Extracts from reputed orthodox writers. LUTHER (in his commentary on Gal. iii. 13.) says: Christ is innocent as concerning his own person, and therefore he ought not to have been hanged upon a tree: but because, according to the law of Moses, every thief and malefactor ought to be hanged, therefore Christ also, according to the law, ought to be hanged, for he sustained the person of a sinner and of a thief, not of one, but of all sinners and thieves.' Again, he says: And this (no doubt) all the prophets did foresee in spirit, that Christ should become the greatest transgressor, murderer, thief, rebel, and blasphemer, that ever was or could be in all the world. For he being made a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, is not now an innocent person and without sins, is not now the Son of God born of the virgin mary; but a sinner.' Again, he says: When the law, therefore, found him among thieves it condemned and killed him as a thiet. Again, he represents God as saying to Christ: Be thou the person which hath committed the sins of all men: see, Extracts from the sacred scrip tures, with remarks. Gen. xviii. 23, 25. Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?-That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: shall not the judge of all the earth do right?' Exod. xxiii. 7. The innocent and righteous slay thou not.' God's command to the Judges of Israel, Deut. xxv. 1. was that they should Justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.' Job viii. 3. Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?' Chap. xxxiv. 12. Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.' Prov. xvii. 15. He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord.' Ezek. xviii. 20. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.' Heb. vii. 26. Such an high therefore that thou pay and satisfy for them.' Then he adds: 'Here now cometh the law, and saith, I find him a sinner, and that such a one as hath taken upon him the sins of all men, and I see no sins else but in him; therefore let him die upon the cross: and so he setteth upon him and killeth him.' stances which took place at the time, said, Chap. xxiii. 47. Certainly this was a righteous man.' The Apostles testified to the Jews, Acts iii. 14. that they had ' denied the holy one and the just:' and Chap. vii. 52. the martyr Stephen told them that they had been his betrayers and murderers.' Let the reader judge then whether Jesus died a guilty person and a sinner, as Luther has represented; or whether it was possible for him to die by the hand of justice and at the same time be murdered. hath these words: That in his soul he [Christ] suffered the torments of a damned and forsaken man.' Again, C. 15. § 6. he speaks of Christ's bearing the person of a priest: 'To make the Father favorable and merciful unto us.' Of God's " 'appeasing himself through the blood of the cross.' § 4. He saith: That the burden of damnation, from which we were delivered, was laid upon Christ.' B. 3. C. 4. § 26. There is no other satisfaction by which God, being displeased, may be made favorable and appeased.' are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.' These passages show that nothing ever was necessary to be done to make God well-willing, favorable, and merciful to sinners, as Calvin supposed; for it appears that he always was so, without any external induce ment. 'Christ died to reconcile the Father to us, and that he might be a true sacrifice for the guilt not only of original sin, but also for all the actual sins of men.' Augsburg Confession. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.' Rom. v. 10. This passage shows that it was not God, but men, who were reconciled by the death of Christ. God is not only supremely merciful, but supremely just. But his justice requires that our sins, being committed against his infinite majesty, must be punished not only with temporal, but with eternal pains, both of body and mind; which pains we For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.' Luke xxii. 33 What was foretold concerning the sufferings of Christ had cannot escape till the justice of its accomplishment, and termi- God be satisfied. But when we could not make satisfaction, Ġod gave his only begotten Son to satisfy for us: and he was made sin and a curse upon the cross in our stead.' Synod of Dort. nated in a few hours: but how could eternal pains, both of body and mind, be endured, and brought to a termination, in the short space of a few hours? "We are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine.' 'The offering of Christ once made, is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin, but that alone.' Articles of the Church of England. 'Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God. Ye see then how that by works, a man is justified, and not by faith only.' James ii. 21-24. Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth: not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins and accepting their persons as righteous: not for any thing wrought in them, or 'Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that done by then, but for Christ's sake alone: not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience, to them as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them.' 'Christ by his obedience, did fully discharge the debt, of all those who are thus justified, and did make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to his Father's justice in their behalf.' Confession of Faith of the Kirk of Scotland. P. FLAVEL, in his Fountain of life opened, has the following passages. Quarto edit. p. 46. To wrath, to the wrath of an infinite God without mixture, to the very torments of hell, was Christ delivered, and that by the hand of his own Father.' 119. 'God stood upon full satisfaction, and would not remit one sin without it.' P. 129. It was necessary the sacrifice of Christ should be answerable to the debt we owed.' P. 132. The design and end of this oblation was to atone, pacify, and reconcile God by giving him a full and adequate compensation or sa Exod. xxxiv. 5, 6, 7. And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, the LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression and sin.'. Is this the character of a being who will not remit one sin without full satisfaction? Is this the Father, who, with his own hand delivered up his most holy and obedient child to the very ter |