fn Qontaing0)&n'0 3R.c inptíon; 179 loved Son ; and the natural Will of Chrift was averle from Ch, 5. it. What then moved that InfiniteWifdom, which wills no- thing but what is perfe&ly reafonable, toordain that event Why fhould it take fo great a circuit, if the way was fo fhort, that by pure Favour, without SatisfaStion, Sin might have been pardoned ' Our Saviour declares the neceffity of his fuffering Death, fuppofing the Merciful Will ofhis Father to faveus, whenHe faith, that as Mofes lifted up the Ser- pent in the wildernefs, even fo muff the Son of , man be lifted up, that whofoever believes in him fhould not perifh. 'Tis true, Since God had foretold and prefigured his Death by the oracles and a&ions under the Law, it neceffarily came to pats. But to confider things exa&ly, the unchangeable truth ofTypes and Prophefies is not the primitive and main reafon ofthe neceffity of things, but only a fign of the cer- tainty ofthe event. In 11riánefs, things do not arrive be- caufe of their PrediElion, but are foretold becaufe they (hall arrive. It is apparent there was a Divine Decree before the Prophefies; and that in the Light of Gods Infinite Knowledg things are, before they were foretold. So 'tis not faid, a Man muff be ofa ruddy complexion, becaufe his Pi- dure is fo ; but on thecontrary, becaufe he is ruddy, his Pi- Erure muff be fo. That Chrift by dying on t1 e Crofs fhould redeem Man, was the reafon that the Serpent ofbrats was ereEted ona pole to heal the Ifraelites,andnot on thecontrary. Briefly, the Apofrle fuppofes this neceffity ofSatisfaórion as an evident principle, when he proves wilful Apoflates to be incapable ofSalvation, becaufe there remains no more Sacrifice forfin: For the confequence were of no force, if fin might be pardoned without Sacrifice, that is,without SatisfaEtion. 3. This account of Chrift's Death sakes off the fcandal of the Crofs, and changes the offence into admiration. 'Twas foretold ofChrifr, that hefbould be a Stone offlumbling, and a Luk,z.g4. Rock ofoffence ; not a juft c ufe, but an occafion ofoffence to thecorrupt hearts ofMen, and principally for his S fferings. The
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