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REMARKS 
 
 CERTAIN OPINIONS 
 
 RECENTLY PROPAGATED, 
 
 RESPECTING 
 
 UNIVERSAL REDEMPTION, 
 
 OTHER TOPICS 
 
 CONNECTED WITH THAT SUBJECT. 
 
 WILLIAM HAMILTON, D. D. 
 
 MINISTER OF STRATHBLANE. 
 
 GLASGOW, 
 
 MAURICE OGLE, WILSON STREET: 
 
 WAUGH & INNES; R. OGLE; W. OLIPHANT; W. WHYTE, & CO. J. 
 
 LINDSAY; J. ROBERTSON, EDINBURGH: R. B. LUSK; D. WEIR; 
 
 » J. KERR; J. THOMSON, GREENOCK: R. GEMMIL; AND 
 
 A. CRAWFORD, PORT-GLASGOW. 
 
 MDCCCXXX. 
 

 GLASGOW: 
 
 PRINTED BY ANDREW YOUNG. 
 
TO THE 
 
 REV. ANDREW THOMSON, D. D. 
 
 MINISTER OF ST. GEORGE'S CHURCH, EDINBURGH 
 THE FOLLOWING VOLUME, 
 AS A TOKEN OF ESTEEM 
 
 FOR 
 
 HIS PRIVATE VIRTUES, 
 
 AND 
 
 THE SIGNAL SERVICES, WHICH HE HAS RENDERED TO THE 
 CAUSE OF HUMANITY, LEARNING, AND RELIGION; 
 
 IS INSCRIBED 
 
 BY HIS SINCERE FRIEND AND SERVANT, 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2012 with funding from 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary Library 
 
 http://archive.org/details/remarkcertainOOhami 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 With the Scriptures in our hands, which are so plain 
 that he who runs may read them ; and after the many 
 years that have passed over the Church ; it might have 
 been expected that all controversy amongst the real 
 friends of religion would now have been closed ; that 
 they would have been agreed upon the essential doc- 
 trines of Christianity; and would have been distin- 
 guished for the unity of their faith, and of their know- 
 ledge of the Son of God. 
 
 But never have reasonable expectations been more 
 completely frustrated. Every year is teeming with 
 crude theories, and wild and visionary notions upon 
 the most sacred and deeply interesting doctrines of 
 revelation : and in proportion as these speculations are 
 opposed to the letter and spirit of the oracles of God, 
 they are advanced with the greater boldness, and urged 
 with the more vehemence and pertinacity. 
 
 When the world lies in wickedness ; when such mul- 
 titudes are rapidly rushing on to eternity, regardless 
 
VI 
 
 of the infinitely momentous realities before them; and 
 our own life is so short and uncertain : it is lament- 
 able to find, what we fondly hope is the house of God, 
 divided against itself; and to see the time and attention 
 of one portion of the servants incessantly withdrawn 
 from their nobler duties and more useful employments, 
 to defend the property of their Master from the attacks 
 of another class of the domestics. But however irk- 
 some, this is a task which we are not at liberty to de- 
 cline. All his goods are precious. Every part of re- 
 vealed truth is invaluable. Coming from the God of 
 love, and fitted to raise those who embrace it to the 
 knowledge and enjoyment of himself: we are bound 
 to contend for its preservation and purity ; to guard it 
 with fidelity and zeal ; and never surrender it to any of 
 its assailants. 
 
 The opinions opposed in the following pages, are of 
 a most dangerous description. Though repugnant to 
 the dictates of inspiration ; they have met, in some 
 quarters, with a far more ready reception than could 
 have been anticipated : so that, though controversy is 
 at all times unpleasant, it is strongly imperative on the 
 friends of sound religion, to point out the fallacy of 
 the tenets in question, and put the public upon their 
 guard against their pernicious tendency. 
 
 Though the work is short, it is longer than was 
 either intended or wished. To avoid swelling the vol- 
 ume, many topics have been omitted, and others 
 treated with more brevity, than perhaps was consist- 
 ent with perspicuity. The reader, however, who is 
 desirous of more information upon the subjects dis- 
 
Vll 
 
 cussed, will find his labour amply rewarded by con- 
 sulting the writings of other authors. The Rev. James 
 Carlile of Dublin, in his Old Doctrine of Faith, has 
 given a learned and elaborate refutation of the notion 
 that faith consists in an assent to the truth. Mr Innes- 
 in his Origin and Permanence of Christian Joy, has 
 very judiciously shewn the necessity of faith in order 
 to salvation, and the impropriety of making conscious- 
 ness the evidence of our believing. Dr Barr, in his 
 Sermon on the Peace of Believing, has in a masterly 
 manner proved, that the Antinomian assurance of sal- 
 vation is unattainable, unnecessary, and injurious. Mr 
 Brotherston in his Brief View of Faith, and a Minis- 
 ter of the Church of Scotland, in a letter to Thomas 
 Erskine, Esq. on his work, entitled The Unconditional 
 Freeness of the Gospel ; have treated the principal 
 topics in debate, with great clearness and conclusive- 
 ness. Since these pages went to the press, Mr Bar- 
 clay of Irvine has published some useful Strictures on 
 the same subject. Mr Mason's (of Wishawtown) Obser- 
 vations, Doctrinal and Practical, on Saving Faith, are 
 truly excellent. A more enlarged view of Saving Faith 
 may be found in Dr Colquhoun's work under that title. 
 Fuller on the Gospel Worthy of all Acceptation, and 
 Scott on the Warrant and Nature of Faith, deserve to 
 be carefully studied. But those who have leisure and 
 opportunity will find their pains still more richly re- 
 compensed by the perusal of Brown of Wamphray on 
 Justification, Edwards' admirable Work on the Affec- 
 tions, and Owen's incomparable volume on Redemp- 
 tion, or The Death of Death in the Death of 
 Christ. 
 
Vlll 
 
 May the Lord in mercy bless the means employed 
 for scattering ignorance, error, and vice; hasten the 
 time when the people shall be all righteous ; when the 
 whole earth shall be filled with the knowledge of his 
 glory ; and when the multitudes of them that believe, 
 shall be of one heart and of one soul, and keep the 
 unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 
 
 W. H. 
 
 Strathblane Manse, 
 Jan. kth, 1830. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAOE 
 
 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS ON THE DIFFERENT IDEAS ENTER- 
 TAINED OF THE WAY OF SALVATION. 9 
 
 The scriptural method of salvation illustrated by the brazen 
 serpent. — Notions held by the careless — the papists — the 
 legalists— the Sandemanians — the Bereans. 9 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 ON THE FREENESS OF THE GOSPEL AND ON THE LOVE OF GOD. 24> 
 
 The importance of having clear ideas of the freeness of the 
 Gospel. Though none can be saved without faith, faith 
 is not a meritorious condition of salvation. By limiting 
 salvation to those who know that they are pardoned, the 
 Bereans are as chargeable as Evangelical Christians, with 
 making salvation depend upon a condition. The position 
 in which the Berean condition is placed, renders it exceed- 
 ingly mischievous. — Of the power and all-sufficiency of 
 Christ. The suitableness of the Gospel to the case of the 
 awakened sinner. Danger of telling the impenitent that 
 they are pardoned. Berean notion of God's indiscrimin- 
 ate love to all men. Christ is able to save to the utter- 
 most — all are invited to come to him — he rejects none who 
 apply. No authority for saying that God has the same 
 
love to all mankind. His love in Christ ensures conver- 
 sion and salvation. Election cannot make these blessings 
 more secure. The final impenitence and perdition of 
 many, shew that they are not beloved for Christ's sake. 
 The impenitent are denominated vessels of wrath. The 
 impossibility of being at once objects of wrath and of 
 love 24 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 ON THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN, A STATE OF GRACE, AND AN 
 
 INTEREST IN CHRIST. -------49 
 
 The falsehood of the notion, that all sin must either be par- 
 doned or instantly punished, exposed from the forbearance 
 of God, and his visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon 
 the children. All sin was no more pardoned at Christ's 
 death, than all believers were then converted and placed 
 in heaven. When sin is pardoned the Divine displeasure 
 is removed: sin is then blotted out: the Divine favour 
 secured: spiritual blessings are obtained; and salvation 
 inevitably follows.— If all sin is pardoned except unbelief; 
 it must be wrong to preach the Gospel to the heathen, 
 for that exposes them to the sin of unbelief. If unbelief 
 also is forgiven; then either all must be saved, or those 
 that perish must be punished for no offence. No sin is 
 pardoned before repentance. — Prayer for pardon. - - 49 
 
 Of all being in a state of grace and interested in Christ. — 
 The meaning of these terms. — Unregenerate men are of 
 the works of the law, and under a curse. Of the notion that 
 Christ has placed all in a salvable state. If he merited 
 salvation for all, why do any perish? If only for some, 
 this theory extends salvation no farther than the doctrine 
 
XI 
 
 of particular redemption. — Consequences arising from the 
 idea that Christ has placed all men in a new relation to 
 God. 63 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 ON THE NATURAL STATE OF MAN, SCRIPTURAL PREACHING, 
 
 AND PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS. - - - -77 
 
 Natural men are carnal ; cannot please God ; and are far from 
 him. The prophets and apostles exhort their hearers to 
 repent and flee from the wrath to come: reason with them, 
 not of their being beloved of God and redeemed by 
 Christ, but of righteousnes, temperance, and judgment to 
 come. --------- 81 
 
 Examples of prayer for spiritual blessings. Such prayers are 
 enjoined. The Spirit assists in prayer. Christ is our in- 
 tercessor. ---------86 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 ON FAITH AND THE EXTENT OF THE ATONEMENT. - -94 
 
 The doctrinal object of faith is the testimony of God con- 
 cerning Christ. It is not that he has taken away all sin : 
 for sin reigns in the hearts of many. It is not that he died 
 for all. The Scriptures identify redemption and salva- 
 tion. All are not saved : therefore all are not redeemed. 
 Since God is omniscient, the event proves that it never 
 was his design to redeem all men. Redemption was 
 planned. The parties foreseen. The blessings provided. 
 Christ died in the room of those for whom he interposed : 
 and purchased for them all spiritual blessings. No proof 
 of universal redemption — object of faith is not that Christ 
 died for all. Conviction of sin precedes faith. Genuine 
 faith leads to reliance on Christ. Unbelief is a rejection 
 not of comfort but of Christ. 94 
 
xu 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 ON THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION — CONCLUDING REMARKS. 121 
 
 Assurance of salvation is attainable, but not essential to faith. 
 Christ saves only those who believe. We must have faith 
 before assurance. Believers exhorted to examine them- 
 selves, and to seek assurance. Assurance is obtained by 
 the fruits of faith and not by consciousness. Miscellan- 
 eous remarks. Recapitulation, 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS ON THE DIFFERENT IDEAS 
 ENTERTAINED OF THE WAY OF SALVATION. 
 
 In journeying from mount Hor, along the coast 
 of the Red Sea, to avoid entering the land of 
 Edom; the peevish and discontented Israelites, 
 soon lost patience, in consequence of the fatigues 
 and privations attending this retrograde move- 
 ment. Their soul was much discouraged because 
 of the way : and, perpetually prone to murmur, 
 they broke out in bitter repinings against God, 
 and reproachful invectives against Moses. 
 
 It was seldom that their rebellious and provok- 
 ing conduct was so quickly and so severely chas- 
 tised. Fiery flying serpents were instantly sent 
 among the people, many of whom were mortally 
 bitten. This mark of the Divine displeasure 
 speedily roused them to consideration and brought 
 them to repentance. Cl Therefore the people 
 came to Moses and said, We have sinned, for we 
 have spoken against the Lord and against thee: 
 pray unto the Lord that he take away the ser- 
 pents from among us. And Moses prayed for 
 A 
 
10 
 
 the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, 
 Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: 
 and it shall come to pass that every one that is 
 bitten, when he looketh upon it shall live." 
 Num. xxi. 4 — 8. 
 
 This appointment seems as plain as language 
 could render it; and as kind and effectual as 
 grace and power could make it. It might have 
 been expected that it would have been hailed in 
 the camp as the result of the matchless benigni- 
 ty of the God of love; that the import of the 
 instructions, with which it was accompanied, 
 would have been easily comprehended ; and that 
 no difficulty could have been found to direct the 
 next individual who was wounded, how to coun- 
 teract the venom of the sting, and secure the 
 restoration of his health. 
 
 But when circulated amongst ignorant rash 
 speculative and perverse men, the clearest coun- 
 sels are easily misunderstood, and the most bene- 
 volent intentions of Heaven frustrated. 
 
 As the tidings were conveyed along the encamp- 
 ment, some of the more reckless and audacious 
 trangressors might affirm that this measure was a 
 perfett hoax ; that God could as easily extirpate 
 the fiery serpents as endow this brazen figure with 
 a power to cure their bite; since the real serpents 
 were still permitted to plague them, they were 
 persuaded that the brazen serpent was possessed 
 of no virtue at all ; and that, whatever others 
 might do, and let the consequences be what they 
 
11 
 
 would, they were determined never to look in the 
 direction where it stood. 
 
 The metaphysicians would be very anxious to 
 analyse the Divine institution, and ascertain ex- 
 actly the circumstance on which its efficacy de- 
 pended. Some of them might contend that its 
 miraculous power consisted solely in its sub- 
 stance, some in its shape, and others in its posi- 
 tion. 
 
 Some might assert that the cure proceeded 
 wholly from the vision, and would be greatly af- 
 fected by the manner in which the image was 
 viewed. 
 
 If our opticians had lived in those days, they 
 could have expatiated eloquently upon the value 
 of their instruments; and have enlightened and 
 edified the congregation by telling them how 
 wondrously the process would be facilitated by the 
 aid of their glasses. 
 
 And the medical faculty might have insisted 
 that the recovery of the patients would be mighti- 
 ly promoted by having them first properly leeched 
 blistered and bandaged. 
 
 Such a notion as this would be extremely offen- 
 sive to some of their more methodical and sensi- 
 tive brethren. These would maintain that such 
 an opinion was high treason against the generosi- 
 ty of God, and an insult to the power and all 
 sufficiency of the provision which he had employ- 
 ed. They would urge that the eye had nothing 
 
 to do with their recovery. One would assert that 
 A 2 
 
12 
 
 there was no need of looking to the serpent at all. 
 It was enough merely to know that such an image 
 existed, and that it was reared for the cure of 
 those who were stung. And another, improving, 
 as he fancied, upon this idea, would allege that 
 such was the nature of the antidote, and such the 
 freeness with which its blessings were dispensed, 
 that there was no necessity for even turning their 
 eyes towards it : that it had already made them 
 all perfectly whole. As it was raised into the air, 
 it had sucked up all the poison of the winged 
 reptiles, and deprived their stings of venom. The 
 only thing necessary to preserve their health, was 
 just to believe that they were perfectly cured. 
 While they persevered in this persuasion, they 
 were safe: but the moment that they began to 
 doubt or to deny their complete restoration to 
 health, they would bring back all the virulence of 
 the fatal bite, and accumulate on themselves the 
 horrors of delirium and death. " Oh how lamen- 
 table is it to hear the people still talking of their 
 wounds and pain, of their fears and dangers ! 
 Where is their faith in the testimomy of God, 
 that the brazen serpent is an antidote to the fiery 
 flying serpents ? What more can the congrega- 
 tion wish than to know that an antidote has been 
 provided ? What prevents them from being all 
 in perfect health and soundness ? Have no ma- 
 terials been obtained for the antidote ? Has the 
 artificial serpent not been cast ? Has the-nmage 
 not been reared on the pole? Has it not been 
 
13 
 
 endowed with an all-healing virtue from on high ? 
 When it was planted there, it carried aloft all 
 your complaints and sufferings: and you may 
 strain your eyes as you please, your utmost efforts 
 can make things neither better nor worse: for 
 you were all cured before you were bitten : and 
 the only thing that can kill you, is to call this in 
 question." 
 
 It was to no purpose to reason or remonstrate 
 with the authors of this opinion; and to affirm 
 that, since the Divine instructions spoke of look- 
 ing, the eyes must be of some service; and that 
 if the wounded refused to use them, they would 
 forego the possibility of a cure. 
 
 In their overbearing zeal for the honour of the 
 image, these systematizers might reply, that the 
 brazen figure was all in all. If it never had been 
 formed, nothing could have cured them. If it 
 were annihilated, no antidote could be found for 
 their malady: and, therefore, it was plain that 
 their health depended solely on the brass. No 
 matter whether they used their eyes or not; the 
 brazen figure had already made them perfectly 
 well: and nothing could bring back the dangers 
 attendant on the stings of the reptiles, but a doubt 
 or denial of their perfect health and safety. 
 
 By our fatal apostacy from God we have for- 
 feited all right to heaven and everlasting bliss; 
 sunk into depravity and vice; incurred the dis- 
 pleasure of the Most High, and exposed our- 
 A 3 
 
14 
 
 selves to all the miseries of never-ending woe. 
 But the God of love in his rich unsearchable 
 mercy, compassion and grace, has made the most 
 ample and astonishing provision in behalf of all 
 who will only apply and use it, for their free and 
 complete deliverance from wretchedness and ruin, 
 and their restoration to his image and favour, and 
 their admission into eternal glory. This is by the 
 mission and mediation of his own Son. " God 
 is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. 
 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all ac- 
 ceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world 
 to save sinners. As Moses lifted up the serpent 
 in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man 
 be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him 
 should not perish, but have eternal life. For God 
 so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten 
 Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not 
 perish but have everlasting life." 
 
 As many of the Israelites as, disregarding vain 
 janglings and metaphysical disquisitions, when 
 they found themselves wounded by a serpent; in 
 obedience to the Divine command, and in reliance 
 upon the Divine promise, turned their eyes to- 
 wards the serpent of brass, were instantly cured. 
 No state, no stage of the attack was beyond its 
 reach. •* Moses made a serpent of brass, and put 
 it upon a pole: and it came to pass, that, if a 
 serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the 
 serpent of brass, he lived." Those, however, who 
 trifled with their danger, or disregarded the Di- 
 
15 
 
 vine institution, must have suffered the conse- 
 quences. They must have languished in misery 
 till death cut them down. 
 
 In every age, all those, who, from a discovery 
 of their guilt and perdition, and a conviction of 
 the power and grace of Christ to save them to 
 the uttermost, that come to God by him ; have 
 renounced their own righteousness, trusted simply 
 and entirely to his righteousness for pardon and 
 acceptance, and made him all their salvation and 
 all their desire; all these have been saved in the 
 Lord with an everlasting salvation: while those, 
 who, either from ignorance of his righteousness, 
 or from hostility to this plan of saving mercy, have 
 gone about to establish a righteousness of their 
 own ; have been left to wonder and perish. 
 
 The gospel scheme of salvation manifests the 
 most unbounded generosity and love; and seems 
 uncommonly plain and intelligible. It is stripped 
 of all ambiguity; brought down to the level of the 
 lowest; and rendered so distinct and clear, that 
 he who runs may read it. The Bible tells us that 
 Christ is the Lamb of God, who taketh away the 
 sin of the world ; that he is the way, the truth, 
 and the life ; that he is our wisdom, righteous- 
 ness, sanctification, and redemption ; that his 
 righteousness is unto all, and upon all them that 
 believe; and that salvation is of faith, that it 
 might be grace. 
 
 More perspicuous language could not have 
 been employed. But however plain and obvious, 
 
16 
 
 the ill-directed labours of men have encompassed 
 the path of life with doubts and difficulties; have 
 introduced suspicion and perplexity, where all 
 was previously bright and clear; and spread the 
 gloom of uncertainty and darkness over regions of 
 the purest light, and the most attractive loveliness. 
 
 Like the audacious infidels in the camp of 
 Israel, the graceless treat the whole with the 
 most imperturbable indifference and insulting con- 
 tempt. Though their souls are at stake, and an 
 awful eternity is rapidly rushing on; in spite of 
 all the remonstrances of reason, and the strongest 
 exhortations of Scripture, they care for none of 
 these things, but obstinately slumber on and take 
 their rest, till endless darkness and destruction 
 surround them. 
 
 Like the opticians, whose existence we have 
 supposed, the papists prohibit the examination of 
 the Scriptures, and forbid us to look at the Sa- 
 viour with our own eyes. They require us to take 
 our creed upon trust; and enjoin us to view the 
 great Redeemer only through the dim and dis- 
 torting medium of their own inventions, and the 
 fancied traditions of the fathers. 
 
 Like the benevolent physicians in the congre- 
 gation, the legalists dare not confide in God's 
 simple, free, and generous plan. They impose 
 on their votaries a long and painful preparatory 
 process. Instead of directing them at once to the 
 Lamb of God, they exact a tedious course of 
 moral reformation and religious exercises: and it 
 
17 
 
 is only after they have succeeded in dressing 
 them out in the garb of self-righteous duties and 
 observances, that they venture to encourage hope, 
 or speak to them of the Saviour. They block up 
 the road to Calvary with so many obstacles, as to 
 render the path impassible, and the cross inac- 
 cessible; and, in direct opposition to the instruc- 
 tions of Scripture, instead of holding up Christ 
 as the end of the law for righteousness, send men 
 upon the impracticable task, to work out a right- 
 eousness of their own. 
 
 The prototypes of the Sandemanians were found 
 in those who affirmed that there was no occasion 
 to look at the brazen serpent; that it was enough 
 to know that such a figure existed ; and that it was 
 erected for the benefit of those who were bitten by 
 the fiery flying serpents. The essence of saving 
 faith, on their hypothesis, consists in believing 
 that Christ died for the ungodly. The moment 
 that a sinner is convinced of this, he is a believer. 
 In perceiving this truth, the mind is no more ac- 
 tive than in perceiving the light that blazes before 
 the eye, or the sound that rattles in the ear. Di- 
 vine truth carries its own evidence along with it; 
 and the simple declaration, Christ died for the un- 
 godly, is a sufficient ground of hope to every one 
 who believes it, without any thing wrought in him 
 or done by him, to give it a particular direction to 
 himself. To seek comfort from evidences of grace, 
 is the effect of ignorance, and the work of a legal 
 unbelieving spirit. There is acceptance with God 
 
18 
 
 for sinners, while sinners, without any act, exer- 
 cise, or exertion of their mind whatever; and 
 consequently before repentance. The passive be- 
 lief of this quiets the guilty conscience, begets 
 hope, and lays the foundation for love. If the 
 man can infer his own interest in Christ from the 
 general language of the gospel, it is well. But 
 if its general declarations will not satisfy him re- 
 specting his own salvation, he must be content to 
 go without assurance; for the gospel contains no 
 other provision for his personal comfort. 
 
 This system is commendable for its strenuous 
 efforts to suppress the prevalence of self-right- 
 eousness. No principle is more hostile to the 
 grace of the gospel, and more ruinous to the soul, 
 than legality. Other foundation can no man lay 
 than that which is laid already, which is Christ 
 Jesus. Our character and condition by nature 
 are most vile, wretched, and deplorable. We 
 are altogether as an unclean thing; and dead in 
 trespasses and sins. And, until we are brought 
 to discover our total depravity and absolute ruin, 
 and led cordially to renounce all for the right- 
 eousness of Christ; we are utterly disinclined to 
 welcome the provisions of redeeming mercy, and 
 alike disqualified to relish the grace, and enjoy 
 the blessings of the great salvation. In such a 
 case, notwithstanding the unparalleled compas- 
 sion, kindness, and liberality of the Son of God, 
 
19 
 
 we must labour on under the burden of guilt and 
 condemnation, till we sink into perdition. 
 
 It is, therefore, impossible to lay too firm a 
 restraint upon this God-dishonouring and soul- 
 ruining principle: and so far as Sandemanianism 
 is calculated to expose its criminality, and coun- 
 teract its danger, it is entitled to praise. 
 
 But, if not the sole, this, at the utmost, is the 
 principal recommendation which it possesses. It 
 is at once chargeable with many defects, and be- 
 set with insurmountable difficulties. 
 
 No system can be true unless it correspond 
 with the whole doctrines of revelation. But by 
 branding the exercise of self-examination as legal 
 and ruinous, it places itself in flat and complete 
 opposition to the letter and spirit of every injunc- 
 tion, which God has given to search and try our 
 way?, to prove our own work, to judge ourselves 
 lest we be condemned of the Lord ; and to exam- 
 ine ourselves, to prove our own selves, whether 
 we be in the faith. 
 
 By representing faith as a perception of the 
 truth, or a passive reception of the testimony of 
 God, it destroys the obligation of sinners to be- 
 lieve on Christ. If the mind is passive in receiv- 
 ing the truth, it is the misfortune and not the 
 fault of any who are destitute of the perception of 
 what God has testified. Unbelief is deprived of 
 guilt, and the infidel cannot be justly condemned 
 for not believing on the Son of God. 
 
 This system treats man as if he were all reason 
 
20 
 
 and intellect. It makes no provision for the pro- 
 digious influence which the affections exercise over 
 the operations of our minds, the choice of our 
 wills, and the pursuits in which we engage. The 
 stiffness and frigidity of this system are frightfully 
 unlike that disclosed in the pages of inspiration, 
 where love reigns supreme; where affection per- 
 vades every part, and forms the life and soul of 
 all; where we are taught to love God because he 
 first loved us; where the love of Christ constrains 
 us to live to him, who died for us, and rose 
 again; and where we are told, that when prophe- 
 cies shall fail, when tongues shall cease, and know- 
 ledge shall vanish away, love shall retain its bliss- 
 ful power, and bind the heart of the believer more 
 firmly to the God of grace. 
 
 When we hear the Apostles rejoicing in the 
 hope laid up for them in heaven; declaring that 
 they knew in whom they had believed; and that 
 they lived by faith on him who loved them, and 
 gave himself for them : it is melancholy to hear 
 the Sandemanians affirm that the gospel contains 
 no other provision for personal comfort than the 
 general statements that Christ is the propitiation 
 for sin, and died for the ungodly. It is painful to 
 find them maintaining that this is all that, in the 
 present world, we can know of our everlasting 
 state ; and that we must leave all certainty about 
 our future condition till death decide it. And it 
 is strange that they can succeed in schooling down 
 
21 
 
 their disciples to perfect apathy on a matter of 
 infinite magnitude and endless duration. 
 
 In attempting to drive men out of self-right- 
 eousness, this system unfortunately stops before 
 it shuts them up to the righteousness of Christ. 
 The bare belief that there was a brazen serpent, 
 could not cure a single Israelite. To secure their 
 recovery, the wounded were obliged to look to- 
 wards it. And the mere belief that Jesus is the 
 Son of God, and that for his sake God justifies 
 the ungodly, is no more than what devils admit 
 into their creed; and can no more save one of 
 Adam's race than a fallen angel. Could such a 
 cold and unfeeling assent to the truth land any 
 man in heaven, very few would be lost. For, 
 with the exception of deists and atheists, all the 
 inhabitants of Christendom believe that Jesus is 
 the Son of God, and the Saviour of sinners. In 
 such a case the language of revelation would be 
 reversed ; and we should say, Wide is the gate, 
 and broad is the way, that leadeth to life, and 
 many there be who go in thereat. 
 
 This hypothesis is designed to overturn the er- 
 rors of legality : but there is no scheme which 
 more effectually cherishes a self-righteous spirit. 
 There are few publications in the English lan- 
 guage which indicate greater insensibility, hard- 
 heartedness, and self-sufficiency, than the letters of 
 Mr Sandeman. And the pride with which San- 
 demanians contemplate their own superior dis- 
 cernment, and the bitter contempt and scorn 
 B 
 
22 
 
 which they express for the supposed ignorance 
 and legality of others, give sad cause to suspect 
 that their imaginary knowledge and orthodoxy 
 are the righteousness on which their hearts are 
 resting. 
 
 Those Jews who maintained that there was no 
 necessity for looking at the brazen serpent, and 
 that if they would only believe that it had already 
 cured them, they would find that they were all 
 perfectly well, might be considered as the exem- 
 plars of the modern Bereans. The Berean hy- 
 pothesis was originally intended to be an antidote 
 to the Sandemanian scheme. Of late, however, 
 the two systems, in the most important articles, 
 have been brought to exact agreement. 
 
 The substance of this multifarious system may 
 be comprehended in the following 'propositions. 
 God, for Christ's sake, loves every human crea- 
 ture, and has redeemed all by the death of his 
 Son, As it is only for the sake of the atonement 
 that any iniquity is forgiven, and the atonement 
 was complete on the day that Jesus died, the sins 
 of the whole world were all pardoned then, and 
 every child of Adam succeeds by birth to an in- 
 terest in Christ, and all the blessings of his salva- 
 tion. Saving faith is the knowledge or belief of 
 the truth, that Christ is the propitiation for sin, 
 that he died for the ungodly, that God loves us, 
 has redeemed and pardoned us. Justification is 
 the knowledge or belief that we are redeemed and 
 
pardoned. Since all men are born with an inter- 
 est in Christ, and the sins of the whole world 
 were forgiven when Jesus died, it is as absurd to 
 pray for mercy, pardon, an interest in Christ and 
 similar blessings, as to pray for our creation, the 
 formation of the sun and moon, or the commun- 
 ication of gravity to matter. 
 
 The assurance of salvation is absolutely insep- 
 arable from the existence of faith, and is derived 
 entirely from the direct testimony of God, that 
 Christ is the propitiation for sin, that he died for 
 the ungodly, and that God so loved the world, 
 that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoso- 
 ever believeth on him should not perish, but have 
 everlasting life. This testimony contains not only 
 a warrant to believe, but also an assurance of our 
 interest in Christ, and of our personal salvation. 
 If a man assents to this testimony, and yet doubts 
 his own salvation, he not only acts an absurd and 
 irrational part, but actually makes God a liar. If 
 the direct testimony of God, in his word, is in- 
 sufficient to give full personal assurance of salva- 
 tion, then the gospel cannot be good tidings of 
 great joy to all people. A man wishes to have 
 peace to his mind in the knowledge that his sins 
 are forgiven, and that he is accepted before God. 
 But if instead of being delivered from his agita- 
 tion and perplexity by the gospel record, he must 
 examine his frames and feelings, his graces and 
 virtues ; then the gospel fails of its design. It is 
 not the message which he needs : for he is labour- 
 B2 
 
24, 
 
 ing under a distress from which it is unable to 
 relieve him. But this is a supposition dishonour- 
 able to the all-sufficiency of the gospel. 
 
 To set a believer a searching for evidence of his 
 interest in Christ, is a most mischievous practice. 
 It withdraws the mind from the simple truth. It 
 introduces legality ; unsettles the Christian's con- 
 fidence ; destroys his comfort; and places his 
 peace upon an unstable and shifting foundation of 
 sand, instead of leaving it to rest upon the direct 
 testimony of God, which would fix his feet upon 
 the Rock of ages. 
 
 It is to the examination of these assertions that 
 the following pages are principally devoted. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 ON THE FREENESS OF THE GOSPEL AND ON THE 
 LOVE OF GOD. 
 
 In the camp of Israel the opticians were wrong, 
 who itinerated with their instruments, to aid the 
 vision of those who were bitten ; and the physi- 
 cians were as far from being right, who discourag- 
 ed the wounded from looking to the brasen ser- 
 pent, till they were thoroughly bled or blistered, 
 and properly dressed and bandaged. Those men 
 could not be too much commended, who endeav- 
 
25 
 
 ouretl to prevent every addition to the Divine in- 
 junction ; who laboured to strip it of all ambiguity 
 and misapprehension ; and who exhorted their suf- 
 fering brethren to comply with the directions ex- 
 actly as God had given them, and to look at once, 
 and just as they were, to the serpent lifted up on 
 the pole. 
 
 And after the scriptures are replenished with 
 the most bright and overbearing attestations to 
 the precious and soul-saving truth, that Christ is 
 the end of the law for righteousness to every one 
 that believeth, and appointed for salvation to the 
 ends of the earth, every man is entitled to our 
 warmest gratitude, who exerts himself to secure 
 the purity of revealed truth ; and clear the gospel 
 call from every restraint impediment and clog, 
 with which some, in their well-meant, but mistak- 
 en zeal to promote its safety, and ensure its suc- 
 cess, have unhappily loaded it. This seems to be 
 the design of the Bereans. Tenderly alive to the 
 glory of Divine grace, and terrified lest, if the 
 vestige of a condition of salvation were left in the 
 christian system, it would bring back the reign of 
 legal toil and terror; in order to vindicate the 
 absolute gratuitousness of this dispensation of 
 mercy, they have thought it necessary to reject 
 the idea, that faith is a condition of pardon and 
 acceptance, and to maintain, that by the death of 
 Christ every sin is forgiven ; and the whole world 
 restored to the favour of God. 
 
 Here it must be observed, that no man, who 
 B3 
 
26 
 
 knows his bible, will venture to affirm that faith 
 is possessed of the slightest merit, or an equiva- 
 lent for the smallest spiritual blessing. But from 
 the unvarying language of revelation, it is equally 
 undeniable that faith is the beginning of religion; 
 that it is by faith that the soul is united to Christ, 
 and interested in his salvation. Faith is the line 
 which separates a state of nature from a state of 
 grace. The man who is without faith, has no 
 union to Christ, no enjoyment of the gospel, no 
 right to heaven, no meetness for everlasting hap- 
 piness; and, if he die in that condition, he must 
 be eternally undone. This faith is the gift of 
 God, and wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit. 
 Labour is the meritorious condition for the hire- 
 ling's receiving his wages ; and the price, which 
 the buyer pays down, is the meritorious condi- 
 tion of obtaining the article which he purchases. 
 But it is difficult to conceive how the patient's tak- 
 ing the physician's prescripton, can be denomin- 
 ated the meritorious condition of his cure; the 
 beggar's accepting alms can be called the condi- 
 tion of the donation; or the heirs' entering on 
 his father's estate, can be styled the meritorious 
 condition of his inheritance. And when it is by 
 faith that the diseased soul submits to the treat- 
 ment of the Almighty Physician, the perishing 
 sinner accepts the unspeakable gift of God, and 
 the indigent and starving children of Adam take 
 possession of the unsearchable riches of Christ; it 
 is impossible to see the propriety of representing 
 
27 
 
 this act of the soul as a legal term, or meritorious 
 condition of salvation ; especially when faith it- 
 self is as really conferred by God as the crown 
 of life. 
 
 If the absolute gratuitousness of the gospel is 
 endangered or impaired by the presence of a con- 
 dition, by which the soul is connected with Christ, 
 translated from darkness to light, and put in pos- 
 session of his salvation ; this fatal effect is pro- 
 duced as completely by their own scheme as that 
 of their opponents. They retain a condition in 
 their own system. For though they assert that 
 every man is redeemed, pardoned, and interest- 
 ed in Christ ; they deny that all men are saved. 
 There is no salvation, they affirm, until we are 
 justified ; but no man can be justified till he be- 
 lieves that his soul is safe. Though the pardon is 
 unlimited, heaven is limited to those who are 
 sanctified by the belief of the pardon. The soul 
 is diseased, and its diseases can be healed only by 
 a knowledge of the holy love of God. 
 
 By thus limiting heaven and salvation to those 
 who believe or know that they are pardoned, and 
 who are sanctified by this knowledge ; they admit 
 a condition of salvation, as fully as the friends of 
 evangelical religion : and, until they take refuge 
 in the doctrine of universal salvation, and affirm 
 that all, by birth, possess an undefeasible right to 
 heaven, in spite of all their efforts to exclude a 
 condition, it will firmly adhere to every theory 
 which they can form. 
 
28 
 
 They will tell us, indeed, that their condition 
 is perfectly harmless; that it is destitute of 
 merit ; that it is no equivalent for any part 
 of salvation ; that it is only the turning point 
 betwixt nature and grace ; the commencement 
 of salvation ; and therefore that it cannot inter- 
 fere with the perfect freeness of the gospel. 
 
 Now, we beg credit, when we assure them, 
 that we ascribe no more worth or merit to faith, 
 than they to knowledge or belief. We regard 
 faith merely as the turning point betwixt nature 
 and grace ; as the beginning of religion ; as the 
 commencement of the Divine life; as the cir- 
 cumstance by which we receive the unspeak- 
 able gift of God, and are made partakers of 
 the great salvation. The man who is without 
 faith has neither part nor lot in the gospel. 
 By faith the soul renounces all for Christ; 
 cleaves to him simply; trusts in him entirely; 
 and makes him its all. Faith is the gift of God, 
 and wrought in the heart by the Holy Ghost; and 
 from its first act to its last exercise, tramples on 
 self, grapples the soul to Jesus, and clings to him 
 alone. And how can such a principle infringe on 
 the absolute freeness of the gospel ; any more than 
 the use of our eyes can destroy the freeness of 
 light, or the act of respiration, the freeness of the 
 air ? Pardon, according to our system, is no 
 more than salvation is on theirs — a premium to 
 faith. The blind and the lame, whom our Lord 
 miraculously healed, were cured gratuitously, 
 
29 
 
 though he previously inquired if they believed 
 that he was able to grant them the blessing which 
 they needed. We contend for justification by 
 faith in order to shut out the idea of merit ; and 
 establish the invaluable truth for which Paul con- 
 tended, when he declared, " It is of faith, that 
 it might be by grace." 
 
 We have no love for the word, condition, and 
 would gladly drop it, if we could only find a 
 more unexceptionable term to express the neces- 
 ity of a connection betwixt the soul and Christ, 
 in order to enjoy his salvation. By admitting the 
 necessity of such a connection; though they re- 
 ject the offensive term, the Bereans still retain 
 the thing. The great misfortune, however, is, 
 that in their system the condition is thrown into 
 a position, where it is calculated to produce mis- 
 chief, tenfold greater than can be apprehended 
 from the common hypothesis. 
 
 We boldly and openly tell our hearers, that, 
 till they believe on Christ for their own salvation, 
 instead of being redeemed and pardoned, they are 
 the children of disobedience and wrath, in the 
 gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity. We leave 
 this awful truth to work in their guilty con- 
 sciences, till, by the blessing of the Holy Ghost, 
 they are roused from their dreadful lethargy, and 
 compelled to flee from the wrath to come. To a 
 man who understands our language, it is no easy 
 matter to succeed in preserving his fallacious and 
 fatal peace. But to tell one and all, that Christ 
 
30 
 
 has redeemed them ; that their sins are for- 
 given ; that the Saviour is theirs, and that the 
 only thing a-wanting to their complete salva- 
 tion, is merely to believe these things : this is 
 to administer the strongest opiate that delus- 
 ion can supply to lull secure and carnal con- 
 sciences to rest. The only idea, in general, enter- 
 tained of salvation is, that it is the pardon of sin, 
 and the possession of an interest in Christ. 
 Whenever the hardened transgressor hears that 
 his sins are already "pardoned, and that he is 
 already interested in Christ, his fears and solici- 
 tude vanish. His ungodly confidence might be 
 previously strong: but it now acquires unbounded 
 strength. He has obtained all that he wants. He 
 goes on his way rejoicing; and is prepared to 
 work every abomination with as much avidity, and 
 far greater coolness than before. 
 
 From the moment that a graceless man swallows 
 this delusion, his case is desperate. He finds no 
 difficulty in keeping his conscience quiet. The 
 soporific he has taken, effectually composes all his 
 alarm and uneasiness. Neither men nor angels 
 are able to disturb his slumbers, nor rouse him 
 from his mortal repose. All that he wished was 
 the authority of Heaven to assure him that his 
 sins were forgiven, and that he had a personal 
 interest in Christ. And such is the information 
 with which this system furnishes him. It says to 
 him, that it has the authority of Heaven to de- 
 clare, that God, for Christ's sake, loves every 
 
31 
 
 man, that Christ has died for every human crea- 
 ture, and blotted out every sin. The system also 
 certifies him, that to believe these things, and yet 
 doubt if Christ has died for himself, and forgiven 
 his own offences; is not only a gross and palpable 
 contradiction, but is also in plain terms telling 
 God that he is a liar. 
 
 He may be told that there is a difference be- 
 twixt pardon and justification, betwixt an interest 
 in Christ and salvation. But he has no desire to 
 trouble himself about metaphysical distinctions, 
 and theological niceties. The great thing which 
 he needs is the pardon of sin, and an interest in 
 the redemption purchased by Christ. Higher 
 authority than God's he cannot enjoy. And it is 
 on this authority that he is assured that his sins 
 are forgiven, and that he is redeemed by Christ. 
 Having thus secured the grand object of his am- 
 bition, he is satisfied; and resolves to give him- 
 self no farther concern about the matter. He has 
 been taught that, after acknowledging that Christ 
 is the propitiation for sin, and the Saviour of the 
 world, to doubt if Christ has expiated his own 
 sins, and is his own Saviour, is to make God a 
 liar. And this is a lesson which he is determined 
 not to forget. The last vestige of religious feeling 
 left, is the purpose firmly to believe in his own 
 safety, lest the admission of a doubt should in- 
 volve him in the unparelleled guilt of making 
 God a liar. In the vain hope of honouring the 
 truth of God, the more dreadful his condition 
 
32 
 
 becomes, he believes that it is the better; and 
 clings most tenaciously to the hope of safety, when 
 nearest irreparable perdition. In their benevolent 
 attempt to conduct him by a short cut into christ- 
 ian peace and consolation, his spiritual guides 
 land him in all the insensibility and obduracy of a 
 reprobate mind; and confirm him in all his blind- 
 ness and boldness, till peace and pardon are un- 
 attainable, and the horrors of unbroken darkness, 
 and the distractions of everlasting despair, close 
 around him. 
 
 Ah how dangerous, how ruinous, is it to heal 
 the hurt of a wounded soul deceitfully ! and how 
 tremendous the responsibility of those, who, in- 
 stead of the specific which the Scriptures prescribe 
 for genuine peace and safety, substitute a narcotic 
 which delivers up the patient to the death that 
 never dies ! 
 
 The good people, who told their wounded 
 companions, that their cure did not depend upon 
 their act of looking to the brazen serpent, but 
 upon its power and efficacy ; that their health and 
 safety lay in it, and that no injury could befal 
 them, if they would only believe that it had 
 already made them perfectly whole; though they 
 neither spoke all the truth, nor stated correctly 
 the truth which they uttered, still they said much 
 that was true. 
 
 And though there is much that is groundless, 
 and much that is pernicious in the Berean hypoth- 
 
33 
 
 esis; still it is interwoven with some rich, pre- 
 cious, and invaluable truths. 
 
 Christ is the only Mediator betwixt God and 
 man. He is the propitiation for sin. Neither is 
 there salvation in any other. 
 
 The powers of language cannot express the im- 
 portance of bringing directly before the mind of 
 the awakened sinner, the person and work of Ira- 
 manuel, the freeness of his love, the riches of 
 his grace, the virtue of his death, and the all- 
 sufficiency of his righteousness. The first, gen- 
 uine, and lasting comfort that can enter the mind 
 of a sinner, who knows his need of salvation, 
 must arise from a discovery of the perfection of 
 his obedience, and the boundless value of his 
 atonement. Under convictions of sin, many, if they 
 have not been finally undone, have at least been 
 long and needlessly detained in a state of distress 
 and bondage, from their ignorance of the un- 
 searchable grace, and superabundant merit of 
 Jesus. 
 
 To those who are inquiring what they must do 
 to be saved, the gospel is exactly and kindly 
 adapted. It tells them that Christ is the Lamb 
 of God, who taketh away the sin of the world : 
 that he has come to seek and to save that which 
 was lost: that we have redemption through his 
 blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the 
 riches of his grace. It is eighteen centuries since, 
 on Calvary, he said, It is finished, bowed his 
 head, and gave up the ghost. He then finished 
 C 
 
34 
 
 transgression, made an end of sin, brought in 
 everlasting righteousness, and for ever perfected 
 them that are sanctified. Years can neither di- 
 minish its worth, nor the united efforts of the 
 whole creation, through an endless existence, add 
 to its amount. It is six thousand years since the 
 earth was launched from the hand of its Creator, 
 and the sun planted in the open firmament of 
 heaven. Age can neither augment the firmness, 
 nor shake the stability of the globe. Centuries 
 can neither heighten nor impair the beauty and 
 brilliancy of the solar orb. All that we have to 
 do to enjoy the benefit of these mighty productions 
 of Omnipotence, is to walk abroad upon the sur- 
 face of our planet, and give free admission to the 
 heat and lustre of the sun. The righteousness of 
 the Lord Jesus Christ was complete on the day on 
 which he died. It was able then to have sus- 
 tained the weight of ten thousand thousand 
 worlds; and to have secured behind its impene- 
 trable protection a rebellious universe from the 
 artillery of incensed justice. And when the hand 
 of the Eternal shall ring out the last knell of time, 
 it will retain all the value and virtue which it 
 possessed when his soul left his bleeding body, and 
 the first penitent took shelter beneath his wounded 
 side. Time cannot wear its worth away ; nor any 
 efforts of ours add to the plenitude of its power 
 and merit. Our only business is to take it for our 
 own, and apply it to all the vast and invaluable 
 purposes for which it was provided. 
 
35 
 
 This never can be done too soon, nor by a 
 process possessed of too much simplicity and fa- 
 cility. The shipwrecked passengers and crew can 
 never too speedily gain a place of safety; nor a 
 patient too quickly be delivered from the pain of 
 broken bones, and restored to his usual ease and 
 soundness. And when the heavens above us are 
 covered with blackness, and hell from beneath is 
 yawning to receive us; can we be too promptly 
 placed on board the ark of mercy, where we shall 
 ride in safety amidst the fury of the tempest, and 
 set its utmost rage at defiance? When we lie 
 bleeding with the dreadful gashes which sin has 
 made, and roaring because of the bones which it 
 has broken, can we ever be freed with too much 
 ease and expedition from pain and misery, and 
 restored to health and safety ? 
 
 But though we never can arrive at spiritual 
 peace and safety too soon nor too simply ; it is of 
 unspeakably greater importance to reach them at 
 all. If that man must die, who, amidst the rav- 
 ages of a mortal malady, is utterly insensible of 
 its presence and power; that man is in equal 
 jeopardy, who, though alarmed at his situation, 
 and who though he calls the physician, instead of 
 taking the specific, throws the antidote away, and 
 seizes on the vehicle by which it was conveyed. 
 That soul is clearly in a state of perdition, which 
 gives itself no concern about the way of peace and 
 salvation : but is that soul any nearer the gales of 
 
 heaven, which after hearing indistinctly of the 
 C2 
 
36 
 
 gospel method of salvation, instead of taking re- 
 fuge there, sits down in some notion or scheme of 
 its own ? Though Jesus is rich in grace, and the 
 blessings of redeeming mercy are innumerable and 
 immense, within the whole great family of man, 
 there is not one who will seriously lay these sub- 
 jects to heart, till he is sensible of his guilt and 
 depravity, and of his total inability to contribute 
 to his own salvation. Men, in such a situation, 
 will gladly welcome the gospel message : but all 
 others will despise and reject it. The whole have 
 no need of a physician, but they that are sick. 
 Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners 
 to repentance. 
 
 Now, in the face of these facts, is it either in- 
 nocent or safe to travel over the world preaching 
 to every human creature, that Christ has redeem- 
 ed him; that God, for Christ's sake, loves him, 
 and has forgiven all his iniquities? Is it warrant- 
 able or kind to tell every sinner that, if he will 
 only believe these things, all the blessings of the 
 gospel are his own ? Is there either truth or 
 safety in such a representation? 
 
 Strangers to the system may be sceptical about 
 the existence of such a representation. They may 
 suppose that such language is merely the effect of 
 ignorance, or an affected paradoxical use of words ; 
 and that all that is meant, by every man being 
 redeemed, pardoned, and interested in Christ, is 
 only that the righteousness of Christ is of infinite 
 value; so that while the invitations of the gospel 
 
37 
 
 are universal, and its offers free; God, for Christ's 
 sake, in perfect consistency with all the attributes 
 of his nature, can bestow pardon, acceptance, and 
 eternallife upon every man who believes in Jesus. 
 
 But the Bereans scorn to have their representa- 
 tions ascribed to the abuse of words, or ignorance 
 of the doctrines of revelation. They are perfectly 
 aware of the import of the terms which they em- 
 ploy ; and use them in their strict literal signifi- 
 cation. This construction of these terms is abso- 
 lutely necessary to establish the peculiarities of 
 their hypothesis ; which are, That all men, whether 
 they believe or not, are redeemed and pardoned ; 
 and that to suspend the forgiveness of sin, and 
 acceptance with God upon faith, is completely 
 subversive of the gospel. The gospel could be no 
 gospel at all; that is, it could not be the message 
 of a free salvation, unless it assured every man 
 that he was beloved of God, pardoned, and in- 
 terested in Christ, not only before he believesi 
 but even before he was born. 
 
 Grant them these postulates, and you may 
 safely concede to them every part of their scheme. 
 If these positions are true, there can be nothing 
 behind to excite either surprise or fear. 
 But are these assertions true ? 
 
 Let us examine the assertion, That God, for 
 Christ's sake, loves every human creature. 
 Is this assertion true? 
 
 I know that God is love. He has no pleasure 
 
 in the death of him that dieth. He will have all 
 C 3 
 
38 
 
 to come to repentance and live. He has so loved 
 the world that he has given his only begotten 
 Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not 
 perish, but have everlasting life. And he has 
 commanded repentance and remission of sins to 
 be preached in the name of Christ among all na- 
 tions. Every individual is earnestly invited to 
 come to Christ; and none who has applied has 
 been rejected, and none who will apply shall ever 
 be rejected. 
 
 But because he has sent his Son to our guilty 
 globe, does it follow that he has a love for all its 
 inhabitants ? and because he has provided a sal- 
 vation sufficient for each, that he is determined to 
 save the whole ? 
 
 His power is irresistible, and his purposes un- 
 changeable. An angel of light can have no 
 greater security for his preservation and happiness 
 than the love of God. Grant me this, and I can 
 ask no more. Amidst my own weakness, and the 
 greatest might and malignity of my foes, my safety 
 in time, and my felicity through eternity, are in- 
 fallible. Those whom he loves are partakers of 
 everlasting consolation and good hope through 
 grace. Come what will, all is well. Every thing 
 is subservient to their benefit, and working to- 
 gether for their good. Each of these may say, 
 " Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither 
 shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive 
 shall fail, and the fields yield no meat; the flock 
 shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be 
 
39 
 
 no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the 
 Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." 
 
 But is every man at liberty to adopt this lan- 
 guage? Is every man in his natural state war- 
 ranted to employ the words of the confirmed be- 
 liever; and entitled, in the height of his profligacy 
 and impiety, to use the declaration of the Apos- 
 tle, in the midst of his labours and sufferings for 
 the gospel, and when blessed with the manifesta- 
 tions of his Master's presence and approbation ; 
 and say, God loves me, and has given his Son for 
 me? Are a Christian state and an ungodly con- 
 dition such near neighbours ? and the children of 
 the devil so completely on a level with the sons of 
 God? 
 
 For Christ's sake God does wonders of mercy 
 and beneficence to every human creature. He 
 gives to each life and breath and all things. He 
 makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good ; 
 and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. He 
 fills the hearts of his enemies with good things ; 
 and loads even the worst of the wicked with his 
 benefits. In the person of his Son he has pro- 
 vided a righteousness sufficient for the free, com- 
 plete and everlasting salvation of the whole hu- 
 man race. He enjoins the tidings of this match- 
 less display of mercy to be carried round the 
 globe, and proclaimed in the ears of all the 
 children of Adam. All are commanded to accept 
 the provisions of his love; and the most unquali- 
 
40 
 
 fied assurance of acceptance is held out to every 
 soul, that betakes itself to the hope set before it 
 in the gospel. Those who have departed farthest 
 from God, run to the greatest excess of riot, and 
 sunk lowest in vice and debauchery; have as am- 
 ple and unlimited encouragement, as the more 
 sober, decent, and self-denied, to come to Christ 
 for life, and to look to him for salvation. There 
 is no respect of persons with God. The same 
 Lord, who is over all, is rich unto all. His own 
 language is, " Seek ye the Lord while he may be 
 found, call ye upon him while he is near: let the 
 wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man 
 his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, 
 and he will have mercy upon him; and to our 
 God, for he will abundantly pardon." On our 
 application to Jesus, no act of rebellion is recalled 
 to mind. The basest ingratitude and the vilest 
 provocations are blotted out. His blood cleanseth 
 from all sin. 
 
 But amidst this overwhelming exhibition of 
 compassion and generosity, and this peerless pro- 
 fusion of his benefits and blessings, does it neces- 
 sarily follow that God loves the whole human race, 
 and has given his Son to die for each? 
 
 We know that God has created a hell as well 
 as a heaven. We also know that multitudes of 
 the human race are in the abodes of sorrow ; and 
 that crowds are fast following them down to the 
 regions of everlasting darkness and woe. Wide 
 
41 
 
 is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to 
 destruction ; and many there be who go in 
 thereat. 
 
 Now by nature all are alike. All are equally 
 without God, and without hope : dead in tres- 
 passes and sins : the children of disobedience and 
 wrath. There is no difference: for all have sinned 
 and come short of the glory of God. 
 
 If, therefore, God had an indiscriminate affec- 
 tion for the whole, it would be reasonable to ex- 
 pect that his conduct would be precisely the same 
 to all: and since all are equally sunk in depravity 
 and vice, all would either be consigned to ever- 
 lasting misery, or raised to the enjoyment of 
 eternal felicity and glory. 
 
 When, therefore, the state and character of the 
 whole human race, by nature, is exactly alike ; if 
 God had the same affection for all, why is his 
 conduct towards them so dissimilar? and their 
 eternal condition so wonderfully different ? Why 
 is one taken, and another left ? Why are some 
 exalted to heaven, and others cast down to hell i 
 Why does he say, Jacob have I loved, and Esau 
 have I hated ? Why does the Scripture say unto 
 Pharaoh, M Even for this same purpose have I 
 raised thee up, that I might shew my power in 
 thee, and that my name might be declared 
 throughout all the earth ?" Why do we hear of 
 the favour which he bears to his people? of some 
 to whom it is given to know the mysteries of the 
 kingdom of heaven, while to others the same 
 
42 
 
 truths are spoken in parables? of the wise and 
 prudent, from whom these things are hidden, and 
 of the babes to whom they are revealed ? Why are 
 the ears of some circumcised to listen to the words 
 of Christ, and others unable to hear because they 
 are not of his sheep ? Why are some hearts 
 opened to receive the things that are spoken, and 
 others unable to believe because God has hard- 
 ened their hearts? Why is it given to some to 
 believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, while this gift 
 is withheld from others? Why did Jesus declare, 
 " I pray for them : I pray not for the world, but 
 for them whom thou hast given me; for they are 
 thine ?" And instead of dying for all, why did 
 he lay down his life only for his sheep ? 
 
 Is this what might have been expected from 
 the same indiscriminate regard for all ? Does a 
 fountain send forth at the same place sweet water 
 and bitter ? Will it fill a Sandemanian's vessel 
 with brine, and a Berean's with nectar? Is it the 
 same principle which raises some men to honour, 
 which leaves others to descend to perdition? 
 Will a ton depress a copper beam, but leave a sil- 
 ver balance in equilibrium? 
 
 For every effect there is a cause. When by 
 nature the whole posterity of Adam are alike, 
 there must be a cause for the prodigious contrast 
 in their condition through eternity. Now to what 
 are we to ascribe this mighty difference ? Is it to 
 be attributed to the choice of the believer ? We 
 must then ask, since the motives to religion infin- 
 
43 
 
 itely preponderate over those to a life of careless- 
 ness and folly, why does every man in his sober 
 senses not make a right and rational choice? Well 
 then, is the conversion of believers to be assigned 
 to God's love for the goodness which they possess 
 in their graceless condition ? In a graceless state 
 no sinner possesses any good thiug. They are 
 all under sin. There is none that doeth good: no, 
 not one. Will it be supposed then, that God 
 loves them, and makes them the subjects of his 
 saving grace, on account of their sinfulness? This 
 suppossition would bring us back to the point from 
 which we started, and land us in the belief of an 
 effect without any cause at all. For if the sinful- 
 ness of any man is the reason why he is an object 
 of God's love, and made a partaker of the bless- 
 ings of the gospel : then, since all are alike 
 depraved by nature, the whole world should 
 equally share in the wonders of redeeming mercy, 
 and be saved in the Lord with an everlasting sal- 
 vation. He can do all things: neither is any 
 thing too hard for him. He is as able to save one 
 object of his affection as another : For who hath 
 resisted his will? Since therefore all are not sav- 
 ed, it necessarily follows that all are not the ob- 
 jects of the same regard. 
 
 Notwithstanding every desire to discover evi- 
 dence of God's indiscriminate love to all mankind, 
 and to trace the salvation of men to the universal 
 good will which he bears to the world; no proof 
 of such an indiscriminate affection can be discern- 
 
44 
 
 ed. After all we are obliged to return to the 
 obnoxious, but precious truth : The salvation of 
 men originates in the good pleasure of the God of 
 love. Those who partake of grace on earth, and 
 glory in heaven, are saved and called with a holy 
 calling, not according to their works, but accord- 
 ing to his own purpose and grace, which was giv- 
 en us in Christ Jesus before the world began. 
 2 Tim. i. 9. We may form systems and theories 
 as we please, but after all the fair and plausible 
 schemes which we can devise, we shall leave the 
 matter where we found it. " It is not of him that 
 willeth, nor of him that runneth; but of God that 
 sheweth mercy. His counsel standeth for ever, 
 and the thoughts of his heart to all generations." 
 
 If any know him in time, and enjoy him 
 through eternity; it is because he has chosen them, 
 and set them apart for himself. His affection for 
 any soul, ensures all that is requisite for its present 
 faith and final safety. It provides all that is 
 necessary to bring that soul into union with Jesus 
 now, and admit it into his kingdom hereafter. 
 For unless this is the case, what meaning can we 
 assign to the language, " I have loved thee with 
 an everlasting love, therefore with lovingkindness 
 have I drawn thee?" What sense could we 
 make of such declarations as these? " We love 
 him, because he first loved us ?" " To him that 
 loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own 
 blood ?" u God, who is rich in mercy, for his 
 great love wherewith he loved us, even when we 
 
45 
 
 were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with 
 Christ, and hath raised us up together, and 
 made us sit together in heavenly places in 
 Christ Jesus ?" " Christ loved the church, and 
 gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and 
 cleanse it with the washing of water by the 
 word?" How could we adopt the triumph- 
 ant challenge ? " Who shall separate us from 
 the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, 
 or persecution, or famine, or peril, or sword ? — I 
 am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor 
 angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things 
 present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, 
 nor any other creature, shall be able to separate 
 us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus 
 Qur Lord." 
 
 According to the unvarying doctrine of Scrip- 
 ture, the love of God secures, as effectually as the 
 decree of election, grace and glory to all its ob- 
 jects. But will any man venture to affirm, that 
 God has chosen, elected, or ordained all men to 
 eternal life ? But unless we are prepared to make 
 this assertion, we are not warranted to maintain 
 that he loves all men in Christ, or for Christ's 
 sake. It is enough for us to affirm that God has 
 sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world: 
 That he commands all men every where to receive 
 his Son: and assures every individual who believes 
 on him, that he shall never perish. In making 
 these statements, the Scriptures amply support 
 us. But farther than this they have not gone : 
 
46 
 
 and no good reason can be assigned for advancing 
 farther than they have have proceeded. 
 
 But, it has been asked, unless God has a spe- 
 cial regard for every individual of our race, why 
 are we told that he has so loved the world that he 
 has given his only begotten Son, that whosoever 
 believeth in him should not perish but have ever- 
 lasting life ? that the Son of man has come to 
 seek and to save that which was lost? and why 
 are all men everywhere commanded to repent and 
 believe the gospel ? 
 
 Because a philanthropist sends to a parish a 
 teacher, who is master of every science, and pos- 
 sessed of uncommon powers and patience in the 
 communication of knowledge, to superintend the 
 education of all the youth, whom God, by a 
 special revelation, had enabled him to foresee, 
 are able and willing to learn ; are we from this 
 unavoidably compelled to infer, that this liberal 
 friend of the people has an indiscriminate regard 
 for all the youth of the place? And because the 
 Son of God, who is able to save to the utter- 
 most, has come to a world where all are equally 
 sunk in rebellion and ruin; does it necessarily 
 follow that he feels the same affection for all, and 
 came on purpose to save the whole? Because his 
 power is almighty, is his affection indiscriminate; 
 and does he entertain the same regard for the 
 vessels of wrath who are fitting themselves for 
 destruction, that he feels for the vessels of mercy 
 
47 
 
 whom he himself is afore preparing for glory? If 
 he has the same affection for all, when his power 
 is omnipotent, why are any permitted to perish ? 
 
 Since all were alike wretched and undone, in 
 coming for the salvation of those whom he bad 
 chosen; he might justly be said to have come to 
 seek and to save that which was lost. As they 
 were the inhabitants of this planet ; and he took 
 not on him the nature of angels but of the seed of 
 Abraham; his love was manifested not for fallen 
 angels but for the world. And as the objects of 
 his mission are of every age, rank, character, and 
 description ; scattered in every region of the globe; 
 intermingled with every class of society; and 
 when collected together shall form a multitude 
 which none can number; they are described by 
 general and comprehensive names. Amongst 
 these names we find such as the following: sin- 
 ners, many, them that are under the law, the 
 lost. 
 
 But every individual, who admits that any per- 
 ish, must acknowledge that the most comprehen- 
 sive of these terms does not express an absolute 
 universality. Notwithstanding this love of the 
 world, and this mission to the lost; it is undeni- 
 able that many abide in darkness and in the sha- 
 dow of death; and, therefore, that the objects of 
 this love compose only a part of the species. 
 
 Men may try as they please to reject the doc- 
 trine of election. But if that precious truth must 
 
 be called an encumbrance, it is one which will 
 D 2 
 
48 
 
 adhere to every scheme that can be formed except 
 that of universal salvation. 
 
 Secret things belong unto the Lord our God. 
 In preaching the gospel our business is to pro- 
 claim the power and grace of Immanuel, and em- 
 ploy every effort to make men sensible of their 
 sinfulness, and constrain them to betake them- 
 selves to him for salvation. It is impossible that 
 we ever can be too successful. All are invited to 
 come to him; and his irrevocable word is past, 
 " Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast 
 out." 
 
 We know that God loves those who believe on 
 his Son, But whatever invitations and promises 
 are given to those who come to Christ : when we 
 are told, that he that believeth not is condemned 
 already, because he hath not believed in the name 
 of the only begotten Son of God; it is difficult 
 to understand how an unbeliever, by abiding in 
 the state on which the wrath of God rests, and by 
 persisting in the practices which work out his own 
 condemnation, can at the same time be an object 
 of Divine kindness and love. To be an object at 
 the same time of wrath and of love, seems as im- 
 possible as to be at once alive and dead. 
 
49 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 OF THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN, OF A STATE OF GRACE, 
 AND AN INTEREST IN CHRIST 
 
 It is only for the righteousness of Christ that any 
 sin can be forgiven. But because his righteous- 
 ness is infinite, and was possessed of all its perfec- 
 tion when he died; it has been maintained that the 
 sins of the whole world were pardoned when he 
 expired, and that every human creature is born 
 with an interest in the benefits of the Redeemer's 
 death. It has also been asserted that there is such 
 a repugnance betwixt the Divine nature and sin, 
 that unless it is pardoned, it must be instantly 
 punished. But as wicked men are spared long, 
 this is a proof that sin is pardoned. 
 
 But though every Israelite had a right to look 
 at the brazen serpent; and those who were bitten 
 by the fiery flying serpents could obtain recovery 
 from no other quarter: did it follow either that 
 their infants were born invulnerable, or that the 
 adults were cured before they were wounded ? 
 Even whether they looked at the brazen figure or 
 not, was its virtue imparted along with the ser- 
 pent's sting; otherwise would the wound have been 
 
 instantly mortal, so that they could not have had 
 D3 
 
50 
 
 a moment's time to turn round to look at the in- 
 fallible antidote? 
 
 I would like to know by what means any man 
 has discovered that sin must either be pardoned, 
 or instantly punished. Was the first sin committed 
 in our world either instantly pardoned, or in- 
 stantly punished? If sin is either instantly par- 
 doned, or else instantly punished; how can God 
 be said to have been forty years long grieved with 
 a generation of the Israelites? to be made to serve 
 with our sins, and wearied with our iniquities ? 
 How can he be said to be long-suffering and slow 
 to wrath ? to endure with much long-suffering the 
 vessels of wrath ? to be even weary with repenting? 
 Psalm xcv. 10: Isa. xliii. 24: Exod. xxxiv. 6: 
 Rom. ii. 4: ix. 24: 1 Pet. iii. 20: Jer. xv. 6. 
 
 If sin must either be pardoned, or instantly 
 punished, wherefore do the wicked live, become 
 old, yea are mighty in power? Why does their 
 pardon last through sixty-nine years, but expire 
 the moment that they enter the precincts of seven- 
 ty ? How is this ? Is sin more offensive and fa- 
 tal in one year than in another ? at fifty, than at 
 twenty-five ? 
 
 If sin must be either pardoned, or the sinner 
 instantly cut off, how can the sins of parents be 
 visited upon their children? and the descendents 
 of the third, fourth, and even of a more remote 
 generation, be punished for the crimes which were 
 forgiven ages before they were born? Can a man 
 at one time be both sick and in health? or the 
 
51 
 
 same sin be both pardoned and punished? Exod. 
 xx. 5: 2 Kings ix. 25, 26: Job xxi. 19: Psal. cix. 
 13—15: Amos i. 11: Mat. xxiii. 31 — 3G. 
 
 If "all sin were pardoned, we should not hear of 
 the patience and forbearance of God, of his wait- 
 ing to be gracious, and of his visiting the iniqui- 
 ties of the fathers upon their children. From the 
 moment that he forgave their transgressions, his 
 displeasure would cease, and he would rejoice 
 over them to do them good. 
 
 I. With respect to the notion that all sin must 
 have been pardoned when Christ died, because it 
 is solely in consequence of his death that any 
 iniquity is forgiven; it must be observed that 
 if this idea were correct, many very surprising 
 consequences must follow. Since it is entirely 
 owing to his death that we enjoy any spiritual 
 blessing or any eternal mercy, we must have been 
 called and converted when he resigned his breath: 
 since that day we must have been illuminated and 
 sanctified; seated in heaven, and surrounded with 
 all the purity and plenitude of its boundless 
 blessedness. 
 
 This opinion confounds all distinction betwixt 
 the cause and the effect, the decree and its exe- 
 cution. It is long since the hospital was built, 
 and since the founder made provision for the 
 maintenance of its various inmates. But though 
 the settlement was fixed at once, and by a single 
 deed; it is only as years revolve, that one claim- 
 
52 
 
 ant after another can appear to reap the fruits of 
 his munificence. And though it is only in conse- 
 quence of the single sacrifice of Christ that any 
 sin ever has been, or can be forgiven: have we 
 any authority for affirming that pardon is bestowed 
 before it is sought, and still less before the offence 
 is committed, or the sinner brought into existence? 
 Time can neither increase nor impair the value of 
 the atonement : but time is requisite to raise up the 
 successive generations who shall share in the 
 blessings of the Redeemer's death. 
 
 In Scripture sin is represented as the only cause 
 of the Divine displeasure. Ignorance, mistake, 
 weakness, and pain may be all troublesome to 
 society, and a source of vexation and distress to 
 the sufferer; but while free from sin, they are no 
 ground of offence to God. But sin is the abomin- 
 able thing which he hates; and wherever it exists, 
 is the cause of his strong and unchanging abhor- 
 rence. It is against this that his wrath is revealed 
 from heaven, and comes upon any of the souls of 
 men. When sin is forgiven his anger is turned 
 away. He is pacified towards us. He comforts 
 us, and rejoices over us to do us good. 
 
 If, therefore, all sin had been pardoned when 
 Jesus died; since that day the world would have 
 been cleared of the visitations of judgment: sorrow 
 and suffering would have been unknown, and the 
 earth converted into an abode of peace and joy. 
 But in the face of the crimes and calamities which 
 every where darken and desolate the globe; how 
 
53 
 
 can we affirm that all sin has been forgiven? 
 When asured that by nature all il are the children 
 of wrath ;" that " he that believeth not is con- 
 demned already ;" that the wrath of God shall 
 not seize on him or overtake him, but to intimate 
 that it was on him before he was guilty of unbe- 
 lief, we are told that " the wrath of God abideth 
 on him:" in the teeth of these awful assurances, 
 how can we assert that all sin is remitted? Does 
 the effect operate after the cause has ceased? 
 Does frost retain its grasp amidst the heat of 
 summer; or congelation go on in the heart of a 
 burning furnace? 
 
 Whenever sin is forgiven, the Scriptures inform 
 us that it is blotted out, forgotten, and cast into 
 the depths of the sea. The accounts of the an- 
 cients were sometimes inscribed on waxen tablets. 
 When the debt was discharged, the surface of 
 the tablet was melted, and the writing thus for 
 ever effaced. To this practice some suppose allu- 
 sion is made where sin is said to be {i covered." 
 But at any rate sin shall no more rise up against 
 those who have received pardon from the Eternal, 
 than the hand-writing can be revived on the sur- 
 face of the melted wax. " Come now, and let us 
 reason together, saith the Lord : Though your 
 sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow T ; 
 though they be red as crimson, they shall be as 
 wool." Isa. i. 18. See also Jer. xxxi. 34-, xxxiii. 
 8. Micah vii. 18, 19. Heb. x. 1G— 18. The 
 east and the west will sooner meet, than the par- 
 
54 
 
 doned sinner come in contact with his sins. Psal. 
 ciii. 3, 12. At death they cannot daunt him. 
 1 Cor. xv. 55 — 57, And even in that dread day, 
 when the countless millions from all quarters of 
 the earth shall surround the throne of justice, and 
 the Omniscient shall lay judgment to the line and 
 equity to the plummet; even then when he 
 will bring every work into judgment, " in those 
 days, and at that time, saith the Lord, the in- 
 iquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there 
 shall be none: and the sins of Judah, and they 
 shall not be found : for I will pardon whom 1 re- 
 serve" Jer. 1. 20. See also Isa. xliv. 22. 
 
 Whenever sin is pardoned, the love and favour 
 of God are immediately bestowed. " Thy sins 
 are forgiven thee," from the lips of our incarnate 
 Redeemer, not only banished disease and pain, 
 but recalled health and strength, and assured the 
 happy individual of peace with God and a right 
 to heaven. In the eighty-fifth psalm, the pros- 
 perity of the people, and the restoration of their 
 captivity are attributed to the forgiveness of their 
 sins. In the thirty-second Psalm, David speaks 
 of the blessedness of those who are possessed of 
 pardon : and he adds no more. But was nothing 
 more included in his language ? Listen to the 
 words of Paul. In his inspired commentary on 
 this interesting text, he says: lt Even as David 
 also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto 
 whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 
 saying; Blessed are they whose iniquities are for- 
 
55 
 
 given, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the 
 man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." 
 Rom. iv. 6 — 8. Why shall the inhabitant not 
 say I am sick? u Because the people that dwell 
 therein shall be forgiven their iniquity. " Isa. 
 xxxiii. 24. 
 
 Whenever sin is forgiven salvation inevitably 
 follows. Hence, though there is a wide differ- 
 ence betwixt pardon, justification, and salvation; 
 yet, from the inseparable connection betwixt 
 them, and the fact that one of them is never 
 enjoyed without the rest, one of these is often 
 employed for the other. Thus we find, in the 
 following passages, that the forgiveness of sins is 
 used as equivalent with salvation, or redemption 
 through the blood of Christ. " Him hath God 
 exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a 
 Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgive- 
 ness of sins." %i Through this man is preached 
 unto you the forgiveness of sins." " In whom we 
 have redemption through his blood, even the for- 
 giveness of sins." Acts v. 31, xiii. 38. Col. i. 14. 
 
 Besides, in reading such language as the above, 
 it is natural to inquire, Why was Christ " exalted 
 to give forgiveness of sins," if this blessing was 
 bestowed before he left the earth ? 
 
 If every sin, except unbelief, is forgiven; then, 
 it must be wrong to preach the gospel to Heathens 
 and Mahometans. Even supposing that all of 
 them should believe it, the gospel can do no more 
 than save them : and since they are already par- 
 
56 
 
 cloned, they are already sure of heaven. But, if 
 upon hearing the gospel, any of them shall reject 
 it, they must incur the guilt and consequences of 
 unbelief. According to this hypothesis, the gos- 
 pel, instead of being the power of God unto sal- 
 vation, is the ministration of condemnation and 
 wrath ; and if we are to consult either the honour 
 of God or the good of man ; instead of preaching 
 it to every cresture, we should be compelled to 
 conceal and suppress it. 
 
 But unless unbelief was likewise pardoned, all 
 sin cannot be forgiven : for nothing can be more 
 obvious than that, while a single offence re- 
 mains uncancelled, all sin has not been blotted 
 out. If, therefore, unbelief, in common with 
 every other sin has been remitted ; every human 
 creature is free from guilt and perfectly safe. 
 None of all the children of Adam, can, consis- 
 tently with justice, be subjected to punishment. 
 The criminal who obtains his sovereign's pardon 
 is entitled to his life. It would be at the peril of 
 any man to injure him : and were the officers of 
 justice to put him to death, they would be guilty 
 of murder. And if, at the death of Christ, all the 
 sins of the whole human race were forgiven, there 
 is not an inhabitant of the earth, who could, in 
 equity, be subjected to everlasting misery. To 
 punish those who have received the free forgiv- 
 ness of the Eternal King, is a gross outrage upon 
 justice, and the most monstrous idea that can enter 
 the mind. The votaries, however, of this scheme, 
 
57 
 
 have not yet avowed the doctrine of universal sal- 
 vation. They maintain the everlasting punish- 
 ment of some. And by believing in the per- 
 dition of some ; at the very time that they are 
 endeavouring to exalt the value of the atonement, 
 and magnify the freeness of the gospel, they ac- 
 tually destroy the Divine justice; and give a more 
 revolting view, than ever was proposed to the 
 world, of the perfect and adorable character of 
 the Father of mercies and the God of love. Ac- 
 cording to this hypothesis, pardon is no security 
 from punishment. For many of those who are 
 pardoned are in the depths of hell. 
 
 If one sin is not remitted, it is evident that the 
 whole of our transgressions are not pardoned : and 
 if one of the human race goes to perdition, that 
 fact demonstrates that all men have not obtained 
 the forgiveness of sin by the death of Christ. 
 
 Many most painful facts concur to prove that 
 neither all men, nor all their sins are forgiven. 
 
 Jesus saves his people from their sins. When- 
 ever their offences are blotted out, they depart 
 from iniquity. They love much. They live to 
 God. They sin no more. For he that com- 
 mitteth sin is the servant of sin. He is still in his 
 sins, and exposed to all their dreadful conse- 
 quences. The prevalence, therefore, of unright- 
 eousness, uniformly shews the amount of iniquity 
 that is not pardoned. 
 
 Though it is solely on account of the propitia- 
 tion of Immanuel, that any transgression is blot- 
 E 
 
58 
 
 ted out ; the language of revelation never repre- 
 sents sin as forgiven either before it is committed, 
 or before it is repented of and renounced. 
 
 What is removed may return : but it cannot at 
 one and the same time be both absent and pre- 
 sent. If sin were pardoned or removed before it 
 was committed, and even before we were born, it 
 might be revived, recalled, or brought back, but 
 remain it could not. Yet M Jesus said unto them, 
 If ye were blind ye should have no sin: but now 
 ye say, We see, therefore your sin remaineth" 
 
 If pardon preceded transgression, we might be 
 exhorted to forsake our evil practices, and return 
 to our duty; but we should no more be admon- 
 ished to ask forgiveness, than be enjoined to set 
 the tide a-fl owing, or to put the planets in mo- 
 tion. But instead of possessing a full and im- 
 mutable pardon, the uniform doctrine of the 
 Scriptures is, that without repentance our perdi- 
 tion is inevitable. <c Suppose ye that these Gali- 
 leans were sinners above ail the Galileans, because 
 they suffered such things ? I tell you, Nay : but, 
 except ye repent, ye shall likewise perish." The 
 whole of Solomon's prayer at the dedication of 
 the temple proceeds upon the fact, that no re- 
 mission is bestowed before repentance. 1 Kings 
 viii. 30 — 50. " Repent, and turn yourselves 
 from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not 
 be your ruin." Ezek. xviii. 30. " He that cov- 
 creth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso con- 
 fessed and forsaketh them shall have mercy." 
 
59 
 
 Prov. xxviii. 13. The design of the gospel is 
 declared to be, " To turn men from the power of 
 Satan unto God, that they may receive forgive- 
 ness of sins." Acts xxvi. 18. The Apostles ex- 
 horted their hearers " to repent, and be con- 
 verted, that their sins might be blotted out." 
 Acts ii. 38: iii. 19. To Simon Magus they said, 
 11 Repent of this thy wickedness, and pray God, 
 if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be for- 
 given thee." But if this thought was already 
 pardoned, instead of admonishing him to give 
 thanks for its remission, why did they enjoin 
 him to pray for its forgiveness? The awful fact, 
 however, seems to be, that this thought never 
 was forgiven, neither before nor after this ad- 
 dress. " Let the wicked forsake his way, and the 
 unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him re- 
 turn unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon 
 him, and to our God, for he will abundantly 
 pardon." Isa. lv. 7: Psalm xxxii. 5: Jer. xxxi. 
 18—20. 
 
 Now, if all sin was blotted out at once, why 
 these exhortations to repentance in order that it 
 may be forgiven ? 
 
 To get rid of the argument drawn from Acts 
 ii. 38, iii. 19, and similar passages; we are told 
 that they merely signify to be converted to the 
 true view of God's character which blots out sin, 
 and be baptized into the doctrine of the forgive- 
 ness of sins for Christ's sake. But are those who 
 
 advance such an assertion, also ready to admit 
 E 2 
 
60 
 
 that we are exhorted to give diligence to make 
 our calling and election sure; because if we do so, 
 we shew that we have never fallen, but have al- 
 ways enjoyed an abundant portion of the everlast- 
 ing kingdom of our Lord and Saviour? and that 
 Noah prepared the ark, as a memorial of the 
 previous preservation of his house from the del- 
 uge? 2 Pet. i. 10, 11: Heb. xi. 7 Are we to 
 reverse the usual meaning of language? to con- 
 sider exhortations as promises? and regard future 
 events as past transactions? 
 
 If all sin were pardoned before we had a being, 
 its presence could not deprive us of any blessing, 
 nor its removal bring us any benefit. But the 
 Bible assures us, that sin hides from us the face 
 of God, prevents our prayers from being heard, 
 and exposes us to the severest temporal and spi- 
 ritual judgments,* and the same Bible informs us, 
 that real repentance is the means of freeing us 
 from the calamities which sin has inflicted, and of 
 securing the blessings which it has forfeited. Isa. 
 lix. 1, 2. Jer. v. 25. Prov. xiv. 34. James v. 
 15. Hosea xiv. 1 — 4. 
 
 If all our sins were forgiven before we were 
 born, there could be no necessity for praying for 
 their remission. The Scriptures, however, abound 
 with petitions for the pardon of sin : and our 
 blessed Lord, in the same form of prayer, in 
 which he taught us to say, " Our Father, who art 
 in heaven," instructed us also to say, " Forgive 
 us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Instead 
 
61 
 
 of adding that, whether we forgive men or not, 
 our own offences are at any rate forgiven ; he de- 
 clared, " If ye forgive men their trespasses, your 
 heavenly Father will also forgive you: but \i ye 
 forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your 
 heavenly Father forgive your trespasses." Psalm 
 xxv. 11, 18: li. Mat. vi. 12, 14, 15: xviii. 35. 
 James ii. 13. 
 
 Now, are these things so? Is it true that sin is 
 the only cause of the Divine displeasure? that, 
 when sin is renounced, God withdraws his anger 
 and restores his favour? that when sin is forgiven, 
 it is blotted out and never permitted to rise up 
 against us? that those who are pardoned are 
 blessed with the imputation of righteousness, and 
 put in possession of salvation ? Is all this true? 
 Then, either every human creature must infallibly 
 reach the kingdom of heaven, or else all sin is 
 not forgiven. For if the possession of an interest 
 in the righteousness of Christ and the salvation 
 which he wrought out will not place the soul in 
 the enjoyment of glory; the object of redeeming 
 love is defeated, the foundations of hope are de- 
 stroyed, and the God of grace has not yet given 
 man any thing by which we may secure eternal 
 life, or obtain solid peace and lasting comfort to 
 our souls. 
 
 Is it also true, that where sin is pardoned, it is 
 removed? that it cannot injure us? and that there 
 is no occasion either to repent of it that it may be 
 forgiven, or to pray for its remission ? Is all this 
 
 E3 
 
62 
 
 Jikewise true? And yet does the Bible inculcate 
 repentance and prayer for the remission of sin? 
 and tell us, that, where it is indulged, it remains 
 and brings calamities upon both the soul and 
 body? Then the system that asserts the pardon 
 of all sin, whether men believe or not, is com- 
 pletely opposed to the doctrines of revelation; and, 
 if the one come from heaven, the other has no 
 origin there. 
 
 The scheme that enforces such a tenet, is preg- 
 nant with inexpressible mischief. It destroys the 
 obligations of the law, and supersedes the grace 
 of the gospel. A votary of this system may logi- 
 cally argue, If the guilt of my transgressions was 
 taken away before I was born, sin I cannot. No 
 action that I can commit is possessed of the slight- 
 est criminality. I may walk in the sight of my 
 eyes, and in the ways of my heart, without the 
 slightest danger of punishment from either God 
 or man. And since I am without sin, what use 
 have I for the gospel, or need of a Saviour? the 
 guilt of all my transgressions was removed before 
 I had a being. I have no occasion for its provi- 
 sions, nor any necessity for a personal application 
 to the Son of God. He came not to call the 
 righteous but sinners to repentance. But sinner 
 I am not: and, therefore, require neither repent- 
 ance nor pardon. 
 
 In this manner Christ is made the minister of 
 sin : and the natural tendency of the system is to 
 encourage men to continue in sin that grace may 
 
63 
 
 abound; and, in order to do the greater honour 
 to the Redeemer, to build up the works of the 
 devil, which Jesus came to destroy. 
 
 II. Let us now attend to their doctrine respect- 
 ing all being in a state of grace, and possessed 
 of an interest in Christ. 
 
 If they affix a new meaning to these old expres- 
 sions; and by a state of grace, and an interest in 
 Christ, understand something different, or alto- 
 gether opposite to union with Christ and a personal 
 possession of the immense and unsearchable bless- 
 ings of salvation : perhaps when they explain 
 themselves, we may be able to admit that grace- 
 less men are in a state of grace, and the enemies 
 of the Redeemer interested in him. If by a state 
 of grace and an interest in Christ they intend no 
 more, than that we are under neither the patriar- 
 chal nor Mosaical Economy, but under the dispen- 
 sation of the gospel ; that we enjoy the means of 
 grace, and are warranted, encouraged, and com- 
 manded to go to the Saviour, believe on him and 
 trust in him; though we must regret the novel 
 application of the old phraseology, we could have 
 no inclination to controvert the truth which it as- 
 serts. For with the Scriptures in our hands; 
 where the God of grace enjoins us to carry the 
 gospel round the globe, and proclaim its glorious 
 tidings to every creature; where he commands all 
 men to believe on the name of his Son, and as- 
 sures every one that believeth, that he shall never 
 
64 
 
 perish nor come into condemnation: who dare 
 arrest the generous current of saving mercy, ex- 
 clude any soul from the Almighty Redeemer, im- 
 pede him in his flight to Calvary or intercept him 
 in the act of bathing his guilty conscience in the 
 crimson currents of the cross? With the Scrip- 
 tures in our hands, we will cordially unite with 
 any man in contending for the universal extent of 
 the gospel call, the all-sufficiency of the Saviour, 
 the absolute freeness of his salvation, and the priv- 
 ilege and duty of every man to believe on the 
 Lord Jesus Christ. If any man refuse to believe 
 on Jesus, he is guilty at once of an outrage 
 against the authority of the Most High, and of a 
 mortal offence against his own soul. He at once 
 rejects the best gift of Heaven, and irrevocably 
 seals his own eternal doom. 
 
 But if the usual acceptation of these momentous 
 phrases is retained; and by a state of grace, and 
 an interest in Christ, we are to understand deliv- 
 erance from the guilt and power of sin, recon- 
 ciliation to God, union to Christ, the possession 
 of his righteousness and image, and the presence, 
 teaching, and strengthening influences of the 
 Holy Ghost; we must loudly declare that a more 
 rash, baseless, and visionary proposition never was 
 published. 
 
 That all the high honours and invaluable bless- 
 ings which have just now been stated, are includ- 
 ed in being in a state of grace, and interested in 
 Christ; who can doubt who looks at the language 
 
63 
 
 of revelation? What other inference can we 
 draw from such declarations as those that follow ? 
 " Sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye 
 are not under the law but under grace. There is, 
 therefore, now no condemnation to them who are 
 in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but 
 after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life 
 in Christ hath made me free from the law of sin 
 and death. If any man be in Christ he is a new 
 creature. They that are Christ's have crucified 
 the flesh with the affections and lusts. If any man 
 have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 
 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because 
 of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteous- 
 ness. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God 
 is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctifi- 
 cation, and redemption. He that hath the Son 
 hath life. All are yours ; whether Paul, or Apol- 
 los, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or 
 things present, or things to come: all are yours, 
 and ye are Christ's," Rom. vi. 14: vii. 4 — 6: 
 viii. 1, 2, 9, 10. Gal. iii. 23—26 : v. 24. 1 John 
 iv. 13: v. 12. 1 Cor. i. 30: iii. 21—23. 
 
 Now are we at liberty to say, that such privi- 
 leges as these are the common inheritance of our 
 race? Where is our warrant to make the tour of 
 our planet, and proclaim to all as we pass, Ye are 
 Christ's and he is yours ? Where is our authority 
 for saying to the profane and dissipated, the proud 
 and haughty, the cruel and oppressive, the brutish 
 sot and blood-stained ruffian, to those who are 
 
66 
 
 the filth of the world and the offscourings of all 
 things; What! know ye not that sin has no domin- 
 ion over you? that ye are not under the law but 
 under grace? that you are in Christ, and that he 
 is in you ? that your life is hid with Christ in God ? 
 that you are led by the Spirit, and are the sons of 
 God? and if children, then, heirs, heirs of God, 
 and joint heirs with Christ? 
 
 Unless we are able to believe the most gross 
 and palpable contradictions; we cannot believe 
 that natural men are in a state of grace, and in- 
 terested in Christ, 
 
 Nothing can be more opposite than love and 
 wrath, liberty and bondage, acquittal and con- 
 demnation, grace and law, the power of Satan and 
 the dominion of God. But every unbeliever, 
 every unregenerate man, or every man by nature; 
 under whatever dispensation he is born, whether 
 under the law or the gospel, is in a state of wrath. 
 Till the Son make him free, no man is free. We 
 are born of the flesh ; and flesh we remain, till 
 born of the Spirit. The carnal or natural mind 
 is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the 
 law of God, neither indeed can be: so then they 
 that are in the flesh cannot please God. To them 
 nothing is pure: but even their mind and con- 
 science is defiled : and their prayer is an abomina- 
 tion to the Lord. They are of the works of the 
 law, and under a curse. They are the children of 
 disobedience; the servants of sin; they are of the 
 devil; the slaves of Satan; and led captive by him 
 
67 
 
 at his pleasure. Eph« ii. 2, 3. John viii. 31, 36. 
 iii. 6. Kom, viii. 6 — 8. Tit. i. 15. Prov. xxviii. 
 9. xv. 8. Gal. iii. 10. 
 
 Such is the scriptural account of the natural 
 state of man. And is this compatible with a state 
 of grace? Can a man at the same time be a child 
 of God and of the devil? under the bondage of 
 sin and the freedom of grace ? the curse of the law, 
 and the blessing of the gospel? an object of wrath 
 and of love? To advance such an assertion, is as 
 absurd as to affirm that a man may at the same 
 time be in heaven and in hell. 
 
 This system breaks down the broadest and most 
 awful distinctions known in the government of 
 God. It reverses the whole process of revelation; 
 and introduces endless confusion and unmanageable 
 disorder into religion. It begins where the Bible 
 ends: addresses the enemies of God in the lan- 
 guage which He reserves for his friends; gives the 
 children's meat to dogs, casts its pearls before 
 swine: and renders it doubtful if the least security 
 shall be left to the children for enjoying their 
 crumbs. 
 
 If this hypothesis had been founded in truth, 
 the Bible would never have uttered a word re- 
 specting the bondage and danger to which we 
 succeed by birth. Instead of exhorting us to 
 leave the condition in which we are born, it 
 would have earnestly guarded us against any 
 change in our situation. Instead of speaking of 
 obstructions in the way of life, it would have ex- 
 
68 
 
 patiated on the breadth and smoothness of the 
 path, and the certain success of all who shall seek 
 to enter it. On this scheme what can the Bible 
 mean by so often declaring that we must be born 
 again ? that strait is the gate and narrow is the way 
 that leadeth unto life; and those must strive who 
 enter thereat? that the kingdom of heaven suffer- 
 eth violence, and the violent take it by force ? that 
 many shall seek to enter in, but shall not be able? 
 What can it mean by assuring us, that some are 
 ever learning, but never able to come to the know- 
 ledge of the truth ? that the Gentiles, who fol- 
 lowed not after righteousness, have attained to 
 righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; but 
 Israel, who followed after righteousness, hath not 
 attained to the law of righteousness? 
 
 Is it possible that such language as this could 
 have been applied to any human creature, if every 
 man had been born in a state of grace, and pos- 
 sessed of an interest in the righteousness of Christ? 
 In such a case, could any have failed to find what 
 he actually enjoyed; and been unable to reach 
 what he held in his hands? 
 
 With God there is no variableness, neither 
 shadow of turning. He rests in his love. He 
 hates those who put away; and gives them no ex- 
 ample of inconstancy and fickleness. He is ever 
 in one mind, and none can turn him. Till he 
 break down the earthly house of our tabernacle, 
 and admit our soul into the world of glory, he has 
 no greater blessing to bestow than to place us in 
 
69 
 
 a state of grace, and grant us an interest in the 
 righteousness of Christ. This allies us to himself: 
 makes us heirs of all things; and secures salvation 
 with eternal glory. It is a good part which shall 
 never be taken away. It is a privilege which shall 
 never be suspended nor withdrawn. The moun- 
 tains may depart, and the hills may be removed : 
 but his kindness shall not depart from his people, 
 nor the covenant of his peace be removed. " To 
 my sheep I give eternal life; and they shall never 
 perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my 
 hand." 
 
 From the infallible salvation of all who are in 
 Christ; it inevitably follows, either that none shall 
 perish, or else that all have not an interest in him. 
 But multitudes have already gone down to destruc- 
 tion ; and many seem to be fast following them to 
 the same place of woe. We are, therefore, irre- 
 sistibly obliged to conclude, that the assertion in 
 question is groundless; and that none have an in- 
 terest in the Lord Jesus Christ, but those who are 
 called by his grace, and united to him by his 
 Spirit. 
 
 Under the idea of magi* " v ing the generosity of 
 God, by extending redemptL to the whole hu- 
 man race, and including all mei. in Christ's com- 
 mission ; this system depreciates the worth of 
 every spiritual blessing, and sweeps away every 
 foundation on which a believer can place a solid 
 hope of everlasting life. If neither the love of 
 
70 
 
 God, nor the forgiveness of sin, nor the being 
 under grace, nor the possession of an interest in 
 Christ; can give security for eternal blessedness, 
 where can such security be found ? And if a fire 
 would be useless without heat, and a cure without 
 recovery: pray what better is that love which 
 leaves its objects in a state of wrath ; that pardon 
 which delivers up its possessor to punishment; and 
 that grace, and that interest in Christ, which allow 
 those who receive them to sink into perdition? 
 
 Are this state of grace, and this interest in 
 Christ, a gift of God, or not? If they are not: 
 it is not worth while to spend five words in in- 
 quiring either whence they come, or whither they 
 go. But if they are the gift of God : then, when 
 once bestowed, they are irrevocable: for his gifts 
 and callings are without repentance. 
 
 What can have induced any to have adopted a 
 hypothesis so utterly and obviously unfounded; 
 and to labour with such diligence and zeal to im- 
 pose it upon the religious public? 
 
 We have been told that, unless all have an in- 
 terest in Christ; it cannot be the duty of every 
 man to believe on him, nor can the unbelieving 
 be justly condemned for rejecting him. 
 
 In reply, it may be observed, that, according 
 to this notion, it could not be the duty of any to 
 seek the way to heaven, unless they had been for- 
 merly there: nor could a criminal be condemned 
 for theft and villany, unless he had been originally 
 
71 
 
 just and honest. The man's own interest, however, 
 and the Divine command ought to be enough to 
 lead him to seek the kingdom of heaven, even 
 though he never has been there. The authority 
 of God, enjoining all to cultivate rectitude, binds 
 every man to be upright, whatever he may have 
 previously been. And whether by birth we pos- 
 sess an interest in Christ or not; the command of 
 God requiring every man to believe in an all- 
 sufficient Redeemer, and his absolute promise of 
 acceptance to all who embrace the righteousness 
 of Christ; are enough to render it the duty of 
 every human creature to believe on the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, and to leave him utterly inexcus- 
 able for either rejecting or neglecting the great 
 salvation. 
 
 Say, if Christ had not come into the world, 
 would we have been under condemnation, and 
 exposed to everlasting misery ? If any man say 
 No: then he virtually, or broadly declares that 
 Jesus came to the world on an idle errand ; 
 and that every part of the Bible is false, which 
 teaches us that by nature we were lost, and under 
 condemnation and wrath. John iii. 36. Luke 
 xix. 10. 1 Thess. i. 10. But if any man say, 
 Yes: we should have been all eternally and justly 
 undone, if Christ had not come and redeemed us 
 from the curse of the law : then 1 ask, Can our 
 unbelief, our rejection of the grace of the gospel, 
 efface the criminality of our transgressions of the 
 
 law ? and though the single guilt of violating the 
 F2 
 
72 
 
 law would justly have ruined us; shall the double 
 guilt of sinning against both the law and the gos- 
 pel be insufficient to condemn us? 
 
 Enough has been said to shew that, if we are 
 to retain the ordinary use of the terms, all men 
 are neither interested in Christ, nor placed in a 
 state of grace. 
 
 But perhaps by " a state of grace and an in- 
 terest in Christ," no more is intended than what 
 Arminians understand by the universal salvability 
 of men : that the gospel has superseded the cove- 
 nant of works, and placed man in a new covenant 
 relation to God, where none can perish except 
 those who fall from this new relation: that Christ 
 has broken down every barrier betwixt God and 
 man, thrown open the gates of glory, made all 
 welcome to enter who please, purchased grace for 
 the whole ; and, though he has secured salvation 
 to none, has rendered it possible for all. 
 
 If this is what is to be understood by all being 
 placed in a state of grace and interested in Christ: 
 then the hypothesis deserves a few remarks on the 
 view which it gives both of God and of man. 
 
 1. If it is intended to assert that, in consequence 
 of what Christ has done, God may save as many 
 as he pleases: we may observe that justice must 
 require the salvation either of all, or only a part of 
 our race. If, notwithstanding the work of Christ, 
 his justice will allow God to save only some: then 
 it is clear that the tenet of universal salvability does 
 
73 
 
 not extend salvation farther than the doctrine of 
 particular redemption; and that, notwithstanding 
 the universal design of Christ's death, no more 
 are actually brought to heaven, than if he had 
 intentionally died only for some. 
 
 But if every barrier is broken down, and justice 
 requires all to be saved; why are any permitted to 
 perish? If from love to the whole world God 
 gave up his Son to death for all : after giving the 
 greater, is it consistent with his love to withhold 
 the smaller and inferior gift? Is there mutability 
 and inconstancy with God; so that after surren-* 
 dering his Son purposely for all, he keeps back 
 the fruits of his sufferings and sorrows from mul- 
 titudes? Is this such an inference as we are 
 taught to draw from the declarations: " If, when 
 we were enemies, we were reconciled unto God by 
 the death of his Son; much more, being recon- 
 ciled, we shall be saved by his life? He that 
 spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for 
 us all, how shall he not with him also freely give 
 us all things?" Rom. v. 10. viii. 32. 
 
 On this hypothesis it is as impossible to recon- 
 cile the perdition of any with the justice, as with 
 the love of God. For Christ by his death must 
 be acknowledged either to have merited salvation 
 for all in whose behalf he died, or not. If he 
 did not: then why, throughout the whole sacred 
 volume is the redemption of all who are saved 
 
 invariably ascribed to his death ? Isa. liii. 4 — 13. 
 F3 
 
74 
 
 Mat. xx. 28. John x. 11, 15, 17. Rom. viii. 
 34. Gal. iii. 13. 1 Pet. i. 18—21. Rev. v. 8. 
 
 But if Christ merited salvation for all for whom 
 he died ; then, if he died for all, he is entitled to 
 the salvation of all, and cannot in justice be de- 
 prived of the salvation of any. 
 
 2. Let us view this hypothesis as it regards the 
 condition of man. 
 
 It is affirmed that Christ has abolished the 
 covenant of works, and placed all men in a new 
 covenant relation to God. But if Christ has 
 placed all men under the covenant of grace; how 
 could the Apostle say that u as many as are of the 
 works of the law are under a curse?" that H be- 
 fore faith came, we were kept under the law, shut 
 up unto the faith which should afterwards be re- 
 vealed?" Gal. iii. 10, 23. And why does he 
 spend time in proving, that every man is under 
 the law till by faith he receive the Lord Jesus 
 Christ? Rom. vii. 1—6. 
 
 But granting, for argument's sake, that such a 
 new covenant existed : pray, what are the bene- 
 fits which it is supposed that it entails ? These 
 must either amount to the salvation of the soul, 
 or to something less. If this new covenant relation 
 ensures eternal salvation: then, 1. Since few pos- 
 sess either faith or regeneration, in direct opposi- 
 tion to our Lord's declarations, Markxvi. 16, John 
 iii. 3, we may be saved, without either faith or re- 
 generation. 2. Since all by birth are in this new 
 
75 
 
 covenant relation, all except apostates must remain 
 in Christ, and none can come to him but those 
 who have in their own persons apostatized, or fallen 
 from him. 3. This hypothesis implies that all who 
 now perish fall from the covenant of grace. But 
 the Scriptures assure us that all who are in that 
 covenant shall never fall away. Jer. xxxii. 40. 4. 
 What is still more extraordinary, if it entails sal- 
 vation : then, none of all the human race can per- 
 ish. The salvation of the whole must be certain 
 and infallible. This, however, is clearly contrary 
 to fact. Mat. vii. 13, 14. 
 
 But if this covenant is unable to ensure salvation : 
 pray what does it accomplish ? Does it impart faith 
 to receive the Lord Jesus Christ? No: otherwise 
 all men would be saved. Mark xvi. 16. Does 
 it include the grace of election? No indeed: 
 for M many are called, but few are chosen." Does 
 it convey the grace of effectual calling? No: for 
 whom God calls them he also justifies. Does it 
 bring the grace of sanctification ? No: for mul- 
 titudes are abominable and disobedient, and unto 
 every good work reprobate. Does it bestow justi- 
 fication? Why? who will say that all are jus- 
 tified freely, and accepted in the Beloved? Were 
 this the case the perdition of any would be im- 
 possible. Whom God justifies, them he also glo- 
 rifies. Rom. v. 9, 10, viii. 30. 
 
 When we are told that every barrier is cast 
 down, and the gates of heaven thrown open to all: 
 I would like to know if all have the power to en- 
 
76 
 
 ter. If it is affirmed that all have the power to 
 enter: then I ask, how can such an assertion be 
 reconciled with the scriptural doctrine, that by 
 nature we are dead in trespasses and sins, and 
 that no man can come to Christ except the Father 
 draw him ? 
 
 But if it is admitted that graceless men have not 
 the power,* to enter: what advantage is gained 
 by breaking down the barriers betwixt man and 
 God, and throwing open the gates of glory ? By 
 opening their graves, will you raise the dead? 
 By throwing down the walls of Jericho, could an 
 army without limbs have walked in ? And suppos- 
 ing that Christ had not only thrown open the gates 
 of heaven, but even laid its walls prostrate: un- 
 less he also give life to those who are spiritually 
 dead, and limbs to those who are spiritually lame; 
 is there one in all the great family of man who can 
 climb the celestial hill, and sit down on the mount 
 of God? 
 
 This notion of universal pardon and grace is 
 utterly unfounded, and subversive of the whole 
 plan of salvation. It deprives the Redeemer of 
 the travail of his soul, by leaving those for whom 
 he died far short of heaven. It destroys the be- 
 liever's foundation for hope and comfort, by pla- 
 
 * Moral inability consists in the strength of wickedness. 
 The natural powers of Satan are the same as when he was in 
 heaven : but his superlative wickedness renders him morally the 
 weakest of creatures. 
 
77 
 
 cing hijs salvation on a condition which he never 
 can perform. It represents God as possessing 
 that strong and tender love to the whole human 
 race, that he would freely and gladly give them 
 all things, except the only thing which will do 
 them any essential service. " See your aim, even 
 to exalt yourselves, and your free will in the room 
 of grace, or at least leaving it room to come in, 
 to have the best share in the work of salvation, 
 viz. believing itself, which makes all the rest 
 profitable. See now, what your universality of 
 free grace leads and tends to: are not the very 
 terms opposite to one another? To bring in re- 
 probates to be objects of free grace, you deny the 
 free grace of God to the elect: and to make it 
 universal, you deny it to be effectual. That all 
 may have a share of it, they deny any to be saved 
 by it."* 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 OF THE NATURAL STATE OF MAN, SCRIPTURAL PREACHING, 
 AND PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS. 
 
 I. Do the representations of this system corres- 
 pond with the scriptural account of the relation in 
 which natural men stand to God ? 
 
 If in the act of being elevated the brazen ser- 
 pent had either extracted the poison from the 
 
 * Owen's Works, vol. v. p. 510. 
 
78 
 
 stings of the living serpents, or fortified the, bodies 
 of all the Hebrews against the slightest injury from 
 the future attacks of these reptiles; we should 
 have heard no more of any of their wounds, and 
 the whole congregation would have been addressed 
 as completely free from pain and danger. 
 
 And if Christ has really redeemed all men by 
 his death, blotted out all their iniquities, given all 
 an interest in his salvation, and restored them to 
 the friendship of God; we surely might expect to 
 hear men in their natural state described as the 
 objects of Divine love. Their natural condition 
 would not be denounced as one of guilt and dan- 
 ger, nor they themselves as exposed to the dis- 
 pleasure of the Most High. But is this the case ? 
 
 The Bible contains a sublime, delightful, and 
 endearing account of the character of God. It 
 tells us that he is the Father of mercies, and the 
 God of love; that he is merciful, and gracious, 
 long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and 
 truth. It tells us that, though the world lies in 
 wickedness, and every imagination of the thoughts 
 of the heart is only evil continually; he has so 
 loved this vile, worthless, and rebellious world, 
 that he has given his only begotten Son, that 
 whosoever believeth on him should not perish but 
 have everlasting life. 
 
 But amidst this matchless grace and boundless 
 compassion of the Most High; does the Bible 
 ever speak of men by nature as near to God, as 
 redeemed by the blood of his Son, and the objects 
 
79 
 
 of his affection ? Does it represent them as born 
 in his house, the members of his family, and the 
 heirs of his kingdom ? 
 
 Is this such an inference as we are compelled to 
 draw from the declarations, That which is born of 
 the flesh is flesh ? The carnal mind is enmity against 
 God ? So then they that are in the flesh cannot 
 please God? That by nature we are the children 
 of disobedience and wrath? 
 
 Instead of representing natural men as near to 
 God, as redeemed by his Son, and beloved for his 
 sake; the Bible speaks of them as far from God, as 
 without God, and without hope, God is there re- 
 presented as entreatiug them to come to him, to 
 return to him, to seek him that they may find him. 
 They are exhorted to kiss the Son, lest he be 
 angry; to incline their ear, and come unto him; 
 to hear, and their souls shall live. Christ stands 
 at the door, and knocks for admission. He com- 
 plains that they will not submit to his righteous- 
 ness; nor come to him that they might have life. 
 
 Now, is this such language as we might have 
 expected respecting men, who are in alliance with 
 God, whose iniquities are covered, and who are 
 redeemed by the blood of Christ ? Those who 
 are born on shore, may be obliged to travel to 
 reach their transport. But whatever exercise they 
 may take for their health and amusement, those 
 who are born on ship-board, and never have for 
 a moment left it, can have no occasion to under- 
 take a journey to reach their vessel. And though 
 
80 
 
 those who by nature are without God and without 
 Christ, who have no relation to the Redeemer nor 
 interest in his righteousness ; may be guilty of 
 being far from God, of rejecting the righteousness 
 of Christ, and refusing him admission into their 
 hearts: how can this be the case with those who 
 are already brought nigh to God by the blood of 
 his Son, who are in Christ, and possessed of his 
 righteousness ? 
 
 To this it has been said, that, though all men 
 have been redeemed by Christ and are born in a 
 state of grace, yet this does them no service as 
 long as they disbelieve that this is the case; or, in 
 other words, since in this scheme faith and know- 
 ledge are the same, are ignorant of their invaluable 
 privilege. 
 
 In reply we must remind them of the dishon- 
 ourable idea which this notion gives us of the 
 character of God, The worldly and covetous 
 have often turned the poor aside from their rights, 
 and seized on the fortune of the orphan and the 
 fatherless. They have seldom, however, had the 
 baseness to put the victims of their fraud and vil- 
 lany to death. But if all men have been redeem- 
 ed, pardoned, placed in a state of grace, and en- 
 titled to the heavenly inheritance : are we for one 
 moment to suppose that the God of love will take 
 advantage of their want of knowledge, to deprive 
 them of their rights ; and, instead of acting as 
 their guardian, and sacredly preserving this blood- 
 bought property till they know that it is their own. 
 
81 
 
 and are capable of enjoying and using it, will 
 convert their ignorance into a cause, not only of 
 debarring them from entering on it at all, but of 
 consigning them to bitter and endless misery ? I9 
 this such conduct as we might expect from the 
 Father of mercies, who prevents us with the bless- 
 ings of goodness ? who is found of them that seek 
 him not? and who exceeds our utmost thoughts 
 and requests? Is this what we might expect from 
 him whose mercies are over all his works? who is 
 the Father of the fatherless, and the help of the 
 oppressed ? Instead of being the avenger of the 
 fraudulent and injurious, shall we say or insinuate 
 that the Judge of all the earth is their pattern and 
 protector ? 
 
 II. Does this scheme coincide with the speci- 
 mens of preaching left on record in the word 
 of God ? 
 
 If at the moment of its elevation the brazen 
 serpent had annihilated the poison of the living 
 reptiles, and ensured health and safety to all the 
 camp; proclamations might have been issued, en- 
 joining the people to praise their Deliverer, and 
 rejoice in their felicity; but most assuredly nothing 
 would have been said of their pain and danger, 
 nor of the necessity of their looking to the figure 
 on the pole for a cure. 
 
 And if we were all redeemed, pardoned, and 
 placed in a state of grace by the Redeemer's 
 death ; it might be expected that we should have 
 
82 
 
 been required to bless the Lord for our salvation, 
 and to triumph in our honour and security; but 
 we certainly shoujd never have heard the Bible 
 addressing us as if by nature we were under guilt 
 and exposed to danger. 
 
 The preachers of the system under review, com- 
 mence their labours by telling their hearers pro- 
 miscuously, that God loves them, has redeemed 
 them, forgiven their iniquities, freed them from 
 the law, and placed them in a state of grace. And 
 they wish and expect that the publication of their 
 scheme will produce immediate and universal de- 
 light and joy; and lead all their hearers to ad- 
 mire the love of God, and exult in their own ab- 
 solute safety and boundless blessedness. 
 
 Now does this practice at all coincide with the 
 specimens of preaching left on record in the sacred 
 volume? 
 
 With such specimens the Scriptures abound. 
 We have many examples of the discourses of the 
 prophets. But when these holy men were sent 
 with messages from the Most High to the back- 
 sliding Jews, or idolatrous Gentiles; were they 
 ordered to open their commission, by telling them 
 of the exalted dignity to which they were raised, 
 arid the invaluable privileges which they possessed ? 
 No indeed. They were commanded to lift up 
 their voice like a trumpet; to shew the people 
 their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their 
 sins. They were to reprove them for their offen* 
 ces, and set their sins in order before them. They 
 
83 
 
 were to call to the heavens from above, and to the 
 earth, and judge the people. Oaks are not laid 
 prostrate by the scratching of a penknife ; nor 
 rocks blown up by the blast of a bellows. The 
 sleepy consciences of the carnal are not roused 
 from their lethargy by the lulling sounds of adu- 
 lation, nor the graceless constrained to flee from 
 the wrath to come by words of peace and gentle- 
 ness. The messengers of Heaven accordingly ad- 
 dressed their hearers in a different tone. Though 
 they poured out the most melting strains of ten- 
 derness, to soothe and cheer the humble and the 
 contrite: they never ceased to proclaim woe against 
 them who were at ease in Zion, and to direct the 
 most tremendous threatenings against the impeni- 
 tent and hardened. None more effectually ob- 
 structed their success, nor incurred more dreadful 
 denunciations of judgment than the false prophets, 
 who spoke smooth things, and prophesied deceit. 
 And if the prophets of the Lord could have had 
 the baseness to have adopted their language, and 
 walked in their steps, instead of being subjected 
 to trials of cruel mockings, of scourgings, bonds, 
 and death, they would have been caressed and 
 honoured. 
 
 Nathan harrowed up the conscience of the royal 
 transgressor, by exposing the enormity of his 
 crime, before he informed him that the Lord had 
 put away his sin. When the Baptist appeared in 
 the wilderness of Judea, he did not entertain the 
 
 people with an account of their privileges, nor 
 G 2 
 
84 
 
 tell them that God loved each of them. He 
 preached the doctrine of repentance; and exhorted 
 them to prepare for the coming of the Lord by 
 confessing and renouncing their sins. In reading 
 the history of the Apostles, in vain shall we search 
 for a single instance, in which they began their 
 message among a people, by announcing that they 
 were all the objects of God's saving favour, and 
 redeemed and pardoned for the sake of Christ. 
 Their invariable practice was to make known the 
 guilt and danger of their hearers; to unfold the 
 excellency, and expound the obligation of the 
 law ; and then to proclaim the grace and all-suf- 
 ficiency of the gospel. They first charged sin 
 home upon the conscience of their auditory: and 
 then, when conviction seized on their hearts, and 
 their souls were softened and subdued by a discov- 
 ery of guilt and ruin, they applied the balm of 
 the covenant, and announced the consolation which 
 Christianity contains for them who mourn in Zion. 
 On the day of Pentecost; Peter and the eleven 
 did not commence their address with a discourse 
 upon the love of God to all mankind, and the 
 complete remission of the sins of all who surround- 
 ed them. They directly accused their hearers of 
 having taken, and with wicked hands crucified and 
 slain the Lord of glory. Paul did not reason 
 with Felix of the forgiveness of his sins, and of 
 his being delivered from the law, and introduced 
 into a state of grace. He reasoned with him of 
 righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come. 
 
85 
 
 The first effect of their sermons was, not to 
 send their audience away rejoicing, but to pierce 
 their hearts, cover them with shame, fill them 
 with consternation and trembling; and, instead of 
 leading them instantly to exult in their own safety 
 and happiness, to cry, Men and brethren, what 
 must we do? 
 
 Whether the epistle to the Romans is regarded 
 as a letter, a sermon, or a treatise on christian 
 doctrine; it is invaluable as a specimen of the man- 
 ner in which the Apostles handled the word of 
 God, and of the order and connection in which 
 they stated the truths of the gospel. Now, does 
 this inestimable document commence by affirming 
 the love of God through Christ to all the children 
 of Adam, and the forgiveness of every sin whether 
 men believe or disbelieve? No indeed. Chapter 
 after chapter is employed in proving the total de- 
 pravity of our species, in demonstrating the de- 
 plorable guilt, and in illustrating the undescribable 
 danger of the whole race; before he explains the 
 foundation of a sinner's hope, the manner of our 
 acceptance with God, and the immense blessings 
 secured to them who believe. 
 
 Now, is this anxiety to get at the hearts and 
 consciences of their auditories, to convince them 
 of their criminality and wretchedness; is this dark 
 delineation of the natural character of man, and 
 denunciation of the wrath of God against all un- 
 righteousness and ungodliness of men : is thi3 
 
 what might have been expected from the accred- 
 G 3 
 
86 
 
 ited ministers of a system, the substance and 
 essence of which are, that God for Christ's sake 
 loves every human creature, has redeemed all by 
 the blood of his Son, blotted out their iniquities, 
 and placed them in a state of grace? 
 
 The example of such men, who wrote and 
 spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, is 
 to us warrant sufficient to go and do likewise. 
 Higher authority we need not : but if it were ne- 
 cessary, we have greater witness than theirs. 
 Their practice was exemplified and consecrated 
 by the Prince of preachers. The Lord Jesus 
 Christ opened his ministry by preaching, Repent, 
 for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. He dis- 
 coursed with Nicodemus respecting the new birth, 
 before he told him of the love of God to the 
 world, and the way of salvation by faith. He 
 declared that he came not to call the righteous 
 but sinners to repentance. And when leaving the 
 earth, he assured his disciples that the Holy Ghost 
 would walk in his steps. " It is expedient for 
 you that I go away: for if I go not away, the 
 Comforter will not come to you : but if I go away, 
 I will send him. And when he is come, he will 
 reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and 
 of judgment." 
 
 III. Does this scheme agree with the scriptural 
 account of prayer for spiritual blessings ? 
 
 In close connection with the tenets already ex- 
 amined, is the idea that prayer for spiritual bless- 
 
87 
 
 ings, such as mercy, pardon, and righteousness, 
 is irrational and criminal. 
 
 Believers, we are told, are the children of God, 
 the brethren of Christ, the heirs of his kingdom, 
 and entitled to all the riches of grace and treas- 
 ures of glory. And since all things are already 
 theirs by the free gift and the irrevocable grant of 
 the unchangeable Jehovah ; it is as absurd and 
 foolish to pray for these blessings, as to entreat 
 the removal of the deluge or the formation of 
 heaven. 
 
 But notwithstanding the confidence with which 
 this notion is urged, it is scarcely possible to open 
 any book of the sacred volume, without meeting 
 with prayers for such blessings. The greater part 
 of the Psalms consist of petitions for such bless- 
 ings. These prayers are frequently found, where 
 the most express promises are given for bestowing 
 the blessings which the petitioner supplicates; and 
 these promises are urged as the plea for their pos- 
 session. 
 
 Though at the very interview at which Nathan 
 brought the crime of his sovereign to remem- 
 brance, he assured him that the Lord had put 
 away his sin ; yet mark with what importunity and 
 fervour in the fifty-first Psalm, David solicits the 
 remission of the very sin, which he was told was 
 put away, and washing from the very blood which 
 was already cleansed. 
 
 No man can be godly whose sin9 are not par- 
 doned: and yet within four verses after he had 
 
88 
 
 pronounced that man blessed whose transgression 
 is forgiven, and whose sin is covered, David adds, 
 " For this, (the forgiveness of sin,) shall every 
 one that is godly make his prayer to thee." Psalm 
 xxxii. 1 — 6. 
 
 When Nathan had communicated the gracious 
 designs of God to David and his family; instead 
 of imagining that there was any thing unreason- 
 able or sinful in imploring the fulfilment of the 
 promised blessings, David immediately subjoined, 
 " O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken 
 concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, 
 establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said." 
 2 Sam. vii. 25. 
 
 When Daniel understood by books that the 
 years foretold by Jeremiah for the desolation of 
 Jerusalem were expiring ; instead of making this 
 a reason for suppressing his own wishes before 
 God, he took occasion from the certainty of the 
 event, to pray more earnestly than ever for its 
 accomplishment. Dan. ix. 
 
 The epistle to the Colossians is inscribed " to 
 the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are 
 at Colosse." No sooner, however, has the Apos- 
 tle expressed his joy and gratitude for their christ- 
 ian graces and spiritual attainments, the hope laid 
 up for them in heaven, and their love in the Spirit; 
 than he subjoins, ** For which cause we also, since 
 the day w r e heard it, do not cease to pray for you, 
 and to desire that ye might be filled with the 
 knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual 
 
89 
 
 understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the 
 Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every 
 good work, and increasing in the knowledge of 
 God; strengthened with all might according to 
 his glorious power, unto all patience and long- 
 suffering with joyfulness: giving thanks unto the 
 Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers 
 of the inheritance of the saints in light." Col. i. 
 9—12. 
 
 The epistle to the Ephesians is addressed M To 
 the saints who are at Ephesus, and to the faithful 
 in Christ Jesus." It opens with the following 
 words : " Grace be to you, and peace, from God 
 our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual 
 blessings in heavenly places in Christ." And yet 
 before he has advanced fifteen verses, the same 
 Apostle, who thanks God for having already 
 blessed them with all spiritual blessings, declares, 
 I " cease not to give thanks for you, making 
 mention of you in my prayers, that the God of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may 
 give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation 
 in the knowledge of him : the eyes of your under- 
 standings being enlightened; that ye may know 
 what is the hope of his calling, and what the 
 riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." 
 Ephes. i. 16 — 18. A little farther onwards, we 
 find him using the language which is here trans- 
 cribed, in behalf of the same people, " For this 
 
90 
 
 cause 1 bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven 
 and earth is named, that he would grant you ac- 
 cording to the riches of his glory, to be strength- 
 ened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 
 that Christ may dwell in your heart by faith; that 
 ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be 
 able to comprehend with all saints what is the 
 breadth, and length, and depth, and height ; and 
 to know the love of God which passeth knowledge, 
 that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." 
 Ephes. iii. 14—19, 
 
 I know nothing that is more sure, than the en- 
 joyment by believers of all the blessings of grace. 
 They flow from the unchanging love of God: they 
 are included in the everlasting covenant, secured 
 by the promise of the Lord : and ratified and 
 sealed by the costly sacrifice of Immanuel. But 
 so far is this unequalled security from either su- 
 perseding the necessity of prayer, or rendering 
 its exercise unlawful ; that there is scarcely a bless- 
 ing promised in any part of revelation, which is 
 not, in some other part of the sacred volume, 
 made the subject of express supplication. We 
 are commanded to " be careful for nothing: but 
 in every thing by prayer and supplication, with 
 thanksgiving, to let our requests be known unto 
 God." So far from prohibiting the exercise of 
 prayer for blessings whose attainment is infallible, 
 at the close of an interesting series of precious 
 promises, we meet with this important declaration: 
 
91 
 
 " Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be 
 inquired of the house of Israel, to do it for them." 
 Ezek. xxxvi. 37. And so far from being inter- 
 dicted from pleading for grace and mercy because 
 we have already received them in Christ, we are 
 actually enjoined to " come boldly to the throne 
 of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find 
 grace to help in time of need." Heb. iv. 16. 
 
 What is still more singular, " the Spirit also 
 helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we 
 should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit him- 
 self maketh intercession for us with groanings 
 which cannot be uttered." 
 
 And if any thing can be more extraordinary, it 
 is that the Lord Jesus Christ, who well knows the 
 absolute immutability of all the promises, and the 
 perfect safety of all them who believe, is our Advo- 
 cate with God, and ever lives to make intercession 
 for us. 
 
 I must earnestly entreat the reader to be on his 
 guard against this spurious orthodoxy, which lays 
 an interdict on praying for any spiritual blessing 
 which is given along with Christ. If the princi- 
 ple on which it is founded were carried out to its 
 full extent it would render the world a scene of 
 confusion, havoc, and desolation: and if you admit 
 it into your creed or your conduct, if ever your 
 soul was possessed of any spiritual life and peace, 
 it is likely to lay the whole in ruins, and involve 
 you in wretchedness too great for utterance. 
 
 The graceless hate every form of godliness, and 
 
92 
 
 have a strong repugnance to prayer. If believers 
 are prohibited from praying for spiritual blessings, 
 because all things are given along with Christ: 
 the ungodly will naturally ask, Why should they 
 pray for any blessing at all; since God who made 
 them, may be expected, without their solicitude, 
 to give them all that is requisite for their welfare 
 as long as he is pleased to preserve them in being? 
 Since God has promised to give what is good, why 
 should the idle labour for their daily bread ? Since 
 God from everlasting has been infinitely glorious ; 
 the infidel may inquire, why he should be re- 
 strained from any profligacy, and commanded to 
 do all to the glory of God ? If the gift of Christ 
 supersedes prayer; why, says the Antinomian, 
 should we be required to attend to any duty at 
 all? 
 
 The doctrine in question is a sad abuse of the 
 purposes and gifts of God. Though he has 
 formed his decrees from everlasting, they are ac- 
 complished in time, and by the instrumentality, 
 of his creatures. By the righteousness of Christ 
 grace and glory are secured for his people. But 
 though the purchase of the whole was simultaneous, 
 they are dispensed in succession. The light was 
 created at once: but its rays reach us one after 
 another. And though every spiritual blessing is 
 included in the gift of Christ; yet the blessings of 
 salvation are bestowed in detail, and as we are 
 able and qualified to receive them. Neither the 
 knowledge, holiness, nor comfort of believers are 
 
93 
 
 complete at the first moment of their spiritual life. 
 If this were the case, we should never hear of 
 young men and babes in the christian family. All 
 should be equally fathers. There would be no 
 necessity for exhorting those who have already 
 believed, to grow in grace and in the knowledge 
 of Christ, and to go on to perfection. But with 
 such exhortations the Scriptures abound. 
 
 It is presumptuous and dangerous to set up our 
 own theories and fancies in opposition to the 
 plainest dictates of Inspiration. Our business is 
 to search the Scriptures and submit implicitly to 
 their decision. There we find the promises pledg- 
 ed, that what is good the Lord will give; he will 
 preserve us alive, and we shall be fed. We know 
 that with him there is no variableness, neither 
 shadow of turning. But in opposition to the 
 theorist who should maintain, that these promises 
 release us from the necessity of labour, and ren- 
 der prayer for temporal mercies unlawful; we 
 can appeal to an authority as high as that which 
 passed these promises, enjoining us to be diligent 
 in business, and commanding us to pray, " Give us 
 this day our daily bread." 
 
 And though it hath pleased the Father that in 
 Christ should all fulness dwell ; and since he has 
 not spared him, but given him up for us all, will 
 also with him freely give us all things: yet be- 
 cause the continued enjoyment of these, is just as 
 necessary for our safety and happiness, as their 
 
 initial possession; the Lord commands us to pray 
 H 
 
94 
 
 for all spiritual blessings, and promises to hear 
 and answer our requests. Hence we are assured 
 that his grace is sufficient for us, and his strength 
 made perfect in weakness; that we grow up in all 
 things unto him who is the head; and out of his 
 fulness receive even grace for grace. 
 
 Prayer is of no real service to the Most High. 
 It can neither alter his mind, nor increase his in- 
 formation. But it is of prodigious importance to 
 ourselves. It makes us feel our weakness and 
 dependence. It renders our desires for spiritual 
 blessings more steady and intense; and gives a 
 greater warmth and elevation to our adoring gra- 
 titude, when we find the God of grace, day after 
 day, imparting the blessings we implore. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 OF FAITH AND THE EXTENT OF THE ATONEMENT. 
 
 If an Israelite, who understood the import of the 
 Divine ordinance, had been asked how he ex- 
 pected to be cured of the bite of the fiery flying 
 serpents; he would not have said by believing 
 that the brazen serpent was the antidote to their 
 sting, or that it had annihilated their poison, and 
 had already secured the congregation against all 
 
95 
 
 danger from their attacks. He would have said 
 that he expected a cure by looking at the serpent 
 of brass. It was distinctly stated in the promise, 
 ■ It shall come to pass, that every one that is 
 bitten, when he looketh upon it" the serpent of 
 brass, %i shall live." And it is as plainly recorded 
 in the narrative, that u if a serpent had bitten 
 any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he 
 lived." 
 
 From the beginning to the end of the sacred 
 volume, Christ and his work are held up as the 
 only objects of saving faith. Christ and his right- 
 eousness are the sun and centre of the whole ex- 
 panse of revelation. He is the alpha and omega, 
 the beginning and the ending. He is all, and in 
 all. And saving faith is represented as such a 
 belief of the truth concerning him as leads the 
 soul to rest, trust, and depend on him and his 
 righteousness, for all its salvation. 
 
 In the Berean scheme, the object of saving 
 faith is, that Christ is the propitiation for sin, 
 that he has atoned for the guilt of the whole 
 world, and redeemed and pardoned all the child- 
 ren of Adam. 
 
 Now, the question is, Is this notion correct? 
 
 Whatever may be the doctrinal object of sav- 
 ing faith, the testimony which it credits, it cer- 
 tainly must be something which is true in itself, 
 prior to our knowledge or belief of its reality; 
 and which would remain immutably the same, 
 though the whole human race should reject it, 
 H2 
 
96 
 
 This seems evident from the fact, that saving 
 faith is made the duty of every child of Adam. 
 Jesus said, " This is the work of God, that ye 
 believe on him whom he hath sent." St. John 
 adds, " This is his commandment, that we should 
 believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ." 
 And one of the last injunctions of our Redeemer, 
 before his ascension to glory, was, " Go ye into 
 all the world, and preach the gospel to every 
 creature: he that believeth, and is baptized, shall 
 be saved: but he that believeth not, shall be 
 damned." Now, unless faith is the duty of all, 
 how can every man who dies without it be sub- 
 jected to perdition ? The dreadful consequences 
 with which unbelief is attended, prove that it is 
 insufferably offensive and odious in the sight of 
 God, and a crime possessed of uncommon enor- 
 mity and danger. But a sin it could not be, un- 
 less the thing which we are required to believe 
 were true in itself, independently of all our own 
 notions and opinions. To believe without evidence 
 is credulity ; and to believe against evidence is 
 madness. The God of truth never will enjoin us 
 to believe a falsehood, nor punish us for rejecting 
 a lie. Whenever he interposes his authority, and 
 demands our assent, there we may trust with the 
 most perfect safety and unhesitating confidence. 
 
 It is true that Jesus Christ is the Son of God ; 
 the same in substance, equal in power and glory 
 with the Father; that he became man, was made 
 under the law; fulfilled all righteousness, and 
 
97 
 
 gave his life a ransom for many. It is true that 
 he is the propitiation for sin ; that his power is 
 almighty, and his atonement all-sufficient. It is 
 true that the calls of the gospel are universal; 
 that the offers of salvation are free ; and that the 
 promise of acceptance to every one who comes to 
 Christ, is without limitation or reserve. 
 
 All these are facts supported by the truth and 
 faithfulness of the Most High. Over the wide 
 surface of the earth, every sinner is warranted, 
 encouraged, commanded to come to the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, and though none will embrace the 
 invitation nor submit to the command, till they 
 discover their guilt and wretchedness as trans- 
 gressors of the righteous law, and long for de- 
 liverance from the presence and the power of sin; 
 yet every one that comes is made most heartily, 
 most inexpressibly welcome; and whosoever rests 
 on him entirely, and makes him all his salvation 
 and all his desire, shall never perish nor come into 
 condemnation, but have everlasting life. 
 
 These are the true sayings of God; and they 
 
 constitute a foundation more firm than the pillars 
 
 that sustain creation. But is this the nature of 
 
 the foundation which the Berean system has laid 
 
 for its votaries? Is it true that Christ has died 
 
 for every man; redeemed all the human race; and 
 
 forgiven the sins of the whole world ? Where 
 
 within the wide compass of revelation can any such 
 
 declarations be found ? 
 
 We never can do justice to his power and gen- 
 H3 
 
98 
 
 erosity. Neither the tongues of men nor of an- 
 gels can reach the perfection of his righteousness, 
 the riches of his grace, and the freeness of his 
 love. His blood cleanseth from all sin ; and he 
 is able to save them to the uttermost who come to 
 God by him. He is the propitiation for sin ; the 
 Mediator betwixt God and man ; the Lamb of 
 God that taketh away the sin of the world. He 
 came to seek and to save that which was lost: and 
 we have redemption through his blood, the for- 
 giveness of sin, according to the riches of his 
 grace. 
 
 But does it follow from these general expressions, 
 that he died for every individual, and has actually 
 taken away the sins of the whole world ? 
 
 Unless a thing can, at the same time and in the 
 same sense, be removed and yet remain, the sins 
 of the whole world cannot be said to be taken 
 away : for at this moment sin is reigning in the 
 heart, and bringing everlasting ruin upon the 
 souls of millions, 
 
 To shew that the gospel is not confined to any 
 nation, age, class, or description of men; but 
 adapted to the circumstances of each, and designed 
 for the salvation of as many of every nation and 
 character as the Lord is pleased to call : its invita- 
 tions and offers are addressed indiscriminately to 
 the whole w r orld. But it can no more be inferred 
 from the general and indefinite language which 
 it employs, that Christ actually died for all, and 
 has redeemed every man; than that all are justi- 
 
fied, because it is said that " the free gift came 
 upon all men unto justification of life;" that all 
 are blessed with the Holy Ghost, because God 
 promises to pour out his " Spirit upon all flesh;" 
 that all are spiritually illuminated, because Christ 
 is called " the true Light that lighteth every man 
 that cometh into the world;" or that all are actu- 
 ally attracted to him, because he declared, " I, if 
 I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men 
 unto me." 
 
 The extent of the Redeemer's death is a secret 
 thing which belongs unto the Lord. It is enough 
 for us to know that his power is almighty, and 
 his atonement possessed of infinite value; that 
 u his heart is made of tenderness, his bowels melt 
 with love." Omnipotence is requisite for the 
 formation of a worm ; and more is not required 
 for the formation of a seraph. Less than the 
 perfect righteousness of Immanuel could not have 
 satisfied the demands of law and justice, and se- 
 cured the salvation of a single soul: but more 
 than this, if they had needed redemption, could 
 not have been necessary for the salvation of the 
 whole universe. 
 
 But amidst the brightest and most overbearing 
 evidence for the perfection of his righteousness 
 and the ail-sufficiency of his atonement ; what 
 proof can we discover that he died for all, and 
 has redeemed all. 
 
 In speaking of the salvation of those who actu- 
 ally become partakers of eternal glory, the Scrip- 
 
100 
 
 tures uniformly ascribe their salvation to the death 
 of Christ, or their being redeemed by his blood. 
 Rom. iii. 24. v. 10. viii. 34. Gal. iii. 13. 1 Pet. 
 i. 18. Rev. v. 9. Acts xx. 28. Ephes. v. 25— 
 27. This salvation must be owing either in 
 whole, or in part to his death. If it is owing 
 only in part to his death : then, how could the 
 Apostle appeal to his death as the sole cause of 
 deliverance from condemnation ; from the curse 
 of the law; and as the only ground of ac- 
 ceptance with God ? Saying, " Who is he that 
 condemneth? it is Christ that died:" "Christ 
 hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being 
 made a curse for us." And how could the spirits 
 of the just made perfect, ascribe all their salva- 
 tion to his death ? Saying, " thou wast slain, and 
 hast redeemed us to God by thy blood." 
 
 But if the salvation of all who are brought to 
 glory is owing entirely to his death : then, if he 
 died for all, why do any perish? Unless the 
 same cause produces opposite effects: since his 
 death has placed in heaven all the children of 
 men who have obtained admission there; if he has 
 died alike for all, all must alike partake of salva- 
 tion with eternal glory. I know that all those 
 whom he ransoms from the power of the grave, 
 and redeems from death, shall rise from the dead; 
 and that, the moment that he issues the mandate, 
 the grave shall be as completely clear of the dust 
 of the human race, as it was on the day that 
 Adam first set his foot within the confines of 
 
101 
 
 Eden, And if he died for the redemption of the 
 entire species; what prevents the complete salva- 
 tion of all the children of men, any more than the 
 resurrection of the whole human race from the 
 grave? 
 
 He that receives the vine, is entitled to the 
 fruit. God has no greater gift than that of his 
 Son : and if he did not spare him, but delivered 
 him up for the whole race; why do any not enjoy 
 the blessings secured by his death? 
 
 We shall perhaps be told that some do not 
 believe. 
 
 But if Christ died alike for all, why do any 
 continue in unbelief? 
 
 Faith is either a spiritual blessing, or it is not. 
 If it is not a spiritual blessing, why is it declared 
 to be the gift of God ? and why is the possession 
 of it by some represented as certain and infallible? 
 Ephes. ii. 8. Phil. i. 29. Heb. xii. 2. John vi. 
 37, 45. xii. 32. Psalm ex. 3. 
 
 But if it is a spiritual blessing: then it is one 
 of the effects of the Redeemer's death: for the 
 Apostle assures us that we " are blessed with all 
 spiritual blessings in Christ." Ephes. i. 3. Col. 
 ii. 10. 
 
 Now, the question is, Has Christ purchased 
 this blessing for all, or only for some? If he has 
 purchased it only for some: then the cause of uni- 
 versal redemption is gone; and it is admitted that 
 he did not die for all. For if the effect of his death 
 depend upon a condition, which none but he can 
 
102 
 
 bestow, and which he never undertook, promised 
 nor intended to impart; this is saying in other 
 words that the object of his death was limited. 
 
 But if he has purchased faith for all, why is it 
 not possessed by all? Is he unable to bestow it? 
 Is any thing too hard for him? Who hath re- 
 sisted his will? When he chose to create the 
 universe, and gave the command for its forma- 
 tion : did he experience any difficulty to find obed- 
 ience to his word? When he was pleased to 
 breathe on the slain, did any of the bones baffle 
 his will to restore them to life ? When on a fu- 
 ture day he shall give the command; will any of 
 the tenants of the tomb defeat the execution of his 
 decree, and retain their place in the dust of the 
 earth? And if such were his pleasure, is he un- 
 able to pierce the hardest heart, and implant faith 
 in the most refractory and unbelieving spirit? 
 After the obstacles which he has already sur- 
 mounted ; is there any wonder of power and love 
 which he is unable to perform? Could he have 
 found it more difficult to soften the heart of Pha- 
 raoh, than of Lydia ; or to convert Judas than 
 Paul? Of his power we can entertain no doubt: 
 for he is able even to subdue all things to himself, 
 neither is there any thing too hard for him. 
 
 If Jesus purchased faith for all ; we ask again, 
 Since without faith no man can be saved, why 
 do any continue in unbelief? Perhaps we shall 
 be told, that God does not see fit to confer it, or 
 
103 
 
 that it is inconsistent with his wisdom to bestow 
 it. 
 
 Is this really the case? Are we really to sup- 
 pose that it was consistent with his wisdom to re- 
 quire his Son to purchase with his blood, bless- 
 ings which he does not judge it proper to confer? 
 and give him up to die in behalf of those, whom, 
 even after they have been redeemed at such an 
 infinite price, he does not think it worth his while 
 to save ? 
 
 God is either omniscient, or not. If he is not 
 omniscient: then he is not an infinite Being and 
 unlimited in all his perfections; and those Scrip- 
 tures must be false which ascribe to him an under- 
 standing that is unsearchable, and a knowledge 
 that is infallible and extends to all things, 
 whether past, present, or future. 
 
 But if he is omniscient: then known unto him 
 are all his works from the beginning of the world; 
 and the Spirit of grace shall not convert a different 
 soul, nor one more, nor less, than what he fore- 
 saw from of old from everlasting. And if, as the 
 Scriptures affirm, with him there is no variable- 
 ness, neither shadow of turning; then he not only 
 infallibly foreknew the objects of his saving mercy, 
 but provided the measures necessary to render 
 their salvation certain. The operations of his 
 grace in time unfold his eternal counsels of peace 
 and kindness. And when time has finished its 
 course ; when the transactions of the great day of 
 
104 
 
 decision are done, and the awful realities of eter- 
 nity have succeeded to the toils and distractions of 
 mortality; it shall be found that the church of the 
 living God has received, and the gates of celestial 
 bliss have enclosed none but those whom he him- 
 self from everlasting had determined to bring 
 through grace to endless glory. John vi. 37, 
 Rom. viii. 29, 30; Ephes. i, 4—6. 
 
 And when Jesus from the beginning knew who 
 were given to him, and who were not; who should 
 believe, and who should continue in unbelief: is 
 it credible that he died alike for both? 
 
 Is this the idea that we are to entertain of the 
 infinitely wise God ? No. Where the small fa- 
 vour has been withheld, we may conclude that 
 the mighty, the matchless gift has not been com- 
 municated. If Jesus had died for all : then the 
 meaning of the Apostle's language and the bear- 
 ing of his reasoning compel us to affirm, that all 
 alike should have shared in the riches of his 
 grace and the blessings of his salvation. Rom. v. 
 10 : viii. 32. 
 
 Redemption was either undertaken with, or 
 without a plan. If it was undertaken without a 
 plan: then, though no rational man will embark 
 in any momentous undertaking without consider- 
 ing fully what he is to do; we must believe that 
 the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom are hidden all the 
 treasures of wisdom and knowledge ; in entering 
 on this most arduous task, connected with so 
 
105 
 
 many affecting interests, and subjecting him to a 
 series of sufferings and sorrows, such as eternity 
 never saw before, nor shall witness again; rushed 
 into the midst of its toils and its conflicts without 
 concert or design, and actually threw his life 
 away without knowing either for whom or for 
 what he died. If redemption was undertaken 
 without a plan; why is it called a counsel, a pur- 
 pose, a covenant, and designated by similar names 
 indicative of forethought and determination? 
 
 But if it was undertaken with a plan : then 
 both the parties for whom Jesus interposed must 
 have been foreknown, and the benefits which they 
 were to receive arranged and fixed. For there 
 could be no plan at all, unless it embraced both 
 the persons for whom he was given, and the 
 blessings which he was to secure. 
 
 Accordinlgy, on looking into the pages of in- 
 spiration, we find that both the parties were 
 known, and the blessings determined for which 
 Jesus was to lay down his life. The parties for 
 whom he interposed are denominated M those 
 whom God did foreknow; who were chosen in 
 Christ before the foundation of the world ; who 
 were appointed to obtain salvation; who were 
 given to him by his Father; his sheep; his church; 
 his children." 
 
 Now, can it be said that these epithets belong 
 to all mankind? that every child of Adam is in- 
 cluded in the covenant of grace? and is to be 
 ranked amongst the elect, the chosen of Christ, his 
 
106 
 
 sheep, his children? Where is it said that he has 
 loved the world, and given himself for it; that he 
 might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of 
 water by the word ; that he might present it to 
 himself a glorious world not having spot or 
 wrinkle or any such thing? that he is the head of 
 his body, the world? and hath purchased the 
 world with his own blood ? 
 
 Was his intention to die for all indiscriminately 
 intimated, by his declaring that he had power 
 over all flesh to give eternal life to as many as his 
 Father had given him ? that he laid down his life 
 for the sheep ? and prayed not for the world but 
 for them who were given him out of the world ? 
 Though his Father hears him always, can we be- 
 lieve that he died for those for whom he will not 
 intercede? 
 
 Though faith comes by hearing, and hearing by 
 the word of God; and men cannot hear without 
 a preacher; did Jesus shew his design to die for 
 all, by confining his ministry to the Jews? by 
 speaking to the Pharisees in parables ? by sending 
 his Apostles into one country, but forbidding 
 them to enter another? by giving some eyes to 
 see and ears to hear, and not giving these eyes 
 and ears toothers to this day ? Is it credible that 
 he gave his life a ransom for those to whom he 
 would not make known the mysteries of his king- 
 dom, nor send the knowledge of his salvation ? 
 Luke viii. 10: Acts xvi. 6, 7, 10. 
 
 Has he forbidden us to pray for the remission 
 
107 
 
 of the sin against the Holy Ghost? and yet with 
 the full knowledge of all that shall be guilty 
 of this blasphemy: are we to believe that he actu- 
 ally laid down his life for the redemption of the 
 very men for whom we are prohibited to pray ? 
 
 The Scriptures throughout proclaim a wonder- 
 ful difference in the everlasting condition of the 
 human race; and intimate that there is as com- 
 plete a contrast at present in their conduct and 
 character. In the last sight that we get of these 
 two great classes, they appear under the opposite 
 forms of sheep and goats. Before that, they are 
 often mentioned under the widely different char- 
 acters of righteous and wicked, the children of 
 light and the children of darkness, the children of 
 God and of the devil. 
 
 Now, was there ever a time when the seed of 
 the serpent belonged to the woman ? when the 
 children of the devil were of the household of 
 faith? the objects of God's love? and when it was 
 his purpose to save them ? If such was his inten- 
 tion, what has prevented their salvation ? Is there 
 variableness with God ? or has any resisted his 
 will ? When to the serpent he said, " I will put 
 enmity between thee and the woman, and between 
 thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, 
 and thou shalt bruise his heel:" did this indicate 
 a design to convert the seed of the serpent into the 
 seed of the woman ; to change their enmity to 
 love; to give up his Son to death for the redemp- 
 I 2 
 
108 
 
 tion of those whom he commissioned him to de- 
 stroy; and encircle with a diadem of glory those 
 heads which from the beginning he had determined 
 to crush ? 
 
 If Christ undertook the redemption of the 
 whole world, and died for every man ; why do any 
 perish ? Is his blood unable to wash away their 
 guilt, and possessed of only a limited efficacy? 
 Has he encountered difficulties with which he is 
 unable to grapple; and, in spite of all his solici- 
 tude to save, met with cases too complicated for 
 his skill to manage, or too hard and refractory 
 for his power and grace to soften and subdue ? If 
 a single soul, whom his Father has intrusted to 
 his charge, w T ere to sink into perdition; into what 
 consternation and horror would this plunge the 
 whole church of the Lord ! All heaven would 
 stand aghast, and terror seize those who have fled 
 for refuge to the hope set before them, if the 
 Rock of ages began to shake, and the foundation 
 of God to give way. If he were to allow one, 
 whom his Father had given him, to perish; what 
 confidence could any of us retain that he would 
 keep what we have committed to him ? Can he 
 be more attentive to our interests than to his Fa- 
 ther's commands ? He is faithful to his trust. 
 On the ashes of the universe he can say, " Here 
 am I and the children whom thou hast given me : 
 those whom thou gavest me I have kept, and none 
 of them is lost." And whatever sounds through 
 
109 
 
 the long lapse of endless ages may issue from the 
 prison of despair, one complaint shall never be 
 heard against his fidelity or power. 
 
 From the preceding facts I think we are entitled 
 to maintain that Jesus knew for whom he inter- 
 posed, and that the parties included in the cove- 
 nant of grace were not the whole of the descend- 
 ants of Adam, 
 
 We must add that, while the parties were se- 
 lected for whom he undertook, the benefits were 
 also provided which he was to procure. 
 
 Unless this is the case the covenant could not 
 be said to be ordered in all things, nor believers 
 to be complete in Christ, and blessed with all 
 spiritual blessings in him. 
 
 But if the covenant is ordered in all things and 
 sure, and the gift of Christ conveys a right to all 
 things; then we may conclude that this covenant 
 contains every thing necessary for our holiness and 
 happiness on earth, and our blessedness and glory 
 in heaven. It is not confined to the offers of sal- 
 vation and the outward means of grace. It was 
 not designed merely to break down some external 
 barriers, and bring man into a salvable state: to 
 place salvation in the sight of all, but secure it for 
 none: to promise much, but perform nothing: to 
 hold out an appearance of safety to every man, but 
 leave the whole to perish. It secures salvation 
 with eternal glory; the gift of the Holy Spirit; a 
 new heart; faith to receive the Son of God; abun- 
 dance of grace and of the gift of righteousness; 
 I 3 
 
110 
 
 the first fruits of the Spirit, and an inheritance 
 incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not 
 away. Ezek. xxxvi. 25 — 28: Jer. xxxi, 31 — 34; 
 xxxii. 38—42: Heb. viii. 7—13: Rom. v. 15— 
 21; viii. 28—30: 2 Cor. v. 21: Ephes, i. 3—14; 
 v. 25—28 : Mat. xxv. 34. 
 
 Now these blessings have either been placed in 
 the everlasting covenant and secured by Christ for 
 all mankind, or they have not. If they have not: 
 then the cause of universal redemption is aban- 
 doned : for if they were not provided and procured 
 for all, it is evident that they never were designed 
 for all. 
 
 But if they have been purchased for all men* 
 why are they withheld from any ? Has Jesus ful- 
 filled every part of his undertaking: and yet has 
 the Father disregarded his own engagements? O 
 but the counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the 
 thoughts of his heart unto all generations! He 
 keeps his word with his enemies: and will he 
 break his covenant and oath with his own Son ? 
 No: he is a God of truth, and without iniquity, 
 just and right is he. He is ever mindful of his 
 covenant. Since Jesus has made his soul an of- 
 fering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall pro- 
 long his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall 
 prosper in his hand : he shall see the travail of his 
 soul and be satisfied. 
 
 If Christ has died alike for all, his death has 
 produced its full effect upon all. Every man 
 
Ill 
 
 without exception has obtained, or will obtain, all 
 that the death of Christ can bestow. But in the 
 case of the impenitent and unbelieving, it has 
 neither delivered them from hell nor raised them 
 to heaven. And since it has exhausted its energy 
 upon them, without imparting either grace or 
 glory; it necessarily follows that believers, who 
 receive both, are indebted for their salvation to 
 something altogether different from his death. 
 Instead of doing honour to this marvellous mani- 
 festation of mercy, this hypothesis strips the death 
 of Christ of all its importance and grandeur, and 
 reduces it to comparative insignificance. 
 
 In behalf of those for whom he interposed, 
 Jesus either placed himself in their room, or he 
 did not. If he did not: then, why is he in Scrip- 
 ture uniformly held up as their head and repre- 
 sentative, their substitute and surety ? Isa. liii. 4 
 —6: Mat. i. 21 : Gal. iii. 13: Col. i. 18: Heb. 
 vi. 20; vii. 22. 
 
 But if he placed himself in their room; then he 
 either endured what they deserved, or he did not. 
 If he did not: then why is it said that he gave 
 his life a ransom for many ? that he was delivered 
 for our offences? that he died for our sins? that 
 he was wounded for our transgressions ? bruised 
 for our iniquities? that the Lord laid on him the 
 iniquities of us all? that he was made sin and a 
 curse for us, and that he hath purchased the 
 church with his own blood ? Mat, xx. 28: Tit. ii. 
 
112 
 
 14: Isa. liii. 4—6: 2 Cor. v. 21: Gal. iii. 13: 
 Acts xx. 28. 
 
 But if our sins have been laid upon him, and 
 he has in his own person sustained the punish- 
 ment which they deserved: then he is entitled to 
 the pardon of all for whom he died, not as a mat- 
 ter of discretion, but of promise, agreement, or 
 rather of rigid equity. When the debt is paid, 
 no matter whether by the principal or surety; 
 justice is satisfied, and both are entitled to their 
 discharge. And if Jesus has borne the chastise- 
 ment due to all the sins of the human race; he is 
 authorized to claim the full acquittal of the whole, 
 and justice must be violated if a single soul be 
 subjected to future misery. This is to exact from 
 the sinner in hell, the penalty which was sus^ 
 tained by the Son of God on Calvary. 
 
 Besides, in behalf of all whom he represented, 
 Christ either merited grace and glory, or he did 
 not. If he did not: what do the Scriptures mean 
 by affirming, that he has restored that which he 
 took not away ? that by his stripes we are healed? 
 that he fulfilled all righteousness ? brought in 
 everlasting righteousness ? perfected for ever them 
 that are sanctified ? that he not only died for our 
 offences, but rose again for our justification ? that 
 he was made sin for us that we might be made the 
 righteousness of God in him? that he not only 
 purchased the church with his own blood, but that 
 heaven itself is a purchased possession ? Psalm 
 
113 
 
 Ixix. 4: 2 Pet. ii. 24: Rom. iv. 24: Dan. ix. 24:* 
 Ephes. i. 14. 
 
 But if the obedience of Christ was meritorious 
 of grace and glory for all whom he undertook to 
 redeem, they must be saved. It is iniquitous to 
 keep back the hire of the labourer. And is it 
 equitable to deprive the Son of God of the fruits 
 of his perfect obedience and unparalleled suffer- 
 ings ? If, therefore, he undertook the redemp- 
 tion of the whole world, and obeyed the law 
 equally for all, all must alike be saved. But as 
 multitudes perish, this is sufficient proof that he 
 did not represent all men. If he had represented 
 the wicked in his passive obedience only, so as to 
 deliver them from the penalty; why are they sub- 
 jected to punishment? But if he represented 
 them both in his active and passive obedience so 
 as to invest them with a positive title to heaven ; 
 why are they not only deprived of everlasting life, 
 but also consigned to eternal misery ? 
 
 * In the face of all the scriptural declarations that Christ is 
 the propitiation for sin, and has by his death made reconcilia- 
 tion for iniquity; that God is angry with the wicked, and paci- 
 fied towards his people : as if God were the offender and man the 
 offended party, the old Socinian dogma has lately been revived ; 
 that God is never said to be reconciled to the world, but always 
 represented as reconciling the world to himself. To support 
 this notion reference is made to Mat. v. 23, 24. But, pray, 
 how could the offender be reconciled to his brother but by 
 making reparation for his offence? 
 
114 
 
 Unable to discover any evidence that Christ has 
 redeemed and pardoned all men, and that saving 
 faith can consist in the belief of these assertions: 
 the question still recurs, what is saving faith ? 
 
 The answer may be easily obtained by attend- 
 ing once more to the case of the stung Israelites. 
 The brazen serpent was the antidote to the bite of 
 the fiery flying serpents. It was the pain pro- 
 duced by the wound inflicted by these reptiles, 
 which occasioned the Israelites to look to that fig- 
 ure. The benefit which they wanted was a cure. 
 This they obtained by actually looking at the ser- 
 pent on the pole. And it was the proclamation 
 made by Moses which announced its virtues to the 
 camp, and encouraged all the wounded to have re- 
 course to it for healing. 
 
 Christ is the ordinance of God for the salvation 
 of our guilty world. It is by the gospel, or word 
 of God, that Christ and his righteousness are re- 
 vealed. It is a sense of guilt and wretchedness 
 that induces any sinner to betake himself to the 
 Saviour. The blessing which he needs is salva- 
 tion. And this he obtains by such a belief of the 
 record which God has given concerning his Son, 
 as leads him to receive and rest on Christ alone for 
 salvation. 
 
 Do you ask, What is the record which God has 
 given concerning his Son ? You must go to the 
 Bible for an answer. You will there find that 
 Jesus is " the brightness of his glory, and the 
 express image of his person : that by him were all 
 
115 
 
 things created that are in heaven, and that are in 
 earth, visible and invisible: that he is before all 
 things, and by him all things consist: that he was 
 made under the law, to redeem them who are un- 
 der the law : that being found in fashion as a man 
 he humbled himself, and became obedient unto 
 death, even the death of the cross: that he was 
 wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our 
 iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon 
 him, and by his stripes we are healed: that God 
 made him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that 
 we might be made the righteousness of God in 
 him : that he is the end of the law for righte- 
 ousness to every one that believeth: that he came 
 to seek and to save that which was lost: that his 
 blood cleanseth from all sin, and that he is able to 
 save them to the uttermost that come to God by 
 him : that whosoever will may come, and him that 
 cometh he will in no wise cast out." 
 
 Such is a short outline of the testimony which 
 God has borne to his Son. But though there can 
 be no saving faith without the belief of this tes- 
 timony; the belief of this, of any truth, or of the 
 whole truths of revelation, is perfectly useless, un- 
 less it leads the soul to receive and rest on the 
 Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation. The stung 
 Israelite was not cured by simply believing the 
 truth of the proclamation concerning the brazen 
 serpent; but by actually looking at it. And we 
 are not saved by barely believing the report con- 
 cerning Christ; but by believing it so as to re- 
 
116 
 
 ceive him for our own Saviour, and trust in him 
 for our own salvation. 
 
 There is no possibility of bringing a sinner too 
 soon to the Saviour: of making the access to the 
 cross too free, and the approach too simple and 
 easy; nor of bringing a soul too fully to renounce 
 every thing for Christ, and rest too entirely on 
 him alone for all that it needs in time or through 
 eternity. He is the way, the truth and the life: 
 and our safety depends, not on the process by 
 which we reach him, but upon the reality of our 
 winning him, and being found in him. 
 
 No man, however, will savingly believe on 
 Christ till sensible of his guilt and danger, any 
 more than an Israelite would have looked at the 
 brazen serpent till he felt himself wounded by the 
 venomous reptiles. What need have the whole for 
 a physician ? What occasion have those who are in 
 safety, to flee to a place of refuge? And what 
 desire can those entertain for an almighty and all- 
 sufficient Saviour, who are ignorant of their own 
 total depravity and absolute wretchedness and ruin 
 as sinners? The gospel never can be prized till 
 the excellence and glory of the law are known; 
 nor Jesus become precious to any soul till that 
 soul find itself perishing. 
 
 Hence amongst the most glaring proofs of the 
 wickedness of the world, and the clearest evidence 
 of the deep depravity of every individual, multi- 
 tudes give themselves no concern about the great 
 salvation. Amidst the most endearing evidence 
 
117 
 
 of the power, the love, and glory of Immanuel; 
 and the most earnest and urgent invitations to em- 
 brace the immense and inexhaustible treasures of 
 his grace: they disdainfully turn on their heel, 
 and walk off to their farms, their merchandise, and 
 amusements. Hence it becomes necessary to 
 preach the law as well as the gospel : to tell our 
 brethren of their relation to God as rational crea- 
 tures, of their dependence upon his power, and 
 accountableness to his justice; as well as to unfold 
 the love, and proclaim the compassion, generosity, 
 and all-sufficiency of the Lord Jesus Christ. And 
 hence the necessity of plying men with every ar- 
 gument and motive which reason and religion can 
 supply, or kindness can adopt, to shut men up un- 
 to the faith, and constrain them to embrace the 
 Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 For though faith cometh by hearing, and hear- 
 ing by the word of God; we must never for a mo- 
 ment forget the oft-repeated truth, that no faith is 
 genuine which terminates in the mere belief of doc- 
 trines. The only faith which can either sanctify 
 or save, is that which leads the soul to receive the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, and make him all its salvation 
 and all its desire. The Bereans tell us that faith 
 is knowledge. But without dwelling on the im- 
 propriety of confounding two things so completely 
 different; and without enumerating instances in 
 which men firmly believe what we know to be ab- 
 solutely false: I must affirm that we may assent 
 
 to the truth of every syllable in the creed, make 
 K 
 
118 
 
 ourselves masters of the whole doctrines of revela- 
 tion, and cram our heads with the learning of 
 libraries ; and yet be as destitute of real religion, 
 as before we began the laborious task. Simon 
 Magus believed. Judas and many apostates knew, 
 and preached the gospel. And, if any man ima- 
 gines that his knowledge or belief will save him, 
 let him reflect on the case of the devils. There is 
 neither ignorance nor scepticism in hell. There is 
 no doctrine which they do not understand, nor 
 any truth which they dare to deny. They believe 
 and tremble. 
 
 Accordingly wherever faith is mentioned in 
 Scripture, whether in direct terms or in figurative 
 representations ; it is uniformly spoken of in such 
 language as to shew, that its ultimate object is not 
 the doctrinal propositions concerning Christ, but 
 Christ himself; and that it never can be sound and 
 genuine till it lead the heart to trust in him en- 
 tirely, and rest on him alone. 
 
 Take for example the following declarations. 
 M I am come a light into the world, that whoso- 
 ever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." 
 M Ye believe in God, believe also in me" " Look 
 unto me, and be ye saved all the ends of the earth." 
 " Come unto me 9 all ye that labour and are heavy 
 laden, and I will give you rest." John xii. 46; 
 xiv. 1 : Isa. xlv. 22: Mat. xi. 28. See also John 
 xii. 36 : Acts xvi. 31 : 2 Cor. iv. 6. 
 
 Is Christ represented by the serpent of brass? 
 Then he himself declares that the gospel of this 
 
119 
 
 is, " As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilder- 
 ness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, 
 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, 
 but have eternal life." Is he represented by the 
 cities of refuge? Then, we are informed, that he 
 is appointed for the protection, not of those who 
 believe that there is salvation in him, or that he 
 has saved them already, but of those M who flee 
 for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them." 
 Is he represented as a fountain ? It is not to re- 
 fresh and gladden those who remain in the dry 
 and parched places of the wilderness, and imagine 
 that it is enough to know or believe that such a 
 fountain exists; but those who actually come to 
 him and drink" John. vii. 37, 38: Rev. xxii. 17. 
 
 In short, by whatever terms faith is represented, 
 it is uniformly implied that it is the reposing of the 
 soul, the fastening of the heart on Christ and his 
 work, and not on our own privileges and safety. 
 Without receiving the Lord Jesus Christ, we may 
 believe what we please ; familiarize our minds with 
 the whole circle of theology ; be able to define to 
 an iota every article of doctrine; and argue unan- 
 swerably for every branch of the christian system: 
 and yet be in the gall of bitterness and bond of 
 iniquity. But, however limited its acquisitions 
 and confused its views, the soul that receives him 
 is safe. M As many as received," not the belief 
 of his love or of their interest in his death, but 
 " as many as received him, to them gave he power 
 
 to become the sons of God, even as many as be- 
 K2 
 
120 
 
 lieve on his name." John i. 12: 1 Cor. xiii: Rom. 
 x. 10. 
 
 On the other hand the ruin of the soul arises, 
 not from a doubt of the love of God, the all-suf- 
 ficiency of Christ, or of our own safety; but from 
 refusing to believe on the only begotten Son of 
 God. Many, like the Pharisees have entertained 
 high ideas of their nearness to God, and of their 
 own security for eternity; who, having never be- 
 lieved on the Lord Jesus, have all along been the 
 children of disobedience and of wrath. 
 
 Unbelief is not a rejection of comfort, but of 
 Christ. It is not a blindness to our own safety, 
 but to his glory. It is not a denial of our own 
 good state in the world to come, but disobedience 
 to his authority. John iii. 18, 19; v. 40 — 44: 
 Luke xix. 27. 
 
 " Those by the way-side are they that hear, 
 then cometh the devil, and taketh aw T ay" their in- 
 terest in the love of God? the death of Christ? 
 or the forgiveness of sins ? u and taketh away the 
 word out of their hearts, lest they should believe, 
 and be saved." " He that believeth not? " his own 
 salvation ? w he that believeth not the Son shall 
 not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on 
 him." 
 
121 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 OF THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION— CONCLUDING REMARKS. 
 
 After razing the firmest foundations of hope, by 
 maintaining that many who have been beloved of 
 God, and redeemed and pardoned by the death 
 of Christ, are now in the deeps of perdition ; with 
 a strange inconsistency, the Bereans affirm that 
 the assurance of salvation is absolutely essential to 
 the existence of faith, and inseparable from a state 
 of grace. u The language of the Bible is, that 
 Christ is the Lamb of God who taketh away the 
 sin of the world, and that he that believeth on him 
 shall be saved. He that believeth on the Son of 
 God hath the witness in himself: he that believ- 
 eth not God hath made him a liar: because he be- 
 lieveth not the record that God gave of his Son. 
 And this is the record that God hath given to us 
 eternal life ; and this life is in his Son. Can a 
 living man be at a loss to determine if he is alive? 
 Can a man with eyes find any difficulty to decide if 
 it is the sun that at noon-day is shining on him ? 
 Or can a man who is possessed of faith feel any 
 greater perplexity to ascertain if he believes on the 
 Lord Jesus Christ ? The direct testimony of the 
 Scriptures, saying, He that believeth shall be 
 
 saved, is a far more clear and infallible proof of 
 K 3 
 
122 
 
 the faith and safety of the Christian, than all the 
 evidence which he can collect from the wide range 
 of reason and experience." 
 
 A few remarks are requisite upon the idea that 
 every believer must be possessed of the assurance 
 of his own salvation, and upon the manner in which 
 it is supposed that he obtains this assurance. 
 
 Let us attend to the notion. 
 I. That every believer must be possessed of an 
 assurance of his own salvation. 
 
 It is to be observed that we are here to treat of 
 the assurance of salvation. There is a wide differ- 
 ence betwixt it and the assurance of faith. The 
 assurance of faith is the belief of the truths of 
 Christianity. The foundation of this is as firm 
 and immoveable as the throne of the Eternal. 
 When the believer, enlightened by the Spirit 
 of all grace, has a clear discovery of the nature, 
 the extent, the excellence, and the glory of the 
 gospel; he can no more doubt its reality than his 
 own existence or the being of God. 
 
 The assurance of salvation, however, is quite 
 another thing. It does not consist in a belief of 
 the truths of revelation, but of our own interest in 
 the blessings which they contain: in the knowledge 
 that we are believers in Christ, and the confident 
 hope that through him we shall enjoy everlasting 
 salvation. From the great and permanent change 
 which takes place upon the believer at conversion ; 
 from the promises of peace and joy to real Christ- 
 
123 
 
 ians, and the certainty that we shall know if we 
 follow on to know the Lord; from the injunctions 
 to make our caliing and election sure ; and the 
 examples of believers who have arrived at the full 
 assurance of hope : it is obvious that the assurance 
 of salvation is an attainable blessing, and that it 
 is the privilege and duty of every Christian to la- 
 bour to secure it, and to live under its elevating 
 and ennobling influence. 
 
 But while we admit that it is an attainable 
 blessing; we are obliged to affirm that it is neither 
 essential to the nature of faith nor inseparable from 
 a state of grace. 
 
 Indeed, if any man could persuade us, that 
 Christ has redeemed and pardoned all; we could 
 have little hesitation to allow that the assurance 
 of salvation would invariably accompany the exist- 
 ence of faith, and might be obtained from the di- 
 rect testimony of God, He that believeth shall be 
 saved: for in such a case, if not altogether, we 
 should at least be almost safe, whether w r e be- 
 lieve or not. But if we cannot admit that any are 
 pardoned before they believe, or that God loves 
 any except those whom he has given to his Son 
 to be sanctified and saved : it will be long before 
 we can be satisfied that the mere announcement 
 of the gospel conveys an assurance of our personal 
 salvation. Did the Bible either expressly affirm 
 that all men shall he saved, or contain a list of 
 those whose names are written in the Lamb's 
 book of life; the simple statement of such a fact 
 
124 
 
 would give believers at least if not all men com- 
 plete assurance of salvation. But when instead of 
 affirming either that all shall be saved, or enumerat- 
 ing the individuals whose names are written in hea- 
 ven, the Scriptures only declare that "he that be- 
 lieveth shall be saved :" what is the necessary result ? 
 Why ; that salvation is confined to believers : and 
 therefore, before I can become certain of my own 
 salvation, I must be sure that I am a believer. 
 
 It will not do to assert, that we may as confi- 
 dently infer our personal salvation from the declar- 
 ation that Christ " is the Saviour of the world ;" 
 as that we may argue our personal condemnation 
 and ruin from the words, " By one man sin enter- 
 ed into the world, and death by sin; and so death 
 hath passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." 
 Betwixt these two cases there is the widest possi- 
 ble difference. The language in the latter case, is 
 universally true. It allows neither exception nor 
 qualification. It includes the whole human race: 
 and though all should concur in rejecting it ; 
 though they should believe themselves innocent 
 and safe, and cling with the firmest tenacity to 
 this delusion : still by nature they are lost and un- 
 done, without God and without hope. 
 
 From the universal extent of this language I 
 am compelled to infer its application to myself. 
 But where is such language employed respecting 
 the extent of the Redemer's death? Where is it 
 said or insinuated that he is the spiritual Saviour 
 of all men, and that every child of Adam shall en- 
 
125 
 
 ter the kingdom of heaven and inherit eternal life? 
 Is such an inference as this to be drawn from the 
 complaint, that men will not come to Christ that 
 they may have life ? from the declaration that 
 many are called but few are chosen? and that the 
 Lord shall be revealed from heaven with his 
 mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance 
 on them that know not God, and obey not the 
 gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be 
 punished with everlasting destruction from the 
 presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his 
 power ? 
 
 The sacred volume most loudly proclaims a doc- 
 trine, completely opposed to the notion of uni- 
 versal salvation. The calls, invitations, and offers 
 of the gospel are uniformly addressed to all : and 
 every human creature without exception is requir- 
 ed to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The 
 promise of salvation however is quite another mat- 
 ter. It is special, and expressly limited to those 
 who believe. The command " Look unto me, 
 and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth;" the 
 invitation, M Come unto me, all ye that labour and 
 are heavy laden, and I will give you rest ;" are 
 an ample encouragement and warrant for all men 
 to look to him for salvation, and come to him for 
 rest: but no man has the slightest authority to 
 expect salvation or rest, till he look to Christ 
 and come to him. It is perfectly conclusive to 
 say, All men are mortal : the Americans are 
 men; therefore the Americans are mortal. But 
 
126 
 
 it is quite another thing to say, Every native 
 American is eligible to congress : but the Amer- 
 icans are men ; therefore every man is eligible to 
 congress. And it is true that every believer shall 
 be saved : But is it as true that every man shall 
 be saved? Unless he is possessed of that faith, 
 to which the promise of salvation is attached, 
 instead of being saved the Bible denounces his 
 perdition. 
 
 Suppose that, by some unexampled catastrophe; 
 the whole human race, with the exception of one 
 man, were cut off. Suppose that this solitary 
 survivor were an infidel, but that he retained a 
 copy of the Scriptures. Would it follow from the 
 circumstance that he possessed the Bible, that he 
 was also heir to all the blessings which it con- 
 tains? The possession of the Scriptures would be 
 an invaluable boon: but from the want of the 
 character to which these blessings are promised, 
 though the destruction of his contemporaries 
 might leave him heir to their fortunes, it could 
 not invest him with a right to the promised bless- 
 ings. His descent from Adam subjects him to 
 guilt and wretchedness, and amidst the silence and 
 solitude of a desolated world, he would stagger 
 beneath the load of all the depravity and ruin of 
 the species. But with the Bible in his hand, until 
 he himself believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, he 
 could have no warrant to infer his own salvation 
 from the fact, that Christ came to save sinners, 
 or that he died for the ungodly. If from these 
 
127 
 
 general declarations he were authorized to infer 
 his own salvation, without personally believing on 
 the Lord Jesus Christ: then, from the same gen- 
 eral language every man at this moment might 
 draw the same inference for himself: and thus, 
 notwithstanding the repeated testimonies of the 
 word of God, that he that believeth not shall be 
 damned; the whole human race might be saved, 
 without one of them actually believing on the Lord 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 Before that singular individual could expect sal- 
 vation, he would first be obliged to believe the 
 gospel : and he could be no farther assured of sal- 
 vation, than he was assured that he was a believ- 
 er. And amidst the many millions, who at pre- 
 sent people the globe, none can obtain salvation 
 in any other way than by actually believing on 
 Christ : and he never can be sure of the safety 
 of his state till he knows that he is possessed of 
 faith in the Redeemer. 
 
 But though no assurance can be obtained till we 
 are possessed of faith; the Scriptures most distinct- 
 ly intimate that it is not possessed by all believers, 
 nor a necessary attendant upon a state of grace. 
 
 If the assurance of salvation were essential to 
 the existence of faith, the two would not be men- 
 tioned as separable and separate. If assurance 
 were necessarily included in faith : then, wherever 
 faith existed, we should be as certain that assur- 
 ance was enjoyed, as that the presence of the sun 
 is accompanied with light and heat. Every indi- 
 
vidual who is possessed of the one, would be bless- 
 ed with the other. The two would be implanted 
 in his soul at once: and the one never could be 
 attained subsequently to the other. But is this the 
 case ? If it is, how could one Apostle say, " In 
 whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed 
 with the Holy Spirit of promise ? v and how could 
 another add, " My little children, let us not love 
 in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in 
 truth : and hereby we know that we are of the 
 truth, and shall assure our hearts before him ?" 
 
 If faith and assurance are inseparable: then, 
 self-examination would be superfluous. If by the 
 very act of trusting in Christ, every believer ob- 
 tains the absolute certainty of his own salvation ; 
 it would be as idle to enjoin him to examine him- 
 self if he is in the faith, as to command him to in- 
 quire if he is alive. 
 
 If the two are inseparable; why are those who 
 have already believed through grace, exhorted to 
 give diligence to make their calling and election 
 sure, and to give the same diligence to the full as- 
 surance of hope unto the end ? Such admonitions 
 would be as useless, as to direct a man with eyes 
 to labour to acquire the power of vision. 
 
 Assurance is incapable of degrees. I may be 
 more or less persuaded of the truth of a report : 
 but I cannot be more or less sure of it. If I en- 
 tertain any doubt at all, I am not sure, but un- 
 certain of its reality. If therefore faith placed the 
 believer at once in the complete certainty of his 
 
129 
 
 own salvation ; his faith itself, on which this 
 knowledge is founded would be stationary. Grow 
 it could not. It would be as perfect at the begin- 
 ning as at the end of his course; in the first mo- 
 ment of his spiritual life, as on the day that he en- 
 ters the world of glory. In such a case how 
 could the Scriptures speak of " faith growing ex- 
 ceedingly? of strong faith ? of the full assurance 
 of faith ?" 
 
 On earth no state of mind can be more joyful 
 and transporting, than to know that we are the 
 children of God, the brethren of Christ, and the 
 heirs of his kingdom. This joy flows from the 
 full assurance of hope. If therefore faith were in- 
 variably attended with this assurance, there would 
 be no necessity for making provision for the en- 
 couragement, support and consolation of timid, 
 doubting, trembling, dejected, desponding, tempt- 
 ed and forsaken believers. Such characters would 
 be utterly unknown. All men would either be 
 in a state of high hope and overflowing joy, or 
 in a state of condemnation and ruin. But with 
 the Bible in our hands, telling us that a broken 
 and a contrite heart God will not despise ; that he 
 strengthens the weak hands and confirms the fee- 
 ble knees ; that he healeth the broken in heart 
 and bindeth up their wounds; that he dwells 
 with him that is humble and of a contrite spirit: 
 when we hear Jesus declaring that a bruised reed 
 he will not break, nor quench the smoking flax; 
 that he was anointed to preach good tidings to the 
 
130 
 
 meek, and sent to bind up the broken-hearted ; 
 when we hear him opening his mouth in benedic- 
 tions, and pronouncing his first and best blessings 
 upon the poor in spirit, and upon them that 
 mourn : shall we dare to denounce these objects 
 of Divine compassion and tenderness, as graceless 
 and ungodly characters, without God and Christ, 
 in the gall of bitterness, for whom is reserved the 
 blackness of darkness for ever ? But since we dare 
 not curse those whom God has blessed : shall we 
 on the other hand, presume to say that such 
 people are possessed of the full assurance of 
 hope, and rejoicing in the prospect of celestial 
 bliss? Is sadness akin to joy? Are those who 
 are walking in darkness overpowered with the 
 blaze of light? Are those who are described un- 
 der the figures of bruised reeds and smoking flax ; 
 strong in faith, and animated by the heart-cheer- 
 ing knowledge of their own interest in the mercies 
 of the everlasting covenant ? Are those who are 
 crying, The Lord hath forsaken us, and our 
 Lord hath forgotten us, realizing the unchanging 
 love of their Redeemer, and exulting in the bliss- 
 ful anticipations of eternal glory ? To entertain 
 such a belief, and reconcile the actual condition 
 of these persons to the Berean schemes, is as im- 
 possible as to unite the east with the west, and 
 make light dwell with darkness. 
 
 If the assurance of salvation had been a matter 
 of as great consequence as the Bereans regard it; 
 we might have expected that in Scripture it would 
 
131 
 
 have been represented as an object of incomparable 
 importance, and that the highest encomiums would 
 have been pronounced upon those who possessed it. 
 But the Scriptures attach no such superlative 
 value to the subject. The grand duty which they 
 inculcate is faith in Christ. They speak in the 
 most soothing and animating terms to the humble, 
 the timid, the depressed and mourning. So far 
 from eulogising boldness, security and confidence 
 they exhort those who think they stand, to take 
 heed lest they fall ; and not to be high-minded, 
 but to fear. They tell us that the first shall be 
 last, and the last first: and record lamentable in- 
 stances of the miserable disappointment and 
 dreadful ruin of multitudes, who were perfectly 
 confident of their own safety, and firmly persuad- 
 ed that their mountain stood strong and that they 
 never should be moved. Psalm xxxvi. 2. Prov. 
 xxx. 12. Isa. v. 21. Mat. vii. 22, 23, xxv. 44. 
 Luke xviii. 9—14. 2 Cor. x. 18. 
 
 With these facts before us, we are obliged to 
 reject the idea that assurance of salvation is essen- 
 tial to the nature of faith. An essential quality 
 is something that is absolutely necessary to the 
 being of the object. Its presence secures the ex- 
 istence of the object in which it inheres, and its 
 absence causes its destruction. When, therefore, 
 we see that many have been saved without assur- 
 ance, and that multitudes, who possessed the 
 strongest confidence in their own safety, have 
 gone to perdition : unless we can suppose that a 
 
132 
 
 thing can both be and not be at the same time, 
 we must conclude that the assurance of salvation 
 is neither essential to the existence of faith nor 
 inseparable from a state of grace. 
 
 We must add that we are unable to admit 
 II. That the assurance of salvation is obtained 
 in the manner that Bereans assert. 
 
 They maintain that it arises from our conscious- 
 ness that we believe the direct testimony of God, 
 saying, that Christ is the Saviour of the world, 
 the propitiation for sin, and that he that believ- 
 eth on him shall be saved. 
 
 If saving faith consisted in a speculative assent 
 to the gospel; or in a persuasion that Christ died 
 for us, has redeemed us, and forgiven all our of- 
 fences; it would be easy from the presence of 
 such a faith to infer its existence. For every man 
 in the possession of reason, not only may, but ac- 
 tually must be conscious of the operations of his 
 own mind, and perfectly aware of the articles of 
 his creed. Such a man at any time, without a 
 moment's warning, could distinctly tell whether or 
 not he believed that Jesus is the Son of God, that 
 God loves all men, and that Jesus has died for 
 all. 
 
 But if the attempt, in the preceding chapter, 
 has been at all successful to prove that saving 
 faith does not consist in a speculative assent to the 
 truth, nor in a persuasion that Christ died for all; 
 but in such a belief of what the Scriptures reveal 
 
133 
 
 concerning his person and work, as leads us to re- 
 ceive him as our own Saviour, and rest on him 
 alone for our own salvation: if the attempt to 
 prove this has been successful, there can be little 
 necessity for spending time in shewing, that assur- 
 ance cannot be obtained from simply believing 
 that Christ is the Son of God and Saviour of the 
 world, the propitiation for sin, and the Lamb of 
 God that taketh away the sin of the world. 
 
 These are important and precious truths. It is 
 by these, and such as these, that hope first springs 
 up in the soul, and that we are encouraged and 
 emboldened to trust in him for our own salvation. 
 But they are only a part of the testimony which 
 God has given concerning his Son: and for the 
 same reason that he believes any part of revela- 
 tion because it is the word of God, the Christian 
 will believe all that the Scriptures contain. And 
 while these facts are only a part of revealed truth, 
 we can derive no benefit from them unless we are 
 enabled through the belief of them to rest on 
 Christ himself for salvation. In a shipwreck, what 
 would it profit the mariners to know that the life- 
 boat is near, capacious, buoyant, and safe, and 
 sent out expressly for their preservation; if after 
 all they neglect to embark in it? What could it 
 have availed the stung Israelites to know that the 
 brazen serpent was erected to cure their wounds: 
 if after all they had refused to look at it? And 
 what advantage can we derive from believing that 
 
 Jesus is the only Saviour, an almighty, all-sufti* 
 
 L3 
 
134 
 
 cient Saviour; if after all, through our own infatu- 
 ation and depravity, we fail to believe on him, 
 trust in him, and make him all our own salvation 
 and all our desire? 
 
 From what was lately stated, it will generally 
 be acknowledged that the mere possession of the 
 Scriptures could not give an infidel, even though 
 he were the only inhabitant of our planet, a right 
 to the blessings which they reveal. And if the 
 mere possession of the Scriptures could not give 
 him such a right : could a knowledge of the doc- 
 trines which the Bible discloses, convey this right? 
 Certainly not: since the Apostle affirms that we 
 may " understand all mysteries, and all know- 
 ledge;" and yet be nothing. Well then, could 
 he obtain this right by a belief, persuasion, or 
 conviction of the truth of its contents ? Most as- 
 suredly not: for the sacred volume declares that 
 with the heart man believeth unto righteousness ; 
 that the devils believe and tremble; and that we 
 may have " all" the faith that is unaccompanied 
 with love, and yet be without God and without 
 hope. 
 
 The only faith that can save, is that which en- 
 dears Christ to the heart ; which leads us to de- 
 light in him, to rest on him, and count all things 
 but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of 
 him : that we may win him and be found in him, 
 not having our own righteousness, which is of the 
 law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, 
 the righteousness which is of God by faith, 
 
135 
 
 Perhaps a Berean may here ask, M Is not our 
 knowing and believing that Christ is the end of 
 the law for righteousness, and the propitiation for 
 the sins of the world; the same as the soul's re- 
 ceiving him and resting on him for its own salva- 
 tion ?" No indeed: unless the knowledge and 
 belief that the physician is able to remove our mal- 
 ady, is the same as the submitting to his prescrip- 
 tions ; and the knowledge and belief that there 
 was safety for the man-slayer in the city of refuge, 
 was the same as an actual flight within its walls. 
 
 Solid peace and lasting repose are not so soon, 
 nor so easily found, as this theory supposes. 
 Though Christ is the end of the law for right- 
 eousness, and in salvation he is all in all ; till the 
 soul is connected with him and interested in himi 
 he can profit us nothing. It is not the knowing 
 or believing that there is a Saviour ; but the 
 actual receiving of him that saves the soul. 
 Many, who at one time appeared not far from 
 the kingdom of heaven, have been eternally un- 
 done by arriving at peace and comfort far too 
 soon. They have been alarmed for coming wrath, 
 and inquiring after the way of salvation ; when 
 they have met with some counsellor unskilful in 
 the word of righteousness; who, instead of teach- 
 ing them to place their hopes on the foundation 
 laid in Zion, has induced them to rest on a found- 
 ation of sand, on a fancy or speculation of his 
 own. Their hurt has been deceitfully healed ; and 
 they have begun to cry, Peace, peace, when there 
 
136 
 
 was no peace. Our wisdom is to cease from the 
 instruction that causeth to err from the words of 
 knowledge; and to take care that no man beguile 
 us with enticing words. 
 
 u But when the Scriptures inform us, that who- 
 soever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of 
 God; that this is the record that God hath given 
 to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son; when 
 it adds, he that believeth shall be saved: can I 
 need any thing more to assure me of my salvation, 
 than my consciousness that I believe that Jesus is 
 the Christ, and that I have life in him? Is any 
 thing more than life necessary to convince a 
 man that he is alive ? Is any thing more than the 
 presence of the orb of day, requisite to satisfy a 
 man with eyes that it is the sun which he be- 
 holds ?" 
 
 A person asleep, in a swoon, or attacked with 
 apoplexy ; is alive, but often unconscious of life. 
 And many a soul, which has been quickened with 
 Christ; has encountered seasons of languor and 
 declension, when it has been unconscious of spirit- 
 ual life, and suspected that it was still dead in 
 trespasses and sins. 
 
 A man in his senses can be at no loss to recog- 
 nize the sun when he sees it. But many a man 
 has been farthest from his sound judgment, when 
 he most firmly believed that he was in his sober 
 senses; and has been certain that he saw objects, 
 which had no existence. Let the Sun of Right- 
 eousness rise on the believer with healing under 
 
137 
 
 his wings: and the Christian can desire no more 
 to convince him that this is his Beloved and his 
 Friend. But is this such an inference as he can 
 draw from the bare announcement of the words, 
 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is 
 born of God ? or, God hath given to us eternal 
 life, and this life is in his Son? 
 
 It is true that these words are in the Bible. 
 But if we wish to employ them to any valuable 
 purpose, we must attend to their sense and not to 
 their sound. The same Bible says, " If thou 
 wouldst enter into life, keep the commandments :" 
 and adds, u Ye see then how by works a man is 
 justified and not by faith only." But who that at- 
 tends to the connection in which they stand, and 
 considers the repeated affirmations, that by the 
 works of the law shall no flesh be justified; can 
 for a moment imagine that they were intended 
 to establish the doctrine of justification by our 
 own righteousness? 
 
 Many descriptions are given in Scripture of the 
 nature, the acts, and effects of faith. If we look 
 merely at one representation or expression, we 
 shall obtain a very partial, defective, and errone- 
 ous notion of its nature. It is only when we take 
 the whole into view, that we can obtain any cor- 
 rect or adequate idea of its real character. To 
 attend only to the assertion, u Whosoever be- 
 lieveth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God;" 
 or to the confession of the Ethiopian convert, u I 
 believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God: M we 
 
138 
 
 should very naturally conclude, that this is the 
 substance and essence of saving faith. But when 
 we take into consideration the words of Paul, 
 " with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;" 
 or look at the question of Philip, to which the 
 declaration of the Ethiopian was a reply, M If 
 thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest:" 
 we find that there is no saving faith but w T hat is 
 unfeigned, or with all the heart. Faith is also 
 declared to be the gift of God, the effect of his 
 operation, and possessed by none but those who are 
 born again. John i. 12, 13. Recollecting these 
 things, we may safely affirm that whosoever believes, 
 in this acceptation of the term, what is implied in 
 Jesus being the Christ, is born of God. But the 
 man who believes these things merely in a specu- 
 lative manner, or with a dead faith, is still in his 
 sins. 
 
 When John says "This is the record that God 
 hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his 
 Son :" pray, tell me whether you suppose that this 
 life is offered or possessed. If you say that it is 
 possessed: you are a bold man truly. For since 
 the gifts and callings of God are without repent- 
 ance ; you at once advance the doctrine of univer- 
 sal salvation. You have the effrontery to make 
 God a liar. To the unbeliever God says, that he 
 is dead : but you say, he is alive. God says, he 
 that believeth not shall be damned : but you say 
 that he has eternal life, and shall be saved. 
 
139 
 
 If you say that this life is merely offered; then 
 I ask, when is it possessed ? If you say, after we 
 believe: then it is clear that the sinner does not 
 possess it while he is in unbelief: for no man can 
 at once both possess and want the same thing. 
 To believe in such a situation that he has eternal 
 life, is to believe a lie, and to give the lie to that 
 God, who declares, that he that believeth not is 
 condemned already. But if you say that this life 
 is our own before we believe: then you proclaim 
 universal salvation ; and in the face of all that the 
 Bible affirms of the punishment and perdition of the 
 unbelieving, you maintain their eternal felicity and 
 glory. 
 
 The unbeliever does not make God a liar by 
 denying that he has eternal life. This is an awful 
 fact; and were he to believe the contrary he would 
 only insult God, and deceive his own soul. But 
 he makes God a liar when he denies that he has 
 sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world, and 
 given him the free offer of salvation through 
 Christ. Without faith we cannot be saved: and, 
 therefore, till once we have faith, it is an absolute 
 impossibility to know that we possess either it or 
 salvation. The cause must be before the effect: 
 faith must exist before its fruits. 
 
 " But when I have faith, what more is neces- 
 sary to assure me of its existence than my con- 
 sciousness that I possess it? Can a man exercise 
 faith on Christ without being conscious of the 
 fact ?" 
 
140 
 
 Consciousness is merely the knowledge of what 
 is passing in our own minds; and neither gives 
 proof nor symptom of our moral state. It is the 
 perception of our own internal acts and opinions, 
 without deciding on the truth or falsehood of our 
 notions, or the safety or danger of our condition. 
 If our heart has been renewed by grace, and our 
 mind enlightened to perceive the truth as it is in 
 Jesus; the consciousness of this blessed change 
 will fill us with gratitude to our adored Redeem- 
 er, and lead us to rejoice in hope of his glory. 
 But if while the heart is still alienated from God, 
 the man has adopted a phantom of his own, which 
 he confidently believes is the gospel: what must 
 be the consequence ? He believes, or as he imag- 
 ines, he knows that it is the gospel that he has 
 adopted. This is a point too clear with him to ad- 
 mit a question : and he will not allow you to start 
 a doubt respecting the authenticity of his gospel. 
 He knows it to be true: and he is conscious that 
 he believes it. He, therefore, necessarily con- 
 cludes that his state is safe. His former condition 
 was bad. He was then ungodly and graceless. 
 And by mistaking a lie for the truth, does his sit- 
 uation become any better ? Provided that he is 
 only confident and dogmatical, is it a matter of 
 indifference whether he believe the truth as it is in 
 Jesus, or a fiction of his own fancy ? No : his 
 heart and character are the same: but his pros- 
 pects are darker, and his case far more desperate 
 than ever. Conceiving that the delusion which 
 
141 
 
 he has embraced is a communication from heaven, 
 he clings to it with all the confidence and tena- 
 city with which a Christian can cleave to the word 
 of the Eternal. 
 
 This is a case of frequent occurrence. Multi- 
 tudes deceive themselves, by thinking that they 
 are something when in reality they are nothing. 
 There never was an enthusiast or heretic yet, who 
 believed that he was counteracting the designs of 
 the Most High, and misleading his brethren to 
 their eternal ruin. Had Brothers the prophet, 
 William Huntington, Joanna Southcot, or Mrs 
 Buchan any more misgivings respecting the truth 
 of their opinions, and the high rank which they 
 enjoyed in the Divine esteem, than the firmest and 
 most unflinching adherent of the Berean system? 
 Are the Papists destitute of a consciousness, that 
 they are most effectually approving themselves the 
 disciples of the merciful Saviour, when they are 
 dyeing themselves deepest in the best blood of his 
 followers ? Was Paul without a consciousness of 
 his rectitude, when he " verily thought with him- 
 self that he ought to do many things contrary to 
 the name of Jesus of Nazareth ?" And were those 
 men acting against their consciousness of moral 
 obligation, who thought that by killing his saints 
 they were doing God service ? 
 
 Men have been known to change their creed 
 
 more rapidly than the year could come round. At 
 
 the commencement of the year, they would not 
 
 reason with you on the tenets they had espoused* 
 M 
 
142 
 
 They knew as completely as if they had heard 
 them pronounced by the lips of the Most High, that 
 they were true; that they were the truth of God, 
 But by the end of the year, they knew as com- 
 pletely that these immutable and eternal verities 
 were a lie. Expositions have been given, where 
 the expounder was conscious that he was unfold- 
 ing exactly the mind of God, only a little more 
 simply and clearly than the Bible has revealed it; 
 while the comment was at open war with the plain, 
 obvious, grammatical construction of the language 
 of inspiration. Statements have been advanced 
 and appeals made to God for their certainty: which 
 men of better information have at the moment 
 known to be false. 
 
 Of all the guides which an infatuated mortal can 
 follow, his own consciousness that he is right, is 
 precisely the worst. It is only his own judgment 
 of his opinions and actions ; and in general its 
 decisions are most favourable when he is most 
 egregiously wrong : and in such cases it manifests 
 its power by fool-hardiness and obstinacy. Few 
 men know their own real character. Though the 
 world lies in wickedness, almost every man has a 
 high idea of his own worth. The vain, the proud, 
 the irascible, the covetous, the cruel, the profane, 
 and dissipated ; are conscious of their own excel- 
 lences, and that they are completely the reverse of 
 what the heart-searching God regards them. None 
 are so ignorant, troublesome, and impracticable, 
 as those who fancy that they already know so much, 
 
H3 
 
 that there is nothing farther that they can learn. 
 " The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: and 
 even a sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than 
 seven men that can render a reason." 
 
 Let me, therefore, earnestly entreat all who 
 peruse these pages, seriously to examine the found- 
 ation of your own peace and hope. If you are in 
 Christ, you are new creatures. If your state is 
 safe, your iniquities are subdued. If your trans- 
 gressions are pardoned, they will not have domin- 
 ion over you: for no faith can save the soul, which 
 does not destroy its sins. If you have the bless- 
 ings of the gospel for your portion, Jesus will be 
 precious to your hearts and supreme in your 
 esteem. You will know nothing but him : and his 
 love will constrain you to live to his glory. For 
 the gospel was designed to bless us not only with 
 peace but purity, and to make us partakers not 
 merely of the Divine favour but of the Divine 
 nature. 
 
 If you have the faith of God's elect, this will 
 appear by your works ; and your wisdom is to try 
 your own work of what sort it is. 
 
 If you are afraid of self-examination, I tremble 
 for your condition. If your state were safe, you 
 could have no cause to dread investigation. It is 
 dangerous to trifle in a matter of such superla- 
 tive importance: and it is almost certain destruc- 
 tion to leave the affairs of your souls in a state of 
 suspence. Nothing can more decisively betray a 
 graceless heart, than carelessness and security on a 
 
144 
 
 matter of infinite magnitude and endless duration. 
 " A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil : 
 but the fool rageth, and is confident." The ig- 
 norant and carnal are bold and presumptuous : 
 but the man of piety is cautious, humble and 
 watchful. He is often searching and trying his 
 heart: and, afraid of self-deception, he carries 
 the matter to God in fervent persevering prayer ; 
 saying, " Search me, O God, and know my heart; 
 try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there 
 be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the 
 way everlasting." 
 
 Let no man deter you from such an exercise, 
 by the senseless clamour that it is the effect of ig- 
 norance, self-righteousness, and carnality. We 
 are as plainly enjoined to examine ourselves, as to 
 believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; and are as dis- 
 tinctly informed that the tree is known by its 
 fruits, and that faith without works is dead, as 
 that Jesus is the Christ. It is not more certain 
 that salvation is of grace by faith; than that faith 
 purifieth the heart, worketh by love, overcomes 
 the world, and constrains us to live to him who 
 died for us, and who rose again. If, therefore, we 
 find that our fruits are not the fruits of the Spirit, 
 that our faith is alone, that our hearts are going 
 after their covetousness, that the world is over- 
 coming us, and sloth and indolence besetting us: 
 we have sad reason to conclude that our faith 
 is either dead, false, or feeble. 
 
 In a strange country, a guide on whose infor- 
 
145 
 
 mation and integrity we can safely rely, gives us a 
 map, and instructions for the route that we are to 
 take. He tells us of the different objects with 
 which we shall meet in the right road, and the 
 succession and distances at which we shall find 
 them. If in our progress we meet with these ob- 
 jects, we proceed with confidence : not because 
 they give the slightest addition to our conviction 
 of the knowledge and fidelity of our director; for 
 of these we were previously fully assured: but be- 
 cause they satisfy us that we have understood his 
 instructions, and have taken the way which he re- 
 commended. But if in the absence of these way- 
 marks; and especially, if at every turn or every 
 step, we are encountering different objects, ob- 
 jects which he told us lay in an opposite direction; 
 to advance with resolution and ardour in such 
 circumstances, so far from manifesting depend- 
 ence on our guide, in fact proclaims at once our 
 folly and our complete distrust of his judgment 
 and contempt for his authority. 
 
 And when God has just as distinctly told us 
 that we are sanctified by faith, and that faith is 
 made perfect by works; as that Christ is the way 
 the truth and the life: when he has just as plain- 
 ly declared that all unrighteousness is sin, and 
 that the wages of sin are death ; as that he that 
 believeth shall be saved : if we find that his grace 
 is teaching us to deny all ungodliness and every 
 worldly lust, and to live soberly, righteously and 
 
 odly in this present world ; we may take cour- 
 M 3 
 
146 
 
 age, and go on our way rejoicing. This discov- 
 ery does not give the smallest confirmation to our 
 dependence on the wisdom, love and faithfulness 
 of the God of truth. On these we formerly had 
 the most undoubting reliance. But we now per- 
 ceive that we understand his counsels, and that 
 his good Spirit is leading us into the land of up- 
 rightness. But if instead of being blessed with 
 the testimony of a good conscience, that in sim- 
 plicity and godly sincerity, and not with fleshly 
 wisdom, but by the grace of God we have our 
 conversation in the world ; we know that we are 
 walking in craftiness and handling the word of 
 God deceitfully ; that iniquities are prevailing 
 against us, and that we are living according to the 
 course of this world, and not according to the com- 
 mandments of Christ: are we in such a case bold- 
 ly to persevere, lest hesitation should betray a leg- 
 al spirit and a distrust of the wisdom and faithful- 
 ness of God ! In such a case hesitation bespeaks 
 faith ; and perseverance indicates the most insult- 
 ing scorn for his pleasure, and the most deep- 
 rooted and audacious unbelief. 
 
 With the word of God in our hands, denounc- 
 ing indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish 
 upon every soul of man that doeth evil : it is in 
 vain to set off the articles of a creed against the 
 transgressions of the life ; or to expect shelter from 
 the consequences of our crimes by the supposed 
 clearness or correctness of our religious tenets. 
 The man who says that he loves God whom he 
 
147 
 
 has not seen; but hates his brother whom he 
 has seen; the man who says he has fellowship 
 with God, but walks in darkness ; the man who 
 takes a stipend to manage the affairs of one mer- 
 cantile concern, but employs his time and talents 
 to ruin it, and advance its rival ; the man who 
 takes an oath and receives a salary to preach one 
 form of doctrine, but labours to overturn it and 
 establish another ; the man who talks of the punc- 
 tuality of his religious duties, but is seen stag- 
 gering home from the tavern at midnight, and, 
 when intoxication has rendered him unable to ar- 
 ticulate, has the profanity to outrage the Majesty 
 of heaven by the solemn mockery of family de- 
 votion; the man who boasts of his knowledge of 
 the road to glory, while he is bending beneath a 
 load of stolen goods : Can you say that such men 
 are living by faith on the Son of God, and walk- 
 ing even as he also walked ? They may declaim 
 as they please about Christ dying for the ungod- 
 ly, and his blood cleansing from all sin. Facts 
 are stubborn things: and their own deeds too 
 forcibly demonstrate the class to which they be- 
 long. They may hold the truth, but it is in un- 
 righteousness ; and they are wounding Christ in 
 the house of his worst enemies, though pretended 
 friends. 
 
 We read of a strong delusion, as well as a 
 strong faith : and whatever may be his creed, the 
 man who is relying for safety on the notions 
 which he lias formed of the gospel, whilst he is 
 
148 
 
 neglecting the humility, the self-denial, and the 
 holiness which it inculcates and inspires; and 
 above all, while he is indulging any of the tem- 
 pers and practices which God has condemned ; 
 shews that he is still in bis sins, and that what he 
 mistakes for firm faith is only gross and ground- 
 less presumption. We are the friends of Christ, 
 if we do what he says: but it is in vain to call 
 him Lord, and Master, while we refuse to comply 
 with his commands. " What doth it profit, my 
 brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and 
 have not works ? Can faith save him ?" 
 
 The subject is very far from being exhausted : 
 but it is time to bring these observations to a 
 close. 
 
 William Huntington believed that he was one 
 of the only three Ministers in all England, who 
 understood and preached the gospel. The Ber- 
 eans do not suppose that the gospel is yet more 
 generally known or preached. But unfortunate- 
 ly while they agree in the opinion that they them- 
 selves possess a monopoly of Divine truth; they 
 are neither united amongst themselves respecting 
 what that truth is, nor is the same individual at 
 all times consistent with himself. 
 
 One identifies faith with knowledge: though 
 elsewhere he very properly informs us, that it is 
 u one of the chief snares and deceptions of our 
 day to mistake the knowledge of religion for re- 
 ligion itself." When speaking of our being sane- 
 
149 
 
 tiffed by faith, and of receiving the spiritual med- 
 icine by faith ; faith is represented as a reality, and 
 as possessed of some value. But elsewhere it is 
 regarded as a nonentity. " When you read, that 
 men are saved by faith, it does not mean that 
 they are pardoned on account of their faith, or by 
 their faith ; no, its meaning is far different, it 
 means that they are pardoned already, before they 
 thought of it. u 
 
 Ask a Berean, What is humility ? He will tell 
 you, * It is another name for the spirit of depend- 
 ence: it is the feeling of our true condition before 
 God: it is confidence and assured hope: it is anoth- 
 er name for spiritual order : it is nothing but truth.'' 
 What is pardon ? "It is just a manifestation of the 
 character of God in relation to sinners : it is anoth- 
 er name for holy compassion : it is the seed of the 
 woman : it is God in Christ reconciling the world 
 to himself: it is a manifestation of the Divine 
 character in Christ: it is Jesus Christ." What is 
 repentance ? " It is thanksgiving." What is 
 contrition ? " It is praise." For what things are 
 we to give thanks? " You are not to thank God 
 only for what is past, but also for what is future." 
 
 According to this logic and divinity any thing 
 may be made of the Bible that any man chooses : 
 and, as a friend of mine observed, the angels must 
 be repenting every time that they praise God: 
 and if we must give thanks for what is future, we 
 may also pray for the blessings that we have al- 
 
150 
 
 ready received, and repent of the sins which we 
 have not yet committed. 
 
 They inform us that " sin is hell :" and, there- 
 fore, when the wicked are said to be turned into 
 hell, this must denote that they are turned in- 
 to sin : and as they could not be sinners till they 
 were in sin, it must mean that the righteous shall 
 be turned into sin. " Holiness," they say " is 
 heaven." Well then, when we are told that 
 Christ is gone into heaven, it must mean that he 
 has gone into "holiness;" and when he shall come 
 in " the clouds of heaven," he shall come in the 
 clouds of holiness. One of their number adds, 
 " I do not feel persuaded that any man ever re- 
 ceived any thing in consequence of his belief of a 
 truth, other than the natural effect of that truth 
 upon his mind." Does the prayer of faith never 
 secure any other thing than the natural effect of 
 the truths which it believes ? Were the wonders 
 wrought and the blessings obtained through faith, 
 of which we have such an interesting record in 
 the eleventh of the Hebrews; no more than the 
 natural effect of the truth believed upon the mind? 
 Were the resurrection of the dead, mentioned 
 in the 35th verse, and the translation of Enoch 
 no more than the natural effects of the truths 
 which they believed ? Was the life of holiness 
 and bliss which Adam enjoyed in innocence, no 
 more than the natural effect of his belief of 
 what God had spoken ? and has he incurr- 
 
151 
 
 ed no more by the fall, than the natural conse- 
 quence of disbelieving the word of God ? When 
 Jesus says, " He that believeth in me, though he 
 were dead, yet shall he live;" when it is by faith 
 that we receive the presence of the Holy Spirit; 
 that Christ dwells in our hearts; and that we are 
 made partakers of salvation with eternal glory : 
 are these and other blessings such as these, which 
 are beyond all that we can ask or think, no more 
 than the natural effects of the truth that we be- 
 lieve? 
 
 To state such assertions seems sufficient to ex- 
 pose their impropriety. 
 
 In winding up our remarks, let us review the 
 ground over which we have travelled. 
 
 We have seen the great importance of retaining 
 clear ideas of the absolute freeness of the gospel. 
 We have observed, that, however free and gratu- 
 itous, salvation cannot be obtained without faith. 
 We found that in contending against every condi- 
 tion, the Bereans unanimously retain them: but 
 by their doctrine of universal pardon and redemp- 
 tion, place these conditions in a position where 
 they are fitted to do unspeakably more injury, than 
 can be apprehended from the evangelical hypoth- 
 esis. We noticed that, though the invitations of 
 the gospel are unlimited, and the most absolute 
 promises of acceptance are given to all that come 
 to God through Christ; no man is warranted to 
 regard himself as an object of Divine love till he 
 
152 
 
 actually believe on the Son of God. Till then, 
 he is under condemnation and an object of wrath. 
 All men are not only invited to come to Christ; 
 but as positively required to believe on him as to 
 speak truth, and practice justice, honesty, and 
 temperance. In the universal calls and free offers 
 of the gospel, no deception is employed. For 
 every one who obeys these calls, and embraces 
 these offers, shall most infallibly be saved. But 
 those who reject or disregard them, cannot charge 
 God with a breach of promise. They never put 
 his faithfulness to the test. They treat him as if 
 he were false, and a person whose word was not 
 worth their notice. And this is done, not in con- 
 sequence of inability, but of depravity; not on 
 account of the weakness of their natures, but the 
 wickedness of their hearts. 
 
 We have also seen the groundlessness of the 
 notion that all sin was pardoned at the death of 
 Christ. From the patience and forbearance of 
 God towards the impenitent, and his visiting the 
 iniquities of the fathers upon the children; we 
 were obliged to reject the notion that all sin must 
 either be pardoned, or instantly punished. From 
 the atonement being complete when Christ died, 
 it no more follows that all sin was then forgiven; 
 than, because the purchase of salvation was then 
 finished, all believers were at the same time called, 
 converted, and placed in heaven. We observed 
 that the Scriptures teach us that whenever sin is 
 pardoned, the displeasure of God is removed, 
 
153 
 
 his favour is restored, spiritual blessings are im- 
 parted, and salvation inevitably follows. But as 
 these blessings are not enjoyed by the impenitent 
 and graceless, it is clear that their sins are not 
 forgiven. If all sin is pardoned, except unbelief; 
 then it is wrong to preach the gospel to the 
 heathen ; as that exposes them to the guilt of un- 
 belief, with which they could not otherwise be 
 chargeable. But if unbelief is likewise forgiven; 
 then either all must be saved, or those who perish 
 must be punished for nothing. The denunciations 
 against the impenitent, and the frequent petitions 
 for pardon, prove that no sin is pardoned till it is 
 repented of and renounced. 
 
 If by a state of grace and an interest in Christ, 
 no more is meant than that we live under the gos- 
 pel dispensation, and enjoy a free offer of salva- 
 tion ; all, at least in Christian countries, may be 
 said to be in such a state, and to enjoy such an 
 interest. But if by these terms we are to under- 
 stand deliverance from the curse of the law and 
 union to Christ : then, since the Scriptures affirm 
 that unregenerate men are under the curse of the 
 law, and without Christ; they can no more be in 
 a state of grace and interested in Christ, than they 
 can at once be inhabitants of the Earth and of 
 Jupiter. 
 
 We found that the Scriptures represent men by 
 nature as in a state, not of acceptance and safety, 
 but of condemnation and danger. The prophets 
 
 and apostles reasoned with their hearers, not about 
 
 N 
 
154 
 
 their redemption and being beloved of God, but 
 about their guilt and danger: and exhorted them, 
 not to rejoice that their sins were pardoned and 
 Christ was theirs, but to repent and be converted. 
 And so far is prayer for spiritual blessings from 
 being forbidden, as implying a denial of the all- 
 sufficiency of the atonement and the freeness of 
 salvation, that it is exemplified and enjoined. 
 Prayer for an interest in Christ no more infringes 
 the sufficiency of his righteousness and the freeness 
 of his grace; than prayer for admission into 
 heaven implies a denial of the existence of the 
 world of glory. 
 
 We could discover no proof that Christ 
 died for all: and were, therefore, unable to 
 regard such a proposition as the object of saving 
 faith. The doctrinal object of saving faith is the 
 revelation which the Scriptures contain of Christ; 
 and saving faith is such a belief of the truth as 
 leads the soul to trust in him for its own salvation, 
 to love him supremely, and live to him wholly. 
 The most eminent saints have often been destitute 
 of the assurance of salvation : and professors, who 
 were in the greatest jeopardy have been frequently 
 most confident of their own safety. We were, 
 therefore, unable to assent to the assertion that 
 assurance is essential to faith and inseparable from 
 grace. 
 
 But if the preceding pages have shewn that this 
 system is false: it must be added, that, however 
 pure and laudable the intentions of its abettors, 
 
155 
 
 their principles are not only groundless but perni- 
 cious. Under the idea of magnifying the love of 
 God, they give such a view of the Divine bene- 
 volence as manifests an ineffectual good will to all, 
 but secures salvation to none. To render salva- 
 tion free and accessible to the whole human race, 
 they introduce such a scheme of salvation as may 
 be possessed without faith in Christ; and in the 
 expectation of giving peace and joy to the Christ- 
 ian, encourage the impenitent and hardened to 
 rejoice in the notion that they are redeemed and 
 pardoned. 
 
 Instead of leading sinners to the Saviour and 
 teaching them to receive him and his righteous- 
 ness as the foundation of their trust: in direct op- 
 position to the whole letter and spirit of the word 
 of God ; they exhort those, who are already un- 
 doing themselves by crying peace, peace, when 
 there is no peace, to cry more loudly, and to re- 
 joice in Christ and his salvation as their own. 
 
 At the very time that they fancy that they are 
 doing signal honour to the riches of grace ; in 
 consequence of denying that Christ infallibly 
 procured faith and every spiritual blessing for all 
 in whose behalf he died, they lay a foundation 
 for self-righteousness and the overthrow of grace 
 altogether, by making the sinner the author of 
 his own conversion. By rejecting the imputation 
 of our sins to Christ and the satisfactory nature of 
 his sufferings; they ally themselves with the So- 
 
 N 2 
 
156 
 
 cinians, and prepare the way for exploding en- 
 tirely the doctrine of the atonement. 
 
 If he that keeps the whole law, and yet offends 
 in one point is guilty of all; it seems naturally to 
 follow, that he who refuses submission to the dic- 
 tates of revelation in one article is chargeable with 
 disowning its authority entirely. The fearless 
 freedom with which they have adopted and pro- 
 pagated dogmas in direct opposition, as we have 
 seen, to both the letter and spirit of the sacred 
 volume ; is sufficient to make the friends of relig- 
 ion tremble. Such a spirit, consistently followed 
 out, will speedily lead to the total renunciation 
 of the oracles of God. 
 
 And when revelation is abandoned, and infidel- 
 ity broadly and openly avowed ; what kind of being 
 will they reserve for their God ? Is he like the 
 God of the Bible ? glorious in holiness, who can- 
 not look upon sin ? who will sooner make heaven 
 and earth pass away, than allow his word to pass? 
 Is he a God, of whom, and through whom, and 
 to whom are all things ? No: he is a God with- 
 out holiness, without justice, without knowledge 
 or power. They tell us that there is " nothing 
 but love in God." The ultimate object too of 
 this love, is the welfare of fallen and guilty crea- 
 tures. But though supremely solicitous to secure 
 their happiness and holiness; in many cases his 
 wishes are defeated. They talk of his " notions 51 
 of things; and of his having given us "all that 
 in his apprehension was necessary for our salva- 
 
157 
 
 tion :" and yet, notwithstanding this, many per- 
 ish. After this it is lamentable, but not wonder- 
 ful to hear of them " sympathising with him in his 
 wishes and desires." 
 
 It is alarming to contemplate the natural ten- 
 dency of such tenets. It is dangerous to try how- 
 much poison we can bear. Though a sound con- 
 stitution may survive the process, many must 
 fall victims to the experiment. And it is hazard- 
 ous to trifle with revealed truth, and to try how 
 far it may be blended with error, before we make 
 complete shipwreck of the faith : for though God 
 may preserve those, who have received any por- 
 tion of the truth in love, from final apostacy; lit- 
 tle hope can be entertained of those who are year 
 after year wandering farther and farther from the 
 words of sound doctrine ; and who instead of 
 being reclaimed by the friendly counsels of their 
 brethren are provoked to become worse and 
 worse. These will not long rest at the notions of 
 universal pardon and redemption : but, like their 
 predecessors, boldly advance to all the awful but 
 legitimate consequences of the system, universal 
 salvation, the abrogation of the law as a rule of 
 life, and the liberty of every man to live accord- 
 ing to his pleasure. 
 
 Let those who are not yet tainted with the 
 
 plausible, but ruinous heresy, be entreated to be 
 
 on their guard. Cease to hear the instruction that 
 
 causeth to err from the words of knowledge. 
 
 Search the Scriptures. Call no man master, for 
 N 3 
 
158 
 
 one is your Master, even Christ. Let your study 
 of the Scriptures be accompanied with humility, 
 diligence, and prayer. While we are reading 
 and pondering, life is leaving us, and eternity is 
 rushing on. Behold the Judge standeth before 
 the door. 
 
 We conclude the whole with the following 
 extracts from the Confession of Faith : — 
 
 41 All those whom God hath predestinated unto 
 life, and those only, he is pleased, in his appoint- 
 ed and accepted time, effectually to call, by his 
 word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death 
 in which they are by nature, to grace and salva- 
 tion by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds 
 spiritually and savingly to understand the things 
 of God; taking away their heart of stone, and 
 giving unto them an heart of flesh; renewing 
 their wills, and by his almighty power determin- 
 ing them to that which is good ; and effectually 
 drawing them to Jesus Christ; yet so as they 
 come most freely, being made willing by his 
 grace. 
 
 " This effectual call is of God's free and spe- 
 cial grace alone, not from any thing at all fore- 
 seen in man ; who is altogether passive there- 
 in, until, being quickened and renewed by the 
 Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this 
 call, and to embrace the grace offered and con- 
 veyed in it." 
 " Those whom God effectually calleth he also 
 
159 
 
 freely justifieth; not by infusing righteousncs in- 
 to them, but by pardoning their sins, and by ac- 
 counting and accepting their persons as righteous: 
 not for any thing wrought in them, or done by 
 them, but for Christ's sake alone : not by imput- 
 ing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other 
 evangelical obedience, to them as their righteous- 
 ness ; but by imputing the obedience and satisfac- 
 tion of Christ unto them, they receiving and rest- 
 ing on him and his righteousness by faith : which 
 faith they have not of themselves; It is the gift of 
 God. 
 
 " Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ 
 and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of 
 justification ; yet is it not alone in the person jus- 
 tified, but is ever accompanied with all other sav- 
 ing graces, and is no dead faith, but vvorketh by 
 love. 
 
 " Christ, by his obedience and death, did 
 fully discharge the debt of all those who are thus 
 justified, and did make a proper, real, and full 
 satisfaction to his Father's justice in their behalf. 
 Yet, in as much as he was given by the Father 
 for them, and his obedience and satisfaction ac- 
 cepted in their stead, and both freely, not for any 
 thing in them, their justification is only of free 
 grace; that both the exact justice and rich grace 
 of God might be glorified in the justification of 
 sinners. 
 
 " God did, from all eternity, decree to justi- 
 fy all the elect; and Christ did, in the fulness 
 
160 
 
 of time, die for their sins, and rise again for their 
 justification: nevertheless they are not justified, 
 until the Holy Spirit doth in due time actually 
 apply Christ unto them, 
 
 " God doth continue to forgive the sins of 
 those that are justified : and although they can 
 never fall from the state of justification, yet they 
 may by their sins fall under God's fatherly dis- 
 pleasure, and not have the light of his counte- 
 nance restored unto them, until they humble 
 themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and 
 renew their faith and repentance." 
 
 " The grace of faith, whereby the elect are en- 
 abled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the 
 work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts, i 
 is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the word : 
 by which also, and by the administration of 
 the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and 
 strengthened. 
 
 " By this faith, a Christian believeth to be 
 true whatsoever is revealed in the word, for the 
 authority of God himself speaketh therein; and 
 acteth differently upon that which each particular 
 passage thereof containeth ; yielding obedience to 
 the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and 
 embracing the promises of God for this life and 
 that which is to come. But the principal acts of 
 saving faith are, accepting, receiving, and resting 
 upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, 
 and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace. 
 
161 
 
 11 This faith is different in degrees, weak or 
 strong; may be often and many ways assailed 
 and weakened, but gets the victory ; growing up 
 in many to the attainment of a full assurance 
 through Christ, who is both the author and fin- 
 isher of our faith," 
 
 " Although hypocrites, and other unregener- 
 ate men, may vainly deceive themselves with 
 false hopes and carnal presumptions of being 
 in the favour of God and estate of salvation; 
 which hope of theirs shall perish ; yet such as truly 
 believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sin- 
 cerity, endeavouring to walk in all good con- 
 science before him, may in this life be certainly 
 assured that they are in a state of grace, and may 
 rejoice in the hope of the glory of God; which 
 hope shall never make them ashamed. 
 
 " This certainty is not a bare conjectural and 
 probable persuasion, grounded upon a fallible 
 hope; but an infallible assurance of faith, found- 
 ed upon the divine truth of the promises of sal- 
 vation, the inward evidence of those graces unto 
 which these promises are made, the testimony of 
 the Spirit of adoption witnessing with our spirits 
 that we are the children of God: which Spirit is 
 the earnest of our inheritance, whereby we are 
 sealed to the day of redemption. 
 
 " This infallible assurance doth not so be- 
 long to the essence of faith, but that a true be- 
 liever may wait long, and conflict with many dif- 
 
162 
 
 Acuities, before he be partaker of it: yet, being 
 enabled by the Spirit to know the things which 
 are freely given him of God, he may, without 
 extraordinary revelation, in the right use of or- 
 dinary means, attain thereunto. And, therefore, 
 it is the duty of every one to give all diligence 
 to make his calling and election sure; that there- 
 by his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in 
 the Holy Ghost, in love and thankfulness to God, 
 and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of 
 obedience, the proper fruits of this assurance : so 
 far is it from inclining men to looseness. 
 
 " True believers may have the assurance of 
 their salvation divers ways shaken, diminished, 
 and intermitted ; as, by negligence in preserving 
 of it; by falling into some special sin, which 
 woundeth the conscience, and grieveth the Spi- 
 rit; by some sudden or vehement temptation ; by 
 God's withdrawing the light of his countenance, 
 and suffering even such as fear him to walk in 
 darkness, and to have no light: yet are they never 
 utterly destitute of that seed of God, and life of 
 faith, that love of Christ and the brethren, that 
 sincerity of heart and conscience of duty, out of 
 which, by the operation of the Spirit, this assur- 
 ance may in due time be revived, and by the 
 which, in the mean time, they are supported from 
 utter despair." Chap. x. Sec 1,2: xi. 1 — 5: xiv. 
 xviii. 
 

 ERRATUM. 
 Page 17, line 6, for impassible read impattalle. 
 

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