it should be so. of working out the salvation of mankind, but the condition of human nature made it necessary, that so satisfaction might be made to the justice of God. God did not stand in need of such bitter sufferings, but man needed them in order to his reconciliation with an offended God. God was not profited by this condescension, but man by it received the benefit of a deliverance from the lowest pit of hell. The Divine nature could not be compelled to be abased or to suffer, nor could it in truth do either; but it was necessary that the human nature should do both, that it might be restored to, and made capable of, the condition for which it was at first created. And for the compassing this restitution, neither the human nature of itself, nor indeed any thing less than God, was sufficient. For man is no otherwise to be restored to the perfection and happiness of his primitive state, but by being exalted to a likeness of the angels, those blessed spirits, in whom there is no sin.

God was not driven to this way

Now this can be done but one way, and that is by having his sins perfectly remitted: and that remission could not be obtained upon any other terms than a plenary satisfaction. But how

should such satisfaction ever be made, except the sinner in his own person, or some other for him, give to God somewhat freely of his own, which was not due by way of debt, and which should in value exceed every thing inferior to God himself? For, if God be dishonoured and injured by every sin, and man ought not for that reason to be guilty of sin, no not to save the whole creation from perishing; reason and the eternal rules of equity require, that the sinner should make God amends for the injury done to his honour, by restoring in lieu of it somewhat greater and more valuable, than all that can be, which is not a suffi

cient compensation for dishonouring him. Since then the human nature alone could not be in possession of any thing so valuable, and since, when corrupted by sin, (according to the scheme God had laid for his justice to proceed upon) it could not be reconciled without an equivalent satisfaction, it follows that néither could man, nor any thing less than God, work out this reconciliation.

To prevent therefore that usurpation which sin had made in his dominions, and the desolation which must have followed if it had reigned without control, or been left wholly to his justice; the goodness of God was pleased to interpose, and the Son of God took our nature into his own person. By this means, being God and man both in the same person, he was provided with a satisfaction, exceeding not only every thing which is not God, but the largest debt that sinners could possibly contract. And this is he who owed nothing for himself, vouchsafed to pay down for others, who had not wherewithal to pay what they owed. For the life of that man was of infinitely greater worth than all the creation put together; and far above the sum which sinners were indebted to God for by way of satisfaction.

This life that man (who because no sinner, was not indebted to the law, nor liable to the death) gave voluntarily and of his own, by way of reparation to his Father's honour, when he suffered it to be taken from him for righteousness sake. And in so doing, left all other men a pattern that they should not, for any terrors of death, which they owe and must certainly pay, at one time or other, forsake their duty to God, or renounce his righteousness and truth; when they see him, who owed no such debt, and might without any breach of duty have declined dying, yet freely submit to a death inflicted upon him for righteousness sake. The human nature then did, in

this person, give to God somewhat purely its own, and not due to him as a debt; that thus the same nature might be ransomed in others, who are vastly indebted, and had not wherewithal to satisfy the demands of Divine justice. In all which proceedings the Divine nature was not debased, but the human was exalted; nor was the former at all impaired, but the latter wonderfully profited, and most mercifully relieved.

NOF

CHAP. IV.

OR must we so mistake in this matter, as to suppose that in thelman Christ Jesus, even his human nature endured any thing out of necessity and compulsion, but all his sufferings were in this capacity too, his own free choice. For this it was that recommended his sufferings, and rendered them so meritorious, so full of mercy and goodness, that he did of his own accord deliver up himself for the honour of God, and the benefit of other men, to that death, which his enemies out of quite other designs, and in mere malice, contrived. Nor was he bound so to do by any obedience, which had made it unlawful for him to refuse dying, but disposed to it by his own wisdom, which foresaw the excellent effects of condescending to it for the Father did not compel him by any authoritative act of his, but he readily offered himself to do that, which he knew would be well pleasing to his Father, and infinitely beneficial to the whole world. It may be said perhaps, without irreverence, that the Father could not force him to an instance of submission, which he did not owe; and the Father could not but be exceedingly pleased with so great an honour done him by his Son with so very good a will.

This was indeed an act of obedience, but

it was of free obedience; because, without any obligation, and of his own accord, he did that which he knew would be most acceptable to his Father. But then, in regard this very will of doing it, though it acted freely, was given him by his Father, it may upon that account be reasonably said, that he received it as a command from his Father to do what he did. And thus we are led to understand those passages of scripture. He became obedient unto death. As my Father hath given me commandment, so I do. The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? (Phil. ii. 8; John xiv. 31; xviii. 11.) With several others of the like importance.

For this perfect obedience, and the most free of any that human nature is capable of, when the will of man, which is free in itself, does readily and willingly conform to the will of God; and do that which it knows acceptable to him, of its own accord, and though it be not positively and particularly required. And thus did this man redeem all others, because what he freely gave to God was reckoned and graciously accepted for the debt they owed. And this price is so sufficient, as not only to redeem man from the punishment of his sins for once and no more, but to procure him favour and pardon, as oft as ever he shall return to his duty by sincere repentance. But then repentance must be our work; for he who hath promised to pardon us if we repent, hath not promised that we shall repent. Now in regard this ransom was paid in the crucifixion of Christ, from hence he is said to have redeemed us by his cross. But still the benefits of this redemption are, as I said, conditional: for they, who with due gratitude and reverence accept this grace, and the terms upon which it is suspended, are saved by it; but those who despise and reject it, are justly left to condemnation, because they neither pay what

they owe in their own persons, nor qualify themselves for a release by virtue of that payment which another hath made for them.

SEL

CHAP. V.

EE, faithful Christian, see here the power of thy salvation, the cause of thy liberty, the price paid for thy ransom. Thou wert a captive, but by this merciful dispensation thou art now redeemed. Thou wert a servant, but art thus set at liberty; banished and brought back to thy native country, lost and art found, dead and art alive again. Let every Christian feed upon, and digest, and nourish himself with this, when his mouth receives the mystical representations of that dear Redeemer's body and blood. Not only then, but let this be thy daily bread, thy meals and constant sustenance: for, by attending to this great work of thy salvation, and by that only, wilt thou abide in Christ, and Christ in thee; and the sweet foretastes of thy joy here, shall advance into the fulness of it hereafter.

But, O my dearest Lord, who wert content to die, that I might live, how shall I rejoice in my own liberty, when the thought of that is necessarily attended with a reflection upon thy bonds? What pleasure can I take in my own ease and safety, when checked with a remembrance of thy agonies and pains? Or how shall I be transported with receiving a life, which was purchased at no less an expense than thy death? Can I triumph in thy sufferings, or be pleased with the cruelty of those hardened brutish creatures, that used thee so barbarously? And yet, had they relented, thou hadst not endured such bitter things; and hadst not thou endured such bitter things, I could not have attained to these advantages. And