to the more difficult truths, as they are able to bear them. But human teachers are often too hafty, they do not attend fufficiently to the weakness of young converts, but expect them to learn and receive every thing at once; they are not even content with offering strong meat, prematurely, to babes, but force upon them the bones of fubtleties, distinctions, and difputations. But though a judicious minifter, will endeavour to accommodate himself to the state of his hearers, no gospel truth, is to be tamely and voluntarily fuppreffed, from a fear of displeasing men. In fact, however, the controverfies which have obtained among real Chriftians, have not fo much affected the truth as it lies in the fcripture, as the different explanations, which fallible men, of warm paffions, and too full of their own fenfe, have given of it. They who profeffedly hold and avow the doctrine of an election of grace, are now called Calvinists; and the name is ufed, by fome perfons, as a term of reproach. They would infinuate that Calvin invented the doctrine; or at leaft, that he borrowed it from Austin, who, according to them, was the first of the Fathers that held it. It is enough enough for me, that I find it in the New Teftament. But many things advanced upon the fubject by later writers, I confefs I do not find there. If any perfons advance harsh affertions, not warranted by the word of God, I am not bound to defend them. But as the doctrine itself is plainly taught, both by our Lord and his apoftles, and is of great importance, when rightly understood, to promote the humiliation, gratitude, and comfort of believers, I think it my duty to state it as plainly as I can. I shall offer my view of it, in a feries of propofitions, fo evidently founded (as I conceive) on acknowledged principles of scripture, that they cannot be easily controverted by any persons who have a real reverence for the word of God, and any due acquaintance with their own hearts. I. All mankind are finners *, by nature and practice. Their lives are stained with tranfgreflions, their hearts are depraved, their minds blinded, and alienated from God. So that they are not fenfible either of their guilt, or their mifery; nor fo much as defirous of returning to God, till he pre * Rom. iii. 23. vents them with his mercy, and begins to draw their hearts towards himfelf. Were I to prove this at large, I might tranfcribe one half of the Bible. Nay, it is fully proved by experience and obfervation. The Heathens felt and confeffed it. My prefent fubject does not require me to account for it, or to reafon upon it. That it is fo, I appeal to fact. II. The ineftimable gift of a Saviour, to atone for fin, and to mediate between God and man*; that there might be a way opened for the communication of mercy to finners, without prejudice to the honour of the perfections and government of God-this gift was the effect of his own rich grace and. love †, no lefs unthought of, and undefired, than undeferved, by fallen man. III. Wherever this love of God to man, is made known by the gofpel, there is encouragement, and a command given to all men every where to repent. The manifestation of the eternal Word, in the human nature, and his death upon the cross, are spoken of as the highest display of the wif dom and goodness of God. Defigned to give * John iii. 16. + Rom. v. 6, 8. Acts xvii. 30, 31. us, us, in one and the fame tranfaction, the most affecting fenfe of the evil of fin, and the ftrongest affurance imaginable, that there is forgiveness with God *. IV. Men, while blinded by pride and prejudice, enslaved to finful paffions, and under the influence of this present evil world, neither can, nor will receive the truth in the love of it +. They are prepoffeffed, and pre-engaged. This, at least, is evidently the cafe with many people in this favoured nation. Who, when the gospel is proposed to them in the most unexceptionable manner, not only disregard, but treat it with a pointed contempt and indignation ‡. Such was its reception at the beginning, and we are not to wonder, therefore, that it is fo at this day. V. As all mankind fpring from one stock, there are not two different forts of men by nature; confequently they who receive the gofpel, are no better in themselves, than they are who reject it. The apostle, writing to the believers at Corinth, having enumerated a catalogue, in which he comprizes fome of the moft flagitious and infamous cha *Rom. iii. 24, 25. v. 40. Luke iv. 28, 29. + 2 Cor. iv. 4. John vi. 55. racters, racters *, and allowed to be fo by the common confent of mankind; adds, Such were fome of you. Surely it cannot be said, that they who had degraded themselves, below the brutes, by their abominable practices, were better difpofed, than others, to receive that gospel, which is not more distinguished by the fublimity of its doctrine, than by the purity and holiness of converfation which it enjoins! VI. It feems, therefore, at least highly probable, that all men univerfally, if left to themselves, would act as the majority do to whom the word of falvation is fent ; that is, they would reject and despise it. And it is undeniable, that fome, who in the day of God's power, have cordially received the gospel, did for a feafon oppose it with no less pertinacity, than any of those who have continued to hate and refift it, to the end of life. Saul of Tarfus was an eminent inftance. He did not merely flight the doctrine of a crucified Saviour; but, according to his mistaken views, thought himfelf bound in confcience to fupprefs those who embraced it. He breathed out threat *I Cor. vi. 9-II. + Acts ix. I. |