Now though all men are, in a sense, the people of God, as they are his creatures, and the care of his providence; yet they are not all redeemed by Christ; because those that are redeemed by Christ, are redeemed out of every people; and therefore cannot be every or all people, Rev. v. 9.

V. The objects of redemption; or those for whom Christ laid down his life a ransom price, are described as sheep; and who are represented as distinct from others, who are not his sheep, John x. 15—29.

VI. The objects of redemption, are the sons of God; redemption and adoption belong to the same persons; according to the prophecy of Caiaphas, Christ was to die, not for the nation of the Jews only, but to gather together in one, the children of God that were scattered abroad throughout the Gentile world, John xi. 52.

What

VII. The objects of redemption, are the church and spouse of Christ; it is the church he has loved, and given himself as a sacrifice and ransom price for, Thy Maker is thine Husband: and thy Redeemer the holy one of Israel! Isai. liv. 5. may be farther necessary, will be to produce some reasons, or arguments, against universal redemption; and to give answer to such scriptures as are brought in favour of it. I. I shall give some reasons, or produce some arguments against the universal scheme of redemption. And, the first set of arguments shall be taken from hence, that universal redemption reflects highly on the perfections of God. 1. The universal scheme, greatly reflects on the love of God to men. What kind of love must that be, which does not secure the salvation of any by it? What sort of love must this be in God, not to spare his Son, but deliver him up to death for all the individuals of mankind, for their redemption; and yet, to multitudes of them, does not send so much as the gospel? 2. The universal scheme, highly reflects on the wisdom of God. Where is his wisdom in forming a scheme, in which he fails of his end? Should it be said, that the failure is owing to some men's not performing the conditions of their redemption re

required of them; it may be observed, either God did know, or did not know, that these men would not perform the conditions required: if he did not know, this ascribes want of knowledge to him: if he did know they would not perform them, where is his wisdom, to provide the blessing of redemption, which he knew beforehand, would be of no service to them? 3. The universal scheme, highly reflects on the justice of God. If Christ died for the sins of all men, and the punishment of their sins is inflicted on him, and bore by him, and yet multitudes of them are everlastingly punished for them, where is justice? If Christ has paid the debts of all men, can it be just with God to arrest such persons. 4. The universal scheme, reflects on the power of God. If Christ has redeemed all men, and all men are not saved, it must be either from want of will in God to save them, or from want of power: not from want of will; for, according to this scheme, it is the will of God that individual man should be saved; it must be therefore for want of power; and so he is not omnipotent. 5. The universal scheme, reflects on the immutability of God, of his love and of his counsel: God, in the scripture, says, I am the Lord, I change not, &c. Mal. iii. 6. Yet, according to this scheme, he is sometimes in one mind, and sometimes in ano. ther; sometimes his mind is to save them, at another time his mind is to damn them. 6. The universal scheme, disappoints God of his chief end, and robs him of his glory. If men, any of them who are redeemed, are not saved, so far God loses his end.

every

Another set of arguments against universal redemption, might be taken from its reflecting on the grace and work of Christ: whatever obscures, or lessens the grace of Christ in redemption, or depreciates his work as a Redeemer, can never be true. 1. The universal scheme, reflects on the love and grace of Christ. What sort of love is that, to love men to such a degree as to die for them, and yet withhold the means of grace from multitudes of them. 2. The universal scheme, refleets upon the work of Christ. Either he has

made satisfaction for every man, or he has not: if he has, then they ought to be set free, and fully discharged, and not punishment inflicted on them, or their debts exacted of them. If he has not made satisfaction by redeeming them, this lessens the value of Christ's work, and makes it of no use, and ineffectual. 3. According to the universal scheme, the death of Christ, with respect to multitudes, for whom he is said to die, must be in vain. If he paid a ransom for all, and all are not ransomed, the price is given to no purpose. 4. The universal scheme, separates the works of Christ, the work of redemption, and the work of intercession; and makes them to belong to different persons; for his advocacy is founded upon his propitiatory sacrifice. Now those for whom he prays and intercedes, are not all men, himself being witness; I pray for them; I pray not for the world, John xvii. 9. Yet, according to the universal scheme, he died for them for whom he would not pray; which is absurd and incredible. 5. If Christ died for all men, and all men are not saved, Christ will not see the travail of his soul and be satisfied, as was promised him, Isai. liii.

Other arguments against universal redemption, may be taken from the uselessness of it to great numbers of men. 1. To those whose sins are irremissible; whose sins will never be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in that which is to come, Matt. xii. 31, 32. Christ cannot be thought to die for such. 2. Redemption, if for all, must be useless to those who never were favoured with the means of grace. 3. The universal scheme, affords no encouragement to faith and hope in Christ. According to the universal scheme, men may be redeemed by Christ, and yet not saved, but eternally perish: what hope of salvation can a man have upon such a scheme? Which is most eligible of the two schemes, that which makes the salvation of some certain, or that which leaves the salvation of all precarious and uncertain; which though it asserts a redemption of all, yet it is possible none may be saved. 4. Hence, even to those who are redeemed and saved,

it lays no foundation for, nor does it furnish with any argument to engage to love Christ, to be thankful to him, and to praise him for the redemption of them; since the difference between them and others is not owing to the efficacy of Christ's death, but to their own wills and works; that they are saved from destruction, if ever they are, according to this scheme; they can not indeed sing the song of praise to the Lamb, for their redemption, saying, Thou art worthy, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us, &c.

OF THOSE PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE WHICH SEEM TO FAVOUR UNIVERSAL REDEMP. TION.

THE several passages of scripture, which are usually brought in support of it, may be divided into three classes. Such in which the words all and every one, are used, when the death of Christ, and the benefits of it are spoken of. Those in which the words world, and the whole world, occur, where the same subjects are treated of. And,-Those that seem to intimate, as if Christ died for some that may be destroyed and perish.

I. Such in which the words all, and every one, are used, when the death of Christ, and the benefit of it, particularly redemption and salvation by him, are spoken of. I. The declaration of the angel in Luke ii. 10, 11. Behold I bring good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, &c. not to all the people of the world, many of whom never heard of it; nor to all the people of the Jews, who did hear of it; not to He rod the King, and to the Scribes and Pharisees, and to many, at least, of the inhabitants of Jerusalem; for when he and they heard the report the wise men of the east made, of the birth of the King of the Jews, Herod was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him, Matt. ii. 3. but to all the people of God and Christ; for he shall save hispeople from their sins. 11. The account given of John's ministry, and the end of it; That all men through him, might believe, John i. 7. from whence it is concluded,

that all men are bound to believe that Christ came to save them. But John's ministry only reached to the Jews; and the report he made of Christ, they were bound to believe, was, not that he died for them; as yet he had not died; but that he was the Messiah. The Indians who have never heard of Christ, are not bound to believe in him; nor will they be condemned for their unbelief; but for their sins against the light of nature, they have been guilty of; see Rom. x. 14. and ii. 12. 11. The words of Christ in John xii. 32. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men to me ; are expressive of the death of Christ, and of the manner of it, crucifixion; which would be the occasion of drawing a great number of persons together, as is usually at executions. Though rather this is to be understood of the great multitude of souls who should be gathered to Christ through the ministry of the word: but this is not true of all and every individual person; for there were multitudes then, as now, who have no will to come to Christ, and are never wrought upon by the It may be observed that at

grace of God, or drawn by it. this time, when Christ spoke these words, there were certain Greeks that were come to the feast. Our Lord's suggests, the time was at hand when he should be lifted up, as an ensign in the ministry of the word, when the Gentiles in great numbers should flock unto him. iv. The passage of the apostle in Rom. v. 18. By the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life; is undoubtedly meant of the righteousness of Christ called the free gift; but then this does not come upon, or is imputed, to every individual son and daughter of Adam; for then they would be all justified by it. But there is a world of ungodly men, a multitude of them that will be condemned, Jude 4. 1 Cor. xi. 32. What will set this matter in a clear light is, that Adam and Christ, throughout the whole context, are to be considered as two covenant heads, having their respective seed and offspring under them; the one as conveying sin and death to all his natural seed, and the other as conveying grace, righteousness, and life