ones, in this life, but the damning power of it; such for Christ has made satisfaction,
shall never come into condemnation, nor be hurt by the second death, that shall
have no power over them; sin is so done, and put away, and abolished, by the
sacrifice of Christ for it, that no charge can ever be brought against his
people for it; the curse of the law cannot reach them, nor light upon them; nor
any sentence of condemnation and death can be executed on
them; nor any punishment inflicted on them; they are secure from wrath to come.
Sin is so finished and made an end of, by Christ's satisfaction for it, that it
will be seen no more by the eye of avenging Justice; it is so put away, and out
of sight, that when it is sought for, it shall not be found; God, for Christ's
sake, has cast it behind his back, and into the depths of the sea.
5b. In virtue of Christ's satisfaction
for sin, his people are brought into an open state of reconciliation with God;
atonement being made for their sins, their persons are reconciled to God, and
they are admitted into open favour with him; and he declares himself
"pacified towards them, for all that they have done", #Eze 16:63.
5c. Sin being atoned for, and
made an end of, an everlasting righteousness is brought in, with which God is
well pleased; because by it his law is magnified and made honourable; all its
demands being fully answered, by Christ's obeying its precepts, and bearing its
penalty; which righteousness God so approves of, that he imputes
it to his people, without works; and so it is unto all, and upon all, them that
believe, as their justifying righteousness; which acquits them from sin, and
entitles them to eternal life.
5d. Immunity from all evil;
that is, from all penal evil, both in this life, and in that to come, is an effect of Christ's satisfaction for sin; since sin
being removed by it, no evil can come nigh them; no curse attends their
blessings; no wrath is in their afflictions; all things work together for their
good; it is always well with them in life, in all the circumstances of it; at
death, they die in the Lord, in union to him, in faith, and hope of being for
ever with him; and at judgment, the Judge will be their Friend
and Saviour, and it will be well with them to all eternity; they will be
eternally delivered from wrath to come.
5e. With respect to God, the
effect of Christ's satisfaction is the glorifying of his justice; for, for that
end was Christ "set forth to be the propitiation", or to make atonement for sin; to declare the righteousness of God, to
show it in all its strictness, "that he might be just, and the justifier
of him that believes in Jesus"; appear to be just in so doing; yea, all
the divine perfections are glorified hereby; see #Ro 3:25,26 Ps 21:5.
There are
many objections made by the Sociniaus, to this important doctrine, and article
of faith; some of the principal of which are as follow:
5e1. It is
suggested, as if the doctrine of satisfaction for sin
to the
justice of God, is inconsistent with the mercy of
God, and leaves no room for that {9}. But the attributes of
mercy and
justice, are not contrary to each other. They
subsist and
accord together, in the same divine nature;
"Gracious
is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is
merciful",
#Ps 116:5 merciful, though righteous; and
righteous, though gracious and merciful; see #Ex 34:6,7 and
as they agree
as perfections in the divine Being; so in the
exercise of
them, they do not clash with one another, no,
not in this
affair of satisfaction; justice being satisfied,
a way is
opened for mercy to display her stores, #Ps 85:10.
5e2. It is
objected, that pardon of sin, upon the foot of a full
satisfaction
for it, cannot be said to be free {10}; but
eclipses the
glory of God's free grace in it: it is certain,
that
remission of sin is through the tender mercy of God,
and is owing to the multitude of it; it is according to the
riches of
free grace, and yet through the blood of Christ:
and both are
expressed in one verse, as entirely agreeing
together;
"In whom (Christ) we have redemption through his
blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of
his grace", #Eph 1:7 the free grace of God is so far
from
being
eclipsed, in the forgiveness of sin, through the
satisfaction
of Christ, that it shines the brighter for it;
for
consider, that it was the free grace of God which
provided Christ
to be a sacrifice for sin, to atone for it;
as Abraham said to Isaac, when he asked, "Where is the
lamb
for a burnt
offering? My son", says he, "God will provide
himself a
lamb for a burnt offering", #Ge 22:7,8 so God, of
his rich
grace and mercy, has provided Christ to bean
offering for
sin; and his grace appears more, in that it is
his own Son, his only begotten Son, he provided to be the
atoning
sacrifice; it was grace that set forth Christ in
purpose, proposed
him in council and covenant, and sent him
forth in
time to be the propitiation for sin: it was grace
to us that
he spared him not, but delivered him up for us
all: and it was grace in God to accept of the satisfaction
made by
Christ; for though it was so full and complete, as
nothing
could be more so; yet it would have been a refusable
one, had he
not allowed Christ's name to be put in the
obligation:
had it not been for the compact and covenant
agreed to between them, God might have marked, in strict
justice, our
iniquities, and insisted on a satisfaction at
our own
hands; he might have declared, and stood by it, that
the soul
that sinned, that should die: it was therefore
owing to the
free grace and favour of God, to admit of a
Surety in our room, to make satisfaction for us, and to
accept of
that satisfaction, as if made by ourselves.
Moreover,
though it cost Christ much, his blood, his life,
and the
sufferings of death, to make the satisfaction for
sin, and to
procure forgiveness by it; it cost us nothing;
it is all of free grace to us. Besides, grace in scripture
is only
opposed to the works of men, and satisfaction by
them, and
not to the works of Christ, and to his
satisfaction.
5e3. It is pretended, that this scheme of pardon, upon the
foot
of
satisfaction, makes the love of Christ to men, to be
greater than
the love of the Father; it represents the one
as tenderly
affectionate, compassionate, and kind to
sinners; and
the other as inexorable, not to be appeased,
nor his wrath turned away without satisfaction to his
justice; and
so men are more beholden to the one than to the
other {11}:
but the love of both is most strongly expressed
in this
business of Christ's satisfaction; and he must be a
daring man
that will take upon him to say, who of them
showed the greatest love, the Father in giving his Son, or
the Son in
giving himself, to be the propitiatory sacrifice
for sin; for
as it is said of Christ, that he loved the
people, and
gave himself for them, an offering and a
sacrifice of
a sweet smelling savour to God, #Eph 5:2,25
#Ga 2:20 so it is said of the Father, that he "so
loved the
world",
that he gave his only begotten Son to suffer and die
for men; and
that herein his love was manifested; and that
he commended
it towards us, in sending Christ to be the
propitiation
for sin, #Joh 3:16 1Jo 4:9,10 Ro 5:8. Can
there be greater love than this expressed by both? and
which
is greatest
is not for us to say.
5e4. It is
said, that if Christ is a divine Person, he must be a
party
offended by sin; and if he has made satisfaction for
it, he must have made satisfaction to himself; which is
represented
as an absurdity {12}. All this will be allowed,
that Christ
is God, and, as such, equally offended as his
Father; and
that he made satisfaction to the offended, and
that, in
some sense, to himself too; and yet no absurdity in
it. Indeed, in case of private satisfaction, for a private
loss, it
would be quite absurd for one to make satisfaction
to himself;
but in case of public satisfaction, for a public
offence to a
community, of which he is a part, he may be
said, by
making satisfaction to the whole body, to make
satisfaction to himself, without any absurdity. A member of
parliament,
having violated the rules and laws of the house,
when he
makes satisfaction for the same to it, may be said
to make
satisfaction to himself, being a member of it. It is
possible for
a lawgiver to make satisfaction to his own law
broken, and so to himself, as the lawgiver: thus Zaleucus,
a
famous
legislator, made a law which punished adultery with
the loss of
both eyes; his own son first broke this law, and
in order
that the law might have full satisfaction, and yet
mercy shown
to his son, he ordered one of his son's eyes,
and one of his own, to be put out; and so he might be said
to satisfy
his own law, and to make satisfaction to himself,
the
lawgiver. But in the case before us, the satisfaction
made by
Christ, is made to the justice of God, subsisting in
the divine
nature, common to all the three Persons; this
perfection subsisting in the divine nature, as possessed by
the first
Person, is offended with sin, resents it, requires
satisfaction
for it; and it is given it by the second
Person, in
human nature, as God man: the same divine
perfection
subsisting in the divine nature, as possessed by
the second Person, shows itself in like manner, loving
righteousness,
and hating iniquity; affronted by sin, and
demanding
satisfaction for it, it is given to it by him, as
the God man
and Mediator; who, though a Person offended, can
mediate for
the offender, and make satisfaction for him. And
the same may be observed concerning the justice of God, as
a
perfection
of the divine nature, possessed by the third
Person, the
Spirit of God; the satisfaction is made to the
justice of
God, as subsisting in the divine nature, common
to the three
Persons; and is not made to one Person only,
singly and separately, and personally; but to God,
essentially
considered, in all his Persons; and to his
justice, as
equally possessed by them; and that as the Lord,
Judge, and
Governor of the whole world; who ought to
maintain,
and must and does maintain, the honour of his
5e5. Once
more, it is said that this doctrine of Christ's
satisfaction
for sin, weakens mens obligation to duty, and
opens a door
to licentiousness {13}. But this is so far from
being true, that, on the contrary, it strengthens the
obligation,
and excites a greater regard to duty, in those
who have
reason to believe that Christ has made satisfaction
for their
sins; for the love of Christ in dying for them--in
being made
sin and a curse for them, to satisfy for their
sins, constrains them, in the most pressing manner, to live
to him,
according to his will, and to his glory; being
bought with
the price of Christ's blood, and redeemed from a
vain
conversation by it; they are moved the more strongly to
glorify God
with their bodies and spirits, which are his,
and to pass the time of their sojourning here in fear; the
grace of
God, which has appeared in God's gift of his Son,
and in
Christ's gift of himself to be their Redeemer and
Saviour, to
be their atoning sacrifice; teaches them most
effectually to
deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to
live soberly, righteously, and godly in this evil world,
#2Co 5:14
1Co 6:20 1Pe 1:17,18 Tit 2:11,12.
{1} "Praelection".
Theolog. c. 15. T. 1. Oper. p. 565.
{2} De Adorat. Christ. Disp.
inter. Opera ejus, tom. ii. p. 978.
{3}
Socinus de Jesu Christo Servatore, par. 1. c. 1. & par. 3. c. 1.
Praelection. Theolog. c. 16, 17, 18. p. 566, 567, 570. Racov. Cateches. c. 8.
qu. 12.
{4} Praelection. ut supra, c.
16.
{5} Socin. Praelection, ut
supra, c. 16. Racov. Cateches. c. 8. qu. 20.
{6} See Dr. Owen's Preface to
Vindiciae Evangel. p. 26. Sandford De Descensu Christi, l.
3. p. 106.
{7} Some say, Christ did not
suffer the wrath of God against sin, Lightfoot, Works, v. 2. p. 1255, 1347,
&c. But, to the contrary, vid. Witsii Oeconom. Foederum, l. 2. c. 4. s. 21.
and c. 6. s. 12, 38, 45. in Symbolum Exercitat. 15. s. 9. and 18. s. 19, 20,
35, 39. and Irenic. c. 3. s. 6, 10. and many others; see this Body of Divinity,
vol. 2. b. 2. c. 4. of the sufferings of Christ. See on the
"Passive Obedience of Christ &c." 962.
{8} So Plato observes in his
"Convivium", p. 1178, that only lovers are willing uperapoynhskein,
to die for another, that is, in the room and stead of another; of which, he
says, there is a sufficient testimony in "Alcestis", who only was
willing to die uper tou authv androv, "for her husband", in his room
and stead, when he had both a father and a mother.
{9} Socin. de Servatore, p. 1.
c. 1. & Praelect. Theolog. c. 18. p. 571.
{10} Racov. Cateches. c. 8.
qu. 15.
{11} Racov. Cateches. c. 8.
qu. 15.
{12} Socin. de Servatore, par.
3. c. 4. p. 102.
{13}
Racov. Cateches. c. 8. q. 17.