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43-1 or THE SATISFACTION OF CHRIST.
grace and mercy towards sinners, to order all things so, as that it might be done Avithout the impeachment of his hohness, righteous- ness, and truth. It is said, again, —
Secondly, " That God luas inevitably compelled to this way of saving nnen; — the highest affront to his uncontrollable nature."
Ans. 1. Were the authors of these exceptions put to declare what they mean by God's " uncontrollable nature," they would hardly dis- entangle themselves with common sense; such masters of reason are they, indeed, whatever they would fain pretend to be. Controllable or uncontrollable, respects actings and operations, not beings or na- tures. 2. That, upon the piinciple ojoposed by these men, God was inevitably compelled to this way of saving men, is a fond and childish imagination. The whole business of the salvation of men, according unto this doctrine, depends on a mere free, sovereign act of God's will, exerting itself in a way of infinite wisdom, holiness, and gi'ace. 3. The meaning of this objection (if it hath either sense or mean- ing in it) is, that God, freely purposing to save lost sinners, did it in a way becoming his holy nature and righteous law. What other course Infinite Wisdom could have taken for the satisfaction of his justice we know not; — that justice was to be satisfied, and that this way it is done we knoAV and believe.
Thirdly. They say it hence follows, " That it is umvorthy of God to pardon, but not to inflict punishment on the innocent, or require a satisfaction luhere there was nothing due."
Ans. 1. What is worthy or unworthy of God, himself alone knows, and of men not any, but according to what he is pleased to declare and reveal ; but, certainly, it is unworthy any person, pretending to the least interest in ingenuity or use of reason, to use such frivolous instances in any case of importance, which have not the least pretence of argument in them, Imt what ariseth from a gross misapprehension or misrepresentation of a doctrine designed to opposition. 2. To pardon sinners, is a thing becoming the goodness and grace of God ; to do it by Christ, that which becometh them, and his holiness and righteousness also, Eph. i. 6, 7; Eom. iii. 25. 3. The Lord Christ was 2^6rso7ially innocent; but "he who knew no sin was made sin for us," 2 Cor. v. 21. And as the mediator and suret}' of the covenant, he was to answer for the sins of them whom he undertook to save from the wrath to c(jme, by giving himself a ransom for them, and making his soul an offerhig for their sin. 4. That nothing is due to the justice of God for sin, — that is, that sin doth not in the justice of God dcsei-ve punishment, — is a good, comfortable doctrine for men that are resolved to continue in their sins whilst they live in this world. Tlie Scripture tells us that Christ ^;a/fZ what he took not; that all our iniquities were caused to meet upon him; that lie bare them in
OF THE SATISFACTION OF CHRIST. 435
his own body on the tree; that his soul was made an offering for sin, and thereby made reconcihation or atonement for the sins of the people. If these persons be otherwise minded, we cannot help it.
Fourthly. It is added, that " This doctrine doth not only disad- vantage the true virtue and real intent of Christ's life and death, but entirely deprives God of that praise which is oiuing to his greatest love and goodness."
A71S. 1. I suppose that this is the first time that this doctrine fell under this imputation; nor could it possibly be liable unto this charge from any who did either understand it or the grounds on which it is commonly opposed. For there is no end of the life or death of Christ which the Socinians themselves admit of, but it is also a.1- lowed and asserted in the doctrine now called in question. Do they say, that he taught the truth, or revealed the whole mind and will of God concerning his worship and our obedience? we say the same. Do they say, that by his death he bare testimony unto and confirmed the truth which he had taught? it is also owned by us. Do they say, that in what he did and suffered he set us an example that we should labour after conformity unto? it is Vv'hat we acknowledge and teach : only, we say that all these things belong principally to his prophetical office. But we, moreover, affirm and believe, that as a priest, or in the discharge of his sacerdotal offce, he did, in his death and sufferings, offer himself a sacrifice to God, to make atonement for our sins, — which they deny; and that he died for us, or in our stead, that we might go free : without the faith and acknowledgment whereof no part of the gospel can be rightly understood. All the ends, then, which they themselves assign of the life and death of Christ are b}^ us granted ; and the principal one, which gives life and efficacy to the rest, is by them denied. Neither, — 2. Doth it fall under any possible imagination, that the praise due unto God should be eclipsed hereby. The love and kindness of God towards us is in the Scripture fixed principally and fundamentally on his " sending of his only begotten Son to die for us." And, certainly, the greater the work was that he had to do, the greater ought our acknowledg- ment of his love and kindness to be. But it is said, —