God declares us righteous not based on Christ as this surety or guarantee
"Some have affirmed that God could Forgive sin, and Save sinners, without a Satisfaction; and this is said, not only by Socinians {3}, but by some, as Twisse, Dr. Goodwin, Rutherford, &c. who own that a Satisfaction is made, and the fitness and expedience of it:
but then this is giving up the point;
"because if it is fitting and expedient to be done, it is necessary;
"since whatever is fitting to be done in the affair of Salvation, God cannot but Do it, or Will it to be Done. Besides, such a way of talking, as it tends to undermine and weaken the Doctrine of Satisfaction; so to encourage and strengthen the hands of the Socinians, the opposers of it; much the same arguments being used by the one as by the other.
"It is not indeed proper to limit the Holy One of Israel, or lay a restraint on His Power, which is Unlimited, Boundless, and Infinite; with Whom nothing is impossible, and Who is Able to Do more than we can conceive of;
"yet it is in no way derogatory to the Glory of His Power, nor is it any impeachment of it, nor argues any imperfection or weakness in Him, to say there are some things God cannot Do;
"and for God to not to be able to Do 'some things' are All to His Glory;
1.) For example, God "cannot commit Iniquity,
which is contrary to the Purity and Holiness of His Nature;
2.) "God cannot Do an act of Injustice to any of His Creatures,
that is contrary to His Justice and Righteousness;
3.) "God cannot lie,
that is contrary to His Veracity and Truth;
4.) "God cannot deny Himself,
for that is against His Nature and Perfections;
5.) "and for the same reason God cannot Forgive sin without a Satisfaction,
because so to do, does not agree with the Perfections of His Nature.
"It is a vain thing to dispute about the Power of God; what He can Do, or what He cannot Do,
in any case where it is plain, what it is His Will to Do, as it is in the case before us, with respect to the need for a 'Satisfaction', or 'Surity';
"at the same time God Declared Himself a God Gracious and Merciful, Forgiving Iniquity, Transgression, and sin; God has, in the strongest terms, Affirmed, that He
"Will by no means clear the guilty"; see #Ex 34:6,7 #Jer 30:11 Na 1:3 Nu 14:18 or let him go unpunished; that is, without a Satisfaction."
God saying that He "Will by no means clear the guilty" also includes His Son, Jesus Christ, when He had the guilt of God's Elect Charged to His Account.
6.) So, another thing God can not Do is, God could not clear the guilty, even when He Found that Imputation of guilt on His Own Son, Who Assumed the Responsiblity for the guilt of His Chosen children.
"Besides, if any other method could have been taken, consistent with the Will of God, the Prayer of Christ would have Brought it out;
"Father, if it be possible, let this Cup of Suffering Death pass from Me":
and then adds,
"not My Will, but Thine be Done!" what that Will was, is obvious; as we see from #Heb 10:5-10;
5; "Wherefore when He Cometh into the World,
He saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not,
but a body hast Thou Prepared Me:
6; "In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no Pleasure.
7; "Then said I, Lo, I Come
(in the Volume of the Book it is written of Me,)
to Do Thy Will, O God.
8; "Above when He said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings
and offering for sin Thou wouldest not, neither hadst Pleasure therein; which are offered by the Law;
9; "Then said He, Lo, I Come to Do Thy Will, O God.
He Taketh away the first, that He may Establish the Second.
10; "By the which Will we are Sanctified
through the Offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all."
