rV\./1 .Chap. (o •. l/V'\J ' CJ he /{an;~ony -of .the 'Divine Attributes CH AP. XII. Divine Jufiicc concuYJ witfJ Mercy in the worl{_ of our Redemption. T!Je Reafons why we are Redeemed by the SatisfaEiion of Jufiice are Jpecifil!cf: to ileclare God'1 Hatred of Sin, ' to 'Vindicate the Honour of the Law, , to prevefit,the,fecure Commi[fiou of Silr. Thefe Ends are obtained in the Deatb qf Chrifi . 1be realtty of' the SatisfaCtion made to Divine Jn- ' fiice confider'd. The requifites in order to it. The appoimment of God, '' who in rh~, cranfaclion i1 to be cotJjidered not as a Judge, tb.r is Mi· nifter of the Law, bHt as Governour. His right of Jurifdillion ' to relax the Law ,a,s' t,p the execlllion of it. His Will declared to accept of the compenfat ioii made. The confenc of our Redeemer was necejfary. He 111rtjl: be perfe61? ,~oly! He ')nuft be God and Man. T HIt Deily_ ~n , 1it felf is .Simple and Pure, wi rhout mixture or variety: The Se~·ip· _ ture a [c r~O~s ·Attributes to God 10r our clearer underft:anding. And thofe as ~ejfenl i~l in him are.fimply one :' They are diftingui(h'd only with refpefr to the divers Ob1::~t~~O ,):~~~e~;e~;t~~b~~;~~i~~~c~ :~de~~~ci1~~e rt~~a~f11:eatf~~a6J~o~~~t:;~s~nt~h~~ ldpfetl Str te, "are Mercy and Juflice : thefe admirably concu( in the work of our Redemption. Altno' God fpared guilty Man for the Honour of his Mercy, yet He fparetl not /$ii 1tp1i ~on, . ~hb b~came~ Suret_Y for th~ Offender, but delive_red Him .up to a cruel Death for rl]e 'Glory of hiS Jufltee. for the clearer underftandmg of thiS, three things a~f ~e be cb~dered ,; . 'i . The fReafons why we are redeemed by the Satisfaction of Juflice. 2. "I:he Reh!ity of the Satisfaction made by 9ur Redeemer. 3· The 1ompleatnefs and perfet'tion of it . Concerning the jirjl, there are three dif- '~ren t bpinions, , among thofe who acknowledge the reality of Satisfaction. 1. That ' tis not poffible that Sin !bou!d be pardoned without Satisfaction. for Jufiice being a natural and neceffary excellency in God , bath an unchangable refpefr to the Qualit ies which are in the Creatures: That as the Divine Goodnefs is neceffarily exercifed %~~r~st:r~:~:~ur~~~~~~:yb~~~~ :~J~~~:c~~~~:Jfrl~~~~~~~~;e~~~~y~f~~~e~:it~:t~~:; Ho!inefs fl10uld be unrewarded, far lefs can it be, th~t Sin !bou!d be unpuni!h'd : fince the Exercife of }uf\ice upon which Punilhment depends, is more neceffary than that of Goodnefs, which is the caufe of Remuneration. for the Rewards which Bounty difpenfes are pure Favour, where~s the Punithments which Jufbce inflict's, are due. In fhort, Since Juf.tice is a PerfeCtion, 'tis in God in ajitpreme degree, and being Infinite ·tis inflex ible, This Opinion l:s atferted by feveral Divines of eminent LearniQg. The Secoffd Opinion is, That God by his Abfolute Dominion and Prerogati ve, might have releas'd the Sinner from Puniiliment wirhout any Satisfaction. For as by his Soveraignty He transferr'd the Punifhment from the Guilty to the Innocent; fo He might have forgiven Sin, if no Redeeme r had interpofed. From hence it follows, That the Death ofChri!!, for the Expiation of Sin, was neceffary only with refpefr to the Divine ~cree. ' 3· The Tbirtl Opinion is, That confidering God in. rhis Tranfafrion, as qualified with the Oflice of fupreme Judge and Governour of the World, who bath given juf\ Laws to direfr his Creatures in their Obedience, and to be the Rule of his Proceedings wi th them as to Rewards and Punifhments. He hath [o fa.r rdl:rain'd the exercife of his Power, that upon the breach of the Law, either it mull: be executed upon the Sinner, or if extraordinarily difpens'd with, it mull: be upon fuch terms as may fecure the Ends of Government : And thole are his own Honour, and publick Order, :md the Benefit of thofe that are governed. And upon thefe Accounts 'rwas requifite, fuppofing the merciful Defign of God to pardon Sin, that his l~i ghteoufnefs lhould be declared in the Sufferings of Chrift. I will diftinCI:ly open this. In
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