ible. This opinion is asserted by several divines of eminent learning.

The second opinion is, that God by his absolute dominion and prerogative, might have released the sinner from punishment without any satisfaction: for as by his sovereignty he transferred the punishment from the guilty to the innocent, so he might have forgiven sin, if no Redeemer had interposed. From hence it follows, that the death of Christ for the expiation of sin, was necessary only with respect to the divine decree.

The third opinion is, that considering God in this transaction, as qualified with the office of supreme Judge and Governor of the world, who hath given just laws to direct his creatures in their obedience, and to be the rule of his proceedings with them as to rewards and punishments, he hath so far restrained the exercise of his power, that upon the breach of the law, either it must be executed upon the sinner, or if extraordinarily dispensed with, it must be upon such terms as may secure the ends of government; and those are his own honour, and public order, and the benefit of those that are governed. And upon these accounts it was requisite, supposing the merciful design of God to pardon sin, that his righteousness should be declared in the sufferings of Christ. I will distinctly open this.

In the law the sovereignty and holiness of God eminently appear: and there are two things in all sins which expose the offender justly to punishment ;—a contempt of God's sovereignty, and in that respect there is a kind of equality between them. He that offends in one point, is guilty of all, they being ratified by the same authority, Jam. ii. 10. And from hence it is, that guilt is the natural passion of sin, that always adheres to it; for as God has a judicial power to inflict punishment upon the disobedient by virtue of his sovereignty, so the desert of punishment arises from the despising of it in the violation of his commands. In every sin there is a contrariety to God's holiness. And in this the natural turpitude of sin consists, which is receptive of degrees. From hence arises God's hatred of sin, which is as essential as his love to himself: the infinite purity and rectitude of his nature, infers the most perfect abhorrence of whatever is opposite to it. "The righteous Lord loveth righteousness, but the wicked his soul hateth," Psalm xi. 5, 7.

Now the justice of God is founded in his sovereignty and

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in his holiness; and the reason why it is exercised against sin, is not an arbitrary constitution, but his holy nature, to which sin is repugnant.

These things being premised, it follows, that God in the relation of a governor, is protector of those sacred laws which are to direct the reasonable creature. And as it was most reasonable, that in the first giving of the law, he should lay the strongest restraint upon man for preventing sin by the threatening of death, the greatest evil in itself and in the estimation of mankind, so it is most congruous to reason, when the command was broken by man's rebellion, that either the penalty should be inflicted on his person, according to the immediate intent of the law, or satisfaction equivalent to the offence should be made; that the majesty and purity of God might appear in his justice, and there might be a visible discovery of the value he puts on obedience.

The life of the law depends upon the execution of it; for impunity occasions a contempt of justice, and by extenuating sin in the account of men, encourages to the free commission of it. If pardon be easily obtained, sin will be easily committed. Crimes unpunished seem authorised. The first temptation was prevalent by this persuasion, that no punishment would follow. Besides, if upon the bold violation of the law no punishment were inflicted, not only the glory of God's holiness would be obscured, as if he did not love righteousness and hate sin, but suffered the contempt of the one and the commission of the other, without control; but it would reflect either upon his wisdom, as if he had not upon just reason established an alliance between the offence and the penalty, or upon his power, as if he were not able to vindicate the rights of heaven. And after his giving a law, and declaring that, according to the tenor of it, he would dispense rewards and punishments, if sin were unrevenged, it would lessen the sacredness of his truth in the esteem of men; so that the law and Law-giver would be exposed to contempt. By all which it appears, that the honour of God was infinitely concerned in his requiring satisfaction for the breach of his laws.

Temporal magistrates are bound to execute wise and equal laws, for the preservation of public order and civil societies. It is true, there are some cases wherein the lawgiver may be forced to dispense with the law, as when the sparing of an offender is more advantage to the state than his punishment:

besides, there is a superior tribunal to which great offenders áre obnoxious, and good magistrates, when through weakness they are fain to spare the guilty, refer them to God's judgment. But it is otherwise in the divine government; for God is infinitely free from any necessity of compliance. There is no exigency of government that requires that any offenders should escape his severity. Neither is there any justice above his, which might exact satisfaction of them. Besides, the majesty of his laws is more sacred than of those which preserve earthly states, and ought to be more inviolable.

The sum is this-to declare God's hatred of sin, which is essential to his nature; to preserve the honour of the law, which otherwise would be securely despised and lose its effect; to prevent sin, by keeping up in men a holy fear to offend God, an eternal respect in the rational creature to him; it was most fit that the presumptuous breach of God's command should not be unpunished. Now when the Son of God was made a sacrifice for sin, and by a bloody death made expiation of it, the world is convinced how infinitely hateful sin is to him, the dignity of the law is maintained, and sin is most effectually discouraged. There is the same terror, though not the same rigour, as if all mankind had been finally condemned. Thus it appears, how becoming God it was, to accomplish our salvation in such a manner, that justice and mercy are revealed in their most noble and eminent effects and operations.

II. The reality of the satisfaction made to divine justice is next to be proved. This is the centre, and heart of the Christian religion, from whence all vital and comforting influences are derived: and for the opening of it, I will first consider the requisites in order to it: which are,

1. The appointment of God, whose power and will are to be considered in this transaction.

(1.) His power; for it is an act of supremacy to admit, that the suffering of another should be effectual to redeem the offender. God doth not in this affair sustain the person of a judge, who is the minister of the law, and cannot free the guilty by transferring the punishment on another; but is to be considered as governor, who may by pure jurisdiction dispense with the execution of the law, upon those considerations which fully answer the ends of government.

The law is not executed according to the letter of it, for

then no sinner can be saved; but repenting believers are free from condemnation. Nor is it abrogated, for then no obligation remains as to the duty or penalty of it; but men are still bound to obey it, and impenitent infidels are still under the curse: "the wrath of God abideth on them." But it is relaxed as to the punishment, by the merciful condescension of the Lawgiver.

Some laws are not, in their own nature, capable of relaxation, because there is included moral iniquity in the relaxation; as the commands to love God and obey conscience, can never lose their binding force. It is a universal rule that suffers no exception, God cannot deny himself; therefore he can never allow sin, that directly opposes the perfections of his nature. Besides, some laws cannot be relaxed, ex hypothesi," upon the account of the divine decree which makes them irrevocable; as that all who die in their impenitency, shall be damned. Now there was no express sign annexed to the sanction of the original law, to intimate, that it should be unalterable as to the letter of it. The threatening

declared the desert of sin in the offender, and the right of punishing in the superior; but it is so to be understood, as not to frustrate the power of the Lawgiver to relax the punishment upon wise and just reasons.

The law did neither propound nor exclude this expedient: for judging without passion against the sinner, it is satisfied with the punishment of the crime; for it is not the evil of the offender that is primarily designed by the law, but the preservation of public order, for the honour of the Lawgiver and the benefit of those that are subjects: so that the relaxing of the punishment, as to the person of the sinner, by compensation, fully answers the intent of the law.

(2.) As by the right of jurisdiction God might relax the law and appoint a Mediator to interpose by way of ransom, so he hath declared his will to accept of him. The law in strictness obliged the sinning person to suffer, so that he might have refused any other satisfaction; therefore the whole work of our redemption is referred to his will as the primary cause. Our Saviour was sent into the world by the order of God, John iii. 17. He was sealed, that is, authorized for that great work by commission from him, John vi. 27. He was called to his office, by the voice of his Father from heaven, "this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," Mat. iii. 17. "God anointed him with the Holy Ghost and

with power," Acts x. 38; which signifies, as the enduing of him with the graces of the Spirit, so the investing of him in the dignity of Mediator, as kings, priests, and prophets were : and both were necessary; for his graces without his office are unprofitable to us, and his office without his capacity, of no advantage. In short: the apostle observes this as the peculiar excellency of the new covenant and the foundation of our hopes, that the Mediator was constituted by a solemn oath: "The Lord swore, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec,” Heb. vii. 21.

2. The consent of our Redeemer was necessary, that he might by sufferings satisfy for us; for being the "Lord from heaven," there was no superior authority to command, or power to compel him. It is true, having become our Surety, it was necessary he should be accountable to the law; but the first undertaking was most free. When one hath entered into bonds to pay the debt of an insolvent person, he must give satisfaction; but it is an act of liberty and choice to make himself liable. Our Saviour tells us, "It behoved Christ to suffer;" he doth not say that the Son of God should suffer, but Christ. This title signifies the same person in substance, but not in the same respect and consideration. Christ is the second person clothed with our nature. There was no necessity that obliged God to appoint his Son, or the Son to accept the office of Mediator; but when the eternal Son had undertaken that charge, and was made Christ, that is, assumed our nature in order to redeem us, it was necessary that he should suffer.

Besides, his consent was necessary upon another account; for the satisfaction doth not arise merely from the dignity of his person, but from the law of substitution, whereby he put himself in our stead, and voluntarily obliged himself to suffer the punishment due to us. The efficacy of his death is by virtue of the contract between the Father and him, of which there could be no cause but pure mercy, and his vo-luntary condescension.

Now the scripture declares the willingness of Christ, particularly at his entrance into the world and at his death. Upon his coming into the world, he begins his life by the internal oblation of himself to his Father, Heb. x. 5, 7. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened;" that is, he entirely resigned himself to be God's servant; "burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou