world. "If ye were of the world," saith Christ, "the world would love its own; but because I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth: (John xv. 19.)

you,"

20. But let the Scripture itself speak, what world Christ died for." When we were without strength Christ died for the ungodly. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son," (Rom. v. 6, 10.) From all which we may clearly see, that Christ died for the world of the ungodly, for the world of sinners, for the world of his enemies; the just one for the world of the unjust. But the elect, as elect, are not unjust. Therefore he died not for the elect, as elect; but even for that world St. John speaks of, when he says, "the whole world lieth in wickedness."

21. If it be said, "The elect were sinners once as well as others;" I answer, true; but not as they are elect in Christ, but as they were out of Christ," without hope, and without God in the world." Therefore, to say that Christ died for the elect, as elect, is absolute nonsense and confusion.

22. To put this matter out of doubt, I would commend these following considerations to all sober minded men.

1. The Scripture saith, "Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost."

But the elect, as elect, were not lost.

Therefore Christ died not for the elect, as or because they were elect; for that had been to seek and save what was found and saved before,

2. The Scripture saith, Christ died for the unjust.

But the elect, as such, are not unjust.

Therefore Christ died not for the elect, as elect; for that

had been to justify them who were just before.

3. The Scripture saith, " He came to preach deliverance to the captives."

But the elect, as elect, are not captives; for Christ hath, set them free.

. Therefore he died not for the elect, as elect; for that had been to set them at liberty who were at liberty before.

4. The Scripture saith, “He quickened them who were dead in trespasses and sins, such as were without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world."

But the elect, as such, are not dead in trespasses and sins, but alive unto God. Neither are they without Christ; for they are chosen in him: nor are they "aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise." But they are "fellow-citizens with the saints, and the household of God."

Therefore Christ died not for the elect, as of because they were elect. For that had been to quicken them that were alive before, and to bring them into covenant who were in covenant before. And thus, by these men's account, our Lord lost his labour of love, and accomplished A SOLEMN NOTHING!

23. Thus having shewn the grievous folly of those who say, that Christ died for none but the elect, I shall now prove, by undeniable reasons, that he died for all mankind.

Reas. 1. Because all the Prophets, the Angel of God, Christ himself, and his holy Apostles, with one consent, affirm it.

Reas. 2. Because there is not one scripture, from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation, that denies it, either negatively, by saying, that he did not die for all; or affirmatively, by saying, that he died only for

some.

Reas. 3. Because he himself commanded, that the gos pel should be preached to every creature.

Reas. 4. Because he calleth all men, every where to repent. Reas, 5. Because those who perish are damned for not believing in the name of the only begotten Son of God, therefore, he must have died for them. Else they would be damned for not believing a lie.

Reas. 6. Because they which are damned might have

been saved. For thus saith the word of God, "They received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. Therefore God shall send them strong delusions, to believe a lie, that they all may be damned.” (2 Thess. ii. 10.) ·

Reas. 7. Because some "deny the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." But they could not deny the Lord that bought them, if he had not bought them at all.

24. I shall now briefly shew the dreadful absurdities that follow from saying, Christ died only for the elect.

I. If Christ died not for all, then unbelief is no sin in them that perish; seeing there is not any thing for those men to believe unto salvation, for whom Christ died not.

2. If Christ died not for all men, then it would be a sin in the greatest part of mankind to believe he died for them, seeing it would be to believe a lie.

3. If Christ died not for those that are damned, then they are not damned for unbelief. Otherwise, you say, that they are damned for not believing a lie.

4. If Christ died not for all, then those who obey Christ, by going and preaching the gospel to every creature, as glad tidings of grace and peace, of great joy to all people, do sin thereby, in that they go to most people with a lie in their mouth.

15. If Christ died not for all men, then God is not in earnest “in calling all men every where to repent;" for what good could repentance do those, for whom Christ died not?

6. If Christ died not for all, then why does he say, “He is not willing that any should perish?" Surely he is willing, yea resolved, that most men should perish; else he would have died for them also.

7. How shall "God judge the world by the man Christ Jesus," if Christ did not die for the world? Or how shall +

he judge them according to the gospel, when there was never any gospel or mercy for them?

25. But, say some, "If Christ died for all, why are not all saved?"

I answer, "Because they believe not in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Because God Because God "called, and they refused to answer; he stretched out his hand, and they regarded not; he counselled them, but they would hear none of his counsels;" he reproved them, but "they set at nought all his reproofs; they followed after lying vanities, and forsook their own mercies;" they "denied the Lord that bought them, and so brought upon themselves swift destruction;" and "because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved, therefore (if you would know wherefore) God gave them up. to believe a lie," and to be damned. "How often", (saith our Lord) “would I have gathered you together, and ye would not!" Ye would not. Here is the plain reason why all men are not saved. For God promiseth no man salvation, whether he will or not. But leaveth them to everlasting destruction, who will not believe and obey the gospel.

26. "Oh, then you are an Arminian! You are a Freewiller! You hold free-will in man!"

.

I hold nothing but what the Scripture saith; and that you shall give me leave to hold. I do not hold, that any man has any will or power of himself, to do any thing that is good; but by the grace of God we may do all things. I› have already shewn, he hath given Christ for all men. And he who spared not his own Son, but delivered bim up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things?" And what man knoweth not, that, if he make use of all the will and power God hath given him, God will double his talent, and give him more? If any, therefore, desire to have more, let him faithfully improve what he has. Likewise what man is he, who doth not know that

2

he is not condemned, for not doing what he could not do, but for leaving undone what he could have done if he would. Let any man deny it if he can.

27. "What then, may all men be saved if they will?"

Before I answer this question directly, I shall shew, that those who ask it, are themselves compelled to grant as much freedom of will as we desire to plead for.

For, 1. The Assembly of Divines, in their Confession of Faith, c. 9, do expressly say, "God hath endowed the will of man with that natural liberty, that it is neither forced, nor by any absolute necessity determined to do good or evil." 2. Mr. Baxter, in the preface of his Call to the Unconverted, says, that Calvin as well as Arminius held free-will, and that "no man of brains denieth, that man hath a will that is naturally free; it is free from violence, it is a self-determining principle." Sure here is as much said for free-will, as any man need to say, and perhaps more. For,

The difference between us, is this. They say, Man hath a will which is naturally free. We say, Man hath this freedom of will, not naturally, but by grace.

We believe, that in the moment Adam fell, he had no freedom of will left; but that God, when of his own freegrace he gave the promise of a Saviour to him and his posterity, graciously restored to mankind a liberty and power to accept of proffered salvation. And, in all this, man's boasting is excluded; the whole of that which is good in him, even from the first motion of his will, being of grace and not of nature. And now we come directly to the question, Whether all men may be saved if they will?

28. To those who have considered what has been premised, I answer, 1. What should hinder them if they be willing? For, 2. God is not willing that any should perish; yea, 3. He is willing that all men should be saved. And Christ is willing; for he came not to judge the world, but to save the world. And how did he weep over Jerusalem! How often would he have gathered them together, even as