penitent finners; but then, I fay, that this fatisfaction was not of the first, but of the second kind. That it was not of the firft kind, I prove by this fingle, but conclufive argument, viz. the Father's exercifing his mercy in the pardoning and forgiving of fins. To exercife mercy in the pardoning and forgiving an offender, is to remit the punishment in whole, or in part, which is due for the offence; but if the offender, or any other which is fubftituted to make fatisfaction in is ftead, fhall do or fuffer that which is, in the first and ftrict fenfe, a full and equal fatisfaction to the demerit of the offence, then there is no room nor place for pardon or forgiveness to be exercis'd, because there is nothing to be pardon'd or forgiven. Yet that the Father doth exercife his mercy and grace in the forgiveness of fins, is what I have largely fhewn already. But then I fay, fecondly, that Chrift did make a full and equal fatisfaction to the demand of his Father. The truth of which will appear by what follows, viz. the Father did propose that his Son fhould thus fuffer, and Chrift voluntarily fubmitted to Death, to answer that propofal; this I have proved already, when I fhew'd, that what Chrift died and fuffer'd, was in obedience to his Father's will. I farther fay, the Father was so highly pleas'd, and fo fully fatisfied with Christ's undertaking this performance, that he hath there upon appointed him to be an interceffor for finners, and pardons the believing penitent for his fake. For this, fee Phil. ii. 8. 9. He bumbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross: Wherefore God alfo bath highly exalted him. Acts v. 31. Him hath God exalted with his right band. Rom. viii. 34. Who is he that condemneth? it is Chrift that died, yea rather that is rifen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh interceffion for us. Heb. vii. 25. Wherefore be is

Q4

able

able alfo to fave to the uttermost thofe that come unto God by him, feeing he ever liveth to make interceffion for them. Chap. ix. 24. Chrift is not entered into the holy place made with hands, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the prefence of God for us. Rom. iii. 24. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jefus Chrift. Eph. iv. 32. Forgiving one another, even as God, for Chrift's fake, bath forgiven you. 1 John ii. 1, 2. If any man fin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our fins, and not for ours only, but also for the fins of the whole world. Verfe 12. I write unto you, little children, because your fins are forgiven you for his name's fake. Here we fee that Chrift's obedience unto death was fo highly acceptable, and fo fatisfactory to his Father, that he thereupon exalted him at his right-hand, to be a prevailing interceffor for finners, and pardons the believing penitent upon his account, and for his fake; and confequently his fufferings and death were full and equal to the demand, and his Father was fully fatisfied therewith; tho' :: ought to be remembered, that this is not to be understood fo *ftrictly, as that God would have been abfolutely implacable to returning penitent finners, were it not for fuch interceffion and fatisfaction.

OBJECTIONS with their ANSWERS.

Oljet. I, The fufferings and death of Chrift are inftrumental towards finners deliverance from condemnation, but they could not be inftrumental any other way than by merit, therefore they are fo by merit. I anfwer, this is a mistake. The fufferings and death of Chrift, are inftrumental towards finners deliverance from con

*See my difcourfe on juflification,

demnation

demnation three ways, and yet are not fo by me. rit ; namely, first, as they are a proper argument with the finner, to turn from his fins and return to his duty, and thereby he becomes the proper object of God's mercy; fecondly, as they are an argument with God, to pardon the finner upon his return to him; and, thirdly, as they were a facrifice of atonement of God's own appointment, and fo are a fign and pledge of the finner's repentance, and God's forgiveness. And,

First, The fufferings and death of Christ are inftrumental towards the finner's deliverance from condemnation, as they are a proper argument to bring him to repentance and reformation. As our Lord came into the world to proclaim the glad tidings, viz. that God would pardon and receive to favour all believing penitent finners; fo his fufferings and death had in them a two-fold argument to convince people of the truth of those tidings; and, confequently, were an inftrumental caufe of that faith and repentance, which difpofed them for God's mercy. For, first, they ferved to convince men that Chrift was fincere in his pretenfions, there being not any thing which could more effectually convince people, that he was in earnest, than his willingly foregoing all prefent enjoyments, and yielding up himself to fufferings and death, in maintaining the cause he undertook. And as he declared himself a heavenly meffenger, fo, fecondly, his foretelling his fufferings and death, together with the events anfwering the predictions, were an evidence of the divinity of his miffion; and both thefe afford a proper argument with the finner, to turn from his fins that he may be faved, Sinners, whilft under the prevailing power of their lufts, are fet forth in fcripture as fervants and captives to fin and fatan. Rom. vi. 16, 17, 18. and Chrift is reprefented as

redeeming

redeeming finners from that thraldom, by his fuf ferings and death, Tit. ii. 14. 1 Pet. i. 18. and, tho' Chrift did not pay down a price or valuable confideration to fin and fatan, to whom men were in bondage; yet his fufferings and death were as effectual for the finner's deliverance, as if he had been redeemed by a price, inafmuch as they be came a prevailing argument with the finner, to renounce fubjection to his lufts, and to yield up himself a fervant unto God. And this, in the language of the fcripture, is called redemption, and being bought with a price; the expreffions being ufed not properly but figuratively, the finner being as effectually delivered from the thraldom he was under, as if he had been redeemed by a price. Thus, God is faid to redeem the children of Ifrael by a mighty hand, out of the houfe of bondmen, from the hand of Pharoah, King of Egypt, Deut. vii. 8. not that God had paid down a price, or valuable confideration to Pharaoh, for the children of Ifrael's discharge, but he forced them out of Pharaoh's hand, by his judgments; and this is called redemption, inafmuch as the Ifraelites were as effectually delivered, as if they had been redeemed by a price. Again,

Secondly, The fufferings and death of Chrift are inftrumental towards the delivering finners from condemnation, as they were an act of obedience to the Father's will, which fo recommended him to his Father's love, that he hath exalted him at his right-hand, to be a prevailing interceffor for finners; and fo, thofe fufferings and death are an argument with God, to pardon the believing penitent, for Chrift's fake. "This is what I have fhewn above, in my difcourfe of juftification, and therefore it needs not to be enlarged upon here. Again,

Thirdly,

Thirdly, The fufferings and death of Chrift are inftrumental towards the delivering finners from condemnation, as they were a facrifice of atonement of God's own appointing, and, so, are at once a fign and pledge of the finner's repentance, and God's forgiveness. All fin is chiefly and primarily committed against God; and as God is at liberty to pardon, or punish the finner, as he fees good, provided the punishment does not exceed the demerit of the crime; so, when he has been pleased to come to an accommodation with his creatures, he has, upon fome occafions, appointed that a facrifice of atonement should be offered up to him. Thus under the law, Lev. iv. 31. 2 Sam xxiv. 18, 25. 2 Chron. xxix. 24. a peace offering, or facrifice of atonement, was offered up; and thus under the gospel, Chrift was made a peace-offering, or facrifice of atonement for fin, Rom. v. 11. Heb. vii. 26, 28. Chap. ix. 11, 12. Verfes 26, 28. Not that this facrifice of atonement, in either cafe, did, in its own nature, merit God's mercy, because there is not any thing which can be done, or fuffered, which can repair the damage done by fin, or which can be any way profitable to God; but as God had required it, in order to discharge the finner, then it became neceffary to that discharge, and the finner is faid to obtain his pardon by it. From all which I think it appears, that the fufferings and death of Chrift are instrumental towards the delivering finners from condemnation, tho' not by merit, in the original and strict sense of that word.

Object. II. St. Paul faith, 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price, &c. And our Lord faith, Matt. xx. 28. That be came to give his life a rarfom for many. Here we fee, that Chrift did pay to God a price, or valuable confideration for the breach of his law; and

that