Against this are divers exceptions of the Adversaries. As, 1. That the Law is satisfied either by doing that which is commanded, or by suffering the punishment which is threatened. Answ. It is true in respect of the penal Statutes of men, but not in respect of the Commandments of God, in which there is not only a penalty threatened, but a blessedness promised: if man had continued in his integrity, the Law might have been satisfied by obedience only; but being fallen into a state of disobedience, two things are necessarily required to the fulfilling of the Law, (i.e.) the bearing of the penalty, and the performing of the Command; the one to escape Hell, and the other to obtain Heaven. 2. They except that whosoever are freed from Hell, are also admitted to Heaven. Answ. The reason thereof is because Christ who did bear the punishment to free us from Hell, did also fulfil the Commands to bring us to Heaven; but howsoever these two benefits of Christ do always concur in the party justified, as the causes thereof concurred in Christ, who not only did both obey and suffer, but in obeying suffered, and in suffering obeyed; yet both the causes between themselves, and the effects between themselves, are carefully to be distinguished; for as it is one thing to obey the ⟨p. 205⟩Commandment, and another thing to suffer the punishment; so it is one thing to be freed from Hell by Christ his suffering the penalty, and another thing to be entitled to Heaven, by Christ his fulfilling the Commandments. 3. They except, that God is a most free Agent, and therefore he may if he will, justify men by the passive righteousness of Christ only, without fulfilling of the Law. Answ. What God may do, if he will, I will not dispute; but sure I am, that he justifieth men according to his will revealed in his Word; and there we find, that as we are justified from our sins by the Blood of Christ, so also we are made just by the active (though not only by the active) obedience of Christ; For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. And if when we were enemies, 1we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life: 2by his life which he lived before his death, and by his life which he lived, and doth live after his death;
Against this are divers exceptions of the Adversaries. As, 1. That the Law is satisfied either by doing that which is commanded, or by sufferring the punishment which is threatned. Answ. It is true in respect of the penal Statutes of men, but not in respect of the Commandments of God, in which there is not only a penalty threatned, but a blessedness promised: if man had continued in his integrity, the Law might have been satisfied by obedience only; but being fallen into a state of disobedience, two things are necessarily required to the fulfilling of the Law, (i.e.) the bearing of the penalty, and the performing of the Command; the one to escape Hell, and the other to obtain Heaven. 2. They except that whosoever are freed from Hell, are also admitted to Heaven. Answ. The reason thereof is because Christ who did bear the punishment to free us from Hell, did also fulfil the Commands to bring us to Heaven; but howsoever these two benefits of Christ do alwayes concur in the party justified, as the causes thereof concurred in Christ, who not only did both obey and suffer, but in obeying suffered, and in suffering obeyed; yet both the causes between themselves, and the effects between themselves, are carefully to be distinguished; for as it is one thing to obey the ⟨p. 205⟩Commandment, and another thing to suffer the punishment; so it is one thing to be freed from Hell by Christ his suffering the penalty, and another thing to be intitled to Heaven, by Christ his fulfilling the Commandments. 3. They except, that God is a most free Agent, and therefore he may if he will, justifie men by the passive righteousness of Christ only, without fulfilling of the Law. Answ. What God may do, if he will, I will not dispute; but sure I am, that he justifieth men according to his will revealed in his Word; and there we find, that as we are justified from our sins by the Blood of Christ, so also we are made just by the active (though not only by the active) obedience of Christ; For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. And if when we were enemies, 1we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life: 2by his life which he lived before his death, and by his life which he lived, and doth live after his death;
- 1Rom. 5.19.
- 2Rom. 5.10.
