We may here pertinently take Notice that the Doctrine of Redemption by Jefus Chrift, as it is stated to us in the Holy Writings, is fufficient to filence the Cavils that have been made (as it has been already remarked) against the Pofteriority of the Date of the Chriftian Religion, or the Want of it's Univerfality. For the Merits of the Sacrifice of Chrift's Death, whether decreed or accomplished, must be virtually and univerfally efficacious in all Ages and Places, from the Beginning to the End of Time. They are by Divine Mercy imputable, where they are entirely unknown: and though, for Reasons hid from the Wife and Prudent, as well as the Ignorant and Foolish, the Divine Providence has permitted, from the Beginning, Error and Superstition to engross the far greater Part of the known World, yet we may, in Reason and Charity, fuppofe that all Men (for all Men, as fuch, are equally capable of Mercy) will be faved by virtue of Chrift's Satisfaction, who act agreeably to the real Judgment of their Confciences, and the best Information they can procure. For though the best human Actions have, upon the whole, such an Alloy of Imperfection, that, as to their own Right and Title to Acceptance with God, they " have in them,” as our Article expreffes it, “ the "Nature of Sin," yet every Work shall surely have it's juft Reward, that can either derive any Merit from Faith in Chrift, or from the unknown Vir

tue

C

tue of his Sacrifice. The Scriptures encourage us to hope that finally all Mankind fhall be one Fold under one Shepherd, Jefus Chrift, till which happy Period of Time no Man's invincible Error, or involuntary Ignorance, fhall rife in Judgment against him. He that believeth and is baptized, our Bleffed Saviour tells us, shall be faved, but he that believeth not shall be damned: that is, as the Word άnishσas fhould rather be rendered, he that dibelieves the Gofpel, viz. after fufficient Means, and proper Opportunities of embracing it, have been offered him: of which Sufficiency God is, no doubt, the fole Judge.

If what has been here advanced be sufficiently supported by Reason and Scripture, (as, I trust, it is) it will overthrow the Doctrine of abfolute Predeftination to Life or Death eternal, by an abfolute irreversible Decree of God. For if all Men, as fuch, have a real, though unknown, Right in the Merits of Jefus Christ, and that Right be only forfeitable by their own wilful Folly and Neglect, it will follow, that all Chriftians likewise, as fuch, are upon equal Terms of Covenant with God, and that the Benefits and Advantages of the fame are derived on all, who do not, by their own Act and Deed, difqualify themselves for it. But to this the Decretalift will be ready to object perhaps, that

Chriftians are undoubtedly diftinguished from the reft of Mankind by certain Aids and Affiftances of Divine Grace peculiar to them as fuch; that this is a Matter of real Favour; and that therefore Chriftians may, in the Nature of Things, be likewife diftinguished from one another by larger or fmaller Measures and Proportions of this Grace, in confequence of God's Predeftination of fome to Life and others to, Death, according to the Purpofe of his own Will.--Now in the firft Place, how far thefe Aids and Affiftances of Divine Grace are abfolutely peculiar to Chriftians, may be drawn into question. It is not unreasonable to suppose, that all holy Defires, all good Counfels, and all juft Works do proceed from the imperceptible Infpirations of the Spirit, in all fincerely good Men of whatever Faith or Denomination; and it has been already hinted, that in certain Exigencies of well-meaning Men, a fupernatural Affiftance has probably been at all Times difpenfed; and indeed there seems to be no good Reafon to be given why uncovenanted Grace fhould not be bestowed, where there is a proper Difpofition of Mind to receive it.—— But be that as it will;-if no Grace is communicable out of the Chriflian Difpenfation, we can only infer from thence, that as no Man is accountable for the Ufe of what he never had, fo Chriftians are under ftronger and more particular Obligations from these gracious Affistances, and Motions of the

Spirit, to the Practice of Virtue and Holiness. For unto whomfoever much is given, of him fhall be much required; and to whom Men have committed much, of him they will ask the more; (Luke xii. 48.) But it will not by any means follow, even from the Conceffion, that Grace is peculiar to Chriftians, as fuch, that it is peculiar to fome Men more than others, by Tenor of a divine Decree for that Purpofe. Indeed if we consider the Attributes of God according to our rational Apprehenfions and Ideas of Things, (and we cannot confider them otherwise) or if we confider the Nature of Man, the general Scope of the Chriftian Covenant, the Virtue of the Chriftian Sacrifice, the Ufe and Advantage of the Christian Sacraments, the Promifes and Threats, the Encouragements and Exhortations, and the repeated Calls and Invitations to Repentance both in the Law, and the Gospel; I fay, if we confider all thefe Things, and represent the full Force of them to our Minds, they will, I think, evidently afcribe the meritorious Caufe of Salvation to the Death of Chrift, and the conditional Cause of the fame, to the Application of Men's natural Faculties, and rational Powers; or to the Improvement of those spiritual Advantages and Affistances with which Chriftians are particularly indulged; but all this while, both in the Cafe of Nature and of Grace, the Application or Neglect, the Improvement or Abuse, is refpectively free and voluntary,

and

and by no means the Effect of any necessary Influence and Direction, or of an irrefiftible Decree.It is not indeed to be denied, that certain Paffages and Expreffions of Scripture, feemingly of a contrary Import, and indeed fome fuppofed Arguments of Reason itself, have been often opposed to the Doctrine we have here advanced: and it will accordingly be expected that we make fome Inquiry into the Force and Validity of these.

Now the frequent Ufe in Scripture of the Terms predeftinated, elected, and many others, whose Sound favours the predeftinarian Hypothesis, has no doubt countenanced a correspondent Interpretation. -But let it in general be remarked, ift. that even granting the feeming Force of certain Passages, according to the Sense put upon them by Decretalifts, these Paffages are to be answered by others at least equally clear, that demand a contrary Construction. In this Case then must we not be determined by the visible, general Tenor of the whole Gospel? And ought not every particular Interpretation to be regulated thereby? Or, even fuppofing it to be a Matter of fome reasonable Doubt which Way the Tenor of the Gofpel inclines; in fuch Cafe, are we not to call in the Affiftances of human Reason, and may we not fafely abide by her Decifions?-If we examine the Doctrine under prefent Confideration by thefe Rules, it must fall to

nothing,