k died, viz. to be destroy'd without remedy. And is not this to reprefent our God and Saviour more uncompaffionate to the fouls. of men, redeemed by Chrift; who, feeing them in their blood, does not fay unto them, live; or, dead in trefpaffes and fins, does not quicken them", when it is in his power to do it; than were that Priest and Levite to their brother's body, who feeing him ready to perish by his wounds, paffed unconcerned by another way? And when the Apoftle enquires, * If any man fee his brother in need, and fhutteth up his bowels of compaffion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? Would not this doctrine teach him to reply, even as it dwells in God himfelf, towards a confiderable number of those his fon has died for; who feeing them in extreme need, in a state of fin and mifery, yet buts up bis bowels of compaffion from them, withholds the outward means, the ministry of the word, from them, does not give them the least knowledge of his Son the Saviour of the world, nor the least measure of the grace of the bleed Spirit?" In a word, the love, grace, mercy and goodness of God, are more magnified and difplay'd in the doctrine of particular Redemption, which provides for the fure and certain falvation of fome men, for their actual participai Luke x. 31, 32. h Ezek. xvi. 6. Eph. ii. 5. tion of grace here, and glory hereafter, than by the doctrine of univerfal Redemption; which provides for the poffibility of the falvation of all men, leaving it to the mutable will of man, and to conditions to be performed by the creature; which makes it precarious and uncertain, whether any will be faved or no. 1 3. As to the charge of guile, deceit and infincerity, which the doctrine of particular Redemption is thought to fix upon the divine Being; this proceeds upon a mistaken fense of several paffages of fcripture, which contain declarations, calls, and exhortations of God to men, and expoftulations with them, and ardent wishes concerning them; all which either only regard civil and temporal, and not spiritual and eternal things; or do not belong to all mankind, or are not directed to any who are not eventually faved; as has been made to appear in the first part of this performance, where the fcriptures referred to, are particularly confider'd under distinct numbers. VIII. It is urged', That, "this doctrine (of particular Redemption) is visibly de-i ftructive of almoft all the acts of piety and vertue; as prayer, thanksgiving, loving the Lord with all our hearts and fouls; when, Whitby, p. 182, &c. Ed. 2. 177, &c. on on the other hand, the doctrine of general Redemption layeth the greatest obligations on us to fear the Lord, and to ferve him; gives him the glory of his free love, rich goodness, great mercy and compaffion to the fons of men, far above the contrary doctrine; inftructs us how to imitate the goodness, mercy and compaffion of God, adminifters juft ground of comfort to the greateft finner, and gives life and energy to all exhortations to him, to return and live." And, 1. 'Tis obferved", That "all prayer is the duty of all Chriftians, to be performed in every place, and at all times, for all Chriftians, and all men; and that in faith, and in the name of Jefus, for pardon." And, 'tis afk'd, "How can we have accefs to God in our prayers for pardon, or for any other fpiritual bleffings, for all men, through the blood of Jefus, if he did not fhed his blood for all?" I answer; That' all prayer is the duty of all Chriftians, is certain; and that this is to be made for allChriftians, for all faints, is as certain; yea, even for our enemies, as well as for our friends; but that we are to pray for all the individuals of human nature, that have been, are, or fhall be in the world, is not fo certain fince then we must pray for the dead as well as the living, for the faints in Whitby, p. 1Sz. Ed. 2. 177. heaven and the damned in hell, and for them that are not yet born, as for those that are; and yet fo we should pray to answer to the extent of Redemption pleaded for. The Apostle, indeed, exhorts ", That fupplications, prayers and interceffions, be made for all men; that is, for men of all forts, ranks and degrees, particularly for kings, and for all that are in authority, and chiefly refpect the civil affairs of government, that kings may act for the glory of God, and the welfare of their fubjects; and that the lat ter, especially fuch as are Chriftians, may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godlinefs and bonefty. The fcripture gives us no warrant, any where, to pray for the pardon and falvation of all men, collectively; to do fo, would be to act contrary to divine revelation; which reprefents to us,.that the fins of all men will not be pardon'd, and that all men will not be faved. And if a man prays for the pardon and falvation of any particular perfon or perfons, for whom he is more efpecially concern'd, it should be always with fubmiffion to the will of God, who will have mercy on whom he will have mercy; for no man can pray in faith, and with confidence, but for fuch things as are agreeable to the revealed will of God, There is, indeed, great encouragement for n 1 Tim. ii, 1. a man to go to God through Chrift, and pray for the discovery of pardon, and application of falvation, to himself and others, upon the scheme of particular Redemption;' fince the blood of Chrift was bed for many, for the remiffion of fins; and therefore, Why not for their fins? and he came to fave the chief of finners, and therefore, Why not them? But, upon the fcheme of general Redemption, a man has no encouragement to pray for pardon and falvation, either for himself or others; fince, according to that scheme, Chrift, by his death, has not procured actual pardon, reconciliation or falvation, only obtained a new covenant, in which these things are promised, on condi tions to be performed by men; fo that all a man has to do, is to perform these conditions, and then he may claim his interest in pardon and falvation, and confequently has no need to pray for them. When thefe things are confider'd, 'twill be easy to judge, which fcheme is most likely to damp devotion, or to be deftructive of fervent prayer. 2. 'Tis further observ'd, That "it is the duty of all Chriftians, to give thanks always for all things to God, in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, &c. and this we are to do for all men; and the opinion which ob • See Whitby, p. 109, 110. Ed. 2. 106, 107. P Ib. p. 184. Ed. 2. 179, 180. ftructs |