A Creed for those who believe that Chrift tafted Death for every Man.

By the Author of the Checks to Antinomianifm.

In doctrine fhow uncorruptnefs, gravity, fincerity, found speech that cannot be condemned; that he who is of the contrary part may be ashamed. TIT. ii. 7, 8.

PREFACE.

In which the Author gives an account of Mr. Hill's new method of attack, and makes fome reconciling conceffions to the Calvinifts, by means of which their frongest arguments are unnerved, and all that is truly fcriptural in Calvinism is openly adopted into the anti-calvinian doctrine of grace.

WE

E fhould be defervedly confidered as bad Proteflants, if we were not ready always to give an answer with meekness to every man [much more to Mr. Hill, a gentleman of piety, learning, reputation, > wit, and fortunej who afketh us a reafon of the hope that is in us. We confefs, that after the way which Our opponents call the herefy of the Arminians and Perfectionists, we worship the God of our Fathers; . believing what is written in the Scripture concerning the extent of redemption by price, and by power.

Concerning the extent of Chrift's redemption by price, we believe, that he, by the grace of God, tofled death to procure initial falvation for every man, and eternal falvation for them that obey him: And concerning the extent of his redemption by power, we are perfuaded, that, when we come to God by him, he is able and willing to fave to the uttermof our fouls from the guilt and pollution of fin here, and our bodies from the grave and from corruption hereafter.

With regard to our extenfive views of Chrift's redemption by price, Mr. Hill calls us Arminians: And with refpect to our believing, that there is no perfe&t faith, no perfect repentance in the grave; that the chriflian graces of repentance, faith, hope, patience, &c. must be perfected here, or never; and with refpe&t to our confidence that Chrift's blood fully applied by his fpirit, and apprehended by perfect faith, can cleanse our hearts from all unrighteoufnefs before we go into the purgatory of the Calvinifts, or into that of the Papifs, that is, before we go into the valley of the fhadow of death. or into the fuburbs of hell--with refpect to this belief and confidence, I fay, Mr. Hill calls us Perfectionifls; and appearing once more upon the stage of our controverfy, he has lately prefented the public with what he calls "A Creed for "Arminians and Perfectionists," which he introduces in these words: "The following confeffion of faith, however fhocking, not to fay blafphemous, it may appear to the humble christian, must inevitably be adopted, if not in exprefs words, yet in fubitance, by every Arminian and Perfectionist whatfoever; tho' the la article of it chiefly concerns fuch as are ordained ministers of the Church of England.” And as among fuch minitters, Mr. J. Wefley, Mr. W. Sellon, and myfelf peculiaily oppofe Mr. Hill's Calvinian doctrines of abfolute election and reprobation, and of a death purgatory; he has put the initial lettere of our names to his creed: hoping, no doubt, to make us peculiarly afhamed of our principles. And indeed fo fhould we be, if any 66 blafphemous" or "fbocking" confequence" inevitably" flowed from them.

But how has Mr. Hill proved that this is the cafe? Has he fupported his charge by one argument? No: But among fome confequences of our doctrine, which are quite harmless and fcriptural, he has fixed upon

us

us fome fhocking confequences, which have no neceffa rconnection with any of our doctrines of grace. We apprehend therefore, that by this method, Mr. Hill has expofed his inattention more than our "herefy."

If Mr. Hill had faid before a thousand witnesses, I hold ten guineas in my right hand, and ten in my left, could the author of the Checks wrong him, or expofe his own candor, if he infifted upon the truth of this confequence, "Then Mr. Hill holds twenty guineas in both his hands." And if Mr. Hill protested ever fo long, that he holds but fifteen in all, and that I am a "calumniator" for faying that he holds twenty: would not all the witneffes, who are impartial and acquainted with the proportion of numbers, clear me of the charge of calumny, and accufe Mr. Hill of inattention? Again: If I had said before the fame witneffes, that I have two guineas in my right hand, and two in my left; and if Mr. Hill, to keep. his error in countenance by bringing me in guilty of as great a mistake as his own, fixed the following confequence upon my affertions," Then you hold feven guineas in both your hands;" fhould he not expofe himself more than me? And would not all the candid fpectators declare, that, altho' I have a right to maintain that ten and ten make twenty, my opponent cannot reasonably affert that two and two make Seven. The juftnefs of this illuftration will appear to the reader, if he casts a look upon the creed which I have compofed for an antinomian with Mr Hill's principles. The doctrines that it contains are all his own, and they are expreffed chiefly in his own words, as appears from numerous quotations, in which I refer the reader to the pages where he has publicly maintained the tenets which I expofe: But Mr. Hill has not produced in his Arminian-Creed one line out of my Checks, from which any shocking or blafpheVOL. V.

Y

mous