The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University

Ques. How could Christ satisfy for the sins of men, seeing divine justice must be satisfied, and it would not have been just in God to let the sin go unpunished? How could the sin be punished in one that did not commit it? How could it be imputed to Christ, when it is impossible that God should be deceived so as [to]The word is broken off at the margin. think that it was Christ that committed it? Ans. God knew well enough, when Christ suffered, that he did not suffer that sinned. But however, Christ was one that God infinitely loved. He loved him with an infinite love; so that if he would undertake for them and be on their side, God, out [of]Ibid. love to him, could not but accept of him, and them for his sake. Although they had sinned, yet his infinite love to Christ counterbalanced his infinite hatred of sin.

Ques. That is true; but if [he] will be on their side and will receive the

sinners, he must receive their sins with them. Now how could Christ stand up for those that were sinners, and so therein stand up for their sins? Ans. He did not stand up for their sins, but was willing to take their sins to himself and have them put on his account, and to bear the punishment himself.

Ques. But how would the punishment inflicted on him satisfy? Ans. He so dearly loved them that they were looked upon by God as one and the same with him. He took them into an union with himself; so that they may be called members of him, may be called his body, may be called his wife: so that if the husband pays her debt, the wife may go free; if the head suffers, the members and body may go free. If he that suffers is one with them, it matters not whether they suffer any otherwise or no; if the hands have stolen, it matters not whether the hands are punished, so that the man is but punished. Now certainly there can be such a love in Christ to men, that it will be all one whether Christ or men suffer the punishment. Now a loving of them so well as to be willing to undergo the punishment that they have deserved, as to be willing to stand in their stead in misery and torment, is to love them so well as that they may be looked upon as one.