20 Of the death of Chrift. pleatly juftified, that it fhould precede believing, I have not only not aliened, but politively denied, and difproved by many arguments to he now traduced as a patron of that opinion, and my reafons for it publickly anfwered, feems to me fomething uncouth, however I am refolved not to interprfe in other mens difputes and differences, yet left I Mould be again, and further milaken in this, I fha11 briefly give in my thoughts to the whole difficulty after. I have dif- covered, and difcuffed the ground, and occafion Of this miftake. In an anfwer to an argument of Grouts about the fatisfaftion of Chrift, denying that by it we are ipfo frao delivered from the penalty due to fin : I affirmed that by his death, Chrift did atually, or ipfo facto deliver us from the curie, by beingmade a curie far ro: and this is that, which,gave occafion to that inn- . putation beforementioned. To clearmy mind in this, I muff delire the reader to confider, that my an- fwer is but a denial of Grotius his affertions. In what kind, and ref-pea Grouts cloth there deny that we are ipfo fiEio delivered by the fatisfaftion of.Chriff, in that Cenfe, and that only, do I affirm that we are fo : otherwife there were, no contradiaions between his affertion and mine, not fpeaking ad 'dem, and eodrm refpelu. The truth is, Grotius Both not in that place whence this argument is taken, fully, or clearly manifeft, what he intends by deliverance which is not a@ual, or ipfo fato ; and therefore I made bold to interpret his' mind, by the Analogy of that opinion wherewith he was throughly infe&ed about the death of Chrift. According to that, Chrift delivering us by his :fatisfaftion, not aftually, nor ipfo fatto, is fo to make fatisfaftion for us, as that we Mall have no benefit by his death, but upon the performance of a condition, which him- felf by that death of his did not abfolutely procure. This was that. which I oppofed, and therefore affirmed, that Chrift by his death did aftually; or ipfo fatto, deliver us. Let the reader then here obferve : r. That our deliverance is to be referred to the death of Chrift, according to its own caufality ; that is, as a mule meritorious : now fuck caules do aftu- ally, and ipfo fallo produce all thofe eifetts, which immediately how from them; clot in an immediation of time, but caufality. Look then what eftéßs do fol Ìow, or what things foever are procured by them, without the interpofition of any other caufe in the fame kind, they are Paid to be procured by them AM- ally, or ipfi fatto. s. That I have abundáptly proved in the .treatife mentioned, that if the fruits of the death of Chrift be to bë communicated unto us upon a condition, and that condition to be among thofe fruits, and be it felt to he abfolutely com- municated upon no condition, then all' the fruits of the death of Chrift, are as abfolutely procured for them, for whom he died, as if no condition had been prefcribed; for there things come all to one. g. I have proved in the fame place, that faith, which is this condition, is it felt procured by the death of Chrift, for them.'for whom he died, to be from ly beftowed on them, without the prefcription of any fuch condition, as on whole fulfilling the collation of it fhoulddepend. Theft things being confidered, as I hoped they would have been by every one, that fhould undertake to cent-tire any thing as co this bufinefs in that treatife, (they being there all handled at large) it is what I intended by this atual deliverance : via. Thar the Lord Jefus by the fatisfalico and merit of his death, and obligation made for all, and only his cleft, bath aftual- ly, and abfolutely purchafed, and procured for them alt fpiritual blengs of grace, and glory to be made out unto them, and beftowed upon them in God's way, and time, without dependence on any condition to be by them performed, not abfolutely procured for them thereby : whereby they became to have a right unto the good things by hint purchafed, to be in due time potcfled ac- cording to God's way, method, and appointment. From a faithful adherence unto this perfuafion, I fee nothing as yet of the leap efficacy, or force to difunde me : and am boldto tell thefe concerned there- in, that their conditional fatisfaftion, or their fufpending the fruits of the death of Christ upon conditions, as though the Lord Mould give him to die for us upon condition of fuch, and fuch things, is a vain figment, contrary to the Scriptures, inconfiftent in it felt, and defirutivr of the true value, and virtue of
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