doubt bought from some person whose Servants we were who also demanded the price he would have that he might send from under his power them that he held but the Devil held us to whom we were in bondage by our sins Therefore he required our price the blood of Christ But until the Blood of Jesus was given which was so precious that it was sufficient alone for the Redemption of all men it was necessary that those who were instructed in the Law every one for himself should give his own Blood as it were in imitation of the future Redemption and therefore we for whom the price of the blood of Christ was fulfilled have no need to offer for our selves a price that is the blood of Circumcision Cyprian Epist 8 to Clem. and the People He prayed for us though he was not a sinner himself but bore our sins The same Epist 63. to Cecilius parag 9. Christ carried us all who also carried our sins The same in his Book to Demetrianus parag 22. Christ imparts this Grace he gives this gift of his mercy by subduing Death with the Triumph of the Cross by redeeming the Believer with the price of his Blood by reconciling man to God the Father by enlivening mortal man with the Celestial Regeneration The same or rather another Writer of the Book of the Cardinal Works of Christ to Cornelius the Pope Serm. 7. which is concerning the manner of Circumcision that one Oblation of our Redeemer was of so great Dignity that it was sufficient alone to take away the sins of the World who with so great Authority went into the holy place with his own Blood that afterwards no request of Suppliants needed the Blood of any other The same Serm. 16. which is concerning the Ascension of Christ Who for our sakes having been sold for thirty pieces of silver would have it to be understood how great an unequality there was in the price that was given for him and in that which he himself gave for the World Whereas he being bought and sold for a little silver redeemed us at so great a price so that it cannot be a doubtful case that the greatness of the price exceeded the bargain Neither could the damage that verily just damnation deserved be equallized to the Obedience of Christ which proceeded unto Death it self and over and above paid what it owed not Lactantius concerning the Benefits of Christ Whosoever thou art that art present and comes within the threshold of the middle Temple look on me who being guiltless suffered for thy sin c. And presently For thee and for thy life I entred the Virgins womb was made Man and suffered a dreadful Death c. Eusebius Coesariensis lib. 10. of the Demonstration of the Gospel For it behoved the Lamb of God that was taken up by the great High-Priest to be offered a Sacrifice to God for the other Lambs of the same kind and for all the Flock of Mankind For because by man came Death by man also came the Resurrection of the Dead The same lib. 10. cap. 1. And as when one Member suffers all the other Members suffer with it so also when many Members suffered and sinned he also suffered according to the ways of sympathy For forasmuch as it pleased God being the Word to take the form of a Servant and to be joyned to the common Tabernacle of us all he takes upon himself the pain of the suffering Members and makes our Diseases his own and suffers grief and pain for us all according to the Laws of Love to Mankind And the Lamb of God having not only performed these things but having been punished for us and having endured the sufferings that he himself did not deserve but we for the sake of the Multitude of them that trespassed he became to us the Author of the forgiveness of sins having undertaken Death for us and translated unto himself the stripes and reproaches and shame that was due to us and drawn upon himself the Curse that was due to us becoming a Curse for us and what other thing was this but the giving life for life Therefore the Oracle saith in our person we were healed by his stripes and the Lord delivered himself for our sins Eusebius concerning the Preparation of the Gospel lib. 1. cap. 10. And God had respect to Abel and his Gifts but unto Cain and his Sacrifice he had no respect Hence you may understand that he that offered Beasts was more acceptable than he that offered a Sacrifice of the Fruits of the Earth And Noah immediately offered upon the Altar Burnt-offerings of all clean Beasts and of all clean Fowl and the Lord smelled a smell of sweet savour But Abraham also is recorded to have sacrificed so that by testimony of sacred Scripture those that were lovers of God of old esteemed the Sacrifice of Beasts the chiefest of all But I suppose the reason of this thing was not accidental or found out by man's wit but taught by the Divine Wisdom for seeing they saw that they who in their manners were holy and conversant with God and inlightned in their souls by the Divine Spirit and that they needed to perform great service for the cleansing away of the sins of Mortals they supposed that the price of their Salvation was due to him that is Prince both of life and soul Moreover having nothing better nor more precious to sacrifice than their soul instead thereof they offered a Sacrifice of brute Beasts bringing them in the room of their own life thinking that they sinned not nor offended in this thing because they were taught that the soul of unreasonable Creatures was not equal to the reasonable and intellective faculty of Men and having been taught that their life is no other thing but their blood and the lively power in the blood which they also presented offering it as a life for a life unto God And Moses also evidently declares this same thing the life of all flesh is the blood thereof and I have given you the blood upon the Altar to make atonement for your sins for their blood shall make atonement for the life Therefore I have commanded the Children of Israel that no soul of you should eat blood therefore consider diligently of these things how it is said I gave you blood upon the Altar to make Atonement for your souls For blood shall make atonement for the soul For he doth manifestly say that the blood of slain Beasts makes atonement for the soul of man And the Law concerning Sacrifices gives him that looks into it attentively to understand this same thing Therefore he commands every man that sacrificeth to lay his hands upon the Head of the thing sacrificed and to bring the Beast that is to dye to the Priest as offering the Sacrifice instead of his own life Therefore he says of every one He shall present it before the Lord and shall put his hands upon the Head of the Offering
received the pleasure of Wickedness But if the price of Redemption belongs to no other but the Possessour I ask to whom was this offered and for what cause If you say that it was offered to that wicked one fie upon that Blasphemy whereas this thing proceeds from God only Yea if it were so a Robber would receive God for a price of Redemption and thereby a Reward over and above of his Tyranny for which it was just to spare us But if it was offered to the Father first how for we were not kept in Bondage by him But what a saying is that that the Blood of the only begotten delights the Father who did not accept of Isaac offered by his Father but he exchanged the Sacrifice delivering a Beast instead of the reasonable Sacrifice Or it is evident that the Father receiveth not having asked nor having been requested but for the dispensation and because of the necessity that man should be sanctified by the Humane Nature of God that he might deliver us having laid hold on the Tyrant by force and might bring us to himself by his Son being Mediator and dispensing this for the honour of the Father Gregory Nyssene to Olympius the Monk concerning the Form of a perfect Name But we learn that Christ is the price of Redemption having given himself a price for us This we are taught by such a saying that we should learn how he having paid a certain price for every man's soul made immortality the peculiar possession of them that were by him redeemed from Death unto Life Ambrosius lib. de Tobia cap. 10. Behold the Prince of this world cometh and findeth nothing of his own in me he owed nothing but he payed for all as he himself bears witness saying Then I restored that which I took not away The same in his Book concerning Joseph the Patriarch Joseph was sold in Egypt because Christ was to come to them to whom it was said Ye were sold for your sins And therefore he redeemed them whom their own sins had sold But Christ was sold by undertaking the Condition not the Fault And he owes no price for sin because he himself did no sin Therefore he drew on debt by our price not his own he took away the Hand-writing removed the Usurer freed the Debtor he alone paid that which was due from all Ambrose concerning Esau cap. 7. God therefore took flesh upon him that he might abolish the Curse of sinful flesh and was made a Curse for us that the Blessing might swallow up the Curse the Integrity the Sin the Indulgence the Condemnation and Life Death For he undertook Death that the Sentence might be fulfilled and that the Judgment due to sinful Flesh by the Curse might be satisfied unto the Death Therefore nothing was done against the Sentence of God because the Condition of the Divine Sentence was fulfilled for the Curse was unto Death and after Death came Grace The same Lib. 9. Epist 7. The Lord Jesus when he came forgave all men the sin which no man could avoid and blotted out our Hand-writing by the shedding of his own Blood that is as he saith Sin abounded by the Law but Grace superabounded by Jesus because after all the World was subdued the took away the sin of all the world Lib. 1. Epist. 11. See whether that is the saving Sacrifice which God the Word offered in himself and sacrificed in his own Body And a little after But that he pours out the Blood at the Altar thereby may be understood the cleansing of the World the remission of all sins For he pours out that Blood at the Altar as a Sacrifice to take away the sins of many For the Lamb is a Sacrifice but not a Lamb of an unreasonable Nature but of a Divine Power Concerning whom it was said Behold the Lamb of God behold him that taketh away the sins of the world for he hath not only with his Blood cleansed the sins of all but also endued them with a Divine Power The same upon Luke lib. 7. cap. 12. The Adversary esteemed us at a base rate as Captive-slaves but the Lord hath redeemed us by a great price as being beautiful Bond-slaves which he made after his own Image and Likeness who is a fit Judge of his own handy-work as the Apostle said For ye are bought with a price and well it may be called great which is not prized by Money but by Blood because Chrst died for us who delivered us by his precious Blood c. And well it may be called precious because it is the Blood of an unspotted Body because it is the Blood of the Son of God who hath not only redeemed us from the Curse of the Law but also from the perpetual death of Impiety The same Lib. 10. upon Luke Chap. 22. I have sinned because I have betrayed innocent Blood the price of Blood is the price of the Lord's Passion Therefore the World is bought by Christ with the price of Blood Lib. 3. concerning Virginity near the end We were put in pledge to an evil Creditor by sins we drew on the Hand-writing of the Fault we owed the price of Blood The Lord Jesus came he offered his own Blood for us And presently Therefore do thou also behave thy self worthy of such a price lest Christ come who hath cleansed thee who hath redeemed thee and if he find thee in sin he say unto thee What profit hadst thou by my blood What hath it profitted thee that I went down into Corruption Lib. 1. of the Apology of David cap. 13. The Apostle says excellently Because the Lord Jesus hath forgiven our sins blotting out the Hand-writing of the Decree which was against us and he hath taken it away saith he having fixed it to the Cross He blotted out the Ink of Eve with his own Blood he blotted out the Obligation of the hurtful Inheritance On the Epistle to the Hebrews cap. 9. But all the bodily cleansing of the Old Testament belonged to him but now there is a Spiritual cleansing of the Blood of Christ Therefore he saith This is the blood of the New Testament for the remission of sins In those there was an outside sprinkling and again the sprinkled person was rinsed for the People did not always walk besprinkled with blood But it is not so in the Soul but the Blood is mingled with its Essence making that clean Fountain and bringing forth unspeakable beauty For this cause was the killing of the Lamb and its blood was sprinkled on the Door-posts of them that were to be delivered For this cause also we read of all the Sacrifices of the Old Testament which were appointed to typifie this Sacrifice by which comes the true remission of sins and the cleansing of the Soul for ever The same or rather the Writer of the Commentary on the Epistles of Paul attributed to Ambrose on 1 Cor. cap. 6. Because we are bought with a dear price we
So that the Scripture looking towards this should have made mention of the Resurrection not of Death verily not so often and with Marks of Emphasis adjoined Socinus himself lib. 1. cap. 3. endeavouring to shew that the way of Salvation was confirmed by the Effusion of Blood when he had taken away the true Cause which we defend could not substitute any other probable Cause of that Confirmation neither could he bring any other true Difference why that ought to be attributed to the Death of Christ only and not to the Death of other Martyrs also Neither can Socinus ever explain how Christ obliged God to us which he himself grants to be true in some sense if God hath promised nothing for the shedding of Blood The Form is the suffering of Punishment for our Sins which Socinus lib. 3. cap. 9. and lib. 2. cap. 4. stifly denies Wherefore we will briefly prove this very thing The Hebrews that they may signify that which the Latins call poenas pendere to suffer punishment they have no phrase more usual than this ferre peccatum to bear sin Like unto which is an expression of the Latins lucre delicta to suffer sins that is the punishment of sins If any do not discover the Blasphemer he feret peccatum shall bear his sin Lev. 5.1 Qui nuditatem Sororis sue retexit peccatum suum ferto He that hath uncovered his Sisters nakedness let him bear his sin Lev. 20.17 So Expiatory Sacrifices are said to bear the Iniquities of them that offer them Lev. 10.17 because their Blood is for the soul of man Lev. 17.11 Neither only conjunctly but also separately these words are found in the same sense So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bear Judgment is said Gal. 5.10 Ferre ob peccata to bear for sins Ezech. 18.20 And sin is said to overtake a man that is the punishment of sin And by the same phrase Peter said Christ carried up our sins in his Body unto the Gross 1 Pet. 2.24 He could have said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he carried but because he would also signify his ascent up to the Cross therefore he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he carried up that is he carried up in going which doth diminish nothing from the said phrase but adds something to it therefore the Syrian translated it portavit ascendere fecit he carried and made to ascend Socinus that he may weaken the strength of this place first says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies he took away but contrary to the nature and use of the word for neither doth the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suffer that interpretation neither hath any Greek Author so used that word Also in the New Testament it no where occurs in that signification but it signifies either to carry up Luke 24.51 or to lead up Matth. 17. Mark 9.2 And because the Sacrifices were carried into an upper place that is into an Altar therefore they also are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be carried up Hebr. 2.27 James 2.21 Whence also Christ himself is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have carried up himself Hebr. 7.27 and we are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to carry up Praises or spiritual Sacrifices Hebr. 13.15 And 1 Pet. 2.24 Socinus cites one place only Hebr. 9.28 where he would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to carry up sins to be nothing else but to take away but without Cause and without Example and the sense of the place not requiring it For the two Comings of Christ are opposed the one against the other the former in which he did bear our sins the other in which he is to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without sin that is not loaded not burdened with any sins but set at liberty and freed from them But these are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposite to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without sin and peccata auferre to take away sins but to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without sin and peccatis oneratum esse to be burdened with sins Whence it appears that in that place to the Hebrews also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is either to carry up to wit unto the Cross as in the place of Peter and that appositely for here also is an allusion to Sacrifices but the Cross was as an Altar or simply to suffer as in Thucydides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to suffer dangers Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies ferre to bear not auferre to take away which the Text of Peter it self proves For the Discourse is not concerning any Benefit of Christ but concerning his great Patience which is shewed not by taking away but by suffering That Socinus adds That with this sense whereby Christ is said to bear our sins that which follows doth not rightly enough cohere it is said without cause for Peter doth manifestly declare That Christ did so bear our sins that he might deliver us also from punishment whence he presently adds By his wounds ye are made whole But these cohere very well together If Christ underwent such hard things that he might obtain the pardon of sins verily ye that have obtained it ought to beware of sins in time to come God hath given to us that being freed from the hand of our Enemies we should serve him in all holiness and righteousness Luke 1.74 Behold thou art made whole sin no more John 5.14 Ye are bought with a price glorify therefore God in your Body 1 Cor. 7.20 Neither doth Paul any other thing in the Seventh and following Chapters to the Romans but shew that we ought to be stirred up by the great Benefits of God and Christ to live holily like unto that place of Peter yea whither Peter certainly had an eye as it also appears by the words following Ye were healed by his stripes is that of Isai 53.11 My righteous Servant shall justify many and shall bear their sins In Hebrew it is Ve avonotam hou jisbal Now the word avon signifies Iniquity and also the punishment of Iniquity as 2 Kings 7.9 but the word sabal signifies to bear or sustain and as oft as to bear is put with the name of sin or iniquity that in every Tongue and especially in Hebraism signifies to bear punishment For indeed nasha sometimes signifies to take away but sabal signifies not so therefore here apparently Christ is said that he will bear the punishment of them that are justified This Phrase admits of no other Interpretation neither doth it hinder that this bearing of iniquity seems to be put by the Prophet after death for it is verily after death not in time but in order as the Effect the Cause existing together with it But Socinus says that this word sabal being joined to sin doth not always include some imputation but that it is enough if it signify a man's being afflicted upon any occasion of another man's deed He proves that by no Example neither doth the Holy Scriptures speak so at any time
Yea also Greek and Latin Authors when they use that Phrase do always include imputation Socinus for the confirming of this Exception cites a place of Jeremiah which is thus Our Fathers sinned and are not and we bear their punishment neither doth he suffer here any imputation to be understood But by what Argument doth he prove that that Phrase signifies another thing here than in all other places where it is put Socinus himself is compelled to confess that as oft as the Sons follow their Fathers footsteps not only their own but their Fathers sins are imputed unto them for the Word of God is evident Exod. 20.5 But that those concerning whom Jeremiah speaks were like their Fathers that makes it evident which follows in the Prophet Wo to us that we have sinned verse 16. Neither is this different from the intent of Jeremiah for that he may aggravate the Misery of those that then lived he saith That the punishment both of their own and their Ancestors sins redounds upon them and that therefore the lot of their Fathers was much better than their lot who being alike guilty were yet taken out of life before that those very bitter punishments heaped up as if it were in the Treasure of Divine Wrath were at length poured forth together But though the signification of these words ferre peccata to bear sins were ambiguous in Sacred Writings yet both in this place of Isaiah and in that of Peter the joint mention of the Sufferings of Christ and our Deliverance would make the Interpretation certain For to bear sins by suffering and so that others may be delivered from them cannot signify another thing but the undertaking of anothers punishment And in the same Isaiah vers 6. and 7. it is God cast or laid on him the punishment of us all he is punished and he is afflicted Here Socinus moves every stone that he may wrest the genuine sense from the words and deviseth a new Interpretation God did by him or with him go against the iniquity of us all But the Hebrew word doth manifestly contradict Hiphgiah being of that Conjunction which signifies not a single but twofold Action wherefore seeing Phaga properly signifies to go against it follows that Hiphgiah signifies he made to go against and by Metaphor he deprecated because a person that deprecates doth as it were interpose his Prayers To deprecate here hath not place for then God should be said to have deprecated for Christ for that is the signification of this word the Particle Beth following Jer. 15.11 Neither doth fecit deprecari he made to deprecate agree here both because bo on him follows when otherways it ought to have been said He made him deprecate and also because all things that next go before and follow pertain to Affliction not to Deprecation Therefore these words do not bear another sense but this God did make the sins of us all occurrere illi to go against him that is impegit incussit he inflicted or he did cast upon him Sin is required exigitur peccatum that is according to Scripture phrase the punishment of sin Et ipse affligitur and he is afflicted Here Socinus objects unto us that place of Lev. 16.21 and 22. where sins are said to be put upon the Goat of Atonement and the Goat himself is said to carry the sins of the people into a waste Wilderness For he thought that nothing is more manifest than that it could in no ways be said that this Goat suffered punishment for the sins of the People which by what right he takes upon him I see not For verily Punishment taken in the general befals Beasts also The blood of all your Souls will I require Of every Beast will I require it Gen. 9.5 When an Ox shall push a Man or a Woman that he die let that Ox be stoned Exod. 21.28 If any man lie with a Beast let him be put to death also slay the Beast it self Lev. 20.15 The Earth was cursed with a Deluge for man's sake Gen. 8.21 The Creature was subject to vanity Rom. 8.20 Neither is there Cause why Socinus should object that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scape-Goat did not use to be killed but that the shedding of blood or death was required for the remission of sins For though the Scripture doth not expresly declare that that very Goat was thrown headlong from a high place in the Wilderness and so slain the Hebrew Interpreters agree about it which though it were not so yet what other thing did that driving into a waste Wilderness threaten but a death not at all natural either of hunger or the tearings of wild Beasts Also the word Nagash is to be marked in Isaiah for it is very certain that Nagash Schin having a point in the left-horn doth properly signify exigere to require as appears 2 Kings 23.35 Zach. 9.8 but metaphorically is taken for opprimere to oppress therefore the Passive Nagash is either opprimitur he is oppressed or exigitur he is required Opprimitur he is oppressed hath no place here because it follows in the same vehou Sentence ipse affligitur and he is afflicted whence it appears that this Verb is referred to another Noun than that unto which the word affligitur he is afflicted is applied Therefore it remaineth that that word should be taken properly that it may signify exigitur is required and may be referred to the Noun immediately going before Now to require sin is or can be nothing else but to require the punishment of sin therefore the requiring of Punishment and Christ's Affliction are joined together There went before in the same Prophet these words The Chastisement of our peace was laid upon him and by his stripes we are healed In the Hebrew Chastisement is called Musar which word signifieth not every Affliction but that which hath a relation to Punishment whether it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exemplary or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admonitory only by which words of old Taurus the Philosopher did aptly distinguish the kinds of Punishment And thence it came to pass that any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admonition per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the figure Catachresis was signified by the word Musar But because the signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebuke hath no place in Christ especially seeing the discourse is concerning Afflictions including Death it remains that we should understand Affliction that hath joined together with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exemplary punishment for the use of that Hebrew word is not found separated from all respect unto a fault But here if by the subject matter we understand the good of Impunity it will appear that Christ's Punishment and our Impunity are very well opposed the one against the other Though nothing hinders Reconciliation to be understood by the name of Peace though there was no mention made of Enmity which the matter it self and the following words of the Prophet do abundantly
which ascribe the remission of sins to the Blood of Christ that place should be joyned which we just now cited Being justified in his Blood Rom. 5.9 Also those that attribute the washing away of sins to Blood or Death Te Blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1.7 For the purging of the Blood of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.2 Christ washed us from our sins in his Blood Apoc. 1.5 For though to wash away to cleanse and the like words may signifie either to cause that sins may not be committed in time to come or that being committed they may not appear yet the other Interpretation is more agreeable to the Phrase of Scripture So to abolish sins is expounded not to remember sins Isaiah 43.24 and to cleanse from Iniquity is shewed to be the same thing with forgiveing Jer. 33.8 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sins may be blotted out hath evidently the same sense Acts 3.19 And these are taken wholly for the same thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to forgive sins and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cleanse from all inquity 1 John 1.9 and elsewhere these are put as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 synonimous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to be cleansed and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that pardon may be Hebr. 9.22 Wherfore also Socinus is forced to confess that in John's Apocal. cap. 1. vers 5. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cleanse is attributed to Blood deliverance from punishment is more rightly understood than the cleansing of the Soul To these may be joyned that of Isaiah just now cited The chastisement of our peace was upon him that is his punishment procures us peace with God concerning which peace the Angels speak Luke 2.14 And that of the same Isaiah By his stripes we are cured that is by his punishment we have freedom from punishment By these Testimonies therefore it is manifest that the impunity of our sins is the End of the Death of Christ and also an Effect of the same Death Socinus who is not willing to acknowledge this Connexion of Death with the Remission of sins performed unto us brings others wonderfully different from the words and scope of the Scripture But all these that he hath here and there scattered in his Book seem to be reducible to these four Heads The first is That Christ when he preached that the remission of sins lyes open to the Penitent did not refuse Death to give testimony to that Preaching But this sense makes the Death of Christ an Effect of remission more than remission of Death For the Existence of a thing is the cause of a Testimony not contrariways But the Scrripture says that we obtain remission by Blood Ephes 1.7 Coloss 1.14 And that Blood blots out our sins 1 John 1.7 Also that the shedding of Blood is a thing Antecedent without which there is no Remission Hebr. 9.22 Moreover if this Interpretation were true the Martyrs also might be said to have shed their Blood for the remission of sins and that we obtain remission by that Blood when yet the Scripture gives this priviledge to Christ only Moreover the Cause of the Killing of Christ in respect of men was not properly the preaching of Repentance and Remission of Sins but that he called God his Father making himself equal to God John 5.18 and consequently that he did profess himself to be God For which cause his Death gave properly a Testimony to this Profession not to the preaching of Pardon And also a Testimony concerning the Doctrine was given no less but more by the Miracles than by the Death of Christ But no where is this Effect attributed unto Miracles that by them we obtain Remission of sins The second thing that Socinus brings is That Christ by his Death obtained the power of giving Remission But Socinus himself overturns this Position who sheweth that Christ living on Earth had and exercised this Power But that which is cannot be any more made mine And lest any man should so mistake which Socinus doth more hint at than affirm as if this Power of Christ had only respect to Punishments Temporal and of this Life it must be observed That when Christ is said to have had power upon earth to forgive sins the Effect is not restrained by that Addition on Earth but the place of the Action is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 emphatically expressed For it is also said to the Apostles Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth where though to loose is to declare to be loosed yet that Expression on the Earth signifies only the place of the Action for it follows they shall be loosed in Heaven For that is it which Christ signified that that Power though so eminent and Celestial belonged to him living on the Earth Neither do the People wonder at any other thing but that so great power was given to men that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by enallagy to one of the number of men Christ himself also first forgives the sins of the man that had the Palsy before he takes away the Palsy which was a Temporal Punishment and manifestly distinguishing both Powers he proves the one by the other to wit the invisible by the visible Then Christ did not at length obtain the power to forgive sins by his Death and consequently those sayings which ascribe the Effect of the remission of sins to his Death cannot be drawn to this sense Moreover the Scripture explains the way of the Connexion between Death and Remission by the word Propitiation and other such like words which cannot be applied to the power of giving Pardon The third thing is That in the Death of Christ an Example of Patience and Obedience is proposed to us But this Example in some respect pertains to Sanctification and that which follows it Eternal Glory but not any ways to the remission of sins for Christ by his Patience and Obedience obtained no pardon to himself as having no sin Wherefore when Christ is proposed for Imitation that we keeping that way which he went may come to the same Mark nothing would be more unseasonable than to make any mention of remission of sins And the Phrases of Scripture Blood cleanseth us By his Blood we have Remission do utterly reject this sense The fourth thing remains which most pleased Socinus So that in very many places he inculcates this as the support of his Cause and it is this That the Death of Christ perswades us to that very thing that is required for the obtaining remission of sins to wit Faith or as Socinus explains himself the hope of obtaining Eternal Life But verily what is more disagreeable unto truth than that so bloody a death of a most innocent man doth of it self conduce unto this that it may perswade us that great Joys are prepared by God for us living holily Wherefore Socinus seeing the absurdity of this Invention saith That the Death of Christ doth not this but his Resurrection
as witnesses Marcellinus Amongst the Macedonians the Heads of those were Condemned that were of the same Blood with the Traytors as Curtius tells In the Cities of Grecia it was a Custom that together with the Tyrants the Children of the Tyrants were slain as Halicarnassoeus and Cicero observes Indeed these things are not commendable but yet they prove that that Assertion concerning the Consent of all Nations is not in all respects true And in these Examples the Conjunction of Persons only seemed to suffice for Punishment without any Consent which Halicarnassoeus observes to have been rejected by the Romans But where any Consent went before I dare almost be bold to say that there was none of all those whom we call Pagans that judged it an unjust thing for one man to be punished for another man's Fault The power of killing Sureties shews this which was usual to the most courteous People The Thessalians of old killed Two hundred and fifty Hostages as Plutarch tells The Romans beheaded three hundred Volscians They threw down the Tarentines from the Tarpeian Rock as is mentioned in Livius There are extant the like Examples of Goths Danes and English-men And as very Learned men have rightly observed it was judged righteous so to do So also in Capital Judgments the Pledges were usually slain if the Guilty Persons did not present themselves whence by the Grecians they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Souls put in stead it appears sufficiently both from other places and also from the noble History of Damon and Pythias Neither is it any wonder that they so judged for because they believed that every man had no less power of his own life than over other things as appears by the frequent and somuch noised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Self-murder among the Grecians Romans and other Nations it was clearly the Consequence that they believed Life could be strongly obliged no less than other things for the former being presupposed it was necessary the latter also should be granted And verily if any man examine this Business with requisite diligence he will find a true difference why a man is less obliged by consent to Coporal than Pecuniary Punishment that is that he that consents hath not equal power over Body and Money Neither yet do I assent unto the Modern Lawyers approving this by a certain Answer of Vlpianus who said That no man seems Lord of his own Members L. liber homo d. ad Legem Aquil. For he takes the word Lord strictly according to the use of Civil Law as it is opposed to a Servant because the Aquilian Law speaks strictly of a Servant he denies that the direct Action that is answerable to the words of the Law can be accommodated to a Free-man wounded yet so that by the likeness of Respects he thinks an useful Action should be given And that I may truly say what I think though I very much admire the Equity of the Romans in moderating this Extension of Punishment yet I cannot be perswaded to believe that it was a thing by them supposed wholly and of it self unjust that one man should be corporally punished for the Fault of another Neither am I therefore moved because Suretiships were by them forbidden under capital punishment for many things use to be forbidden not because they are judged altogether unjust but because they are dangerous as all Suretiships of Women and of others also for a Dowry this therefore belonged to Civil Law which because it failed in Foreign People therefore it was otherways observed in Hostages by the Romans themselves Yea so long a time afterwards Christian Emperors appointed that the Jaylor when the guilty Person escaped through the default of his Family should bear his Punishment L. ad Commentariensem C. de custod reor And now also or not long since noble Masters of Law have taught that this Rule That no man should oblige himself to Capital Punishment ceaseth if Law or Custom confirmed that manner But as touching those Punishments which respect not any Consent but only the Conjunction of Persons though the Roman Laws forbid a Son to be the Successor of his Father's Punishment or to be marked with any Blot for his Father's Crime yet Halicurnassaeus observes that this very thing obtain'd not from the beginning but from that time in which Sp. Cassius was condemned of Tyranny Wherefore neither the Romans themselves thought that this Power descended from a certain perpetual and immutable Rule of Justice Whereas the Emperours Arcadius and Honorius would seem to grant Life to the Sons of them that had committed Treason not of the Necessity of the Law but of their Imperial Lenity when otherways as they themselves speak they ought to have perished by their Father's Punishment L. quisquis C. ad l. Jul. Majest This also may be added That it can be proved by Histories that the Death of Rebels was inflicted on their Children not only by Tiberius and Severus but also by Theodosius It must also be observed that in the same Law of Arcadius and Honorius Jus omne ab intestato aut ex Testamento cuiquam succedendiâ— all right of succeeding to any man by Testament or otherways is taken away from the Sons of Rebels that Infamy is branded upon them that they are not suffered to attain to Preferments or Corporations Afterwards it is added May they be such that unto them being oppressed with perpetual want Death may be a Comfort and Life a Punishment Exclusion from Preferments about the Children of them that had offended against the Commonwealth was a long time used by the Romans from the times of Sylla But that Sons should suffer want for the Crimes of their Parents Cicero says it is an ancient thing and of all Cities and namely he adds that the Children of Themistocles suffered want which are only therefore brought that it may appear that there was not that Consent of Nations which Socinus brings in himself and that the Romans themselves whose Equity was most conspicuous amongst all People did not regard that difference in punishment that Money may be made another man's but Corporal Punishment may not For neither the Poverty of Children or Infamy or their Exclusion from Preferment could be made the Poverty of Parents their Infamy or their Exclusion from Preferments except perchance by a certain Fiction which esteems the Father and Children as if they were one and the same man Also I wonder at that which Socinus pronounceth of the Fact of Zaleucus whose History is in Diodorus Siculus and Aelianus that he saith â—e hath a very ill report and his name is reckoned amongst headstrong and rash Princes and Judges of People verily all Antiquity both for wise Laws and also chiefly upon the account of that Fact commended Zaleucus as also it appears by these Writers that I mentioned and Plutarch and others and I think that no other ancient Writer judgeth otherways of that Fact The Sentence of Valerius Maximus is
the thing fignified by the figure in that in which the Comparison is made Neither did he remember that which the Scripture shews that those words All things are cleansed by blood belong the same way to Legal Sacrifices and to Christ Hebr. 9.22 But Legal Sacrifices did not at all beget such a Faith neither is that Exposition of the word tolerable that to expiate is to do something that is requisite for remission For on the contrary all these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the like which the Apostles use of their own nature and by perpetual use design not only a precedency of order but also a certain efficacy The Scripture also furnisheth us with other most certain Arguments for the overthrowing this Interpretation invented by Socinus For it saith there was need of a new Priest after the Order of Melchisedec Hebr. 7.11 But the Levitical Priests also could preach Faith in God yea and confirm this preaching by their Death Wherefore if the Priesthood of Christ doth nothing more which Socinus would have it follows there was no need of him Moreover this very thing that Christ died for our sins is believed unto salvation 1 Cor. 15.2,3 therefore the Expiation of Christ was not chiefly procured for this that it might bring a man to believe seeing it self is among things to be believed For that which serves only to gain credit to a thing it is necessary that it should be different from the thing to be believed Moreover after the implantation of Faith the Expiation of Christ hath effect in us For Christ is a High Priest appointed to expiate the sins of the people that is of Believers Hebr. 2.17 Therefore to expiate cannot be to bring to Faith But now that we may not only beat down the false Interpretation of Socinus but also prove the true one which is this That God is moved by the Death of Christ to forgive sins Observe that place to the Hebrews where Christ's blood of sprinkling is said to speak better than the blood of Abel The blood of Abel cried unto God for vengeance The blood of Christ cries for pardon Socinus denies that God is reconciled by Expiatory Sacrifices But the Writers above alledged by us testifie the contrary who use the word reconciling to express those Sacrifices Whence also that phrase came in the Epistle to the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 placare peccata to reconcile sins that is to expiate sins by reconciling God Socinus acknowledgeth no Satisfaction in Expiatory Sacrifices Whereas the very word expiating signifies no other thing but making satisfaction by punishment and in many places the Authors cited when they would periphrastically express Expiating they call it to give blood for blood life for life soul for soul to purchase a thing with blood to obtain salvation by the death of another Neither do the Hebrew words disagree from this for Chaphar is not only to cover but also to redeem Exod 21.30 Psalm 49.7 and to appease Gen. 32.20 and thence to expiate Hata is to suffer punishment Gen. 31.39 whence this also began to be used for signifying Expiation Now Expiation is attributed first to Sacrifices as appears Hebr. 9.13 and 23. therafter to the Priest for the Sacrifices that he offers as often in Leviticus and then to God admitting that Satisfaction But as the word Redeeming began to be used improperly for any Deliverance so also it began to be called Expiation for the like effect yea where no Satisfaction intervenes Psal 51.8 But Expiation is attributed unto Christ as unto a Sacrifice and therefore the word blood is added but blood in Sacrifices as before was proved is given instead of the soul of a sinner whence of necessity this word Expiation must be taken properly here Add unto these things that if that were true which Socinus would have That Expiation was made much more by the Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven than by Death and shedding of Blood because those are fitter to perswade us to believe than Death it self at least in some place of Scripture Expiation would have been attributed unto those acts which it did no where It is false that Socinus saith That expiation or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purification is attributed unto the manifestation of the Divine Will neither do the places alledged prove this For Hebr. 1.3 Christ is said to sustain all by his Word because all things are subject to his Dominion as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is found in the same sense chap. 11. verse 3. and Luke 5.5 and chap. 10. verse 26 and 29. The knowledge of the Truth and sanctification by Blood are not put for the same but many Benefits are joyned together that the Crime of an unthankful man may appear the more odious There is added sometimes unto Blood the mention of a Covenant but much more oftner of a Sacrifice wherefore that Interpretation is to be taken that may joyn them together But this will be if we look unto that part of the Covenant in which Christ engaged that if he underwent death it should come to pass that their sins should be forgiven them that believed in him and God promised the same as appears Isai 53.10 But that Christ is said to offer his blood in Heaven that is to shew his death to his Father and as it were to put God in remembrance thereof which is also read to make intercession for us these things take not away the Expiation that was compleated upon the Cross For the Expiation performed upon the Cross moves God to forgive and acquires us a right but under a certain Condition and Manner in which is comprehended Intercession on Christ's part and on our part true Faith as hath been explained when Satisfaction was discoursed of But Socinus manifestly contradicts the Scripture when he denies that Expiation was made before Christ went into Heaven For in many places Scripture attributes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redemption purification and sanctification and the putting away of sin to death and declares the same thing to be already performed an Oblation indeed was made in Heaven but so that Socinus should not have denied that title to the death that Christ suffered on Earth against the manifest words of Paul Eph. 5.2 where Christ is said to have delivered himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an offering for us The looking upon the coherence of the words is a sufficient refutation of his Interpretation In the same place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Offering and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrifice are joyned together And all the Books of Greek and Latin Authors declare That a Sacrifice is compleated when the thing to be sacrificed is put to death Whence it came to pass that mactare signifies both to sacrifice and also to kill any way the signification being extended from Sacrifices to other things Hence Ammonius distinguisheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Appellations of
and so it was observed in every Sacrifice no Sacrifice being otherways offered For which things it is said that the Beasts were brought that their lives might be offered for theirs Antonius the Hermite Epist 2. in which also the Father of Creatures being moved in his Bowels for our wound which could not be heled but by his goodness only sent his only Begotten to us that by our Bondage he might take the form of Bondage and deliver himself up for our sins And our very sins humbled him but by his stripes we all were healed Macarius Bishop of Jerusalem Lib. 2. Act. Concil Nicen. But he came a Saviour of all men and undertook for our sake in his own flesh the punishments that were due to our sins Athanasius concerning the Incarnation of the Word of God And because it was necessary that that which was due from all should at length be restored for it was due that all men should dye as I said before for which chiefly he came For this cause after his manifesting of his Divinity by his Works it remained that he should offer a Sacrifice for all having given the Temple of his own Body unto Death for all men that he might make all men unblameable and free from the ancient Transgression and might declare himself also to be more powerful than death having shewed his own body uncorruptible as a First-fruits of the Resurrection of all And presently For there was need of Death and there was need that Death should be for all that that which was due from all might be performed whence as I said before the Word because it was impossible that he should dye for he was Immortal took upon himself a Body that could dye that he might offer it as being his own instead of all men And that he suffering for all men by entring thereinto he might destroy him that had the power of Death that is the Devil and might deliver those that through fear of Death were subject to Bondage The Saviour of all men having died for us we that believe in Christ do not now dye the death as of old according to the threatning of the Law The same in the same place And by such a manner of death Salvation came to all men and all the Creation was redeemed this is the life of all And as a Sheep he gave his Body unto Death instead of all men for their Salvation The same upon the Passion and Cross of Christ But beholding the visibleness of the wickedness and that the Mortal Generation was not able to stand against Death nor able to suffer the punishment of their sins for the excessive greatness of the evil exceeded all punishment and seeing the goodness of his Father seeing also his own fitness and power For Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God he was moved with love to Mankind and pitying our weakness he cloathed himself therewith for he himself as saith the Prophet took our Infirmities and carried our Diseases and pitying our Mortality cloathed himself therewith for Paul saith He humbled himself unto death and that the death of the Cross and seeing the impossibility of our bearing the punishment took it upon himself For Christ became a Curse for us and so being compassed about and cloathed with Humane Nature by himself brought us to the Father that he himself suffering may make mans suffering to be without damage and may exchange small things for great Hilarius Pictaviensis on cap. 14. Matth. in the Hymn on the Epiphany Jesus hath forth shin'd The gracious Redeemer of all Mankind Blest John with fear doth shiver To dip him in the River Whose Blood is able to purge out The sins of all the world throughout Optatus Milevitanus concerning the Schism of the Donatists against Parmenianus lib. 3. When ye say redeem your souls whence bought ye them that ye may sell them Who is that Angel who makes a fair of souls which the Devil possessed before his coming Christ the Saviour redeemed these with his Blood according as the Apostle said Ye are bought with a price for it is evident that all men were redeemed by the Blood of Christ Victor Antiochenus on the fifteenth Chapter of Mark. And wherefore sayest thou was the Lord and Maker of all things made Man for our sakes and suffered so much reproach and so great punishments He was made like unto us and took our Miseries and our Crosses upon himself that he might raise up our Nature that was fallen down by sin and might again restore it unto its ancient degree of Dignity Therefore the Advantages that have redounded unto us by his Torments are very many for he paid our Debts for us he bore our sins he both lamented and sighed for our sake Cyrillus of Jerusalem Catechis 13. But he set free all that were kept in Bondage under sin and redeemed the whole World of Mankind And you need not wonder that the whole World was redeemed for he was not a meer man but the only begotten Son of God who died for them And verily the sin of one man Adam was effectual to bring death upon the World But if Death reigned over the World by the sin of one man how much more shall life reign by the Righteousness of one man And if then they were thrown out of Paradise for the Tree of Food verily now by the Tree of Jesus Believers shall more easily enter into Paradise If the first man that was formed of the Earth brought Death upon the World certainly it must needs be that he that formed him of the Earth being Life himself should bring Eternal Life If Phinehas being zealous against the Evil-doer caused the Anger of God to cease doth not Jesus who slew not another but delivered up himself the Price of our Redemption take away the Anger of God that was provoked against men Basilius Homil. on Psalm 48. One thing was found that was worthy of all together which was given for the price of the Redemption of our Souls the holy and precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ Gregor Nazianz. in the two and fortieth Oration which is the second on the Paschal Lamb. That great thing and unsacrificeable that I may so speak in respect of the first Nature was mingled with Legal Sacrifices and not for a small part of the World nor for a little time but for all the World and it eternized the Purification The same in the same place A few drops of Blood renew the Creation of the whole World and they have united and gathered all men into one Body And in the same Oration It is therefore requisite to search into the Matter and Doctrine which hath been neglected by many but by me hath been very diligently searched after For unto whom was that great and much celebrated Blood of God and the High-Priest and the Sacrifice poured forth and upon what account for we were kept in Bondange by that wicked one under sin and
should serve the Lord more diligently lest being offended he should deliver us back to that death from which he redeemed us For he bought us with a very dear price that he might give his blood for us The same on the same Ep. c. 11. We take the mystical Cup of the blood for the preservation of our body and soul because the blood of the Lord redeemed our blood that is made the whole man safe For the flesh of the Saviour was for the salvation of our body and the blood was shed for our souls The same on the second Epistle to the Corinthians cap. 5. Because he was offered for sins he is not without cause said to be made sin because the Sacrifice in the Law which was offered for sins was called sin that we might be the righteousness of God in him who knew no sin as Isaiah says Who did no sin neither was guile sound in his mouth He was slain as if he had been a sinner that sinners might be justified before God in Christ Epiphanius Hoeres 55. First he offered himself that he might abolish the Sacrifice of the Old Testament having offered a more perfect living Sacrifice for all the world himself being the Temple himself the Sacrifice himself the Priest himself the Altar himself God himself Man himself a King himself an High-Priest himself a Sheep himself a Lamb becoming all in all for our sake that he might become life to us in all respects and might procure the unchangeable establishment of his Priesthood Andraeas Caesariensis on Apoc. cap. 1. Honour saith he Glory and Dominion becometh him who being inflamed with burning love by his own Death deliverec us from the bonds of Death and by the pouring forth of his Life-giving blood and water washed us from the filth of sin and chose us for a Royal Priesthood Prudentius on Roman Mart. This is the Cross the Salvation of us all saith Romanus this is man's redemption Chrysostomus in his Preface on the Comment on Isaiah How great is the Clemency of God towards us He spared not a Son that he might spare a Servant He delivered up his only Begotten that he might redeem Servants that were altogether unthankful he payed the blood of his own Son for their price Hieronymus lib. 1. against the Pelagians And saith he when he would enter in let him offer a Calf for sin and a Ram for a Burnt-Sacrifice and let him take two Goats for the People let him offer one of them for his own sin and one for the sin of the People and a Ram for a Burnt-Sacrifice One of the two Goats takes all the sins of the People upon him for a Type of the Lord our Saviour and carries them away into the Wilderness and so God is reconciled to all the Multitude The same on Isaiah He was despised and not regarded when he was hanged on the Cross and being made a Curse for us bore our sins and spake to the Father My God why hast thou forsaken me Augustine concerning the Trinity lib. 13. cap. 14. What is the righteousness where-by the Devil was overcome What other but the righteousness of Jesus Christ and how was he overcome because when he found nothing in him worthy of Death yet he killed him And verily it is just that the Debtors whom he held should be sent away free believing in him whom he slew without any Debt For so was that innocent blood shed for the remission of our sins And presently He goes on afterwards to his Passion that he might pay that which he owed not for us the Debtors And in the next Chapter Then that blood because it was the blood of him that had no sin at all was shed for the remission of our sins that because the Devil kept those deservedly in bondage whom being guilty of sin he bound over to a condition of Death he might justly set these free by him whom being guilty of no sin he punished with Death without his deserving The strong man was overcome by this righteousness and tied with this bond that his Goods might be taken away that whilst they were in his possession were together with him and his Angels Vessels of Wrath and that they might be turned into Vessels of Mercy The same on John Tract 41. We are not reconciled but by the taking away of sin which is the Medium of Separation but the Mediator is the Reconciler Therefore that the Wall of Separation may be taken away the Mediator comes and the Priest himself is made a Sacrifice Lib. 7. de Civ Dei cap. 31. God sent his Word unto us who is his only Son by whose Birth and Sufferings for us in the Flesh that he took we might know how much God prized man and might be cleansed by that one Sacrifice from all our sins and Love being spread abroad in our hearts by his Spirit having overcome all Difficulties we might come to everlasting rest In his Declaration on Psalm 95. Men were held captive under the Devil and served Devils but they were redeemed from Captivity For they could sell themselves but they could not redeem themselves The Redeemer came and gave the price shed his blood and bought the world Ask ye what he bought See what he gave and find what he bought The blood is the price What is of so great worth What but the whole world What but all Nations They are very unthankful to their own price or they are very proud who say that either it was so small a price that it purchased only Africans or that they themselves were so great that it was given for them only Therefore they should not insult nor be puft up with pride he gave for the whole as much as he gave He knows what he bought because he knows for how much he bought it and how much he gave for it On Psalm 129. Our Priest received from us what he might offer for us for he received flesh from us In the flesh he was made an Expiation he was made a whole Burnt-Offering he was made a Sacrifice Lib. 4. against the two Epistles of the Pelagians But how say the Pelagians that Death only passed unto us by Adam For if we therefore dye because he died and he died because he sinned they say the punishment passeth unto us without the Fault and that the innocent Infants are punished by an unjust Judgment in being liable to Death without the merits of Death Which the Catholick Faith acknowledgeth of one only Mediator between God and Men the man Christ Jesus who condescended to undergo Death for us that is the punishment of sin without sin For as he only was made the Son of Man that through him we might be made the Sons of God So he undertook punishment for us without evil merits that we throught him might obtain grace without good merits Because as there was not any good due to us so neither was any evil due to him Lib. 14. against Faustus
pay such a price of Redemption Therefore it remained that the sinless God ought to dye for them that had sinned for this only way remained of deliverance from that Evil. What then he that brought every Nature out of nothing into being who was not in distress to find out a way of Deliverance he found out for them that were Condemned a most sure Life and a very honourable way of abolishing Death and he is born a Man of the Virgin after such a manner as he himself knows for speech cannot declare the wonderfulness thereof and he died in what he became and purchased Redemption by what he was according to the saying of Paul In whom we have Redemption by his Blood the remission of sins O glorious works he purchased Immortality for others for he himself was Immortal Leo concerning the Passion Serm. 12. What hope can they have in the safeguard of this Sacrament who deny the truth of Human Substance in the Body of our Saviour Let them tell by what Sacrifice they are reconciled by what Blood they are redeemed who is he that gave himself for us an Oblation and Sacrifice for a savour of sweet smell Or what Sacrifice was ever more holy than that which the true High-Priest laid upon the Altar of the Cross For though the Death of many Saints was precious in the sight of God yet the killing of no other Innocent person was the Propitiation of the World The Just receive Crowns but did not give them and from the Courage of the Faithful have arisen Examples of Patience but not Gifts of Righteousness for there were singular Debts in each one of them neither did any of them pay another man's Debt by his Death whereas it was only our Lord Jesus Christ that was found among the Sons of Men in whom all were crucified all died all were buried and also all were raised again Claudianus Mamertus concerning the State of the Soul lib. 2. Pictavus Hilarius in many of his high Disputations being somewhat different in his Opinion asserted these two things contrary to truth one of of which was this That he said nothing was created Incorporeal the other was this That he said Christ suffered no pain in his Passion whose Passion if it had not been true our Redemption also could not have been true Anastasius Sinaita Bishop of Antiochia concerning the Right Rules of the Catholick Faith lib. 4. concerning the Passion and impassible Deity of Christ His Blood was shed which was sufficient to redeem many Perhaps it would be better to say it was sufficient to redeem all for all are also many Procopius of Gaza on the 24th of Exod. Seeing Christ was by nature joyned to the Father if we are made partakers of him by the Spirit we will also by him be united to the Father coming into the Society of the Divine Nature Neither did they go up into the Mountain before they were crucified with the Blood of Christ who gave himself a price of Redemption for us offering his own Flesh as an unblameable Sacrifice to God and the Father Gregor M. lib. 3. Moral cap. 13. Another that was created for Paradise would proudly take upon him the similitude of Divine Power Nevertheless the Mediator paid for the fault of this Pride being himself without fault Hence it is that a certain wise man said to the Father because thou art just thou desposest all things justly also thou condemnest him that ought not to be punished But it must be considered how he can be just and dispose all things justly if he condemns him that ought not to be punished For our Mediator ought not to have been punished for himself because he had no contagion of sin But if he had not undertaken an undue Death he had never delivered us from a due Death Therefore the Father because he is just in punishing the just one he disposeth all things justly For hereby he justifies all in that he condemns him that is without sin for sinners Isychius on Levicic cap. 16. The Law made the Children of Israel liable to the Curse and to Death so that they had therefore a necessity of Expiation and the Sacrifice of the only begotten is slain for them principally but he is Sacrificed for all men so that Caiphas said It behoveth that one man should dye for the People and not the whole Nation perish And the Evangelist John confirming and also correcting what was said added But this he said not of himself but being High-Priest that year he prophesied that Christ was to dye for that Nation and not for that Nation only but that he should gather together into one the Sons of God that are scattered to wit the Gentiles Jesus was slain for Israel and he offered him for all Mankind to be an Expiation of our Uncleanness Antiochus in Exomologess Thy Word was discoloured with no sprinkling of sin at all whom thou sentest through the bowels of thy Mercy that he might call back his own handy-work into the way being made flesh he suffered himself for our sake to be crucified and abolished the Hand-writing that was against us being made a Propitiation for our sins Sophronius of Jerusalem Epist to Sergius Patriarch of Constantinople Christ condescended to dye for men and for their redemption shed his Divine Blood and laid down his Soul which was a Gift more Divine than all Dignity Elias Cretenses Christ was called Redemption because he set us at liberty that were sold under sin and gave himself as a price of Redemption for the Expiation of the whole World Nicephorus of Constantinople Epist to Leo 3. which is extant in Baronius Tom. 9. Annal. p. 587. Edit Mor. 2. I believe he was crucified not in that Substance wherein he shines with the Father though it is said the Lord of Glory was crucified but in our Earthly Nature in which he took upon him our Earthly Mass and was made a Curse for us that he might make us partakers of the Blessing that comes from him and he was content to suffer the Death of Malefactors according to the flesh that by suffering Death he might condemn the sting of Death in his flesh and might destroy him that had the Power of Death that is the Devil Mark the Hermite in his Book concerning them that think they are justified by Works Christ is Lord according to his Essence and Lord also according to Dispensation Because he made them that were not and hath redeemed them that died to sin by his own Blood and gave Grace to them that thus believed Theodorus Abucara Bishop of the Carians Disp 15. cap. 5. God in his just Judgment required all things of us that are written in the Law which because we were not able to pay therefore our Lord paid those things for us and freely took and received upon himself the Curse and Condemnation to which we were liable he himself suffered those things that we ought to have suffered The same in the