This is the foundation of his whole discourse in that place, which he asserts as a thing evident, but undertakes not at all to prove. But this supposition is openly false; for the justice and mercy of God may be considered either in themselves or with respect unto their effects. In neither sense are they contrary or opposite to each other. For in themselves, being essential properties of the nature of God, as they must be, in that they are perfections of an intelli- gent Being, they differ not from the universal rectitude of his holy nature, but only add a various respect unto external things; so that in themselves they are so far from being opposite, as that God is de- nominated just from the exercising the perfections of his nature in a way of justice, and merciful from a like exercise in a way of mercy, Absolutely, therefore, and essentially they are the same. Neither are their effects contrary or opposite to each other, only they are diverse, or not of the same kind; nor are the effects of the:one con- trary unto the other. To punish, where punishment is deserved, is not contrary to mercy; but where punishment is not deserved there it is so, for then it is cruelty. And yet also in that case, the part of wrong, namely, in punishing without desert, is more opposite to jus- tice itself than the cruel part is to mercy. And so is it where punish- ment exceeds guilt, or where proceedings are not according unto an equal measure or standard. Nor is to spare through or by mercy contrary to justice; for if to spare and pardon be not for the good of the whole, for the preservation of order and the end of rule, it is
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114 NECESSITY OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST [EXERC. XXIX.
not mercy to pardon or spare, but facility, remissness in government, or foolish pity. Secure those things in rule and government which justice takes care of and provides for, and then to spare in mercy is no way contrary unto it. If these things be not provided for, to spare is not an act of mercy, but a defect in justice. And if these things were not so, it would be impossible that any one could be just and merciful also, yea, or do any act either of justice or mercy: for if he punish he is unmerciful, that is, wicked, if punishment be contrary to mercy; and if he spare he is not just, if sparing be oppo- site to justice. There is therefore nothing solid or sound, nothing but an outward appearance of reason, really contrary to the highest evidence of right reason indeed, in this sophism, which is laid as: the foundation of the opposition made to the righteousness of God pleaded for.
18. On this false supposition Socinus grants a twofold righteous- ness in God with respect unto sin and the punishment thereof;—one which he perpetually useth whilst he destroys obstinate, impeni- tent, and contumacious sinners; the other whereby sometimes he punisheth sinners according unto his law, which yet are not obsti- nate, without any expectation of their repentance. And these seve- ral sorts of justice in God he confirms by sundry instances in the place before alleged. But it is plain that these things belong not unto the question under debate; for they respect only the external manner and acts of punishing, and nothing is more fond than thence to feign various righteousnesses in God, or to conclude that therefore every transgression of the law doth not require a just recom- pense of reward. Nor is it supposed that the justice of God doth so exact the punishment of sin as that all sin must be ¢mmediately punished, in the same manner, especially as unto temporal punish- ments, which respect this life. It belongs unto the sovereign autho- rity and infinite wisdom of God, as the governor of the world, so to dispose of the time, season, manner, and measure of the punish- ment due unto sin, as may most conduce to the end aimed at in the whole. Thus he cuts off some in their entrance into a course of | sin; others he “endureth with much long-suffering,” though “ vessels _ of wrath fitted to destruction,’ Rom. ix. 22, And this he doth because he is willing so to do, or so it pleaseth him. But hence it follows not that finally he pardoneth or spareth some, or punisheth others, merely because he will.
That, therefore, whereby he deceives himself and others in this matter, is the exclusion of the satisfaction of Christ from having the ~ place of any cause, or from being of any consideration, in the matter of pardoning sin; for this he expressly pleads and contends for in this place, as is evident from the words before cited, wherein he
‘SECT. 18.] | ON THE SUPPOSITION OF SIN AND GRACE. 115
allows no more to Christ and his mediation but only that he came to declare that God would forgive us owr sins. His whole proof, therefore, is but a begging of the thing in question. For the rea- son why God constantly punisheth them who are obstinate in their sins and impenitent, is really because their sins deserve, in his jus- tice and according to his law, so to be punished; and they are not spared, because they obstinately refuse the remedy or relief pro- vided for them, in that they fulfil not the condition whereby they might be interested in the sufferings of Christ for sin. “ He that be- lieveth not shall be damned;” that is, shall personally be left unto the justice of God and sentence of the law. [As to] those whom God spareth and punisheth not, it is not because their sins do not deserve punishment, or because the justice of God doth not require that their sins should be punished, but because they are interested by faith in the satisfaction made by Christ when he underwent the punishment due to their sins by the will of God. And this is the rule of punishment and sparing, as they are final and decretory, ac- cording unto a sentence never to be repealed nor altered. As for temporary punishments, whether they are corrective only or vindic- tive, their dispensation depends absolutely on the will and pleasure of God, who will so order and dispose them as that they may be subordinate unto his final determination of the eternal condition of sinners. But this exclusion of the consideration of the interposition of Christ, in a way of suffering punishment for the procuring of the pardon of sin, is that which disturbs the whole harmony of what is taught us concerning the justice and mercy of God in the Scripture.