C H A P. 13. Mr. Baxter's opinion a bout Imput. examined. a g veening, which h e calleth , in the following words , the Nero Covenant, & the performance of the Conditions thereof : And if fo , all Ch rift's Suffer- ings in titer Read will be but a Suffering for our good , as fay the Socinianr. 2. When he faith , That we might not Jiffer , is that meaned eventually 'oil'. That none of us should ever be put tofuffer the penalty ? or is it only meaned potentially , that is, that it might be poffible , that we should not fuffer ? If the firmer be laid , then either all of us shall be faved , or the us muff be reltricked to the Elect. If the Latter be faid , then this dying in our fiead , is really but a dying for our good, which the Socinianr grant. 3. When he faith d7 obeyed in our Nature, this, in our Nature , muff either be the ferne with in our flead , which he mentioned before ; or forne thing different , if the fame, then it feemes , when he laid , Chrifi Pilfered in our flead , his meaning only was, that Chrifi fuffered in our Nature. And will not all Socinianr grant , that Chrift Suffered thus in our flead , that is , in our Nature ? If different , I would know,, why he putteth filch a difference be- twixt Chria's Suffering and His obeying , feing both belonged to that Law ( as-he fpeaketh in the foregoing words) which was His Covenant Conditi- ons; and both were Satisfa&tory and Meritorious, though the one more primarily Satisfaéfory, & the other more primarily meritorious ? 4. When he faith, That Chrift obeyed in our Nature, that perfetlion ofobe- dience might not be necefj-ary to our jufii fication , I would ask , if this end did, or could flow from, or follow upon Chrift's Obedience , meetly becaufe it was performed in our Nature ? Had we no other Intereff, or ground of In- tereft in it , or in Him , but that it was performed in our Nature ? or did all the Benefice & Advantage , that we received, or are to receive there- by , flow from it meerly upon this account, that it was performed in our Nature ? S. As to this end of Chriff'sobeying Ti¡.. that per f Eiion of obedience might net be necef'ary to our juffication, I fuppofe his meaning is, that this perfe- ¿tion of obedience might not be required of us, in order to juffiacation : but yet he Both not fay (as he should ) that this was our debt ; and that Chrift paid thisperfeíl obedience as our debt, in order to life : for if he shall fay this, then it will follow, that this payment muff, in Law - fenfe, he impu- ted to thole, for whom it was paid. How ever there words do plainely infinuat , that howbeit Chrift obeyed in our Nature: that perfeEfion of obedience might not be neceffary to our juffification ; yet norwithffanding an ImperfeEtObedience might be accounted neceffary to our jnffification,; and thus the New Covenant be fuppofed to be of the fame kind and Specti* with the old ; and Chriff be fuppofed to have obeyed, only that the termes of the Old Covenant might be abated, as to the rigour of per fedion of obe- dience required. 6. That Chrift Obeyed and Suffered in the perfon ofa Mediator & Spon- for, (as he faith) that is, that perfon God -Man , who was Mediator and Sponfor, did obey & Infer, is very true; but notwithffanding hereof, yea fo much the rather, he obeyed and fuffered , as a Publick Perfon that is, for others, and not for Himfelfperfonallyconfrdered. And therefore tho- fe
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