Section 2
I now proceed to some general observations, concerning those things by which this purchase was made. And here,
1. I would observe, that whatever in Christ had the nature of satisfaction, it was by virtue of the suffering or humiliation that was in it. But whatever had the nature of merit, it was by virtue of the obedience or righteousness there was in it. The satisfaction of Christ consists in his answering the demands of law on man, which were consequent on the breach of the law. These were answered by suffering the penalty of the law. The merit of Christ consists in what he did to answer the demands of the law, which were prior to man's breach of the law, or to fulfill what the law demanded before man sinned, which was obedience.
The satisfaction or propitiation of Christ consists either in his suffering evil, or his being subject to abasement. For Christ did not only make satisfaction by proper suffering, but by whatever had the nature of humiliation, and abasement of circumstances. Thus Christ made satisfaction for sin, by continuing under the power of death, while he lay buried in the grave, though neither his body nor soul properly endured any suffering after he was dead. Whatever Christ was subject to that was the judicial fruit of sin, had the nature of satisfaction for sin. But not only proper suffering, but all abasement and depression of the state and circumstances of mankind below its primitive honor and dignity, such as his body's remaining under death, and body and soul remaining separate, and other things that might be mentioned, are the judicial fruits of sin. And all that Christ did in his state of humiliation, that had the nature of obedience or moral virtue or goodness in it, in one respect or another had the nature of merit in it, and was part of the price with which he purchased happiness for the elect.
2. I would observe, that both Christ's satisfaction for sin, and also his meriting happiness by his righteousness, were carried on through the whole time of his humiliation. Christ's satisfaction for sin was not only by his last sufferings, though it was principally by them; but all his sufferings, and all the humiliation that he was subject to from the first moment of his incarnation to his resurrection, were propitiatory or satisfactory. Christ's satisfaction was chiefly by his death, because his sufferings and humiliation in that was greatest. But all his other sufferings, and all his other humiliation, all along had the nature of satisfaction. So had the mean circumstances in which he was born. His being born in such a low condition, was to make satisfaction for sin. His being born of a poor virgin, in a stable, and his being laid in a manger; his taking the human nature upon him in its low state and under those infirmities brought upon it by the fall; his being born in the form of sinful flesh, had the nature of satisfaction. And so all his sufferings in his infancy and childhood, and all that labor, and contempt, and reproach, and temptation, and difficulty of any kind, or that he suffered through the whole course of his life, was of a propitiatory and satisfactory nature.
And so his purchase of happiness by his righteousness was also carried on through the whole time of his humiliation till his resurrection; not only in that obedience he performed through the course of his life, but also in the obedience he performed in laying down his life.
3. It was by the same things that Christ has satisfied God's justice, and also purchased eternal happiness. This satisfaction and purchase of Christ were not only both carried on through the whole time of Christ's humiliation, but they were both carried on by the same things. He did not make satisfaction by some things that he did, and then work out a righteousness by other different things; but in the same acts by which he worked out righteousness, he also made satisfaction, but only taken in a different relation. One and the same act of Christ, considered with respect to the obedience there was in it, was part of his righteousness, and purchased heaven: but considered with respect to the self-denial, and difficulty, and humiliation, with which he performed it, had the nature of satisfaction for sin, and procured our pardon. Thus his going about doing good, preaching the gospel, and teaching his disciples, was a part of his righteousness, and purchase of heaven, as it was done in obedience to the Father; and the same was part of his satisfaction, as he did it with great labor, trouble, and weariness, and under great temptations, exposing himself hereby to reproach and contempt. So his laying down his life had the nature of satisfaction to God's offended justice, considered as his bearing our punishment in our stead: but considered as an act of obedience to God, who had given him this command, that he should lay down his life for sinners, it was a part of his righteousness, and purchase of heaven, and as much the principal part of his righteousness as it was the principal part of his satisfaction. And so to instance in his circumcision, what he suffered in that, had the nature of satisfaction: the blood that was shed in his circumcision was propitiatory blood; but as it was a conformity to the law of Moses, it was part of his meritorious righteousness. Though it was not properly the act of his human nature, he being an infant; yet it being what the human nature was the subject of, and being the act of that person, it was accepted as an act of his obedience, as our mediator.
And so even his being born in such a low condition, had the nature of satisfaction, by reason of the humiliation that was in it, and also of righteousness, as it was the act of his person in obedience to the Father, and what the human nature was the subject of, and what the will of the human nature did acquiesce in. Though there was no act of the will of the human nature prior to it.
These things may suffice to have observed in the general concerning the purchase Christ made of redemption.
I now proceed to some general observations about the things by which this purchase was made.
1. Whatever in Christ had the nature of satisfaction did so by virtue of the suffering or humiliation contained in it. And whatever had the nature of merit did so by virtue of the obedience or righteousness in it. Christ's satisfaction consists in His answering the demands of the law upon man that arose as a result of man's breaking the law. These demands were answered by bearing the law's penalty. Christ's merit consists in what He did to fulfill the demands of the law that existed before man broke it — the demand for obedience.
Christ's satisfaction consists either in His suffering or in His submission to humiliation. For Christ made satisfaction not only through literal suffering but through whatever partook of the nature of humiliation and lowered circumstances. Thus Christ made satisfaction for sin by remaining under the power of death while His body lay in the grave — even though neither His body nor soul endured any suffering after death. Whatever Christ was subject to that was a judicial consequence of sin had the nature of satisfaction for sin. And not only literal suffering, but all lowering and depression of the human state below its original honor and dignity — such as His body remaining under death, body and soul remaining separated, and similar things — are judicial consequences of sin. Everything Christ did in His state of humiliation that had the nature of obedience, moral virtue, or goodness was in some respect meritorious — it was part of the price by which He purchased happiness for the elect.
2. Both Christ's satisfaction for sin and His meriting happiness through His righteousness were carried on throughout the entire period of His humiliation. Christ's satisfaction for sin was not accomplished only through His final sufferings — though those were the principal means. All His sufferings and all the humiliation He endured from the first moment of His incarnation to His resurrection were propitiatory and satisfactory in nature. His satisfaction was chiefly through His death because His suffering and humiliation there were greatest. But all His other sufferings and all His other humiliations throughout His life were also satisfactory in nature. This includes the humble circumstances into which He was born. His being born in such a lowly condition was part of making satisfaction for sin. His being born of a poor virgin in a stable, being laid in a manger, taking on human nature in its weakened condition under the effects of the fall, being born in the form of sinful flesh — all of this had the nature of satisfaction. So too did all His sufferings in infancy and childhood, all the labor, contempt, rejection, temptation, and hardship of any kind throughout His entire life — all of it was propitiatory and satisfactory.
And His purchase of happiness through His righteousness was likewise carried on throughout the entire period of His humiliation until His resurrection — not only through the obedience He performed throughout the course of His life, but also through the obedience He performed in laying down His life.
3. Christ both satisfied God's justice and purchased eternal happiness through the same acts. These two things — His satisfaction and His meriting — were not only both carried on throughout His humiliation, they were accomplished through the very same things. He did not make satisfaction through some acts and work out righteousness through entirely different acts. Rather, in the same acts by which He worked out righteousness, He also made satisfaction — only the relationship is different. One and the same act of Christ, considered in terms of the obedience in it, was part of His righteousness and purchased heaven. The same act, considered in terms of the self-denial, difficulty, and humiliation with which He performed it, had the nature of satisfaction for sin and secured our pardon. His going about doing good — preaching the Gospel and teaching His disciples — was part of His righteousness and purchase of heaven, as it was done in obedience to the Father. The same activity was part of His satisfaction, since He performed it with great labor, trouble, weariness, and under severe temptation, exposing Himself to reproach and contempt. His laying down His life had the nature of satisfaction to God's offended justice, considered as His bearing our punishment in our place. But considered as an act of obedience to God — who had commanded Him to lay down His life for sinners — it was also part of His righteousness and purchase of heaven, and as central to His righteousness as it was to His satisfaction. To take another example: what He endured in His circumcision had the nature of satisfaction — the blood shed in His circumcision was propitiatory blood. But as an act of conformity to the law of Moses, it was also part of His meritorious righteousness. Though the act was not properly performed by His human will — since He was an infant — it was nevertheless the experience of that human nature and the act of that person, and was therefore accepted as an act of obedience on His part as our mediator.
Even His being born in such a humble condition had the nature of satisfaction through the humiliation it involved, and also the nature of righteousness — as it was the act of His person in obedience to the Father, what His human nature was subject to, and what the will of the human nature consented to. Even though there was no prior act of human will before that birth.
These observations are sufficient as a general account of the purchase Christ made of redemption.
