am perfuaded, lead many persons to think rationally on this fubject, and especially to abandon all middle opinions with refpect to it, to obferve, as they must do if they give due attention to the language of fcripture, that those particular texts on which they are disposed to lay so much stress, give no countenance to any middle doctrine. For they must either be interpreted literally, according to the plain and obvious sense of the words, which will enforce the belief of proper vicarious punishments, or they must be interpreted figuratively; and then they will not oblige us to believe the doctrine of atonement in any fenfe, or that Chrift died a facrifice in any other manner, than as any perfon might be faid to be a facrifice to the caufe in which he dies.

It is now, certainly, time to lay less stress on the interpretation of particular texts, and to allow more weight to general confiderations, derived from the whole tenor of fcripture, and the dictates of reafon; and if there fhould be found any difficulty in accommodating the one to the other (and I think there is even lefs of this than might have been expected) the former, and not the latter, should remain unaccounted for. Time may clear up obscurities in particular texts, by discovering various readings, by the clearer knowledge of antient customs and opinions,

S 3

1

nions, &c. But arguments drawn from fuch confiderations as those of the moral government of God, the nature of things, and the general plan of revelation, will not be put off to a future time. The whole compafs and force of them is within our present reach, and if the mind be unbiaffed, they muft, I think, determine our affent.

It is certainly a great fatisfaction to entertain fuch an idea of the author of the universe, and of his moral government, as is confonant to the dictates of reason and the tenor of revelation in general, and also to leave as little obfcurity in the principles of it as poffible; that the articles of our creed on this great fubject may be few, clear, and fimple. Now it is certainly the doctrine of reason, as well as of the Old Testament, that God is merciful to the penitent, and that nothing is requifite to make men, in all fituations, the objects of his favour, but fuch moral conduct as he has made them capable of. This is a fimple and a pleasing view of God and his moral government, and the confideration of it cannot but have the best effect on the temper of our minds and conduct in life. The general tenor of the New Teftament is likewife plainly agreeable to this view of things, and none of the facts recorded in it require to be illustrated by any other principles. In this, then, let us acquiefce,

quiefce, not doubting but that, though perhaps not at prefent, we fhall in time be able, without any effort or ftraining, to explain all particular expreffions in the apoftolical epiftles, &c. in a manner perfectly confiftent with the general strain of their own writings, and the reft of the fcriptures.

THE

HISTORY

OF THE

Corruptions of Christianity.

PART III.

The History of Opinions concerning GRACE, ORIGINAL SIN, and PREDESTINATION.

THE INTRODUCTION.

NEXT to the opinions concerning the perfon of Chrift, none have agitated the minds of men more, or produced more serious confequences, than those relating to the doctrines of grace, original fin, and predeftination, which have fo many connections, that I think it proper to treat of them all together.

That it must be naturally in the power of man to do the will of God, must be taken for granted, if we fuppofe the moral government of God to be at all an equitable one. He that made man, certainly knew what he was capable of, and

would