* The halting, unwilling, unconvicted spirit in which this retraction
■was conceived and written, is sufficiently apparent in the document
itself, which is copied from page 229 of vol. iii. Colonial Records,
where it immediately follows the record of the case of Mary Parsons :

" Acoordinge to the Courts advice, I have conferred with the Reve-
rend Mr. Cotton, Mr Norriee & Mr. Norton about some poynts of the
greatest consequence in my booke, <fc I hope I have so explayned my
meaning to them as to take off the worst construction ; & it hath
pleased God to let me see that I have not spoken in my booke so fully
of the price and merit of Christs suffrings as I should have done, for In
my booke I call them but trialls of his obedience, yet intendinge, there-
by, to amplyfy <fe exalt the mediatoriall obedyenoe of Christ, as the
only meritorious price of mans redemption ; but now, at present, / am
much inclined to thinhe that his sufferinges were appoynted by God for
a further end, namely, as the due punishment of our sins by way of
satisfaction to divine justice for mans redemption.
