of himself, I have nothing to object against the general pofition; but I am afraid it will be difficult to make any other legitimate use of this conceffion than the apoftle has made already, that they are "without excufe" in their estrangement from God. One thing more we are authorised from Scripture to fay, that their guilt is in proportion to their means of knowledge; that they continue in their natural ftate, and are not chargeable with the fin of rejecting the gofpel which they never heard: "For as many as "have finned without law, fhall alfo perish with"out law; and as many as have finned in the law, fhall be judged by the law *."

I proceed now to the fecond thing propofed, which was, To make a few reflections on this fcheme; and fhew, that it is not only most selfconfiftent, but most agreeable to the other parts of Scripture, as well as to the vifible ftate of the world; and therefore that thofe who, in reafoning with infidels, depart from it in any measure, do thereby betray the caufe which they profefs to fupport.

We have many proofs of the ingenuity and art of perfons under the power of prejudice, in evading the force, or wrefting the meaning of particular texts of Scripture; and therefore it must ferve much for the confirmation of any doctrine,

* Rom. ii, 12.

that

that it is not only fupported by exprefs paffages, but agreeable to the strain and spirit of the whole. That this is the cafe with the doctrine in queftion, I might fhew at great length: at present I content myself with the few following reflections. ift, There is nothing more frequently or more undeniably found in Scripture, than a celebration of the rich mercy and free grace of God in Chrift Jefus, in fuch language as will scarce accord with any other plan than that which I have above endeavoured to explain and support. It has been a remark frequently made, of the justice of which every serious perufer of the facred writings will be fenfible, that the infpired penmen feem, as it were, to be raised and elevated above their ordinary pitch when they are on this theme, and that both in the old and new teftament. Whereever there is a ftriking paffage in the poetic or prophetic writings, containing fentiments of the most rapturous joy, or moft ardent gratitude, there we may be fure is a prophecy of Christ. See the Pfalmift David often thus diftinguishing himfelf, particularly in the following paffage : "His name fhall endure for ever: his name "fhall be continued as long as the fun and 66 men fhall be bleffed in him; and all nations "fhall call him bleffed. Bleffed be the Lord "God, the God of Ifrael, who only doth won"drous things. And bleffed be his glorious

65 name

"

name for ever; and let the whole earth be "filled with his glory. Amen, and Amen *. The apostle Paul alfo, not only when expressly handling the fubject, but even when he accidentally meets with it in the illuftration of another argument, seems to fire at the thought, and either expatiates upon it with a profufion of eloquence, and energy of expreffion; or collects, as it were, his whole force, and furprises us more, by difpatching it at one fingle mafterly ftroke †.

Now, I would ask, Why fo many encomiums on the mercy and grace of God in pardoning finners through Chrift, if his undertaking had not been abfolutely neceffary for their recovery? Whence could arife fo deep an obligation to gratitude, if our ftate had not been abfolutely deplorable, or if relief could have been obtained from any other quarter? There muft furely be a great impropriety in the Scripture-lan-guage upon this subject, when used by some perfons agreeably to their other fentiments. And indeed their being very fparing of this language, avoiding it as much as poffible, and dwelling with most pleasure on different themes, is a tacit confeffion and acknowledgment of this truth."

But, befides the mercy of God to the world in general in fending his Son to redeem us who were

*Pfal. lxxii. 17, 18, 19. See an inftance of the firft of thefe, Eph. iii, 17. and of the laft, 1 Cor. xvi, 22.

fold

fold under fin, we find in Scripture many strong declarations of the infinite mercy of God in fending the tidings of falvation to those who were ignorant of them before. This appears from several of the paffages formerly cited, and many more that might be added. I only mention one of the apostle Paul recorded in the Acts of the Apoftles: "Be it known therefore unto you, that the fal"vation of God is fent unto the Gentiles, and "that they will hear it." Now, what is meant by this? Were thefe Gentiles in a way of falvation before? and what benefit did they reap from this intelligence? If it be faid, that they were comparatively in a more advantageous fituation than before; this when strictly examined, will be found to draw after it all the confequences fo difagreeable to the pride of man, for which the other fuppofition is rejected. Or rather, when their comparative advantages are carried fo far as to give any thing like a confiftent meaning to the above and other paffages of Scripture, it will amount entirely to the fame thing. For I hope no Chriftian will affert, that any perfon in the world, who hath the exercise of reafon, is under a Natural, but only a Moral impoffibility †, of coming to the knowledge, and doing

* Acts xxviii. 28.

I use the words Natural and Moral impoffibility in the fenfe in which they are used by the authors who first applied

that

doing the will of God. If the firft were the cafe, it would take away all fin; but the laft is only fuch an obftinate difinclination, as is ftill confiftent with guilt and blame.

Another reflection we may make on this fubject, That, according to the conftant tenor of the holy Scripture, not only an offer of mercy for Chrift's fake muft be made to the finner, but a change must be wrought on his heart and temper fo great, as to be termed a New Creation, and a Second Birth. The first of thefe is an act of the divine government, the laft is a work of divine dower. Now, I would beg leave to afk, How and where is this to be expected? It cannot furely proceed from the influence of fabulous deities, or be the effect of idolatrous rites. It is not the work of man, and therefore only of the Spirit of Chrift. Should any think fit to prefume, that the fanctifying influences of the Holy Ghost are bestowed univerfally, though unknown

that diftinction to fubjects of philofophy and divinity, and not in the abfurd fenfe in which fome late infidel writers do obftinately perfift in ufing them. Thefe gentlemen, instead of meaning by Natural or Physical neceflity or impoffibility, that which arifes from the irefiflible operation of the laws of nature, and by Moral, a high degree of probability from concurring circumftances, tell us, that Phyfical neceffity is what arifes from the laws of matter; and Moral, that which arifes from the laws of mind or fpirit. But nothing can be more evident, than that any influence from without upon mind or spirit, if it be irrefifiible, is as much phyfical or natural neceflity as any other. And the diftinction thus explained, or perverted, is utterly ufclefs, when applied to morals.

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