Ito Mr. Baxter's opinion about imput. examined. C x A F. 13: be it fo , that they have thus expreffed their meaning , & that thefe expref- fions, here fer down, are not meer Confequences & Inferences, dravvtt by Mr Baxter himfelf, from their opinions & afTertions: yet Mr. Baxter cannot but know that the Orthodox are againft them , in thefe affertions, as well as he : & to me it appeareth not faire to Pet down thefe words, as containing that opinion , which all mutt hold , who cannot fully embrace Mr. Baxter's owne judgment ; as if there were no Medium betwixt the Soci- nian or Arminian judgment , on the one hand & the Antinomian opinion on the other hand ; whileas he cannot but know the contrary. Neither is this a fit & Pure way to cleare up the true fenfe of the Imputation of Chrift's itigh- teoufnefs, at leaft that fenfe, which we owne. In the Book pag. s4. he againe fetteth down his own judgment , or fenfe of Imputation , which he taketh to be the true healing middle way ; Part whereof is as followeth. That as Chrifl fuff red in our Bead, that we might not Puffer , and obeyed in our Nature , that perfeEUion of obedience might not be ne- cejJary to our jttflification; and this in the perfon of a Mediator and Spenfor, for us (inners ; but not fo in our perfons , as that we truely , in a moral or civil fence, did all this in and by him : Even fo God reputeth the thing to be, as it is, and fo far Imputeth Chrift': kighteoufnefs and Merites and SatisfaEtion to or, as that it is reputed by Him the true Meritorious Caufe of our jollification ; ,J' that for it God ma(eth a Covenant of Grace , in which he freely giveth Chrift , pardon and life to all that accept the gift , as it is ; fo that (the .Accepters arc by this Cove- nant and Gift , as fitrely jußi faed and Saved by Chrifi's Righteoufnefs , as if they had obeyed and fatis fled them felves. Not P that Chrift meriteth , that we shall have grace to fulfill the Law ourfelver , and Rand before God in a Rfghteou f nets of our own, which mill anfwere the Law of works , and juftify us ; but that the Conditions of the Gift, in tbeCovenant of Grace , being performed by every pe- nitent Beleever , that Covenant doth pardon all their fins (as God's Inftrument ) and giveth them a Right to life eternal for Chris's meriter. As to this though it may feem faire & a far advancement: yet I shall era* leave to fay thefe few things againft it. t. When he faith, That Chrift fuf red inour jitad, I would know in whole Bead it was ? whether it was in the head of feme feleff perfons, or in (lead of all? If in the Bead of tome felet perfons only, then thefe feled perfons , mutt have another Intereh, in the death of C}triB, than all others; & it being done in their Bead , mutt needs be accepted in their behalfe , as it was undergone for them , & in their Bead & place : & if it be accepted in their behalfe, they muh neceffarily be freed from Suffering , after God's Methode; & that upon the account of Chrih's Suffering in their head; and if fo , mull not that Suffering of Chrift, in a Law-fenfe , be accounted theirs, and imputed unto them , & they as really & effeEtually r e_d from what they were under, and obnoxious to , & made partakers o s purchafed there- by , as if they had fuffered all that, in their own perfons ? If it be in Bead of all , then all mull , upon the account of it , be delivered from Suffering, which cannot be Paid ; or not one shall be delivered from Suffering, meerly upon the account of it, but upon the account of force other thing Inter - veening,
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