2. As for the principal cause of this captivity and imprisonment, it is God; for, —
(1.) He is the creditor to whom these debts are due: Matt. vi. 9, 12,
"Our Father which art in heaven, forgive us our debts." It is
to him that we stand indebted the ten thousand talents. " Against thee, thee only, have I sinned," says David, Ps. li. 4. God hath in- trusted us with all we have to sin by or withal ; he hath lent it us, to lay out for his glory. Our spending of what we have received upon our lusts, is running into debt unto God. Though he doth not reap where he did not sow, yet he requires his principal with advantage.
(2.) And properly he is the great king, judge, and governor of the world, who hath given his law for the rule of our obedience; and every transgression thereof is a rebellion against him. Hence, to sin is to rebel, and to transgress, and to be perverse, to turn aside from the way, to cast off the yoke of the Lord, as it is everywhere expressed. God is " the one lawgiver," James iv. 12, who is able to kill and to destroy for the transgression of it. It is his law which is broken, and upon the breach whereof he says, " Cursed be every one that hath so done," Deut. xxvii. 26. He is " the judge of all the earth," Gen. xviii. 25, yea, "God is judge himself," Ps. 1. 6; and we shall be judged by his law, James ii. 10-12; and his judg- ment is, " That they which commit sin are worthy of death," Rom. i. 32. And he is the " king for ever and ever," Ps. x. 1 6. He reigneth and executeth judgment. Now, who should commit the rebel that offends, who should be the author of the captivity and imprison- ment of the delinquent, but he who is the king, judge, and law- maker?
(3.) He doth actually do it: Rom. xi. 32, Sui/sxXs/cs o Qihg roiig tuv- rag e/g a'xukiar — " God hath shut up all under disobedience." He hath laid them up close prisoners for their disobedience; and they shall not go out until satisfaction be made. In the parable, Matt. xviii., of the lord or master and his servants, this is evident ; and chap. v. 25, it is the judge that delivers the man to the officer to be cast into prison. Look who it is that shall inflict the final punish-
516 VINDigi^ EYANGELIC^.
ment upon the captives, if a ransom be not paid for them, lie it is by whose power and authority they are committed, and to whom principally they are prisoners and cai:)tives. Now, this is God only. He can cast both body and soul into hell fire, Matt, x. 28; and wicked men shall be destroyed " from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power," 2 Thess. i. 9. In brief, God is the j udge ; the law is the law of God ; the sentence denounced is condemnation from God ; the curse inflicted is the curse of God ; the wrath where- with men are punished is the wrath of God ; he that finds a ransom is God: and therefore it is properly and strictly he to whom sinners are prisoners and captives, 2 Pet. ii. 4. And therefore, when in the Scripture at any time men are said to be in bondage to Satan, it is but as to the ofiicer of a judge, or the jailer; to their sin, it is but as to their fetters, as shall be afterward more fully discovered.
And this removes the first question and answer of the E.aco- vians to this purpose. Socinus, " De Servatore," expresses himself to the whole business of redemption in three chapters, lib. i. part. ii. cap. i.-iii. ; the sum of which the catechists have laboured to comprise in as many questions and answers. The first is, —
Q. What dost thou answer to those testimonies which vAtness that we are re- deemed of Christ 9
A. It is hence evident that satisfaction cannot be confirmed from the word "re- deeming,"— 1. Because it is written of God himself, both in the Old and New Tes- tament, that he redeemed his people out of Egypt, that he redeemed his people ; 2. Because it is written that God redeemed Abraham and David, and that Moses was a redeemer, and that we are redeemed from our iniquities and our vain con- versation, and from the curse of the law; for it is certain that God made satisfac- tion to none, nor can it be said that satisfaction is made either to our iniquities, or to oui- vain conversation, or to the law.'
I say this whole plea is utterly removed by what hath been spoken ; for, — 1. In what sense redemption is ascribed to God and Moses, without the least prejudice of that proper redemption that was made by the blood of Christ, hath been declared, and shall be farther manifested when we come to demonstrate the price that was paid in this redemption.
2. It is true, there is no satisfaction made to our sin and vain con- versation when we are redeemed; but satisfaction being made to Him to whom it is due, we are delivered from them. But of this afterwards.