obedience would be exacted; and he could not dispatch or end either, nor perform both together. If the obedience that is set him might be ended, or if both could be performed together, he might satisfy; but the law exacts both for ever of us. And therefore the psalmist makes the redemption of the soul too precious for any creature to meddle with, Ps. xlix. 8, giving this reason why a man cannot redeem his brother; so precious is the redemption of a soul, and it ceaseth for ever;' that is, it shall never be accomplished; so the phrase is taken elsewhere. The work is so precious, as it requireth eternity to do it in. So that that which the best of creatures should do, or suffer for us in any finite term of time, would not satisfy for what was due from us to eternity, but it doth require yet a further and infinite worth in the obedience to be added to supply that eternity, and it is an utter impossibility to perform both together for ever. Look, as it is impossible to serve two masters, but that a man must lean to the one, and neglect the other,' Mat. vi. 24, so it is impossible for the creature to carry along both these obediences together. For when he were obeying the whole law, how could he at the same suffer? And when he were suffering, how could he obey the whole law? All the graces then exercised would have been only patience, and all little enough to afford him that; there would have been no room for the exercise of other graces. And as God calls us not to do and suffer at the same time, for both cannot stand together, so neither could any creature do and suffer at the same time for us. If indeed he could first despatch the active part, and then encounter the torments due unto us, and despatch them also, then there might be hope; but this he cannot; and to perform both to eternity is impossible.

6

But yet by making as free and large concessions as are imaginable, further to shew the impossibility of it, suppose that passive obedience and suffering for us would stand for both debts; and suppose also, that if their lives went for ours, they then might satisfy as well as we can, seeing theirs are as good as ours; and therefore, if eternal death in us be a satisfaction to God's justice (which if it be not so, God then loseth by sin, and then he would not have let it come into the world), then it might be so in them for us, and we be freed, yet consider the inconveniences that will follow:

1. They must always be satisfying, and it could never be said, 'It is finished.' They must lie by it till they have paid the uttermost farthing, which they can never do, no more than we ourselves can; and so they could not take away sins from us, for we could not have an acquittance till the debt were paid, we could not be justified till our surety were acquitted. Therefore, if Christ had not risen,' says Paul, we had yet been in our sins,' 1 Cor. xv. 17. And therefore the psalmist says, of the redemption of the soul by any creature, Ps. xlix. 8, it ceaseth for ever,' that is, shall never be accomplished, but shall always be a-doing, and never ended, and so, we never be the better, nor the nearer having our bonds cancelled. And this is the reason why sacrifices were rejected, even because every year they were still forced to offer them: Heb. x. 1-4, .For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect: ver. 2, For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have no more conscience of sins;' ver. 3, 'But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year; ver. 4, For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.' And, ver. 11, it is said, that they stood daily offering the same sacrifices.'

2dly. Suppose yet further, that God, to whom eternity is but as one instant, should give us in our bond, when the other had entered in his, because though it be to eternity a-paying, yet to him it were as good as paid in hand presently. Suppose this, yet notwithstanding, one just man or angel could satisfy but for one of us. Life could go but for life, and a tooth for a tooth,' as the law runs; and so he must sacrifice as many creatures as good as we are for ever, as he meant to save of us men. That one creature's obedience would not, as Adam's righteousness, have extended to many, for that was a favour, but this a debt. And we cannot pay many bonds with one sum which is due for one; for every one is a distinct debt and obligation.

3dly. If we grant all this, yet what creature would have had so much love in it towards us as willingly to sacrifice itself for us? Which it must fully do, or else it cannot be satisfaction; for satisfactio est redditio voluntaria, says the school. The apostle, Rom. v. 7, says, that 'peradventure for a good man some would dare to die.' Mark it, he makes a peradventure of it, and it must be for a good man;' that is, one profitable to him, as they expound it; and seeing death is polega polegúrarov, he must be very hardy and daring that would do it. But to encounter God's wrath, who dares do it? Jer. xxx. 21, ' And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the Lord.' The prophet there making a promise of Christ to be a mediator, and one that should be able to draw nigh to God, he gives this reason, For who is there that engageth his heart to draw nigh to me?' As if he had said, none else durst have stepped in, to encounter me for you; especially, not for enemies both to God and themselves. There is need of a mediator to reconcile us and the angels, as that place in the Eph. i. 10 may seem to imply, where the apostle says, that God made known unto us the mystery of his will, that he might gather together in one all things in Christ, which are in heaven and earth :' making us, as friends to himself, so one to another; and if so, then antecedently, they could not be the reconcilers. And further, the holier they were, the less must they needs love us; and so not of themselves would they ever undertake such work for us.

4thly. Suppose yet further, that any had so much love, or would have been so hardy to venture, as with Paul to wish they may be accursed; yet if they were in hell but half an hour, they would repent themselves, and wish themselves out again, and so it had been spoiled for ever being satisfaction, which must throughout be voluntary, as our disobedience was. And therefore God would not trust to their help in so weighty a business, wherein his own will was so engaged. It is said in Job iv. 18, Behold he puts no trust in his servants.' Which though he might in ordinary works of obedience, yet he will never rely on them for so great a matter. He finds folly even in the angels, they are mutable. He trusted one man once for all, only in matter of obedience to his law, which was easy and sweet to him; but see how he failed and left all, and that upon no great or strong temptation. He therefore will never hazard the second Adam to be a mere creature in a matter of punishment, which that he may be willing to undergo, he must be fed with some delight or hopes of ease. No; he will make sure work now.

5thly and lastly. Suppose any creature had been so full of excellency, as that the sufferings of it alone could have been satisfactory for all that God

meant to save, and according to the supposition formerly made, that he having more grace than all mankind, and so, being made heir to more glory than all mankind besides, would have been content to lay all aside, and to have subjected himself for ever to undergo all our punishments; yet considering all this must have been done by him, in obedience unto God, and for his sake (for otherwise it could not have been accepted, in that satisfaction for another must be voluntary on both parts, both on his that undertakes it, and also by the consent and acceptation of him that is wronged), if the case had thus stood, then this inconvenience would have followed, that a creature should have been obedient unto God, yea, and performed the highest obedience unto God, whom yet God never should have had an opportunity to reward, because he was to be in hell for ever. And God will never be so behind-hand with any creature that shall do him service, much more so great a service as this would be.

CHAPTER V.

That no creatures could make that satisfaction which an injured God required.— They cannot compensate the wrong done to him by sin, nor repair the loss of his honour.

We have seen what satisfaction the law requires, and how far the creature would fall short of that. Let us, secondly, now see what satisfaction God requires. And although re ipsa, in the thing itself, it comes all to one to satisfy God and to satisfy his law, and both these heads be really coincident, yet our understandings may take a distinct consideration from each, which will serve the better to clear this point.

Now to make way for the demonstrations I intend, let us define in general what satisfaction is, and wherein it is to be made.

Satisfaction in general is, when so much clear emolument ariseth to the party wronged, as was impaired by the trespass committed. Now all such damages to be repaired do usually consist either in goods or honour; and satisfaction for goods is usually called restitution, but satisfaction for honour is it which is more properly called satisfaction.

Now we may consider a wrong done to God both these ways, and an answerable satisfaction requisite.

First, For that of goods; though it be a thing which God doth not much reckon, yet something is considerable about it; and therefore the prodigal's wild course is expressed and aggravated by this, that he spent his father's ' goods and substance in riotous living,' Luke xv. 13. Therefore also God compares himself to a householder, who commits goods and talents unto his servants, to be by them improved, Mat. xxv. 14, and who, when he reckons with them, doth count up their waste and expense thereof upon their lusts; and therefore they are said to consume them upon their lusts,' James iv. 3, that is, so to engross them to themselves, and as it were consume them, that God gets nothing by the things which he hath made. By reason of sin he hath no profit by those creatures which sinners have committed to them, and the world becomes loss unto him. And though God stands not much upon this (as neither will I stand long upon the handling of it), yet this much is soon demonstrated, that no creatures were ever able to make satisfaction for losses of this kind: they

are not able (as Esther said in another case) to make good, or 'countervail the king's loss,' Est. vii. 4.

Now, to instance in some particulars:

1. Sin by a forfeiture had quite destroyed this world, if Christ had not upheld it. And can all the graces in the creatures make another, or uphold this from falling? Surely no.

2. It blotted grace out of the heart of man; and can the power of all the creatures make one dram of grace? Yea, could we so much as have lighted our candles, that were blown out, at their tapers? Surely no. 3. By sinners the law was destroyed also: Ps. cxix. 126, They have destroyed thy law.' Now, if you would set a price upon the law, one tittle of it is more worth than heaven and earth.

6

4. Through sin was much service due unto God lost. For that we may reckon amongst goods, as a master doth the service of an apprentice. Although all sinners should presently cease to offend God any more, yet still God hath lost so much service from them for the time past. Now all mere creatures being God's servants, and owing all their endeavours and services unto him for themselves, no one of them therefore can do two men's work, because they owe all they can do for themselves, and so they can never repay that loss of service past. God did hire mankind into his vineyard for all eternity; and though we could suppose they had not committed any positive sin, yet if God had but only lost so much service from them, and the sin of that neglect had annihilated them (and it doth as good as annihilate them to God, and therefore he accounts and calls them lost; as the 'lost sheep,' the lost son,' &c.), and then, if God had come to have entered into terms with any mere creature for these losses, and should have said, Give me but the creatures you have spoiled, make me a new world, for your sin hath spoiled this, and subjected it to vanity;' had any of them power to have done it? Surely no. When God would confute Job's contending with him, he doth but ask him, whether he could make the least creature, yea, or being made, command it: Thou!' (says God) 'where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?' Job xxxviii. 4. 'Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days, or caused the dayspring to know its place?' ver. 12. 'Out of whose womb came the ice?' ver. 29.' Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds' (and bid them rain), 'that abundance of waters may cover thee? Canst thou send lightnings that may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?' ver. 34, 35. And though thou canst do none of all this, yet dost thou contend with me? Let me see' (says God) what thou canst do,' Job xl. 7, 8, 9. If thou couldst make or command the least creature, then I will confess to thee that thine own right hand can save thee,' ver. 14. Can all the angels in heaven (as powerful as they are) make one hair of thy head? Can they set ordinances in heaven? Job xxxviii. 33. The philosophers feigned them to be but the movers of those wheels and orbs, not the founders of them. They cannot set the clock, much less make it. And can they make grace, or can they make the law whole again, which sin had broken?

But the truth is, that herein God expected not, nor is he capable of any satisfaction or restitution of goods, for none can be profitable to him,' Job xxii. 2, 3. When that formalist thought to oblige God by sacrifices; 'If I were hungry' (says God), would I tell it thee?' Ps. 1. 12. • The world is God's, and the fulness thereof,' says the apostle, 1 Cor. x. 26. And again, Who hath given to him, and he shall be recompensed?' Rom. xi. 35. No; it is glory only that the creature is capable to give him. So

6

it follows there in Ps. 1. 15, Thou shalt glorify me.' God is not as a king, whose tribute lies as well in goods as in honour; but all the tribute he expecteth or exacteth from the creature consists in honour, for that is the end of all his works. He made all things for his glory; I formed it,' says he in the prophet, for my glory,' Isa. xliii. 7. Of whom, and to whom, are all things, to whom be glory for ever,' says the apostle, Rom. xi. 36. And herein also, though it be most true that the creature can contribute nothing to God's essential glory, yet to his manifestative glory it may, and doth; at least the creature may take from it, as by sin it doth. And the reason is, because this kind of glory is revealed in and by creatures. Now it is in this that God expects satisfaction, and that this satisfaction in point of honour does much more infinitely transcend the power of any creature, is the thing which I am now to demonstrate.

Let us therefore in like manner come to the particulars wherein God's honour suffers by sin, and shew how irrecompensable the injury therein is by creatures.

1. If it were no more than to satisfy for that tribute of honour left behind-hand unpaid, for the neglect of that homage due to God, and which is to come in by our service of him, what a quarrel must it needs breed, not to be composed or taken up by any creature! You know, kings that have homage due to them from other kings, their equals, though the tribute itself, or thing to be paid, be small, yet if it be neglected, what wars and stirs hath it bred, merely because it is a matter of honour neglected! Hence also the neglect of paying a small acknowledgment (suppose a pepper-corn, or the like), or of doing some petty service yearly, do ofttimes forfeit great estates, because they are acknowledgments of honour to the lord of whom the tenants hold; and so being omitted, they are neglects of an honour that is due. Now, the like slight being offered towards God, how great a wrong doth he account it; if no more, yet because there is a neglect of his honour in it! If indeed the terms of our service between God and us did stand upon free mutual conditions of bargain, as when freemen are hired, and work only for wages, who if they neglect a day's work, it is but calling in so much of their wages, and they are even again with him that hired them; if it were thus between God and us, the matter were easier to be reconciled; but it carries a dishonour with it, such as are those neglects of service to a great prince, which service is not due by any bargain for wages, but out of subjection, or as to a lord by way of knight-service, not out of love only and liberty, but out of respect and homage. God is desirous of nothing but honour from you, and all the honour the creatures can give him is too little for him; it satisfies not, neither answers to his vast desires of being glorified, nor to the dues of his most glorious excellency. And therefore if any be behind-hand unpaid by any of his creatures, it is a loss by creatures irreparable, for they render no overplus to make it up, and he cannot but account it so much loss to him; and should they now do what they can, still God would want of his due.

2. Satisfaction is to be made for honour debased also; for sin casts a soil of disgrace and debasement upon the honour which God hath, and goes about to despoil and rob him of it. It is said, Rom. ii. 23, 'In breaking the law thou dishonourest God; there is a dishonour cast upon him by it, yea, it toucheth upon the height of his honour; which will appear,

(1.) In that every law of his is backed with his prerogative, and is a