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nions; ways of delivering things, than the doctrines themselves, as the reader will perceive; so that of this labour I might ease myself with this just apology; that I was desired and pressed to handle the things of that discourse in the most popular way they were capable of, and in the best accommodation to vulgar capacities; so that it is no wonder, if some expressions therein may be found to want some grains of accurateness (though they have not one dram the less of truth) in a scholastical balance.

Notwithstanding, because I am not as yet convinced by any thing in Mr. Baxter's censure and opposition, that there was any such blamable deviation as is pretended, but rather the words of truth and sobriety, clothing 'a doctrine of wholesomeness; and especially, because the things pointed at are in themselves weighty, and needing some exactness in the delivery, to give a right apprehension of them; I was willing once more to attempt whether the grace of God with me, who am less than the least of all saints, might give any farther light into the right understanding of them, according to the truth, to the advantage of any that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity.

The true nature of the satisfaction of Christ, with the kind of payment of our debt by him made and accomplished, is doubtless worthy of our most serious inquiry; the right constitution of the immediate effects of the death of Christ, the relation of men to the election of God, and the redemption of Christ, with their several states and conditions, in reference unto those works of grace, ought to be of no less esteem; and that not only for the nature and excellency of the things themselves, but also because a right disposal of them, gives more light into the stating and settling many other controverted truths about faith, justification, vocation, and the like. These are the subjects about which I am called forth in my own, or rather truth's defence. For the treatise, and subject thereof, whose latter part gives rise to this; I shall say no more, but as there are in it many footsteps of commendable learning, industry, and diligence; so to my present apprehension the chief intendments of it, with very many occasional expressions of the author's judgment in sundry particulars, are obnoxious to just opposition from truth itself.

It is not at all in my thoughts, to engage myself into the chief controversy there agitated; though I could desire, that some to whom providence hath given more leisure, and opportunities for such employments, would candidly examine those aphorisms, for the farther advantage of the truth and light. But whereas the learned author hath, to make straight the work he had in hand, endeavoured to cast some part of the doctrine of the satisfaction and redemption of Christ, as by me delivered, into a crooked frame, and that with some such passages of censure, as might have been omitted. without losing the least grace of his book, or style; I shall, with the Lord's assistance, endeavour to reinforce what of truth hath been thereby assaulted in vain, and more especially take occasion from thence farther to unfold those mysteries, which to our apprehension are wrapped up in no small darkness; there being in them some things difficult, and hard to be understood.

The first thing, then, which that learned divine chose to stand in distance from me in, is concerning the nature of the payment made for sin by the blood of Christ; whether it be ejusdem, or tantidem; and of the sense of those expressions, is our first debate. In handling whereof, I hope I shall not only satisfy the reader as to the truth of what I had before written; but also farther clear the whole doctrine of satisfaction, with special reference to the kind of the payment that Christ made, and punishment which he underwent.

The other head wrappeth in itself many particulars concerning the immediate fruit, or effects of the death of Christ, the state of the elect redeemed ones before actual believing, the nature of redemption, reconciliation, the differencing of persons in God's eternal purposes; to the consideration of all which, and sundry other particulars, I have occasion offered, in defence of the truth impugned.

These now and the like, being things in themselves. weighty, and the difference about them being for the most part rather as to the way of the delivery, than as to things themselves; in the handling of them, I could not attend merely to the advantage offered by Mr. Baxter's discourse, but chose rather to cast them into another method, which might be distinct, clear, and accommodate to the things them

selves; so that I hope the reader may, with some profit, see the whole dispensation of the love of God to his elect through Christ, with the relation of the elect in several conditions, unto the several actings of God in that dispensation succinctly laid down. The accommodation also of all delivered, to many weighty controversies, I have added.

If the way of handling these things here used be blamed by any, I hope the judicious will see, that it is such as the matter itself will bear.

There have not been many things in my whole inquiry after the mind of God in his word, which have more exercised my thoughts, than the right ordering, and distinct disposal of those whereof we treat; if the Lord hath discovered any thing unto me, or made out any thing by me, that may be for the benefit of any of his, I shall rejoice; it being always in my desire, that all things might fall out to the advantage of the gospel; and so I address myself to the matter before me.

CHAP. II.

An entrance into the whole; of the nature of the payment made by Christ, with the right stating of the things in difference.

MR. BAXTER having composed his Aphorisms of Justification, with their explications; before the publishing of them in print, he communicated them (as should appear) to some of his near acquaintance. Unto some things in them contained, one of his said friends gives in some exceptions; amongst other things he opposed unto those aphorisms he also points at my contrary judgment in one or two particulars, with my reasons produced for the confirmation thereof. This provoketh their learned author (though unwilling) to turn aside to the consideration of those reasons. Now the first of those particulars being about the payment made for sin, in the blood of Christ, of what sort, and kind it is; I shall willingly carry on the inquiry to this farther issue whereunto I am drawn out.

1. He looks upon the stating of the question, as I professedly laid it down at my entrance into that disputation,

and declares, that it is nothing at all to the question he hath in hand, nor looking that way.

'He distinguisheth,' saith Mr. Baxter, betwixt paying the very thing that is in the obligation, and paying so much in another kind; now this is not our question, nor any thing to it;' Append. p. 137.

If it be so, I know no reason why I was plucked into the following dispute, nor why Mr. Baxter should cast away so many pages of his book, upon that which is nothing at all to the business he had in hand. But though there be nothing to this purpose, p. 137. [361.] of my book, the place he was sent to, yet, p. 140. [363.] there is; as also something contrary to what is expressed in the former place, which he intimates in these words;

'In p. 140. [364.] he states the question far otherwise, and yet supposeth it the same, viz. Whether Christ paid the idem, or the tantundem? which he interpreteth thus, that which is not the same, nor equivalent unto it, but only in the gracious acceptation of the creditor. Now what he means by 'not equivalent' I cannot tell.

1. If he mean not of equal value then he fights with a shadow. He wrongeth Grotius, for aught I can find in him, who teacheth no such doctrine; however I do not so use to english solutio tantidem. But if he mean that it is not equivalent, in procuring in its end ipso facto, delivering the debtor, without the intervention of a new concession or contract of the creditor, as solutio ejusdem doth, then I confess Grotius is against him, and so am I.

'So also, God's gracious acceptance, is either in accepting less in value than was due, and so remitting the rest without payment (this I plead not for), or else it is his accepting a refusable payment, which though equal in value, yet he may choose to accept according to the tenor of the obligation. This is gracious acceptance, which Grotius maintaineth; and so do I; and so distinguish betwixt solutio, and satisfactio, 'payment' and 'satisfaction,' Thus

far he.

Sundry things are here imagined, and asserted: First,

I have retained the references to the quarto Edition of Salus Electorum,' printed 1648; and have inserted in brackets the corresponding pages in the pre sent Volume.-EDITOR.

VOL. V.

2 P

Several passages are pointed at in my treatise, and a contradiction between them intimated. Secondly, Various conjectures given at my plain, very plain meaning, and divers things objected answerable to those conjectures, &c.

1. Wherefore, to clear the whole, I shall give you in the passages opposed; and,

2. Vindicate them from mutual opposition, with what is besides charged on them.

The first place mentioned in my treatise is in p. 137. [361.] where after I had discoursed of the nature of satisfaction, in reference both unto things real and personal, I laid down a distinction in these words:

"There may be a twofold satisfaction: First, By a solution or payment of the very thing that is in the obligation, either by the party himself who is bound, or by some other in his stead: as if I owe a man twenty pounds, and my friend goeth and payeth it, my creditor is fully satisfied. Secondly, By a solution or paying of so much, although in another kind, not the same that is in the obligation, which by the creditor's acceptation stands in lieu of it: upon which also freedom followeth from the obligation, by virtue of an act of favour.'

What now, says Mr. B. to this? Why,' it is nothing to the business he hath in hand.'

Let then this pass, and look to the next passage which is opposed, and supposed to stand in opposition to the other.

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Having laid down the former distinction, passing on to some other things concerning the nature of satisfaction, and the establishment of that of Christ from the Scripture, in p. 140.[363.] I apply that distinction laid down before in general to the kind of satisfaction made by Christ, in these words: Whereas I said that there is a twofold satisfaction, whereby the debtor is freed from the obligation, that is upon him; the one being solutio ejusdem, payment of the same thing that was in the obligation; the other solutio tantidem of that which is not the same, nor equivalent unto it, but only in the gracious acceptation of the creditor; it is worth our inquiry, which of these it was that our Saviour did perform.'

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