of our salvation, if he had lien under the punishment of our sins eternally. But this sheweth the reason why Christ suffered but for a time, rather then how his suffering for a time could satisfie the justice of God for ever, which had deserved eternall death.
The fourth answer is more full and free from exception, that Christ suffered but for a time, because it was impossible he should be held under of the sorrows of death, Act. 2. 24. The wicked suffer eternally, because they being cast under the curse, they cannot deliver themselves, and justice will not set them free: but Christ in suffering did overcome, and delivered himselfe, so that his sufferings continued but for a time. In kind his sufferings were the same with those, which in us should have continued for ever,Chamier. Tom.2.l.5. cap. 12. Sect. 4. although they did not continue: wherefore? because they had an end not of themselves, or their owne nature, but of the power of Christ. He overcame those punishments which had been altogether eternall, if he could not have overcome.
Lastly, it is objected, that if God did elect and choose some men to grace and glory in and through Jesus Christ, Christ needed not, nor yet could make satisfaction for them;Synodal. Dord. ubi supra. for in as much as they were beloved of God, we cannot conceive how satisfaction should be needfull or could be made for them. Thus some dispute with great confidence, but little strength. For this Proposition, God loveth whom he hath chosen, or to chuse is to love, doth admit a double sence: one this, whom God doth elect, them he loveth, or willeth well unto them, in time to make them actuall heires of grace and glory in Jesus Christ, and thus it is most true,Illi tantum à parte ante ratione Dei, negant meritum Christi, & effectum electionis illud constituunt, ita ut Deus prius homines elegisse, postea sic absolutè electis Filium tanquam salutis medium dedisse dicatur. Stegm. pag. 498 and doth not exclude, but inferre the necessity of satisfaction; another sence may be, that whom God doth elect, them he doth love as made actuall heires of grace and glory by the influence of his love, and in this, it should exclude the necessity of satisfaction, but so it is not to be admitted. It is not absurd to say, the elect are in grace with God in respect of ordination or appointment; but after are brought into grace by Christ in respect of the actuall collation and communication. When Christ is said to reconcile us unto God, the meaning is not, that God did then first begin to love, or will well unto us, as if he did hate and will to damne us before: for then we must admit a proper change in the purpose and internall will of God proceeding from an externall cause,which
