latter; much less is it just to affirm that the latter has for its basis every principle which pertains to the former. The deliverance effected by the prince in the case before stated might with propriety be called a redemption; and the recollection of it under this idea would be very impressive to the minds of those who were delivered. They would scarcely be able to see or think of their commander in chief, even though it might be years after the event, without being reminded of the price at which their pardon was obtained, and dropping a tear of ingenuous grief over their unworthy conduct on this account. Yet it would not be just to say that this redemption had for its basis an idea of pecuniary justice, and not that of moral justice. It was moral justice which in this case was satisfied; not however in its ordinary form, but as exercised on an extraordinary occasion; not the letter, but the spirit of it.

The scripture doctrine of atonement being conveyed in language borrowed from pecuniary transactions, is not only improved by unbelievers into an argument against the truth of the gospel, but has been the occasion of many errors amongst the professors of christianity. Socinus on this ground attempts to explain away the necessity of a satisfaction. "God," says he,

is our creditor. Our sins are debts which we have contracted with him; but every one may yield up his right, and more especially God, who is the supreme Lord of all, and extolled in the scriptures for his liberality and goodness. Hence then it is evident that God can pardon sins without any satisfaction received."* Others, who profess to embrace the doctrine of satisfaction, have on the same ground perverted and abused it; objecting to the propriety of humble and continued applications for mercy, and presuming to claim the

Treatise of Jesus Christ the Saviour, Pt. III. Ch. E

forgiveness of their sins, past, present, and to come, as their legal right, and what it would be unjust in the Supreme Being, having received complete satisfaction, to withhold.

To the reasoning of Socinus, Dr. Owen judiciously replies by distinguishing between right as it respects debts, and as it respects government. The former he allows may be given up without a satisfaction, but not the latter. "Our sins," he adds, " are called debts, not properly, but metaphorically."* This answer equally applies to those who pervert the doctrine, as to those who deny it: for though in matters of debt and credit a full satisfaction from a surety excludes the idea of free pardon on the part of the creditor, and admits of a claim on the part of the debtor, yet it is otherwise in relation to crimes. In the interposition of the prince as stated above, an honourable expedient was adopted, by means of which the sovereign was satisfied, and the exercise of mercy rendered consistent with just authority: but there was no less grace in the act of forgiveness than if it had been without a satisfaction. However well pleased the king might be with the conduct of his son, the freeness of pardon was not at all diminished by it; nor must the criminals come before him as claimants, but as supplicants, imploring mercy in the mediator's name.

Such are the leading ideas which the scriptures give us of redemption by Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul especially teaches this doctrine with great precisionBeing justified freely by his grace, through the redemp tion that is in Jesus Christ: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are

Dissertation on Divine Justice, Ch. IX. § vii, yiii,

past, through the forbearance 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.* From this passage we may remark, First: That the grace of God, as taught in the scripture, is not that kind of liberality which socinians and deists ascribe to him, which sets aside the necessity of a satisfaction. Free grace, according to Paul, requires a propitiation, even the shedding of the Saviour's blood, as a medium through which it may be honourably communicated. Secondly: Redemption by Jesus Christ was accomplished not by a satisfaction that should preclude the exercise of grace in forgiveness, but in which the displeasure of God against sin being manifested, mercy to the sinner might be exercised without any suspicion of his having relinquished his regards for righteIn setting forth Jesus Christ to be a propitiation, he declared his righteousness for the remission of sins. Thirdly: The righteousness of God was not only declared when Christ was made a propitiatory sacrifice; but continues to be manifested in the ac ceptance of believers through his name. He appears as just while acting the part of a justifier towards every one that believeth in Jesus. Fourthly: That which is here applied to the blessings of forgiveness and acceptance with God, is applicable to all other spiritual blessings all, according to the scriptures, are freely communicated through the same distinguished me. dium. See Ephes. i.t

ousness.

* Rom. iii. 24-26.

†The christian reader, it is presumed, may from hence obtain a clear view of the ends answered by the death of Christ; a subject which has occupied much attention amongst divines. Some have asserted that Christ by his satisfaction accomplished this only, "That God now, consistently with

These remarks may suffice to shew, not only that Mr. Paine's assertion has no truth in it, but that all those professors of christianity who have adopted his principle, have so far deviated from the doctrine of redemption as it is taught in the scriptures.

the honour of his justice, may pardon (returning) sinners, if he willeth so to do." This is doubtless true as far as it goes: but it makes no provision for the return of the sinner. This scheme therefore leaves the sinner to perish in impenitence and unbelief, and the Saviour without any security of seeing of the travail of his soul. For how can a sinner return without the power of the Holy Spirit? And the Holy Spirit, equally with every other spiritual blessing, is given in consideration of the death of Christ. Others, to remedy this defect, have considered the death of Christ as purchasing repentance and faith, as well as all other spiritual blessings, on behalf of the elect. The writer of these pages acknowledges he never could perceive that any clear or determinate idea was conveyed by the term purchase, in this connection; nor does it appear to him to be applicable to the subject, unless it be in an improper or figurative sense. He has no doubt of the atonement of Christ being a perfect satisfaction to divine justice; nor of his being worthy of all that was conferred upon him, and upon us for his sake; nor of that which to us is sovereign mercy being to him an exercise of remunerative justice but he wishes it to be considered, Whether the moral Governor of the world was laid under such a kind of obligation to shew mercy to sinners as a creditor is under to discharge the debtor, on having received full satisfaction at the hands of a surety? If he be, the writer is unable to perceive how there can be any room for free forgiveness on the part of God; or how it can be said that justice and grace harmonize in a sinner's salvation-Nothing is farther from his intention than to depreciate the merit of his Lord and Saviour: but he considers merit as of two kinds; either on account of a benefit conferred, which on the footing of justice requires an equal return; or of something done or suffered which is worthy of being rewarded by a Being who is

As to what Mr. Paine alleges, that the innocent suffering for the guilty, even though it be with his own consent, is contrary to every principle of moral justice, he affirms the same of God's visiting the iniquities of

distinguished for his love of righteousness. In the first sense, it cannot, as he supposes, be exercised towards an infinite, and perfect Being. The goodness of Christ himself, in this way, extendeth not to him. It is in the last sense that the scriptures appear to him to represent the merit of the Redeemer. That he, "who was in the form of God, should take upon him the form of a servant, and be made in the likeness of men, and humble himself, and become obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," was so glorious an undertaking, and so acceptable to the Father, that on this account he "set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the Head over all things to the church." Nor was this all: so well pleased was he with all that he did and suffered, as to reward it not only with honours conferred on himself, but with blessings on sinners for his sake. Whatever is asked in his name, it is given us.

It is thus, as the writer apprehends, that a way was opened by the mediation of Christ, for the free and consistent exercise of mercy in all, the methods which sovereign wisdom saw fit to adopt.

There are three kinds of blessings in particular, which God out of regard to the death of his Son bestows upon men.— First: He sends forth the gospel of salvation, accompanied with a free and indefinite invitation to embrace it, and an assurance that whosoever complies with the invitation (for which there is no ability wanting in any man who possesses an honest heart) shall have everlasting life. This favour is bestowed ON SINNERS AS SINNERS. God giveth the true bread from heaven in this way to many who never receive it. He inviteth those to the gospel supper who refuse and make light of it. John vi. 32, 36. Matt. xxii. 4, 5.—Secondly: He