therefore rejoice, if in ardent faith and love he is enabled to cleave to his Lord, and to fay from his inmoft defires, with the Martyr of old, "None but Christ, None but Chrift." Verily, he fhall never be disappointed of his hope at the laft; and, in the mean time, let him fit at Wisdom's gate; let him hear, and pray, and use the appointed means; and then he may expect, that all neceffary knowledge, as well as increase of faith and peace, fhall be granted to him, according to the promise and purpose of his Redeemer.

§ 26. It may not be out of our way also to notice here, how frequently it has been urged, that, though the Church of England is in point of doctrine (what is called) ftrictly calviniftic; there are feveral paffages, and particularly in the Liturgy, which favor the fcheme of Univerfal Redemption; and from thence it is argued, that the Church either contradicts

tradicts itself, or means to leave the point doubtful and undecided.

With all deference, I prefume to think, that one plain diftinction will relieve the Church from this cenfure of unbecoming indecifion or inconfiftency.

The Liturgy states, that Chrift died for the fins of the whole world-for all mankind—for every one. But it also states, that only the elect people of God fhall be faved-that thefe are few, a little flock-and that the reft of the world, the bulk of mankind, are loft. This is her undeniable sense; and in this the follows the Scriptures.

That Chrift died for all men objectively, as the only object of faith and hope to be fet before all men, the whole world, every creature of mankind, is and muft be readily granted. There is no name given under heaven, whereby men can be faved, but the name only of our Lord Jefus Chrift. His name only therefore is to be preached to all the world

for

for this end and we may add, that, if there were ten thousand worlds of finful men, the merit of his atonement is of fuch infinite fufficiency, as would propitiate for them all, if actually received by or mercifully extended to them.

But it must be admitted alfo, that Chrift died effectively for those only, who are actually and finally faved, through the merit of his cross and paffion. For, as it would involve a strange and unfcriptural folecifm to fay, that Chrift is the Saviour of thofe, who never are or will be faved; fo it is a precious truth, that none of thofe, whom he hath purchafed with his own blood, ever were or fhall be loft.

This distinction may be further illuftrated by that eminent type of the Redeemer under the Law, the Brazen Serpent, This was hung up and expofed to general view, and was inftituted as an Object of Faith, denoting Chrift bearing Sin and the Curfe, to all the

Camp

Camp of Ifrael without exception; and the direction to view it for remedy was fent generally and without exception to *all. But it was of actual benefit to none but thofe, who felt the rankling poifon in their bodies threatening death, and who, accepting the general proclamation and promise, looked up believingly to the Crofs (for fuch it is believed to have been), or Pole, on which the Serpent hung. These persons therefore lived, by looking and believing: to all the reft, though equally fet before them all, the emblem was was a merely outward fign, which indeed might be examined and defcanted upon with the niceft accuracy, but, without faith in the divine promife, imparted no real comfort or advantage to body or mind..

In like manner, Chrift may be faid to be a univerfal object of faith, as proposed univerfally to all men; but the efficacious object to thofe only, who have been led by the Divine Spirit to feel the plague of their own hearts, the curfe and bitter

nefs

nefs of fin, their ruinous alienation from the life of God, and to feek relief through the blood of the cross.

If all men trufted in Chrift (and there is no exclufion in the proclamation of the Gofpel of any; for this is not made, we before obferved, to finners as elected, but to finners as perishing), doubtless, all would be faved; but, as none perhaps will venture to affirm, that all men will be faved, in contradiction to Chrift himfelf, who fays, that trait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it; it will therefore follow, that thofe only can be faved, who do actually look unto Jefus, and believe truly in him. And this they are only enabled to accomplish, as God's own teftimony affures us, by the gracious gift and special operation of the Holy Ghoft.

I humbly think then, that this diftinction above-mentioned may be juftified by the whole tenor of the Scriptures and

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