What, I pray you, had Christ done for us, if we would still be compelled §30to suffer pain for sins? For when we say that he did bear all our sins in his body upon the tree,1 we mean nothing else there by but that he suffered all the pain and punishment that was due to our sins.2 And the same hath Isaiah more lively declared where he saith: y• chastisement (or correction) of our peace, was upon him. What is the correction of our peace but the pain due to sin? & which we should have suffered before that we could be reconciled to God, unless that he had ⟨image 227⟩entered into our stead? Lo, thou seest plainly, that Christ suffered the pains of sins,3 to deliver them that be his from them. And so oft as Paul maketh mention of the redemption performed by Christ, he useth to call it in Greek Apolutrosin, whereby he meaneth not only redemption, as it is commonly taken, but the very price and satisfaction of redemption. After which manner he writeth, that Christ gave him self An•ilutron, a price of ransom for us. What propitiation is there with the Lord (saith Augustine) but sacrifice? And what sacrifice is there, but that which is offered for us in the death of Christ? But that which is appointed in the law of Moses for cleansing the offences of sins, ministereth us a strong battle ram. For the lord doth not there appoint this or that manner of satisfying, but requireth the whole recompense in sacrifices. Whereas yet in other things, he doth most diligently and in most exact order set out all the ceremonies of expiation. Now cometh it to pass, that he commandeth to recompense faults committed, with not works at all, but requireth only sacrifices for satisfaction: but because his will is so to declare, that there is only one kind of satisfaction, whereby his judgement is appeased? For the sacrifices that the Israelites did then offer, were not weighed by the work of men, but were esteemed by their truth, that is to say, by the only sacrifice of Christ. But what manner of recompense the Lord receiveth of us,4 O see hath very well expressed in few words. Thou shalt (saith he) take away iniquity, O God. Lo, here is forgiveness of sins. And we shall pay thee calves of our lips: Lo, here is satisfaction. I know that they yet do subtly slip away, when they make distinction between everlasting pain, and temporal pains.
What, I praye you, had Christ done for vs, if we would still be cō pelled §30to suffer peine for sinnes? For when we saye that he dyd beare all our sinnes in his bodye vpon the tree,1 we meane nothing els ther by but that he suffred all the peyne and punishment that was due to our sinnes.2 And the same hath Esaye more liuely declared where he sayth: y• chastisemēt (or correctiō) of our peace, was vpō him. What is the correctiō of our peace but ye peine due to sinne? & which we shold have suffred before that we could be recōciled to God, vnless yt he had ⟨image 227⟩entred into our stede? Loe, thou seest plainely, that Christ suffred the peynes of sinnes,3 to deliuer them that be his from them. And so oft as Paule maketh mention of the redemption performed by Christ, he vseth to cal it in Greke Apolutrosin, whereby he meaneth not only redemption, as it is cōmonly taken, but the very price and satisfaction of redemption. After whiche manner he wryteth, that Christ gaue him self An•ilutron, a price of raunsome for vs. What propitiatiō is there with the Lord (sayth Augustine) but sacrifice? And what sacrifice is there, but that which is offred for vs in the death of Christ? But that whiche is apointed in the law of Moses for cleansing the offenses of sinnes, ministreth vs a strong battel rāme. For the lord doth not there apoint this or that manner of satisfieng, but requireth the whole recompense in sacrifices. Whereas yet in other thinges, he doth moste diligently and in most exact order set out all the ceremonies of expiation. Now commeth it to passe, that he commaundeth to recompense faultes cōmitted, with not workes at all, but requireth only sacrifices for satisfaction: but bicause his will is so to declare, that there is only one kinde of satisfaction, wherby his iudgement is appeased? For the sacrifices that the Israelites did then offer, were not weyed by the worke of men, but were estemed by their truthe, that is to say, by the only sacrifice of Christ. But what manner of recompense the Lord receyueth of vs,4 O see hath very well expressed in fewe wordes. Thou shalt (sayth he) take away iniquitie, O God. Loe, here is forgeuenesse of sinnes. And we shal paye thee calues of our lippes: Loe, here is satisfaction. I knowe that they yet do suttelly slippe awaye, when they make distinction betwene euerlastyng peyne, and temporall peines.
- 1i. Pet. ij.xxiii•.
- 2Esa. liij.v.
- 3Rom. iii.xxiiij. i. Cor i.xxx. Eph. i.vij Col. i.xiiij i. Tim. ij.vi.
- 4Os•e, xii•.iij.
