[1]

THE

INTRODUCTION.

SHE Author of a Book which bears the Title of The Ruin and Recovery of Mankind, is of Opinion, That GOD hath chofen a certain Number of Men to ever

lafting Life, and that they fhall infallibly be fayed thro' the Merits and Righteoufnefs of CHRIST. It is not to be doubted, but that the unalterable Love of GOD to the Elect, and their final Happiness, as a certain Effect thereof, are Truths which appear to this Writer with the brightest Evidence. Since he is alfo of Opinion, that Men univerfally are interested in CHRIST'S Death; that all are brought into a falvable State; or, that thro' the fuperabundant. Merit of our Saviour, a conditional Provifion of Salvation is made for every Man without Exception. The Gentleman difcovers a very great' Satisfaction in this Scheme, (if it will bear that B Name,

Name, and he likes it fhould be fo called) because, as he apprehends, peculiar Advantages attend it far beyond the Calvinistical and Arminian Schemes, neither of which, as he conceives, are clearly and fully confiftent with the Scriptures. As this Scheme secures the eternal Salvation of the whole Number of the Elect, it alfo provides for the Happiness of All; and therefore the Author thinks, that the Calvinist may be fully fatisfied with it, and the Arminian likewife. The Calvinift may, because it expreffes the Whole of his Sentiments concerning the everlasting Security of GOD's Chofen; and the Arminian has no juft Reason to be diffatisfied with it; because, according to this Opinion, GOD in his immenfe Goodnefs really wills, and has provided conditionally for the Felicity of ALL. Thofe for whom Happiness is in a conditional Manner defigned, fuffer nothing by the effectual Provifion which is made for the Elect: And on the other Hand, fuch as are chofen to eternal Life, are not brought into a State of the leaft Uncertainty by GOD's Intention to fave Some who never may be, nay, it is certain, who never will be saved.

The ingenious Author fufpects, that those who disapprove of this Scheme, are ill-natured, and love not their Neighbour as themfelves (a). The Reasoning in his Book would have loft Nothing of its Beauty and Force, if he had spared this Reflection.

I humbly hope we want not Compaffion to our Fellow-Creatures, but we would not be led by Pity to Men into any Principles that are difbonourable to the divine Perfections, everfive of CHRIST'S Satisfaction, and which in Reality

(a) Page 245.

leave them under an Impoffibility of Salvation, notwithstanding GOD intended their Happiness; all which neceffarily follow upon his Sentiments, as may hereafter appear.

This Work will confift of four Parts: In the First I fhall endeavour to prove the limited Extent of the Death of CHRIST, and the certain Salvation of all thofe for whom he died. In the Second, the Objections which are usually urged by the Arminians, and others, will be answered. In the Third I fhall attempt to prove the Impoffibility of the Salvation of the Non-Elect, upon the Suppofition of no other than a conditional Provifion of Salvation being made for them. In the Fourth Part I fhall attend to what he delivers on the Subjects of the Imputation of original Sin to Men, the Charge of Sin on CHRIST, and the Imputation of his Righteousness to his People.

PART I.

CHAP. I.

Contains the First Argument to prove the limited Extent of CHRIST's Death i

I

N this firft Part I propofe to enter upon the Confideration of the Extent of the Death of CHRIST; whether he died for all Mankind, or a Part of the human Nature only. This is a Question of very great Moment, and is a Point which has been much contefted. Some affirm, That he died for all Men ; as well for those who are damned, as for such who are eternally faved. Others deny it; and (for very weighty Reasons as they think) conceive he expired on theCrofs for none but those who enjoy eternal Felicity. In my Apprehenfion the Truth lies on this Side of the Queftion: For the Support of my Opinion, I fhall in this Chapter prefent the Reader with an Account of the Nature and Effects of divine Love, of which CHRIST'S Death is fuch an amazing Inftance, that ever hath, and eternally will, fill Angels and Saints with the greatest Admiration and Astonishment. Divine Goodnefs was the impulfive Caufe of the Sufferings of the Redeemer, in order to the Salvation of Sinners.

I. The Love of GOD the Father, is abundantly difplay'd in this wonderful Tranfaction (@).

(a) John iii, 16.

From

From the many trong Expreffions concerning the Love of GOD, which induced him to put his Son to Death for Men, it may reasonably be concluded, that all thofe for whom he died, were the Objects of his Favour, taken in its most comprebenfive Senfe. If no greater Inftance of divine Goodness ever was, is, or will be, given to Men, than that of CHRIST, as a Sacrifice for them, then more intenfe, immutable, and infeparable Love GOD bears to None, than to Such, for whom CHRIST became an atoning Sacrifice. Now I cannot conceive, that a Decree to eternally punish, and the Execution of that Decree, can confift with an Intereft in the rich, inconceivable, and infeparable Love of GOD; if it may, then a certain Conclufion of being happy, cannot be drawn from an undoubted Evidence of an Intereft in the good Will and Favour of GOD. For according to this Suppofition, a Perfon who is beloved of GOD, may eternally perish, or fuffer his awful Vengeance, than which, nothing feems more abfurd to me. With respect to the Nature and Properties of the Love of GOD, we may obferve as follows:

- 1. It is infinite: No Tongue can fully express it, or any Mind comprehend it, it paffes Knowledge (c). The most extenfive Ideas that a finite Understanding can frame about Divine Love, are infinitely below its true Nature. The Heaven is not fo far above the Earth, as the Goodnefs of GOD is beyond the most raised Conceptions we are able to form of it; it is an Ocean which fwells higher than all the Mountains of Oppofition, in fuch as are the Objects of it; and it is a Fountain from which flows all neceffary Good to

(c) Ephefians iii, 19.

B 3

thofe