HE_~· X. 4, 51 6. 7· Jer. 30. 21. Making there a promife of.ChrHi..to be a Mediator, one that thould be able to draw nigh to them; he g1ves. tli1s reafon. For who is t here that mgageth his htart to draw nigh to me; Asil he had fa~d, no11e elft , none etfe 'durjl bavt flepl i11 and tttcountredme foryou; Efpec~ally not for . Enemies both to God and them. They need a Med~ator to reconcile us and them, as that place, Ep_he(. t . 10. of reconciling all in Heaven and Earth. Tog.ath'er together i11 o11t a!J thi11gs in Heaven attd Earth, make m M Frtends to hzm, jo ollt to a– llot he;; The holyer they were, the lefs they muil needs love us. Fourthly, If any had fo much love and would be fo hardy to Venture, as Paut had a with to be accurfed, yet if they were in Hell haif an hour, they would re– pent them and with themfelves out again. And fo it had been fpoiled for being fatisfaCl:ion, it muil throughout be voluntary, as our d•fobed1ence was, Fifthly, Suppofe all this,yet this would do no inore then barely .take away linsj but though no more is mentioned yet more is meant to convey R•ghteoufnefsal– fo : He mujl he madt {111, that we may 6e made Righteoufiufs. 2 .Cor. )· ult. To /;ring m i11to favour, andmake mgratiouf!y accepted. And fo I a rh fure it was mot poffible they thoul<l; For they have none to fpare, none to lend; if they wel'e a Grain lighter, they would be found too light , and their Kingdom would depart from them, and they be ilripped of happinefs. They need confirmation in their eilate themfelves, it is well they keep their own ilanding that their heels be not tripped up. Jn Matt. 25. 8, g. Whm the foolijh Virgins mktfor Oyt of the wtjr,_theya~t(wered they had little eHougbfor themfe'.vts~ alt they catt do in o6edienct to the Law they ow it; How can one debt be pa1d With another? They for whom we were to be received to favour were to be much more belayed and in favour with him.And if it be faid,we thould have had benefit by .Adam's Righte– ousnefs, if he had ilood, by the fame <i:oYenalit; by which we have fin frorri him. I Anfwer, Firil, only the benefit ofCon!irrnation in that ellate, not ofJuilifi– cation, that thould have been our own; both now we are to have. Secondly, I Anfwer; That to convey Righteoufnefs to them who have beert finners is much more, which then we were not; For now it mufl be doneper mo– dummeriti f§jatisfatJionis, theg only as a mean's appointed to convey that which God out of his goodnefs, meant to beflow. But Lafi of all, SuppOfe all this poffible, yet there is a further Reafon in the Text, Tu notuifli, no~tappro6ajli; now to fati>fy for another efpecially in Cor– poral punill!ment requires the confent of the party to be fatisfied, becaufe [2gan– do allud offertur quam ejl in o61igatione, ejl j iltisfat1io recujabzlis; as the fat is· faCl:ion of another is another thing than the Law mentions or ties it felfto admit. When Aba6offered Na6otb as good a Vineyard as his own, yet he might refufe it, as he did; much more God. Yea the latisfaCl:ion of Chriil neceffarily requi– red God's decree, and confent to it, as J thall thew afterward. As they err who fay he could not Pardon without fatisfaCl:ion; So they that fay as Papiils do, that he could not but Pardon, the compad: not fuppofed, and in regard of that decree it was impoffible any thing fhould, And therefore, fays Chrili, Fatjm · if it 6e poj]ihtt let this Cttp pafs; had it been pGffible he had been heard, but it did not pafs. And therefore he would not truil their help in fo weighty a bufinefs, wherein his will wasfo ingaged, Jo6. 4· 1S. Behold Ee puts 110 tru(l in hi& Servmzts; though in ordinary works of obedience he might, yet he will never rely on them forfogreat a matter. He finds folly in the Angels, they are mutable, he rruiled one man for allc;mly in matter of obedience to his Law,which was eafy and fweet to him, and fee how he failed and !oil all upon no great or ilrange temptation. He will never hazard a fecond Adam to be a mere Creature , in a matter of pun– ilhment, which to be willing ever to undergo, rnuil be fed with fome delight or hope of eafe; he will make fure work now. Therefore iOI
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