SECTION U. 321 . ment, as if he would conniveat sin ; since he discovet's and de- clares, that in his passing by all the sins of his people in former ages, and in pardoning and justifying sinners now who believe in Christ, he will manifest his justice or righteousness by re- quiring such a sacrifice whereby sin shall be punished, though the sinner be spared. This is the plain meaningof the apostle ; Rom. iii. 24-26. Being justified finely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to de- clare his righteousnessfor the remission of sins that are past, through the fòrbearance of God: To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus : Which text our fathers have ever thought an unanswerable proof as well as a clear explica- tion of this doctrine. And I think there is abundant reason in scripture for us to support this sentiment of our fathers, though all the modern writers should agree to oppose it. For my part, as I live at a distance fromLondon, I have conversed with very few of them, and shall still conversewith fewer, if theygo on to forsake both the language and sense of scripture, and follow the opinions of Agrippa. Here Ferventio interrupted him. . I acknowledge, Sir, we live in a very degenerate age, wherein ancient errors are revived, and new ones arise among modern` writers ; but as to the doc- trine of the proper atonement of Christ, I hope there are many who maintain and defend it still, both in their volumes'of ser- mons, and other discourses, which are published on this subject. Among others I would point you to a valuable treatise on Jesus the Mediator, by a nameless author, who has critically and learnedly established this doctrine against the 'modern disbe- lievers of it, and hat shewn much of the wisdom of Gód in this appointment, and of what importance it is to us to believe it. I confess, saith Ferventio, the author is suspected not to be very orthodox in some other important points : But this makes it still more remarkable,, and gives us more reason to think that it is the doctrine of scripture, when it impresses itself so strongly upon the minds of those men who forsake the doctrines of their catechisms in other respects. I wish, with all my soul, that every roan be- held every gospel-truth in the same strong light of assurance as I do, and were as fervent and solicitous to vindicate and sup- port it ; but in this one article of the atonement ofChrist, I thank I can venture to recommend this author. Forgive me, Paulinus, that I have interrupted you to long, and I entreat you to proceed now in reading your paper. I obey, says Paulinus, and thank you for the interruption. Observenow, says he, though I have not hitherto used the word satisfaction for sin, nor will I zealously contend for it, because
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