CHAPTER VI: Christ hath made full reparation of all which was lost by sin. Glory of the law by
accordingly, our obligation to serve God is not from his benefits only, but from a due unto his own excellencies. And therefore, although there were no reward for our service, yet service were due from us.
So says Aristotle: If any man transcendently excel all others, that man is to be king over them, and they are bound to serve him. Yea, and therefore the privilege to justify a man is separable from our graces (as in men sanctified by the gospel), but so is not condemnation from sin. And therefore, although sin in the godly redounds not in the event to the persons, to condemn them, by reason of Christ's righteousness imputed, yet all that righteousness makes not but that sin in its own nature deserves death; and so they are to judge themselves for it, as worthy to be destroyed. But all the grace that is in them doth not only not justify them ipso facto; but it hath wholly and for ever lost that privilege. Which argues that it is not seated in the nature of grace to justify, as to demerit death is seated in the nature of sin: for then, though the effect might be retained, yet that property would be inseparable from it.
And Thirdly, That the strength of sin was greater than that of grace, appears by this also, that it is able to expel grace out of the heart, as it did out of Adam's; but all the grace of all the creatures could not restore it.
Fourthly, It is counted more mercy to pardon one sinner, than goodness to reward and save all the angels. More riches are attributed even to God's mercy and patience towards wicked men, than to his simple goodness towards other creatures innocent, though never so holy.
CHAPTER VI
That Christ hath made full reparation of all which was lost by sin.— The glory of the law, which sin had darkened, is by him perfectly recovered.—And God's image, which sin had defaced in man, is more fully restored in him.
We have seen the power of all the creatures set up, and at a loss as to this, the greatest and most difficult business that ever was set on foot, viz., the taking away of sins. Let us now come to lay open that fulness that is in Christ for this work; before which all these difficulties that have been put, and all our sins likewise, will vanish and melt away, as clouds before the sun. A fulness it is that answers to every defect, and to every particular objection made. I will begin with that satisfaction that is to be given to God; for in the wrong to him doth the principal knot and difficulty lie.
First, If God should stand upon satisfaction to be made, in point of goods (which yet, as I said, he doth not), Christ hath therein abundantly made amends. Which although he reckons not as any part of his satisfaction, which only consists in his obedient humbling of himself, yet it may be considered as part of the surplusage and redundancy of it. Let justice come and bring in her bill of damages, and see if Christ hath not abundantly given satisfaction for them: as,
1. Will the complaint be of the loss, spoil, and waste made of the world, and of all the creatures therein, and of the unjointing that frame, unto the danger of the destruction of it, which no creature is able to repair or to uphold? Then let it withal be remembered that he that had undertook to satisfy God had his hand in making this old world, and 'without him it had not been made,' John 1:3. It is a consideration that both that evangelist, and the author to the Hebrews (Heb. 1:2), as likewise the apostle to the Colossians (Col.
1:16), do all suggest to this very purpose, thereby to shew Christ's ability to satisfy for sin. And if God would yet further desire new worlds to be made him for satisfaction, Christ could make enough.
And it may be further pleaded, that this world (as we see) stands and continues still, notwithstanding all the sins committed in it, and that justice had destined it to present ruin the first day that man should sin. Now whose power is it that upholds it? Is it not Christ's, whose very word is able to underprop it? So Heb. 1:3, 'Upholding all things by the word of his power;' who with one hand holdeth his Father's hands from destroying this world, and with the other upholds it from
tottering. Yea, if it were no more but this, that he who made the world would vouchsafe to admit himself into it, and become a part of it; and that he whom God did never make nor create, but from eternity begat, would be 'made flesh,' and become a creature and servant (which was an addition to God's goods, and worth all that he had made besides), this might make reparation for all such damages.
And again, at whose expenses are all things here maintained? Are they not at Christ's? The Father did as it were deny to lay out any more power or patience in upholding the world, till he should be paid for it; and did not Christ undertake this, and at his due time lay down a price that fully bought it? who is therefore called the 'Lord that bought,' 2 Pet. 2:1, as wicked men, so all the world. And that he who made the world, and is joint-heir with God, and hath as much right to it as he, should, to satisfy him, lay down his right, put himself out of all, and then take it up upon a new title, when it was his before, so buying what himself made, and what was his own: that he should become poor, even not worth the ground he went on when he came into the world, and should suffer himself not to be owned (as John speaks), yea, to be cast out of the vineyard, as one that had nothing to do with it; will not all this make amends, will not this poverty rise to great riches? The apostle Paul tells us so. Wherefore this may well make satisfaction to God for goods lost.
2dly, If justice complain of the law defaced, and as it were abolished by sin; if she plead that through it the righteous law is made void, and of none effect, and so bring it in, in this inventory of wasted goods, considered only as it is a copy of God's will, an expression of his holiness, an effect of his wisdom, and monument of the same, the least iota of which is so precious, as not all in heaven and earth can make amends for its loss:—should justice make this complaint, then let the reply be, that our Redeemer's head was in the making of that law; and that the hand of him who was the 'Mighty Counsellor,' did guide the pen that wrote it in Adam's heart at first; and further, that himself is the substantial image of God, and the πρωτότυπον of the law. And besides, when it was lost, and no copy on earth to be found, he it was that wrote it in the consciences of men fallen. In which
sense the apostle John says, that it is he who 'enlightens every man that comes into the world,' John 1:9. And because that was but an imperfect copy, it was he that further delivered the law, of which David says it was perfect: Ps. 19:7, 'The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;' and renewed it on Mount Sinai, Gal. 3:19. And in the fulness of time himself came, and vindicated it from all corrupt glosses in his preaching, fulfilled it in his life, and in fulfilling it, writ it out again with his own hands, and so set a more perfect copy than ever was extant in the hearts and lives of angels. 'I came not to destroy the law,' says he, 'but to fulfil it.' Yea, and if all the copies of the law that are in the world were burnt, they might be all renewed in his story, insomuch that he is reckoned a new founder of it. 'A new commandment' (says the apostle, 1 John 2:8), 'write I unto you,' and so the apostle Paul speaks of 'fulfilling the law of Christ,' Gal. 6:2.
'Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.' Yea, and suppose, that that covenant (which is the first story and copy of God's will and wisdom) had been utterly lost (like as some of Solomon's books were), yet he by his works of mediation makes a new story of another wisdom infinitely more glorious, viz., the gospel, whereof he is the sole founder, and of whom it is written as being the subject of it, the least line of which is worth all the law, so that the angels stand amazed at the 'treasures of wisdom' that are to be found therein, being deeper than ever were revealed in the law.
The law, that 'came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ,' John 1:17—a new volume of truths, which had not been true, if he by his blood had not made them so.
3dly, Though God's image be lost by sin, yet he is such an image of him, as the very sight and beholding of him renews it, and changeth men into the same image: 2 Cor. 3:18, 'But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.'
Yea, the image which he renews is a better image than that of Adam's, it is of a higher strain and key, and raised by higher motives.