The Fountain of Life Opened

Consider that Christs suffering as to the substance of it, it was no more than what the Law required. For neither the justice, nor love of the Father would permit, that Christ should suffer more, than what was necessary for him to bear, as our surety: but as to the circumstances, the person of the sufferer, the cause and efficacy of his sufferings, &c. it was much more than sufficient. A super legal meritum, a merit above and beyond what the Law required. For though the Law required the death of the sinner, who is but a poor contemptible creature; it did not require that one perfectly innocent should die. It did not require that God should shed his blood. It did not require blood of such value, and worth as this was. I say none of this the Law required, though God was pleased for the advancement and manifestation of his Justice and Mercy in the highest,¹ to admit and order this, by way of commutation; admitting him to be our [Greek or Hebrew] or ransomer by dying for us. And indeed it was a most gracious relaxation of the Law, that admitted of such a commutation as this: for hereby it comes to pass, that Justice is fully satisfied, and yet we live and are saved; which before was a thing that could not be imagined. Yea, now we are not only redeemed from wrath by the adequate compensation made for our sins by Christs blood and sufferings substantially considered, but to a most glorious inheritance purchased by his blood,² considered as the blood of an Innocent; as the blood of God, and therefore as most excellent and efficacious blood, above what the Law demanded. And this is the meaning of Athanasius, when he saith that Christ recompensed or made amends for small things, with great. He means not that sin considered absolutely, and in it self is small;³ O no, but compared with Christs blood, and the infinite excellency and worth of it, it is so. And Chrysostom, to the same purpose, Christ paid much more (saith he) than we owed, and so much more, as the immense Ocean, is more than a small drop. So that it was rightly determined by holy Anselm, no man saith he can pay to God what he owes him; Christ only paid more than he owed him. And by this you see how rich a ⟨p. 183⟩