Therefore that principle, much used and rested on by Mr. Baxter in the business of satisfaction, to obviate this very difficulty of a not immediate discharge, if Christ paid the debt, viz. That the satisfaction of Christ is a refusable payment; which he presseth, pp. 149, 150. is neither true in itself nor accommodate to this difficulty. Not true: for, The suffering of Christ may be considered either,

(1.) Absolutely, as in itself, abstracting from the consideration of any covenant or compact thereabout; and so it cannot be said to be a refusable payment; not because not refusable, but because no payment. That any thing should have any such reference unto God as a payment, or satisfaction, whether refusable or otherwise, is not from itself and its own nature, but from the constitution of God alone. Between God and the creature there is no equality, not so much as of proportion. Christ in respect of his human nature, though united to the Deity, is a creature, and so could not absolutely satisfy, or merit any thing at the band of God; I mean with that kind of merit, which ariseth from an absolute proportion of things. This merit can be found only among creatures; and the advancement of Christ's humanity takes it not out of that number. Neither in this sense can any satisfaction be made to God for sin. The sinner's own undergoing the penalty, neither is satisfaction in the sense whereof we speak, neither can it properly be said to be so at all; no more than a thing to be done, which is endlessly in doing.

(2.) It may be considered with reference unto God's constitution and determination, predestinating Christ unto that work, and appointing the work by him to be accomplished, to be satisfactory, equalling by that constitution the end and the means. And thus the satisfaction of Christ in the justice of God was not refusable; the wisdom, truth, justice, and suitable purpose of God, being engaged to the contrary.

This distinction is not accommodate to this difficulty; the sole reason thereof being what was held out before, of the interest of God's sovereign right to the bestowing of purposed, purchased, promised blessings, as to times and seasons, according to the free counsel of his own will,

Hence then it is, that God in the Scripture upon the death of Christ is said to be reconciled, to be returned unto peace

with them for whom he so died, the enmity being slain and peace actually made; Eph. ii. 14-16. Col. i. 20. Because he now will and may, suitably to his justice, wisdom, and appointment, make out unto them for whom the atonement was made, all fruits of love, peace, and amity; Heb. ii. 17. Rom. v. 10, 11. 2 Cor. v. 19.

The objection unto this, how then can God deny us the present possession of heaven? used by Mr. Baxter, p. 157. is not of any force, the whole disposal of these things being left to his own pleasure.

And this is the scheme which, upon the death of Christ, we assign unto God; he is atoned, appeased, actually reconciled, at peace with those for whom Christ died, and in due time for his sake will bestow upon them all the fruits and issues of love, and renewed friendship.

This possibly may give some light into the immediate effect of the death of Christ; which though I shall not purposely now handle, yet Mr. Baxter with much diligence having employed himself in the investigation thereof, I shall turn aside a little to consider his assertions in this particular.

CHAP. IX.

A digression concerning the immediate effect of the death of Christ. 'IT is one of the greatest and noblest questions in our controverted divinity, what are the immediate effects of Christ's death? He that can rightly answer this, is a divine indeed; and by help of this, may expedite most other controversies about redemption and justification. In a word; the effects of redemption undertaken, could not be upon a subject not yet existent, and so no subject, though it might be for them. None but Adam and Eve were then existent; yet as soon as we do exist, we receive benefit from it. The suspending of the rigorous execution of the sentence of the law, is the most observable immediate effect of the death of Christ; which suspension is some kind of deliverance from it.' Thus far Mr. Baxter. Thess. 9. explicat. p. 67.

There are scarce more lines than mistakes in this discourse; some of them may be touched on.

1. Effects are to be considered with respect to their causes. Causes are real or moral. Real or physical causes, produce their effects immediately, either immediatione sup. positi, or virtutis: unto them the subject must be existent. I speak not of creating power, where the act produceth its object.

Moral causes do never immediately actuate their own effects, nor have any immediate influence into them. There is between such causes and their effects, the intervention of some third thing, previous to them both, viz. proportion, constitution, law, covenant, which takes in the cause, and lets out the effect. And this for all circumstances of where, how, when, suitable to the limitations in them expressed or implied with the nature of the things themselves.

:

The death of Christ is a moral cause, in respect of all its effects. Whether those subjects on which it is to have its effects, be existent, or not existent, at the time of its performance, is nothing at all considerable; if it wrought physically and efficiently, the existence of the subjects on which it were to work, were requisite. It is altogether in vain to inquire of the immediate effects of Christ's death upon an existent subject. By the way, that Adam and Eve only were existent, when Christ undertook the work of redemption, to me is not clear: no nor yet the following assertion, that as soon as we do exist, we receive benefit by it; taking benefit, for a benefit actually collated, as Mr. Baxter doth, not for a right to a benefit, or the purpose of bestowing one, which will operate in its due time. This is easily affirmed; and therefore, eadem facilitate is denied.

I have no fancy to strive to carry the bell, and to be accounted a divine indeed,' by attempting at this time a right stating of, and answer to, this question proposed; I am not altogether ignorant of the endeavour of others even as to this particular, and have formerly spoken something that way myself.

Mr. Baxter seems here to understand by this question, viz. What is the immediate effect of the death of Christ; what is the first benefit, which from the death of Christ, accrueth unto them for whom he died? Not what is the first thing, that every particular person is actually in his own person, in his own time made partaker of; but a benefit generally

established, and in being, upon the designment of the work of redemption, which every one for whom Christ died hath a share of. And of this he positively affirms, that the suspending of the rigorous execution of the sentence of the law, is the most observable immediate effect of the death of Christ; and so deserves the title of a divine indeed.'

Now truly, though not to contend for the bell with Mr. Baxter, whereof I confess myself utterly unworthy, and willingly for many commendable parts ascribe it unto him, I cannot close with him, nor assent unto that assertion. Very gladly would I see Mr. Baxter's arguments for this; but those, as in most other controverted things in this book, he is pleased to conceal; and therefore, though it might suffice me, to give in my dissent, and so wait for farther proof; yet that it may be apparent, that I do not deny this merely because it is said, not proved (which in things not clear in themselves is a provocation so to do), I shall oppose one or two arguments unto it.

1. All the effects of the death of Christ are peculiar only to the elect, to some; the suspension of the rigorous execution of the law, is not so; ergo,

The minor is apparent; the major proved by all the arguments against universal redemption used in my former

treatise.

2. All the effects of the death of Christ are spiritual, distinguishing, and saving, to the praise of God's free grace. The suspending of the rigorous execution of the law, is not so; ergo,

The assumption is manifest; it is only a not immediate casting into hell, which is not a spiritual distinguishing mercy; but in respect to many, tends to the manifestation of God's justice; Rom. ix. 22.

The proposition is evident. The promises made unto Christ upon his undertaking this work, doubtless do hold out all that he effected by his death. Of what nature they are, and what is the main tendence of them, I have elsewhere discovered, from the first to the last, they are restrained to distinguishing mercies; see Isa. xlix. 6—10. liii. 10—12. lxi. 1, 2. and no less is positively affirmed, Eph. i. 4. Rev. i. 5, 6.

If Mr. Baxter say, that the meaning in this is, that if

Christ had not undertaken the work of redemption and satisfaction, then the law must have had rigorous execution upon all, and therefore, this being suspended upon his undertaking of it, is the first fruit of the death of Christ; I

answer,

Notwithstanding this, yet that suspension, which in respect of the different persons towards whom it is actually exercised, hath different ends, is not a fruit, nor effect of the death of Christ, but a free issue, of the same eternally wise providence, sovereignty, and grace, as the death of Christ himself is. If then by the rigorous execution of the law, you intend the immediate execution of the law in all its rigour and punishments, this if it had been effected, could in your own judgment have reached Adam and Eve, and no more; and would have so reached them, as to cut off the generation of mankind in that root. If so, and this be the fruit of Christ's death, why do you not reckon the procreation of human race, among those fruits also? For had it not been for this suspension that also had failed; which is as good a causative connexion, as that between the death of Christ, and this suspension; had not he undertaken the work of redemption, it had not been. If by a rigorous execution, you intend the penalty of the law, inflicted in that way, which hath pleased the will of the lawgiver by several parts and degrees, from conception, through birth, life, death, to eternity; the curse of it being wholly incumbent in respect of desert, and making out itself, according to God's appointment, then the suspension thereof is not the immediate effect of the death of Christ; which (supposing the first arguments to the former acceptation) I farther prove if those for whom Christ died do lie under this rigorous execution of the law, that is, the curse of it, until some other effect of Christ's death be wrought upon them, then that is not the first effect of the death of Christ; but that supposal is true, John iii. 36. Eph. ii, 3, therefore, so also the inference.

In a word; take the suspending of the rigorous execution of the law, for the purpose of God, and his acting accordingly, not to leave his elect under the actual curse of it so it is no fruit of the death of Christ, but an issue of the same grace; from whence also the death of Christ proceeds.