The Fountain of Life Opened

Secondly, And if you enquire why this reconciliation was made §2by the death of Christ, rather than any other way. Satisfaction is at hand in these two answers.

First, That we can imagine no other way by which it could be compassed. And

Secondly, If God could have Reconciled us as much by another way, yet he could not have Obliged us so much by doing it in another way, as he hath by doing it this way. Surely none but he that was God manifest in our flesh, could offer a sacrifice of sufficient value to make God amends for the wrong done him by one sin, much less for all the sins of the Elect. And how God should (especially after a peremptory threatening of death for sin) readmit us into favour without full satisfaction, cannot be imagined. He is indeed inclined to acts of mercy, but none must suppose him to exercise one attribute, in prejudice to another. That his Justice must be Eclipsed, whilst his mercy shines. But allow the infinite wisdom could have found out another means of reconciling us as much, can you imagine that in any other way he could oblige us as much, as he hath done by reconciling us to himself by the death of his own Son? It cannot be thought possible. This therefore was the most effectual just, honourable and obliging way to make up the peace betwixt him and us.

Secondly, If God could have Reconciled us as much by another way, yet he could not have Obliged us so much by doing it in another way, as he hath by doing it this way. Surely none but he that was God manifest in our flesh, could offer a sacrifice of sufficient value to make God amends for the wrong done him by one sin, much less for all the sins of the Elect. And how God should (especially after a peremptory threatening of death for sin) readmit us into favour without full satisfaction, cannot be imagined. He is indeed inclin'd to acts of mercy, but none must suppose him to exercise one attribute, in prejudice to another. That his Iustice must be Eclipsed, whilst his mercy shines. But allow the infinite wisdom could have found out another means of reconciling us as much, can you imagine that in any other way he could oblige us as much, as he hath done by reconciling us to himself by the death of his own Son? It cannot be thought possible. This therefore was the most effectual just, honourable and obliging way to make up the peace betwixt him and us.