Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews

But it may be said, the God himself might design them to work out the Salvation and deliverance enquired after, as was before supposed. But this makes God, and not them to be the Saviour, and them only the Instruments in the Accomplishment of his work. Neither yet hath he done so, nor were they meet so to be employed. What ever is purely penal in the misery of man is an Effect of the Righteous Judgement of God. This, as we have manifested could be no otherwise diverted from him, but by the undergoing of it, by some other in his stead. And two things are required in him, or them that should so undergo it. First, That they were not themselves obnoxious unto it, either Personally, or upon the first common account: Should they be so, they ought to look to their own concernment in the first place. Secondly, that they were such, as that the Benefit of their Undergoing that Penalty, might according to the Rules of Justice redound unto them, for whom, and in whose stead they underwent it; otherwise they would suffer in vain. Now although the Angels might answer the first of these in their Personal immunity from obnoxiousness unto the Curse, yet the latter they were unsuited for. They had no Relation unto mankind, but only that they were the Workmanship of the same Creator. But this is not sufficient to warrant such a substitution. Had Angels been to be delivered, their Redemption must have been wrought in the Angelical Nature, as the Apostle declares, Heb. 2. v. 16. But what Justice is it that Man should sin, and Angels suffer? or from whence should it arise that from their suffering it should be Righteous, that he should go free? By what notions of God could we have been instructed in the Wisdom and Righteousness of such a Proceeding? Add hereunto, that this God hath not done, and we may safely conclude, that it became him not so to do.

But it may be said, the God himself might design them to work out the Salvation and deliverance enquired after, as was before supposed. But this makes God, and not them to be the Saviour, and them only the Instruments in the Accomplishment of his work. Neither yet hath he done so, nor were they meet so to be employed. What ever is purely poenall in the misery of man is an Effect of the Righteous Judgement of God. This, as we have manifested could be no otherwise diverted from him, but by the undergoing of it, by some other in his stead. And two things are required in him, or them that should so undergoe it. First, That they were not themselves obnoxious unto it, either Personally, or upon the first common account: Should they be so, they ought to look to their own concernment in the first place. Secondly, that they were such, as that the Benefit of their Ʋndergoing that Penalty, might according to the Rules of Justice redound unto them, for whom, and in whose stead they underwent it; otherwise they would suffer in vain. Now although the Angels might answer the first of these in their Personal immunity from obnoxiousness unto the Curse, yet the latter they were unsuited for. They had no Relation unto mankind, but only that they were the Workmanship of the same Creator. But this is not sufficient to warrant such a substitution. Had Angels been to be delivered, their Redemption must have been wrought in the Angelical Nature, as the Apostle declares,