6" Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and paffeth by the tranfgreffion of the "remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger "for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.*' [Can there be a more exprefs paffage to clear, not only the poffibility, but real inclinations in God to pardon fin, and "not retain his anger for ever?" fince the prophet feems to challenge all other gods, to try their excellency by his God: herein defcribing the fupremacy of his power, and fuperexcellency of his nature, "that "he pardoneth iniquity, and retaineth not his anger "for ever:" fo that if the fatisfactionists should ask the question, who is a God like unto ours, that cannot pardon iniquity, nor pafs by tranfgreffion, but retaineth his anger until fome body make him fatisfaction? I answer, many amongst the harsh and severe rulers of the nation; but as for my God, he is exalted above them all, upon the throne of his mercy, "who "pardoneth iniquity, and retaineth not his anger for ever, but will have compaffion upon us."]

7. "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our "debtors."" [Where nothing can be more obvious, than that that which is forgiven, is not paid: and if it is our duty to forgive our debtors, without a satisfaction received, and that God is to forgive us, as we forgive them, then is a fatisfaction totally excluded: Chrift farther paraphrafes upon that part of his prayer, ver. 14. "For if ye forgive their trefpaffes, your hea"venly Father will alfo forgive you." Where he as well argues the equity of God's forgiving them, from their forgiving others, as he encourages them to forgive others, from the example of God's mercy, in forgiving them: which is more amply expreffed, chap. xviii. where the kingdom of heaven (that confists in righteousness) is reprefented by a king; "who upon "his debtor's petition, had compaffion, and forgave "him; but the fame treating his fellow-fervant without the leaft forbearance, the king condemned his

* Micah, vii. 18. Mat. vi. 12.

"unrighteousness, and delivered him over to the tormentors." But how had this been a fault in the fervant, if his king's mercy had not been propofed for his example? how moft unworthy therefore is it of God, and blafphemous, may I juftly term it, for any to affert that forgivenefs impoffible to God, which is not only poffible, but enjoined to men!]

8. "For God fo loved the world, that he gave his "only-begotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him "should not perish, but have everlafting life." [By which it appears, that God's love is not the effect of Chrift's fatisfaction, but Chrift is the proper gift and effect of God's love.]

9. "To him give all the prophets witnefs, that "through his name, whofoever believeth in him, shall "receive remiffion of fins."" [So that remiffion came by believing his teftimony, and obeying his precepts, and not by a ftrict fatisfaction.]

10. "If God be for us, who can be against us? he "that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up "for us all." [Which evidently declares it to be God's act of love, otherwife, if he muft be paid, he should be at the charge of his own fatisfaction, for he delivered up the Son.]

'II. "And all things are of God, who hath recon"ciled us to himself by Jefus Chrift, and hath given

to us the miniftry of reconciliation, to wit, that "God was in Chrift, reconciling the world to himself, "not imputing their trefpaffes unto them." [How undeniably apparent is it, that God is fo far from standing off in high displeasure, and upon his own terms, contracting with his Son for a fatisfaction, as being otherwise uncapable to be reconciled, that he became himself the reconciler by Chrift, and afterwards by the apoftles, his ambaffadors, to whom was committed the miniftry of reconciliation.]

John, iii. 16. Acts, x. 43. • Rom. viii. 31, 32. P 2 Cor. v. 18, 19.

12. "In whom we have redemption through his "blood, the forgiveness of fins, according to the "riches of his grace." [Now what relation fatiffaction has to forgiveness of fins, or how any can conftrue grace to be strict juftice, the meaneft understanding may determine.]

13. "But the God of all grace, who hath called "us unto his eternal glory, by Chrift Jefus."" [He does not say that God's juftice, in confideration of Christ's fatisfaction, acquitted us from fins paft, prefent, and to come, and therefore hath called us to his eternal glory; but from his grace.]

14.

"In this was manifeft the love of God towards "us, because that God fent his only-begotten Son "into the world, that we might live through him.” [Which plainly attributes Chrift, in his doctrine, life, miracles, death, and fufferings, to God, as the gift and expreffion of his eternal love, for the falvation of men.]

1. In abolishing that other covenant, which confifted in external and fhadowy ordinances, and that made none clean as concerning the conscience.

2. In promulgating his meffage, of a moft free and universal tender of life and falvation, unto all that believed and followed him, (the light) in all his righteousness, the very end of his appearance being to destroy the works of the devil, and which every man only comes to experience, as he walks in an holy fubjection to that meafure of light and grace, wherewith the fulness hath enlightened him.

3. In feconding his doctrines with figns, miracles, and a moft innocent felf-denying life.

4. In ratifying and confirming all (with great love and holy refignation) by the offering up of his body, to be crucified by wicked hands: who is now afcended far above all heavens, and is thereby become a most complete captain, and perfect example.

Eph. i. 7. Pet. v. 10. • 1 John iv. 9.

So

So that I can by no means conclude, but openly declare, that the fcriptures of truth are not only filent in reference to this doctrine of rigid fatisfaction, but that it is altogether inconfiftent with the dignity of God, and very repugnant to the conditions, nature, and tendency of that fecond covenant, concerning which their teftimony is fo clear.

The abfurdities, that unavoidably follow the comparifon of this doctrine with the fenfe of fcripture.

I. HAT God is gracious to forgive, and yet it is impoffible for him, unless the debt be fully

TH

fatisfied.

2. That the finite and impotent creature is more capable of extending mercy and forgiveness, than the infinite and omnipotent Creator.

3. "That God fo loved the world, he gave his "only Son to fave it ;" and yet that God stood off in high displeasure, and Chrift gave himself to God as a complete fatisfaction to his offended juftice: with many more fuch like grofs confequences that might be drawn,

Refuted from right reafon.

But if we should grant a fcripture filence, as to the neceffity of Chrift's fo fatisfying his Father's justice; yet fo manifeft would be the contradictions, and foul the repugnancies to right reafon, that who had not veiled his understanding with the dark fuggeftions of unwarrantable tradition, or contracted his judgment to the implicit apprehenfions of fome over-valued acquaintance, might with great facility difcriminate to a full refolution in this point: for admitting God to be a creditor, or he to whom the debt should be paid, and Christ, he that fatisfies or pays it on the behalf of man, the debtor, this queftion will arife, Whether he paid that debt, as God, or man, or both? (to use their own terms.)

N 3

Not

Not as God.

1. In that it divides the unity of the God-head, by two diftinct acts, of being offended, and not offended; of condemning juftice and redeeming mercy; of requiring a fatisfaction, and then making of it.

2. Because if Chrift pays the debt as God, then the Father and the Spirit being God, they alfo pay the debt.

3. Since God is to be fatisfied, and that Chrift is God, he confequently is to be fatisfied; and who fhall fatisfy his infinite juftice?

4. But if Chrift has satisfied God the Father, Christ being alfo God, it will follow then that he has fatiffied himself, (which cannot be.)

5. But fince God the Father was once to be fatiffied, and that it is impoffible he should do it himself, nor yet the Son or Spirit, because the fame God; it naturally follows, that the debt remains unpaid, and these fatisfactionists thus far are ftill at a lofs.

Not as man.

6. The juftice offended being infinite, his fatisfaction ought to bear a proportion therewith, which Jefus Chrift, as man, could never pay, he being finite, and from a finite caufe could not proceed an infinite effect; for fo man may be faid to bring forth God, fince nothing below the divinity itself can rightly be stiled infinite.

Not as God and man.

7. For where two mediums, or middle propofitions, are fingly inconfiftent with the nature of the end, for which they were at first propounded, their conjunction does rather augment than leffen the difficulty of its accomplishment; and this I am perfuaded must be obvious to every unbiaffed understanding.

But