3. Doth justice say, that it must not only have satisfaction for sinners, but they that are saved must be also washed and sanctified with this blood? then here is He that so loved us, that He "washed us from our sins in His own blood" (Rev 1:5).
4. Is there to be a righteousness to clothe them with that is to be presented before Divine justice? there here is the righteousness of Christ, which is "even the righteousness of God by faith" (Rom 3:22; Phil 3:8-10).
5. Are there any sins now that will fly upon this Saviour like so many lions, or raging devils, if He take in hand to redeem man? He will be content to bear them all Himself alone, even in His own body upon the tree (1 Peter 2:24).
6. Is there any law now that will curse and condemn this Saviour for standing in our persons to give satisfaction to God for the transgression of man? He will be willing to be cursed, yea, to be made a curse for sinners, rather than they shall be cursed and damned themselves (Gal 3:13).
7. Must the great and glorious God, whose eyes are so pure that He cannot behold iniquity; I say, must He not only have the blood, but the very life of Him that will take in hand to be the Deliverer and Saviour of us poor miserable sinners? He is willing to lay down His life for His sheep (John 10:11).
8. Must He not only die a natural death, but must His soul descend into hell, though it should not be left there, He will suffer that also Psalms 16:10; and Acts 2:31. 11
9. Must He not only be buried, but rise again from the dead, and overcome death, that He might be the first-fruits to God of them that sleep, which shall be saved? He will be buried, and also through the strength of His Godhead, He will raise Himself out of the grave, though death hold Him never so fast, and the Jews lay never such a great stone upon the mouth of the selpulchre, and seal it never so fast (1 Cor 15:4; Luke 24:34).
10. Must He carry that body into the presence of His Father, to take possession of Heaven, and must He appear there as a priest, as a forerunner, as an advocate, as prophet, as a treasure-house, as an interceder and pleader of the causes of His people? He will be all these, and much more, to the end the grace of God by faith in Jesus Christ might be made sure to all the seed. "Who then can condemn? It is God that justifieth; because Christ hath died, yea rather, that is risen again." Who, now seeing all this is so effectually done, shall lay anything, the least thing? who can find the least flaw, the least wrinkle, the least defect or imperfection, in this glorious satisfaction (Rom 8:33-34; Heb 6:20; 9:24; John 14:2,3; 1 John 2:1)?
Object. But is it possible that He should so soon give infinite justice a satisfaction, a complete satisfaction? for the eternal God doth require an eternal lying under the curse, to the end He may be eternally satisfied.
Answ. Indeed, that which is infinite must have an eternity to satisfy God in—that is, they that fall into the prison and pit of utter darkness must be there to all eternity, to the end the justice of God may have its full blow at them. But now He that I am speaking of is God, and so is infinite (Isa 9:6; Titus 1:16,17; Heb 1:8,9; Phil 2:4-6). Now, He which is true God is able to give in as little a time an infinite satisfaction as Adam was in giving the dissatisfaction. Adam himself might have given satisfaction for himself as soon as Christ had he been very God, as Jesus Christ was. For the reason why the posterity of Adam, even so many of them as fall short of life, must lie broiling in Hell to all eternity is this—they are not able to give the justice of God satisfaction, they being not infinite, as aforesaid. "But Christ," that is, God-man, "being come an High Priest," that is, to offer and give satisfaction, "of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own,"—mark you that, "but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." But how? "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit," who through the power and virtue of His infinite Godhead, "offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause," that is, for that He is God as well as man, and so able to give justice an infinite satisfaction, therefore, "He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance" (Heb 9:11-15). As I said before.