I stand amazed at the Gentlemen, against whom I am arguing; what a _Scope_ do they give to the _Sovereignty_ of God, in the Doctrines of _Election_ and _Reprobation?_ And yet they won't _suffer it_ at all to operate, in the Case of _forgiving Sin_, on the Terms of Repentance and Amendment. A small, yea _very small_ and reasonable Allowance, in regard to the _Exertion_ of this Attribute, and in a _good Cause_ too, would be sufficient to justify the Mercy of God, in forgiving Sin. If, as a Sovereign, he punishes where no Sin is, surely he may also, as a Sovereign, forgive Sin. So that this Notion of the Impossibility of God's forgiving Sin, without Satisfaction first made, is erroneous and despicable. Repentance and Amendment in the Creature is, in the Nature of Things, a _much better_ Satisfaction, than can be made by the Act of another. By the _Justice_ of God, I repeat it again, is meant, that he will not punish the innocent, and not that he cannot shew Mercy to an offending, repenting, penitent Creature, unless another sheds his Blood for an Atonement. Nor is the Righteousness of Christ, _strictly speaking_, imputable to any one. The Terms of the Gospel are, _Repent, and be converted, and your Sins shall be blotted out:_ Be _sorry_ and _amend_, and I will _forgive_ you. _The Prayer of a Righteous Man availeth much;_ and God, in some Cases, to shew his Regard to the Righteous, and to excite others to become righteous also, may possibly grant _that_, at the Request of such a righteous Person, which without, it might be improper to grant; and Christ being our holy and righteous Mediator, God may do more at his Request, on our Behalf, than he would do without it. Not but that (_independent of_ and previous to the Intercession of Christ, at least to the Account we have of it, in the New Testament) God was _ever disposed_ to be favourable to Man, and always ready to receive him, coming to him in a proper and becoming Manner: For even this very Christ, and his Intercession, &_c_. is all ultimately the Act of God, and flows from his unbounded Love and Goodness to Man. So that _imputed Righteousness_ can mean no more, than God's forgiving us, at the Request of Jesus Christ (whom he sent on purpose to make that Request, and to do every thing for the Benefit and Happiness of Man) and not a _real Transfer_ of Christ's _personal_ Righteousness, which is not only in itself impossible, but would, if true, take away all Necessity of our becoming holy. The Righteousness of Christ is altogether different to what these Men take it to be; it is a real State of Righteousness, wrought in the Soul by the Operation of Christ's _Spirit_, Man submitting thereto. I know there are some Expressions in the _New Testament_, which (if precipitantly understood, without Regard had to the Nature of the Thing, and to other plain Texts) seem _a little_ to favour these Doctrines. I can't say, by what Means _precisely_ the _Bible_ came into its