in Contain Omit lacbemption. / A / in the relaxation. As the commands to love God, and Chap XII. obey Confcience, can never lofe their binding force. 'Tis an univerfal rule that fur`,ers no exception, God cannot denyhimfelf; therefore he can never allow fin, that diredly oppofes the perfeetions of His Nature. Be- fides, force Laws cannot be relaxt ex hypethefi, upon the account of the Divine Decree which makes them ir- revocable, as that all who die in their impenitency fhall be damned. Now there was no exprefs fign an- next to the Sanction of the original Law, to intimate, that it fhould beunalterable as to the letter of it. The threatning declared thedefert ofSin in theOffender,and the right of punifhing in the Superiour; but'tis fo to be underftood, as not to frufirate the power of the Law- giver,to relax the punifhment uponwife and jufireafons. The Law did neither propound, nor exclude this ex- pedient : for judging without paflion againfi the Sin- ner, it is fatisñed with the punifhment of the Crime. For 'tis not theevil of theoffender that is primarily de- fgned by the Law, but the prefervation of publick or- der, for the honour of theLaw-giver, and the benefit ofthofe that are fubjeéis. Sothat therelaxing thepunifh- ment, as to the perfon of the Sinner, by compenfation, fully anfwers the intent of the Law. 2. As by the right of Jurifdiftion God might relax the Law, and appoint a Mediatour to interpole by way of Ranfom, fo he hath declared his will to accept of Him. The Law in fl:ridnefs obliged theSinning perfon to Puffer, fo that he might have refufed any other Sa- tisfaéiion. Therefore the wholeWorkof our Redemp- tion is referred to His Will as the primary caufe. Our Saviour wasPent- into the World by the order of God : Joh. 3 IT, He was fealed, that is, authorized for that great Work by commiflion from Him. He was called to His Office, by the voice ofhis Fatherfrom Heaven, Tho,i art ray be- teat. s loved
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